When Su Zeyang heard the name Feng Tiansheng, he lifted his head and looked toward Wen Heyi.
Wen Heyi’s expression didn’t change much. He only glanced in Huo Fenghua’s direction, then walked the other way. At the spot directly opposite Huo Fenghua, he lowered his head and felt around until he found Feng Tianzong’s name, then said, “Come here.”
Su Zeyang stood up and walked to Wen Heyi’s side. Bending down, he saw the name: Feng Tianzong.
“What does it mean?” Huo Fenghua raised a hand and scratched his chin.
Su Zeyang crouched again and, following the dark red lines on the ground, roughly traced the formation with his finger. Then he stood and fell into thought.
Gu Guangji liked to study these unorthodox arts. When Su Zeyang was young, he often taught his disciple things like this, but Su Zeyang’s interest wasn’t there. He’d stayed single-mindedly devoted to swordsmanship. Even so, from what he’d seen and heard over the years, Su Zeyang still understood formations and talismans far better than Wen Heyi did.
Wen Heyi asked, “Well?”
Su Zeyang stepped along one of the lines to the center of the formation, crouched, and used his finger to mark out the ground. He shifted only two small steps, then stopped, rubbing the dirt with his fingertip. “This spot’s been dug up.”
Even though several candles were lit, the cave was still dim. The ground had been dug and then carefully filled back in. If Su Zeyang hadn’t searched closely, you wouldn’t be able to tell at a glance.
Wen Heyi walked over and crouched beside him. “Dig it up and take a look.”
The three of them dug into the dirt. When they’d gone nearly a foot down, Huo Fenghua’s fingers touched a wooden box first. He said quickly, “There’s a box.”
Su Zeyang brushed away the soil around it, lifted the box out, set it on the ground, and opened the lid.
It wasn’t large, only one layer inside. Three slips of paper lay on top, each with a talisman pasted over it.
Su Zeyang peeled off all the talismans at once and saw that each slip bore a different person’s birth data. His finger touched the one on the far right. “This is Tianzong’s birth data.”
“Oh?” Wen Heyi asked. “What about the other two?”
Su Zeyang looked at the middle one, then the far left. “I’m not completely sure, but judging by the year and month, the left one should be Tianzong’s elder brother’s birth data. I don’t recognize the one in the middle.”
Wen Heyi propped his cheek on one hand. “I thought this formation was only aimed at Feng Tianzong. Now it looks like it targets the Feng family. So what kind of formation is it?”
Su Zeyang’s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice icy. “A curse formation.”
“A curse?” Huo Fenghua was startled. “Cursing him with what? Cursing him to die?”
“I’m not sure,” Su Zeyang said. “But I have a guess. Based on how the lines run, I think someone may be trying to curse the Feng family into having their line die out.”
Huo Fenghua froze. His first instinct was to say that if Feng Tianzong married Su Zeyang, wasn’t that already “dying out,” but then he remembered Feng Tiansheng. He also recalled something and grabbed Su Zeyang’s sleeve. “Senior Brother, didn’t Feng Tiansheng’s wife miscarry recently?”
Su Zeyang’s expression turned even colder.
Wen Heyi said, “Maybe it’s just a coincidence. That kind of formation-cursing nonsense isn’t something I believe in.”
Huo Fenghua thought about it and felt Wen Heyi had a point. He’d grown up with modern scientific education and didn’t believe in this either, so he said, “Senior Brother, are you sure? I also think it might just be a coincidence.”
Su Zeyang said, “Either way, this is definitely a curse formation targeting the Feng family.”
Huo Fenghua had ridden hard for days and trekked through the cave passage for a long time. He was tired now, so he simply sat down, resting his shackled hands on his knees. “This is Xichou. Feng Tianzong brought troops and destroyed Xichou. It’s normal for Xichou people to curse him.”
“Cursing a whole family to die out is too vicious,” Wen Heyi said, lowering his head and tracing the carved patterns on the wooden box with his fingers.
Huo Fenghua gave a short, mocking laugh. “Don’t your emperors wipe out nine clans? If one day Feng Tianzong’s whole family fell into Shao Feijie’s hands, you think he’d dare spare even one?”
“That’s different,” Wen Heyi said. “This sort of curse is sinister and poisonous. It can’t be tolerated.”
Su Zeyang hadn’t spoken. He stared at the middle slip, trying to recall whose birth data it was. But the Feng brothers were orphans. As children, they’d drifted in from elsewhere to Yujing and been taken in by the Grand Tutor* He. One went into civil office, one into the military, and together they rose through the ranks. The person on that slip was still young, judging by the year and month. Grand Tutor He had no sons or daughters. Feng Tianzong had no other brothers besides Feng Tiansheng. So what connection could this person possibly have to them?
*[Taifu] (太傅) One of the Three Ducals, the Grand Tutor is charged with educating the monarch (princes and crown prince).
“Wait,” Wen Heyi suddenly said. “This curse formation might not have been set by Xichou people at all.”
Huo Fenghua asked at once, “What do you mean?”
Su Zeyang also looked over.
Wen Heyi smiled, tipped the wooden box over, and said to Su Zeyang, “Look at the patterns on the box.”
Su Zeyang ran his fingers over them. After a moment, he said, “This is a box made by the Yu family, Donglin’s famous master woodworkers.”
“And these patterns aren’t something ordinary households can use,” Wen Heyi said. “It should be tribute.”
If it was tribute made by the Yu family of Donglin, then the only possible recipient was the Donglin royal house.
Wen Heyi suddenly burst out laughing. In the cave, his laughter sounded especially sharp and grating. He laughed until tears came out, then pressed a hand to his chest and said, “Feng Tianzong fights south and north for Donglin and earns countless military merits. The Donglin emperor can’t kill him and shouldn’t kill him, so he uses this method to curse the Feng family into dying out. Hahaha. Isn’t it hilarious?”
As he laughed, he lifted a hand and slapped Huo Fenghua on the shoulder, almost knocking him sideways where he sat.
Huo Fenghua said irritably, “Martial Uncle, stop acting crazy.”
Su Zeyang’s expression was icy.
Huo Fenghua was afraid Su Zeyang might get too worked up, so he said, “I don’t think so. If the Donglin emperor wanted to kill the Feng brothers, it’d be easy. Why make it this complicated? And if he was setting a formation, why deliberately use royal tribute? Isn’t that asking to be found out?” Then he suddenly grew suspicious and looked at Wen Heyi. “Martial uncle, this isn’t some scheme of yours to sow discord, is it?”
Wen Heyi kept that gentle smile on his face. “It’s just a wooden box. Who would notice something like that? And this valley is so deep. When the formation was set, they never expected it would be discovered.”
“And yet you discovered it,” Huo Fenghua said. Wen Heyi still felt dubious towards him. He edged closer to Su Zeyang and said, “You pretend you found it by accident and bring us here, then you want my Senior Brother to tell Feng Tianzong. Feng Tianzong gets furious and switches sides, and you and your lover Shao Feijie sit back and reap the profit.”
The window of the room was shoved open from outside. Cold wind poured in at once, and a pale-blue figure flipped in through the window and landed sitting on the sill, long hair whipping and flying in the draft.
Once Su Zeyang saw the man’s face, the sword he’d held across his front lowered to his side. “Martial Uncle Wen.”
Wen Heyi held a folding fan. With a snap he opened it and fanned his face a few times. His hair, already messed up by the wind, only became even more chaotic. He smiled at Su Zeyang.
Huo Fenghua also dragged the clothing that had slipped down around his wrists back up to wrap around himself. Kneeling on the bed, he craned toward the window, but the moment he moved, a sharp ache flared at the same time in his lower back and the burn on his right side.
“Martial Uncle? Why is it you?” Huo Fenghua asked in shock. Then, seeing Wen Heyi’s manner, he added, “Aren’t you cold? Why are you still waving a fan?”
Wen Heyi leisurely closed the fan, flicked his wrist, and tossed it. It dropped neatly onto Huo Fenghua’s head. He hopped down from the sill, shut the window, and snorted as he looked at the two of them. “I really didn’t expect Feng Tianzong to have his rear courtyard catch fire, and for you two to shamelessly end up tangled together.”
Su Zeyang replied coldly, “Now you’ve seen it.”
Wen Heyi walked to the table and sat down. He tried to pour himself a cup of tea, only to find it had already gone cold. He set the pot down and said, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Feng Tianzong?”
Su Zeyang calmly tied his clothes properly and said, “Do as you please.”
Wen Heyi thought for a moment, then said, “True, you’re not afraid. Feng Tianzong can’t even bear to touch one of your fingers. But your Junior Brother will probably have a miserable time.” As he spoke, he looked toward Huo Fenghua.
Huo Fenghua, wincing, also struggled into his clothes. “Martial Uncle, why press so hard against your own people?” he said.
Wen Heyi only smiled. He picked up the iron plate Su Zeyang had tossed onto the tabletop earlier, glanced at it, then, as if enlightened, tossed it back to Su Zeyang. “There’s no need for me to go tell him. You two sneaking around like this, Feng Tianzong will find out sooner or later. When that day comes, we’ll see what you do.”
Su Zeyang tucked the iron plate into his robe and asked, “Then what’s your purpose in coming tonight?”
Wen Heyi said, “That day, after Shao Feijie withdrew his troops at Luofeng Ridge, I discovered a cave in the valley that was hidden beneath a boulder. Inside the cave there’s a secret passage that leads deep into the body of Luofeng Ridge.”
Huo Fenghua sat at the edge of the bed, listening carefully.
Su Zeyang asked, “What are you getting at?”
Wen Heyi leaned lazily against the table. “Disciple*, disciple, why do you have so little patience? I found something at the end of that passage. You’ll definitely be more interested than I am.”
*[Shizi] (师侄) More accurate, it’s nephew disciple, a term referring to a disciple of one’s martial brother.
Huo Fenghua cut in, “Martial Uncle, you’re already here. Why tease us with riddles? If he doesn’t beg you for information, you won’t say it? Then why’d you come at all?”
Wen Heyi shot him a mildly displeased glare.
Su Zeyang didn’t speak.
So Wen Heyi continued. “I found someone set up a formation down there. You know I’ve never been interested in those crooked arts, curses and arrays, so I can’t tell what it’s meant to do. But on the stone wall beside it, someone carved a name.”
Su Zeyang lifted his head to look at him.
Wen Heyi smiled. “The name was Feng Tianzong.”
Huo Fenghua only half understood. “What does that mean? Was the formation set by Feng Tianzong?”
“No,” Su Zeyang said before Wen Heyi could answer. “It’s a formation related to Feng Tianzong.” His brows knitted slightly. Then he looked at Wen Heyi. “You people want Tianzong dead. Why come tell me this?”
Wen Heyi propped one cheek with his hand. “I want to help Shao Feijie kill Feng Tianzong, yes, but on the battlefield, head-on, in the clash of armies. I don’t have a personal grudge against him, and I can’t stand that kind of sneaky, underhanded trick.”
“Isn’t that underhanded trick something the Xichou side did?” Huo Fenghua said. “This is Xichou territory.”
Wen Heyi said, “That’s not necessarily true. And even if it is, so what? I’m not a Xichou man.”
“Then why are you helping Shao Feijie?” Huo Fenghua couldn’t understand.
Wen Heyi only smiled. “That’s between Shao Feijie and me. It has nothing to do with Xichou or Donglin, and it has nothing to do with Feng Tianzong or with you two.”
Huo Fenghua rubbed his nose, catching the faint scent of something suspicious.
All this time, Su Zeyang had been frowning silently.
Huo Fenghua suddenly guessed what Su Zeyang was thinking. After hesitating, he got up and tried to move closer, but as soon as he took a step he grimaced from the pain.
“Senior Brother,” he said as he reached Su Zeyang’s side, “you want to go see that formation, don’t you?”
Su Zeyang glanced at him.
Huo Fenghua urged, “Go take a look. Otherwise you’ll go back to the capital and still feel unsettled. What if it’s some conspiracy against the General?”
“I’m going,” Su Zeyang said. “I’m only deciding whether to bring you.”
“Of course you’re bringing me,” Huo Fenghua said quickly. “Where you are, I’m there. I’m not going anywhere without you.”
Wen Heyi let out a sigh. “You two don’t need so much nonsense. I came alone. If you want to come with me, then come. If you don’t, I’ll leave right now.”
“We’re going,” Su Zeyang said abruptly. He reached out and grabbed Huo Fenghua by the arm. “You stay with me.”
Wen Heyi flipped back out through the window. Su Zeyang left a short note for the two guards escorting them, then, tugging Huo Fenghua along, also vaulted out through the window. Under cover of night, Wen Heyi rode one horse, while Su Zeyang shared another with Huo Fenghua, heading southwest toward Luofeng Ridge.
Huo Fenghua sat behind Su Zeyang. With his hands still shackled, he could only clutch Su Zeyang’s clothing tightly. He asked in a low voice, “Senior Brother, aren’t you worried he’s setting us up?”
Su Zeyang said, “When I was young, my master brought me back to the sect. Back then, Martial Uncle was still young too. I more or less grew up with him.”
Huo Fenghua rested his head on Su Zeyang’s shoulder and listened closely.
Su Zeyang continued. “You’ve never returned to the sect. The Xianyuan Sect may be small, but since it was founded, our predecessors collected a vast number of books, almost everything under the sun. I was devoted to martial arts from childhood. My master liked odd arts, divination, and Taoist theories. As for martial uncle, he longed to achieve merit on the battlefield, so he read many military texts. I can understand why he’d follow Shao Feijie and oppose Donglin, but using vile methods to harm people is something he’s always disdained.”
Huo Fenghua wasn’t convinced. “He tricked me.”
Su Zeyang didn’t even think before replying. “You tricked me too.”
Huo Fenghua’s heart jolted. He hurriedly hugged Su Zeyang tighter. “I tricked you because I love you. Haven’t you ever heard of a white lie?”
Su Zeyang didn’t answer. Huo Fenghua felt unsettled, not knowing how much Su Zeyang believed what he’d said, or whether he’d never believed it at all.
They rode without stopping, and it still took three days before they returned to Luofeng Ridge.
The old battlefield had been cleaned up, but blood that had seeped into cracks in the stone still showed faintly. Huo Fenghua couldn’t help recalling how brutal that day had been. He murmured, “It’s better not to fight at all.”
Wen Heyi heard him. “If we don’t fight, how do we reclaim Xichou’s lost land?”
“Time changes, dynasties rise and fall. That’s a tide you can’t resist. People talk about resisting, about restoring the nation, but after enough years being ruled, they just get used to it and keep living.”
Wen Heyi glanced at him. “So you truly have no feelings left for Xichou.”
Huo Fenghua sighed on purpose. “Martial Uncle, I grew up in Donglin, and besides, I accept my fate.”
They tied the horses outside the cave, followed Wen Heyi behind the boulder’s crevice, and slipped into the cave. Connected to it was a long secret passage. There were carved steps up and down along the way, clearly man-made.
Huo Fenghua walked between the other two, stepping along the stairs. “Did someone dig out a whole cave just to set up some formation?”
“This cave is obviously old,” Su Zeyang said from behind him. “These aren’t fresh marks.”
“Then why would someone dig a cave like this in the mountain?” Huo Fenghua asked.
No one answered. Clearly neither Wen Heyi nor Su Zeyang knew.
They went up and down through the passage for nearly an hour, seemingly deep into the mountain. There wasn’t a trace of light. Wen Heyi led the way without lighting anything and Huo Fenghua grew tense, always wanting to hold onto something. He slowed until Su Zeyang was right behind him, then groped for Su Zeyang’s hand and clasped it.
Suddenly Wen Heyi said in a low voice, “We’re here.” He took a fire starter from his robe, blew it to life, and stepped onto the last stair.
At last, in the darkness, Huo Fenghua could make out Wen Heyi’s pale-blue silhouette. The flame was weak, and he still couldn’t see the surroundings until Wen Heyi lit several candle stands set into the cave wall.
Light spread. Huo Fenghua saw the stairs ended in a small chamber. The chamber was circular, not large, with a rounded dome ceiling. If he had to describe it, it looked like a steamed bun.
Su Zeyang released Huo Fenghua’s hand and touched the wall-mounted candle stand. “The stands are old, but the candles are new.”
They’d walked a long time through the secret passage without any branching paths. It led only to this chamber. Aside from the entrance they’d used, there was no second exit. The walls were smooth, like the passage itself, clearly cut by human hands.
“Someone dug a road that far, just to carve out a tiny chamber at the end? Why?” Huo Fenghua couldn’t understand.
Wen Heyi said, “Who knows why.”
Su Zeyang had already crouched down. Huo Fenghua looked over and, by the firelight, finally saw dark red markings on the ground, like a pattern drawn in dried blood.
He took two steps back and studied it. It was a large circular formation, nearly covering the entire floor of the chamber.
Remembering what Wen Heyi had said, he walked along the wall for half a circle. There, on the stone, he found carved characters. He traced them carefully with his fingers. But it wasn’t “Feng Tianzong” like Wen Heyi had said. It was “Feng Tiansheng.”
Startled, he said, “Senior Brother, the name carved here is the Left Prime Minister.”
Left Prime Minister Feng was Feng Tianzong’s own elder brother, Feng Tiansheng.
From another perspective, Su Zeyang was quite experienced. He certainly wouldn’t act recklessly. Instead, he set his long sword aside, wrapped one arm around Huo Fenghua’s chest, and playfully twirled his nipple with his fingers. With his other hand, he grasped Huo Fenghua’s slightly flaccid penis, slowly and deliberately stroking it up and down.
Huo Fenghua held his breath, but his body slowly succumbed to the pleasure, and his lower body quickly became erect again.
Su Zeyang kissed his shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Do you like it?” Feng Tianzong often asked him this in bed, and he was always frank; if he liked it, he liked it; if it felt good, it felt good.
Huo Fenghua, however, was too embarrassed to admit it. Being played with by a man until his whole body trembled and he gasped for breath didn’t seem like a glorious thing. He stubbornly said, “Senior Brother, let me… let me touch you. You’ll like it even more.”
“Is that so?” Su Zeyang said indifferently, but his teasing intensified. He lightly touched the tip of Huo Fenghua’s cock with his fingertips, feeling some fluid seeping from the opening.
Huo Fenghua’s legs went weak, and he could no longer support himself.
Suddenly, Su Zeyang’s hand reached towards his ass. His soft body immediately tensed up again, and he turned back to plead, “Senior Brother, be gentle.”
Su Zeyang replied, “Mm.” His hand didn’t stop moving. Eventually, he slid his clean, smooth middle finger and entered the small opening between Huo Fenghua’s ass. At that moment, the warm, soft flesh enveloped his finger, making him sigh, “So tight,” and his finger involuntarily went in even further. Huo Fenghua leaned forward, his handcuffed hands supporting him on the bed, instinctively resisting the fingers probing into his body, and gasped, “It’s too deep.”
Su Zeyang wanted to insert a second finger, but Huo Fenghua tightened up. Su Zeyang said, “Relax!”
Huo Fenghua was covered in sweat, mostly from nervousness. He said, “Let’s not.”
Su Zeyang gently stroked the folds around his anus with his fingers, bent down to lick his earlobe, and whispered, “Hurry up.”
Huo Fenghua finally couldn’t hold back anymore and slightly relaxed his body, allowing Su Zeyang to insert the second finger. He felt a slight swelling and pain and opened his mouth to gasp for air. His waist sagged downwards and his shoulder blades rose high.
Su Zeyang’s fingers explored and expanded inside him, bending his fingers to press against the inner wall.
Huo Fenghua suddenly moaned. He said nervously, “Don’t press there, Senior Brother.”
Su Zeyang, however, began to repeatedly press that spot, asking, “Why?”
Huo Fenghua had never experienced this feeling before. The pleasure seemed to spread instantly, completely different from the previous touch. This uncontrollable pleasure came suddenly and intensely, and his voice began to tremble as he spoke.
Su Zeyang’s rubbing and pressing made Huo Fenghua gasp for breath. With his other hand, he pulled open his own clothes and pants, and when he felt the expansion was sufficient, he replaced his fingers with his erection, slowly pushing it in.
Although his movements were gentle, Huo Fenghua still felt a tearing pain. He wanted to escape several times, but then he thought that it was Su Zeyang, and he could endure it. He only tried his best to cooperate by relaxing his body and eventually allowed Su Zeyang to fully penetrate him. Su Zeyang heard his pained groans but didn’t rush to act. Instead, he reached out to caress him, withdrawing slightly before thrusting back in, deliberately rubbing against the sensitive spot he had found inside him with his fingers.
Huo Fenghua couldn’t help but let out a cry.
Su Zeyang held his slender waist with both hands and began to thrust slowly and rhythmically, hearing Huo Fenghua’s soft moans with each thrust.
After the initial tightness and resistance subsided, he felt the movements becoming smoother. Huo Fenghua’s penis had also swelled, his face flushed. He couldn’t believe that those moans were coming from his own mouth. Every movement of Su Zeyang brought him immense pleasure; even without touching himself, he found he was already painfully hard.
“Senior… Brother—” The simple two words were broken into two by a sudden thrust. Huo Fenghua’s forehead rested weakly on his hand, his burning cheeks pressed against the cold shackles to cool down. He said, “I can’t take it anymore, stop…”
Su Zeyang’s voice was no longer cold, but tinged with seduction, “Not enough yet.”
“Mm, mm…” Huo Fenghua didn’t know what to do. His forehead rested against his wrist, and when he opened his eyes, he saw his own genitals, shamelessly erect under the stimulation of his ass. The head of his cock was red and glistening with cool liquid oozing from the tip.
He struggled to pull his hands free, his forehead resting on the bed, wanting to touch his poor little thing. But as soon as his fingers touched it, the slit of his cock contracted, and a thick liquid instantly shot out, even spraying onto his face.
Huo Fenghua was stunned. Su Zeyang gripped his waist and began to thrust faster, his breathing becoming more rapid. His back muscles tensed, holding Huo Fenghua firmly in front of him, not allowing him to escape.
Huo Fenghua, however, had no strength to escape. He lay limply on the bed, his body swaying with Su Zeyang’s movements. After cumming, his body was incredibly sensitive, and the pleasure continued to build, scaring him a little.
Finally, Su Zeyang thrust himself deeply into Huo Fenghua’s body, breathing heavily with slightly parted lips. Even after fully cumming into Huo Fenghua, Su Zeyang still held his position, refusing to withdraw.
Huo Fenghua’s eyebrows and eyes were flushed. He turned his head to look at Su Zeyang and called out, “Senior Brother.”
Su Zeyang’s chest rose and fell, his long hair slightly damp with sweat. He stared at Huo Fenghua for a while before finally pulling out.
The cum instantly flowed out of Huo Fenghua hole that was slightly still agape.
Huo Fenghua was somewhat dazed. He turned over and lay on his side on the bed, his handcuffed hands reaching towards the headboard. He felt a vague sense of fear, not of anything else, but of the intense pleasure. He was afraid that he would become addicted to it and truly unable to feel pleasure again if it’s not with a man.
Su Zeyang sat beside him, his long black hair cascading down, like an immortal being tainted by worldly desires, both pure and innocent yet unrestrained and debauched. He reached out and touched Huo Fenghua’s face, his fingers still wet with the stain of his cum. A moment later, he got out of bed, naked.
Huo Fenghua stared blankly at Su Zeyang’s slender back. Su Zeyang held something in his hand, and as he passed the brazier, he flicked his wrist and threw it into the burning coals. Then he went to the corner of the room, dampened a piece of cotton cloth, and returned to the bedside. He sat down and reached out to wipe Huo Fenghua’s face.
Huo Fenghua was still staring blankly at his face, and after a moment, he said, “Senior Brother, you’re so handsome.”
Su Zeyang wiped his face clean, then used the same cloth to wipe his own lower body and also wiped away the traces between Huo Fenghua’s legs. Then he threw the cloth on the floor beside the bed and lay back down.
Huo Fenghua turned over to face him, resting his face on Su Zeyang’s shoulder, and said, “Senior Brother, my insides are still burning, like it’s still holding you in.”
Su Zeyang raised his hand to touch his cheek and asked calmly, “Do you like it?”
Huo Fenghua didn’t want to admit it frankly, only saying, “Next time, let me try it. I guarantee I’ll make you cry and scream with pleasure.”
Su Zeyang simply said, “Tianzong can do that,” as if he no longer cared about Huo Fenghua.
Huo Fenghua was slightly displeased. He looked up at him and saw that his gaze was fixed on the bed canopy above, without any emotion. He couldn’t help but raise his head slightly and ask, “Senior Brother, have you tried that with General Feng?”
Su Zeyang didn’t answer.
Huo Fenghua said, “Why not? Is it because he refuses? Ultimately, I love you more, and I’m willing to do anything for you.”
Su Zeyang lowered his gaze and glanced at him.
After a moment, Su Zeyang got out of bed again, walked to the brazier, and squatted down to pick up the fire tongs from the ground. Huo Fenghua carefully observed his bare back, his gaze lingering on his ass, and didn’t notice what Su Zeyang had taken out of the brazier with the tongs until he returned to the bedside. Only then did he see a red-hot iron block clamped in the tongs in his hand.
“What are you doing?” Huo Fenghua asked, surprised.
Su Zeyang said nothing, reached out and grabbed Huo Fenghua’s shoulder, and with a sudden force, flipped him over onto his stomach on the bed.
Huo Fenghua instantly understood Su Zeyang’s intention, and he cried out in panic, “Brother, don’t!”
But it was too late. Su Zeyang pressed the red-hot iron block against Huo Fenghua’s right lower back. Instantly, the flesh there was seared and cracked open, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.
As Huo Fenghua let out a heart-wrenching scream, Su Zeyang had already removed the iron block from his waist and placed it on the table.
This time the pain came without warning, and it was truly excruciating. Huo Fenghua’s eyes almost welled up with tears. When Su Zeyang returned to the bedside, he buried his head in Su Zeyang’s lap and cried, “Senior Brother, how could you be so cruel to me?”
Su Zeyang slowly ran his fingers through his long hair and said, “This is my mark.”
Huo Fenghua cried sadly for a while, then suddenly remembered something else. He reached out to touch his left lower back. It was uneven, and he had always thought it was a scar. Now, could it be another brand?
Before he could examine it carefully, a voice suddenly came from outside the window: “You two shameless men, engaging in such indecent acts here!”
Su Zeyang immediately pushed Huo Fenghua away and got up, simultaneously grabbing his sword and wrapping his naked body in his robe.
“I’m not going back.” No one expected Su Zeyang to say that. He looped an arm around Feng Tianzong’s neck, rested his head against Feng Tianzong’s chest, and said, “I’m going with you to wipe out the Tiantou Stronghold.”
Warmth spread through Feng Tianzong’s chest. He pressed his lips to Su Zeyang’s hair and said, “The battlefield’s dangerous. How could I let you follow me into war?”
Su Zeyang lifted his head to look at him. “If we’re talking martial skill alone, you might not even be my match.”
Feng Tianzong laughed. “But war isn’t a sparring match. Even if your kung fu is strong, charging alone doesn’t mean you can come out unscathed on a battlefield. I know what you’re feeling, but I still want you to go back. And there’s Huo Fenghua too. Keeping him here is a headache.”
Huo Fenghua was kneeling by Feng Tianzong’s feet. Of course he wanted nothing more than to be sent away. The road back from Xichou to Yujing was long, and he’d have chances to slip away. But in front of Feng Tianzong he couldn’t say that. After hesitating, he looked up and said, “General, I want to go to war with you too.”
Feng Tianzong lifted a foot and planted it on Huo Fenghua’s chest, using a little force to kick him over. His voice was cold. “Get out!”
Huo Fenghua took a deep breath. Unwilling as he was, he still got up and backed out.
As the curtain fell behind him, the last thing he saw was Feng Tianzong kissing Su Zeyang. He cursed them silently. When he turned, Feng Tianzong’s deputy, Cong Wenhao, was already waiting at the entrance. “Young Master Huo, please return to your tent.”
Huo Fenghua knew he couldn’t run, so he didn’t struggle. He went back to the nearby tent with Cong Wenhao.
Even though Su Zeyang insisted on following Feng Tianzong to the battlefield, Feng Tianzong still held firm and ordered Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua to return to Yujing together. He assigned two personal guards to escort them.
Before they set out, he personally clamped a pair of fine iron shackles onto Huo Fenghua’s wrists and handed the key to a guard named Song Wei. “Don’t unlock them until you reach the General’s Manor in Yujing. And keep your eyes on him the whole way. Don’t let him get close to Young Master Su, understand?”
Song Wei replied, “This subordinate will obey the General’s orders.”
Feng Tianzong also gave Song Wei a letter to deliver to the old steward of the General’s Manor, Lu Xi, once they reached Yujing. The letter detailed how Lu Xi was to handle Huo Fenghua.
Then Feng Tianzong personally helped Su Zeyang onto his horse, held his hand, and said, “Be careful on the road.”
Su Zeyang cupped Feng Tianzong’s cheek. “I’ll wait for you at home.”
Feng Tianzong smiled slightly. “I’ll return with victory as soon as possible.”
He released Su Zeyang and stepped back.
Su Zeyang urged his horse forward. Even as it started walking, he kept turning his head to look back at Feng Tianzong. Only when the horse ran faster and faster did he finally have to face forward, tighten his grip on the reins, and look down the road.
Huo Fenghua’s hands were shackled, so Feng Tianzong’s two guards took turns hauling him along on horseback. He watched Su Zeyang ahead of him, white robes fluttering, and couldn’t stop himself from wanting to call out to his senior brother, but Song Wei immediately warned him to shut up and not speak to Young Master Su.
They set out before dawn and rotated among three horses. They didn’t stop all day, only lodging at an inn in a small Xichou town when the sky was turning dark.
The town had been occupied by Donglin troops. Soldiers patrolled day and night. Like Licheng before, the whole place felt desolate, and there weren’t many guests at the inn either.
Because Feng Tianzong’s guards wouldn’t allow Huo Fenghua and Su Zeyang to speak, after dinner they hurried them back to their rooms to rest early.
Both rooms were on the second floor, two adjacent “upper rooms.” But the moment Huo Fenghua entered his room, Song Wei locked the door from the outside.
Huo Fenghua’s shackles were still on. Hearing the lock, he went to the door and shoved at it. “Isn’t this a bit much?”
Song Wei said, “I’ll open the door for you at dawn tomorrow. Please rest well, Young Master Huo.”
Huo Fenghua glanced at the iron on his wrists, furious. “Rest my ass.”
After Song Wei left, Huo Fenghua went to the window and opened it. Looking down, he saw the inn’s outer wall was smooth, with no ledges at all. The first floor was high. He didn’t know martial arts, and if he jumped, he’d probably break his legs. No wonder Song Wei wasn’t afraid of him climbing out. He’d only locked the door.
Huo Fenghua went back and sat at the edge of the bed, took a few deep breaths to calm himself, and only then noticed the room was chilly. In the corner was a brazier for guests, but the coals were out. He walked over, wanting to light it, but with his hands shackled, even reaching into his robe for a fire starter was difficult.
Anger rising, another thought occurred to him. He went to the window and peered toward the next room, lowering his voice. “Senior Brother… Senior Brother…”
After a moment, Su Zeyang’s window opened. Su Zeyang leaned out to look at him.
Huo Fenghua said softly, “Senior Brother, my bed over here is cold and hard. Can I sleep in your room tonight?”
Su Zeyang withdrew with a cold expression. A moment later he leaned out again and extended the sheath of his sword toward Huo Fenghua.
Huo Fenghua was instantly delighted. He struggled up onto the window ledge, leaned out as far as he could, and gripped the tip of the sheath with both shackled hands. Su Zeyang lifted the sword slightly and, with a practiced pull, drew Huo Fenghua out through the window. Then he seized Huo Fenghua’s arm and hauled him into the room.
The moment Huo Fenghua got inside, he felt a faint warmth. Su Zeyang had already lit the brazier.
Huo Fenghua hurried over, warmed his hands by the coals, and sighed in comfort.
Su Zeyang half-closed the window and came back to the brazier too, using a metal tong to stir the coals.
Huo Fenghua looked up at him. “You’re the best, Senior Brother. Let me stay here tonight, okay?”
Su Zeyang’s face was calm, but he nodded.
Huo Fenghua’s heart leapt, though he didn’t show it. After watching Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang together day after day, he’d long since been restless. Climbing over tonight was partly because the other room was cold and lonely, and partly because he had thoughts he didn’t dare say out loud.
Su Zeyang blew out the candle on the table. But with the brazier’s glow, the room was still bright.
Huo Fenghua turned and saw Su Zeyang already climb onto the bed. He quickly trotted over too, kicked off his boots, and squeezed onto Su Zeyang’s bed.
Su Zeyang lay on his back on the inside. Huo Fenghua raised his shackled wrists for him to see. “Senior Brother, have Song Wei take these off for me. They’re miserable.”
“That’s Tianzong’s decision,” Su Zeyang said. “Song Wei won’t listen to me.”
Huo Fenghua knew that too. He lowered his hands, sighed heavily, and said, “Then I’ll wear them all the way back to Yujing.”
Su Zeyang didn’t speak.
Huo Fenghua shot him a look, complaining, “Senior Brother, sometimes you’re pretty cruel.”
Su Zeyang finally looked at him, tilting his head slightly. “Am I?”
That innocent look on a face as refined as a painting made Huo Fenghua’s skin prickle. He braced himself and leaned in to kiss Su Zeyang.
Su Zeyang opened his mouth, allowing Huo Fenghua to delve his tongue in. Feeling his soft, wet tongue randomly licking and sucking in his mouth, he reached out and caressed Huo Fenghua’s waist.
Huo Fenghua’s heart was filled with excitement. He wanted to hug Su Zeyang, but the handcuffs prevented him. He could only raise his hands, reaching over Su Zeyang’s head to embrace the back of his neck.
Su Zeyang’s hand slipped under the hem of Huo Fenghua’s shirt, slowly caressing his smooth skin.
Huo Fenghua felt a tingling sensation. When Su Zeyang’s slightly cool fingers slid to his chest, and two slender fingers pinched one of his nipples, he couldn’t help but gasp. Feeling dissatisfied, he hooked one leg between Su Zeyang’s legs, grabbed his shoulders, and made him turn over and lie on top of him. Then, his hands smoothly slid down his back, cupping and kneading his ass. Su Zeyang soon let out a low groan of unbearable pleasure. Both of their cocks were hard and were pressing against each other.
As Huo Fenghua felt Su Zeyang’s kisses on his neck, his shirt collar was pulled open, and Su Zeyang lightly licked his collarbone, then slowly trailed down until his soft lips enveloped one of Huo Fenghua’s nipples. He teased it, sucking and circling it with his tongue. Huo Fenghua felt a tingling sensation, and he called out, “Senior Brother—” realizing his voice was unsteady.
Su Zeyang held his nipple in his mouth and glanced at him, his eyes still indifferent and emotionless, yet the combination of his actions made Huo Fenghua see a hint of lewdness.
Huo Fenghua, unwilling to give up, tried to take off Su Zeyang’s trousers, feeling along his smooth ass to find the opening, but was suddenly grabbed by the wrist by Su Zeyang.
Su Zeyang slowly pulled himself out of his embrace, sat up straight, and looked at him, while still holding his hand and pulling him up as well.
Huo Fenghua called out in surprise and uncertainty, “Senior Brother?”
Su Zeyang pulled Huo Fenghua up and turned him over on the bed, so he was in a kneeling position. He then pressed himself against Huo Fenghua from behind while his nimble fingers parted Huo Fenghua’s clothing, pulling down his trousers.
Huo Fenghua understood Su Zeyang’s intention and was immediately terrified. He had given his first experience with a man to Su Zeyang, but that was through the front. He knew that his back was still untouched, and he didn’t want to easily let someone penetrate him there.
He felt Su Zeyang’s erect cock pressing against his ass and quickly called out, “Wait, wait a minute! Senior Brother, you can’t do that. Let me do it instead.”
Su Zeyang ignored him, simply unbuttoning his own trousers and pressing himself tightly against Huo Fenghua’s ass. Huo Fenghua felt that firm warmth and instantly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. He started to struggle.
Su Zeyang reached for his long sword from the bedside, holding the sword and its sheath horizontally against Huo Fenghua’s neck, and said calmly, “I want to do it.”
Huo Fenghua’s heart tightened. He used the shackles on his wrists to block Su Zeyang’s sword, trying to push it away, saying, “Senior Brother, you really can’t do this. Did I not satisfy you enough that time?” He had forgotten that in the end, he was the one who had to relieve Su Zeyang with his hand.
Su Zeyang didn’t argue with him. Instead, he withdrew his sword from its sheath, creating a clanging sound. A glint of sword light flashed in Huo Fenghua’s eyes as he heard Su Zeyang said coldly, “Let me do it.”
Huo Fenghua’s whole body stiffened and sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. He softened his body and said tremblingly, “Senior Brother, this is my first time. Please be gentle.”
Huo Fenghua waited the entire night in the tent and still didn’t see Su Zeyang come back. Lying on the couch, he sighed, rolled over limply, and drawled out a long, soft “Senior Brother…” without even knowing who he was calling it for.
In the end he was too exhausted. Even with his eyes closed, he still fell asleep. He slept for a long time. When he woke again, daylight was already bright and outside came waves of hoofbeats and the footsteps of soldiers patrolling the camp.
He got up and saw Su Zeyang still hadn’t returned. He lifted the tent flap and tried to go out.
Two spearheads crossed in front of him. The guards said, “The General has given orders. Young Master is not permitted to leave the tent!”
Huo Fenghua froze. “Why am I not permitted to leave the tent?”
The soldier didn’t argue with him, only said coldly, “The General has given orders. They must not be disobeyed!”
Anger rose in Huo Fenghua’s chest. “Fine. Then I’ll stand right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
The soldier said, “Please return inside the tent, Young Master!”
Huo Fenghua looked at the two of them, but they didn’t look back at him and only bore cold, indifferent faces. Helpless, he retreated one step back into the tent. He stuck only his head out from behind the curtain and said, “The General didn’t say I can’t stick my head out of the tent, did he?”
The two soldiers said nothing.
Huo Fenghua smiled again. “And the General didn’t say I’m not allowed to talk, did he?” Then he raised his voice and shouted, “Senior Brother! Senior Brother! Save me!”
After shouting like that for a while, the curtain of the central command tent not far away lifted, and Su Zeyang walked out. He glanced at Huo Fenghua first, then came over slowly.
Huo Fenghua looked up at him pitifully. “The General won’t let me come out.”
Su Zeyang said coolly, “Let him go.”
The two soldiers knew Su Zeyang’s status was anything but ordinary, and they looked troubled. “But the General has orders…”
Su Zeyang said, “I’ll take responsibility.”
The two soldiers exchanged a look and drew their spears back.
Huo Fenghua hurried out. Seeing Su Zeyang turn to leave, he chased after him and asked softly, “Senior Brother, General Feng isn’t here?”
Su Zeyang headed back into the central tent. “He went to scout.”
Huo Fenghua said, “Does the General still need to scout personally?”
Su Zeyang didn’t answer. He only asked, “Have you eaten breakfast?”
“Not yet.”
Su Zeyang pointed to a small table in the corner. Bowls and plates were set out, along with steamed buns and hot tea. “Go eat something.”
Huo Fenghua really was hungry. He sat at the table, drank a mouthful of hot tea first, then took a big bite out of a bun.
Su Zeyang stood before a sand table and studied the terrain intently.
After eating and drinking his fill, Huo Fenghua went over and looked at the sand table with him. At first glance he saw a mountain range. Between two peaks stood a small sign that read: Luofeng Ridge.
He pointed at it. “So this is Luofeng Ridge?”
A short distance east of Luofeng Ridge sat their current camp.
Su Zeyang said, “This is Luofeng Ridge.” His long fingers indicated Luofeng Ridge, then moved slowly southwest, to the very edge of the sand table where the terrain was unclear. There was only a sign that read: Tiantou Stronghold.
For some reason, Huo Fenghua felt the name was familiar.
Su Zeyang’s slender finger tapped Tiantou Stronghold. “Tiantou Stronghold sits in dense forest on a hillside. It covers a wide area and is easy to defend, hard to attack. The terrain layout is unclear. Xichou’s remnants are very likely camped there.”
Huo Fenghua suddenly remembered that Wen Heyi had mentioned Tiantou Stronghold. He pressed his lips together, stole a look at Su Zeyang, and decided to pretend he knew nothing.
It was true he liked Su Zeyang, and he didn’t want to go back to Xichou and become a prince of a fallen state, but he also didn’t want to help Feng Tianzong attack Xichou. Whether Donglin or Xichou lived or died had nothing to do with him. He had no feelings for either side.
“Senior Brother,” Huo Fenghua said, “you treat the General too well.”
Su Zeyang looked at him.
Huo Fenghua reached out and took his hand. “If you treated me half as well as you treat the General, I’d be satisfied.”
Su Zeyang said evenly, “I don’t treat you well?”
Huo Fenghua held his hand and pulled him to sit on the couch in front. This couch was where Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang had been together the night before. Huo Fenghua squatted by Su Zeyang’s feet and couldn’t help stroking the tiger pelt on the couch, only to find the fur was coarse and prickly. It only felt right if you stroked it in the right direction.
He couldn’t help asking, “Senior Brother, did the fur prick your ass?” The image from last night flashed through his mind, and his face heated in spite of himself.
Su Zeyang looked at him coldly and didn’t answer.
Huo Fenghua glanced up, unable to read his mood. He changed the subject. “Senior Brother, can I leave this place?”
Su Zeyang asked, “You want to go?”
Huo Fenghua sat down by his feet and pressed his face against Su Zeyang’s leg. “What else? Stay here and watch you two be intimate?”
Su Zeyang lifted a hand and lightly wound a strand of Huo Fenghua’s hair around his finger. “You can’t go. You’re coming back to Yujing with me.”
“And then what?” Huo Fenghua couldn’t help getting worked up. “Be locked in that side courtyard in the General’s Manor for the rest of my life? You never even come to see me!”
Su Zeyang answered slowly, “I’ll come see you.”
Huo Fenghua said, “That still won’t do! Unless you move in with me. We’ll be together day and night, just the two of us!”
Su Zeyang’s fingers stopped moving.
Huo Fenghua knew perfectly well Su Zeyang would never agree, and he’d never truly expected to live with him like that, but seeing Su Zeyang’s reaction still made him feel a little sad. He fell silent, tilting his head to rest on Su Zeyang’s knee.
Su Zeyang’s fingers were cool as they brushed lightly over Huo Fenghua’s cheek.
After a moment of silence, Huo Fenghua asked, “Other than going back to the General’s Manor, do I have any other choice?”
Su Zeyang said softly, “Not for now.”
Huo Fenghua sighed inwardly. He’d expected that, and he knew he couldn’t blame Su Zeyang. Still, he felt bitterly melancholy. He stared ahead, lost in thought, thinking that since Su Zeyang wouldn’t let him go, he’d have to slip away on his own. Going back to the General’s Manor wasn’t impossible. At least slipping away from Su Zeyang would be easier than slipping away from Feng Tianzong. He’d behave for a few more days and see how Feng Tianzong planned to arrange things.
But then Su Zeyang said, “Maybe later there can be. I’ll always find a way. I won’t trap you there for a lifetime.”
Huo Fenghua froze. He lifted his head to look at Su Zeyang and saw Su Zeyang looking back at him. His emotions churned. He turned to face Su Zeyang, knelt upright, straightened his back, and caught a lock of Su Zeyang’s long hair, tugging just enough to make him bend down. Then he pressed his lips to Su Zeyang’s and kissed him.
Unfortunately, before the kiss could deepen, hoofbeats sounded outside the tent, coming fast from far away, then stopping abruptly at the entrance.
Huo Fenghua hurriedly shoved Su Zeyang backward. Feng Tianzong lifted the curtain and strode in. Huo Fenghua went with the motion, putting both hands on Su Zeyang’s leg as if he were massaging it, cold sweat soaking his forehead.
Feng Tianzong marched in, and seeing Huo Fenghua, demanded, “Who let him out?”
“I did,” Su Zeyang answered.
Feng Tianzong shot him a hard look but didn’t flare up.
Su Zeyang stood and guided Feng Tianzong to sit on the couch.
Huo Fenghua tried to stand too, but Feng Tianzong said, “Did I tell you to get up?” So Huo Fenghua obediently stayed kneeling, feeling the heat of Feng Tianzong’s body mixed with the chill of his armor wash over him.
Su Zeyang reached out to help Feng Tianzong remove his armor. One of Feng Tianzong’s long legs stretched out in front of Huo Fenghua. Huo Fenghua glanced at it and reached out to knead it.
Feng Tianzong said, “We found two Xichou men to guide us to Tiantou Stronghold.”
His voice sounded a little rough. Su Zeyang turned to pour him a cup of tea and brought it to his lips.
Feng Tianzong looked at the cup, then suddenly said, “Feed me.” As he spoke, he wrapped an arm around Su Zeyang’s waist and pulled him down onto his thigh.
Huo Fenghua was kneading Feng Tianzong’s leg and nearly got his hands crushed. He quickly pulled them back, hesitated, then continued kneading Feng Tianzong’s calf.
Feng Tianzong had already been with Su Zeyang for half the night, yet now it seemed his interest had risen again. He made Su Zeyang hold the tea in his mouth, then kissed him and drew the water over, all while sliding one hand under Su Zeyang’s robe hem to knead his waist.
Huo Fenghua heard Su Zeyang let out a soft hum. Rage and resentment flared. Without realizing it, his hands tightened.
Feng Tianzong suddenly released Su Zeyang and lowered his head, barking, “What are you doing?”
Huo Fenghua snapped back to himself and realized he’d kneaded all the way down onto Feng Tianzong’s instep. He paused, then said, “The General’s tired from riding. I’m helping massage your feet.”
Feng Tianzong didn’t respond to him. He only said to Su Zeyang, “Tomorrow at dawn we’ll break camp. I’ll send men to escort you back to Yujing. You’ll leave tomorrow morning as well.”
Huo Fenghua untied Feng Tianzong’s belt, took a deep breath, and pulled down his pants a little, revealing his cock hanging between his legs beneath a thick patch of pubic hair. Even though it was still soft, it was quite large.
He reached out and grasped it, then thought he should compliment Feng Tianzong, so he said, “General, you are truly magnificent and powerful!” After saying this, he looked up at Feng Tianzong but saw Feng Tianzong staring at him expressionlessly. Feeling foolish, he lowered his head again, lifted the heavy organ, and, following the techniques he’d learned from Japanese movies in his previous life, licked it with his tongue.
After licking it, he found there was no unbearable odor, so he opened his mouth again and took the rounded head into his mouth, trying to swallow a section of it. Soon, Feng Tianzong’s penis hardened and swelled in Huo Fenghua’s mouth, making his entire mouth feel uncomfortable. He then spat it out and gently licked it with the tip of his tongue.
Huo Fenghua breathed slightly, thinking that since he had gone this far, he might as well try to please Feng Tianzong and make him lower his guard so he could find a way to escape.
He glanced at Feng Tianzong, then pressed his face against his large glans, gently rubbing against it. This was a subtle act of submission, as if worshipping, allowing a man to have his cock pressed against one’s face, which could bring the other party great satisfaction.
Sure enough, Huo Fenghua felt the thing in his hand harden even more. He looked at Feng Tianzong and saw that Feng Tianzong was still expressionless, but his eyes were slightly red, and his lips were tightly pressed together. Then, Feng Tianzong grabbed his erection and slapped Huo Fenghua’s face with it. Huo Fenghua slightly turned his face away, suppressing the curses that almost escaped his mouth. He bit his lip and said, “The General is truly amazing.”
Feng Tianzong’s voice was slightly hoarse, “Since you think I’m so amazing, why don’t you continue?”
Huo Fenghua then lowered his head again, opening his mouth to take Feng Tianzong’s cock that was now hard as steel.
This time, Feng Tianzong reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, pressing his head down. The thick, fleshy column immediately poked deep into his throat, causing him to gag reflexively. He tried to lift his head, but as soon as he did, Feng Tianzong pressed his head down again, each time deeper than the last.
Huo Fenghua felt his head throbbing with pain. The feeling of something repeatedly being thrust deep into his throat was unbearable. Besides nausea, he also had difficulty breathing. He began to whimper, raising his hand to press against Feng Tianzong’s arm, then gripping it tightly.
After Feng Tianzong had thrust his cock in and out more than a dozen times, he suddenly released his grip.
Huo Fenghua immediately fell backward, his face flushed red, saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth. He propped himself up with his arms, retreating backward repeatedly, and said in a hoarse voice, “General, please spare me, I can’t take it anymore.”
Feng Tianzong’s eyes were red, and he glared at him fiercely. After a long pause, he shouted, “Zeyang, come in!”
Su Zeyang, who had been waiting outside the tent, lifted the curtain and entered. He first glanced at Huo Fenghua, then slowly walked to Feng Tianzong’s side. Feng Tianzong roughly grabbed his arm, flipped him over, and pressed him down onto the couch beneath him, forcefully kissing his face and neck.
Su Zeyang gently pushed Feng Tianzong away, frowning at him. After being stared at by Su Zeyang for a while, Feng Tianzong’s expression softened slightly. He lowered his head and gently kissed Su Zeyang’s earlobe, then his kisses slowly moved from his jaw to his lips. This time, Su Zeyang accepted Feng Tianzong’s kiss.
Huo Fenghua was still lying half-prone on the ground. He looked at the two for a while, then rolled over and tried to sneak out of the tent.
“Don’t leave!” Feng Tianzong’s hand had already slipped inside Su Zeyang’s clothes, but he simultaneously distracted himself to stop Huo Fenghua, “Wait outside the tent!”
Huo Fenghua quietly replied, “Yes, General,” and quickly retreated outside.
Two of Feng Tianzong’s personal guards were standing on either side of the tent entrance. As soon as Huo Fenghua took a step, two long spears blocked his way. He quickly said, “I’m not leaving, I’m not leaving. I’m just changing to a more comfortable position.”
After saying that, he simply leaned against the tent and sat down.
At this point, he realized that the tent’s single layer of fabric wasn’t soundproof at all. Sitting by the entrance, he could clearly hear the sound of the two people’s clothes rubbing against each other, and even faint moans. He looked up at the two guards, seeing that their faces were calm and completely unmoved, so he had to lower his head and continue listening.
Things inside the tent seemed to be getting more intense. Huo Fenghua pressed his ear against the tent flap and heard Su Zeyang’s low gasps.
He couldn’t resist his curiosity and lifted a corner of the curtain, only to find that Su Zeyang had been stripped naked. His fair and smooth body was half-lying on the tiger skin rug on the couch, his long hair disheveled, and he was breathing slightly, his head tilted back. Feng Tianzong had already removed his upper garment. His skin had the healthy complexion of someone who had spent years honing his body on the battlefield, with broad shoulders, a slender waist, and firm muscles. He knelt by the edge of the bed, spreading Su Zeyang’s legs apart, and then bent down to gently bite and suck on one of his nipples.
Su Zeyang seemed to enjoy it immensely. He closed his eyes, moaning, one hand resting on Feng Tianzong’s shoulder, the other on the tiger skin rug, his fingers sinking into the golden-yellow tiger fur.
Huo Fenghua felt as if his heart was being squeezed.
Suddenly, Su Zeyang opened his eyes, and from his angle, he could see Huo Fenghua secretly peeking from outside the tent.
The two stared at each other for a long time without looking away. At this moment, Feng Tianzong reached out and lifted Su Zeyang’s head, their lips meeting. Su Zeyang opened his mouth to receive Feng Tianzong’s intrusion, while simultaneously reaching out to grasp Feng Tianzong’s large cock, gently caressing it with his fingertips.
Su Zeyang’s face was flushed from Feng Tianzong’s kisses, but he still didn’t avert his gaze from Huo Fenghua.
Huo Fenghua suddenly felt his own face flush. His body began to heat up, and he could only press his face against the curtain, reaching out to slightly pull open his collar.
Su Zeyang’s gaze slowly followed Huo Fenghua’s opened collar, and at this moment, Feng Tianzong’s calloused hands forcefully kneaded Su Zeyang’s firm ass. Su Zeyang couldn’t help but groan loudly, his eyes hazy, his hands tightly wrapped around Feng Tianzong’s shoulders.
When Huo Fenghua noticed Su Zeyang looking at his collar, he suddenly had an idea. He pulled his collar open a little more, until one of his pale nipples was exposed. Su Zeyang’s body trembled. He hugged Feng Tianzong tightly and whispered in his ear, “Tianzong—”
Feng Tianzong said in a deep voice, “Do you want it?”
Su Zeyang nodded slightly.
Feng Tianzong persisted, “Do you want it? Tell me?”
Su Zeyang said, “I want it.”
Feng Tianzong then lifted his legs and pressed his cock against Su Zeyang’s ass. He slowly, but firmly, pushed the head in through the tender opening and gradually inserted himself into Su Zeyang’s body.
Su Zeyang gasped for breath, his body supple, his legs easily bending back to his chest. He reached out and hugged Feng Tianzong, kissing him passionately. After the kiss, Feng Tianzong rested his head against Su Zeyang’s neck, thrusting powerfully; his back covered in glistening sweat, his breathing becoming heavier and more rapid.
Huo Fenghua slumped to the ground, one hand supporting himself against the edge of the tent flap and gently stroked his chest.
Su Zeyang clung to Feng Tianzong’s back, his eyes fixed on Huo Fenghua’s chest as he licked the sweat from Feng Tianzong’s shoulder.
Huo Fenghua instantly felt a swelling in his lower body, and he silently reached out and grasped himself.
Meanwhile, Feng Tianzong increased the speed of his thrusting. He straightened his back, using all his strength to completely push himself into Su Zeyang’s body, feeling the wet, soft embrace. Su Zeyang groaned continuously, clearly experiencing repeated waves of pleasure. He reached out and touched Feng Tianzong’s face, calling his name, “Tianzong, Tianzong…”
Feng Tianzong whispered in his ear, “I love you.”
Then followed even more intense lovemaking and thrusting. …
When everything had calmed down, Huo Fenghua found himself completely drenched. He pulled his clothes together and, leaning on the doorframe, stood up.
Feng Tianzong had released himself once inside Su Zeyang, but he didn’t feel satisfied. He finally thought of Huo Fenghua and, without looking back, said, “You can go now.”
Huo Fenghua saw Su Zeyang give him a satisfied look, and said in an unsteady voice, “Thank you, General.” Then he walked outside.
A cold wind blew outside the tent, and Huo Fenghua couldn’t help but shiver. He pulled his clothes tighter, feeling his throat dry and sore. He looked up at the distance and couldn’t help but shout, “Oh god!”
After that, Feng Tianzong didn’t make things difficult for Huo Fenghua again. Instead, he led his men and focused on traveling as fast as possible. In less than two days, they were back at the garrison camp.
Feng Tianzong had originally led two hundred thousand troops on a campaign against Xichou. Now, aside from a small amount of territory along the border, he could be said to have nearly occupied all of Xichou. The two hundred thousand troops were stationed across Xichou as garrisons to prevent unrest among the people and to guard against counterattacks by Xichou’s remnants.
The force currently at his side was only close to twenty thousand. They had pushed deep into Xichou’s heartland precisely to hunt down Xichou’s grand marshal Shao Feijie, his remaining troops, and that Xichou crown prince Huo Fengnian who’d been seized out of Huijing.
These twenty thousand men were camped at a place in Xichou called Liangcheng Slope. When Feng Tianzong had left the camp with fifty personal guards, he had only left one deputy, Cong Wenhao, behind to hold the fort.
Cong Wenhao had been worried all along that Shao Feijie had lured Feng Tianzong away, and he feared Xichou troops would raid the camp. He’d ordered the soldiers to stay on high alert. Today, when he heard that Feng Tianzong was returning with troops, his spirits lifted at once, and he went out beyond the camp to greet him.
Feng Tianzong returned with a little over ten personal guards. He didn’t look outright bedraggled, but he was covered in travel dust, and with only a bit over ten surviving out of fifty, it was obvious how brutal their ordeal outside had been.
From afar, Cong Wenhao knelt and saluted. “This subordinate pays respects to the General.”
Feng Tianzong rode alone to the camp gate, leapt down from his horse, handed the reins to a waiting soldier, then strode into the camp as he said, “Get up. Prepare water for me. After I bathe and change, summon all commanders to the central command tent to discuss matters.”
He didn’t spare Su Zeyang a glance, nor did he say how Su Zeyang should be settled.
Cong Wenhao did recognize Su Zeyang. When he lifted his head and saw Su Zeyang dismounting, he blurted in surprise, “Madam*?” Then, afraid Su Zeyang wouldn’t like that form of address, he quickly changed it. “Young Master Su, why are you here?”
*[Furen] (夫人) It’s a respectful title and form of address to a married woman.
Su Zeyang didn’t answer. He only raised his head to look at Huo Fenghua on horseback. “Can you get down?”
Huo Fenghua held out one hand. Su Zeyang took it and helped him down.
Cong Wenhao had seen Huo Fenghua in Yujing, and once at the General’s Manor as well. He’d previously heard the General’s wife and concubine had gone missing together, but he hadn’t expected they’d both ended up in Xichou. He was quick-witted. After a moment of stunned silence, he saluted Huo Fenghua too, then immediately ordered soldiers to arrange tents for the two madams and to prepare hot water and clean clothes.
Su Zeyang nodded to him in thanks and supported Huo Fenghua as they walked into the camp.
Only then did Cong Wenhao grab Peng Po as he passed by and ask, “What happened?”
Peng Po sighed. “It’s a long story.”
The tent Cong Wenhao arranged for Su Zeyang and the others wasn’t far from the central command tent. Wooden tubs filled with hot water were already set up inside, and soft, clean new clothes were placed nearby. Feng Tianzong hadn’t given instructions, and Cong Wenhao didn’t think too deeply about it. He only thought that since they were Feng Tianzong’s wife and concubine, putting them in one tent for the time being wasn’t inappropriate.
After they entered the tent, the attending soldiers withdrew, leaving only the two of them.
Su Zeyang had Huo Fenghua bathe first. He himself sat leaning against one side of the tent entrance, wiping down his sword.
Huo Fenghua slowly removed his clothes, endured the aching soreness all over his body, and stepped into the tub. The relief of hot water soaking into his skin made him groan. He lay against the rim of the tub and panted for a moment before lifting his head and saying, “Senior Brother, come wash with me too.”
Su Zeyang bent one leg, tilting his head slightly back, his attention fixed on the sword in his hands, and didn’t respond.
So Huo Fenghua said, “Senior Brother, is that sword called Qinghong?”
Su Zeyang’s movements paused slightly, though his gaze didn’t shift. “You’ve heard of it?”
Huo Fenghua said, “The Qinghong Sword. Its name is legendary.”
Su Zeyang showed no reaction, as if he didn’t care about fame or titles at all.
Huo Fenghua stared at him. “General Feng seems angry.”
Ever since Su Zeyang had saved Huo Fenghua from Feng Tianzong’s whip, on the journey back Feng Tianzong had stopped speaking to Su Zeyang, leaving only a face cold as frost.
Su Zeyang set the sword down now. Looking somewhat troubled, he said, “Yes, Tianzong’s angry.”
Huo Fenghua sighed. “How about I go tell him it was me who forced you, and that you’re still completely devoted to him, so he shouldn’t be mad at you.”
Su Zeyang looked at him. “I told you not to bring up what happened that day again, and you still don’t understand no matter what anyone says.”
Huo Fenghua lifted a hand to press his chest. “Maybe it’s only once in a lifetime. How could I bear to pretend it never happened? I’m going to think about you for the rest of my life.”
This time Su Zeyang didn’t speak. He only picked up the sword with one hand, then silently set it aside again.
After Huo Fenghua finished bathing, Su Zeyang called someone in to replace the water with a clean tub. Then he stood by the tub and began undressing.
Huo Fenghua sat on a soft couch, his clothing only loosely tied, his chest open as he lowered his head to examine his injuries. A large bruise spread across his ribs, all from being scraped on the ground, and there were bloody scratches at his collarbone where stones had cut him. He only felt wretched.
When he happened to look up, he found Su Zeyang was already naked. His build was even, his legs long, and even the thing between his legs was pale and pleasing. Huo Fenghua’s breathing quickened. Unable to help himself, he rose from the couch and walked to the tub to look more closely.
Su Zeyang sat down into the tub, feeling a bit tired himself, and leaned back against the tub wall with his eyes closed.
Huo Fenghua leaned over the rim. “I’ll wash your hair.” As he spoke, his fingers hooked a strand of Su Zeyang’s black hair, smooth and slippery to the touch. Then he bent to scoop water from the tub and slowly poured it over Su Zeyang’s head.
Feng Tianzong convened his subordinates to discuss matters. After the meeting ended, he stopped Cong Wenhao and asked, “Where’s Su Zeyang?”
Cong Wenhao hurriedly replied, “I’ve already arranged the left-side auxiliary camp for the two madams.”
“The two madams?” Feng Tianzong’s face darkened at once.
By now the sky was fully late. Aside from a faint pale glow lingering at the far edge of the heavens, everything around had sunk into darkness, and torches were lit inside the tents.
Cong Wenhao sensed Feng Tianzong’s mood was bad, but he didn’t know what he’d done wrong. He half-knelt uneasily, lowered his head, and said, “Yes. The two madams are temporarily settled in one tent.”
Feng Tianzong said in a low voice, “Bring Su Zeyang to see me.” After a brief pause, he added, “Bring Huo Fenghua as well.”
After Cong Wenhao withdrew, Feng Tianzong lay half-reclined on a couch, the back of his hand lightly stroking the tiger pelt spread over it. He and Su Zeyang had been together for years. He understood him too well. Su Zeyang was cold by nature. If it wasn’t someone he cared about, he wouldn’t even spare them a second glance. How could he possibly protect someone in every way like this? On the road back, Feng Tianzong could’ve forced Su Zeyang to explain, yet in the end he couldn’t bring himself to ask. It wasn’t so much that he couldn’t bear it as that he didn’t dare. He was afraid Su Zeyang would truly admit he cared for Huo Fenghua. If that happened, Feng Tianzong honestly wouldn’t know what to do with himself.
He narrowed his eyes and slammed his right fist down hard on the couch.
At that moment, Su Zeyang had already reached the tent entrance. He lifted the curtain and was about to step inside when Feng Tianzong suddenly said, “Stop.”
Feng Tianzong saw Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua appear one after the other outside the tent. Both had changed into clean clothes, their long hair loose. Fury surged, and he changed his mind. Pointing at Huo Fenghua, he said, “You come in. Zeyang, wait outside the tent.”
Huo Fenghua’s heart jolted. He looked to Su Zeyang for help.
But Su Zeyang had no intention of shielding him at this moment. He simply stood quietly outside the entrance.
Huo Fenghua had to draw a deep breath and push the curtain aside with one hand as he went in. Inside the tent he hesitated, then knelt, respectfully saying, “This one pays respects to the General.”
Feng Tianzong leaned back on the soft couch; his right arm hooked around his bent right leg while his left leg stretched out. He looked at Huo Fenghua with a wild, unrestrained posture and said, “Come closer.”
Still kneeling, Huo Fenghua shuffled forward a little.
Feng Tianzong reached for the Fulong Whip beside him. “Do you want me to force you?”
Huo Fenghua hurriedly got up, trotted a few steps to Feng Tianzong, and dropped to his knees again. His nose was almost against Feng Tianzong’s knee as he said, “General, please give your orders. There’s no need to use the whip.”
Feng Tianzong grabbed Huo Fenghua by his still slightly damp hair, forcing him to tilt his face up, and examined him closely.
Huo Fenghua had delicate, handsome features. His skin was fair, his eyes round, his lips small. Back when he’d lived a life of indulgence as a hostage in Yujing, Feng Tianzong had already known he looked decent. But no matter how good a face was, in Feng Tianzong’s eyes he was nothing but a waste of food and drink. Even after marrying him into the General’s Manor, Feng Tianzong had never once looked at him properly.
Up to now, this was the first time Feng Tianzong had studied Huo Fenghua’s face so carefully, wanting to see what skill he had that could bewitch Su Zeyang.
Huo Fenghua blinked. Softly, he said, “General, my neck’s really sore. Can you let go and talk properly?”
Only then did Feng Tianzong slowly release him.
Huo Fenghua let out a breath, raised a hand to rub the back of his neck, and seeing Feng Tianzong’s expression was still icy, he quickly knelt properly again and said, “What are your commands, General?”
“Commands?” Feng Tianzong lifted his head. In the torchlight, he could see Su Zeyang’s silhouette cast on the tent. He knew Su Zeyang could hear their conversation clearly. He let out a cold laugh, spread his legs, and pressed Huo Fenghua’s head down between them. “Serve me first. Once you’ve served me well, then I’ll think about what to command.”
Huo Fenghua looked up at him, stunned.
Feng Tianzong said, “What? Aren’t you my male concubine? I’m not allowed to touch you?”
A fine sheen of sweat rose across Huo Fenghua’s forehead. He wanted to turn back and look at Su Zeyang, but Feng Tianzong was staring at him too tightly, and he didn’t dare move lightly. He weighed the consequences of resisting. After turning it over again and again, he could only think, ‘A real man knows when to yield and when to stand. It was better than getting beaten. As long as the green hills remain, there’ll be no worry about firewood*.
*Idiom referring to as long as the foundation is preserved, there will always be an opportunity to rise again and grow stronger (aka where there’s life, there’s hope). Basically he’s saying better to endure it now, and he’ll find a way out/take revenge/ect. later.
He could only nod. “You can. You can.” Then he reached out and lifted Feng Tianzong’s robe hem.
The author has something to say:
Yesterday I said I’d explain Su Zeyang’s character a bit, because the story is mainly from Huo Fenghua’s point of view, so there’ll be very little psychological narration for Su Zeyang. He’s actually a very free-spirited person. If he likes someone, he can do anything. If he wants to marry, he marries. He doesn’t care about anyone else’s gaze, and he doesn’t care about ethics or morality. When he marries into the General’s Manor, if Steward Lu tells him to follow the rules, he will follow them. A lot of things are insignificant to him. That includes the Emperor forcing Feng Tianzong to take in a concubine. He doesn’t get angry about it.
On the surface, he should be the kind of person who needs relatively little from feelings. He doesn’t need some intense emotional payback. But he’s quite willing to give to the person he likes. Right now he likes Feng Tianzong, and later he also likes Huo Fenghua. In fact, he already fell for Huo Fenghua back when Huo Fenghua carried him on his back to go find someone and nearly exhausted himself to death on the road.
It’s still not very easy to explain clearly, but since it’s a threesome, the strong possessiveness in love doesn’t really make sense, so you should be able to understand this kind of character setup, right?
The whole night in the woods passed without incident. No Xichou pursuers showed up, and no wild beasts wandered into their campsite.
In the middle of the night, Huo Fenghua turned over a few times in his sleep. Half-awake, he snuggled up against Su Zeyang’s leg, burying his face beside it and sleeping soundly.
At dawn, Feng Tianzong was the first to wake. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Huo Fenghua with one arm wrapped around Su Zeyang’s leg. Irritation flared in him. He lifted his foot and kicked Huo Fenghua in the shoulder, sending him sliding forward across the grass. He almost got kicked into the pile of charcoal, already extinguished but still warm.
Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua both startled awake.
Feng Tianzong had already flipped up to his feet. As he strode outward, he barked, “Prepare to move.”
Huo Fenghua was frightened, and his shoulder also began to throb fiercely. Back then he and Su Zeyang had been injured at the same time. Both injuries were serious. He usually guarded his left shoulder carefully and didn’t move it much, so he could still get around. It was different from Su Zeyang’s leg injury.
But now, with Feng Tianzong’s kick, it felt like the old wound had been jolted. Pain washed over him so hard his face turned ashen, and he let out a low groan.
Su Zeyang rose and crouched in front of him. Seeing him clutch his left shoulder, he asked, “Did you aggravate the old injury?”
Huo Fenghua nodded, face pale. Putting on a show of toughness, he said, “It’s nothing. Senior Brother, pull me up.”
Su Zeyang reached out and helped him stand.
Huo Fenghua turned his head. Feng Tianzong wasn’t close to them. He was discussing their route with his men. Huo Fenghua lowered his voice and said to Su Zeyang, “Senior Brother, about what happened that day… Are you mad at me?”
Su Zeyang lowered his gaze. His long lashes trembled slightly. “Don’t bring up what happened that day again.”
Seeing Su Zeyang trying to draw a line between them, Huo Fenghua panicked. “Senior Brother, I meant it. That day I just couldn’t help myself—”
Su Zeyang suddenly swung his sword horizontally, blocking between them and cutting him off. His tone dropped slightly colder. “I said, you’re not allowed to mention it again.”
Huo Fenghua saw how resolute he was and could only shut his mouth, letting out an aggrieved sigh.
Feng Tianzong’s personal guards removed the traps around the camp and erased all traces of the fire and their bivouac. Then the group mounted up and continued on their way.
Today, Su Zeyang and Feng Tianzong each rode their own horse. Huo Fenghua’s hands were loosely tied with rope, and he still rode together with Peng Po in front of him.
Both men and horses had rested a night. At daybreak they urged the horses hard. After more than an hour of fast riding, they left the woods behind and entered a barren stretch of sandy wilderness. The warhorses began to tire, and they slowed to a steady pace for a while.
Su Zeyang rode side by side with Feng Tianzong. Suddenly Feng Tianzong spoke. “What ‘thing’ was it that day?”
Su Zeyang froze briefly and immediately understood that Feng Tianzong had overheard his conversation with Huo Fenghua. All morning Feng Tianzong had seemed anxious to hurry onward and hadn’t said a word. So he’d been holding it in until now.
Su Zeyang held the reins, eyes forward. “Nothing.”
Feng Tianzong turned to look at him. “Zeyang, we’ve known each other for years. We’ve even been married. Do you think I don’t know you well enough?”
Su Zeyang’s brows tightened slightly, and his lips pressed together without him meaning to.
The more he refused to speak, the more resentment piled up in Feng Tianzong’s chest. He suddenly called out, “Peng Po!”
Peng Po rode forward at once. “General?”
Feng Tianzong hadn’t called him because he needed him. He only drew Peng Po closer, then suddenly snapped his long whip up, lashing toward Huo Fenghua in front of Peng Po.
Huo Fenghua had been sitting obediently on the horse when disaster fell out of nowhere. He thought Feng Tianzong was about to whip him. Terrified, he leaned backward.
But the whip didn’t land on him. The tip hooked deftly around the rope tied at his wrist. With a hard yank, Feng Tianzong dragged him right off the horse’s back.
“Tianzong!” Su Zeyang seemed to know what he intended and cried out under his breath.
Feng Tianzong clamped his legs to his horse’s belly and surged forward at a gallop. Huo Fenghua had already fallen from the horse, and with the whip jerking him along, his body skidded over the ground. The whole area was yellow sand and wasteland, all grit and dust. In panic Huo Fenghua opened his mouth to scream, only for sand to blast straight into it. He had to clamp his mouth shut, making only muffled, frantic sounds.
Seeing Feng Tianzong dragging Huo Fenghua across the ground, Su Zeyang immediately spurred his horse up alongside him and shouted, “Stop!”
Feng Tianzong’s expression was cold and dark, and he didn’t answer.
Su Zeyang had no choice but to clamp his legs tight and lean over to snatch the Fulong Whip from Feng Tianzong’s hand. Feng Tianzong, of course, refused to yield. He slapped Su Zeyang’s hand away and shoved him back onto his own saddle.
The two exchanged several moves on horseback. Su Zeyang failed to seize the whip. When he turned his head and saw how miserable Huo Fenghua looked being dragged along the ground, he didn’t dare waste another moment. He leapt from his horse, landing beside Huo Fenghua. With one hand he seized the whip’s tail, and with the other he scooped Huo Fenghua up from the ground.
Huo Fenghua whimpered miserably, “Senior Brother…”
Su Zeyang didn’t have time to respond. The whip still dragged them forward several steps until Feng Tianzong finally reined in his horse and, with a sharp motion, hurled the whip down onto the ground.
Feng Tianzong sat on his horse and turned back, expressionless, watching Su Zeyang hold Huo Fenghua in his arms. His men also halted their horses at a distance behind them. No one dared step forward now.
Huo Fenghua was truly terrified. He’d almost thought Feng Tianzong would drag him to death. Now, pressed against Su Zeyang’s chest, he trembled and clutched Su Zeyang’s sleeve, calling over and over, “Senior Brother… Senior Brother…”
Su Zeyang murmured, “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”
Huo Fenghua’s clothes had been rubbed through by sand and stone, and several bloody scrapes marked his jaw. Fortunately, he’d kept his head lifted and hadn’t damaged that fair, handsome face. He buried his face against Su Zeyang’s neck, breathing in the faint scent of sandalwood on him. Only after a long while did he gradually calm down.
Feng Tianzong’s back was ramrod straight, his voice low and chilling. “He calls you Senior Brother?”
Su Zeyang lifted his head to look at him. “He’s my master’s final disciple.”
Feng Tianzong gave a cold laugh. “Gu Guangji took him as a disciple? Has he truly gone mad?”
Su Zeyang said, “Then go ask my master.” He was somewhat angry now, and his tone couldn’t help turning cold and resentful.
Feng Tianzong stared at him blankly. “Zeyang, you’re going to treat me like this?”
Su Zeyang lowered his gaze and took a deep breath before he said, “Huo Fenghua was married to you by imperial decree. He officially entered your Feng household. If you lose your head and torture him to death, how will you explain it to His Majesty when we return to the capital?”
Feng Tianzong suddenly roared hoarsely, “I, Feng Tianzong, don’t need to explain myself to anyone!”
Su Zeyang asked, “And your elder brother?”
Even if Feng Tianzong could ignore his own consequences, Feng Tiansheng still held office at court. With internal and external forces squeezing the Feng family, they were already walking on thin ice. How could they hand others such a huge handle against them?
Feng Tianzong went slightly still, his eyes cold and empty as they fell on Huo Fenghua.
At this moment, his deputy Peng Po stepped forward on horseback, coming to Feng Tianzong’s side and urging softly, “General, we need to keep moving. We can make other plans once we return to camp.”
Su Zeyang called, “Tianzong—” His voice softened. He let Huo Fenghua stand on his own, untangled the Fulong Whip from the rope around Huo Fenghua’s hands, picked up the whip, and walked to Feng Tianzong’s horse. He raised his hand and offered it back.
Feng Tianzong looked at him for a while. Then he bent down, took the whip, and at the same time clasped Su Zeyang’s hand.
Su Zeyang gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return.
After they released each other, Feng Tianzong said, “Move out.”
Peng Po moved to haul Huo Fenghua back onto his horse, but Su Zeyang spoke up. “No need. He’ll ride with me.”
Peng Po hesitated and looked toward Feng Tianzong.
Feng Tianzong tilted his head slightly back and said loudly, “You all heard it. He isn’t Huo Fengnian. He’s the male concubine in my household, Huo Fenghua. Let him ride on the same horse as my wife, and we’ll hurry on.”
All the guards answered, “Yes!”
Su Zeyang helped Huo Fenghua up onto his saddle, then mounted behind him.
Huo Fenghua was weak and exhausted, leaning back against Su Zeyang’s chest. When he turned his head and saw Feng Tianzong watching him coldly, fear surged in him. He awkwardly shifted and lay forward on the horse’s back, panting faintly as he thought, Damn Feng Tianzong. One day I’ll run off with your wife. I’ll slap two green hats* on your head to pay you back for today!
*It’s slang for getting cuckhold (cheated on by your partner).
Only after all of Shao Feijie’s troops had withdrawn did Feng Tianzong lead his remaining personal guards, taking Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua out of the valley.
At first he worried Shao Feijie might still have an ambush, so he kept his whip cinched tightly around Huo Fenghua’s neck, pinning him in front of him as a hostage. Su Zeyang rode a different horse, following not far behind Feng Tianzong.
With the whip tight around his throat, Huo Fenghua often couldn’t catch his breath. He could only clutch Feng Tianzong’s whip so Feng Tianzong wouldn’t actually choke him to death.
After they’d ridden far away from Luofeng Ridge, Feng Tianzong finally snapped his whip and flung Huo Fenghua backward to his deputy, Peng Po. Peng Po caught him and settled him in front of himself, saying, “Careful, young master.”
They all thought Huo Fenghua was Huo Fengnian. For an imperial son of a fallen state, they didn’t know what form of address was most appropriate.
Feng Tianzong turned his head and glanced at Huo Fenghua.
Only then did Huo Fenghua see his face clearly. Feng Tianzong had swordlike brows slanting upward and sharp, piercing eyes. He was clearly a dashing noble young lord, yet he also carried the ferocity of a wild beast.
Qingqing had once told him, “If you’re going to marry, marry a man from the Feng family.”
Only now did Huo Fenghua realize Sister Qingqing hadn’t lied to him at all.
That glance from Feng Tianzong was cold and unfeeling. Then Feng Tianzong halted his horse, turned to Su Zeyang at his side, and his expression softened. He reached out one hand toward him.
Su Zeyang took Feng Tianzong’s hand and was yanked up with force onto Feng Tianzong’s horse. One of Feng Tianzong’s guards immediately led away the horse Su Zeyang had been riding.
Feng Tianzong loosened the reins and let the horse walk forward slowly. He lifted a hand and gently stroked Su Zeyang’s chin in his arms, then suddenly tilted his face up and pressed a hard kiss onto his lips.
Huo Fenghua was still touching his own throat, only just coming back to himself, when he saw Feng Tianzong kissing Su Zeyang. He straightened at once. He hadn’t even spoken yet when he saw none of the others react at all. He could only soften again and lower his head.
He reached out and tugged the horse’s mane. The fine horse under him grew restless, and the man behind him immediately grabbed his collar and said in a low voice, “Behave.”
Huo Fenghua didn’t dare argue. He stole a look at Su Zeyang and saw one hand gripping Feng Tianzong’s arm tightly, his chest rising and falling, a faint flush blooming on his cheeks. He looked thoroughly stirred. Huo Fenghua’s resentment only grew. He simply buried his face against the horse’s neck and refused to look at them.
That kiss lasted quite a while before Feng Tianzong finally ended it. He released Su Zeyang’s lips, lifted his head, wiped away the saliva at the corner of Su Zeyang’s mouth with his thumb, and asked softly, “Why did you leave without a word and slip out of the capital on your own?”
The reason Feng Tianzong had fallen into danger on this trip was that not long ago he’d received a message sent by carrier pigeon from Steward Lu in the capital, saying Su Zeyang and Huo Fenghua had both gone missing and might have left the city. There was a traitor at Feng Tianzong’s side, a mole planted by Xichou long ago. That traitor forged a second letter using Lu Xi’s handwriting, saying they’d found a note Su Zeyang left behind and that he’d taken Huo Fenghua to Xichou to search for someone. After that, someone really did spot Su Zeyang’s movements within Xichou’s borders.
Feng Tianzong panicked out of concern. He took several dozen personal guards and left the army camp to retrieve Su Zeyang, only to be surrounded by Xichou troops and nearly die at Luofeng Ridge. Now he’d escaped, but those guards had been personally selected and personally trained by him, each capable of fighting a hundred. Now only a little over ten remained alive. The loss was still catastrophic.
He carried resentment in his heart, but he couldn’t bear to vent it on Su Zeyang. He could only suck and lick and bite at Su Zeyang’s lips and tongue with ruthless intensity.
Su Zeyang’s lips were a deep red. He turned his head to look at Huo Fenghua and said, “He isn’t Huo Fengnian.”
Feng Tianzong said coldly, “Then who is he?”
He wasn’t Huo Fengnian, but in Feng Tianzong’s eyes he looked even less like Huo Fenghua.
Su Zeyang caught Feng Tianzong’s sleeve and murmured into his ear, “He’s Huo Fenghua.”
Feng Tianzong glanced back as well. Seeing Huo Fenghua still buried face-down against the horse’s back, refusing to lift his head, he gave a snort of laughter. “Now he does look a bit like Huo Fenghua.” Then he lowered his head to Su Zeyang. “Tell me. What exactly happened?”
Su Zeyang blinked lightly. A sense of absurdity suddenly washed over him, and he didn’t know where to begin. He suddenly remembered the day he woke up, disheveled, only to find Huo Fenghua had already fled.
Feng Tianzong brushed his lips against Su Zeyang’s earlobe. “Why are you spacing out?”
Su Zeyang came back to himself and only said simply, “Huo Fenghua was abducted from Yujing by Xichou people, so I chased after them. I chased all the way to Xichou. Along the way I fought with them and got a little injured. When I arrived here, I ran into you being ambushed.”
“You were injured?” Feng Tianzong’s first reaction was to reach for Su Zeyang’s waist and abdomen.
Su Zeyang pressed down his hand. “It’s my leg. I’ve been resting it almost twenty days now. It’s fine.”
Feng Tianzong sighed. “Let me see it tonight.”
Su Zeyang nodded.
Feng Tianzong fell silent for a moment, then said, “He’s Huo Fenghua. Shao Feijie sent men to retrieve Huo Fenghua and even tried to pass him off as Huo Fengnian. What does that mean?”
Su Zeyang didn’t speak.
Feng Tianzong continued, “Then where’s the real Huo Fengnian? Xichou people took the risk of going deep into Donglin’s capital just to bring Huo Fenghua back. Could it be the real Huo Fengnian is already gone?”
This time Su Zeyang met his eyes, and both of them felt it was possible.
Feng Tianzong let out a soft laugh. “If that’s really the case, then Huo Fenghua finally has some value for existing.”
Worried Shao Feijie would send pursuit, they spurred their horses hard the whole way. Only after night fell, when they slipped into a dense forest, did they finally stop to rest.
The moment they dismounted, Feng Tianzong’s guards split up with clear roles: some lit a fire and boiled water, some erased the traces of hoofprints, and others set traps and trip lines in several directions to guard against pursuers.
Feng Tianzong sat down with his back against a large tree. Though he was dusty from travel, he didn’t look disheveled. He lifted his head and gazed up at Su Zeyang, who stood on a treetop.
Su Zeyang was checking for pursuers with Feng Tianzong’s men. When he jumped down from the tree, it was obvious his left leg didn’t dare bear weight. Feng Tianzong clearly saw it too. He beckoned. “Come here.”
Su Zeyang walked over and sat down beside him.
Feng Tianzong took hold of Su Zeyang’s left ankle, pushed up his trouser leg, and gently kneaded his calf. “The injury’s here?”
Su Zeyang said, “The leg bone broke.”
Feng Tianzong drew a deep breath, as if suppressing emotion. He lowered his head and kissed Su Zeyang’s left leg once. When he lifted his head again, he pulled Su Zeyang tight by the waist and kissed his lips.
The guards all pretended not to see.
Only Huo Fenghua had been tossed under a tree by Peng Po, his hands and feet bound with rope. He struggled upright and stared blankly at Su Zeyang and Feng Tianzong locked together in an intimate embrace.
He always said he wanted to bless General Feng and Su Zeyang with a long life together, but he’d never realized that seeing it with his own eyes would feel so bleak and suffocating.
Feng Tianzong’s palm pressed tightly to Su Zeyang’s lower back. After the deep kiss, he murmured into his ear, “What a pity the timing isn’t right.” He didn’t finish the sentence. If the timing were right, what he wanted to do hardly needed spelling out.
Su Zeyang also lifted a hand to hold the back of Feng Tianzong’s neck. Leaning against the tree, he pressed his face into Feng Tianzong’s hair at the crown and said softly, “In two more days—” He also didn’t finish, because he suddenly noticed Huo Fenghua staring without blinking. At once he felt awkward and dropped his gaze.
A guard softened jerky and dry rations in hot water and brought them to Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang.
In front of Huo Fenghua, Peng Po only tossed a cold, hard coarse flour cake onto the ground. Huo Fenghua looked up at Peng Po, but Peng Po didn’t look back. He turned and walked away.
Huo Fenghua took a deep breath and used his bound hands to pick up the cake. He slapped it against his leg to knock off the grass bits that had stuck to it, then raised it to his mouth and took a bite.
That bite didn’t even break it. He had to use more force and tear off a piece with his teeth. Chewing it, he found it tasted even worse than what he’d eaten during the days Tao Yifei’s group had held him. The cake was dry and hard, neither sweet nor salty. He chewed for a long time. The more he chewed, the sadder he felt. Finally he couldn’t help it and looked up at Su Zeyang.
Su Zeyang was looking at him too. At that moment he picked up the jerky in his hand and stood.
Feng Tianzong didn’t say anything. He only watched Su Zeyang in silence.
Su Zeyang took the jerky over, crouched before Huo Fenghua, and held it to his mouth.
Huo Fenghua lowered his eyes to glance at it, then looked at Su Zeyang. “It’s too big. I can’t eat it.”
So Su Zeyang sat cross-legged, tore the jerky into small pieces, and fed them to Huo Fenghua piece by piece. The jerky had been cured and air-dried, but after soaking in hot water it was at least passably fragrant and soft.
Huo Fenghua ate a small piece of jerky, then took a bite of the cake. Without realizing it, he finished more than half the cake.
Su Zeyang fed him patiently, one piece at a time, until Huo Fenghua shook his head. “I’m full.”
During that process, Huo Fenghua kept glancing up at Su Zeyang, eyes glossy with moisture. Su Zeyang never once looked up. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He didn’t dare.
After Huo Fenghua finished eating, Su Zeyang stood and returned to sit beside Feng Tianzong.
Feng Tianzong lounged at an angle against the tree trunk and asked in a deep voice, “Why?”
Su Zeyang looked at him. “He’s your male concubine, after all.”
Feng Tianzong didn’t speak, only stared at Su Zeyang.
So Su Zeyang continued, “He hasn’t really done anything wrong. If some things aren’t handled properly, it might drag you into it.”
Feng Tianzong rested an arm on his knee, idly twirling a blade of wild grass between his fingers. He lifted his head and said, “Peng Po, bring him over.” His gaze went to Huo Fenghua.
Huo Fenghua had been sitting quietly and was already dozing with his eyes closed. At the words, he snapped them open, tense as he watched Peng Po approach. Peng Po grabbed him and shoved him in front of Feng Tianzong.
Feng Tianzong had to tilt his head up to look at him. “Sit down.”
Huo Fenghua glanced at Su Zeyang and carefully sat.
Feng Tianzong said lowly, “Why did Shao Feijie want to take you back to Xichou?”
Without thinking, Huo Fenghua blurted, “He knows I’m your male concubine. He thinks I embarrassed Xichou’s imperial house by being lost outside, so he wants to take me back and execute me.”
“Bullshit,” Feng Tianzong said coldly. “If he wanted to execute you, why would he spare me at Luofeng Ridge? He could’ve simply shot an arrow and killed both you and me.”
Huo Fenghua said, “He saw you mistook me for Huo Fengnian, so he just went along with it.”
Feng Tianzong suddenly leaned in and seized Huo Fenghua by the collar, yanking him close. “If you say one more word of nonsense, do you believe I won’t let you off? Killing you isn’t worth it right now. I’d rather geld you.”
Huo Fenghua turned pale with fright and stammered, “Yes, yes, yes. I’m talking nonsense. Then you tell me why Shao Feijie wanted to take me back. Do you think he’d tell me?”
Feng Tianzong glared at him for a long moment, then released him and shoved him away.
Huo Fenghua fell backward onto the ground and didn’t manage to sit up for quite a while. Only later did Su Zeyang reach out, take his hand, and pull him up.
“I was abducted from Yujing. You can ask Young Master Su. He saw it with his own eyes,” Huo Fenghua said, his chest heaving, breathing slightly fast as he spoke. “And all along I tried to escape. I didn’t want to come back to Xichou with them.”
Su Zeyang said softly, “That’s true.”
Huo Fenghua added, “And back at Luofeng Ridge, if I hadn’t deliberately jumped down, do you think you’d have been able to catch me?”
As soon as he said that, both Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang looked a little surprised. In unison they asked, “You did it on purpose?” Though the feelings behind the words were completely different.
Huo Fenghua looked at Su Zeyang. “Of course I did it on purpose. I’m not stupid. That rock was huge. Did you really think I believed I could push it? I just couldn’t bear to watch you—all of you—get trapped and die there. Jumping off a cliff is something I’m willing to do.”
That last line was spoken entirely for Su Zeyang’s benefit.
Feng Tianzong still hadn’t noticed. He pressed on. “Then tell me. Where exactly is Huo Fengnian?”
Huo Fenghua shook his head. “After they grabbed me, I was on the road the whole time and went straight to Luofeng Ridge. I didn’t see Huo Fengnian and I didn’t hear anyone mention him. He’s of noble status. I’m sure he wouldn’t personally risk himself.” He didn’t tell Feng Tianzong the truth. He was afraid that if Feng Tianzong learned Huo Fengnian was already dead, he’d completely become Feng Tianzong’s hostage.
Feng Tianzong frowned slightly at the fire and sank into thought.
Huo Fenghua then stole a look at Su Zeyang and mouthed silently, pitifully, “Senior Brother.”
Su Zeyang placed a hand on the rope around Huo Fenghua’s wrist and sent force through it, shattering the rope.
Feng Tianzong noticed and looked at Su Zeyang.
Su Zeyang said, “I’m worried his blood flow will be cut off. If it goes on too long, he’ll be injured.”
Huo Fenghua immediately rolled his wrists and said obediently to Feng Tianzong, “Thank you, General, for your mercy.”
With that, Feng Tianzong couldn’t really flare up at him again. He only looked at him with some confusion. “Are you really Huo Fenghua?” The Huo Fenghua in his memory had been timid and cowardly too, but not quite like this. For a moment Feng Tianzong was at a loss, as if he couldn’t even recall what Huo Fenghua was supposed to be like anymore.
After all, ever since Huo Fenghua married into the Feng household, Feng Tianzong had never once looked at him properly, much less tried to understand him.
Huo Fenghua hurriedly said, “Of course I’m Huo Fenghua.”
Since Feng Tianzong couldn’t get anything useful out of him, he called Peng Po. “Take him to rest.”
But Huo Fenghua suddenly reached out and grabbed Feng Tianzong’s arm. “General, I married you, so I’m your person. It isn’t appropriate for you to make me sleep next to another man, is it?”
Feng Tianzong lifted his chin slightly. “What do you want?”
Huo Fenghua pleaded, “Let me sleep at your and Young Master Su’s feet. I promise I’ll behave. I won’t do anything. All right?”
Feng Tianzong’s side was much closer to the fire, and there was a thick layer of dry grass spread on the ground. The night air was cool. Ever since Huo Fenghua had been brought over here, his body had warmed noticeably. He didn’t want to go back to that cold, damp tree on the other side.
Peng Po, hearing Huo Fenghua’s request, leaned close to Feng Tianzong and said in a low voice, “General, beware he’s plotting something.”
What plotting could Huo Fenghua possibly have? Since marrying into the General’s Manor and getting taught a lesson by Feng Tianzong, he’d lived cautiously in a side courtyard. Whenever he saw Feng Tianzong, he’d wanted nothing more than to hide far away. Now that they were in Xichou, why did he seem like a completely different person?
Feng Tianzong lifted a hand. “It’s fine. Let him sleep by my feet. I want to see what kind of plot he can possibly have.”
“No plot, no plot,” Huo Fenghua said, waving his hands. “Many thanks, General. General and Young Master Su should rest early.”
With that, he lay down crosswise at Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang’s feet. After he settled in, he glanced at Feng Tianzong, then secretly reached out with a finger and scratched at Su Zeyang’s ankle.
Su Zeyang immediately drew one foot back, rested his head against Feng Tianzong’s shoulder, and only then closed his eyes to rest.
This time, they hurried on for a full day and night, arriving deep among towering, uninhabited mountains. The trails were rugged and narrow, and the horses could no longer climb any higher, so they left the horses at the foot of the mountain with one man to guard them. Under Wen Heyi’s lead, the rest relied on their own legs to scale the heights.
They hadn’t slept all night. After spending most of the night climbing, they reached the summit just as daybreak was beginning to lighten the sky.
Along the way, Huo Fenghua had crawled with both hands and feet. His palms were cut open in several places by brush, and he was miserable. Now he was disheveled and weak, clinging loosely to Wen Heyi as he said, “Martial Uncle, I can’t walk anymore.”
Wen Heyi said, “You’re a dignified imperial prince. What kind of sight is this?”
Huo Fenghua waved a hand. “I’m done being one. I’ll give the position to you, old man, all right?”
Wen Heyi shot him a glance. “Stop fooling around. We’re already at Luofeng Ridge.”
Huo Fenghua lifted his head and looked at the layers of mountains in the distance, green peaks piled upon peaks. A thought suddenly came to him, Luofeng Ridge. Just hearing the name felt ominous for Feng Tianzong. Was the plan really to bring down that surname Feng here?
Wen Heyi kept moving. Huo Fenghua grabbed his arm and had him drag him along for a stretch. Two soldiers in armor and helmets approached from ahead, saluted Wen Heyi, and led them farther in.
After they walked some distance along the ridge, Huo Fenghua saw numerous soldiers lying in ambush in the grass ahead, along with two huge boulders that would’ve taken several people hugging them together to encircle.
A tall man wearing silver dragon armor strode toward them. He looked to be in his thirties, with rugged, imposing features and an impressive bearing. When he saw Huo Fenghua, he drew in a deep breath, dropped to one knee, and said in a deep voice, “Shao Feijie, Grand Marshal of Xichou’s forces, pays respects to His Highness the Eldest Prince!”
Before Huo Fenghua could respond, Shao Feijie had already raised his head and looked at him intensely. It was obvious he and Wen Heyi had already coordinated long ago, planning to disguise this useless Second Prince as Xichou’s Eldest Prince.
Wen Heyi pinched Huo Fenghua’s lower back.
Huo Fenghua let out a soft “ow,” and reluctantly said, “Marshal Shao, please rise.”
Shao Feijie stood, glanced at Wen Heyi, and said, “In urgent times, we act as necessity demands. My troops are currently lying in ambush for Feng Tianzong. We’ll speak of ceremony after we return. Your Highness may observe the battle from the side for now.”
Huo Fenghua nodded. “I understand. Marshal Shao, do what you need to do. Don’t worry about me.”
Wen Heyi said, “I’ll protect Your Highness.”
Shao Feijie gave a slight nod and turned back toward the cliffside.
Huo Fenghua also walked to the edge and leaned over to look down. Below was a long, narrow ravine, squeezed between peaks on both sides. The entrance was extremely tight, and deeper inside it ended in a dead end.
The two boulders he’d seen earlier were meant to be pushed down once Feng Tianzong and his men entered the ravine, sealing off their retreat.
At that moment, Huo Fenghua heard faint hoofbeats. His whole body tensed as he strained to look outward. He could feel the soldiers lying in ambush on the ridge tense as well. Everyone entered a state of readiness, and not a single sound was made.
Feng Tianzong led fifty personal guards and ran into a two-sided ambush by Xichou’s forces, who deliberately drove them toward Luofeng Ridge. When they retreated all the way to the ravine entrance, Feng Tianzong took one look at the towering peaks on both sides and knew there was an ambush.
He shouted, “We can’t retreat any farther!” and was the first to wheel his horse and charge back to the front. The long whip in his hand snapped out, coiling around a Xichou soldier and flinging him onto jagged rock. In an instant, blood burst out and the man died with his eyes split wide.
His whip rose again, spattered with enemy blood, sweeping through the soldiers before him. He pointed forward and roared, “Kill them all! No one retreats!”
Huo Fenghua could vaguely make out the two armies below, but he still couldn’t see Feng Tianzong. He couldn’t help moving toward the ravine entrance, drawing close to the boulders and craning his head to figure out which one was Feng Tianzong.
Wen Heyi reached out and grabbed his belt, yanking him back. “Do you want to fall?”
Huo Fenghua gave a dry laugh and pointed to a straight-backed figure below, dressed in purple-gold armor with a dark cloak. “Is that Feng Tianzong?”
Wen Heyi looked at him like he was crazy. “Isn’t he your husband? You’re asking me?”
Huo Fenghua said, “I’m Huo Fengnian. What husband do I have?” Even as he spoke, he kept trying to peer at the man. There was mist in the mountains, and the distance was too great, so he still couldn’t make out Feng Tianzong’s face.
Even though Feng Tianzong had fallen into an ambush, his fifty personal guards were all elite. Under his lead, they counterattacked with all their strength. On top of that, the ravine entrance was long and narrow. Xichou’s two thousand ambushers were gathered outside the mouth of the ravine and couldn’t form a true encirclement. For a time, they actually couldn’t force Feng Tianzong’s group back. The fight stalemated at the ravine mouth. In the chaos of battle, the soldiers lying in wait on the summit didn’t dare shoot arrows either, afraid of hitting their own men.
Tao Yifei stood beside Shao Feijie and asked, “Marshal Shao, what do we do?”
Shao Feijie’s eyes were sharp, locked on the battlefield. “Don’t worry. No matter how fierce Feng Tianzong is, he only has fifty men. We’ll fight a war of attrition. Even if he refuses to back into the ravine, sooner or later he’ll be worn down to the last man.”
But they’d still underestimated just how ferocious Feng Tianzong was. With only a single long whip, he’d already slaughtered countless enemies at the foot of Luofeng Ridge, and he showed no sign of fatigue at all. He also knew that if he fell into a tight encirclement, being attacked from front and back would be even worse. So he held the ravine entrance tightly, neither advancing nor retreating, focused only on killing.
Shao Feijie’s expression grew heavy. Suddenly he called softly, “Heyi?”
Wen Heyi turned his head and said, “Feng Tianzong may have reinforcements.” Otherwise, why would he keep holding out when he knew it was ultimately a dead end?
That was exactly what Shao Feijie feared.
Huo Fenghua had never seen such a bloody scene. He sat down by the cliff, gripping a vine with one hand as he looked down. His feelings were complicated. It was as if he both wanted Feng Tianzong to die here and wanted to see him escape. Yet whether Feng Tianzong lived or died, with Su Zeyang’s temperament, he probably wouldn’t be willing to come back for him. Thinking of that made Huo Fenghua feel even more dejected.
Just as the battle reached a deadlock, a wave of agitated cries rose from outside the ravine. Huo Fenghua immediately leaned out to look. On the battlefield below, a figure in white had appeared.
The man in white held a long sword. Stepping on the heads and shoulders of Xichou soldiers, he drifted in from outside the ravine, charging straight into the very center of the battlefield. With a light leap, he landed before Feng Tianzong’s horse. Sword light flashed, and he killed a Xichou soldier in a single strike.
Huo Fenghua clearly heard Feng Tianzong cry out, “Zeyang!”
Su Zeyang’s white robes fluttered. His sword was so fast it was almost formless. In the blink of an eye, he’d already killed two or three men. Only then did he lift his head to glance at Feng Tianzong and give a slight nod.
Huo Fenghua stood up at once. He’d seen it clearly. Even though Su Zeyang moved quickly, his left leg still couldn’t put in full strength. He definitely wasn’t fully healed. The words “Watch your leg” almost burst out, but he forced himself to swallow them.
Su Zeyang’s sudden appearance caused a slight shift in the battle. Feng Tianzong and his personal guards seemed to regain momentum at once, letting out deep shouts as they vowed to break out of the encirclement.
Shao Feijie’s face grew even grimmer. Suddenly he said, “Drop the rocks!”
Tao Yifei froze. “But that could injure our own soldiers.”
Shao Feijie didn’t speak. He only looked toward Wen Heyi.
Wen Heyi nodded.
Shao Feijie made his decision. He grabbed the command flag from a personal guard at his side and swung it. “Drop the rocks!”
“No!” Huo Fenghua immediately tried to stop them. “You can’t drop the rocks!” What kind of joke was this? It would crush Su Zeyang!
Wen Heyi raised an arm to block him. “It’s none of your business. Just watch.”
As he spoke, Huo Fenghua saw three or four soldiers work together, using wooden poles to pry at the two massive boulders on the summit. The stones soon began to wobble, tilting toward the ravine.
Huo Fenghua lunged to the cliff edge and shouted down, “Su Zeyang, watch out for the rocks!”
Su Zeyang had just killed an enemy commander and landed lightly back on horseback. Hearing the shout, he looked up toward the summit and saw Huo Fenghua standing at the cliff, waving his arms at him.
Seeing that Su Zeyang still didn’t retreat, Huo Fenghua panicked. He rushed over and shoved aside a soldier who was pushing the boulder, trying to stop them. But the boulder was already moving. It swayed at the cliff edge, then began to roll down.
He tried, overestimating himself, to push the boulder back inward. But the rock was far too heavy. Not only did his shove fail to steady it, the huge force knocked him off balance, and he tumbled toward the cliff below.
“Your Highness!” No one had expected him to be so reckless. Wen Heyi immediately shot forward, grabbing a vine hanging from the cliff with one hand, trying to save him.
At the same time, as the boulder rolled down, soldiers on both sides of the fight fell back in alarm.
Only Feng Tianzong suddenly sprang up from his horse. He actually climbed toward the falling boulder. His limbs were powerful and agile. His fingers hooked into cracks in the cliff face, using them to propel himself upward. In an instant he slipped past the rolling rock and reached toward the falling Huo Fenghua.
But Wen Heyi was one step faster. He wrapped an arm around Huo Fenghua’s waist and, gripping the vine tightly, was about to pull him back up when a white figure flashed before him. A silver sword, trailing sword light, slashed toward his arm. Wen Heyi had no choice but to let go, watching as Huo Fenghua fell into Feng Tianzong’s hands.
Wen Heyi hung from the vine at the cliffside, facing Su Zeyang with a cold laugh. “Martial nephew. Long time no see.”
Su Zeyang clung to a jutting rock with one hand. Seeing that Feng Tianzong had already caught Huo Fenghua, he released his grip and dropped back down, calling calmly, “Martial Uncle.”
The distance between them abruptly widened.
Wen Heyi kicked off and sprang back to the summit. The moment he landed, he heard Shao Feijie roar angrily, “Are you out of your mind?”
Wen Heyi turned to look at him.
Shao Feijie’s anger hadn’t faded, but he still forced himself to steady it. “I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about Huo Feng—nian. What exactly is he doing?”
Wen Heyi shook his head. “His heart is no longer with Xichou.”
The falling boulders kicked up a massive cloud of dust. The entire Luofeng Ridge seemed to tremble. Some soldiers who couldn’t get away in time were buried beneath the stones. And Feng Tianzong and his personal guards, now fewer than twenty, were finally trapped inside the ravine, the exit sealed shut.
Now Shao Feijie could order arrows fired and slaughter them all in the deep valley of Luofeng Ridge. But Feng Tianzong held one man in his grasp: Huo Fenghua.
Feng Tianzong carried Huo Fenghua back onto the horse. His long whip coiled around Huo Fenghua’s neck. With a single hard pull, he could take his head clean off. He raised his head and looked up at Shao Feijie. “If you don’t withdraw, I’ll kill Huo Fengnian. We’ll die together.”
Shao Feijie’s eyes went wide. For a long time, he couldn’t say a word.
Pressed close against Feng Tianzong’s chest, Huo Fenghua looked up but still couldn’t see his full face, only the sharp lines of his jaw. Hearing that low, heavy voice, he murmured quietly, “I’m not Huo Fengnian.”
Besides Feng Tianzong, probably only Su Zeyang, standing at the horse’s side, heard that.
Su Zeyang lifted his eyes and looked at Huo Fenghua.
Feng Tianzong’s pupils tightened slightly, but his expression never changed. His whip suddenly cinched tighter. Huo Fenghua’s breathing instantly became difficult. In pain, he raised a hand to claw at the whip around his throat.
Feng Tianzong smiled faintly and asked, “Well?”
Shao Feijie’s face went pale.
Wen Heyi suddenly said softly, “Withdraw.”
Shao Feijie drew a deep breath and said to the guards behind him, “Withdraw.”
The guards raised their command flags and sounded the retreat horn. The Xichou soldiers blocking the ravine began to pull back.
Shao Feijie shouted at Feng Tianzong, “Let him go!”
Feng Tianzong replied loudly, “Once we’re out, we’ll naturally release him. Marshal Shao needn’t worry. Have your ambush withdraw as well.”
Shao Feijie’s voice was icy. “All of you, withdraw.”
Kinky Translations 