Chapter 104 A Close Call
"Who are you, daring to trespass into the prison?" The county magistrate was stunned by this sudden turn of events, but quickly regained his composure and shouted sternly.
He had just raised his hand to point at the leader when, in the next second, a flash of silver light appeared, and a cold blade pressed tightly against his neck: "You...you..."
He froze, too terrified to move, glancing sideways at the blade that was about to cut his flesh. His throat bobbed, and he was too frightened to speak.
Zhu Mingyue felt the iron chains on her wrists being untied, freeing her from the heavy restraints, and her entire body collapsed weakly to the ground.
However, instead of falling onto the hard ground as expected, she gently tumbled into a warm embrace.
Zhu Mingyue frowned slightly, sniffed, and felt enveloped by a familiar scent, so comforting that it made her feel dazed.
Through the blur, he saw Xie Pei's face getting closer and closer.
Did Xie Pei come to save him? Or was this a hallucination he had before dying? If it was a hallucination, that would be fine too.
"Zhu Mingyue, wake up."
Xie Pei held Zhu Mingyue tightly in his arms. The person in his arms seemed as fragile as a piece of porcelain about to shatter. Xie Pei's voice trembled without him even realizing it.
Zhu Mingyue's tattered coat, stained with blood, showed no change in her pupils even when she saw him.
Xie Pei felt as if a sharp thorn had pierced his heart, the pain making it hard to breathe. He quickly tore off his coat and covered Zhu Mingyue with it, then carefully lifted her up in his arms, his movements extremely gentle.
When passing by the county magistrate, if one pauses even for a second, the magistrate feels as if he has fallen into an ice cave.
Large beads of sweat kept sliding down his temples. The few jailers were all restrained and squatted in a corner with their heads in their hands.
From the moment he watched these people appear out of thin air and rescue Zhu Mingyue, his heart sank to the bottom. He knew that only one of him and Zhu Mingyue could survive; if he didn't eliminate Zhu Mingyue, he would be in danger.
He was unwilling to accept this, but facing the broadsword at his neck, he dared not speak recklessly. He could only tremble and say, "May I ask what the meaning of this is, esteemed heroes? If you have something to say, let's talk it out. Why draw swords at each other? There must be some misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" The speaker was a tall, slender young man. He was Xie Pei's personal guard and had come to Ganzhou with Xie Pei. He never expected that the first thing they would do was break out of prison.
He had only caught a fleeting glimpse of the general's sister-in-law, as the general had covered her body, so he couldn't see clearly. However, even through her clothes, he could tell that her condition was appalling.
Covered in blood and shockingly weak, it's no wonder the general was so nervous. He would have been angry too.
"It's a misunderstanding, really a misunderstanding." The magistrate forced an awkward smile, his face full of wrinkles. "You must be the Wang family from the capital, right?"
"That must be it," the magistrate said with a smile on his face, but inwardly he cursed the subordinates he had sent to the capital to gather information.
What's going on? Wasn't it agreed that the so-called Wang family of the capital was a complete fabrication? What's with this group of people suddenly appearing now?
To his surprise, the guard looked puzzled: "The Wang family? I've never heard of them."
If it's not the Wang family, then who else could it be? Could it be...?
He then probed, "Was that Xie Pei just now?"
The guard glanced at the prison gate and said decisively, "That's right."
As soon as he finished speaking, the magistrate began to struggle violently, but was once again suppressed by the broadsword.
But he was no longer as timid as before, and his tone was much more confident, as if he had instantly regained his former arrogance: "You have some nerve!"
"Xie Pei, you little brat, dared to escape from Jizhou on your own and even dared to lead a prison break to threaten me. I warn you, lay down your weapons and surrender, and I may spare your lives."
The guard immediately rebuked him: "How dare you be so disrespectful to the general!" A hint of anger appeared on his face.
He raised his hand and said, "Take him to the governor's mansion in Ganzhou."
At a command, the magistrate was bound hand and foot. Just as he was about to curse, a dirty rag was stuffed into his mouth. He mumbled for a long time, but no official or jailer dared to come forward to rescue him.
When he was finally escorted to the governor's mansion, the county magistrate nearly fainted.
He was completely out of the loop at the moment, and if nothing unexpected happened, he should have already killed Zhu Mingyue in prison by now.
What's going on now? Xie Pei is just a captain, at most the same rank as him, so why would he dare to do such a thing to him?
This turn of events terrified him, but now, standing before the governor's mansion, he was truly afraid.
Regardless, it is true that he abused the law, and if the governor unfortunately finds out the truth, he will likely be dismissed from his post.
He was practically dragged into the governor's mansion.
The moment he heard the governor address Xie Pei as General Zhennan, he knew he was doomed.
How could this be? Xie Pei is actually a general!
A higher rank can crush a person, and Xie Pei, being a third-rank general, was someone who could easily trample him underfoot.
"My lord, this is a misunderstanding!" He cried, tears streaming down his face, frantically trying to defend himself: "It was Sun Weifu, a merchant from Kangyang County, who told me that Zhu Mingyue murdered a commoner in Shangyang County."
The governor frowned: "So you just threw him into prison without asking any questions and tortured him to extract a confession?"
The confession signed by Zhu Mingyue was still tucked in his sleeve. It should have been Zhu Mingyue's death warrant, but now it had become his death warrant.
The governor's casual questioning became the final straw that broke him.
Everything is over. He was bewitched; he harmed others and ultimately harmed himself...
"Please convey my message to General Zhennan: the matter of the magistrate of Shangyang County was due to my lax governance, and I will certainly resolve it. I am currently very busy with affairs in the government and cannot get away from it. Please do not blame me, General."
Although the General of Zhennan did not reveal the purpose of his trip, he had the answer in his heart after this incident.
It was simply to protect his family members from persecution. This was their private matter, and if he had any sense, he wouldn't have bothered them. Otherwise, he would have liked to see who this brave and skilled General Zhennan, whom General Guan had mentioned, really was.
He made great contributions at a young age and won the favor of General Guan. Hopefully, he won't offend anyone because of this.
The governor squinted, glancing in the direction the county magistrate had been dragged away. Disgust flashed in his eyes, and he also felt a headache coming on.
He had only served as the prefect of Ganzhou for five years when the mess left by his predecessor caused him trouble, and now he was the one to deal with it.
Sun Kan bowed to him and said, "I will trouble you with this matter, Governor. I will certainly convey your kindness to the General."
...
The Xie residence, which had been uninhabited for a long time, was rather deserted, with even the door covered in a layer of fine dust.
Xie Pei strode forward and kicked the door open. Zhu Mingyue, who was wrapped up like a dumpling in his arms, coughed twice from the dust. A hint of heartache appeared in his eyes as he weakly said, "Kick it gently."
These ancient wooden doors couldn't withstand being kicked, and Xie Pei's legs were long and strong. His kick seemed to be full of explosive power, making the wooden door seem utterly vulnerable.
Seeing that he still had the energy to speak, Xie Pei smiled and bent down to put him on the bed.
Having narrowly escaped death, Zhu Mingyue is now overjoyed! She keeps looking around, and finally sighs, "Home is the best!"
He'd been in jail for so many days, he was almost driven mad. It's safe to say that the dark, hopeless place was not a place he could endure.
"Xie Pei, thank you. If you hadn't arrived in time, I think I would be dead by now."
The rough fingertips pressed gently against his lips. Xie Pei clearly didn't want to hear such words, especially the word "death." He could clearly see Xie Pei's face suddenly darken when he said that word.
Zhu Mingyue shrank back: "Let's not talk about that." He then changed the subject, "By the way, will you be punished for coming back so abruptly?" He remembered that the consequences of leaving the army without permission were quite serious, and he couldn't help but worry about him.
Xie Pei placed a pillow under his head to comfort him, "No, I have already reported to the General."
Zhu Mingyue turned to the side and snuggled closer: "General? Which General Guan is it?"
Xie Pei nodded, while reaching out to stop him from scratching: "The doctor said you can't scratch."
Zhu Mingyue pouted. He really couldn't scratch, but he was so itchy! It was just pain at first, but the doctor had given him some kind of medicine, and now it didn't hurt as much. However, he felt an unbearable itch all over his body, especially on his side.
But he wasn't ignoring the advice. He remembered the doctor saying that if he couldn't resist scratching now, it might leave brown scars later. He didn't want any scars on his body. Even though others couldn't see them, he couldn't bear to see them and feel upset.
Zhu Mingyue looked incredibly well-behaved, trying her best to suppress the tickling sensation, her eyes even glistening with tears, making one's heart itch with desire.
Xie Pei twitched his fingers a couple of times, but finally couldn't resist placing his palm on Xie Pei's side. The warmth of his palm seeped into Xie Pei's skin through the gauze, and the itching sensation there immediately subsided.
Zhu Mingyue couldn't help but sigh, "It feels so good!"
Xie Pei said calmly, "Remember not to scratch it anymore. Just get through these few days."
"Yes!" Zhu Mingyue nodded repeatedly.
It has to be said that Xie Pei was truly terrified when he broke into the prison and saw Zhu Mingyue covered in blood and seemingly lifeless. He still feels lingering fear from that scene.
On the way from the county government office to the clinic, he didn't even know what he was thinking, or rather, he didn't dare to think about it at all.
Unexpectedly, when they arrived at the clinic, the doctor said that Zhu Mingyue's injuries had not damaged her internal organs, but had only caused some physical pain. Although it looked extremely serious, her life was not in danger.
Zhu Mingyue woke up after being given medicine and some food. The first thing she did after waking up was to say she was hungry. Xie Pei hurriedly had someone cook some rice porridge and fed her two bowls. Zhu Mingyue's spirits recovered a lot.
The reason he looked so seriously ill was most likely due to starvation. He hadn't eaten for over four days. Since the day Er Ya took the letter out, He An hadn't been able to bring any food in, which was obviously forbidden by the county magistrate. The jailers hadn't even had their daily staple of a cornbread. He was so weak from hunger that he was then brutally beaten, which explained his extremely serious condition.
Xie Pei breathed a sigh of relief, bought a lot of ointments, and took the person directly home.
Zhu Mingyue seemed to treat him very well. After looking him up and down, the envy in her eyes was almost overflowing: "You really look different now, like a majestic general."
The sound of horses' hooves echoed outside the gate, and before anyone could be seen at the entrance, a clear voice rang out:
"Remove the word 'big,' and our general is indeed the General Who Guards the South."
Zhu Mingyue was stunned for a moment, then her face lit up with joy: "Didn't you just become a captain? How did you become a general so quickly?"
No wonder, no wonder Xie Pei was able to get him out of prison without a word. It turns out Xie Pei had been promoted to a high-ranking official without his knowledge. A general, that sounds like a higher rank than a county magistrate. Didn't that old corrupt official say he wasn't afraid even if the prefect came? How come he was silent when he encountered Xie Pei?
“General Zhennan…” he murmured repeatedly, his eyes crinkling into a smile: “It sounds wonderful.” Zhennan, as the name suggests, means to guard the south, which shows how high expectations are placed on him.
Xie Pei must be exceptionally talented to live up to this expectation.
Sun Kan, left out and ignored by everyone: ...
After he finished dealing with his business, he went straight to the Xie family. Could he have been ignored like this?
Fortunately, Zhu Mingyue did not ignore him. After a brief moment of shock and joy, she remembered that there was someone outside.
He glanced at Xie Pei and slowly asked, "May I ask who you are?"
Seeing that someone was finally paying attention to him, Sun Kan quickly replied, "I am Sun Kan, greetings to General's sister-in-law."
"What kind of awful address is this!" Zhu Mingyue was so embarrassed that he curled his toes to the ground and unconsciously gripped the corner of the blanket. He cleared his throat and said, "My name is Zhu Mingyue. You can just call me by my name!"
Having said that, seeing that he was still standing outside, she said politely, "Please come in and sit down!"
He wanted to pour water for the guest, but he was physically unable to do so, so he instinctively called out, "Xie Pei, could you pour the guest a glass of water?"
"No, no!" Sun Kan was terrified. He quickly got up and poured himself a glass of water, not forgetting to pour one for Xie Pei as well. How could he dare let the general pour him water? It would be tantamount to defying the heavens.
Zhu Mingyue, who was used to ordering Xie Pei around, realized that Xie Pei's status was different now, and he could no longer be ordered around like this.
But Xie Pei showed no change in expression, and picked up his untouched cup of tea: "Would you like some water?"
Zhu Mingyue smacked his lips, feeling a bit thirsty, so he nodded, and Xie Pei carefully fed him water.
After downing a cup, a tidal wave of emotions surged within Sun Kan.
Damn it, how can that idiot Li Zhengyang not suspect anything when he sees the two of them interacting like this every day?
Is this the kind of relationship that exists between an uncle and his sister-in-law? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them a couple, or even a loving and inseparable one.
He was initially shocked, but then he tasted a subtle sweetness. In his youth, he had read many storybooks, such as "The Handsome Uncle and the Charming Widow" and "Ten Tales of the South Wind," among many others. The books weren't particularly well-written, but their captivating plots made them stand out. Now, however, they didn't feel as exciting as reading them up close in real life.
Xie Pei bent down and carefully wiped the water stains from the corners of Zhu Mingyue's mouth.
ah--
Sun Kan couldn't help but sigh.
Seeing that both of them were looking at him, he immediately felt that his presence was disrupting the atmosphere, so he quickly stood up and explained, "I'm feeling a bit sleepy, I'll go outside to clear my head."
Zhu Mingyue withdrew her gaze: "You've come all the way from Jizhou for my sake, thank you for your hard work."
Xie Pei had faint dark circles under his eyes, and Zhu Mingyue felt both guilty and heartbroken.
"Could you stay in Ganzhou a little longer on this trip?"
Xie Pei: "No, I must set off tomorrow. Don't worry, no one in Shangyang County will dare to bully you after I leave."
Zhu Mingyue shook his head: "That's not what I meant." He reached out and brushed Xie Pei's eyes away. "Never mind, you've had a long journey. Take a rest today so you can set off tomorrow."
Seeing that Xie Pei seemed not to hear her and did not move at all, Zhu Mingyue raised an eyebrow. "General Zhennan, I am speaking to you!"
He was teasing him intentionally, his tone sounding somewhat flirtatious, like a feather lightly brushing against him, making his heart itch.
His ear tips turned slightly red, as if he were somewhat helpless: "Don't be silly."
Zhu Mingyue snorted twice: "What nonsense are you talking about? You are the General of Zhennan now."
Xie Pei knew he was just being playful, and the more he responded, the more excited he became. So he simply ignored him, brushed aside the fine hairs that were covering his eyebrows, and said, "You should rest too." Then he left.
He wasn't going to sleep. He was excited because he had finally gotten out of prison, so he secretly called Sun Kan in while Xie Pei went inside to rest.
This was the first time Sun Kan had met this general's sister-in-law. He hadn't dared to look at her closely with the general present, but now that he was meeting her alone, he was much bolder.
She's so beautiful! Even though he was well-traveled before joining the army, he was still quite shocked when he saw Zhu Mingyue's face.
He could understand why the general had such thoughts; after all, anyone would be tempted to spend time with a widowed sister-in-law like that.
Not to mention the general, even he liked him very much when they first met!
It's just human nature.
Faced with such a person, even the usually composed and self-possessed Sun Kan was uncharacteristically flustered, "Sister-in-law, you..."
"Don't call me sister-in-law," Zhu Mingyue interrupted him, then smiled and said, "Just call me Zhu Mingyue. I'm just bored and want to chat with you. Don't be nervous!" How could he be that scary?
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Author's Note: Sun Kan: Burp! So full!
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