PMM - 36

It was the most cowardly day of his life, yet also the boldest. When Yi Huan fell into the water, suffering a relapse of her old illness, he jumped in and saved her.

She was pale, trembling from the cold. A girl with an acute sense of danger, now curled up in his arms, relying on him entirely.

He only had this one chance to pull her into his life, to bring her from the distant Qi Huang Mountain to his side.

Trembling, he reached out and opened her clothing.

Fu Chengyu gritted his teeth, too afraid to look again, hurriedly wrapping her tightly in a silk blanket. Yi Huan’s small face was pale, her breathing heavy. Fu Chengyu touched her icy cheek, brewed a cup of hot tea, and fed it to her. Only then did her complexion improve slightly.

He sat by her bed, staring at her without blinking. Fu Chengyu couldn’t help but imagine the scene when she woke up. He had already seen what he shouldn’t have seen. If she woke up and slapped him, scolded him, or even looked down on him and despised him in her heart, he wouldn’t mind, as long as she didn’t return to Qi Huang Mountain and was willing to marry him. Nothing else mattered.

What he feared most was that there would be no connection between them, that time would erase their memories completely.

Yi Huan’s eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes, meeting Fu Chengyu’s burning and expectant gaze. Her fingers slightly moved, and she immediately sensed something was wrong. Despite being wrapped tightly in the blanket, she could still feel that she was completely unclothed.

It was obvious what this scoundrel had done. Yi Huan felt both shame and anger, her heart uncontrollably pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and when she spoke, her voice sounded surprisingly cold and indifferent, even to herself. “Thank you for saving me. Now, please, Master Fu, leave. I need to change my clothes.”

Fu Chengyu felt completely lost for a moment, his expression changing several times. Finally, in a teasing tone, he probed, “Huan’er, don’t be shy. After all, we’ve seen each other and embraced. I can take responsibility…”

“Leave—” Yi Huan interrupted him, her tone full of coldness and rejection, unmistakably clear.

In that instant, he almost felt despair, but as his dirty thoughts subsided, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to tarnish her reputation or make the matter public.

“Fine, I’ll leave.” Fu Chengyu walked out, and the hungry beast inside him reluctantly withdrew, caged once more.

...

Looking back now, the entanglement he had so determinedly created had vanished without a trace, not even a ripple. The only thing left was the hairpin on the table. How laughable, he had spent an entire year at Fengmu, obsessing over just this hairpin. And now, having come to Yuanhuai, it was still only this hairpin that accompanied him, coldly mocking him.

“My lord, there’s trouble—”

The commotion outside suddenly grew louder, and even without anyone delivering a report, Fu Chengyu knew something was wrong. Xiang Han had finally made a move.

Fu Chengyu opened the door of the inn and frowned, asking, “What’s going on?”

Since the greatest secrets often lie hidden in plain sight, Fu Chengyu had made sure to disguise his soldiers once he arrived in Yuanhuai, placing them in the most prosperous part of the city, next to the flower streets and willow lanes. The area was great for gathering information quickly, and his subordinates could easily disperse and conceal themselves, but also be quickly summoned when needed.

“Xiang Han... he’s leading the army in a search…”

A sarcastic smile appeared on Fu Chengyu’s face. “Has he lost his mind?” To mobilize the army in his own city, this man was a lunatic. Fu Chengyu pondered for a moment. “How many people?”

The messenger broke into a cold sweat, terrified. “A lot… too many. I don’t know the exact number, but the whole street is surrounded. No one can get out.”

Fu Chengyu’s face darkened. Xiang Han had actually sent the army to search for him. He truly thought highly of him.

“My lord, what should we do now? Should we gather our men?”

Fu Chengyu shook his head. “No need. With Xiang Han’s army, we can’t win. Tell everyone to hide, don’t expose yourselves.”

“Yes!”

Xiang Han knew Fu Chengyu was in Yuanhuai, but he couldn’t pinpoint his location. During his time in Fengmu, Fu Chengyu had taken up simple disguise skills, and now it seemed Xiang Han had given up on Fengmu and had sent his army to besiege him!

Fu Chengyu didn’t plan to stand and fight; if they couldn’t win, they would hide. It was the simplest solution.

But something about this didn’t seem right. What benefit did Xiang Han gain from deploying such a large force to search for him in the city? Even if he killed all of Sandthorn’s people in Yuanhuai, it wouldn’t cause Yi Qiancheng any substantial harm. At most, he would lose a subordinate.

Fu Chengyu furrowed his brows, a flash of uneasy premonition passing through his mind. Suddenly, he widened his eyes—this was bad! Huan’er!

...

“General, a letter from Sandthorn.” Fu Yi handed over two letters to Yi Qiancheng.

Yi Qiancheng raised an eyebrow as he took them, feeling a surge of joy. He thought Liansheng had finally come to her senses and sent him a letter.

The first letter—

It was news of Master Fang’s death and Liansheng’s disappearance.

“General, what’s wrong?” Fu Yi asked as he saw Yi Qiancheng’s face change drastically, unable to conceal his sorrow. His hand tightened around the letter, then it shifted to anger. Yi Qiancheng remained silent, his lips pressed into a tight line as he opened the second letter.

This letter was one Lian Cheng had written to Liang Zhen, requesting him to send troops to kill Master Fang, and also proclaiming Lian Cheng’s determination to defect.

Yi Qiancheng’s expression grew colder, anger and sadness intertwining in his heart. He wished he could tear Lian Cheng apart.

His gaze returned to the first letter, the black words on white paper—”Lady has been kidnapped”—made his heart tighten. Liansheng was in trouble!

“Military strategist, I leave Fengmu to you. The army’s deployment is complete, and we’ve already placed insiders in the Lord’s residence. The merchants will cooperate with you outside. According to the original plan, once news comes from the Lord’s residence, issue the order to attack.” He paused, his voice calm and indifferent as he added, “I need to return to Sandthorn.”

“You’re going back to Sandthorn?” At such a crucial moment, when they were only three days away from taking Fengmu, the General actually decided to go back to Sandthorn!

“Master Fang is dead in Sandthorn, Lian Cheng has betrayed the alliance, and Liansheng has been kidnapped,” his voice was cold and composed as he explained the three major events to Fu Yi.

“Master Fang is dead!” Fu Yi couldn’t believe it at first, but then forced himself to calm down and analyze the situation. “General, Lian Cheng’s betrayal will make him pay the price eventually! But now, taking Fengmu is urgent. Master Fang’s death is a done deal. It’s best to wait until after Fengmu is secured before pursuing this matter.”

“Military advisor, Lian Sheng has been kidnapped.” Yi Qiancheng glanced back at him, his fingers clenched so tightly that the joints turned white beneath his sleeve. His face was devoid of emotion, but his voice was cold, filled with an intense chill.

Fu Yi sighed. Seeing the general’s expression, he knew there was no persuading him today. After learning of Lord Lian’s betrayal, Fu Yi subconsciously didn’t want to think about the fact that the madam had been kidnapped. The Lian family… how could he not feel resentment towards them?

The matter of Lord Fang’s death could wait; they would deal with it later. The general’s decision to return now was clearly for his wife. Fu Yi felt conflicted, unsure whether it was right or wrong to have persuaded the general to marry her in the first place.

Yi Qiancheng left Fengmu that day. The weather grew colder, and the biting wind stung his face. His expression remained impassive, unsure whether his heart was colder or his body.

Fang Mu was dead… He had followed Yi Qiancheng since he was a young boy. Ten years ago, a plague made him an orphan, and Yi Qiancheng took him in and trained him to be his personal guard. Yi Qiancheng remembered when Fang Mu first came to the lord’s mansion, nervous and shy. He had a large appetite, afraid the young master would dislike him, so he only ate a little at each meal. Later, during training, he fainted from hunger…

When Yi Qiancheng first went to the battlefield, Fang Mu secretly followed with a long whip. He protected Yi Qiancheng with all his strength. When Yi Qiancheng scolded him for being in the way, Fang Mu would laugh and say, “I’m older than the young master; how could I hide behind?”

At twenty-five, Fang Mu had not yet married. When people teased him about it, he would smile foolishly and say, “I’ll wait until my general becomes famous throughout the world, then I’ll find a delicate little wife to enjoy my good fortune.”

During the hardest times in Shaji, Fang Mu silently followed behind Yi Qiancheng, working hard without complaint. Ten years of brotherhood, and now he had died in Yingdong!

If Yi Qiancheng had previously harbored resentment towards Lord Lian’s indifferent attitude towards his plight, now that resentment had turned to fury. Whoever had harmed Fang Mu would not escape.

Lian family… Lian family… Lian Sheng… Ah Sheng.

He closed his eyes, a sharp pain in his chest. Perhaps it was the wind, but his eyes felt slightly red. The women of the Lian family... He should hate her, but now, what was he doing? Upon hearing that she had been kidnapped, his anger surged, wishing to tear apart the person who had taken her.

Aside from the fury, he felt no hatred toward Lian Sheng. All he felt was deep worry. Was she alright? With her delicate appearance, had she suffered? Yi Qiancheng dared not think further and led his guards to hurry back to Shaji.

When Song Yuan saw Yi Qiancheng dismounting, he thought he had seen wrong. Wasn’t the general supposed to be in Fengmu? Why had he returned to Shaji?

Yi Qiancheng’s cloak fluttered with a sharp arc, and Song Yuan quickly saluted. Yi Qiancheng asked, “Do you know who kidnapped the madam?”

Song Yuan lowered his head, his voice restrained, “General... it was the people from the Lian family. They killed Lord Fang!”

Yi Qiancheng had been walking toward the mansion but stopped in his tracks upon hearing this. He coldly spoke, “I asked, who took the madam?”

Song Yuan gritted his teeth. “I don’t know!”

“Failing to protect your master, after the battle for Fengmu ends, you will take twenty military lashes.”

“Yes! General!” Song Yuan clenched his fists, accepting the order. Though he felt reluctant, he would not defy Yi Qiancheng’s command. Thinking about the Lian family, his heart was filled with hatred. His father had died five years ago in the war against the Xiqiang, and his sister had been humiliated by the Xiqiang, ultimately committing suicide.

Now, his good brother Fang Mu had been killed by Lord Lian. How could he not hate the Lian family?

Yi Qiancheng’s eyes turned cold. “I know you feel resentment, but remember this: once she married me, she was no longer a member of the Lian family.” His voice was flat and calm, as though he had rehearsed this countless times in his heart. “She is a member of the Yi family, she is mine.”

After saying this, he did not wait for Song Yuan’s reaction and walked back into the courtyard.

Liu Momo saw the general enter and stumbled to meet him. “General, General, please save the young lady...” The young lady had been missing for nearly half a month, and Liu Momo’s worry had almost overwhelmed her. Upon seeing Yi Qiancheng, it was as if she had seen the last lifeline. Tears rolled down her face.

“Have you seen anyone who took Ah Sheng?”

Liu Momo shook her head. “The thieves all had their faces covered. I don’t know who they were...”

Yi Qiancheng frowned, clearly realizing it was unrealistic to ask the maids and servants. They had always stayed in the inner courtyard, and even if they had seen the faces, they would not necessarily know who had taken Lian Sheng.

Seeing Yi Qiancheng frown, Liu Momo was unsure of his thoughts. Fearing he might think there was no clue, she quickly spoke, “General, please follow me. The young lady left something for you.”

She led him into the inner room, opened a chest, and took out a bundle from the bottom, handing it to Yi Qiancheng. Her voice was tinged with sadness. “This is the letter the young lady wrote to the general, and also a cloak.”

Yi Qiancheng opened it. The black cloak in his hands was soft and warm, not delicately made, but the stitching was tight, showing the maker’s earnest effort.

Liu Momo said, “The young lady worked for several nights to finish this cloak. She was afraid you wouldn’t like it. She doesn’t excel at embroidery, rarely making such things. I’ve watched her grow, and she’s always been lively, but I’ve never seen her so quietly make a cloak like this.” As she spoke, her voice grew heavier, and tears started flowing again.

Yi Qiancheng’s hand brushed over the cloud pattern on the ties. His heart softened, and a bitter sensation filled him. He could almost see her, stitching those patterns by the lamp. But now, these cold, lifeless objects remained, and the warm person was no longer here.

Yi Qiancheng opened the letter Lian Sheng had written to him.

“How are you? The journey ahead is long, I hope you take care of yourself. The weather is turning cold, please be cautious. There is also a cloak in the package. If you don’t like it, just keep it…” The word “is” was slightly paused, standing out in her beautifully written small script. Looking at the letter, Yi Qiancheng could almost imagine her expression at the time, biting her lip, thinking that if he didn’t like it, she would never make such things again.

“...Huan’er asked me to tell you to take good care of yourself, and she and I will wait for you to return.”

Yi Qiancheng tucked the letter into his chest and handed the cloak back to Nanny Liu.

“Take good care of it.”

“General? You—”

“I’m going to find her and bring her back.”