After Exile, I Married the Amnesiac General [Rebirth] Chapter 51

By the crackling bonfire, General Chen and three to five trusted aides sat together, a wild deer roasting over the flames. The red firelight illuminated the faces of those seated around it.

The deer still needed some time to roast. Holding a cup of deer blood wine, General Chen drank as he smiled and reminisced with the aides beside him, 

“Back when I was still under Lord Zhang… at that time I was only a centurion. I once had the fortune to go with his force to Bingzhou and saw that Pei Shizi, who was already renowned throughout Luoyang in his youth… of course, only from afar.”

Hearing him mention that prominent figure from Bingzhou, Pei Zhen, the several aides couldn’t help but focus intently, listening with great interest.

“At that time the Old Yan Wang was still alive, and Pei Shizi was only sixteen or seventeen, but a heroic figure is truly extraordinary even in youth. Back then he rode a white horse, held a silver spear, and with one spear struck down seven or eight generals who were besieging him. Truly full of heroic vigor and bearing beyond the ordinary. We people a whole round older than him, watching from afar, all admired him greatly.” After taking a drink, General Chen sighed with emotion.

The aides beside him, after hearing this, also revealed looks of yearning.

Li Chanxiu gazed at the blazing bonfire before him and, from General Chen’s words, imagined the appearance of that Pei Zhen whom he had never met, but with whom he had had a special connection in his dream.

Pei Er cut a piece of meat from the deer leg, sprinkled some salt on it, and had been silently listening while roasting it. At this moment, he suddenly turned his head to glance at him.

Li Chanxiu noticed and quickly came back to his senses, also turning his head to look at him, asking, “What is it?”

The firelight reflected on his face, making his brows and eyes more vivid than in the daytime. Perhaps because of the wine, two faint blushes rose on his cheeks, and his gaze was especially bright, like inkstone washed clean with water.

Pei Er’s breathing paused slightly, and in a somewhat dry voice he said, “Nothing.”

After a pause, he looked at the venison he was holding and added, “The meat is almost done.”

As he spoke, he turned the wooden skewer in his hand, flipping the venison over.

Though they were sitting around the fire, everyone knew they were husband and wife, so naturally they were seated together. And since Li Chanxiu appeared outwardly as a woman, out of courtesy, the soldiers beside them deliberately kept some distance from him.

But there were only so many spots by the fire. To make room for others, Pei Er had to sit closer to Li Chanxiu. As a result, the two of them were almost pressed together, clearly separated from the others.

Yet even while so close, they had to restrain themselves with effort.

Pei Er’s throat felt somewhat dry, especially after that sudden eye contact with Li Chanxiu. He picked up the deer blood wine beside him and, not caring that it was cold, drank it in large gulps.

After drinking, he didn’t feel any less thirsty, if anything, he felt even hotter.

Beside them, one of the aides couldn’t help asking General Chen, “Then at that time, didn’t you manage to get closer to see Pei Shizi?”

General Chen drank his wine and, hearing this, laughed heartily. “I wanted to, but as soon as Pei Shizi left the training ground, he was called away by Liang Wang Shizi from the capital. After that he never returned to the Bingzhou camp, so I had no chance to see him again.”

Hearing this, the several aides couldn’t help but feel regret.

General Chen had probably drunk too much by now and was somewhat tipsy. Seeing this, he boasted boldly again, “But I’ve always had a deep impression of Pei Shizi’s heroic bearing. Though I never saw him up close, the sight of him striking down seven or eight generals is still in my mind to this day!”

The aides could tell he was somewhat drunk, and their speech also became more relaxed. One of them laughed and said, “If Pei Shizi came to our Yongzhou, you would definitely recognize him.”

“Of course!” General Chen said with a drunken smile. “A heroic figure is naturally extraordinary. His whole bearing is different from ordinary people. That dashing figure of him on horseback with a spear, I still remember it. You’ll know if you ever see him.”

This was quite exaggerated. After all, Pei Zhen had only been sixteen or seventeen at the time, and now he should be twenty-three or twenty-four. There would definitely be differences in height and shoulder width between a youth and an adult. Even from behind, the current Pei Zhen would not look the same as he did in his youth.

Recalling in his dream the tone and wording Pei Zhen used in his letters, Li Chanxiu instead felt that after shedding the sharpness and edge of youth, he should have matured into a graceful, refined gentleman, like polished jade.

As he was thinking this, Pei Er brought the roasted venison over, sliced it into thin pieces, and handed it to him.

Li Chanxiu came back to his senses, turned to look at him, and suddenly met a pair of dark black eyes. Like a wolf that had retracted its claws and fangs, lurking in the dark, there was an invisible sharpness and sense of aggression.

But in the next moment, it was like a domesticated wolf-dog, revealing an outward docility.

Li Chanxiu shook his head, thinking he must be drunk to feel that someone as honest as Pei Er… could have a sense of aggression.

He picked up a few slices of venison and ate them. Feeling a bit thirsty, he picked up the deer blood wine beside him and took a few sips.

Seeing that the venison was almost done roasting, General Chen also had the aides cut and distribute it, sending some to the soldiers on duty.

Li Chanxiu’s face was slightly warm. Seeing that the people around the bonfire had dispersed, he stood up, intending to go to the side to cool off.

But perhaps because he had drunk too much, his steps felt light when he left, and his body swayed slightly.

When he stood up, Pei Er also rose with him. Noticing this, he quickly reached out his arm. He had only intended to steady him, but Li Chanxiu seemed truly drunk, just a light touch, and he leaned into the crook of his arm.

Pei Er couldn’t help holding his breath, lowering his head to look at him gently.

Li Chanxiu seemed not to notice anything unusual. He pressed his fingers to his temple and rubbed it, then straightened up and continued walking forward unsteadily.

Like a butterfly that suddenly lands in one’s arms, then lightly flies away again.

Pei Er only felt a sudden emptiness in his arm. Coming back to his senses, he quickly followed.

The night wind carried a chill. Li Chanxiu walked to a quiet spot beside the beacon tower, gently closed his eyes, and let the wind carry away the heat on his face.

Perhaps he had drunk too much deer blood wine, his head felt a bit dizzy, and he also felt warm.

His shoulders suddenly sank as a familiar warmth enveloped him.

He quickly opened his eyes and turned to look at the person.

Pei Er draped the thick clothing he had been holding over him and said in a hoarse voice, “It’s cold, and you’re sensitive to cold, don’t catch a chill.”

As he spoke, he helped gather the clothing around him. But after doing this, his hands did not withdraw, nor did he step back. He still lowered his head, a pair of dark eyes intently watching Li Chanxiu.

Li Chanxiu also stared at him blankly, his reaction seeming a beat slower than usual. His eyes were moist with a sheen, his lashes long and thick, occasionally fluttering slightly. His cheeks, warmed by the bonfire, were faintly flushed. When the clothing had been draped over him just now, no matter how much he was fussed with, he had obediently stayed still, as if not knowing to resist.

Pei Er’s heart skipped a beat, his blood seeming to boil, his throat dry and tight. He didn’t know what was happening tonight, he was restless and agitated, as if he needed to do something, as if he needed to vent something freely.

An instinct hidden deep in his heart drove him, especially with the person before him looking at him so obediently, further feeding that wild desire.

He gently raised his hand, and the back of his fingers fell upon Li Chanxiu’s soft cheek.

The other party did not move at all. Still looking up at him with that obedient appearance, it made his heart tremble; his thumb couldn’t help but brush over the loose strands of hair blown down by the wind, then he slowly lowered his head.

Under a night sky filled with stars, in the shadowed corner cast by the beacon tower, Li Chanxiu was pressed by the shoulders, his back against the city wall. Pei Er’s broad hand covered the side of his face, his head lowered as he drew closer and closer.

He unconsciously held his breath, a hazy drunkenness in his eyes. That bowl of deer blood wine seemed to control his mind, making him forget to think and react. He only stared blankly as the other drew nearer and nearer, so close that his breath seemed to brush against his cheek.

Just as their lips were about to touch, a gust of cold wind blew in. Li Chanxiu’s drunkenness instantly cleared by half, and he hurriedly turned his head away.

Pei Er lowered his head and missed, his thin lips brushing past his cheek. The place that was brushed instantly felt as if it had been scorched, becoming burning hot.

Pei Er also stiffened, his lips landing on his slightly cool black hair. Immediately after, his body was suddenly pushed away.

Li Chanxiu lowered his head, his tone flustered: “Um, Aunt Xu’s son should have come back. I’ll go give him the buns.”

After saying that, he didn’t look at Pei Er, lowered his head and left from his side, his steps even somewhat hurried.

Only after going down from the beacon tower, when the cold wind scattered the drunkenness, did he fully sober up. Turning his head to look back at the beacon tower, but the city wall was too high and the night too dark, he couldn’t tell whether Pei Er was still standing there.

He took a deep breath, annoyed as he rubbed his forehead. Clearly knowing the effects of deer blood wine, and not being good at drinking himself, how did he still get drunk?

And it would have been one thing if only he got drunk, but Pei Er also…

Thinking of what had just happened, his face still couldn’t stop heating up, and his heartbeat was not calm. It must be that the effects of the deer blood wine were still there.

He quickly began practicing a breathing method, trying to regulate his breath as much as possible to calm himself down quickly.

Hearing footsteps coming down from the city wall, it should be Pei Er coming down, he quickly turned his head and continued to leave.

Pei Er did not follow, but when he took the buns Aunt Xu had asked him to bring to the place where the laborers lived, he saw the other standing outside the door.

“I’ll take them in,” Pei Er reached out, his tone steady, as if he had also already returned to normal.

Li Chanxiu restrained himself from thinking about what had happened before. Hearing this, he shook his head and said, “I’ll just give them to him.”

Pei Er frowned upon hearing this. Most of those laborers were probably already resting, he really didn’t feel at ease letting him go in alone.

Thinking this, he simply said, “Then I’ll go with you.”

After saying that, he turned and pulled the door open, taking the lead inside.

Li Chanxiu had no choice but to follow.

Inside the dim earthen house, quite a few laborers had not yet gone to sleep. Especially in the center of the room, more than a dozen people were gathered around a large pot, each holding bowls and chopsticks, their eyes fixed on that pot, unable to stop swallowing their saliva.

Seeing Pei Er enter wearing armor, many people snapped back to their senses and hurriedly knelt down in fright.

Li Chanxiu held a bundle of buns, his gaze scanning around, looking for Aunt Xu’s son.

But after everyone knelt, his line of sight was quickly drawn to the large pot in the middle.

The pot was bubbling, and the steaming heat carried waves of mutton’s strong smell, this was actually… stewing mutton?

A look of surprise appeared on Li Chanxiu’s face. These laborers, who looked sallow and emaciated, so poor they didn’t even have money to buy medicine, were actually stewing mutton to eat in the middle of the night?