On the seventh day of the sixth lunar month, the cicadas began to sing at the head of the river.
Amidst the deep leaves of the photinia, a few sounds linger at dusk.
Under the tree, Huo Yan leaned back lazily in a deck chair with his eyes closed, swaying back and forth.
The small rocking chair creaked under the weight of the mountain-like tiger's body.
A bird fluttered its wings and flew to another tree, and Huo Yan's ears twitched slightly.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, making the scar running across his brow and eye appear even more menacing.
A leaf gently drifted down and landed right on the tip of his bronze nose. With a gentle blow, the leaf twirled and flew away merrily in the wind.
His large, calloused hand reached for his waist, and a dagger appeared in his hand. The exquisite carvings were lifelike, and it was inlaid with several small gemstones and a ruby the size of a pigeon's egg, every detail showcasing the owner's noble status.
Huo Yan drew his sword from its sheath, a chilling aura flashing past.
With a flick of the wrist, the dagger broke free of its restraints and flew upwards.
With a muffled groan, a man in black fell from the branches, his large knife piercing through his calf, emitting a painful scream like a pig being slaughtered.
Huo Yan frowned slightly, his narrow eyes were tightly closed, and his thin lips parted slightly as he impatiently uttered two words.
"So noisy!"
Jin Yu was also very annoyed. He glared at the man in black, but finally couldn't help himself and kicked him again.
He himself had many knife wounds, but when had he ever cried out like this? It was truly shameful.
And I disturbed my elder brother's peace and quiet for nothing.
Without saying a word, he stepped forward, dislocated the man's jaw, lifted him up with one hand, and threw him into the sun to bake in the scorching heat.
Niu Mang drew a bucket of water from the well, scooped some out with a ladle, and scurried over to Huo Yan, offering it to him in a fawning manner.
"Brother, the weather is so hot these days, this well water is so cool and refreshing, would you like a sip?"
Huo Yan glanced at the well water covered with mud and sand, his eyes darkened, and he took a small sip with the ladle, his brows furrowing even deeper.
“Brother, this place is inherently harsh and cold. Although the trees are lush and green this season, sand and gravel still fill the air when the wind is strong, so the well water is not that clear.”
He curled his lip again and continued, "Before, on the battlefield, when we were ambushing you, you even drank my urine..."
Before he could finish speaking, Huo Yan glared at him with a sharp look.
Jin Yu gave him a flick on the forehead, "You still bring it up? You still have the nerve to bring it up! If my water pouch wasn't empty, would I have asked you for a water pouch?"
"When I asked you if there was still water, what were you thinking? You actually nodded?"
"You bastard, who would have known you would piss in your water bag, making me give it to my brother to drink."
"You even got me punished with thirty strokes of the cane along with you, you damned bastard."
Niu Mang fell silent, the burly man looking up at the sky with a wronged expression.
After a long pause, he said, "Don't mention the past. I thought that returning to the capital in triumph would bring me promotion and honors, but His Majesty waved his hand and sent me to this bitter and cold place."
Jin Yu rolled his eyes at him again, "What, do you want your older brother to marry that Princess Lai En?"
"I'm a rough man, I don't know so many tricks. I just think that Princess Lai'en is beautiful and gentle, and she is also a noble lady. She and my brother are a perfect match."
Jin Yu glanced at Huo Yan, who seemed lost in thought, and his eyelids twitched involuntarily.
He pinched Niu Mang's waist hard again, "You know what your elder brother is thinking..."
The two exchanged a glance and then shook their heads.
The cicadas chirped even louder, their laughter sounding almost mocking.
After a long while, Huo Yan finally spoke, "Is the registration complete? If it is, bring them out."
Jin Yu glanced into the house, then strode off, saying, "I'll go take a look."
A short while later, several constables escorted out about twenty women.
Their crying, buzzing like a swarm of flies, only added to the irritating atmosphere.
"Tell them to shut up, their noise is giving me a headache."
Several constables drew a cold sword; in the sunlight, the blade gleamed with a chilling light that blinded them.
The girls, like frightened rabbits, were even more startled by the menacing man on the rocking chair. They immediately shut their mouths like clams, silently sobbing, tears welling up in their hearts.
Three other women, their hair disheveled and clothes in disarray, sat motionless on the ground, their eyes dull and lifeless, as if their souls had been ripped from their bodies.
Meanwhile, Jin Yu poked Niu Mang with the hilt of his sword and winked at him.
My brother looks terrifying.
Niu Mang stood to the side, picking at his fingers, and earnestly advised, "Brother, I see a pretty girl here, and... she's alright. Why don't you take her as a concubine?"
"You're already twenty-five, and you don't even have anyone who cares about you. It's quite pitiful..."
Huo Yan then looked at him properly; even his inappropriate constable attire couldn't hide his barbaric nature.
"Silly girl."
Huo Yan gave him another cold glance before looking away.
Niu Mang persisted, but what was wrong with him? He was just telling the truth.
"Even though my wife is back in our hometown, I still have someone who cares about me. Although I snore loudly every night, I know that Jin Yu covers me with a blanket every night. He's so good to me."
"But what about you, brother? Don't think I don't know, your courtyard is quite deserted."
As she spoke, she smiled at Jin Yu, her eyes full of gratitude.
Jin Yu: ...
There was no way to respond to that. If it weren't for the noise keeping him awake every night, and the huge temperature difference between day and night, which made him afraid that the guy would catch a cold, he wouldn't care.
Now that he's said those words, a group of his brothers are laughing like idiots, and he's completely embarrassed.
Huo Yan's indifferent face remained expressionless as he simply pointed to the man in black, who was half-asleep under the blazing sun.
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