After Exile, I Married the Amnesiac General [Rebirth] Chapter 61

Pei Er’s eyes were dark and deep. When he looked directly at someone, it felt as though he could see straight through them.

At this moment, he gazed at Yang Yuanyi without expression, but beneath that brief calm, his eyes resembled a storm-laden sea, with surging currents hidden underneath.

Yang Yuanyi’s voice unconsciously lowered. Meeting those eyes, he suddenly felt as though he were facing the Pei Zhen who hadn’t lost his memory, whose emotions could never be read.

After a long while, Pei Er finally spoke hoarsely: “What… did you just say?”

It was as if the oppressive clouds overhead suddenly dispersed. The feeling Yang Yuanyi had of being pierced through vanished, and he unconsciously let out a breath of relief. This time, after glancing at him, he carefully said, “I said, your name is Pei Zhen, you are…”

“What evidence do you have to prove it?” Pei Er interrupted before he could finish. His pupils remained dark as ink.

But Yang Yuanyi, who knew him well, understood that this was a genuine question, not the probing scrutiny from before. Reassured, he said, “You look exactly the same as Pei Zhen.”

Pei Er frowned upon hearing this and said, “Perhaps… I just happen to resemble him?”

Yang Yuanyi immediately shook his head. “Impossible. We’ve known each other for twenty years. I wouldn’t mistake you.”

Aside from Pei Zhen, who else could beat him into a bruised eye upon first meeting? And even with amnesia, this person’s manner of speaking and expression were exactly the same as Pei Zhen’s.

Looking alike could be coincidence, but identical demeanor, bearing, and presence could not be explained by coincidence. Not to mention their years of brotherhood weren’t for nothing, after just one exchange of blows yesterday, he knew it was unquestionably Pei Zhen.

Especially…

His gaze suddenly shifted to the curved blade Pei Er had been gripping tightly all along, and his voice lowered slightly. “Especially, I heard that when you were rescued, you were clutching this blade tightly and wouldn’t let go. Do you know the origin of this blade?”

Pei Er’s gaze tightened slightly. After glancing at the black iron curved blade, he asked, “You recognize this blade?”

Yang Yuanyi nodded, looking at it. “This was the birthday gift your grandfather gave you on your sixteenth birthday. Later…”

Later, the old Yan Wang, along with his eldest son and eldest grandson, all died in a brutal battle in the northern lands.

At the time, people said that Pei Zhen and his father had gained a great advantage, that if not for the simultaneous deaths of the old prince, his eldest son, and grandson, it would never have been Pei Zhen’s father’s turn to inherit the title of Yan Wang.

But Yang Yuanyi knew that, in order to retrieve the bodies of his grandfather, uncle, and cousin, Pei Zhen had nearly died in the northern lands. Or rather, he had gone there prepared to die, and had nearly succeeded, if not for the timely arrival of Liang Wang Shizi, who led men to pull him out from among the corpses.

From then on, Pei Zhen had always carried this black iron curved blade, never letting it leave his side, constantly reminding himself not to forget his grandfather’s unfulfilled wish, not to forget this blood debt.

And the reason Pei Zhen’s father was able to inherit the princely title was also because, after the old Yan Wang’s death, Pei Zhen repelled the Hu forces and successfully held the northern defense line. It should be known that, when the old Yan Wang had just died, the current emperor had actually intended to take the title back.

But looking now at the amnesiac Pei Er, Yang Yuanyi couldn’t bear to tell such tragic past events. Halfway through, he stopped and sighed, “In any case, you should know that I couldn’t possibly be mistaken.”

Pei Er fell silent at this. After a long while, he finally looked up at him again and said steadily, “Perhaps what you say is true. But I… truly have no memory of it and cannot confirm. Right now the battle is urgent, let’s discuss this after I return.”

After speaking, he gripped his blade and turned to stride out of the camp once more, though his eyes were dark and heavy, suppressing turmoil.

Yang Yuanyi was startled upon hearing this and finally realized he was leaving the camp. He hurriedly chased after him. “Wait, you’re going to the city wall?”

Then, as if thinking of something, he suddenly grabbed Pei Er’s arm and said carefully, “Jianzhi, there’s something else I need to tell you. Whether you believe what I just said or not, you… shouldn’t tell your wife about it for now.”

Pei Er abruptly stopped and turned his head, his dark eyes staring straight at him.

That prickling feeling returned to Yang Yuanyi’s back, but thinking of what he had learned earlier, he still forced himself to continue, “Jianzhi, it’s not that I like to gossip or slander others behind their backs, but… you don’t know, your wife’s background is somewhat suspicious.”

“I heard that before she was exiled, she was the granddaughter of Imperial Physician Shen in the capital. Although I’ve never seen his granddaughter, I do know that she had always been sickly and confined to her chambers, physically weak, timid, and gentle in temperament. She never studied medicine, let alone treating illnesses, saving people, or riding and archery. And I also heard from General Chen that you even let her participate in military matters, mmph!”

Before he could finish, he was suddenly struck heavily in the face with a punch. Caught off guard, Yang Yuanyi staggered back several steps, only to be grabbed by the collar and yanked back again.

Pei Er’s face was cold, a violent aura swirling in his eyes. His voice carried anger as he said, “Say what you will about other things, but do not slander Miss Shen.”

After a pause, he warned sternly, “Miss Shen is pure and refined, intelligent and graceful, gentle and kind, healing the sick and saving others, with righteousness in her heart. You do not understand her, do not speak nonsense again. If there is a next time, don’t blame me for being rude!”

With that, he shoved Yang Yuanyi away. His eyes seemed covered with a layer of frost. After giving him one last warning look, he turned and left in anger.

But after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back again and added with a mocking tone, “I hear you’re a soldier from Bingzhou. Since you’re Pei Zhen’s friend, you should at least be some kind of general? With a great enemy at hand, instead of slandering a woman here, you might as well go fight the Hu people.”

After saying that, he strode away again.

Yang Yuanyi was shoved to the ground, sitting there dumbfounded.

And this isn’t being “rude”? Not only did he take a punch, his backside nearly split in two from the fall.

At this moment, he finally understood how his cousin Wei Zizhou had felt before. Although he had heard that Pei Zhen protected that little wife of his like the apple of his eye, he hadn’t expected it to be this… untouchable.

He had only meant to say that “Shen Xiu’s” origins were unclear, and that before confirming her identity, it would be best not to tell her about Pei Zhen’s true identity. Was that… really too much? And he had only stated facts, it didn’t count as slander… right?

In any case, “Shen Xiu” definitely wasn’t the granddaughter of Imperial Physician Shen. Her identity was indeed suspicious. Especially since this was a military camp, and she was even involved in military affairs, highly trusted, and able to access certain secrets. Any normal person would become wary after learning this, wouldn’t they?

If it were later confirmed that her identity was fine, telling her the truth then wouldn’t be too late. He had only heard that Pei Er and General Chen didn’t hide military matters from “Shen Xiu,” and that she often helped on the city wall, so he worried that once Pei Er went back, he might tell her everything. That was why he had specifically reminded him.

Who would have thought that before he even finished speaking, he would get punched. Fortunately, it was his cheek and not his left eye, otherwise he’d have two swollen eyes now.

Yang Yuanyi touched the side of his face and hissed in pain, gritting his teeth inwardly: Just wait until you recover your memory!

Now he could truly understand his cousin Wei Zizhou’s feelings. Pei Zhen, who used to think only about fighting battles, looking almost like a cold, emotionless god, had actually, against all expectations, become completely devoted to a young woman?!

He would definitely mock him properly once he regained his memory.

Before, Yang Yuanyi had thought this kind of thinking childish, but now… thinking about it, it was indeed secretly satisfying.

But first, they had to find a way to make Pei Zhen recover his memory.

With that thought, he gritted his teeth and got up.

The Black Iron soldiers who had been following behind also hurried over. The leading soldier quickly supported him and asked, “Young General, how did the talk with General Pei go? Does he believe it?”

Yang Yuanyi: “……” Believe what!

“Let’s go see General Chen first and ask what he meant by ‘a great enemy at hand,’” he suddenly sighed, limping as he walked back.

He had only arrived yesterday. Although he had heard some news about the Hu people attacking, he had assumed it was just small-scale border harassment and hadn’t asked in detail. But judging from Pei Er’s tone just now, it didn’t seem small-scale at all.

***

Suppressing his anger all the way, Pei Er mounted his horse and left the camp.

When he reached the city wall, he stood by the beacon tower and gazed out at the vast, desolate landscape. His anger gradually faded, replaced by confusion.

That unknown Bingzhou soldier had said he was Pei Zhen, General Pei.

When he first heard those words, his mind had been filled with shock and blankness. After coming back to his senses and receiving that same confirmation again, he inevitably recalled what Miss Shen had once said.

“I heard that Pei Shizi led troops from a young age and has repelled invading Hu forces many times, guarding the northern frontier for Great Zhou. He is an extraordinary hero. And he is upright, with righteousness in his heart. I… admire him greatly.”

The way Miss Shen had smiled gently when she said those words was still vivid in his mind. Every expression was etched deep within him.

He couldn’t deny that he had felt jealous at the time. And he couldn’t deny that, upon hearing that Bingzhou soldier firmly say that he himself was Pei Zhen, he had also felt a surge of joy.

So the person Miss Shen admired was him. The one she spoke of with that different expression each time… was him.

And yet, immediately after, he fell into confusion.

Whether it was the young general described by General Chen, the hero admired by Miss Shen, or the Pei Zhen spoken of by that Bingzhou soldier, all of them felt utterly unfamiliar to him. He couldn’t recall even the slightest fragment.

So… was he really Pei Zhen? Had that Bingzhou soldier truly not mistaken him?

And even if the Pei Zhen Miss Shen admired was him, so what? Was he supposed to rely on an identity he himself couldn’t even remember to make her like him?

His strong sense of pride made him unwilling to do that. And if he succeeded that way, would Miss Shen like that Pei Zhen he himself couldn’t remember, or him, this… Pei Er?

But he couldn’t deny that if he truly was Pei Zhen, then at least… knowing that the one Miss Shen admired was not someone else still brought him a quiet, hidden happiness.

But was he really Pei Zhen? What if that Bingzhou soldier was mistaken…

Standing by the beacon tower, his cloak whipped continuously in the northern wind. His expression shifted, at times blank, at times joyful, at times complicated.

Finally, as the agreed time with the other two garrisons to deploy troops approached, he turned and strode down the steps.

As he passed the tower on the city wall, he suddenly saw a familiar figure.

Li Chanxiu was beside the tower, helping several wounded soldiers change their dressings. The morning light fell on his pale, unadorned face, outlining his delicate features, as if casting him in a faint golden glow.

He lowered his gaze as he changed the dressing, his thick, long eyelashes casting a beautiful shadow beneath his eyes. His expression was focused and serious, carrying a kind of quiet, tranquil beauty.

“Shen…” Pei Er spoke almost impatiently, just calling out one word before suddenly thinking of something and changing his address, “Wife!”

As he spoke, he quickly walked over.

This was what he had agreed on with Miss Shen, when outsiders were present, calling her this was correct.

He firmly believed this in his heart.

Li Chanxiu suddenly heard his voice and looked up, his expression clearly startled.