After Exile, I Married the Amnesiac General [Rebirth] Chapter 70

They said they would go to the military camp to eat, but since Xuanping and the others had just returned and were all by the city wall, the three of them went there first together.

Yang Yuanyi had come on horseback, but since both Pei Zhen and Li Chanxiu were walking, he had no choice but to lead his horse and walk along with them.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Pei Zhen seemed to glance at him twice, expressionless, making the back of his neck prickle.

He looked to the right, “Shen Xiu” was walking on Pei Zhen’s right side, while he himself was on Pei Zhen’s left, with Pei Zhen in between. It didn’t seem like he was in the way of anything, so why was he suddenly being stared at?

Pei Zhen quickly withdrew his gaze. Originally, on the way to the city wall, he had planned to find an opportunity to coax his wife first.

But Yang Yuanyi insisted on walking instead of riding his horse and even disrupted his plan, making his expression unpleasant the entire way.

Seeing his gloomy face all along, Li Chanxiu thought it was because he hadn’t rested well, so he didn’t speak, lest he worsen his headache.

Pei Zhen glanced at him without revealing anything, clearly misunderstanding, thinking he was still upset. Suddenly, he tentatively took hold of his hand.

Li Chanxiu was suddenly grasped by a dry, warm palm; his body stiffened, and he almost stopped walking. Looking up and seeing they were already near the city wall, with Xuanping and the others not far away, he immediately understood.

With so many people around, Pei Er was deliberately showing affection in public.

“No need for this.” He discreetly withdrew his hand, reminding the other there was no need to do this all the time.

Then he quickened his pace and walked ahead toward Xuanping and the others.

Pei Zhen’s palm suddenly felt empty. Watching him walk away, his heart sank slightly. Then he glanced expressionlessly at Yang Yuanyi before stepping forward to follow.

Yang Yuanyi: “?” …What did I do to offend him this morning?

Only when Li Chanxiu met Xuanping did he learn that yesterday, together with Ding Zong and the others, they had gone near the route where the Hu soldiers transported provisions. They discovered that the Hu troops were moving a large amount of supplies; with just their group and limited time, they couldn’t burn it all.

With the mindset that since they were already there, they might as well make it big, Xuanping and the others simply set up an ambush ahead and launched a sudden attack after nightfall. Not only did they burn the provisions in one go, they also scattered the escorting Hu soldiers, avenging the previous killing of a thousand transport troops at the Yongfeng garrison.

What was especially unexpected was that this idea had been proposed by Xuanping. During the battle, he led his men bravely and contributed greatly.

Hearing this, Pei Zhen glanced at Xuanping without showing it, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Yang Yuanyi noticed something, looked at him, then at Xuanping, and suddenly stepped forward with a smile, patting Xuanping’s shoulder and saying warmly, “Impressive, Brother Xuan! By the way, I forgot to ask yesterday, how did you guess where Brother Pei might be?”

At these words, Li Chanxiu’s gaze tightened sharply. He quietly clenched the hand hidden in his sleeve, afraid that Xuanping might let something slip.

Although he had reminded him before, at this moment, even if Xuanping merely glanced in his direction, it would be easy for others to guess that he was involved.

At this moment, Pei Zhen’s gaze was also fixed on Xuanping, not noticing the subtle change in Li Chanxiu beside him.

Xuanping was taken aback when he heard this, then smiled and said, “I grew up in the northern lands since childhood, so I understand the Hu people quite well and also know some of the conditions there. Yesterday, when I heard that Sir Pei had gone to raid the grain, and with Commandant Qian pointing out the direction he left in, I guessed he might be heading toward one of the routes the Hu people might use to transport provisions. I didn’t expect I’d really guess right, just luck, just luck. Please don’t laugh at me.”

As he spoke, he smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, and throughout, his peripheral vision didn’t even glance once toward Li Chanxiu.

Li Chanxiu imperceptibly let out a breath, and the fingers he had clenched also loosened slightly.

Yang Yuanyi quickly exchanged a glance with Pei Zhen. Neither of them quite believed this explanation, yet they couldn’t find any fault in it. Besides, Xuanping had come to help them.

So Yang Yuanyi smiled and returned the salute: “Brother Xuan, you’ve worked hard along the way.”

Then he added regretfully, “Speaking of which, with your ability, it’s truly a pity you don’t join the army.”

Xuanping laughed heartily and said, “I’m just a rough man from the countryside, used to being free and unrestrained, I don’t like constraints.”

Yang Yuanyi thought to himself: With looks that handsome, he didn’t really count as rough; more importantly, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person at all. If he put on armor, people would believe he was a commanding officer or general.

Just as he finished thinking this, he saw Xuanping suddenly cup his hands toward Pei Zhen and say, “Sir Pei, I have a few words I’d like to say to Miss Shen. I wonder if it would be convenient?”

Yang Yuanyi: Ah… huh? I just praised you for being handsome and now you want to talk to my sister-in-law?

Pei Zhen’s expression didn’t change. He turned to glance at Li Chanxiu, whose expression was equally puzzled.

He quickly turned back and said with a faint smile, “Of course. You’re old acquaintances, after all, no need to avoid anything.”

After saying this, he even stepped slightly aside, as if generously giving up space, making it clear he would not eavesdrop.

Xuanping had intended to say it wasn’t necessary and that he could speak in front of Sir Pei, but since the other had already stepped aside, it was awkward to refuse, so he cupped his hands again and said, “Thank you.”

Then he walked toward Li Chanxiu.

Li Chanxiu, however, thought he had something to say that couldn’t be heard by others, so he tacitly led him a bit farther away to a more secluded spot.

Pei Zhen noticed this, and his gaze immediately followed them, though his expression remained calm.

Yang Yuanyi: “……” Weren’t you just acting so magnanimous?

If you want to listen, just step closer and eavesdrop, don’t think I didn’t see your ears moving.

But unfortunately, at such a distance, and with them deliberately lowering their voices, no matter how much his ears moved, he couldn’t hear anything.

By a collapsed section of the old wall, 

After stopping, Li Chanxiu turned and asked with a faint smile, “What is it?”

Xuanping quickly took out a fairly heavy money pouch from his clothes and handed it to him, saying, “Miss Shen, this is the latest share.”

Inside the pouch were clearly all broken pieces of silver, obviously specially prepared for convenient daily use.

Li Chanxiu was momentarily stunned after taking it and said, “There’s no need to give it to me so urgently.”

He still had money to use for now.

But Xuanping smiled and said, “My elder brother specifically instructed that it must not be given late or in lesser amount. Actually, it’s more than this, but the rest is in whole ingots, not easy to carry, so I buried it somewhere. The exact location is written on the note inside the pouch, you can have Sir Pei dig it up when needed.”

As for the silver in the pouch, it was indeed brought first for Li Chanxiu’s household expenses. He had even prepared a reason, if it had been in front of others just now, he would have said it was payment for previous medical treatment.

But he hadn’t expected Sir Pei to be so broad-minded, not minding his wife speaking privately with another man. Then again, Miss Shen and her husband were not ordinary people; their breadth of mind and bearing naturally surpassed that of ordinary people.

Not far away…

Pei Shizi, whose breadth of mind and bearing surpassed ordinary people, stood expressionless, seeming to emit a chill all around him. His dark eyes grew increasingly deep, and the hand behind his back kept rubbing his thumb against his forefinger.

Although his face still appeared calm, Yang Yuanyi, who knew him well, understood that his mood was very bad at the moment, and he was already somewhat impatient.

…It’s not like they’ve been talking that long. Is this really necessary?

Yang Yuanyi felt miserable inside. He had intended to watch the show, but instead felt like he’d been caught in a cold snap.

He turned and tiptoed away, intending to leave, but was suddenly stopped.

“Stop. Where are you going?” Pei Zhen suddenly turned his head and asked.

Yang Yuanyi stiffened, then turned back with an awkward smile. “I’m going to check the defenses on the city wall.”

Pei Zhen frowned. “Stay for now.”

If he were the only one standing here, wouldn’t it make it seem like he was very uneasy, deliberately standing here to watch?

He should know that he had no such intention, he was merely… merely observing Xuanping, since this person was not ordinary.

Hearing this, Yang Yuanyi stepped back, looking helpless. “If you really want to listen, you might as well find an excuse to go over directly.”

Pei Zhen suddenly turned his head, expressionless. “Who said I want to listen?”

Yang Yuanyi: “……” Then why have your ears been moving this whole time? Showing off that your ears can move while others can’t?

Fortunately, Li Chanxiu and Xuanping didn’t talk for long and soon returned together.

After handing over the money to Li Chanxiu, Xuanping had nothing else to do and cupped his hands in farewell.

The moment they turned back, Pei Zhen’s expression instantly changed. Now he also cupped his hands, looking normal and speaking politely, “Take care on your journey. There are many matters in the army, so I won’t see you off. Please forgive me.”

“Not at all, Sir Pei, you’re too polite,” Xuanping said. He mounted his horse, cupped his hands toward him, then gave a nod to Li Chanxiu, and only then rode off with his men.

Li Chanxiu and Pei Zhen stood side by side, watching them leave with faint smiles.

After withdrawing his gaze, Pei Zhen subtly signaled to Yang Yuanyi.

Yang Yuanyi understood and immediately went to arrange for someone to secretly follow Xuanping and his group.

Only after Xuanping and the others had completely disappeared did Li Chanxiu withdraw his gaze. When he turned his head, he found that Pei Er was looking at him intently, as if he had been watching for quite some time.

He stiffened slightly, then, coming back to his senses, asked in confusion, “What are you looking at?”

Caught in the act, Pei Zhen couldn’t help but cough lightly. Then he simply looked at his beautiful face openly and said after a slight pause, “You…”

After some deliberation, he finally asked as if casually, “What did he say to you just now?”

After a pause, he added as though it didn’t matter, “I just saw him give you a pouch. It seemed a bit strange, if it’s inconvenient to say, then…”

Before he could finish speaking, Li Chanxiu in front of him suddenly smiled. His already delicate features were filled with a gentle smile, the light in his eyes clear and bright, so beautiful that it stirred the soul.

Pei Zhen’s voice stopped instantly, his gaze freezing as it settled on his face, as if unable to move for even a moment.

Li Chanxiu smiled and said, “It’s nothing. He gave me the consultation fee from the last time I treated Lu Zhi.”

Pei Zhen almost subconsciously nodded, his deep eyes still reflecting his vivid features.

“Lu Zhi?” Yang Yuanyi, who was passing by, suddenly stopped in his tracks and asked curiously.

Pei Zhen snapped back to his senses at once.

“Weren’t you going to check the defenses on the city wall?” His gaze shot over, his tone cold.

Yang Yuanyi: “……” Wasn’t it you who just told me not to leave?

Forget it, he understood, he wasn’t needed now! Got it, got it, he’d go!

With a helpless look, Yang Yuanyi was just about to turn and leave.

Unexpectedly, Li Chanxiu needed to go treat the wounded soldiers. After saying a brief word to them with a smile, he left first.

Yang Yuanyi: “……”

Seeing Pei Zhen’s expression begin to darken again, he quickly turned and hurried toward the city wall.

***

Li Chanxiu thought that there was still Lu Gonggong from the palace in the military camp, so to avoid him, he planned to stay on the city wall side again today.

But before long, Pei Er had Physician Hu come to take over the work on the city wall side, so he had no choice but to return to the military camp as well.

Fortunately, once in the camp, he could stay in the wounded soldiers’ barracks. Presumably, someone like Lu Gonggong would not lower himself to enter such filthy and chaotic tents.

After arriving at the camp, Pei Zhen first had someone bring food. Just as he and Li Chanxiu were eating together, Zhang Hu suddenly came to deliver a message, saying General Chen had asked him to come over.

Before Pei Zhen could ask anything, Zhang Hu immediately lowered his voice and added to both of them, “Thousand-man Commander, General Chen asked me to tell you to find an excuse to refuse, or quickly return to the city wall, better yet, go patrol beyond the pass or hide at the Yongding garrison. That Lu Gonggong has learned that Jiang He and those hundred guards are all dead, and he’s furious, he wants to hold you accountable.”

“Hold him accountable?” Li Chanxiu’s chopsticks paused, his brows knitting slightly as he couldn’t help worrying for Pei Zhen.

After all, Lu Gonggong had come from the palace and was the supervising official. Pei Er was only a mere Thousand-man Commander now, no matter how capable he was, how could he match power and authority?

But a cold glint flashed through Pei Zhen’s eyes. He had originally planned to deal with this person after breakfast, but he hadn’t expected the other to come knocking himself.

Good.

He set down his chopsticks, his expression slightly dark, intending to go over directly.

But as he stood up and met Li Chanxiu’s gaze, he paused slightly, his voice unconsciously softening as he said gently, “Don’t worry. I’m just going to take a look, it’ll be fine.”

The coldness in his eyes disappeared instantly.