RMACAUH Chapter 36

## Chapter 36: Helping to Unite and Separate

The amorous atmosphere inside the tent was endless. The harmony of their intimate encounter deepened, bringing pleasure to both until dawn broke and they finally ceased.

Wei Xiaofeng felt as if he had died once, lying on his back with his eyes closed, completely still.

He had been tossed and turned all night, feeling both sore and aching. Yet, there was an indescribable pleasure within the pain. It hurt, yes, but afterward, the aftertaste was infinitely satisfying.

Feng Yue, however, was as if nothing had happened, still full of energy. If he hadn’t been afraid that his little *fu lang* would kick him out of bed, he could have gone for another round or two without stopping.

Sensing Feng Yue coming close again, Wei Xiaofeng weakly pushed him away, “No more, I’m sore.”

“I won’t move you, I’ll just hold you.”

So, Wei Xiaofeng let him pull him into his arms. He was like a small furnace, warm and cozy, very comfortable.

Feng Yue circled his fingertip around his smooth black hair, “I didn’t lie to you, right? Isn’t it comfortable?”

A blush crept up Wei Xiaofeng’s ear. He opened his eyes, wanting to say something, but suddenly noticed the many scars on Feng Yue’s body.

On his shoulders, chest, lower abdomen, arms… large and small scars. Although some were faint, one could still tell that they must have been deep and painful at the time.

The newest wound was on his shoulder, not long healed, the scar still pink.

Wei Xiaofeng’s gentle fingertip lightly stroked the scar on his shoulder, “How did you get this scar?”

“It was in the last battle. To break the formation, which was very evil. Our side had been stuck for many days and couldn’t afford to delay any longer. So, I forced my way into the formation and captured the enemy general. When the spear was thrust at me, I dodged to the side, avoiding the vital point, but it pierced my scapula.”

Wei Xiaofeng trembled with fear and felt a chill down his spine. “Pierced…”

He couldn’t imagine how painful that must have been. How did Feng Yue endure it? Normally, he would want to cry even if pricked by a needle.

“This injury really damaged my vitality. It festered repeatedly in the military camp until I returned to the capital and recuperated for many days before it healed.” At that time, the wound repeatedly became infected, swollen, hot, and painful (inflamed). The rotten flesh was scraped away countless times, and medicine was reapplied. Even for someone insensitive to pain like him, the memory still made him feel lingering fear.

Wei Xiaofeng’s nose tingled with soreness. He hugged Feng Yue tightly, “You are the hero of Dayuan. You should be admired and loved by the people. This prosperous age of glory and wealth is what you deserve.”

These words made Feng Yue feel very comforted. “You feel sorry for me?”

“Yes,” Wei Xiaofeng replied in a muffled voice.

Feng Yue rubbed his hair and said, “If someone had said these things to me before, I would have been very proud and agreed. But now, I no longer want to be a hero of this world. New talents emerge from the rivers and mountains, and the waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves. In the future, there will be countless heroes and warlords in the world. Now, I only want to be your hero.”

He guarded the people of the world, but in the end, he ended up like that. Even though his previous life was full of distinguished achievements, when he fell into disgrace, he could not avoid being trampled upon.

“I can’t be so selfish.”

“Everyone for himself, or heaven and earth will condemn him. Xiaofeng, you are so good, you deserve all the best things in the world.”

Hearing himself described in such a way by Feng Yue, Wei Xiaofeng felt both unfamiliar and apprehensive.

“I’m not that good, I…” He couldn’t do anything well, and as for looks, he wasn’t the best looking either.

Feng Yue thought so highly of him. If one day, he saw his true, original self, would he no longer like him?

The thought of someone who had once cherished him so dearly one day no longer loving him caused him heartache.

“What are you thinking about?” Feng Yue playfully scraped his nose.

“Nothing.”

“I’ll have them bring in hot water.”

Wei Xiaofeng sadly hid himself in the quilt. This feeling of anxiety and fear was truly uncomfortable. So, this is what it’s like to like someone: the heart is full of sourness, but this sourness also has a hint of sweetness.

The servants in the *fu* quickly brought in the hot water. Feng Yue returned to the bedside and wanted to carry him to the tub.

Wei Xiaofeng shyly avoided him, “You, you go first, I’ll come later.”

“Can you even walk?”

“Why can’t I?”

Feng Yue couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, next time I’ll try harder, so you can’t get out of bed!”

Wei Xiaofeng’s entire face flushed with shame, “You’re a *wang ye*, why are you becoming more and more improper?”

“Oh, my little *fu lang* knows how to manage his husband now.”

“If you make fun of me again, I’ll get angry, hmph!”

Feng Yue’s smile deepened. Knowing that he was thin-skinned and seeing that dawn was about to break, he stopped teasing him and went behind the screen to wash up first.

After waiting for a while, Wei Xiaofeng came over wrapped in a thin long shirt. He saw Feng Yue sitting in the tub, staring at him without the slightest hesitation.

“What are you spacing out about? Come in quickly, or the water will get cold.”

“Don’t look…”

Feng Yue smiled helplessly, turned around, and lay on the edge of the tub, “We’re married, we’ve done the most intimate things, why are you still so shy?”

The rustling sound of clothes falling to the ground came from behind, and the water rippled lightly. Wei Xiaofeng obediently sat in the tub and whispered, “I’ve been alone all my life, I’m just not used to it, I’ll get used to it as soon as possible.”

Feng Yue turned around with a smile in his eyes and playfully splashed some water on his face, “Why are you suddenly so serious?”

“They said that after I marry into the *wang fu*, I’ll be divorced by you within a month. I have to serve you well.”

“Then how do you want to serve me well?”

“Of course, I still have to see what you like. If you ask me, I don’t know.”

Feng Yue couldn’t help but tease him again, “Then I have to think carefully about how to have you serve me well.”

“I want to ask *Wang Ye* a question.”

“What is it?”

“What do you like about me?” He himself couldn’t figure it out.

“You’re good looking!”

“But there are many people who are better looking than me.”

“You have a good temperament.”

“Is that considered a merit?”

“Of course, you are kind and sincere to people.”

“But aren’t many people kind and sincere?”

“You are brave and determined, very reliable at critical moments.”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Think about it,” Feng Yue counted on his fingers, “Someone who is good looking, has a good temperament, is kind, sincere to people, doesn’t abandon friends and relatives in distress, and can bravely and optimistically face every day no matter what kind of hardships they encounter. Who wouldn’t like such a person?”

Hearing him say this, Wei Xiaofeng himself was almost moved, “Are there really such good people?”

“It’s you!”

“It’s not me, I’m lazy and timid, I can’t stand any hardship, and I’ve never been able to persevere in anything from childhood to adulthood. So, growing up, I… I can’t do anything.” Wei Xiaofeng could list a bunch of his bad habits. Where was this him?

“Beautiful without knowing it, I find that beauty even more. ” Such Xiaofeng, just belonging to him alone is enough.

There’s no need for others to know how good he really is.

Feng Yue took the lead in getting out of the tub, seeing that the water was getting cold, he scooped Wei Xiaofeng out.

Wei Xiaofeng wanted to hide, but he didn’t know where to hide.

Feng Yue looked so open and magnanimous, but that big treasure began to rise again, giving Wei Xiaofeng enormous pressure.

He dried Xiaofeng’s body and put a dry inner shirt on him, saying in a low voice, “You go back to bed first.”

“Okay.” Wei Xiaofeng didn’t dare to look at him again, his face flushed as he walked out of the screen. The sheets on the bed were new and scented with a pleasant fragrance.

He had just laid down when he heard the man’s low gasps and the sticky sound of water mingling behind the screen.

Wei Xiaofeng quietly pulled up the quilt and hid himself inside.

Just as they were finishing up till dawn, before they could fall into a deep sleep, the *guanjia* outside sent someone to call out, “*Wang Ye*, *Wang Fei*, it is already *chen shi*. Today, you need to enter the palace to pay your respects and offer tea. Can you rise now?”

Feng Yue was not in a good mood and said in a deep voice, “I’m not going! Send a message to the palace, saying that the *Wang Fei* and I are not feeling well, and we will not enter the palace today. Paying respects and offering tea can be done later!”

Anyway, they had already torn face, everyone should just muddle along and not bother him. Paying respects and offering tea was unnecessary.

He didn’t believe they could do anything to him!

“But… yes.” The maid had no choice but to answer and didn’t dare to disturb their *Wang Ye’s* sleep any further.

Wei Xiaofeng slept soundly and woke up to find the sky outside was already dark. The lights inside the room had not been lit, but the lights outside the *wang fu’s* courtyard were already on.

Even, long breaths echoed in his ear. He used the remaining light of dusk to trace Feng Yue’s handsome sleeping face, and his heart was filled with joy.

He had actually married the Guangling Wang, just like in a dream.

Wei Xiaofeng quietly got closer to his face, lowered his eyes to stare at his lips for a while, and boldly went forward to kiss them.

After kissing, he prepared to get out of bed to find something to eat, but a powerful arm pulled him back. “Why did you steal a kiss from me?”

Wei Xiaofeng glared at him with a fierce but weak expression, “You are, are my husband, what’s wrong with me kissing you?”

“Nothing, but,” Feng Yue deliberately put on a stern look, taking advantage of his confusion, he turned over and pinned him down, “You kiss me once, I’ll kiss you back a hundred times!”

“I’m hungry, you, let me go, I was wrong.”

“No, you’re not allowed to eat until you’re done kissing.”

“You animal! Mmm…”

Feng Yue caught him and ravaged him for a good while, entangled him for a full half an hour before letting him go and calling for someone to serve dinner.

During the meal, Wei Xiaofeng sat far away from him. Feng Yue teased him, “Why are you sitting so far away? I’m eating food, not you.”

“Bastard.” Wei Xiaofeng glared at him angrily and buried his head in his food, feeling wronged.

The two little maids serving nearby couldn’t help but snicker.

Seeing that he was really ignoring him, Feng Yue honestly ate for a while and subtly changed the subject, “How was your dowry settled?”

Wei Xiaofeng then remembered something and looked up at Feng Yue with a complicated expression, “It was my maternal grandfather, he sent someone to deliver it.”

“Well, that Wei Xinhe is really stingy. Your maternal grandfather’s taste in sons-in-law isn’t very good.”

“Maternal grandfather, he…”

“Hmm?”

“He sent a letter, wanting to invite *Wang Ye* to have tea. I don’t know if you’ll honor him with your presence?”

“Has he already come to the capital?”

“He’s on the way, he’ll be here in two days.”

Feng Yue waved his hand at the maid, who bowed and retreated.

“If he can arrive in two days, it’ll be a good coincidence.”

“Ah?”

“I have to go on a long trip in two days, and I won’t be able to get back until the New Yuan Festival.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Shanhaiguan to meet my maternal grandfather. But as a member of the royal family, I can’t leave the capital without an imperial edict. I have to go secretly and return secretly.”

Wei Xiaofeng had a bad feeling, “Will there be danger?”

Feng Yue originally wanted to say there was no danger, but he felt that he shouldn’t hide it from him, in case something really happened…

“There will be danger.”

Wei Xiaofeng immediately lost his appetite and anxiously put down his chopsticks, “Do you have to go?”

“Yes, I have to go. Don’t be afraid.” Feng Yue encouraged him, “You are now my *fu lang*, a proper Di Wang Fei. How can you lose your composure when something happens? You have to be steady. I’ll go out and lead the charge, you have to take care of the logistics!”

Wei Xiaofeng felt a wave of unease, “I can’t do it well…”

“You can do it, Xiaofeng, you can.” He had survived in that kind of environment. His tenacity and courage were unmatched.

“Why are you telling me this? I don’t want to hear it!”

“If I don’t come back two days before the New Yuan Festival, you can take my waist badge and find the First Prince, Feng Chao. He owes me a favor.” With that, he handed his waist badge to Xiaofeng.

Wei Xiaofeng clutched his waist badge, feeling unsure.

No one told him that being a *Wang Fei* involved so many things! He originally thought he could live peacefully, just eating and waiting to die, but he still had to do so many things.

Seeing his bitter and worried look, Feng Yue couldn’t help but wonder if he had made a mistake by involving him in this again in this life.

If it weren’t for him, Xiaofeng, even if he wasn’t rich and noble in these two lives, should have been able to live a stable life without worrying about food and clothing.

Forget it, they were already married and had entered the bridal chamber. What was the point of thinking about these things?

“Want to take a walk in the courtyard?”

Feng Yue got up and reached out his hand to him. Wei Xiaofeng hesitated for a moment before taking his hand and going to the *wang fu* courtyard.

“This place is really well decorated.”

“Do you like it here?”

“I like it.”

“Then, when we go to Guangling, I’ll have the craftsmen decorate the new *wang fu* according to this.”

Wei Xiaofeng turned to look at him and saw his eyes looking at him gently and attentively, smiling lightly. A sweet warmth suddenly flowed through his heart.

“Will you be this good to others in the future?” As he spoke, Wei Xiaofeng couldn’t help but squeeze his hand, unwilling to let go, and unable to bear the thought that he would one day be this good to someone else.

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t say these romantic things.” Feng Yue turned around, leaned against the railing, and looked at the bright moon in the night sky, “Perhaps people in the royal family are indeed fickle. Before meeting you, I never put these love affairs in my heart. I will definitely marry a *wang fei* in the future, but who she is doesn’t matter at all.”

“Even now that I know that my mother doesn’t support me in her heart, I’m no longer sad after a few days. I’m only thinking about how to protect myself.”

“So, you’re more likely to bet that I’ll end up in utter failure than to bet that I’ll change my heart.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Wei Xiaofeng covered his mouth and spat three times, “Heaven and earth, I swear! It’s my husband who’s being ignorant and talking nonsense. Just pretend he didn’t say anything!”

Feng Yue laughed loudly and pulled down his hand, “Yes, I’m being ignorant, talking nonsense here.”

“Don’t disbelieve me, my maternal grandfather often says that people should have reverence in their hearts. You can’t say things randomly, you have to avoid bad omens.”

Feng Yue hugged him in his arms and nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault for talking nonsense! Luckily, my little *fu lang* is watching me and reminding me.”

Wei Xiaofeng scratched his head shyly, feeling embarrassed to be hugged so tightly by him, and his heart was beating fast. He blushed and didn’t know what to say.

The moonlit night was quiet and silent, as if frozen in time. The two embraced each other without doing anything, letting time pass.

*

Two days later, Wei Xiaofeng’s maternal grandfather, Wan Chuyi, arrived in the capital under the stars and moon. Feng Yue had the *guanjia* take him to the Jinyuge in the *wang fu* to entertain him first.

Feng Yue changed his clothes and went to see the guest with Wei Xiaofeng.

Wan Chuyi was nearly seventy years old, but still hale and hearty, with piercing eyes.

He wore a crimson brocade robe, with a dark green gem set in the center of his scarf, making him look luxurious and grand.

Seeing Feng Yue, he calmly performed a greeting, “Commoner Wan Chuyi greets Guangling Wang.”

Feng Yue helped him to sit, “Old gentleman, no need to be so polite, please sit.”

“Maternal Grandfather.” Wei Xiaofeng stepped forward a little excitedly and greeted him obediently.

Wan Chuyi sized him up without showing any emotion, nodded kindly with a smile, and turned to sit down.

Feng Yue picked up the tea and took a light sip, unable to help but recall the scene in the Wan family in his previous life.

The entire Wan family, from top to bottom, was apprehensive and treated him with great respect. Wan Chuyi also never avoided him when doing business.

So, he knew that the Wan family and the Tan family were deeply intertwined in terms of benefits, and that there were many unspeakable dark sides to the benefits obtained.

Even the Tan family and the Wan family had in-law relations, and this strong alliance made them a threat because their wealth could rival a nation.

When he was checking the Wan family’s accounts, he found that the Wan family had repeatedly donated supplies to the northwest and transported more grain than necessary.

They were also highly respected locally, and although they were wealthy, they never spent lavishly.

Before he left, Wan Chuyi sent him to the carriage and said earnestly, “I know that *Wang Ye* has traveled a long distance, not just to stay and play. You are busy with official duties. I am just a businessman, my words carry little weight, I am just a speck of dust in the long river of history, unable to make any waves. However, when poor, one should take care of oneself; when rich, one should help the world. This is the Wan family motto, and it cannot be forgotten.”

“Dynasties last only three hundred years. I don’t know if my family business can survive three generations. The rights and wrongs of the world are not just black and white. Now, the rights and wrongs of my life will be determined by *Wang Ye*!”

Feng Yue wasn’t a kind-hearted person, but he couldn’t violate his conscience and hand over those gray accounts in the memorial because the national treasury was empty.

Ten years of long wars, if it weren’t for the support of the people and the generosity of righteous people, it wouldn’t have been possible to sustain it for so long by relying solely on the imperial court.

The country is the country of the people. There are their families in the country, and there are people waiting for them to return home.

No one loves this land more than they do.

This was Feng Yue’s deepest feeling during those ten years, so he had an unbreakable belief that he would win victory after victory.

Wan Chuyi drank the tea and couldn’t help but lament, “The last time I came to the capital was more than ten years ago. The changes in the capital are changing with each passing day. The prosperity is truly endless!”

Feng Yue smiled, “Old gentleman, you’ve come to the capital after so long, why not stay in the *wang fu* for a while? It’s not too late to leave after the New Yuan Festival.”

Wan Chuyi did not refuse, stood up and made a bow, “Thank you for your kindness, *Wang Ye*. Then I will accept without ceremony.”

He must have his own plans for coming here. Feng Yue didn’t ask much and looked at Wei Xiaofeng, who was concentrating on eating snacks. He said, “Xiaofeng, you stay here and talk to your maternal grandfather. I still have some matters to handle. You talk first.”

Wei Xiaofeng bit into the snack and looked up at him. They had only chatted a few words, and now he was leaving?

It wasn’t until Feng Yue walked away that Wan Chuyi waved at Wei Xiaofeng, “Come, little grandson, sit over here and let your maternal grandfather take a good look at you.”

Wei Xiaofeng smiled brightly, got up and sat down, “Maternal Grandfather.”

“Good, good…” Wan Chuyi looked at him with a smile in his eyes, “I didn’t expect you to have such good fortune. It’s really all in the hands of fate, and there’s nothing you can do about it. When you were born, a passing Taoist came to beg for water and gave you a divination. He said that your fate was unique, rare in a hundred years, and that if you succeeded, you would be extremely noble, but if you failed, you would be lowly and fall into the dust. Who would have thought…”

“There’s such a thing? My mother never told me.”

“I just remembered it suddenly. The Taoist’s words were too absurd. Who would dare to believe them?”

Wei Xiaofeng nodded and smiled foolishly.

“Tell your maternal grandfather honestly, how does this Guangling Wang treat you?”

“He treats grandson very well. Maternal grandfather doesn’t need to worry.”

Wan Chuyi stroked his beard thoughtfully and nodded, suddenly mentioning his disappointing elder brother, “Your elder brother failed the imperial examination two years ago, and he’s becoming more and more distant from our Wan family. We haven’t seen him in many years.”

“Elder brother, he…” Wei Xiaofeng wanted to say something good about him, but he didn’t know where to start. It was indescribable.

“In the beginning, your maternal grandfather married your mother to Wei Xinhe with a generous dowry, thinking that there would be blood relatives in the future, and that we would have a reliance in the capital, giving the Wan family more room to retreat.”

Speaking of this, Wan Chuyi shook his head dejectedly, “Judging from this, it would be better to divorce and return to Chuting with me, where you can live a better life. As for your elder brother, he can’t be relied on.”

Wei Xiaofeng felt a little uncomfortable, but more relieved, “Mother would be willing to go home with you. Maternal Grandfather, she doesn’t have a good life in the Wei family. They all bully my mother and me, saying that she’s the daughter of a merchant and that she’s inherently cunning and lowly. But my mother is not that kind of person. Although she’s timid and afraid of trouble, she’s also very gentle and never takes advantage of others.”

The upper nine classes and the lower nine classes have always been clearly distinguished by class status. It doesn’t seem obvious in Chuting, where the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, but in the capital, where everyone is related to the powerful and noble, it becomes obvious.

“Maternal Grandfather knows that your mother has suffered a lot of grievances. Xiaofeng, you are a good child. Wanting to be above others, how can it be so easy? Wealth and fortune are sought in danger, and also lost in danger. When seeking, one out of ten; when losing, nine out of ten.”

“Now that Maternal Grandfather is getting old, while I still have the strength, I should also seek blessings for my descendants. After a hundred years, when I leave, I can leave in peace. The situation in the capital is unpredictable, and the struggle for the throne is already in full swing. This time, you are following *Wang Ye* back to the fiefdom, but it is also a good thing.”

“I also think it’s a good thing. When I go to Guangling, I’ll live a good life with Aye.”

Wan Chuyi couldn’t help but smile when he heard this, “Silly child.”

Wei Xiaofeng felt a little flustered by this smile, “Maternal Grandfather…”

“You have married into this *wang fu*. No matter what, you are already tied to Guangling Wang. One prospers, all prosper; one suffers, all suffer. If he treats you well, that’s naturally excellent, and Maternal Grandfather can also make a new decision.”

“What decision?”

“When you go back, tell him that the old man is willing to do everything in his power and help him with all I have. He will understand.”

*

At this time, Feng Yue and Mu Yunhua were discussing matters in the study. The troops outside the city were already mobilized and waiting for orders to rush to Shanhaiguan for reinforcement.

Feng Yue had looked at the Shanhaiguan map no less than a hundred times. He had made many marks on it, analyzing all the possible situations. His eyes were deep and heavy, “Time is running out, we’ll leave tonight.”

Mu Yunhua sighed with a worried face, “I hope it doesn’t snow in the next few days.”

Once the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, even if they avoid the assassination, it would be very dangerous if they were trapped there by the snow and unable to return.