Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 82

Feng Tianzong dragged Huo Fenghua into the room. Huo Fenghua instantly panicked. Seeing Su Zeyang by the bed packing up their things, he edged closer to him and said to Feng Tianzong, “General, how can you just believe whatever an idiot says?”

Feng Tianzong reached out and closed the door. “If it were someone else, I might not believe it, but since he’s talking about you, I find it quite believable.”

As soon as he finished speaking, someone knocked at the door. It was the inn’s attendant, bringing their bathwater.

The steaming hot bathwater filled the large wooden tub, which was placed in the center of the room. Feng Tianzong rested his hand on the edge of the tub and said to Huo Fenghua, “Aren’t you going to take a bath?”

Huo Fenghua grabbed Su Zeyang’s arm, “Senior Brother, you go first.”

Su Zeyang’s expression was calm as he glanced at him.

For some reason, Huo Fenghua felt a little guilty and released Su Zeyang’s hand.

Feng Tianzong asked, “What are you scared of? If you’ve done nothing wrong, why are you afraid of taking a bath?”

Huo Fenghua looked at him for a moment, then gave a small snort and walked to the tub to undo his clothes. He stripped quickly and climbed in without a stitch on, sitting down in the water. When he saw Feng Tianzong still watching him, he sank lower and lower until even half his face went under. His long hair floated on the surface, and only a pair of dark eyes showed above the water as he looked at Feng Tianzong timidly.

Feng Tianzong looked at him amusedly.

Huo Fenghua’s eyes darted. He thought he couldn’t dodge this anyway, so he might as well distract Feng Tianzong and make him forget the whole thing. He reached up, grabbed Feng Tianzong by the collar, and tried to pull him in for a kiss.

But Feng Tianzong simply reached down and lifted him straight out of the tub.

Huo Fenghua was drenched, plastered against Feng Tianzong’s chest as he was carried toward the bed.

Huo Fenghua let out a cry and clutched Feng Tianzong’s arm.

By then Su Zeyang had finished packing and set the bundle aside. He turned back just in time to see Feng Tianzong carrying Huo Fenghua to the bedside.

Huo Fenghua reached out to him and called, “Senior Brother—”

Su Zeyang ignored him. Huo Fenghua, held in Feng Tianzong’s arms, watched as Feng Tianzong kissed Su Zeyang over his head. The two of them kissed intimately, and a faint blush appeared on Su Zeyang’s fair cheeks, making him look incredibly alluring.

Huo Fenghua, unwilling to be left out, leaned closer and said, “I want some too.”

Feng Tianzong left Su Zeyang’s lips and dipped his head to kiss along Su Zeyang’s neck. Su Zeyang tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple trembling slightly.

“Do you know you did something wrong?” Feng Tianzong’s lips were pressed against Su Zeyang’s neck as he mumbled.

Huo Fenghua watched them for a while, then said helplessly, “Okay, okay, I was wrong. I won’t touch or look around indiscriminately anymore, okay?”

Su Zeyang looked at him, “Wrong?”

Huo Fenghua was stunned, “What else do you want?” He then tilted his head back and tried to expose his chest, “Come on, feel free to touch.”

Seeing this, Feng Tianzong smiled and whispered in Su Zeyang’s ear, “To the bed.”

Su Zeyang gave him a look, then obediently sat at the edge of the bed.

Feng Tianzong sat down too, still holding Huo Fenghua. One arm pinned Huo Fenghua against his chest while the other hand traced along Su Zeyang’s cheek and throat, gently pulling his collar open.

Huo Fenghua struggled, trying to squirm out of Feng Tianzong’s hold. Feng Tianzong lightly pinched his nipples and said, “If you’re admitting fault, shouldn’t you behave?”

Huo Fenghua couldn’t help but let out a soft moan and quieted down.

Feng Tianzong’s hand caressed Su Zeyang, from his chin to his neck, then to his chest. Huo Fenghua, sitting in Feng Tianzong’s lap, watched Su Zeyang’s two rosy nipples stand erect, and felt an uncontrollable itch of desire.

The rough, calloused palm of a hand accustomed to wielding weapons caressed Su Zeyang’s smooth, delicate skin.  A blush spread from his neck to his chest, whether from the friction of Feng Tianzong’s hand or from the arousal of desire, he didn’t know.

Huo Fenghua leaned his head against Feng Tianzong’s chest, staring blankly at Su Zeyang.

Feng Tianzong was clearly very familiar with Su Zeyang’s body. He bent his fingers, using his knuckles to rub Su Zeyang’s nipples, then stroked down to his flat abdomen. He pulled down Su Zeyang’s trousers and grasped his shaft that was already half hard.

Su Zeyang’s breathing suddenly became more intense. He leaned back, supporting himself on the bed with his elbows. His eyes were half lidded, and his lips were slightly parted. His cock quickly filled under Feng Tianzong’s touch.

Feng Tianzong lowered his head, nipped Huo Fenghua’s earlobe, and said in a deep voice, “Go and suck it.”

Huo Fenghua’s ears instantly felt hot. Feng Tianzong’s low voice seemed to penetrate his body. As if under a spell, he bent forward, opened his mouth, and took Su Zeyang’s penis into his mouth.

Su Zeyang began to pant heavily. Huo Fenghua struggled to take all of Su Zeyang’s cock. He tried to open his throat more to completely swallow it, and the stimulation of Su Zeyang rubbing against it made the corner of his eyes reddened. Hearing Su Zeyang’s low moans and gasps, he couldn’t help but get aroused as well.

He swallowed and gagged for a moment, then was suddenly embraced and lifted up by Feng Tianzong. Before he could understand what was happening, Feng Tianzong spread his legs apart, held him up, and lowered him onto Su Zeyang’s cock.

Su Zeyang’s member was already glistening, covered by his saliva, so it wasn’t particularly painful when his cock entered him. However, because Huo Fenghua was held by Feng Tianzong, he wasn’t in control of his body. When he was fully seated on Su Zeyang, he felt he was completely stretched open.

Huo Fenghua’s erection trembled slightly against Su Zeyang’s abdomen. He reached out and held Su Zeyang’s hand, then lowered his head to kiss his lips.

Su Zeyang couldn’t restrain himself and began to slowly thrust upwards.

Huo Fenghua felt Feng Tianzong stroking the back of his neck. All the hairs on his body stood on end, and he couldn’t help but flinch. Then that hand moved down his spine, pressing on the mark on his lower back, finally resting around his ass. His hole was being thoroughly punished by Su Zeyang’s thrust when he felt Feng Tianzong’s fingers rimming around the edge.

At that moment, Huo Fenghua didn’t realize what Feng Tianzong intended to do, until he felt Feng Tianzong insert a finger, and his body was suddenly stretched open even more. He panicked and tried to get off of Su Zeyang, saying, “No!”

Feng Tianzong kissed his ear from behind and whispered, “Don’t worry.”

Huo Fenghua was still afraid. “No, it’ll kill me!”

Feng Tianzong held his body with one hand, slowly sliding down to stroke his penis. “It won’t.” His voice was steady and firm, carrying a reassuring force. 

Huo Fenghua felt that the fingers inside him showed no sign of being withdrawn but were slowly expanding his already fully stretched hole. His body trembled uncontrollably, “You’ll make me loose!”

Feng Tianzong’s voice was somewhat hoarse, and he whispered seductively in Huo Fenghua’s ear, “No, you’ll like it very much. Didn’t you want to drain me dry?”

These few words made Huo Fenghua’s body heat up. At that moment, he was indeed overwhelmed with lust, and amidst the fear, a faint sense of anticipation arose.

Huo Fenghua shook his head, trying to dismiss Feng Tianzong’s words, but Feng Tianzong had already inserted another finger into him, squeezing his inner walls along with Su Zeyang’s cock.

Huo Fenghua whispered in fear, “It hurts so much.”

Feng Tianzong kissed and comforted him, “Be good. It’ll stop hurting soon.” He added another finger, simultaneously searching for that sensitive spot and then gently pressed on it.

Huo Fenghua was experiencing both pain and pleasure. He wanted to escape, but was unwilling, all the while his erection was swelling harder in Feng Tianzong’s hand.

Seeing that Huo Fenghua was thoroughly loosened, Feng Tianzong withdrew his fingers. Taking advantage of the moment when Su Zeyang was thrusting out, Feng Tianzong notched the tip of his cock against Huo Fenghua’s hole before simultaneously plunging his cock deep inside. He started pounding into Huo Fenghua’s body, following Su Zeyang’s rhythm. 

Huo Fenghua and Su Zeyang groaned at the same time.

Feng Tianzong also panted heavily, his thrusts beginning to go out of sync with Su Zeyang’s, repeatedly impacting Huo Fenghua’s body. 

Huo Fenghua’s face turned pale with pain. He bit his lip tightly and gripped Su Zeyang’s arm. After enduring the initial pain, he felt his prostate being repeatedly abused from both Su Zeyang’s and Feng Tianzong’s thrusting. There were seemingly no gaps in between to give him a moment’s rest.

His cock, which had gone a little soft, quickly hardened again. The pain subsided, and pleasure intensified. He trembled all over, sandwiched between the two men, being penetrated and thrust into. All he could do was open his mouth and moan loudly.

The bed swayed and shook.

Su Zeyang lay on the bed, his eyes flushed. He felt double the pleasure as his cock rubbed against Feng Tianzong’s while they were both inside Huo Fenghua. His breathing became erratic and he couldn’t stop moaning.

Feng Tianzong reached out from behind Huo Fenghua and touched Su Zeyang’s face, his thumb tracing his lips until they were bright red. Then he jabbed his fingers into Su Zeyang’s mouth, pinched his soft, wet tongue, and thrust deeper inside as if he wanted to poke it.

Su Zeyang made an unbearable sound and he opened his mouth. His cool and handsome features were tinged with a look of debauchery. His long hair was splayed out on the bed, making him look like a desecrated state of a god; incomparably beautiful.

Huo Fenghua weakly propped his hands on Su Zeyang’s chest to keep himself from falling, but his legs were already weak and numb. The pleasure seemed to reach all the way down to his toes, making him unconsciously curl his toes and constantly swallow his saliva. He looked at Su Zeyang’s face, then turned his head to seek a kiss from Feng Tianzong.

Feng Tianzong forcefully kissed his lips, hooking his tongue and sucking on it, making him swallow back his groans. His whole body emitted a soft, light pink glow, unable to conceal the pleasure he felt.

Under such intense and continuous stimulation, Huo Fenghua couldn’t help but come first. His cum sprayed all over Su Zeyang’s chest and abdomen. After orgasming, his body went limp and he slowly started to slide down. Feng Tianzong held his waist and continued pounding him.

Huo Fenghua’s mind was a blur. All he could hear were the wet, sticky slapping sounds, and the pain in his body had faded.  Having just finished climaxing, he was especially sensitive, and still moaning and gasping as Feng Tianzong held him.

Shortly after, Huo Fenghua saw Su Zeyang opening his mouth and breathing heavily, his face flushed. He weakly reached out to touch Su Zeyang’s face, but Feng Tianzong suddenly pressed him down from behind. 

His body was pressed against Su Zeyang’s, his back against Feng Tianzong’s chest, his head resting on the bed. He turned his head and saw Feng Tianzong kissing Su Zeyang over him. 

The two kissed intensely with saliva dribbling down from Su Zeyang’s lips. Then he saw Su Zeyang close his eyes, his body trembling and tensing, before Huo Fenghua felt a wet sensation inside him. Su Zeyang had finally come.

Feng Tianzong got up. While Su Zeyang’s slightly hard erection was still inside Huo Fenghua, Feng Tianzong began picking up the speed of his thrusting.

Su Zeyang took a deep breath, and after a moment, turned his head to look at Huo Fenghua. Both of them were somewhat exhausted, and they gently pressed their lips together.

Feng Tianzong, pressing against both of their bodies, continued to mercilessly pound into Huo Fenghua. As Su Zeyang’s cock softened, it slowly began to slide out; at the same time, Feng Tianzong finally came, spilling his seed deep into Huo Fenghua.

When it finally quieted, all three were left sprawled together, bodies pressed close, hands still lingering in slow, absentminded touches. Only after quite a while did their breathing gradually even out.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 81

Huo Fenghua decided to take Wen Heyi with him, accompanying Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang. Their purpose was to find Shao Feijie, and he felt that Wen Heyi’s transformation into a simpleton was definitely related to Shao Feijie.

Feng Tianzong didn’t particularly like Wen Heyi, but Su Zeyang also agreed to take Wen Heyi along. After all, Wen Heyi was their martial uncle, and when their master went traveling, he repeatedly instructed them to find their martial uncle and bring him back.

Bao Jinshu had already been secretly dealt with by Luo Shicheng. Although the Donglin soldiers hadn’t left Wuhetan yet, with Luo Shicheng leading them, Huo Fenghua had nothing to worry about. The only thing that still bothered him was the “Boonie Bears” business; he wondered if Xiong’da and Xiong’er could handle Hu Dong and his men.

Feng Tianzong then left two of his secret guards behind to assist Xiongda and Xiong’er, which also served as a form of surveillance. He had a total of eight secret guards, all of whom had followed him since childhood and were mainly responsible for gathering information.  

Besides the two left at Wuhetan, the remaining six were secretly operating in Xichou and Donglin.

They traveled north from Wuhetan, through Beiyi, and then into Xichou.

Beiyi was a nomadic region. After crossing the high mountains from Wuhetan, there were vast grasslands ahead. They traveled west, passing the Wuling Mountain at the source of the Wu River, and then entered the territory of Xichou.

The north was cold and dry. Huo Fenghua wore a cloak and a cotton hat, a circle of white fur covering his entire face, riding his horse behind Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang. 

Even though the surrounding scenery was magnificent and beautiful, they could only travel day and night without rest. The cold wind constantly blew against their faces, and Huo Fenghua was utterly exhausted, in no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. 

However, he didn’t complain, but silently memorized this journey, thinking that when he had time in the future, he would definitely bring his two beauties to travel and enjoy the sights at a leisurely pace.

That night, they stayed in a settlement of nomadic people. The hospitable shepherds lent them a tent for the four of them.

When Huo Fenghua jumped down from his horse, his legs were trembling. Even leading the horse forward, he could barely keep his legs from shaking and drawing together. He said to the enthusiastic Beiyi man, “Could we have another small tent? For him to sleep alone.” He pointed to Wen Heyi.

Wen Heyi looked panicked upon hearing this, “I don’t want to sleep alone! I’m scared!”

Scared my ass! Huo Fenghua couldn’t help but want to roll his eyes at him.

The Beiyi man didn’t understand Huo Fenghua’s words and smiled, looking at Feng Tianzong.

Feng Tianzong shook his head and said to him in the Beiyi language, “It’s nothing. He said thank you.”

After the four of them entered the tent, Feng Tianzong said, “It’s already very good that others are willing to lend you a place to stay. Don’t make any strange requests.”

There were no beds in the tent, only two mattresses and folded blankets in the corner. They could spread them out on the ground to sleep at night.

Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua worked together to put the two mattresses together, which was barely enough for the four of them to squeeze in and sleep. Feng Tianzong lit the stove in the tent, and the dry, cold air gradually became warm. 

Huo Fenghua took off his hat and cloak and was about to take off his trousers while sitting on the mat, when he looked up and saw Wen Heyi watching him. He said, “Yi’er, turn around. Don’t look.”

Wen Heyi said unhappily, “I won’t.”

Huo Fenghua immediately pretended to be serious, “Turn around! If I catch you peeking, I’ll send you back!”

Wen Heyi pouted and reluctantly turned his head towards the tent flap, sulking.

Only then did Huo Fenghua quickly take off his trousers, and look down at his inner thighs, which were chafed and bright red. He looked up and saw Su Zeyang squatting in front of him, so he placed one leg on Su Zeyang’s lap, showing him his chafed inner thigh.

Su Zeyang took out a box of ointment from his pocket, dipped his finger in the ointment, and applied it to his groin.

The ointment was cool and soothing, making Huo Fenghua shiver with pleasure. After both legs were treated, he snatched the ointment from Su Zeyang’s hand, pushed him down onto the mat, and insisted on taking off his trousers to apply the ointment to him as well.

Su Zeyang said, “I don’t need it,” and struggled slightly. The two of them rolled around on the mat until their clothes and hair became disheveled.

Wen Heyi wanted to secretly turn his head to look, but was afraid that Huo Fenghua would scold him, so he could only grab his own clothes hem and restrain himself.

Seeing Su Zeyang’s long hair spilled across his shoulders, his collar loosened to reveal a delicate collarbone, Huo Fenghua couldn’t help lowering his head to kiss his neck. When he raised his head again, he saw a smile at the corner of Su Zeyang’s lips, and couldn’t resist kissing him again. 

Feng Tianzong stood by the tent door, smiling as he watched the two of them playing around. After a moment, he said, “I’ll go out and ask about the recent situation in Beiyi.” Then he lifted the tent flap and went out. 

When it was time to sleep, Wen Heyi insisted on having Huo Fenghua sleep next to him. So Huo Fenghua had Wen Heyi sleep on the far right, with himself next to him, and Su Zeyang right beside him, while Feng Tianzong slept on the far left.

They had traveled all day and were exhausted. Wen Heyi, now with the carefree nature of a child, immediately fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

Huo Fenghua heard Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang talking in hushed tones, so he turned over to face them.

In the light of the brazier, he saw Feng Tianzong holding Su Zeyang in his arms, softly saying that the mountain path ahead to Wuling Mountain was steep and difficult to climb.

Huo Fenghua moved closer to Su Zeyang.

Su Zeyang stretched out a hand to put around his neck, letting him rest his head on his arm. Feng Tianzong reached out and stroked his hair, saying softly, “Traveling must be very tiring.”

Huo Fenghua asked strangely, “Don’t your legs hurt from the chafing?”

Feng Tianzong chuckled softly. “We’re used to it.”

Huo Fenghua didn’t believe him and reached out to touch Su Zeyang’s inner thigh. He found the skin there delicate, soft, and smooth to the touch. He didn’t know if it was red, but it certainly wasn’t chafed. Then he touched Feng Tianzong’s leg. Feng Tianzong had spent years riding horses, exposed to wind, rain, and scorching sun, so even the skin on his inner thighs, which had been rubbed against the saddle for so long, wasn’t as smooth. Huo Fenghua suddenly felt a pang of sympathy and couldn’t help but touch him a few more times.

Feng Tianzong grabbed his hand and placed it against his crotch. Huo Fenghua realized he had become aroused.

In this situation, although Huo Fenghua was tired, he felt he could do something. While touching Feng Tianzong’s erection, he looked up and kissed Su Zeyang’s lips. After a moment, Feng Tianzong turned over and held Su Zeyang in place as he thrust into him.

Su Zeyang gasped and his eyes moistened. He reached out to touch Huo Fenghua’s leg, whispering, “Get up.”

Huo Fenghua sat up, watching Su Zeyang lying between his legs. He guided Su Zeyang towards his cock and moaned as Su Zeyang engulfed his shaft. Groans continued to escape his lips as he stroked Su Zeyang’s hair.

The three of them continued for a while until Huo Fenghua climaxed and came down Su Zeyang’s throat. He watched as Su Zeyang swallowed it while Feng Tianzong orgasm at the same time, leaving his spent inside Su Zeyang.

Afterward, Huo Fenghua rolled onto his back, still breathing a little hard. He turned his head to sneak a look at Wen Heyi, saw that he was still asleep with steady, even breaths, and finally relaxed. He buried his face against Su Zeyang’s shoulder, closed his eyes, and went to sleep. 

After that, they rode horses for several more days, entering the Wuling Mountain Range. Wuling Mountain is a large mountain, and the Wu River originates from here, gradually widening as it flows down the mountain.

The mountain road was rugged and narrow, and the climate was harsh and changeable. Huo Fenghua led his horse along the narrow path beside a towering cliff, feeling as if his breath was about to freeze. He looked up at Feng Tianzong ahead, then back at Su Zeyang behind him.

Su Zeyang’s face was flushed from the cold, and he asked, “Are you tired?”

Feng Tianzong kept walking without stopping. “There’s nowhere to rest here. We need to find a cave.” 

“Not tired,” Huo Fenghua said, drawing a deep breath. “Let’s keep going.” 

They traveled through the Wuling Mountains for two days, spending the nights in caves, and finally crossed the mountains and reached the border of Xichou Kingdom.

At the foot of Wuling Mountain was a small border town in Western Chou. These remote towns hadn’t been touched by the war and were especially peaceful and quiet.

It wasn’t as though no merchants or travelers crossed the mountain pass. The four of them didn’t draw attention. Leading their horses, they found the town’s only inn.

Feng Tianzong found the mark left by the secret guards at the base of a pillar in front of the inn.

That night, the four of them stayed at the inn. Feng Tianzong asked the innkeeper for two superior rooms.

Su Zeyang went to tie up the horses in the backyard and feed them, while Huo Fenghua and Wen Heyi followed behind Feng Tianzong. Huo Fenghua asked curiously, “Why two rooms? Are the three of us going to share one?”

Although he wanted to share a room with Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang, the beds in the inn were narrow, and after two days of climbing the Wuling Mountains, sleeping crammed together on a small bed would probably prevent them from getting a good rest.

Feng Tianzong took the room keys from the innkeeper, turned around, and whispered to Huo Fenghua, “I’m going out tonight. You and Zeyang can share a room.”

Huo Fenghua knew he was going to meet the secret guards, so he nodded, but couldn’t help but say, “Come back early. Get some rest whenever you can.”

Feng Tianzong smiled and squeezed his hand.

There was still some time before dinner, so Huo Fenghua asked the waiter to bring two buckets of hot water so they could take a bath in their rooms.

Wen Heyi followed behind them, and when he tried to enter the room, Huo Fenghua grabbed his wrist and pushed him out, pulling him to the door of the next room and saying, “This is your room.”

Su Zeyang and Feng Tianzong stood in front of the room door, watching them. 

Wen Heyi reluctantly said, “I want to share a room with Dad.”

Huo Fenghua said, “You can’t share a room with Dad. Dad is going to take a bath, and you can’t watch.”

Wen Heyi looked confused, “Why? Dad watched me take a bath, and he even touched me.”

Huo Fenghua immediately raised his hand to cover his mouth, but it was too late. Feng Tianzong’s cold voice sounded from behind, “Is that so?”

Wen Heyi was about to answer Feng Tianzong when Huo Fenghua pushed him into the room and immediately closed the door.

Huo Fenghua felt like the gaze on his back had turned into a cold draft. With his scalp tingling, he turned around. Su Zeyang looked like he’d smiled faintly and stepped inside. Somehow, that smile felt… dangerous. 

Feng Tianzong was still waiting for him at the door. When he slowly walked over, Feng Tianzong gently stroked his hair and asked, “Did you touch him?”

“I didn’t,” Huo Fenghua answered without thinking.

Feng Tianzong said, “He said you watched him take a bath and even touched him.”

Huo Fenghua chuckled dryly, “He’s an idiot. You believe what an idiot says?”

Feng Tianzong smiled, grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the room, “Come in, tell me, where did you touch him?”

The door was slammed shut.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 80

Luo Shicheng reached out and pressed his hand onto Wu Sheng’s. Then, with force, he pushed Wu Sheng’s blade down.

Wu Sheng barked viciously, “What are you doing?”

Luo Shicheng turned his head, his tone calm. “What do you think this is? This is Wuhetan, not Donglin.”

Wu Sheng said, “Wuhetan belongs to Xichou territory. Now all of Xichou has been taken under Donglin. Are you saying Wuhetan can just declare independence?”

Luo Shicheng said in a low voice, “Put your sword away. Or I’ll take my men and withdraw first, and you can figure out how to search for people on your own.”

Wu Sheng craned his neck and glared at Luo Shicheng for a long moment, but in the end he sheathed the blade.

Luo Shicheng cupped his hands toward Huo Fenghua. “Apologies, Master Su. You know we’re carrying out official business. If you don’t let us search your residence once, this matter can’t be closed. There are only six of us. We’ll go in and search once. We absolutely won’t disturb anyone in your household. If we don’t find anyone, then it was a false accusation, and we won’t come trouble you again.”

Huo Fenghua’s fingers tapped lightly along his thigh. His gaze slowly swept over the six men outside. Suddenly, Ruan Qin’s soft footsteps sounded behind him.

Huo Fenghua nodded. “Please come in, Deputy General Luo.”

This residence had once belonged to Third Master Luo. Its layout was complicated, and Huo Fenghua still hadn’t even figured out how many cellars it had. Hearing Ruan Qin come out, he knew she must have settled Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang somewhere safe. So he let them in.

They might not find Feng Tianzong. But if they did, then none of these people would be leaving through that gate tonight.

Huo Fenghua had already thought through the consequences. At worst, it would provoke Donglin into pulling troops to attack Wuhetan. If that happened, he’d get Feng Tianzong and the others out first, then find a way to deal with Wuhetan’s crisis.

Once they entered the front courtyard, Luo Shicheng stopped and instructed his men. “Split into three pairs. Search separately. You’re not to disturb anyone in Master Su’s household, and you’re not to damage anything. If there’s a door you can’t open, come to me. I’ll ask Master Su to open it for us.”

The men responded loudly, “Yes, sir!”

Then Luo Shicheng said to Wu Sheng, “You follow me. Agreed?”

Wu Sheng nodded reluctantly.

Huo Fenghua said to Ruan Qin, “Find two people to follow these soldiers. Make sure every room and every corner is searched thoroughly. When they don’t find anyone, I expect Deputy General Luo to give me an explanation. Who exactly framed me with this false report.”

Luo Shicheng answered with a smile, “All right.”

Huo Fenghua raised an arm. “After you. Where would you like to start searching?”

“The inner courtyard,” Luo Shicheng said.

Wu Sheng was unhappy. He grabbed Luo Shicheng’s sleeve and muttered a few words under his breath. Luo Shicheng shook his head. Then, still polite, he had Huo Fenghua accompany them into the inner courtyard.

Huo Fenghua’s room was clean and orderly, with no signs anyone else had lingered there. Luo Shicheng opened the door and looked in from outside. Wu Sheng, however, charged straight in. He even flipped up the bedding and searched thoroughly. Finding nothing, he knocked along the walls inch by inch, then struck the floorboards with the butt of his blade to confirm there was no hidden chamber or cellar. Only then did he withdraw.

They searched through the inner courtyard room by room. Whenever one man went inside to search, the other guarded the courtyard gate to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.

Huo Fenghua understood well enough: besides the six men searching inside, there were definitely more Donglin soldiers hidden outside in the dark, watching for a chance for Feng Tianzong and the others to slip away. Huo Fenghua himself didn’t know where Ruan Qin had hidden them. But he’d already made up his mind, and that steadied him. With calm, measured composure, he followed Luo Shicheng and Wu Sheng as they searched each room.

Luo Shicheng kept his lazy, indifferent manner, but Wu Sheng grew more and more impatient as time passed. He stood in front of a door bolted from the inside and pounded hard. No one answered, so he lifted a foot and kicked the door open. Luo Shicheng tried to stop him, but it was too late.

The door flew open, revealing a naked figure with a long, supple body standing beside a wooden bathing tub. The person snatched up clothing and threw it on in one swift motion. In the next instant, he was already in front of Wu Sheng and slapped him viciously across the face.

He moved too fast for Wu Sheng to react. The slap snapped Wu Sheng’s head sideways. Wu Sheng roared in rage, turned back, and drew his blade, pointing it at the person inside.

Huo Fenghua immediately squeezed into the doorway and blocked Wu Sheng. “Calm down. That’s my son. He’s an idiot.”

“An idiot?” Wu Sheng clearly didn’t believe him.

From behind Huo Fenghua, Wen Heyi wrapped his arms around Huo Fenghua and complained with a wronged voice, “Dad, he was peeking at me bathing.”

Huo Fenghua said to Wu Sheng, “Everyone in Wuhetan knows it. Deputy General Luo has surely heard as well.”

Luo Shicheng pressed down on Wu Sheng’s hand. “You barged in and broke down the door. You’ve offended Master Su’s young master. Put your blade away.”

Wu Sheng stared suspiciously at Wen Heyi. “Your son’s this old? How is that possible?”

Huo Fenghua smiled faintly. “That’s why I said he’s an idiot.”

Wen Heyi glared at Wu Sheng, buried his face against Huo Fenghua’s shoulder, and clung to him. “Dad—”

Wu Sheng was still simmering, but he slowly sheathed his weapon. He rubbed his cheek and said, “I’m going in to search.”

Huo Fenghua stepped aside from the doorway. “Please.”

Once Wu Sheng went inside Wen Heyi’s room to search, Huo Fenghua turned back to Wen Heyi. Wen Heyi’s clothes were only loosely draped on him. His collar hung open, exposing his strong muscles. Huo Fenghua immediately reached up and pulled the clothing closed for him. “Get dressed properly.”

Wen Heyi clutched the garment tighter and started tying the sash around his waist.

Huo Fenghua remembered what he’d glimpsed of Wen Heyi’s body just now and, in a furtive whisper, said, “Come, let Dad have another look.”

Wen Heyi, completely baffled, lowered his head, pulled the clothing open again, and showed him. Huo Fenghua, satisfied, patted his chest and abdomen. He held himself back from letting his hand go any lower. He pulled the clothing back into place, smiling as he fastened it for him. “Not bad. Dad likes you a lot.”

Wen Heyi immediately said, “Yi’er likes Dad too.”

Huo Fenghua finished dressing him and turned around to see that Wu Sheng had searched the entire room and found nothing.

When they left Wen Heyi’s room, Luo Shicheng’s other men had gathered in the central garden. Their group had, front to back, searched Huo Fenghua’s entire estate.

They hadn’t found anyone or any traces of Feng Tianzong.

Huo Fenghua asked, “Well?”

Luo Shicheng said to him, “We disturbed your household in the night. My apologies.”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “It’s your duty, I understand. But there’s one thing. Who was it that told you I was hiding someone here? Could you inform me?”

Luo Shicheng hesitated.

Just then, Wu Sheng suddenly said, “Wait!”

Huo Fenghua turned to look at him.

Wu Sheng gave a cold laugh, tightened his grip on the blade hilt, and turned toward the direction of Wen Heyi’s room.

Luo Shicheng frowned and told his men, “Wait here. Make sure no one escapes.” Then he and Huo Fenghua followed Wu Sheng inside.

Wen Heyi had gotten dressed and was sitting at the edge of the bed, swinging his long legs and humming a tune. The bathing tub was still in the room, the water inside already cold.

Hearing hurried footsteps, he looked up. Wu Sheng appeared in the doorway. Wen Heyi stood, barefoot.

Wu Sheng seemed wary of him. He drew his blade at the threshold and pointed it at Wen Heyi. “I am an imperial escort of the court. I’m here to seize the criminal Feng Tianzong. If you take one step toward me, don’t blame my blade for being merciless!”

Wen Heyi looked like he hadn’t understood, tilting his head at Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng moved inside. Holding his blade up defensively toward Wen Heyi, he walked to the bathing tub and shoved it aside.

Wen Heyi only watched, not moving.

Huo Fenghua and Luo Shicheng had caught up. They entered in time to see Wu Sheng push the tub away, crouch down, and strike the floorboards with his blade hilt. The floor gave a hollow thump-thump sound.

Wu Sheng sneered. “So it’s a tunnel.”

Wen Heyi stared at the back of Wu Sheng’s neck. Slowly, his right hand curled into a claw.

Huo Fenghua saw it and quickly raised a hand, pressing downward to signal him to stay calm. Wen Heyi relaxed his hand again, then lifted it to grab his long hair at his chest, watching Wu Sheng’s actions with curiosity.

Wu Sheng pried up the floorboards with his blade. Beneath them was a passageway. He was about to jump down, then suddenly realized the risk. He turned back to Luo Shicheng. “He’s definitely in there. Have them seal this place off. Don’t let Feng Tianzong escape.”

He wasn’t sure whether the tunnel led outside the estate, and he still didn’t feel at ease. “Request reinforcements. Lock down all of Wuhetan too.”

Luo Shicheng didn’t respond.

Wu Sheng shouted, “Did you hear me?”

Luo Shicheng asked, “Are you certain Feng Tianzong is down there? If there’s no one, how do we explain it to our superiors?”

Wu Sheng’s brows knotted. He still didn’t dare jump down to seize anyone. Then an idea struck him. “Go get fire. Smoke whoever’s inside out.”

Huo Fenghua said then, “There’s no one inside. Are you trying to burn down my whole house?”

Wu Sheng said, “Then I’ll tear up the floorboards and see whether there’s someone down there!”

He stood and strode toward the doorway, about to call loudly for men to come help.

Before he could speak, a long saber suddenly drove into the center of his back, piercing straight through his chest.

Wu Sheng’s eyes flew wide. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. He turned his head toward Huo Fenghua, only to see Huo Fenghua’s hands were empty. He realized something at once and turned to look at Luo Shicheng.

Luo Shicheng yanked the saber out of Wu Sheng’s body. Wu Sheng died on the spot, his body collapsing to the floor.

Huo Fenghua stared at Luo Shicheng in shock.

Luo Shicheng carefully wiped the blood from the blade on Wu Sheng’s clothing, sheathed it, and didn’t ask again whether anyone was hidden in the tunnel. Instead, he said to Huo Fenghua, “The one who reported it to me is surnamed Bao—Bao Jinshu. He got the information from a young pharmacy assistant under a doctor named Wei Kai in Wuhetan. Be careful. Deal with whoever needs dealing with. I’ll handle Bao Jinshu, so you don’t have to worry.”

Huo Fenghua glanced down at Wu Sheng’s corpse. “How will you explain this when you go back?”

Luo Shicheng said, “Wu Sheng was arrogant and provoked the vagrants and thugs of Wuhetan. He was hacked to death by random knives. We searched all of Wuhetan and found no trace of Feng Tianzong.”

He paused. “Actually, recently someone has spotted Feng Tianzong in Xichou, heading toward Zhuyue City. But it hasn’t been verified.”

Huo Fenghua knew that was from the decoys he’d sent out, disguised as Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang. It had drawn the Donglin soldiers’ attention, just as intended.

“It’s normal not to find anyone in Wuhetan,” Luo Shicheng continued. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll handle my own affairs.”

With that, Luo Shicheng bent down to hoist Wu Sheng’s corpse.

Huo Fenghua stopped him. “I’ll have someone do it. Wrap the body and toss it out the back gate into a dark alley. The vagrants will strip him and steal his valuables. I’m just not sure whether your men outside are reliable.”

Luo Shicheng looked at Huo Fenghua. “They’re all the General’s men.”

Huo Fenghua froze.

Luo Shicheng smiled. “We’ve met before, Young Master Huo. You probably don’t remember. I used to be one of General Feng’s personal soldiers. I’m older now and lazy by nature. Later, when the General took the northern part of Xichou, I asked to remain behind as a garrison. I followed him back to the capital to report and saw you once.”

This time, Huo Fenghua truly was surprised. The “Huo Fenghua” Luo Shicheng had seen back then wasn’t actually him, so he’d never known Luo Shicheng’s identity from the start.

Luo Shicheng suddenly dropped to one knee, his right hand pressed over his chest and gave a military salute. “Young Master Huo, please take care of the General. If Donglin can’t be returned to, then don’t return. Tell him not to forget: the two hundred thousand troops stationed in Xichou are all his men.”

Huo Fenghua was silent for a moment. “Understood.”

Luo Shicheng rose, one hand resting on the saber at his waist, and walked out with loose steps, his posture relaxed and lazy.

Huo Fenghua had people wrap Wu Sheng’s body. Near dawn, they secretly sent it out.

Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang emerged from the cellar. Huo Fenghua sat on the steps in front of the room, head tipped back as he stared at the round moon hanging in the night sky, full of mixed feelings.

Su Zeyang walked over and sat beside him, taking one of his hands.

Feng Tianzong stood nearby and asked, “What is it?”

Huo Fenghua didn’t look at him. “You knew Luo Shicheng wouldn’t arrest you. Why didn’t you say so earlier? You scared me half to death.”

Feng Tianzong smiled. “Before this, you never told me the Donglin commander was Luo Shicheng.”

Huo Fenghua frowned, thinking back. He couldn’t remember whether he’d mentioned Luo Shicheng’s name earlier.

Feng Tianzong added, “And I didn’t know who else was with him.”

Huo Fenghua propped his cheek in one hand. “I wonder if this will drag Luo Shicheng down with it.”

Feng Tianzong reached out and patted his head. “We’ll leave Wuhetan as soon as possible.”

Huo Fenghua lifted his head. “But the Donglin soldiers are still posted on the far bank. If we leave now, it’ll be hard not to draw their attention, unless we detour through the Beiyi.”

Su Zeyang said nothing, only listened quietly.

Feng Tianzong fell silent for a moment. “We don’t know when they’ll fully withdraw. Even if they do, there’s no guarantee they won’t keep secretly watching everyone who comes and goes in Wuhetan. We’ll detour through Beiyi. We leave at once.”

Huo Fenghua leaned back into Su Zeyang’s arms and nodded at Feng Tianzong.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 79

After breakfast, Huo Fenghua hurried out again. He went to see Xiong’er to continue dealing with the mess Shenlong Docks had left behind, and he also had people search the whole city for Bao Jinshu. To those sent to hunt him down, he said, “Spread the word: if he doesn’t show himself, I’ll kill his mother.”

Of course he wouldn’t really kill her, Huo Fenghua told himself. It was just to scare the boy, force him to come out on his own. That would be best.

He stayed busy all day. By the time Huo Fenghua got home, it was already evening.

He rubbed his shoulder tiredly. The moment he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Wen Heyi squatting on the ground catching crickets. Huo Fenghua walked over and kicked him in the butt.

Wen Heyi pitched forward into the grass, bracing himself with his hands. He hurriedly turned his head. When he saw it was Huo Fenghua, he covered his backside with a wronged look and called, “Dad.”

Huo Fenghua said, “You’re filthy from head to toe. I work myself to death every day just to raise you, and all you do is play at home!”

Wen Heyi lowered his head and didn’t speak.

Huo Fenghua flicked his hand dismissively and continued into the inner courtyard.

When he returned, Su Zeyang had already come back as well and was waiting to eat with him.

The three of them sat down at the table. As Su Zeyang ladled rice into their bowls, he said, “Dong Jun says he saw Shao Feijie at the Xichou border.”

Dong Jun was one of Feng Tianzong’s shadow guards. Back at the General’s Manor, Huo Fenghua had often heard that name.

Huo Fenghua took the bowl from Su Zeyang, staring in shock. “Shao Feijie?”

Su Zeyang said, “He was alone and looked down on his luck. I’m guessing he fell out with the remnants of Xichou’s forces, or there was mutiny among his men and he escaped on his own.”

Huo Fenghua grabbed his chopsticks and tapped them into alignment on the tabletop. He bit the tip of one and said, “If that’s true… could Martial Uncle losing his mind have something to do with mutiny under Shao Feijie?”

Su Zeyang didn’t answer. He looked at Feng Tianzong instead.

Feng Tianzong nodded. “Maybe.” His expression had turned heavy.

Huo Fenghua tilted his head at him. “What’s wrong?”

Feng Tianzong looked at Huo Fenghua, then at Su Zeyang. He said to Su Zeyang, “You stay here and help Fenghua.”

Su Zeyang’s brow lifted. “Why?”

Feng Tianzong said, “I want to go find Shao Feijie. No matter why he left the remnant army and ended up wandering alone, I want to get evidence from him—proof that the Wang family colluded with Xichou to frame me.”

Huo Fenghua poked at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks. “You don’t even plan to go back and be a general anymore. Why care?”

Feng Tianzong shook his head. “I can’t spend my whole life hiding like a fugitive, becoming your burden. And my elder brother’s family is still in Yujing.”

Huo Fenghua froze, then asked, “How is the Left Prime Minister?”

Su Zeyang replied, “Under house arrest in the Prime Minister’s Manor. No one is allowed in or out.”

Feng Tianzong said, “Fenghua just took back Shenlong Docks and can’t leave. And he’s short on people he can truly trust. Zeyang, it’s best if you stay and help him. I’ll take Dong Jun and the others to find Shao Feijie. Once it’s handled, I’ll come back.”

Su Zeyang looked at Feng Tianzong, then glanced at Huo Fenghua. He neither agreed nor refused.

Huo Fenghua set his bowl down. His fingers clenched his chopsticks so tightly it was like he might snap them in half. Finally he raised his head and said, “Senior Brother and I are going with you.”

Feng Tianzong smiled, reached out, and patted Huo Fenghua’s head lightly. “You haven’t fully secured your footing here yet. If you leave now, will Shenlong Docks rise again? Will Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian seize power? Even if Xiongda and Xiong’er are loyal to you, do they have enough ability to stabilize things? It’s all uncertain. You can’t go.”

Huo Fenghua had already thought it through. “Everything I have here, I fought for with bare hands. If I leave for a few months and everything changes, then I’ll just find a way to take back the share that belongs to me. Besides, by then I’ll have you and Senior Brother to help me. Forget a little Wuhetan. If I wanted all of Donglin, it might not even be impossible.”

He grinned smugly.

Feng Tianzong couldn’t help laughing. “That really might be impossible.”

Huo Fenghua pointed his chopsticks at him. “You’re not sincere. You had the guts to help Donglin wipe out Xichou, but you don’t have the ability to help me wipe out Donglin?”

Su Zeyang said then, “You want to wipe out Donglin?”

Huo Fenghua shook his head. “No need. I don’t want to be emperor. I can’t handle a harem of three thousand. Two beauties, one on each arm, is plenty.”

After dinner, Feng Tianzong sat by the oil lamp reading secret letters brought back by the shadow guards, the ones Su Zeyang had retrieved.

Huo Fenghua tugged Su Zeyang’s sleeve. “Senior Brother, play a game with me.”

Su Zeyang asked curiously, “What game?”

Huo Fenghua pointed at himself. “I’ll play the foolish tyrant.” Then he pointed at Su Zeyang. “You play my beloved consort. In a bit I’ll cover my eyes and you’ll play hide-and-seek with me.”

Su Zeyang said, “What’s fun about that?”

Huo Fenghua grabbed his hand. “You don’t understand. When I was little and watched dramas, this was my favorite scene. The beloved consort has to wear less, half-covered, half-revealed. While running away, you still have to keep drifting back toward me. And once I catch you, I can touch and caress wherever I want.”

As he spoke, he pulled off Su Zeyang’s outer robe, tugged his inner collar open a bit too, exposing his chest.

Su Zeyang let him do it. Then he helped tie a silk scarf over Huo Fenghua’s eyes, knotting it behind his head.

Huo Fenghua rubbed his hands together and laughed. “Beauty, I’m coming. Where are you?”

Su Zeyang stood still, not moving, not speaking. Even his breathing went so light it was hard to hear.

Huo Fenghua couldn’t tell where he was and grumbled, “That’s not how you play. You’re supposed to say, ‘I’m here, Your Majesty, come catch me!’”

“Your Majesty?” Feng Tianzong repeated as he read the letter, completely unable to understand where Huo Fenghua got these strange ideas.

Huo Fenghua immediately lunged at Feng Tianzong, hugged him, and sniffed at his neck. “Nope. You’re not the beloved consort. Don’t interrupt our game.”

Feng Tianzong grabbed him, hauled him onto his lap, and smacked his butt hard several times.

Huo Fenghua cried out and almost at the same moment, urgent knocking sounded outside. Ruan Qin’s voice came through the door. “Master Su, a man named Luo Shicheng says he wants to see you. He’s waiting at the main gate right now.”

Huo Fenghua sprang off Feng Tianzong’s lap, yanked the blindfold scarf away, and hurried to open the door. He asked Ruan Qin, “Luo Shicheng? How many of them?”

Ruan Qin’s expression was grave. “Five or six. I didn’t dare let them in. They’re all waiting outside.”

Huo Fenghua’s voice went low. “Why would he come this late? Did he catch wind of something? Did someone leak the news?”

Ruan Qin shook her head slowly. “It won’t be anyone from our household.”

Huo Fenghua drew a deep breath. He turned back toward the room. Su Zeyang had already pulled his clothes back into place, and Feng Tianzong had stood up from the table. Huo Fenghua could only say to Ruan Qin, “Take them somewhere and hide them first.”

Ruan Qin said, “There’s a cellar under the residence.”

Huo Fenghua nodded. “Go. I’ll go meet Luo Shicheng.”

On the walk from the inner courtyard to the front, a dozen thoughts raced through Huo Fenghua’s head.

If Luo Shicheng had heard rumors and insisted on searching his residence for Feng Tianzong, what would he do? Refusing to let them search would make him look guilty, but what if they found Feng Tianzong if he let them search? Would he kill them all?

But there were still so many Donglin troops waiting on the far bank. If they called for reinforcements and surrounded Wuhetan, then Feng Tianzong really wouldn’t be able to get out.

Huo Fenghua reached the front courtyard and had the gatekeeper open the main doors. Sure enough, under the lanterns on the walkway outside, Luo Shicheng stood holding the reins of a horse. Four or five Donglin soldiers followed behind him.

“Deputy General Luo,” Huo Fenghua cupped his hands. “What wind blew you here this late?”

Luo Shicheng smiled, passed the rope to a subordinate, and returned the greeting. “Master Su, apologies for the intrusion. Would it be convenient to invite us inside for a cup of tea?”

Huo Fenghua looked hesitant, glancing at the men behind Luo Shicheng.

At that moment, the young man closest to Luo Shicheng barked loudly, “Why waste words? Make him open the gate. We’re going in to search!”

Huo Fenghua looked at him. Luo Shicheng also turned and scolded, “Don’t be rash!”

But the young man snorted, lifting his chin and puffing out his chest with an air of authority. “Su Qiang, someone made a secret report to Deputy General Luo. They said a few days ago you brought back a poisoned young man from outside and even hired a doctor to detox him and treat his wounds. Is that man Feng Tianzong?”

Huo Fenghua frowned slightly. He didn’t answer. Instead he asked Luo Shicheng, “Who is this, Deputy General Luo?”

Luo Shicheng chuckled. “This is Wu Sheng of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guards. He used to be with the imperial escort force tasked with transporting Feng Tianzong back to the capital. Now he’s joined my unit in pursuing Feng Tianzong.”

Wu Sheng’s official rank was actually lower than Luo Shicheng’s, but he came from the Imperial Guards in Yujing and had backing from Deputy Commander Pan Yuanjun and the Wang family. He looked down on Luo Shicheng. Ever since joining this pursuit, he’d acted domineering and independent, and Luo Shicheng had no choice but to give him some leeway.

Huo Fenghua looked at Wu Sheng. “Who made the report?”

Wu Sheng said coldly, “What, does it matter who reported it? Hiding a court fugitive is a capital crime!”

Huo Fenghua’s face went stern. He said to Luo Shicheng in a low voice, “Deputy General Luo, have you forgotten? I was the one who invited you into the city to search for Feng Tianzong.”

Luo Shicheng still wore that lazy smile. “Of course I remember, of course. Master Su, don’t be anxious. Since someone reported it, we can’t just ignore it. I believe you absolutely aren’t hiding anyone, but you also need to make things convenient for us.”

Huo Fenghua asked, “Convenient how?”

Luo Shicheng looked past him at the two bronze doors standing open behind Huo Fenghua. “We’ll have to search.”

Huo Fenghua said, “And if I don’t allow it?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Wu Sheng drew his blade. Steel flashed.

Wu Sheng said, “Then you’ve confirmed you’re harboring a court fugitive and by law, you deserve death!”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 78

Huo Fenghua slept so hard it was like the world had gone dark. When he finally woke, he had no idea what time it was. He lifted a hand to rub his eyes, then stretched his arms and gave a long yawn.

Feng Tianzong was bent over him, face close, asking, “Awake?”

Huo Fenghua came back to himself, lifted an arm around Feng Tianzong’s neck, and kissed him on the lips. “Where’s Senior Brother?”

Feng Tianzong laughed. “You’re in my bed, and you’re asking about your Senior Brother?”

Huo Fenghua looked at him. “Strictly speaking, this is my bed. I can want whoever I want.”

Feng Tianzong caught his lower lip between his teeth and gave it a gentle bite. “Don’t want me?”

Huo Fenghua decided instantly. “I want you.”

They clung to each other and kissed deeply, tongues tangling, filling the space between them with slick, intimate sounds. Huo Fenghua had slept his fill and was brimming with energy. Restless, he slid a leg between Feng Tianzong’s and rubbed against him.

Feng Tianzong pulled open his collar. His kisses, wet and warm, traveled down from Huo Fenghua’s throat. His tongue circled the hard peak at Huo Fenghua’s chest.

Huo Fenghua tangled his fingers in Feng Tianzong’s hair and let out a low moan.

Huo Fenghua proactively reached out and unbuttoned Feng Tianzong’s pants, burying his head and taking his hard, throbbing cock into his mouth.

Feng Tianzong propped himself up on the bed with his hands, lowering his head to watch Huo Fenghua’s actions. The wet, soft heat made him gasp softly. The poison in his body had only recently been cleared, and he hadn’t released himself for a long time, making his body exceptionally sensitive. 

Huo Fenghua used the tip of his tongue to lap at the slit, then licked down along the shaft, thoroughly covering the entire length with his spit before withdrawing to pull down his own pants. Kneeling in front of Feng Tianzong with his legs still spread, he grabbed Feng Tianzong’s cock and slowly lowered himself onto it.

Feng Tianzong’s chest rose and fell rapidly. He stroked Huo Fenghua’s supple waist and pressed his thumb against his nipples.  

Once Huo Fenghua had completely taken his entire cock, he asked, “Do you like it?”

Huo Fenghua tilted his head back and swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Feng Tianzong’s penis was thick and long, reaching deep inside him, giving him a strange sense of satisfaction. He looked down at Feng Tianzong, licked his lips, and said, “I like this position.”

Feng Tianzong thrust upwards, pleased to hear Huo Fenghua moan, and asked, “Why?”

Huo Fenghua hugged his shoulders tightly, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, “It makes me feel like I’m the one paying you for sex.”

“Paying me for sex?” Feng Tianzong squeezed his waist, pressing him down harder, completely burying himself inside Huo Fenghua. “Then you have to pay me good.”

Huo Fenghua trembled slightly from the thrusting, reaching for his undergarments that he had thrown on the bed. After a while, he pulled out a jade pendant, hooking it on his finger and dangling it in front of Feng Tianzong.

Feng Tianzong looked at the jade pendant and smiled softly, “This is what I gave you.”

“Mm—mine is yours,” Huo Fenghua’s words were broken by the thrusting. “Everything here is yours, and I… I’m yours too.”

Feng Tianzong couldn’t help but hold him tighter, increasing the speed of his thrusts. He looked at the jade pendant dangling before his eyes, opened his mouth, and gently bit the edge, then looked up at Huo Fenghua. Huo Fenghua lowered his head and saw this scene, then opened his mouth and took the other side into his mouth, like a different kind of intimate connection of lips and teeth, and bodies intertwined.

The large bed in the room shook violently, the sheets and blankets were crumpled, and the pillows were scattered haphazardly. The jade pendant had fallen onto the blanket, still warm with the body heat of both men.

Feng Tianzong was on the verge of climax, his back muscles tensed, wanting to push Huo Fenghua down onto the bed.

But Huo Fenghua refused to let Feng Tianzong get up, insisting on riding him. He bobbed up and down, squeezing and thrusting on Feng Tiangzong’s thick, long cock while muttering under his breath.

At first, Feng Tianzong couldn’t hear what he was saying. When he leaned in closer and listened carefully, he could hear Huo Fenghua repeatedly muttering, “I’m going to drain you dry!”

Feng Tianzong was both annoyed and amused. He gripped Huo Fenghua’s ass tighter and started to pound into him, repeatedly targeting that most sensitive spot.

Huo Fenghua trembled and began to shake his head, gasping, “No—” He hugged Feng Tianzong’s shoulders tightly, his body tensed and suddenly felt an itch on his back. It turned out that Feng Tianzong was gently scratching the two brand marks on his lower back with his fingers. Thinking of the origin of the brand marks, Huo Fenghua felt even more overwhelmed, his erection throbbed even harder before he came.

At this moment, Feng Tianzong pressed him down onto the bed and lifted his legs. He fully withdrew, then with a sweeping motion, thrusted back in until he was buried to the hilt. He repeated this action rapidly for ten more times with all his strength before spilling inside Hup Fenghua.

After he came down from the climax, Feng Tianzong collapsed onto him, fully spent, while still buried inside Huo Fenghua. Huo Fenghua was covered in sweat and panting heavily. After his head cleared, he asked again, “Where’s Senior Brother?”

Feng Tianzong took a deep breath and said, “He went out.”

Huo Fenghua’s languid eyes suddenly opened wide. He pushed Feng Tianzong aside and tried to get out of bed. Feng Tianzong half-hard cock suddenly slid out of him, causing him to tremble. His legs felt weak as he tried to get up and the cum started to dribble out, flowing down his thighs.

Feng Tianzong lay on his side on the bed and asked him, “Where are you going?”

Huo Fenghua hurriedly searched for his clothes, “The Donglin soldiers are searching the city right now, how can Senior Brother go out at this time?”

Feng Tianzong wasn’t in a hurry, saying, “Don’t worry, without me dragging him down, it’s impossible for him to be discovered if he hides his tracks alone.”

Huo Fenghua asked, “Why does he have to go out now?”

Feng Tianzong propped his head with one hand, his long and solid body exposed before Huo Fenghua. Though his penis had gradually softened, it was still impressively shaped, like a snake lying in the grass. “Because my men have arrived at Wuhetan.”

When he and Su Zeyang escaped from Xichou, they left secret signals for his secret guards along the way, and now his secret guards had found Wuhetan.

Feng Tianzong didn’t want to expose Huo Fenghua’s residence, so he didn’t let the secret guards come in, but instead had Su Zeyang go out to communicate with them.

Huo Fenghua was still a little worried, “At this time, won’t it expose us?” However, he didn’t continue dressing but instead returned to bed naked. Feng Tianzong hugged him, “No, they know their limits. They won’t do anything without my orders.”

Huo Fenghua lay down, staring at the canopy above for a while, and said, “How long have I been asleep?”

Feng Tianzong gently kissed his forehead, “You slept for a day and two nights.”

Huo Fenghua asked, “What time is it now?”

Feng Tianzong said, “Early morning.”

Huo Fenghua touched his stomach, “I’m hungry.” He turned over and got out of bed, this time slowly putting on his clothes, and went out to call someone.

After a while, Ruan Qin brought him a bowl of beef noodles from the kitchen.

Although Feng Tianzong and Huo Fenghua were already dressed, the bed was a mess, and it was obvious what had happened in the room. However, Ruan Qin remained calm, telling Huo Fenghua about some things that Xiong’er had mentioned the previous night, while personally tidying up the bedsheets into a basket and changing them for a new set.

Currently, Wuhetan was still calm and peaceful. The Donglin soldiers didn’t dare to act openly, secretly searching for Feng Tianzong’s whereabouts in Wuhetan. However, as long as they didn’t search this residence, they wouldn’t be able to find him at all.

Those who had guessed Feng Tianzong’s identity, including Wei Kai, had already been instructed not to reveal any information to the Donglin soldiers.

Shenlong Docks had also been completely taken over by them.  Those subordinates who were fiercely loyal to Bao Wentong were either killed or driven out of Wuhetan, and the remaining people were willing to surrender. The only problem was that they still hadn’t found Bao Wentong’s eldest son.

Huo Fenghua, who had been eating his noodles, looked up and asked, “Bao Wentong’s eldest son, is that tall boy who’s already seventeen?”

“Bao Jinshu,” Ruan Qin said while making the bed. 

Huo Fenghua stirred his bowl with his chopsticks. He had seen Bao Jinshu twice, and his impression was of a young man with a cruel and ruthless temperament, just like his father. He couldn’t help but feel worried and asked, “What about Bao Wentong’s wives and concubines?”

Ruan Qin replied, “Xiong’er said they have all been temporarily placed under house arrest.”

Huo Fenghua asked her, “Is Bao Jinshu’s birth mother among them?”

Ruan Qin nodded. “Bao Jinshu is Bao Wentong’s legitimate eldest son, and his mother is Bao Wentong’s wife.”

Huo Fenghua felt a vague unease. “If Bao Jinshu wants to avenge his father, he will definitely cause us trouble. It would be fine if he escaped from Wuhetan, but if he’s still hiding in Wuhetan, we have to find a way to flush him out.”

Ruan Qin asked, “How?”

Huo Fenghua glanced at Feng Tianzong, who frowned slightly, so he said, “Let me think about it some more.”

Ruan Qin left the room, carrying the basket of used bedsheets.

Feng Tianzong saw Huo Fenghua looking at him, “It’s easy to lure him out, but I don’t approve of this method.”

Huo Fenghua slurped a noodle into his mouth, “You know what I’m thinking?”

Feng Tianzong said, “Men fight on the battlefield to protect their wives and children. My soldiers never kill women and children. I certainly don’t approve of threatening Bao Jinshu with his mother’s life.”

Huo Fenghua scratched his cheek. “I didn’t say I was going to kill his mother. Let me think about it some more.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 77

That night, Huo Fenghua was dressed in black nightwear as he lay in ambush with a little over a hundred men in a desolate patch of weeds along the Wu River. From there, they could clearly see what was happening at the Wu River ferry crossing. Shenlong Docks had gathered nearly two hundred men at the crossing. Tonight they were going to ferry Donglin troops across the river.

By the riverbank, the ferryboats bobbed and swayed. People moved on and off continuously. Torches blazed all around, lighting up the crossing, and faintly, they could also make out unrest among the Donglin cavalry on the opposite shore.

There were close to five hundred Donglin soldiers in total. Each ferry could carry at most around fifty people at a time, and with warhorses added in, it would probably take more than ten trips tonight to get them all across.

On the broad river, the waves rolled gently. The night air was cold, and the river wind kept sweeping over. After standing for a while, Huo Fenghua felt his hands go icy. He turned around and warmed them by placing both hands on Wen Heyi’s neck.

Wen Heyi immediately shrank and struggled but didn’t dare make a sound. His soft body twisted as he flushed slightly.

Before they set out, Huo Fenghua had warned Wen Heyi that tonight’s operation couldn’t make even the tiniest noise. Wen Heyi’s head was usually muddled, but at critical moments he could still be useful. He was a little afraid of Huo Fenghua, and especially obedient to him.

Huo Fenghua grinned as he watched Wen Heyi squirm, then suddenly noticed Wen Heyi seemed to be chewing something. He pulled his hands back and asked in a low voice, “What’re you eating?”

Wen Heyi clamped his mouth shut.

“Open up. Let me see,” Huo Fenghua said.

Wen Heyi timidly opened his mouth.

By the thin moonlight, Huo Fenghua saw something glittering inside, like candy. He asked softly, “Malt candy?”

Wen Heyi nodded.

Huo Fenghua snapped, “I told you no candy. Spit it out!”

Wen Heyi puffed his cheeks, glaring at him without speaking.

Huo Fenghua rolled up his sleeves and hissed, “Open your mouth!”

Wen Heyi sulked a bit longer, but with Huo Fenghua staring him down, he finally opened up.

“Wider,” Huo Fenghua ordered. Then he stuck a finger into Wen Heyi’s mouth, yanked out the whole sticky chunk of malt candy stuck to his teeth, and tossed it on the ground. The candy was horribly tacky. Huo Fenghua wiped his hand on Wen Heyi’s sleeve, thinking as he did it that this “son” of his was nothing but trouble.

Ji Jing had been standing beside them the whole time, watching silently. Hu Dong had ordered Ji Jing to bring men tonight and follow Huo Fenghua to the riverbank to intercept the ferryboats. He carried his usual twin sabers on his back. All night, aside from monitoring the crossing, he’d been secretly sizing Huo Fenghua up, thinking this “Guangtou Qiang” looked unreliable while also knowing, deep down, that the man was dangerous and not to be underestimated.

Besides Ji Jing, Lan Shuilian had sent people too. It was a young woman named Hua Yuan, bringing along more than twenty tall, sturdy men. Tonight they would all follow Huo Fenghua’s command.

Hua Yuan and Hua Yang were twins. Since childhood they’d followed Lan Shuilian, learning to read and practice martial arts. They were famous in Wuhetan, and also Lan Shuilian’s most troublesome and formidable aides.

As Huo Fenghua wiped his hand on Wen Heyi’s sleeve, Hua Yuan quietly offered a silk handkerchief. Huo Fenghua paused, took it, and smiled. “I’ll return it after I wash it clean, Miss Hua.”

Hua Yuan turned her head away and said softly, “No need.”

Hua Yuan wore tight black clothes. In the moonlight she looked both alluring and graceful, her features clear and lovely. Ji Jing had long been interested in her, and at that moment he felt distinctly displeased. He gave a low cough and said to Huo Fenghua, “The ferry’s moving.”

Huo Fenghua planted one foot on a large rock beside him and looked toward the crossing. Sure enough, the covered ferryboat began to sway forward, moving along the rope stretched across the Wu River toward the far shore.

Upstream, seven or eight men in waterproof suits with ropes tied around their waists slipped beneath the surface and swam soundlessly toward midstream. Their job was to drill the boat once the first batch of Donglin soldiers boarded, when the ferry had left the far shore but hadn’t yet reached the center.

Huo Fenghua held his breath and focused. Only when the ferry reached the far side and the first group of Donglin soldiers had fully boarded did he raise one hand high and hook all five fingers inward, signaling them to move.

The ambushers followed, creeping closer to the crossing.

Huo Fenghua and Wen Heyi were in front. Each held a short blade. They snuck up behind the outer sentries, clamped hands over their mouths, and slit their throats.

The ferry, meanwhile, wobbled away from the far shore. Before it reached the middle of the river, sudden commotion broke out onboard. Someone had discovered water coming in through the bottom. With seven or eight men drilling at once, the water poured in fast. Moments later, the boat was flooded and began to sink, forcing the men aboard to jump into the river to save themselves.

Because the ferry hadn’t reached midstream yet and was much closer to the far shore, the Donglin soldiers who jumped in all swam back toward their own side.

The Shenlong Docks men at the crossing had no idea what was happening when a shout rang out, “Ambush!”

Huo Fenghua’s group stopped hiding and charged the crossing with loud yells. In an instant, they smashed through Shenlong Docks’s men, scattering them in every direction with no chance to fight back.

Huo Fenghua pulled a signal firework from his robe, lit the fuse, and launched it. It burst in midair, bright enough that all of Wuhetan could see it clearly.

At the same time, Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian had led their people to surround Shenlong Docks. Hu Dong accepted Bao Wentong’s severed head from a subordinate, then tossed it into Shenlong Docks’s inner courtyard over the wall and shouted, “Resist and die!”

After Third Master Luo’s power changed hands overnight, Wuhetan’s strongest force, Shenlong Docks, was also wiped out in a single night by the combined effort of Huo Fenghua, Hu Dong, and Lan Shuilian.

At the Wu River crossing, corpses lay everywhere. Those Shenlong Docks men who threw down their weapons and surrendered were now squatting on the ground, penned into a corner, forbidden to stand.

Huo Fenghua stood by the riverbank, gathered his inner energy, and shouted across the water, “Which general is leading troops on the far side? General, be at ease. This is an internal dispute within Wuhetan. It has nothing to do with Donglin. If you wish to enter the city to search for someone, send a messenger over and we’ll discuss terms!”

This stretch of the Wu River was nearly three hundred zhang wide. On the far shore, people were only faint silhouettes, yet Huo Fenghua’s voice carried over clearly.

A moment later, Huo Fenghua saw someone on the opposite bank raise a torch and wave it in a regular pattern.

He couldn’t read the signal, so he asked casually, “What’d they say?”

Wen Heyi suddenly said, “It means they’re willing to negotiate.”

Huo Fenghua’s heart jumped. He stared at Wen Heyi in shock, but Wen Heyi still looked blank and dazed. When he saw Huo Fenghua looking at him, he called out ingratiatingly, “Dad!”

Only then did Huo Fenghua relax a little. He figured it was something in Wen Heyi’s buried memory that slipped out, without him understanding it. He said to his men, “Send a small ferry over. Bring two people here for detailed talks.”

Not until before dawn did Huo Fenghua finally meet the commander leading the Donglin pursuers on the riverbank.

This was a garrison force stationed on Xichou’s northern border after Feng Tianzong had destroyed Xichou despite being ill. Their commander was a deputy general, nearly forty years old, named Luo Shicheng.

After meeting Luo Shicheng, Huo Fenghua realized this man wasn’t particularly passionate about capturing Feng Tianzong. Maybe from years steeped in camps and battlefields, his personality was slick and lazy. It had been him who’d sent men into the city to contact Bao Wentong and offer terms to get Bao Wentong to agree.

They met on a small ferryboat moored at the crossing. Huo Fenghua had people bring wine and dishes onboard, saying he wanted to share a cup of morning wine with Deputy General Luo.

Luo Shicheng lounged as he sat down, unfastened his shoulder armor and helmet, lifted the cup to his nose and sniffed. “Good wine.” Then he set it down again. “I don’t care about your Wuhetan affairs, but we must enter the city to search for Feng Tianzong. If not, I’ll have no choice but to send for reinforcements and fight our way in.”

Huo Fenghua smiled at him. “Deputy General Luo, rest assured. Isn’t that exactly why I’m inviting you into the city?”

Luo Shicheng looked at him.

Huo Fenghua said, “Wuhetan isn’t big. Five hundred troops entering the city would cause a stir. To be blunt, I’m just running gambling houses here to make money. I’m not Wuhetan’s master, and I can’t control all the people here. I’m only afraid that you won’t find Feng Tianzong and you’ll end up provoking other trouble.”

“So what are you proposing?” Luo Shicheng asked.

Huo Fenghua raised one hand, five fingers spread. “Fifty. Fifty men enter the city, and you can search however you want, but don’t disrupt Wuhetan’s order. If you bare your fangs and offend someone you shouldn’t, I can’t help you.”

Luo Shicheng stared at the cup, seemingly weighing it.

Huo Fenghua asked, “Deputy General Luo has definite intel that Feng Tianzong is in Wuhetan?”

Luo Shicheng replied, “Not exactly. Only that someone noticed they headed north. We have to search Wuhetan once, that’s all.”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “Then it’s perfect. I make things convenient for you, you make things convenient for me. After you’ve searched Wuhetan, you can go back and report. I keep making money here. We stay out of each other’s way. How about it?”

Luo Shicheng sized Huo Fenghua up, then finally lifted his cup.

Huo Fenghua clinked his cup against his. “Come, I’ll toast you.”

Luo Shicheng recalled the two men he’d previously sent in secret to contact Bao Wentong. Then he personally selected fifty men and entered the city to search for Feng Tianzong.

Huo Fenghua, together with Hu Dong, hosted Luo Shicheng’s squad, providing food and lodging to facilitate their search in Wuhetan, while also placing them under tight surveillance.

Afterward, Huo Fenghua met again with Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian at Shenlong Docks. They sat down and divided up Shenlong Docks’s territory. Huo Fenghua didn’t want to monopolize the Wu River route. He only wanted to open the waterway, so his next step could be building large ships and sending Bu Xian Xian to the Donglin coast, luring wealthy merchants onboard to indulge themselves.

But Shenlong Docks had been a massive organization. Even with the head cut off, the body was still tied together by tendons. Huo Fenghua had to stay outside, grinding through arrangements with Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian until everything was settled and nothing could go wrong. Only then did he hand off the current matters to Xiong’er to watch and return home to rest.

By then, two full days and nights had passed. During that time, Huo Fenghua barely slept.

He reached his bedroom door and was about to push it open when Su Zeyang happened to open it from inside, stepping out.

“Senior Brother…” Huo Fenghua drew the words out, then dove headfirst into Su Zeyang’s arms. He wrapped his arms around Su Zeyang’s waist and fell asleep on the spot.

Su Zeyang froze for a moment, then lifted him into his arms, carried him inside, and laid him gently on the bed.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 76

Before dawn the next morning, Huo Fenghua was jolted awake by knocking outside the door.

Ruan Qin stood outside and said, “Master Su, someone from Master Hu’s side is here. He says there’s something important he needs to tell you in person.”

Huo Fenghua flipped out of bed at once. He didn’t bother washing his face or combing his hair. He shoved his feet into his boots, threw on an outer robe, and headed out. “Have him wait for me in the guest room.”

Hu Dong had indeed sent someone in a rush that early, because there was urgent news. Hu Dong had long planted his own men in Shenlong Docks. They’d learned that late last night, Shenlong Docks secretly let two Donglin soldiers into the city to meet Bao Wentong. No one knew what benefit they’d promised him, but Bao Wentong had agreed to let the Donglin troops cross the Wu River tonight and enter Wuhetan to search for Feng Tianzong.

“That son of a bitch Thermos!” Huo Fenghua slammed a hand on the table. He rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then told the messenger to take a message back to Hu Dong, asking Master Hu to meet at noon. After that, he also sent someone to invite Lan Shuilian.

After seeing the visitor off and returning to his room, Huo Fenghua shut the door and let out a roar, like he was venting frustration. Then he went to the cabinet, opened it, and rummaged until he pulled out a cowhide map.

He carried the map to the table and said to Feng Tianzong, who was seated there, “Move.” Then he spread the map out across the tabletop.

Both Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang were already up. Feng Tianzong sat at the table while Su Zeyang helped tie up his hair. Feng Tianzong shifted aside to look at the map Huo Fenghua had laid out. It showed the entire terrain of Wuhetan.

Huo Fenghua stared at it, frowning as he thought. After a moment, his finger traced the winding Wu River outside the city walls, and he asked Feng Tianzong, “If I want to launch a sneak attack tonight while Shenlong Docks is ferrying the Donglin troops across, and seize control of the Wu River from Shenlong Docks, how should I do it?”

Feng Tianzong tapped the map lightly with long fingers. “This is the ferry crossing. Then this should be where the Donglin troops are encamped?”

Huo Fenghua nodded.

Feng Tianzong continued, “Besides the crossing, which other stretches of the Wu River does Shenlong Docks have men stationed at?”

Huo Fenghua pointed to three spots in succession. “Here is the dock where cargo gets unloaded from the river route. And here, and here too. The terrain and current are gentler there, so Shenlong Docks’s afraid people will try to sneak across. They posted guards.”

Feng Tianzong asked, “Do you have enough manpower?”

Huo Fenghua knit his brows. “If you add my people to Hu Dong’s and Lan Shuilian’s, three groups together should be enough to take the river. But to take the Wu River, we also have to pin Shenlong Docks down at the same time, so Bao Wentong has no chance to shift men around. We’ll probably need to discuss carefully how to deploy everyone.”

Feng Tianzong thought for a moment. “Will there be any loading or unloading at night at the docks?”

“Usually not,” Huo Fenghua said. “They’re afraid they won’t be able to count the goods properly in the dark.”

“Then you don’t need to worry about those three points,” Feng Tianzong said. “The main thing is the crossing.”

Huo Fenghua nodded. “I think striking while the Donglin troops are crossing is the best time, but I’m also worried. If our trouble with Shenlong Docks spills over to the Donglin soldiers and blows this up, and Donglin sends reinforcements, Wuhetan really won’t be able to hold.”

Feng Tianzong fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you have men who are strong swimmers?”

Huo Fenghua looked at him.

Feng Tianzong pointed at the crossing. “Have them slip underwater and drill holes in the boats while the Donglin troops are crossing. When everything on the water turns chaotic, seize the shore. Don’t draw blades against the Donglin troops. Just replace Shenlong Docks and negotiate with them directly.”

Huo Fenghua scratched at his chin. “Negotiate?”

Feng Tianzong said, “First, make them explain who the two men who infiltrated last night were. Then agree to let a small number of troops into the city to search. The point is that everything stays under your control.”

Huo Fenghua nodded slowly. He turned and patted Feng Tianzong on the shoulder. “That makes sense. It’s workable. I’ll have Xiongda and Xiong’er gather people right now. We’ll move tonight.”

He spun to run out, but Su Zeyang grabbed his wrist. “Wait.”

Huo Fenghua turned back, looped an arm around Su Zeyang, and kissed him once. “Be good, Senior Brother. Just wait here.”

Su Zeyang didn’t let go. He only said, “You’re going out like that?”

Huo Fenghua’s gaze swept the bronze mirror on the cabinet. Realizing his hair was loose and his appearance was a mess, he hurried to sit at the table and tugged Su Zeyang closer. “Senior Brother, comb my hair first, quick.”

Huo Fenghua went out to arrange for Xiongda and Xiong’er to gather manpower. At noon he also found time to meet Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian. He’d meant to agree on a two-pronged plan tonight, he would lead people to the Wu River crossing to stop the Donglin troops from coming over, while Hu Dong led men to surround Shenlong Docks. But Lan Shuilian brought him a new piece of information: tonight, Bao Wentong would likely not be at Shenlong Docks. He was going to Xueyue Tower to meet his old flame, Miss Qingru.

Seated at the table, Huo Fenghua’s fingers tapped the tabletop again and again. He thought for a moment, then said to Lan Shuilian, “That’s good news, Sister Lian. Don’t change your plan to attack Shenlong Docks. I have someone who can kill Bao Wentong alone, clean and fast.”

Hu Dong looked at him curiously. “Who? Your silly ‘son’? I’m afraid he’s too dumb to be reliable.”

Huo Fenghua raised an index finger and wagged it. “My son, of course, is coming with me. I’m talking about someone else.”

Hu Dong stood, clasped his hands at his chest, and paced behind Huo Fenghua. “Guangtou Qiang, tell me the truth. Is Feng Tianzong hiding in Wuhetan?”

Huo Fenghua looked genuinely surprised. “Uncle, why would you ask that? How would I know where Feng Tianzong is?”

Hu Dong stared at him. “Then why are you trying so hard to stop the Donglin troops from entering the city?”

Huo Fenghua crossed one leg over the other, smiling as he said, “Uncle, don’t be stupid. Let me ask you. What terms do you think the Donglin troops offered Bao Wentong that made him agree to let them in?”

Lan Shuilian had always liked Huo Fenghua. She laughed and asked, “So what do you think the terms were?”

Huo Fenghua patted his chest. “If I were Bao Wentong, I’d only consider agreeing if the Donglin troops told me that once they entered the city, they wouldn’t touch my power base, and they’d even help me wipe out all the other forces in Wuhetan and fold them under my command. Then Donglin became Shenlong Docks’s backing in the future. Only then would I think about it.”

Hu Dong’s expression tightened.

Huo Fenghua bounced his crossed leg. “So the key isn’t whether the Donglin troops enter the city. The key is not letting Bao Wentong be the one who brings them in. Once we take the crossing, we immediately renegotiate with the Donglin troops. We still let them enter, but this time the terms are set by us.”

Lan Shuilian ran a hand through the long hair at her chest and said nothing.

Hu Dong still seemed hesitant. He stepped behind Huo Fenghua and set a hand on his shoulder. “But if you take the Wu River, then Wuhetan will be yours to call the shots.”

Huo Fenghua knew what Hu Dong was worried about. He quickly said, “That’s not fair, Uncle. Tonight our manpower is being mixed and split up anyway. At the crossing, a third of the men will be yours. I’m just the one giving orders. What are you worried about? Besides, Shenlong Docks is still in your hands. Bao Wentong’s been raking in money for years. I want you to cut me in, too.”

Hu Dong didn’t respond.

Huo Fenghua stood. “There’s no end to the money in the world. A million taels or ten million taels, it doesn’t make much difference to me. I couldn’t spend it all in a lifetime of eating, drinking, and having fun. What I want is what comes next, our ‘Bu Xian Xian’ future. We should look farther ahead. Don’t be short-sighted, clinging to one river like Bao Wentong, becoming someone else’s stumbling block and thorn in the eye.”

Lan Shuilian laughed out loud. “Fine. Your sister believes you.”

Hu Dong pinched Huo Fenghua’s shoulder, voice low. “Since you’ve already called me Uncle, then like you said, I’ll trust you as family. Don’t let me down.”

Huo Fenghua raised one hand. “I, Guangtou Qiang, swear to heaven I won’t betray my uncle and Sister Lian. If I do, may lightning strike me and may I die a miserable death.”

After saying that, he blinked innocently.

After night fell, Bao Wentong went to Xueyue House to see Miss Qingru.

Miss Qingru was the top courtesan there. Bao Wentong had fallen for her at first sight and was mad about her. He’d always wanted to buy out her contract and bring her back to Shenlong Docks as a concubine, but she’d never agreed. She seemed to prefer staying at Xueyue House, continuing to entertain with her body.

When Bao Wentong came, Qingru wouldn’t receive any other clients. The two of them stayed in an upstairs room with the door shut. Bao Wentong drank wine and ate dishes while listening to Miss Qingru sing for him.

The private room had no windows, only a bed and a table. Before entering, Bao Wentong would have people inspect it to make sure there was no ambush. The food and wine would also be tasted by the brothel’s attendant first, to confirm there was no poison.

After that, Bao Wentong would get intimate with Qingru inside, while two guards stood watch at the door, both first-rate fighters in the gang.

Miss Qingru’s slender fingers plucked the strings, her voice soft and sweet. Bao Wentong took a sip of wine and closed his eyes, listening to her clear singing woven with the zither. For a moment, even the viciousness on his face eased.

Just then, the string snapped abruptly between Miss Qingru’s fingers with a harsh, grating sound. Miss Qingru cried out softly and hurriedly clutched her finger.

Bao Wentong opened his eyes. “You hurt yourself?”

“It’s nothing,” Miss Qingru said.

Bao Wentong beckoned. “Come here.”

Miss Qingru went to him and sat down. Bao Wentong took her hand and examined it. Seeing a bead of blood, he put her finger into his mouth and licked the blood clean.

Miss Qingru smiled faintly. “It’s a pity that song isn’t finished. I’ll ask the new luthier the house just hired to replace the string.”

Bao Wentong frowned slightly. “No need.”

Qingru held his hand. “Don’t worry, Boss Bao. That craftsman is blind. He can’t see and can’t do anything except repair instruments.”

“Blind?” Bao Wentong seemed to think of something amusing. He tugged Qingru into his arms. “Then call him in. Let him fix it.”

Qingru rose, went to the door, and opened it to call someone.

A moment later, the door opened again. The guard outside said, “Boss, the man to repair the zither is here.”

Bao Wentong said, “Let him in.”

As the words left his mouth, a white boot stepped over the threshold. Bao Wentong couldn’t help lifting his head to look.

The person entering was a young man in a white long robe. He was tall and slender, his steps light and unhurried. Long black hair fell loose down his back, with two strands at his forehead hanging all the way to his chest. A strip of white cloth was wrapped across his face, covering his eyes precisely. But the forehead, the bridge of his nose, and his chin left uncovered were smooth and pale, delicate and striking. His jawline was fine and clean, leading down to a long, snow-white neck, even the Adam’s apple elegant and pleasing.

After the young man entered, the door was shut.

Bao Wentong had never been fond of men, yet he couldn’t stop his gaze from lingering on that face.

Qingru stepped forward and called, “Master Huo.”

The young man nodded and cupped his hands toward the direction of her voice.

Qingru took his arm and guided him to the low couch where the zither rested. The young man knelt on a cushion beside it, and his pale, slender fingers brushed over the strings.

Bao Wentong kept watching him. When he saw the young man’s hands, he swallowed, the sound unusually loud in the quiet room. Then he said, “Take the cloth off your face.”

He was curious what kind of eyes a person this beautiful might have.

The young man seemed to pause. He lifted his head toward Bao Wentong’s direction. After hesitating, he shook his head.

Qingru looked at Bao Wentong and tried to dissuade him. “Master Huo is blind. Boss Bao, it’s better not to look.”

But Bao Wentong’s curiosity had been hooked until it itched. He was convinced that beneath that face there had to be a pair of seductive, captivating eyes. Blind or not, he wanted to see. He stood, strode up, and roughly pinched the young man’s chin to force his head up, then yanked the white cloth away.

In that instant, Bao Wentong saw a pair of eyes shining with watery brilliance. They held no light of focus, yet the pupils were dark and clear, like they could reflect a person’s heart.

He froze slightly. The hand gripping the young man’s chin tightened.

Then, in the very next moment, he saw something even brighter than those eyes, a flash of silver. A sword plunged straight into his chest. He didn’t even see where the blade came from, or how it had entered his body.

He only saw the young man’s eyes slowly gather their sharpness, and with a cold, indifferent glance, the young man drew his sword back out of him.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 75

Su Zeyang traveled day and night for several days, finally catching up with the imperial envoy and the imperial guards escorting Feng Tianzong back to Yujing in Xichou territory.

The group consisted of nearly a hundred people, tightly guarding Feng Tianzong’s prisoner cart as they traveled along the narrow mountain path. They had been rushing to get away from Feng Tianzong’s army, but for some reason, they slowed down as they approached the Xichou border.

Su Zeyang was alone, maintaining a distance from the escorting army, not daring to get too close. He could only see from a distance, from a high vantage point, that Feng Tianzong was trapped in the prisoner cart, his head bowed, looking unwell.

Su Zeyang remained calm and waited until nightfall.

That night, the escorting army camped in a valley. They divided into teams of five, taking turns on guard duty, while the others lay down and rested.

Su Zeyang moved soundlessly through the forest, like a sleek hunting leopard, closing in little by little on the valley where they’d made camp. Once he was close enough, he finally saw clearly by the firelight: Feng Tianzong sat in the prison cart with heavy shackles on both wrists and ankles. The cage was low, forcing him to hunch his back. Only his head was outside the bars. His hair was disheveled, his face drawn and haggard. He leaned crookedly against the wooden frame, eyes shut, impossible to tell whether he was asleep or unconscious.

Su Zeyang gripped his Qinghong sword. The last time he had seen Feng Tianzong was on the morning of the fire at Huo Fenghua’s side courtyard. After that, because he was angry with Feng Tianzong, he refused to see him until Feng Tianzong left Yujing and returned to Xichou.

He never imagined that the next time he saw Feng Tianzong, he would be in such a weak and dying state. Su Zeyang carefully observed the guards in the valley. The wooden cage holding Feng Tianzong was thick and sturdy; he knew he couldn’t cut it open with his sword without harming Feng Tianzong. Even if he could instantly kill the five guards, he wouldn’t be able to open the cage and take Feng Tianzong away without alerting others.

He slowly exhaled. After seeing Feng Tianzong in this state today, he had already decided that he would act tonight. If necessary, he would kill everyone here. He couldn’t leave Feng Tianzong here any longer; he was afraid that if he missed this opportunity today and they entered the city tomorrow, he wouldn’t have such a good chance to strike again.

Su Zeyang looked up at the sky. It was still early. He sat down and waited quietly. He planned to strike at the fifth watch of the night, when people were sleeping most soundly and the guards were most tired.

As the fifth watch was about to pass, Su Zeyang stood up and gripped the sword hanging at his waist.

The five guards on duty had been on watch for nearly an hour, and in a moment they would be relieved by the next shift. It was the darkest moment before dawn, and soon it would be daylight. The night had been uneventful, and these men were about to complete their guard duty, so they seemed somewhat relaxed. One of them was even dozing off leaning against the wheel of the prisoner’s cart.

Su Zeyang moved like the wind, swiftly pouncing on the outermost guard, covering his mouth and slitting his throat with a single sword stroke, then gently laying him down on the ground. He didn’t dare to relax for a moment, immediately thrusting his long sword into the chest of the next man, killing him with a single thrust before he could make a sound.

He killed four men in quick succession, but unfortunately, the fifth man discovered him. Before Su Zeyang could kill him with a sword thrust, the man let out a terrified scream, instantly waking the other guards. Su Zeyang was well-prepared. He had followed this group of people all day and knew that the leader was a young officer, clad in armor and wearing a helmet.  The officer was now sleeping by a campfire in a corner of the valley. He was startled awake by the commotion and hastily reached for his sword to stand up.

Su Zeyang had already stepped over the crowd and landed beside him, grabbing him and placing his long sword against his neck, shouting, “Open the lock!”

The guards, just waking from their sleep, didn’t know what was happening. They only saw that their commanding officer had a sword at his throat, so they all gripped their weapons defensively, but no one dared to rush forward.

Su Zeyang dragged the young officer to the prisoner cart.

The young officer said, “How dare you! This man is a criminal wanted by the imperial court! You dare to hijack a prisoner!”

Su Zeyang didn’t listen to him, and with a flash of his sword, he drew a bloody line across the officer’s neck. “Give me the keys.”

The young officer instantly panicked. He endured the pain in his throat and took out a bunch of keys from his chest pocket, handing them to Su Zeyang, hoping to ambush him while he was unlocking the cart.

But Su Zeyang didn’t reach out to take them, only saying to him, “Open the lock!”

The young officer had no choice but to open the prisoner cart, and under Su Zeyang’s coercion, he also unlocked the shackles on Feng Tianzong’s hands and feet.

Feng Tianzong silently slumped down.

Su Zeyang grabbed the young officer and jumped onto the prisoner cart. Suddenly, he slashed his sword, cutting the young officer’s throat. This single strike only cut the officer’s windpipe but didn’t sever his carotid artery. Then, he forcefully struck the horse pulling the prisoner cart and pushed the young officer to the ground. 

Blood poured from the captain’s neck in a horrific sight, yet he didn’t die outright. He writhed on the ground as his men clustered around him. He couldn’t speak, only pointed frantically at the prison cart already racing down the mountain road, signaling them to pursue.

Meanwhile, Su Zeyang had already leaped onto a horse and galloped away, ignoring the shouts of the pursuers behind him, running at full speed.

Ahead, the mountain path forked into two paths, one going up and the other down. Su Zeyang rode his horse down the mountain path, but then he returned to the prison cart, picked up the unconscious Feng Tianzong, and jumped off the cart, heading towards the mountain path going uphill.

After that, he dared not travel on the mountain path anymore, but instead traveled through the forest, tying the unconscious Feng Tianzong to his back with a cloth belt, and continued forward without stopping.

He didn’t continue heading east, as Feng Tianzong would surely be wanted by Donglin, and he couldn’t return to Donglin now, so he chose to continue heading north.

Feng Tianzong remained unconscious until noon the next day, slowly waking up on Su Zeyang’s back. When he opened his eyes, he was initially a little dazed, then he smelled the familiar scent of the person in front of him. He slowly raised his arm, which was weakly hanging by his side, and touched Su Zeyang’s neck.

Su Zeyang, who had been traveling continuously, finally stopped. He didn’t speak, but stood still, quietly listening to the sounds behind him. Hearing no footsteps of pursuers, he carried Feng Tianzong to a hidden cave and laid him down to rest.

Feng Tianzong leaned against the cave wall, watching him without blinking.

Su Zeyang silently tore off a clean sleeve from his inner garment, wet it in the mountain spring water at the cave entrance, and returned to Feng Tianzong’s side to wipe his face. Feng Tianzong’s face was pale, and the areas wiped with the wet cloth didn’t even turn red. He spoke with difficulty, “Are you not angry anymore?”

Su Zeyang didn’t answer but simply used the wet cloth he had used to wipe Feng Tianzong’s face to wipe his own face and neck.

Feng Tianzong said, “You must be tired. Come and rest for a while.”

Upon hearing this, Su Zeyang turned and lay down in Feng Tianzong’s arms, resting his head on his lap. After a while, he turned over and looked up at him. Feng Tianzong was also looking down at him. Neither of them spoke, but simply gazed at each other silently, then their hands slowly clasped together, fingers intertwined.

They didn’t rest in the cave for long before Feng Tianzong fell unconscious again. Su Zeyang carried him on his back and continued on their journey.

This time, he walked until dark before finding a small wooden hut in the mountains where an elderly hermit lived alone. The old man didn’t dare let them into the house but agreed to let them sleep on a pile of straw in the corner of the yard, giving them a dirty blanket and two bowls of thin porridge.

Su Zeyang drank his porridge, but Feng Tianzong remained unconscious. The next morning, Su Zeyang became worried. He knelt on the straw pile, bent down, and gently patted Feng Tianzong’s face, “Tianzhong.”

Feng Tianzong didn’t respond.

Su Zeyang patiently called his name more than ten times before Feng Tianzong showed signs of waking up, slowly opening his eyes.

“Drink some porridge,” Su Zeyang helped him up and brought the warmed porridge to his lips.

Feng Tianzong was probably too weak; he choked on the porridge after only one sip, coughing violently, and the porridge he had drunk spilled from his lips. Su Zeyang set the bowl aside and carefully wiped the porridge from the corners of his mouth with his fingers. Then he borrowed a spoon from the old man and slowly fed him, spoonful by spoonful.

By the time Feng Tianzong finished the bowl of porridge, he was breathless. Su Zeyang helped him lean against his chest and said, “They poisoned you.”

Feng Tianzong hummed in agreement. “They wanted to kill me before we reached Donglin.”

Su Zeyang brushed the hair from his face, “I’ll take you to a doctor, but we can’t go into the city, so we probably won’t be able to find a very good doctor.”

Feng Tianzong only said one word. “Okay.” 

He didn’t ask Su Zeyang where they were going, nor did he ask Su Zeyang to leave him behind. They had been together for so long that many things didn’t need to be said; they already understood each other perfectly.

Even if they fought before, in the face of life and death, it was no longer worth mentioning.

Su Zeyang carried Feng Tianzong on his back again, and this time they traveled for a whole day. Along the way, Su Zeyang ate a roasted sweet potato and broke another one into pieces, mixing it with water to feed Feng Tianzong.

This time they found a small mountain village, but they didn’t enter the village until evening.

Su Zeyang inquired among the villagers and learned that there was an old man in the village who knew a little about medicine and could prescribe some remedies. So he carried Feng Tianzong to see him.

The old man took Feng Tianzong’s pulse and said that his pulse was relatively stable, but he couldn’t help him detoxify. He could only prescribe some nourishing medicine to remove toxins and replenish his energy. He brewed the medicine in his own small courtyard and gave Feng Tianzong two doses.

Su Zeyang didn’t dare to stay there for long. The next morning, after Feng Tianzong finished his medicine, he took another dose of medicine with him and left with Feng Tianzong. They continued their journey through the mountains and forests until evening, when they found a clean and secluded cave to rest in. 

Su Zeyang couldn’t brew the medicine, so he could only take out the herbs, chew them in his mouth, and then feed them to Feng Tianzong, telling him to swallow them.

Whether the medicine had any effect or not, Feng Tianzong was slightly more conscious today, and his spirits were better by evening.

When he swallowed the last herb, he gently held Su Zeyang’s tongue, preventing him from leaving.

Even though his strength was failing, Feng Tianzong gently and tenderly kissed Su Zeyang’s lips. The bitter taste of the herbs lingered in both of their mouths. Feng Tianzong carefully licked his tongue and teeth, as if to lick away all the bitterness.

Su Zeyang’s breathing became slightly rapid.

When Feng Tianzong pulled away from his lips, he said, “Come here.” He had Su Zeyang lean against him, and with one hand, he reached down to Su Zeyang’s legs, unbuttoned his pants, and reached inside to grasp his semi-hard erection.

Su Zeyang’s cheeks flushed, and he panted softly against Feng Tianzong’s chest.

Feng Tianzong’s fingers lacked strength, but his movements were meticulous. He massaged Su Zeyang’s cock and balls, then squeezed the slit with his fingertips until he felt Su Yang’s shaft pulsate, becoming even thicker, and precum spilled out.

Su Zeyang called his name, tilting his head back to ask for a kiss. When Feng Tianzong lowered his head to kiss him, he wrapped his arms around Feng Tianzong’s neck and pressed his body tightly against him. Feng Tianzong knew Su Zeyang’s body intimately, and he knew that Su Zeyang wouldn’t be satisfied yet. He held Su Zeyang’s throbbing cock and said, “Get up, take off your pants.”

Su Zeyang got up, straddling Feng Tianzong’s legs, kneeling in front of him. He took off his pants and then unbuttoned his shirt. He didn’t dare to sit down, afraid that Feng Tianzong’s current strength wouldn’t be able to bear his weight.

Feng Tianzong continued to gently caress Su Zeyang’s penis with one hand, while the other hand reached behind him. He first inserted one finger into Su Zeyang’s soft hole, then added another, repeatedly pressing into the most sensitive spot inside him.

Su Zeyang was intensely aroused. He hugged Feng Tianzong’s shoulders, his body trembling slightly as he panted continuously.

Feng Tianzong looked up and took one of Su Zeyang’s nipple into his mouth, his tongue swirling and sucking on it.

After a long time of this, Su Zeyang finally climaxed in his hands.

For the past few days, Su Zeyang had been carrying him while traveling. Now, after his body was satisfied, he felt incredibly tired. He lay silently in Feng Tianzong’s arms, pressing his face tightly against Feng Tianzong’s lower abdomen. Feng Tianzong stroked his hair and said, “If we continue north, that’s Wuhetan.”

Su Zeyang only responded softly after a moment, “Mm.”

Feng Tianzong said, “Wuhetan is fine. Wuhetan isn’t in the Donglin territory. The forces there are tangled and chaotic. Maybe we can hide for a while.”

Su Zeyang said softly, “Let’s cure the poison first.”

Feng Tianzong understood his meaning. No matter what they did later, they had to find a relatively safe place to cure the poison in his body. So he nodded and said, “Let’s go to Wuhetan.”

Su Zeyang didn’t answer. After a while he looked up and saw Feng Tianzong still watching him, gaze soft and overflowing with affection. He couldn’t help catching Feng Tianzong’s hand and pressing it to his own chest. “You seem better today. You don’t want to sleep?”

Feng Tianzong said, “That medicine is invigorating. It’s rare to be so clear-headed. You sleep for a while. I’ll watch over you.”

Su Zeyang lowered his gaze, “Why do you keep watching me?”

Feng Tianzong smiled slightly, “I want to look at you, for as long as I can.”  

When the medicine wore off tomorrow, he would likely fall back into unconsciousness, leaving all his weight to Su Zeyang again.

Su Zeyang sighed softly. “Then watch for a lifetime.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 74

That evening, Huo Fenghua had Ruan Qin arrange a full table of food and wine at the residence.

The reason he called Xiongda, Xiong’er, and Ruan Qin to sit down and eat with Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang was to make one thing clear to his brothers and sisters: Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang were extremely important to him. This matter wasn’t something he would half-handle. He was going to see it through to the end.

Su Zeyang draped a cloak over Feng Tianzong’s shoulders. Feng Tianzong took his hand and asked Huo Fenghua, “You’re going to reveal your identity to them?”

Huo Fenghua was sitting on the threshold, elbows on his knees, both hands propping up his face. He looked a little troubled. “That’s what I’m thinking. Only if I tell them who I am will they understand there’s no turning back. They have to help me all the way.”

Feng Tianzong felt Su Zeyang’s hand was a little cold, so he drew it against his chest through his clothing. Then he continued, “But you’re also afraid that once you tell them, they’ll look down on you?”

Huo Fenghua straightened his back at once. “Who would look down on me? Who’s even qualified to look down on me? I, Huo Fenghua, am a proper man. I’ve got a fortune behind me, I’m supporting two wives, one big and one small. Why would anyone look down on me?”

He finished his passionate speech, only to find Feng Tianzong smiling at him. Realizing Feng Tianzong was teasing him, he turned his head and gave a soft snort, then rested his chin on both hands again and fell silent.

After a while, Wen Heyi came running in from the courtyard, cheerful as ever. Seeing Huo Fenghua sitting on the threshold with his back to him, he pounced onto Huo Fenghua’s back and shouted, “Dad!”

Huo Fenghua wasn’t prepared. He got crushed forward and sprawled on the ground, sucking in a breath before he groaned, “Son, you’re not little anymore. This is patricide.”

Wen Heyi thought he was playing around. He leaned in and kissed Huo Fenghua on the cheek with a crisp “pop.”

Su Zeyang looked displeased and snapped, “Martial Uncle, get up!”

Wen Heyi was a little afraid of him. He climbed off Huo Fenghua’s back, went to the round table, and sat down. He glanced at Huo Fenghua, who still hadn’t gotten up, then sneakily looked at Su Zeyang and Feng Tianzong. He grabbed a piece of flaky candy and quickly stuffed it into his mouth.

By the time Huo Fenghua got up, Ruan Qin had already brought Xiongda and Xiong’er over.

Facing Feng Tianzong, both Xiong brothers had complicated expressions.

To the people of Donglin, Feng Tianzong was genuinely a great hero. Xiong’er held him in awe, but at the same time, he was also a common man who’d clawed his way through mud to survive. National righteousness didn’t always outweigh having a full stomach and staying alive.

As for Xiongda, he didn’t have so many twists in his head. Seeing Feng Tianzong made him visibly excited, and he kept gesturing with his hands.

Huo Fenghua watched and laughed, translating for Feng Tianzong. “My big brother says he’s always admired General Feng. Getting the chance to meet you today is the luck of three lifetimes, and he wants to drink a cup with you.”

Xiongda raised his wine cup.

Feng Tianzong raised his as well and smiled. “Thank you, big brother. Sitting here today, I’m the one who ought to be thanking you.”

He lifted his cup to drink, but Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua both raised a hand at the same time to stop him, one on either side. “You’re not fully recovered.”

Feng Tianzong said, “It’s fine. This cup, I have to drink.”

After he and Xiongda finished, he poured himself another cup and raised it to Xiong’er. “Next, this one is for Brother Xiong’er.”

Xiong’er froze, then reached for his cup and looked at Feng Tianzong.

Feng Tianzong said, “My wife is unruly. These days, he’s caused you no small amount of trouble. Thank you for taking care of him along the way. This cup, I, Feng Tianzong, toast you.”

All at once, Huo Fenghua felt a little embarrassed. He lowered his head and rubbed his fingers along the rim of his porcelain bowl.

Xiong’er didn’t understand. He looked blankly at Huo Fenghua, then turned to Ruan Qin.

Ruan Qin, seated beside him, tilted her head in confusion at first. Then her expression shifted to surprise.

Huo Fenghua sighed and said to the Xiong brothers, “I’m sorry I deceived you. I’m not Su Qiang. My surname is Huo Fenghua. I’m General Feng’s…”

He didn’t like the words “male concubine,” so he only shot Feng Tianzong a glare and stopped there.

But the moment they heard the name “Huo Fenghua,” Xiongda, Xiong’er, and Ruan Qin all reacted at the same time. Their faces were full of shock. The room went quiet, and nobody spoke.

Wen Heyi had no idea what was going on. He only reached for more flaky candy, trying to do it secretly.

After a long moment, Xiong’er was the first to speak. “You’re Huo Fenghua? The Xichou hostage prince, Huo Fenghua?”

Huo Fenghua scowled. “I’ve got so many identities, and you had to pick the one I hate most.”

Xiong’er hurriedly looked him up and down, completely disbelieving. “How is that possible?”

In name, Huo Fenghua was already dead. But his current identity didn’t matter much in Donglin, so news of his death hadn’t spread widely. Still, everyone in Donglin had heard the name Huo Fenghua. Back when the emperor issued an edict ordering Huo Fenghua to marry into the General’s Manor as a concubine, Donglin, Xichou, and the Central Plains had all been in uproar, with endless gossip and debate.

No matter how Xiong’er tried to think it through, he couldn’t have imagined that Su Qiang was Huo Fenghua.

Huo Fenghua stood up and placed a piece of meat into each of their bowls. Then he said, “I treat you as my own people, so I chose not to keep hiding it. But the truth is, Huo Fenghua can be considered dead anyway. From now on, I’m still Su Qiang. We’re going to keep building our lives in Wuhetan. You’re my closest brothers and sisters.”

Xiong’er hesitated. “But if you’re Huo Fenghua, then you and General Feng…”

Feng Tianzong said in a low voice, “Once this is resolved, I won’t return to the battlefield.”

Xiongda gestured anxiously, trying to ask why Feng Tianzong wouldn’t go back to war.

Feng Tianzong’s expression was calm. “To fight for Donglin and bring down Xichou was my goal since childhood. Now that goal has been achieved. If this war has to continue, I’m afraid it would go against what I originally intended.”

Xiong’er immediately understood. Xichou was already destroyed. If Feng Tianzong kept leading troops, who would he fight next? Now the emperor had already ordered him escorted back to the capital, and the imperial guards had poisoned him on the road. At this point, Feng Tianzong truly couldn’t return to Donglin anymore.

Ruan Qin asked softly, “General, are you planning to stay in Wuhetan with Master Su?”

Feng Tianzong answered, “It’s not that I haven’t considered it. But before that, there are things I must do. Otherwise, if I stay in Wuhetan, I’ll always be your trouble. You’ll have to deal with pursuers at any time. Worse still, Donglin could send troops against Wuhetan.”

Xiong’er’s brows knitted tightly.

Seeing his worry, Feng Tianzong tried to reassure him. “Brother Xiong’er can rest easy. Once the poison in my body is fully cleared, Zeyang and I will leave Wuhetan immediately. I only hope the Donglin army still hasn’t realized we were ever here.”

Xiong’er hurriedly said, “That’s not what I meant.”

Feng Tianzong smiled, raised his cup to Ruan Qin, and said, “The last cup, I toast Miss Ruan.”

Ruan Qin paused slightly and stood up. “How could a lowly woman deserve that?”

Feng Tianzong said, “Miss Ruan’s abilities have been obvious to all of us these days. We’ve brought you a great deal of trouble. Thank you.”

He drank the wine in one go, set the cup down, and waved a hand. “Those three cups only. Any more and I wouldn’t dare. Let Zeyang and Fenghua drink in my place.”

The moment his words fell, hurried footsteps sounded outside. They ran all the way to the door, knocked, and called, “Miss Ruan!”

Ruan Qin stood, gave a slight bow, and went to open the door. She stepped out and shut it behind her. After exchanging a few words with the person outside, she pushed the door open again and came in, looking at Huo Fenghua. “Master Su, Donglin’s pursuers have shown up. They’re on the opposite bank of the Wu River right now, and they want the people of Shenlong Docks to ferry them across!”

Huo Fenghua shot to his feet. He glanced at Xiong’er. “Go immediately and contact Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian. I’m going to see Bao Wentong. We have to stop them. We can’t let them enter Wuhetan.”

Earlier, Xiong’er had still been arguing with Huo Fenghua over whether Feng Tianzong should be allowed to stay. But now he understood there was no way out. He nodded quickly, stood up, and headed out.

Huo Fenghua called for Wen Heyi and hurried out as well. After two steps, he turned back to Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang. “You two stay here. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll handle this.”

Feng Tianzong nodded. “Go.”

Huo Fenghua rushed out. By the time he returned to the Boonie Bears residence, it was already deep into the night.

He pushed the door open, exhausted, and saw that Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang still hadn’t gone to sleep. They were clearly waiting for him.

Feng Tianzong sat at the edge of the bed. Su Zeyang leaned against his chest with his eyes closed. Neither of them spoke until Huo Fenghua came in, and Su Zeyang opened his eyes to look at him.

Huo Fenghua took off his outer robe and hung it on the rack, then casually kicked off his boots and climbed onto the bed, dropping headfirst into Feng Tianzong’s arms.

Su Zeyang reached out and lightly stroked his hair. Huo Fenghua caught his hand and pressed it to his own cheek.

Feng Tianzong asked, “How did it go?”

Huo Fenghua sighed. “There are probably more than five hundred Donglin soldiers. They’re all gathered on the opposite bank right now, waiting to cross into the city. Hu Dong, Lan Shuilian, and I tried to persuade Bao Wentong not to let them cross. For now, Bao Wentong hasn’t acted. But I’m worried this won’t hold for long. The Donglin troops don’t look like they’re going to withdraw, and Bao Wentong is under pressure too. He’s afraid that if the standoff drags on, Donglin will send reinforcements and attack Wuhetan.”

Su Zeyang asked softly, “Who is Bao Wentong?”

So Huo Fenghua explained the current situation in Wuhe Tan.

After listening, Su Zeyang said flatly, “Kill Bao Wentong.”

Feng Tianzong couldn’t help laughing. He turned and kissed Su Zeyang on the forehead. “You want to go kill Bao Wentong?”

Su Zeyang gave a quiet “Mm.”

Huo Fenghua rolled over and lay face-down across Feng Tianzong’s legs, looking up as he said, “Killing Bao Wentong isn’t hard. The key is how we take over Shenlong Docks’ power. The worst-case scenario is we kill Bao Wentong on our side, and his people panic on theirs, and that chaos ends up letting the Donglin troops into the city.”

Feng Tianzong asked, “Who’s leading the Donglin forces?”

Huo Fenghua frowned. “I don’t know.”

Feng Tianzong said, “Go find out again. Also, set an ambush along the Wu River. Be careful they don’t secretly let people in.”

“I know,” Huo Fenghua said.

Feng Tianzong added, “You originally wanted to get rid of Bao Wentong anyway, didn’t you?”

Huo Fenghua sat up on his knees on the bed and nodded. “It’s not just me. Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian have been dissatisfied with him for a long time.”

Feng Tianzong lifted a hand and gave Huo Fenghua’s butt a light pat. “Then this counts as an opportunity. First, join forces with Hu Dong and Lan Shuilian and talk it through. If you really mean to kill Bao Wentong, you need to be prepared. And even if you kill Bao Wentong, the Donglin pursuers will still be there. How to deal with that, you should think carefully.”

Huo Fenghua’s mind was a mess, and his body felt worn out. He lay back down on the bed and said, “Let’s sleep first. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 73

When Huo Fenghua woke up early the next morning, he still felt as though there was something inside him. He was lying facedown, limp all over, and didn’t want to get up.

He was sleeping on the outer side of the bed. Beside him was the Feng Tianzong still asleep, and Su Zeyang was sleeping on the inner side. Under the quilt, Huo Fenghua’s body was bare. When he rolled over, his thigh pressed against Feng Tianzong’s leg, and he reached out to lightly hook a strand of Feng Tianzong’s hair with his fingers.

Feng Tianzong still didn’t wake.

Propping his head up with one hand, Huo Fenghua stared at Feng Tianzong for a moment, then looked at Su Zeyang, who had his face buried against Feng Tianzong’s shoulder as he slept. For an instant, Huo Fenghua felt that this was probably the life he’d always been chasing: wealth and glory, with beauties in his arms. Wasn’t this far happier than following Shao Feijie and the others around as an exiled imperial prince?

He extended a finger and pointed at Feng Tianzong in the air: Beauty Number One. Then he pointed at Su Zeyang: Beauty Number Two.

Thinking of that, he couldn’t help but laugh silently. At that moment, Su Zeyang shifted slightly and slowly opened his eyes to look at him.

Huo Fenghua blew him a kiss. Then something suddenly occurred to him. He rolled over, wanting to get out of bed. He’d tossed his long robe aside carelessly last night, and it was now on the floor not far from the bed. Reluctant to leave the warmth of the quilt, he only bent at the waist and stretched out an arm to grab it.

But his arm still couldn’t reach. He leaned farther and farther, and ended up accidentally sliding right off the bed, landing bare-assed on the footstool in front of it. The pain made him yelp. Only then did he manage to snatch his clothes, stand up, and throw them on.

It had been a long time since he had sex. Last night’s indulgence had left his body thoroughly satisfied, but first thing this morning his backside wasn’t feeling so great. After a moment’s thought, he decided it must be because Su Zeyang’s technique still had room for improvement and wasn’t as good as his.

After getting dressed and pulling on his shoes, hair loose and unbound, Huo Fenghua hurried out of the room. The moment he stepped outside, he saw Ruan Qin entering through the courtyard gate. He called out, “Sister Qin, you’re up early. Perfect timing.”

Ruan Qin said, “I figured you were about to wake up.”

Huo Fenghua leaned close to her ear and told her to arrange some people. Whether through disguises or spreading rumors, they needed to maintain the illusion that Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang were still stranded within Xichou territory. After thinking it over, he added, “Best if people believe they escaped to Zhuyue City.”

Ruan Qin nodded. “Understood. I’ll go now.”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “Thanks for the trouble.”

That morning, Wei Kai came again, carrying his medical case. The day before, after returning, he’d stayed up through the night consulting medical texts, and at last he’d figured out what poison Feng Tianzong had been afflicted with and how to treat it.

Today, he first performed acupuncture on Feng Tianzong. After that, he wrote a detoxifying prescription and handed it to Huo Fenghua, telling him to send people to fetch the herbs.

While Wei Kai sat at the table writing the prescription, the door to Huo Fenghua’s bedroom was open. Wen Heyi stood outside, half his body hidden behind the doorframe, peeking in.

Noticing someone outside, Wei Kai turned to look once, then turned back and asked Huo Fenghua, “Why didn’t I see that young lady from yesterday?”

Huo Fenghua sensed that Wei Kai seemed rather interested in Ruan Qin, so he smiled and said, “Sister Qin has some business today. If Doctor Wei comes tomorrow, she should be here.”

Wei Kai had mentioned before that if he did acupuncture to draw out the toxin for five consecutive days, Feng Tianzong would recover faster. Huo Fenghua wanted to coax him into coming every day.

Wei Kai glanced at him, packed up his medical case, and said, “I’ll come again tomorrow.”

Huo Fenghua smiled as he escorted him out. Passing the doorway, he shot Wen Heyi a glare, and Wen Heyi immediately shrank back.

After Huo Fenghua saw Wei Kai out and returned to the room, he found Wen Heyi standing by Feng Tianzong’s bed, looking at him. As Huo Fenghua entered, Su Zeyang also returned from the next room, where he’d been temporarily avoiding notice. When Wen Heyi saw the two of them, his face lit up and he called happily, “Dad, Mom!”

Huo Fenghua laughed to himself. “Good boy.”

Su Zeyang said, not entirely approving, “Did you get someone to look at Martial Uncle Wen’s injuries?”

Huo Fenghua quickly replied, “Of course I did. The doctor said it can’t be cured. There’s nothing I can do.”

Su Zeyang walked into the room. “We can’t just leave him like this forever.”

Wen Heyi was staring at Feng Tianzong on the bed. Feng Tianzong was awake and was looking back at him.

Wen Heyi asked, “Why are you looking at me?”

Feng Tianzong chuckled softly. “Then why are you looking at me?”

Wen Heyi asked him, “Who are you?”

Feng Tianzong didn’t answer.

So Wen Heyi turned to Huo Fenghua. “Dad, who is he?”

Huo Fenghua answered casually, “He’s your second mother.”

Wen Heyi opened his mouth in surprise.

Su Zeyang let out a helpless sigh.

Wen Heyi stared at Feng Tianzong for a while longer, then asked Huo Fenghua in confusion, “Dad, was I born from Mom, or from Second Mom?”

Huo Fenghua told him, “If you were born from Second Mom, I’d tell you he’s your mom, and this one would be your first mom.”

Wen Heyi turned the sentence over and over in his head for a long time, then suddenly understood. “So I was born from Mom.”

Su Zeyang finally couldn’t hold back. “You weren’t born from me. You’re my martial uncle.”

Wen Heyi seemed scared. He hid behind Huo Fenghua. “I’m not a martial uncle.”

Huo Fenghua patted the back of his hand. “You’re not a martial uncle. You’re Yi’er.”

Su Zeyang said to Huo Fenghua, “Don’t keep deceiving Martial Uncle. We should find a way to treat him as soon as possible.”

Huo Fenghua was helpless too. “Then tell me what I’m supposed to do. I’ve had plenty of doctors in Wuhetan examine him. Wei Kai took his pulse too and said it’s an injury inside his head. What, are we supposed to cut his skull open with a knife to treat it?”

Su Zeyang said, “If no one in Wuhetan can treat him, then we’ll look for doctors elsewhere. There has to be a way.”

For several days in a row, Wei Kai came to perform acupuncture on Feng Tianzong. The detox prescription he wrote also had Feng Tianzong drinking three bowls a day. By the fifth day, Feng Tianzong hadn’t fully recovered, but he was already able to get out of bed and walk around.

Feng Tianzong’s face was still a little pale. Wearing an outer robe, he sat on a stool and said to Wei Kai, “Thank you, Doctor Wei.”

Wei Kai couldn’t help sizing him up a few times. He waved a hand, packed his things, stood, and then turned to look for Ruan Qin. Grinning, he said, “Miss Ruan, when I came today, I bought a box of rouge on the way. I thought it’d suit you perfectly.”

Ruan Qin’s expression didn’t change. She only said politely, “Doctor Wei, I’ll see you out.”

Wei Kai slung his medical case on his back and followed her out with light steps. When he reached the doorway, he turned back and told Huo Fenghua, “I’ll keep coming tomorrow.”

Huo Fenghua asked, puzzled, “Aren’t five days of acupuncture supposed to draw out the toxin?”

Wei Kai spoke as though he didn’t particularly care. “Tomorrow I’ll take his pulse again, write a new prescription, and adjust things.”

Huo Fenghua quickly said, “Then I’ll be troubling you, Doctor Wei.”

After Ruan Qin saw Wei Kai off, Huo Fenghua walked to the table. Seeing Feng Tianzong extend a hand toward him, he placed his hand into Feng Tianzong’s palm. Feng Tianzong gave a slight pull and tugged Huo Fenghua down to sit on his lap.

Huo Fenghua went along with it, but said, “General, you really do have good stamina,” and didn’t dare put his full weight down, afraid Feng Tianzong might not be able to handle it.

Feng Tianzong wrapped both arms around Huo Fenghua’s waist. He was slightly out of breath, yet still smiling as he said, “I have to save some strength to hold you.”

Huo Fenghua looped his arms around his neck. “Do you feel better?”

Feng Tianzong said, “Much better. Maybe in another five days I’ll recover completely.”

Huo Fenghua asked, “And then what do you plan to do?”

Feng Tianzong didn’t answer. He only held Huo Fenghua tighter, one hand slipping under the hem of Huo Fenghua’s clothes to rub along his side at his waist, against bare skin.

Huo Fenghua flinched. “In broad daylight, what are you trying to do?”

Feng Tianzong smiled and lifted his head to look at him. Huo Fenghua met his gaze for a moment, then lowered his head and kissed him.

Just as their breathing began to heat up, hurried footsteps came running in from outside the courtyard. Huo Fenghua assumed it was Wen Heyi and didn’t pay attention. He only lifted his head to glance toward the door, and instead saw Xiong’er standing there, staring in shock.

Seeing Huo Fenghua sitting intimately on Feng Tianzong’s lap, Xiong’er’s eyes widened. He pointed at them, stammering, “You, you two—”

At that moment, Su Zeyang came over from the next room carrying a food box. Wen Heyi followed behind him, calling, “Mom, give me some!”

Su Zeyang walked past Xiong’er into the room and said, “You can’t eat any more, Martial Uncle.”

Inside the box were flaky malt candies. Huo Fenghua had sent people to buy them from an old, well-known shop in Wuhetan. When he noticed Su Zeyang liked this kind of candy, he had them buy quite a lot. As a result, Wen Heyi pestered Su Zeyang every day for sweets.

Xiong’er was still standing there, dumbfounded.

Wen Heyi suddenly reached into Su Zeyang’s arms to snatch the box. Su Zeyang pivoted neatly, dodging his hand, and tightened his grip on the box. “Martial Uncle, if you eat too much your teeth will hurt.”

Wen Heyi said anxiously, “Give it to me!”

Huo Fenghua slapped the table and stood up. “Who told you you could lay hands on your mother?”

Wen Heyi shrank his neck in fright and stood frozen in place, not daring to move.

After yelling at Wen Heyi, Huo Fenghua looked toward Xiong’er at the door. “Don’t just stand there. Come in and talk.”

Xiong’er looked completely bewildered. He still didn’t understand what on earth was going on.

Huo Fenghua said to him, “Since you’re back and the General’s awake too, perfect timing. Tonight, call your big brother over. We’ll all have dinner together.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>