Chapter 106 Regrouping
The touch on his lips had vanished, but the warmth felt like it was branding his skin, and Zhu Mingyue froze. His blood seemed to freeze instantly, then surge forth again.
Zhu Mingyue felt extremely hot; the bed was so hot that his mind went blank and he couldn't think straight.
He pulled the blanket off without hesitation, but it still didn't work. He felt like he had gone mad, lost the ability to think, and was left only with a blank stare.
She groped her way out of bed and lit the oil lamp until the tiny flame dispelled the darkness. Then, Zhu Mingyue grabbed the leftover cold tea and gulped it down.
Physical cooling did have some effect. After drinking half a pot of cool tea, it was as if the burning heat in her internal organs had been extinguished. Zhu Mingyue's body temperature finally dropped to normal, and her brain regained some rationality, finally allowing her to calm down and recall what had just happened.
Xie Pei kissed him, and Zhu Mingyue subconsciously touched his lips, the tingling sensation like a subtle electric current shooting straight into his heart.
Why? How could this happen?
Could it be that Xie Pei really likes me?
Realizing that the problem that had troubled her for so long seemed to have finally found its true answer, Zhu Mingyue's breathing unconsciously became a little heavier.
By the way, Xie Pei used to like tidying up his stray hairs, and he took meticulous care of him when he was sick, patiently coaxing him to take his medicine... All these signs had already planted the seeds of suspicion in his heart. However, Xie Pei's actions always stopped short of crossing the line, so Zhu Mingyue only felt something ambiguous each time, but couldn't find any more conclusive evidence.
But now, thinking about it more carefully, what kind of evidence is needed? In ordinary families, even uncles and aunts-in-law would avoid each other because of this relationship. Who would have a relationship like theirs?
Unless, Xie Pei never considered Xie Hong as her brother, and therefore never considered him as her sister-in-law.
Zhu Mingyue was completely baffled. Even if he didn't consider Xie Pei his sister-in-law, it didn't matter; he could treat him as a brother or a friend. He simply couldn't understand what he had done to make Xie Pei develop those feelings for him.
In his past life, it wasn't that no one liked him, but he wasn't very sociable, busy with his studies and supporting himself, and rarely spent time interacting with others. Therefore, it could be concluded that those who liked him were simply admiring his face, which was extremely superficial. He didn't believe that Xie Pei was also that kind of superficial person.
But if you're talking about liking his inner qualities, he honestly doesn't seem to have any qualities that are likable. Even He An said he's lazy and lacks ambition, not a good eater but too lazy to work, and also quite spoiled. Actually, He An is right. Before Xie Pei joined the army, Xie Pei did most of the housework. The winters in Ganzhou are very cold, and he always liked to stay in bed, so Xie Pei would cook porridge and boil water every day after dark.
Despite not understanding it, it's a given that Xie Pei likes him now.
Zhu Mingyue's biggest worry is how to face him in the future. Should she continue to pretend that she doesn't know anything?
Forget it, I'm not going to think about it anymore. I've drunk a lot of cold water and still haven't come to a conclusion. I've decided to just wait until I see Xie Pei again to think about this problem. After all, I don't know when we'll meet again.
He put all his confusion aside and focused on recovering from his injury.
The next day, He An came to report the good news: the location for Mingyue Tower in Guangyang County had been finalized.
The process was extremely fast; before He An could even react, the county government's seal was already affixed.
"Thanks to Brother Xie, no, it's General Zhennan." He An said with emotion, "The magistrate of Guangyang County must have heard of General Zhennan's reputation to have done us this favor." For the first time, He An felt what it meant to be carefree. So this is what it feels like to have a powerful figure backing you up. No one dared to deliberately make things difficult for him, and he no longer needed to bring extra money to the yamen every time he went there.
"The magistrate of Guangyang County also sent someone to tell me that he had heard about the corrupt official in Shangyang County and scoffed at his behavior, so you can rest assured that you can open a restaurant in Guangyang County."
Zhu Mingyue: ...
Although he knew that Xie Pei's identity was very different from before, he did not expect that Xie Pei would play such a big role.
He An has been in high spirits these past two days, and his energy has visibly improved. He's back to being a spinning top that never stops once he gets busy. He reported on the restaurant's situation over the past few days.
"By the way, the person who was causing trouble for us has been arrested by the authorities and sentenced today."
Zhu Mingyue immediately perked up: "Really?" He learned from Sun Kan yesterday that the person who plotted to frame him and kill him was named Sun Weifu, a merchant from Kangyang County who also ran restaurants and whose businesses were spread throughout various counties in Ganzhou.
In Shangyang County, there was one such restaurant, located in a bustling area, called Fengxianju, which catered specifically to literati and refined gentlemen. It had a stable clientele in the past, so business was neither particularly good nor bad.
Later, as Mingyuelou gained fame, it happened to overlap with the other party's positioning, which inevitably led to the loss of its customers.
Originally, it wasn't a big deal; business is all about survival of the fittest, and besides, Sun Weifu owns more than just this one restaurant.
The problem was that Zhu Mingyue sent people to other counties to find suitable places to build restaurants, and somehow Sun Weifu found out about this.
He was immediately enraged, believing that Zhu Mingyue was deliberately going against him. Not only had she ruined the business of his restaurant, but she was also trying to extend her reach to other areas. Given the current popularity of Mingyue Restaurant, if it were allowed to develop unchecked, his business would definitely suffer.
Therefore, he immediately conceived the idea of ruining Mingyue Tower's reputation.
He first spent some money to hire local street thugs to cause trouble at Mingyue Tower, but the man dared to double-cross him, taking the money from He An and running away. The trouble was put to rest halfway through.
The second time, he simply found a gambler who owed money to the gambling den and promised to settle all his gambling debts after the deal was done.
As it turned out, this person was more trouble than he was worth. Not only did he fail to cause any trouble, but he was also taken to the yamen and almost implicated.
He grew angrier the more he thought about it that day, and in his anger, he even found another way to trip up Zhu Mingyue.
If we kill that gambler, bribe the county magistrate, and pin the murder on Zhu Mingyue, we can get rid of Zhu Mingyue.
Since Zhu Mingyue has already been brought down by him, there's no need to destroy Mingyue Tower. With a few tricks, he can easily take over Mingyue Tower for himself.
It was a sure thing, but unexpectedly, Xie Pei hijacked the plan in the end.
His relationship with the county magistrate was purely based on mutual benefit, with no affection whatsoever. Knowing that the magistrate would expose him immediately after the affair was exposed, he hurriedly packed his valuables and prepared to flee to another prefecture to avoid trouble.
Sun Kan was no pushover; he wasn't about to let him get away with it so easily. He immediately colluded with the officials to intercept the man and send him to the yamen (government office).
Finally, the county magistrate was dismissed from his post and permanently barred from holding office for accepting bribes and perverting the law; he was also exiled to Zhangzhou as a soldier. Sun Weifu was not so lucky. In addition to having a gambler's life on his hands, his crimes of forcibly abducting women and driving them to suicide were also thoroughly exposed.
He An's tone was filled with joy: "He's sentenced to death, to be executed in the autumn."
Those who harm others will eventually harm themselves. This outcome should have fallen on Zhu Mingyue, but it has now become Sun Weifu's final fate.
Driven by self-interest, the county magistrate paid a heavy price. After ruling as a local tyrant in Shangyang County for so many years, he never expected to fall at the hands of Zhu Mingyue.
By now, it would be too late for regrets. Zhangzhou was no good place; it was a desolate and bitterly cold region, inhabited only by border troops and miners. Those who were not physically strong often couldn't even survive the winter.
Seeing her enemy meet such a tragic end, Zhu Mingyue felt incredibly relieved.
He sat up and stretched: "I can't just lie here like this, or I'll really become a couch potato?" With his worries gone, he was full of energy and eager to get things done.
Of course, there was another reason. These past two days, he couldn't stop thinking about him and Xie Pei. He thought about it whether his eyes were open or closed, and even in his dreams, the image of Xie Pei kissing him would replay. He knew that if this continued, he would go crazy sooner or later, so it was time to find something to do to distract himself.
The Mingyue Tower branch in Guangyang County is under construction in full swing.
Meanwhile, Xie Pei and his entourage arrived in Jizhou on time on the last day, having traveled a long and arduous journey.
Upon arriving at Jizhou camp, Xie Pei, without taking a break, went straight to General Guan's tent to report back.
Sun Kan and Zhong Kai also sent all the people on this trip back to their units.
They returned just in time; the camp was having a meal. Zhong Hui spotted Sun Kan in the distance, quickly finished his millet porridge in two gulps, and came to greet him.
Zhong Hui wiped the water from his mouth and asked, "How was the trip? Did it go smoothly?"
"Successfully." Sun Kan replied, the image of Zhu Mingyue lying pitifully in bed wrapped in gauze involuntarily flashing through his mind. He paused and then added, "It would have been even better if we had arrived a little earlier."
Zhong Hui was clearly not interested in this. The gossip gleam in his eyes was impossible to hide. He asked curiously, "General, what is the matter that you are in such a hurry to come here?"
Sun Kan glanced at him: "What else could it be? There's only one person left in the general's household."
Zhong Hui's face instantly showed an expression of "I knew it!" "You've seen the General's sister-in-law?" He was genuinely curious. It was mainly Li Zhengyang's fault. Who told him to love to brag every now and then? He not only bragged about himself but also liked to bring Zhu Mingyue into it, praising her as a rare celestial being, making everyone extremely curious about this person they had never seen before.
Sun Kan pondered for a moment, looking somewhat conflicted.
Zhong Hui then realized that Li Zhengyang was indeed bragging. He had thought to himself, there's no such thing as a good person who is not only such a good cook, but also so good-looking.
He was inwardly grumbling when Sun Kan spoke up without warning: "Li Zhengyang didn't lie." Since Zhu Mingyue was involved, even if Sun Kan was unwilling, he could only defend him, because defending Li Zhengyang was also defending Zhu Mingyue.
ah--
Zhong Hui's mouth gaped open, and after a long while, he said incredulously, "Really that..."
Sun Kan nodded before he could finish speaking: "It looks good."
Not only is she beautiful, but I also want to marry her...
I don't know what kind of incredible luck the general's brother had to marry such a wonderful person.
He had been curious about what kind of person could make a general as stubborn as an iron tree bloom, but after seeing the person, he had no more thoughts.
It's perfectly reasonable for me to like Zhu Mingyue.
Zhong Hui fell silent. If even someone as discerning as Sun Kan said it was good, then it must truly be good.
While the two were talking, Li Zhengyang and Yuan Fei arrived together.
Yuan Fei still had a wound on his head, which was wrapped in cloth. From a distance, he looked round and somewhat comical.
His heart was the biggest among them; he immediately stared intently at the package in Sun Kan's hand and asked expectantly, "What's this?"
Sun Kan: ...
Li Zhengyang shouted, "I had just returned to camp when I heard the news that you and the general had returned to Ganzhou. I'm furious! If you ask me, no matter what the purpose of this trip was, the general should have taken me back with him."
He was extremely anxious when he heard the news. If it weren't for the absolute military orders, he would have turned around and caught up with them immediately.
I haven't been home for over a year. I finally had a chance, even if it was just to go to Ganzhou and not be able to go home, but I missed it.
Seeing the frustrated look on his face that had been there for days, Zhong Hui laughed: "Alright, it's not an easy job. Anyone would have a hard time traveling day and night. They must have had a tough time on this trip."
He had other things to do and wasn't going to chat with them anymore. Before leaving, he dragged Yuan Fei along. That big idiot always wanted to join in the fun. His head wasn't injured by the southern barbarians on the battlefield, but it got accidentally injured because he loved to watch people fight.
Li Zhengyang was not easily comforted by such words. Upon hearing this and seeing Zhong Hui's back, his expression worsened. He was willing to endure hardship.
But after being comforted by Zhong Hui, he remembered to ask, "By the way, what is the purpose of your return to Ganzhou?"
This matter should not be publicized. Apart from Zhong Hui, who guessed it, the others in the camp were unaware of it.
But he told Li Zhengyang it was alright, since the general had accepted the things Li Zhengyang's mother had asked him to bring.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he whispered truthfully, "The general's sister-in-law was falsely accused and imprisoned, and almost lost her life in prison. After receiving the letter, the general rushed back to Ganzhou to save her."
"What!" Li Zhengyang was immediately taken aback: "How is Mingyue now?!"
Sun Kan: "Keep your voice down, don't let others hear. This matter should not be publicized, lest it reach the ears of those with ulterior motives and be used against the general."
Upon hearing this, Li Zhengyang lowered his voice, his concern barely concealed: "What exactly happened?"
Sun Kan: "It's nothing. I suffered some injuries, which looked quite serious, but it's nothing serious."
Li Zhengyang's heart had jumped into his throat, but after hearing this, it immediately sank back down. As long as the person was alright, that was all that mattered.
His gaze shifted downwards, landing on Sun Kan's package, and he asked the exact same question as Yuan Fei: "What is this?"
Sun Kan raised an eyebrow: "This is a gift that General's sister-in-law specially had prepared for us."
"Let me see!" Li Zhengyang reached out to snatch it.
Sun Kan wouldn't let him succeed, would he? He easily dodged it, saying, "Don't bother, it's just some food." Logically speaking, giving food as a gift is not appropriate, but they are different. They don't get enough to eat in the military camp, so sending them this is undoubtedly a godsend.
Although it was food, it was quite expensive. For example, this jar of oil-soaked meat was nothing but oil and meat; even ordinary families wouldn't dare to eat it once in ten or eight years, let alone soldiers. Besides that, there was also some pork jerky, beef jerky, sauerkraut…
He An was meticulous, preparing only things that could be stored for a long time and eaten at any time. Everyone received something, but he and Zhong Kai received extra portions.
Li Zhengyang couldn't win against him, and said sourly, "I don't really want it either, I'm already full."
"Are you full?" Sun Kan's mind raced: "The army has received new rations again."
Li Zhengyang nodded casually: "Yes, the few carts of grain from the imperial court are not enough to feed us. A few days ago, a batch of grain was delivered. It is said that it has nothing to do with the imperial court. It was ordered by General Guan to be purchased from other prefectures. I guess we will have to fight again soon, so our troops have been able to eat more than half full these days."
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