After Exile, I Married the Amnesiac General [Rebirth] Chapter 33

The next day, the drill ground in the camp.

In the fierce cold wind, more than five hundred soldiers stood armored and armed, fully prepared to depart.

General Chen personally came to the drill ground to inspect the troops and raise morale: “In this bandit suppression, all of you must fight bravely, strive to kill the enemy, and show the momentum of the garrison of Yongfeng Town. Don’t let those fellows from neighboring Yongding Town surpass you!”

“Good! Good!” The soldiers immediately raised their spears and broadswords, even their shields, shouting loudly in the cold wind.

General Chen was very satisfied with their high morale. He raised a hand to press down the shouting, encouraged them with a few more words, then said with a smile, “Good. Then this general will prepare wine in the camp and await news of your triumphant return.”

The soldiers responded with another burst of spirited cheers. Afterward, Pei Er and Thousand-man Commander Li cupped their fists and bid farewell to General Chen, turned their horses, and the troops set out.

Pei Er, Thousand-man Commander Li, and the others rode horses at the very front. Behind them were soldiers carrying the camp banners, the flag cloths stamped with the huge characters “Chen” and “Yongfeng” fluttering fiercely in the wind.

When they reached the camp gate, Li Chanxiu and Chen Qing from the wounded soldiers’ camp were there seeing them off.

Pei Er’s gaze passed over Chen Qing, who was happily waving at him, and almost immediately looked toward Li Chanxiu.

Because he would go to the county later, Li Chanxiu today wore a light-colored cotton jacket with few patches. Worried about the cold on the road, he also draped a somewhat oversized black-gray thick cotton robe over it.

The faint morning light of dawn outlined his figure with a pale golden edge. His profile was delicate, even the fine soft hairs visible. His clear eyes seemed sprinkled with broken gold, and he was looking at Pei Er with a smile, waving his hand.

Pei Er recognized at a glance that the thick cotton robe the other party wore was the one he had forced on him this morning, fearing he would be cold on the road.

That was his cotton robe, Miss Shen was wearing his cotton robe! Although it was somewhat old, the other party did not dislike it.

Pei Er’s slightly pursed lips could not help curving upward. The morning light shone directly toward him, likewise outlining his handsome features, deep-set brows and eyes, a high nose bridge.

Mounted on a tall, fine horse, one hand holding the reins, he suddenly straightened his posture, his back upright, carrying an imposing bearing. Though clearly only a Centurion, he actually outshone the Thousand-man Commander beside him in presence.

When passing by Li Chanxiu, he subtly turned his head to look over, also revealing a smile.

Chen Qing beside Li Chanxiu immediately waved even more vigorously and bragged to another person, “Hehe, see that? My brother Pei Er, a Centurion! He just smiled at me, greeting me. I’m very familiar with him!”

Pei Er: “……”

His smile stiffened slightly, and the corner of his mouth could not help twitching.

Li Chanxiu also couldn’t hold back, his smile deepening.

Seeing this, Pei Er unconsciously curved his lips again. After riding past, he still turned his head back from time to time.

Only when they had gone far away, and the people at the camp gate were completely out of sight, did a horsewhip suddenly wave in front of him.

Pei Er turned back. Thousand-man Commander Li withdrew the whip and teased, “Back to your senses? Your face was about to stiffen from smiling. Before, I thought you couldn’t smile.”

Pei Er had already restrained his smile, straightened his expression, and asked, “Which way do we go?”

Thousand-man Commander Li clicked his tongue and said, “Back to being the cold-faced god again?”

After speaking, he raised the horsewhip and pointed to the right front. “First go to Yongding Town and meet up with the people there.”

***

On the drill ground, after watching the troops leave, General Chen and the other officers and soldiers soon dispersed as well.

Centurion Jiang left together with Commandant Jiang. Walking halfway, he couldn’t help lowering his voice and complaining unhappily, “What’s that surname Chen so proud of? If the former prefect hadn’t suddenly interfered and transferred him here, the garrison commander of Yongfeng Town should have been promoted to you, big brother.”

“Shut up, say less.” Commandant Jiang turned his head and interrupted. After a pause, he asked again, “How are the arrangements on that side?”

Just then the two entered the tent. Centurion Jiang hurriedly shut the tent door tightly and lowered his voice. “Brother, don’t worry. Everything is arranged. This time we’ll make sure that surnamed Pei goes and never returns.”

“Mm.” Commandant Jiang sat in the central seat and stretched his hands toward the charcoal brazier to warm them. After a while he said again, “And his wife, that female physician surnamed Shen, she’s caused us so much trouble. In the future she might even become an obstacle.”

“Isn’t that right?” Centurion Jiang immediately said. “I said from the start you should’ve let me take her as a concubine. Then there wouldn’t be so many problems…”

Before he finished speaking, Commandant Jiang shot him a fierce glare, and he immediately stopped.

Commandant Jiang withdrew his gaze, stared at the fire in the brazier, and said somewhat viciously, “I heard she’s going to the county today. Contact that person in the mountains and deal with her as well, settle it once and for all.”

Centurion Jiang was stunned when he heard this and instinctively said, “No need, right? She’s just a woman. In the future if she’s kept in my back courtyard, I guarantee she won’t cause us any more, ”

Before he finished, he received another cold glare from Commandant Jiang. Centurion Jiang hurriedly raised his hands in surrender and changed his words: “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to big brother.”

But after saying that, once he left the tent he couldn’t help musing to himself: such a fine little beauty, how wasteful to kill her. Big brother only knows how to scheme to climb upward, not the slightest understanding of cherishing beauty.

Tsk, no human feeling.

He secretly shook his head, making another plan in his heart.

***

At the camp gate, after seeing off Pei Er, Li Chanxiu also met up with Physician Hu and the others, preparing to go to the county.

Before leaving, he instructed Chen Qing to go to his small courtyard in the afternoon and help feed the golden eagle.

Chen Qing immediately guaranteed, “Don’t worry, sister-in-law. Pei Er is my brother. My brother’s eagle is my eagle. I guarantee I’ll raise that eagle like my own son.”

Li Chanxiu’s mouth corner twitched. Sister-in-law… it would be better to call him Miss Shen.

But he was already used to this person’s slick talk. After giving the instructions, he turned and got onto the carriage.

Because they were going to the county to purchase goods, the carriage was not the kind specifically used to carry people. Instead, it was a flatbed cart with no carriage compartment, completely uncovered on all sides.

Li Chanxiu had specially wrapped himself in the thick cotton robe Pei Er had stuffed to him to block the wind. But once he got onto the cart and the horse started running, the cold wind immediately poured into his collar, and the cold wind blowing against his forehead stung with pain.

Combined with the uneven road, it was indeed both bumpy and cold.

Li Chanxiu hurriedly wrapped the cotton robe tighter and shrank his head into the clothes. Fortunately, Pei Er’s garment was wide enough that it truly covered him tightly.

Beside him, Physician Hu was also wrapped in thick clothing, only two eyes exposed. His voice came out muffled through the clothes: “Cold, right? It’ll be better once we reach the county. Let’s turn our backs first.”

After speaking he turned around first, letting his back face the wind so the cold wind wouldn’t blow straight onto his forehead.

Seeing this, Li Chanxiu hurriedly followed his example.

The cart galloped across the vast plain. Patches of snow and exposed frozen soil connected together, forming black-and-white spots across the land. Ice crystals hung from withered grass and tree branches.

Along the way, aside from the sound of wind and horse hooves, there was not a trace of human habitation.

Only when they reached outside the county city and the cart stopped did the wind cease.

Li Chanxiu had ridden the cart for more than two hours. After the bumpy ride and the biting cold wind, his legs had frozen stiff.

When getting down from the cart, his legs went numb and he nearly failed to stand steady.

Fortunately, the warm sun had gradually risen. After entering the county city, the wind also lessened, and it finally became warmer.

The county city was also lively. In the market there were constant cries of vendors selling goods and people bargaining, the shouting never stopping, a busy scene.

Traveling with Li Chanxiu and the others were also seven or eight soldiers. After entering the city, five of them separated from Li Chanxiu’s group to buy official salt.

Physician Hu was very familiar with this small county city. Like someone who knew the way well, he found a medicinal herb shop, took out the list Li Chanxiu had written yesterday, and began bargaining with the shop owner.

From the owner’s tone, Physician Hu had often come here to buy before and was already a regular customer.

Li Chanxiu stood beside him, his gaze quietly surveying the surroundings. When the two soldiers beside him were not paying attention, he quickly carved a secret mark onto the wall pillar next to the herb shop.

This was something he had agreed upon with his father’s old subordinates before leaving the capital, to carve such marks near pharmacies or taverns to make them easier to find.

However, carving only one place was not safe. He would need to carve several more.

While he was pondering this, Physician Hu suddenly called him and pointed to several lines on the list, asking, “Why do we need to buy so much of these few herbs? If I remember correctly, there should still be quite a lot left in the cabinet.”

Li Chanxiu glanced at it, then explained with a light smile: “These are for making medicine for sprains and bruises, as well as medicines for blade wounds and arrow wounds. Some are also for making mafeisan. I think these are what the wounded soldiers need most. Buying more means being prepared. If battle suddenly comes and the medicine isn’t enough, if we try to buy more at the last moment, I’m afraid it will be too late.”

Naturally, he was doing this because of that dream.

Although he did not know how exactly the northwest in the dream had fallen, nor whether Yongfeng Town would truly be caught in war, it was never wrong to prepare more medicine just in case. At least if fighting truly broke out, the wounded soldiers would not miss treatment because of a lack of medicine.

Hearing this, Physician Hu shook his head and laughed, thinking to himself: recently there hasn’t been any battle at all. If one really had to say, Pei Er going to suppress bandits could count as a small-scale battle. This little lady… well, swords and blades have no eyes. When the soldiers return from suppressing bandits, perhaps a few more will be injured. Preparing more medicinal herbs isn’t a bad thing.

In any case, these herbs wouldn’t spoil. If they bought more this time, they could simply buy less next time.

Physician Hu turned around and continued bargaining with the herb shop owner. After finishing the discussion, he asked Li Chanxiu again which medicines to buy.

Taking the opportunity, Li Chanxiu bought two herbs he needed to suppress the cold poison, and also bought some other medicines, planning to make some superior jinchuang medicine. At that time he would keep some for himself and give some to Pei Er.

Naturally, he paid for these medicines himself.

Physician Hu saw that the herbs he bought were all high-quality materials. Among them, several were clearly intended for making jinchuang medicine. At a glance one could tell they were bought for Pei Er.

Physician Hu could not help shaking his head again and stroking his beard, sighing: Miss Shen truly thinks of her husband in every way. That lad Pei Er is lucky to have married such a good wife!

After buying the medicine, the soldiers who had gone to buy salt had still not returned.

Physician Hu remembered that before he set out, the old wife at home had asked him to conveniently buy some things for her in the county. He therefore said to Li Chanxiu, “It’s rare to come to the county. If there’s anything else you want to buy, go buy it as well. Let this little brother beside you follow along.”

He pointed to the soldier beside him and added, “Just right, your aunt also asked me to buy some things for her.”

Li Chanxiu was already looking for an excuse to walk around elsewhere. Hearing this, he quickly said, “Alright.”

The two parted ways, agreeing to meet here later.

The soldier following Li Chanxiu was a young man in his early twenties. Perhaps out of embarrassment, he didn’t quite dare to look at Li Chanxiu.

This conveniently allowed Li Chanxiu to act. Pretending to stroll around, when the other party wasn’t paying attention, he carved several more secret marks near a few taverns and pharmacies.

After finishing carving them, he happened to arrive in front of a clothing shop.

The clothing shop’s owner was especially enthusiastic, standing at the entrance to attract customers. As soon as he saw him, he stepped forward and said, “Oh my, miss, are you looking to make clothes?”

Li Chanxiu was startled when he heard this. Suddenly he thought that at home, Pei Er seemed to have very few clothes.

When he had been unconscious before, no one knew he was Pei Er. The army had thought the “Pei Er” who went to deliver provisions had already died, and his original clothes had all been cleared away. The clothes he had now were all given after he woke up by people from the wounded soldiers’ camp. Including the cotton robe he stuffed to Li Chanxiu this morning, although he had worn it a few times, it didn’t fit him and was somewhat small.

In short, aside from the red robe bought during their wedding last time, Pei Er seemed not to have many decent clothes.

Before going out today, he had even dug out the silver he had only recently hidden and stuffed it to him, insisting that after arriving at the county he should buy whatever he wanted.

Since that was the case, why not help Pei Er make a set of clothes?

After all, he was already a Centurion. In the future he might become a commander of a thousand men, or even a captain. Always wearing tattered clothes didn’t look appropriate.

Since he had “used” the other party once, as repayment it was not unreasonable to consider things for him.

After thinking this through, he lifted his foot and walked into the clothing shop.

As soon as the shopkeeper’s wife saw him enter, she became even more enthusiastic, fluttering around him like a butterfly, warmly asking what kind of clothes he wanted to make, and praising his figure and handsome looks, saying he would surely look good in anything.

Li Chanxiu coughed lightly and said, “I want to make one in a man’s style.”

The shopkeeper’s wife was startled and carefully sized him up. Seeing that the gray cotton robe he wore was not a woman’s style and should belong to the man of the household, she smiled again. “Is the young lady making clothes for her husband at home? Oh my, I see the young lady isn’t very old, your husband should also be quite young. Come look, how about these few styles? By the way, how tall is your husband, how wide are his shoulders, and what is his waist measurement?”

Li Chanxiu had just been wondering how she knew he was making clothes for his “husband,” when the next moment he froze again.

Making clothes required knowing so many things?

What exactly were Pei Er’s measurements?