After Exile, I Married the Amnesiac General [Rebirth] Chapter 75

After leaving Yang Yuanyi behind, Pei Zhen continued toward the medical room, his expression not very good.

When he arrived, he saw that the one on duty was Physician Hu, and Li Chanxiu had not yet come.

As soon as Physician Hu saw him, he smiled knowingly and said, “Your wife went to the city wall. What’s wrong? Didn’t she tell you?”

Hearing the first half, Pei Zhen guessed that his wife was avoiding him, and couldn’t help frowning slightly. Hearing the latter half, he coughed lightly and said, “Of course she told me. I… am not here to find her.”

“Oh?” Physician Hu was surprised. “Then you came to…”

Pei Zhen fell silent. One lie required another to cover it.

Just now he simply didn’t want to admit that his wife hadn’t told him she went to the city wall, lest outsiders see that their relationship as husband and wife was distant. But having said that, it was now inconvenient for him to leave directly.

…So be it.

With his hands behind his back, he paced over to the counter. Upon arriving, he paused, as if hesitating for a moment, then slightly placed his hand on the counter, pressed his lips and coughed lightly, his voice somewhat unnatural as he said, “This morning after waking, I felt somewhat unwell. I trouble you, Old Hu, to check my pulse.”

Physician Hu: “?” When you’re at home, wouldn’t it be more convenient to have your wife check it?

He didn’t know that Pei Zhen had woken up in the military camp that morning and hadn’t seen Li Chanxiu yet. Still, he was only briefly surprised before placing his fingers on the other’s wrist, frowning as he carefully examined the pulse.

Seeing him suddenly frown, Pei Zhen, who hadn’t taken it seriously at first, inexplicably felt his heart tighten, and his expression unconsciously grew solemn.

Physician Hu’s brows furrowed more and more tightly. After a moment, he even began to shake his head slightly, as if gravely.

Pei Zhen: “……”

Even for something he had been certain of, seeing Physician Hu’s expression while taking his pulse made him somewhat less certain.

Just as his own expression grew increasingly tense…

Physician Hu’s brows suddenly relaxed, his expression easing as he smiled. “Your body is in very good condition, nothing serious.”

Pei Zhen inexplicably let out a breath of relief, then realized he had actually become tense along with it just now. At a loss for words, he asked, “Then just now when you were shaking your head and frowning…”

“Oh, I’ve always had that habit when taking pulses,” Physician Hu replied.

Pei Zhen: “……”

“Oh right, you previously lost blood from your injuries, so you should have some deficiency of qi and blood. But it’s not a big problem, rest and nourishment will be enough. If you’re still worried, go back and have your wife prescribe you a formula to replenish qi and blood. The prescription she writes will certainly be better than mine,” Physician Hu added.

Pei Zhen: “……”

When he left the medical room, his expression was even worse than when he came.

He had truly lost his senses, he had actually been influenced by Yang Yuanyi’s nonsense. Why was it that whenever it involved matters related to his wife, he turned into that dim-witted Pei Er?

With a dark expression all the way, after mounting his jujube-red steed, Pei Zhen pondered for a moment and still decided to ride first toward the city wall.

It wasn’t that he intended to see anyone, but that he should have gone to patrol in the first place.

***

This morning, Li Chanxiu had deliberately switched duties with Physician Hu in order to avoid Pei Er.

He knew avoiding things wasn’t a solution, but for now it was the only thing he could do. After all, everything that needed to be said had been said, yet Pei Er simply wouldn’t believe, what could he do?

Moreover, some of their previous interactions had indeed crossed boundaries, already no different from that of husband and wife. And yet Pei Er only remembered those parts… unless he now told the other that he was actually a man.

But that was clearly impossible.

Li Chanxiu shook his head and sighed, continuing the work in his hands.

The wounded soldiers remaining by the city wall were all lightly injured and didn’t need him to help change dressings one by one, so he set up a large pot to the side and helped boil medicine.

While busy, it was no surprise when he saw Pei Zhen riding toward this direction.

Worried that the other had come to find him, he quickly called over a wounded soldier to watch the pot and turned to go check on the injured laborers instead.

Unexpectedly, not long after arriving at the earthen hut where the laborers lived, he saw Pei Zhen push open the broken wooden door and enter.

Seeing that he was there too, the other was clearly surprised. The tall figure standing at the doorway stiffened slightly, then after a moment coughed lightly in explanation, “I came to take a look at… the injured laborers.”

This time it really was a coincidence, not that he had followed on purpose.

Li Chanxiu quickly withdrew his gaze, his eyelashes lowering slightly, and nodded, saying somewhat unnaturally, “Then I… will go out first.”

As he spoke, he lowered his eyes and walked toward the exit. As he passed by the other, he slightly turned his body, wanting to get past more quickly.

However, at the moment their shoulders brushed, his arm was suddenly grasped.

His heart skipped a beat. Li Chanxiu hurriedly looked up, his delicate face carrying a trace of nervousness, his skin as pale as snow, his gaze startled.

Pei Zhen was taken aback. His iron-like fingers unconsciously loosened slightly, and his voice also softened without realizing it. “Don’t be afraid. I just wanted to say… I want to find you later to talk for a bit.”

After a pause, he added a question: “Is that alright?”

Li Chanxiu glanced at the laborers inside the room and nodded awkwardly. “Alright.”

After speaking, he pulled free from his grasp, lowered his head, and quickly left.

Pei Zhen clenched his now-empty hand, his gaze following closely. Only after his figure disappeared into the distance did he finally withdraw it.

Entering the earthen hut, his gaze swept around and quickly found Ding Chenghai. He stepped over.

Ding Chenghai knew he was Li Chanxiu’s husband and also a Thousand-man Commander, and hurriedly tried to rise while clutching his wound.

Seeing that his injuries were severe, Pei Zhen told him not to move. With a casual motion of his long leg, he hooked over a broken wooden stool and sat down. After sitting, he first frowned and sized the other up.

His appearance was proper enough, but far inferior to himself. His physique also wasn’t as strong. Presumably, his wife wouldn’t take a liking to him.

For no reason, he felt somewhat reassured and asked, “I heard you and my wife were in the same group exiled here, and that you took care of her on the journey. Did you know each other before the exile?”

Ding Chenghai was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly explained, “Thousand-man Commander, you misunderstand. Before the exile, I didn’t know Miss Shen. On the way here, it was actually she who saved my younger sister, and my mother took care of her more. I, I only met Miss Shen by chance, we’re not very familiar.”

Perhaps on the journey of exile, when they supported and helped each other, there had been that one fleeting moment of vague affection, after all, Miss Shen was so admirable. But after arriving at the city wall, the labor was exhausting and life was harsh; every day was just about eating enough to survive, and everything else had long been forgotten.

Moreover, he later learned that Miss Shen was already married, and that her husband was a Thousand-man Commander in the army. Knowing even more that he was unworthy, he had never entertained any thoughts.

Now, hearing Pei Zhen ask about it, he feared misunderstanding and hurriedly described their relationship as even more distant.

Pei Zhen glanced at him without showing emotion. He hadn’t expected that this laborer before him had indeed once… but since they hadn’t known each other before exile, then to his wife, this person should just be one among many she had helped, nothing special. After all, his wife had always been kind and had helped too many people.

After going outside, Pei Zhen couldn’t help but ponder. Ding Chenghai posed no threat. As for Xuanping and the third boss of the mountain stronghold having improper rumors, also impossible. Lu Zhi… had already been ruled out back when he was Pei Er.

Moreover, his wife’s concern for him wasn’t fake. It was impossible that she didn’t like him but liked someone else.

Thus, the problem could only be with him.

Thinking of how his wife had wrapped herself tightly in the quilt last night, shrinking in fear by the wall, his expression paused, and a trace of unease inexplicably arose in his heart, could it be that he was actually… that inadequate?

That he had made her suffer to the point of resistance and fear?

A faint trace of embarrassment flashed across Pei Zhen’s expression. Before he could figure out how to apologize to his wife later, he suddenly saw Yang Yuanyi riding swiftly toward this direction like an arrow.

Pei Zhen frowned and quickly stepped forward a few paces.

Yang Yuanyi arrived in the blink of an eye. After dismounting, he immediately pulled him to a secluded spot, his expression anxious. “Jianzhi, this is bad. Just now Ding Zong sent word, Wuding Pass is in critical condition. It might not be able to hold.”

Pei Zhen’s gaze changed sharply, looking at him with piercing intensity.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s the Eldest Hu Prince, he suddenly went mad and launched a fierce assault. The offensive is too strong, and there are only a bit more than ten thousand defenders there. They simply can’t hold,” Yang Yuanyi said, panting heavily.

Two days earlier, 

When Eldest Prince Wulie led the main army close to Wuding Pass, he suddenly ordered them to encamp and wait for provisions.

In the command tent, the generals on both sides raised their cups and flattered him: “Your Highness is brilliant! Using Pei Zhen as bait, then provoking the Second Prince with a few taunts, you successfully got him to attack Yongfeng. Not only can he no longer compete with us for merit, he also helps draw part of Wuding Pass’s defenders away for reinforcement, reducing the difficulty of our attack. Truly ingenious!”

Wulie sneered. “Hmph! That second one is rash and competitive. He knows I’ve often lost to Pei Zhen before, and hearing Pei Zhen is in Yongfeng, he must want to defeat him to make me lose face. But he mocks me for running when I see Pei Zhen, not knowing I laugh at him for being a brainless brute. What use is winning a single move? Only winning the whole game counts as victory.”

After speaking, he tilted his head back and drained the bowl of wine in one gulp.

The generals all voiced their agreement.

At that moment, a report suddenly came from below: “Reporting to Your Highness, the two forces sent to attack Yongding and Yongsheng have both been defeated.”

Wulie’s hand holding the wine bowl stiffened. After a moment, his expression remained calm as he said, “No matter. The second one is still attacking Yongfeng.”

Not long after…

“Report! The Second Prince has suffered a crushing defeat attacking Yongfeng!”

“What? Defeated so quickly?” All the generals were astonished. After all, the Second Prince had taken twenty thousand troops!

By late night…

“Report, ! Your Highness, the grain supplies being transported to our army were ambushed. The grain officer has urgently sent troops to request aid!”

“What?” Wulie suddenly threw off his covers and sat up, eyes wide with fury. “Immediately order General Wuna to lead two thousand cavalry, ride at full speed to rescue them!”

After speaking, he got out of bed and paced anxiously in the tent.

By the next day, the central command tent was filled with gloom.

“Your Highness, the grain has been burned. To wait for the next shipment will likely take ten days. The army’s remaining provisions are only enough for three more days. Three days isn’t enough for us to capture Wuding Pass. But if we retreat… Wuding Pass must already know our movements. If we withdraw, they will certainly send troops to attack us, we may suffer a great defeat.”

The Hu general speaking showed a bitter expression.

“Defeat? Who said we would be defeated?” After a long silence, Eldest Prince Wulie suddenly gritted his teeth and said, “Order the army to immediately cook and eat, let all soldiers eat their fill. Tonight, we attack Wuding Pass!”

He slammed the table and shouted, “As long as we break through the pass, the grain of the Great Zhou people inside will become our grain, what is there to fear? Tell the soldiers not to think of retreat. Our cattle and sheep have died of disease. If we go back, we’ll only starve. After this full meal, only by breaking through the pass will there be food again!”

The generals were stunned; the entire tent fell silent.

“Moreover, when those small passes like Yongfeng were in repeated danger, Wuding Pass stood by and did not send any reinforcements at all. I suspect… the defenders at Wuding Pass may not actually number more than eighty thousand.”

Wulie’s gaze was fierce as he clenched his teeth and added.

***

“I suspect Wulie intends to break the cauldrons and sink the boats, fight with no retreat. According to the report, those Hu soldiers are like they’ve gone mad. Even in Bingzhou, we’ve never seen them so fierce,” Yang Yuanyi said, frowning by the city wall.

Pei Zhen’s expression turned cold as he asked, “How long until Bingzhou reinforcements arrive?”

“At the fastest, two days.”

Pei Zhen’s eyes darkened slightly. Suddenly, he said, “I’ll go with you to Wuding Pass.”

“What?” Yang Yuanyi was startled.

…

Not long ago, Li Chanxiu had still been thinking about finding an excuse to move back to the pharmacy tonight. But unexpectedly, in just a short while, Pei Er came to tell him he would be going to Wuding Pass to provide support immediately.

Not just today, perhaps for several days after, they would not see each other again.

Hearing that the other would be leaving for a period of time, Li Chanxiu subconsciously felt a sense of relief, but as soon as he heard it was Wuding Pass, the relief that had just loosened tightened again.

“How could they have you go to Wuding Pass? Is the situation there very critical?” His tone couldn’t hide his worry.

Pei Zhen’s gaze paused, then he comforted him, “Yang Yuan is one of Wuding Pass’s defenders. He’s taking troops back, and since he thinks I have some ability, he wants me to go along and help.”

“Then you…” Li Chanxiu almost said “can’t you not go,” because if the emperor didn’t dispatch reinforcements in time, Wuding Pass would be very difficult to hold, and it would be extremely dangerous for Pei Er to go.

But the thought only flashed briefly. Reason quickly told him he couldn’t stop it.

Moreover, if Wuding Pass fell, all of them would be in danger.

His gaze paused, then he looked steadily at Pei Er and softly said, “Then you… be careful.”

Pei Zhen did not miss the worry in his eyes. This wasn’t the first time, last time, the time before that, when the other had sent him off to battle, he had also looked at him with such “deep feeling,” and he would…

He suddenly stepped forward and gently embraced Li Chanxiu.

Li Chanxiu was momentarily stunned. After coming back to his senses and recalling last night’s events, he hurriedly tried to break free.

Pei Zhen had already leaned close to his ear and softly said, “Don’t worry. I will return safely.”

After a pause, recalling something, he added somewhat awkwardly, “I’m sorry about before. It was my fault. In the future… I’ll be gentler.”

After saying this, he quickly released his arms and returned to his cold, stern expression. Only the edges of his ears beneath the helmet faintly flushed red. After bidding Li Chanxiu farewell once more, he turned and strode toward Yang Yuanyi, carrying an air of chill severity and killing intent.

Li Chanxiu stood frozen in place, then grew puzzled, 

What… “be gentler”?