Chapter 44: A Beautiful Dream

As expected, it had spread again.

The last time she looked, it was only the size of a fist. Now, it had already covered his entire forearm. The black, fine, mesh-like veins seemed to have a life of their own—pulsating and twitching.

Bao Ning felt her heart clench, a deep sense of helplessness washing over her.

Suddenly, she felt as though they were just putting on a facade of peace. Every day they lived like normal people—busy, arguing, reconciling—but Pei Yuan clearly wasn’t a normal person. Bao Ning couldn’t bear to imagine what they’d do if the golden leeches didn’t work as expected.

Would Pei Yuan die?

Or, if they were lucky and the leeches did work, would the rest of his life be haunted by pain that could strike without warning?

Bao Ning’s throat went dry. She raised her hand, slowly placing her fingertips on Pei Yuan’s arm, wanting to touch the terrifying black veins.

“Don’t move.”

Pei Yuan had woken up at some point. He opened his eyes to look at her for a moment, then closed them again. He tugged her wrist, pulling her into his arms. “Don’t touch it. It’s ugly.”

Bao Ning lay against his chest, still dazed. Pei Yuan rested his chin gently on her forehead and asked with a sigh, “What time is it?”

“It’s almost the end of the morning hour,” Bao Ning replied softly.

Both of them deliberately avoided the heavy topic.

“I made you fried yellow croaker and porridge. Come eat.”

Pei Yuan grunted hoarsely, “Not porridge, it doesn’t fill me up.”

“There are also buns and shrimp dumplings,” Bao Ning smiled, pulling on his arm to get him up. “Come on now, don’t be lazy. I’ve never seen you so sluggish before. The food’s getting cold.”

Pei Yuan let her pull him up and sat. Bao Ning brought over his clothes.

He dressed quickly, then went to secure a brace on his left leg.

The original wooden brace had been too flimsy, so he had someone forge a solid iron set weighing around seven jin. The benefit was its incredible stability. Though his left leg was still weak, the brace allowed him to withstand attacks aimed at his lower body—enough to resist at least three full-strength kicks.

Naturally, this slowed his walking pace. But as the poison gradually broke through the pressure points he had sealed, the functionality in his left leg began returning. With consistent training, he could eventually move at a normal walking pace.

Bao Ning lifted his pant leg to check. The blood blister from before had burst and hardened into a thick scab. She felt a pang of sorrow in her heart and asked, “Does it hurt?”

“A little, but I barely feel it.” Pei Yuan quickly secured the brace, reaching for his waist. “Hm? Where’s my belt?”

“It was about to snap yesterday—didn’t you notice?” Bao Ning fetched a new one. “I got it ready this morning but forgot to bring it to the bedside.”

She tugged the belt taut in her hands. “Stand up, I’ll tie it for you.”

Pei Yuan chuckled lowly and obediently stood, looking down at her as she worked.

She was focused, head tilted, lips pressed together. Pei Yuan pinched her cheek and said softly, “Mm, it’s not for nothing that I spoil you.”

Bao Ning paused, then said, “Your skin’s getting thicker. You dare say anything now.” She tied the knot and smoothed the tassels, then looked up as if wanting to speak but hesitating.

Pei Yuan tousled her hair and walked to the table. “If you’ve got something to say, say it.”

Cautiously, Bao Ning asked, “Can you rest for a day? Just one day. You shouldn’t be pushing yourself like this—it’s not good for your health.”

She bit her lip. “There’s at most half a month left. Once the leeches mature, we can give it a try.” She tested his response: “Okay?”

Pei Yuan was silent for a moment, then nodded. “Once I finish this task, I’ll take you out for a bit.”

“I’m not asking to go out and play. I just…” Bao Ning moved to stand in front of him. She rose on tiptoe to meet his eyes. “Or… is there anything I can help you with?”

Pei Yuan laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her effortlessly into his embrace. “You’re useless.”

Her vision spun—before she knew it, she was sitting on his arm again.

She was used to this by now. Pei Yuan always liked to pick her up and hold her high, as if showing off his strength. And he really was strong—carrying her felt as easy as if she were cradling their dog, Ah Huang.

But it was too high. Bao Ning still got nervous. She gripped his ear tightly. “You didn’t even ask—how do you know I’m useless?”

Pei Yuan carried her to the table, pulled out a chair, and set her down in it. “Men’s business—women should stay out of it.”

Bao Ning lowered her gaze and muttered, “So arrogant.”

She asked, “What if I am useful?”

Pei Yuan peeled a boiled egg as he replied casually, “Then I’ll be your steed for a month. You say ‘go,’ and I go. I’ll even let you whip me as you please.”

Bao Ning laughed. “No need to be a steed. Just listen to me. For a month, you follow my every word. Let the wife lead the husband.”

Pei Yuan snorted, “Keep dreaming your pretty little dream.”

He smirked, didn’t even look up, and dropped the egg into Bao Ning’s bowl. “Eat.”

…

Pei Yuan headed to the training grounds in the western courtyard of the General’s Estate.

These days, the first thing he did each morning was come here. He had to recover his former strength as quickly as possible—maybe even surpass it.

The tiger tally situation had reached a deadlock. Pei Yuan had investigated everyone around Zhou Jiangcheng but found no suspicious signs. Even Zhou Jiangcheng himself seemed to have no memory of that night, as if the tiger tally had simply vanished into thin air.

The only suspicious figure was the deceased Lüyun. She was dead, but her corpse had mysteriously disappeared.

But even if the suspicion was valid, finding the real Lüyun would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The training ground was paved with green stone bricks. In the center stood a wooden platform, three zhang (about 10 meters) wide and long, surrounded by racks of various weapons.

Pei Yuan pulled off his outer robe and casually threw it over a rack. He rubbed his neck, grabbed a heavy sword, and stepped onto the platform.

This wasn’t a duel to injure—the blade wasn’t sharpened. The soldiers on guard below grinned at him, but Pei Yuan beckoned with a finger. “Come on up. Let’s play.”

The soldier stopped smiling. The others around him burst into laughter.

Pei Yuan said, “All of you—up.”

…The group hesitated a bit before stepping up, each choosing a weapon that suited them—two long spears, a pair of twin swords, and a crescent-moon blade.

Five against one.

Pei Yuan had many fierce warriors under his command. He had spent ten years on the northern frontier, and now, all the renowned generals in the Northern Border Army knew him well. He carried a wild and unyielding spirit—fighting with reckless abandon and refusing to lose. Qiu Mingshan had entrusted him with great responsibility, selecting elite troops from death-row prisoners to form the Wolf Assault Army, a vanguard unit. At just fourteen, Pei Yuan led them like the tip of a sharp arrow, undefeated in battle.

That appointment was one Pei Yuan had knelt outside Qiu Mingshan’s tent to earn.

The battlefield was a place where one lived on the edge of death, but in return, Pei Yuan gained brothers who had braved life and death with him and would now follow him to the ends of the earth. He also gained martial skills on par with Qiu Mingshan.

Every strike Pei Yuan made aimed for a kill. Thankfully, his heavy sword had no edge; otherwise, those four would have already lost their heads several times over.

Three of them had already been knocked off the platform. The last opponent was a skilled captain wielding a crescent blade.

He had noticed Pei Yuan’s weak point—his leg—and planned to fake an attack toward the arm, then strike the right leg when Pei Yuan dodged.

The captain swung the blade down with full strength, expecting Pei Yuan to panic and dodge, revealing his weak lower body. Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan didn’t even blink—he stood firm.

Left with no choice, the captain committed to the strike. The blade slammed heavily into Pei Yuan’s left shoulder with a dull thud, the sound of iron meeting flesh. At the same moment, Pei Yuan spotted his opening and punched the captain square in the chest.

The captain cried out in pain, stumbling backward four or five steps before falling off the platform.

Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes, rotating his left shoulder. It was already bruised and bleeding, swelling rapidly.

A deep voice rang out from behind, laced with concern:

“Yuan’er, why didn’t you dodge? On the battlefield, that arm would be useless!”

“One arm for one life. Worth it.”

Pei Yuan turned to Qiu Mingshan, lifting his chin slightly.

“General, interested in a round yourself?”

Qiu Mingshan clenched his fists at his sides. After a long pause, he sighed.

“Your life is a life—not a game. How can you be so reckless?”

He added, “My biggest regret is bringing you into the army. I raised you into someone like this—wild and stubborn!”

Pei Yuan’s gaze grew cold.

“You give yourself too much credit. It has nothing to do with you.”

He tossed the heavy sword back on the rack, no longer in the mood for sparring, and stepped down to get dressed.

It wasn’t a good day. Dark clouds covered the sky. Sweat slicked his back, and he wiped it off carelessly with his clothes before putting them on neatly.

Qiu Mingshan followed.

“The Wolf Assault Army has reached Bashu. The Southern Barbarians tried to invade but were repelled three times and have taken heavy losses. They won’t act again anytime soon—that’s bought us time to find the tiger tally.”

Pei Yuan grunted in response.

Qiu Mingshan sighed again at Pei Yuan’s coldness.

He suddenly said, “Everything I’ve done has been for your sake.”

Pei Yuan frowned.

“What’s that got to do with me?”

“I—” Qiu Mingshan began, but Pei Yuan cut him off.

“Then let me make myself clear today. I’m not doing this for you. And I’m not doing it for that position.” He turned to look at Qiu Mingshan. “I only want to know the truth about what happened to my mother. That’s all.”

A raindrop landed on his forehead.

Pei Yuan looked up. It was a rainy day.

As if to match the mood, a familiar ache began creeping through his muscles and tendons. The Red Cinnabar poison always acted up when it rained.

He furrowed his brow and quickened his steps toward the study. But he had barely taken a few strides when one of Zhou Jiangcheng’s subordinates came rushing over in a panic.

“General, Fourth Prince—we just received urgent intel. His Majesty is sending the Third Prince to oversee the military in Bashu. He departs in three days. I’m afraid we can’t keep the tiger tally incident hidden much longer!”

Qiu Mingshan drew in a sharp breath.

…

Bao Ning stood at the doorway, staring at the torrential rain outside, her worry for Pei Yuan growing deeper.

She had thought he would return early today, but evening was nearly upon them. The rain hadn’t stopped, and there was still no news from him.

Bao Ning grew increasingly anxious. She knew how painful rainy days were for him. After waiting another fifteen minutes, she couldn’t sit still any longer. She asked Granny Liu for an umbrella and headed to Qiu Mingshan’s study with her.

Even if she couldn’t bring Pei Yuan home, just seeing him would ease her heart.

Bao Ning wore a light green skirt, her slender waist cinched tight—it was barely a handful wide. She walked slowly but hurried as much as she could. By the time she reached the study, the wind and rain had soaked half her body, and darkness had completely fallen.

Two soldiers stood guard at the door. One of them recognized her and went in to announce her arrival.

As the door opened, Bao Ning heard the sound of Pei Yuan coughing inside. Her heart clenched. She instinctively leaned to peek through the door gap and heard Qiu Mingshan shouting:

“Zhou Jiangcheng, are you insane?! What kind of sorcery did Lüyun give you? You favor her so much that you refuse to accept the truth even with solid evidence? If you continue like this, I’ll kill you on the spot!”

Zhou Jiangcheng looked deranged, as if he couldn’t hear a word. He muttered to himself, then suddenly stood and staggered toward the door, eyes unfocused.

Bao Ning, startled, froze where she stood.

But then Zhou Jiangcheng’s eyes suddenly lit up. He spread his arms wide and lunged toward her, shouting:

“Lüyun—!”

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