Yong Ge picked up the fan bone and carefully felt the two figures on it, then turned to ask Cheng Duo with anticipation, "Does it look like us?"
Cheng Duo smirked, "If you like it, let's buy it."
At the moment, he missed the modern camera a bit. If Yong Ge got a photo of the two of them, he would be overjoyed.
However, regardless of the fish or the shrimp, Cheng Duo asked the fan craftsman, "How long does it take to complete such a fan?"
The craftsman quickly replied, "Half an hour is enough."
Seeing that both of them were willing to wait, Wei Ling ordered the guards to take their luggage back to where they were staying. He left most of the troops at the inn outside the city, making it convenient.
Du Boyan thought this was his chance. He took out his own fan from his waist, slightly opened it, and handed it to Yong Ge, saying, "Little Master Wei, this roadside trinket is far inferior to the sandalwood fan from our Du family. If you like it, why not visit our Du family's fan shop?"
Du Boyan was quite elegant. The sandalwood fan handle he presented was polished like smooth jade. White jade fan pendants and purple tassels adorned it. The fan's surface featured a painting of a solitary person drinking in a cold river, indicating his exceptional taste.
Unfortunately, he was trying to win favor in the wrong place. Yong Ge blushed instantly when he saw the fan, "I like the one from this stall!"
"What's so great about this?" He may not have seen many good things, but his heart had already been captured by it. There wasn't any silhouette of him and Cheng Duo on the fan Du Boyan presented!
Yong Ge stared at Du Boyan indignantly, unknowingly making him fall for him even more. Du Boyan's heart pounded rapidly, as he was accustomed to self-confidence. He didn't think Yong Ge was upset, instead, he believed the young man was feeling shy.
After thinking it through, he realized his mistake. The fan he had in hand was for men, with darker colors that most young men wouldn't prefer. Moreover, Little Master Wei had already pointed at the fan on the roadside stall, so he took out the high-quality sandalwood fan for comparison. No wonder Little Master Wei got angry.
Yong Ge held back his anger and walked behind Cheng Duo. Using his sleeve as a cover, he secretly held onto Cheng Duo's large hand and used his fingers to pester and caress it relentlessly, looking like a little person who had suffered grievances outside and now came back to find his parent to coax him.
Cheng Duo was tickled a little by Yong Ge, and with a smile, he glanced at the sulky little wife. He raised his fist and lightly coughed, "There's a teahouse over there. Shall we go for tea and wait?"
Before Yong Ge could respond, Cheng Duo tossed a small piece of silver to the fan craftsman, "This is extra for you. Take your time with the polishing; we can wait as long as needed."
"Thank you, thank you, sir. The little one will be meticulous. Thanks for your reward," the craftsman thanked gratefully.
Just now, he thought this deal was going to fail when the Little Master in the ornate robe took out his own fan. He didn't expect that the beautiful Little Master would like his craftsmanship.
He was right. The affection between this newlywed couple was indeed strong. The Little Master just secretly held his husband's hand a moment ago. Sitting in front of the stall with a lower line of sight, he noticed everything, while others were oblivious to it.
"Let's go, and we'll sit in the teahouse," Cheng Duo said.
Coincidentally, the teahouse Cheng Duo chose was also a property of the Du family. After they entered the teahouse, Du Boyan displayed the utmost hospitality, not only ordering the most expensive Biluochun tea but also bringing a pile of delicacies.
(T/N: Biluochun tea is a type of green tea.)
"These sugar-steamed cheese buns and honey azuki bean rolls are our teahouse's most famous snacks. Little Master Wei, you must try them," Du Boyan placed two plates of snacks in front of Yong Ge. Although he tried to hide it, his affectionate eyes were fixated on Yong Ge's face, causing Yong Ge to frown.
Cheng Duo was about to burst into laughter. After spending so long in ancient times, this was the first person who dared to openly covet his wife. Did he think Cheng Duo had no temper?
Cheng Duo casually picked up the chopsticks in front of him and flicked his wrist. The chopsticks flew past Du Boyan's cheek and inserted firmly into the pillar behind him with a "thud."
The remaining half of the chopsticks wavered in the air. Only then did Du Boyan suddenly come to his senses, his face covered in cold sweat.
Cheng Duo grinned, "Oops, my hand slipped. Fortunately, Du Young Master dodged quickly. Otherwise, if this chopstick accidentally stabbed your eye, it would have been a pity."
Tan Yulou's heart was already in turmoil. With just one move, he could see how high Cheng Duo's martial prowess was. Even his father, Tan Guangkun, probably couldn't match this chopstick's attack.
He looked at Cheng Duo, then at Du Boyan, who now looked pale and seemed to have weak legs, almost about to collapse. How could he not know that it wasn't Du Boyan's quick reflexes, but that Cheng Duo did it intentionally? Otherwise, instead of having his eyes poked out, this handsome and suave Young Master Du would have become a lifeless corpse by now.
"It's… it's alright…" Du Boyan squeezed out a few words from between his teeth.
Among the people present, Tan Yulou was busy currying favor with the Wei family and wouldn't make any trouble. Wei Ling seemed to be casually observing the scenery, appearing not to notice this side of things. As for the person he cared most about, Little Master Wei…
Yong Ge seemed to treat the incident as an accident as well. He looked at the remaining chopstick next to Cheng Duo and suddenly brightened up, enthusiastically proposing, "Cheng Duo, you dropped yours. Why don't I feed you?"
Du Boyan: "…"
Did his chopstick accidentally fall? It was evident that he did it on purpose!
Was this Little Master Wei too naive? Was it because he grew up in the countryside and lacked experience?
Du Boyan wanted to suggest having a servant bring another pair of chopsticks, but when he recalled Cheng Duo's seemingly smiling yet warning gaze, he swallowed back the words with difficulty.
Tan Yulou wanted to contribute his own chopsticks, but Wei Ling kicked him from the side. Tan Yulou stiffened for a moment, and after a while, he sneakily glanced at Wei Ling. He saw Wei Ling's eyes fixed on his teacup, gently blowing on the hot tea in his hand.
Tan Yulou's foot twitched, feeling inexplicably warm where Wei Ling had kicked him.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Yong Ge had already picked up a piece of sugar-steamed cheese bun and held it with one hand, bringing it to Cheng Duo's mouth. Cheng Duo helplessly lowered his head and took a bite.
"Is it tasty?" Yong Ge asked.
Cheng Duo scoffed, "Too sweet."
So, Yong Ge took a bite himself. It was indeed a little sweet, but with a rich milky flavor that he quite enjoyed. Yong Ge finished the rest of the sugar-steamed cheese bun in three or four bites and then picked up a savory chestnut cake from the table. He first offered a bite to Cheng Duo, saying, "How about trying this one?"
"…" This time, Cheng Duo didn't object, and Yong Ge was wholeheartedly focused on feeding him, thoroughly enjoying the experience.
After finishing two pieces, Cheng Duo declined further, picking up his teacup instead. "You can eat them yourself; I don't like these overly sweet and dry things."
"Oh," Yong Ge looked a bit disappointed. No wonder Cheng Duo always liked to feed him when he was tired. So, hand-feeding his beloved felt even more satisfying than eating himself.
Tan Yulou was already stunned, opening his mouth, "You and General Cheng have always been like this…?"
"Apologies for making Young Master Tan laugh. Yong Ge has the heart of a child, just playing around," Yong Ge could be mischievous, but Wei Ling still needed to save face. He was well aware that among the people present, including the tea customers at nearby tables, no one would dare to make trouble.
"Wei Little Master does indeed have a genuine temperament…" Tan Yulou smiled, secretly envious.
Du Boyan, who was dejectedly sipping his tea, suddenly perked up. Yes, Wei Little Master probably didn't understand at all. He treated everything like a child's game, right?
Otherwise, how could his silent and uninteresting husband be more likable than him, an elegant and charming Young Master?
After drinking tea and listening to storytelling for a while, they returned, and the fan was indeed completed. Yong Ge couldn't put it down and played with it repeatedly.
Back in the courtyard of Jianxin City in the evening, he still held the fan under the oil lamp, illuminating their silhouettes. The candlelight cast through the fan's intricate patterns, forming two somewhat indistinct figures on the wall.
Yong Ge compared them and said, "His brow is not as deep as yours, and his nose is not as straight as yours. I'll go find the vendor tomorrow and have him make another one."
Cheng Duo choked and thought it over before keeping silent. To avoid having every piece of furniture and every window and screen in his home displaying their silhouettes, he didn't recommend Yong Ge bringing the fan maker back to the Western Capital.
With the real person right here, Yong Ge soon put the fan away. Seeing Cheng Duo lazily sitting by the bedside reading, Yong Ge directly sat on him and tried to snatch the book from his hands. "Cheng Duo, reading at night is bad for your eyes."
Look at him.
The young man's gaze was innocent yet enticing, with a face full of eagerness to try. Cheng Duo covered his eyes with his hand, saying, "Don't look at me like that."
Last night, they had been fooling around for most of the night, and now he was afraid Yong Ge wouldn't be able to handle it.
Yong Ge felt his intentions and deliberately rubbed against him. "Cheng Duo, don't you want to? Could it be that you're still tired from last night? That can't be."
"You know that's not what I meant!" Cheng Duo gritted his teeth and rolled over, easily suppressing the alluring little demon.
Yong Ge giggled, raising his hand to hook around Cheng Duo's neck. At this moment, he truly resembled a bewitching fox spirit that sucked away men's yang energy.
What could Cheng Duo do but comply with his wishes?
The welcome banquet was eventually moved to the third evening, and the renowned General Tan Shoubei finally appeared. He was a general who had risen from the bottom ranks. Upon meeting, he spoke with a loud voice, saying, "My apologies, Young General Wei. There are bandits causing chaos in the southern part of the Ying River. I led the troops to suppress them, but I arrived a step late. I will penalize myself with three cups during the banquet later."
"General Tan, you are too kind," Wei Ling had a favorable impression of him. Compared to the county magistrate Hu Zhongwei, who spoke in a roundabout way, he preferred generals like Tan Shoubei.
However, today's banquet seems to be a bit like the Hongmen Banquet. Many officials and wealthy households have brought their female family members and unmarried sons. Due to the large number of people, they had to divide the seating arrangements between the front and back courtyards.
At first, Wei Ling intended to play dumb, but after a few rounds of drinking, Tan Shoubei, who had turned red-faced, whether he was drunk or not, spoke loudly during the banquet, "Young General Wei, in my life, there's one thing I'm particularly good at, and that is having many daughters and sons. I heard that Young General Wei doesn't have any family members by his side. If you find any of my children suitable, why not take one or two back with you tonight?"
Wei Ling was taken aback, feeling cornered by Tan Shoubei's boldness.
Their visit was originally for reconciliation, and Tan Shoubei's desire to bring people closer to him to strengthen their relationship was understandable. Moreover, Tan Shoubei directly allowed him to take people back without insisting on marriage. This could be considered acceptable, especially since Tan Shoubei only had one legitimate son, and the others were all illegitimate.
In truth, Tan Shoubei had given him enough face, and his request was not excessive. If he were to refuse on the spot, not only would it offend Tan Shoubei, but their cooperation might also encounter difficulties…
Tan Yulou didn't expect his father to say such words under the influence of alcohol. His heart tightened, and his light-colored eyes stared at Wei Ling, unsure whether he hoped he would agree or not.
Wei Ling was seriously considering the proposal, but he wasn't thinking about himself. Over the years, the reason he never thought of marrying was partly because he subconsciously felt that by staying with his Third Uncle, he could atone for his father's sins. On the other hand, he was always too busy, and the military camp didn't provide suitable conditions for marriage.
Now that he had found Yong Ge, he felt relieved in his heart. However, taking concubines was not something he wanted to do just to please Tan Shoubei. Everything they had in the future would belong to Yong Ge, and if someone had ulterior motives, trying to manipulate the people around him to influence Yong Ge, Wei Ling couldn't tolerate that.
Moreover, neither Yong Ge nor Cheng Duo had any children yet. If he took concubines, even if he himself didn't have such intentions, it would be difficult to prevent others from having them.
Wei Ling still felt that the eldest branch owed the little Sister-in-law and Yong Ge too much, especially considering that the little Sister-in-law's life was hanging in the balance…
Furthermore, after they recognized Yong Ge, it was Cheng Duo who saved Little Uncle's life. Even their Wei military's generals, including himself, owed a debt of gratitude to Cheng Duo. Without him, they wouldn't have been able to rebel against He Kuntai so easily.
Cheng Duo willingly offered all the treasures, provided silver to the Wei military, increased their military capabilities, and renovated their camps… If Wei Ling relied on his status as the eldest heir and arrogantly claimed everything, he would despise himself.
For a moment, Wei Ling considered many things and became more convinced that taking concubines was not a good idea. Besides, if he accepted Tan Shoubei's proposal, others might follow suit in the future… In fact, many officials and wealthy households present were likely already entertaining similar ideas; otherwise, why would they bring so many sons and daughters with them?
Setting down his wine cup, Wei Ling had made up his mind to refuse, but for a moment, he couldn't find a good excuse… He turned to Cheng Duo for help, seeking a solution.
Cheng Duo didn't approve of his eldest cousin becoming a stallion for the Wei family, but considering Wei Ling's age, he might have some needs…cough cough! So, he didn't immediately intervene.
Now, seeing Wei Ling seeking help, Cheng Duo blinked his eyes and reminded him of the excuse he used in the past…
Wei Ling instantly understood and was about to speak when unexpectedly, Yong Ge rushed out from the back courtyard in a furious manner, exclaiming, "I don't agree!"
Tan Shoubei was taken aback. "Little Master Wei, what's wrong with you?"
Who could have upset this little master? It surely couldn't be him…
Just as Tan Shoubei was thinking this, he saw Yong Ge, who was reeking of alcohol, glaring at him fiercely. Then, he fixed his gaze on several young masters and young misses from the Tan family who followed him out, saying, "Tan Shoubei, I respect that you and my father are both generals, but what's the meaning of bringing so many sons and daughters here? They even said they want to serve me! My Wei family has strict rules; since my grandfather's time, there has never been a precedent for taking concubines…"
Yong Ge's eyes flickered. Since his grandfather, Marquis Wei, had never taken concubines, and as for his several uncles, they died too young, some of them even before having the chance to marry. Although he was drunk, his grandparents had taught him to put on the big hat first before speaking. Anyway, his eldest cousin would definitely not undermine him.
Indeed, Wei Ling didn't undermine him. Seeing Yong Ge standing in front of Cheng Duo, with the Tan family sons and daughters behind him looking anxious, Wei Ling knew he must have misunderstood.
He quickly got up and held Yong Ge, then said to everyone present, "Yes, my Wei family indeed has such a rule: men can only take concubines after turning forty and not having any children."
Yong Ge excitedly grabbed Wei Ling's hand, "Eldest Cousin, what you said is true tru…truly…"
Wei Ling covered Yong Ge's mouth, giving him to Cheng Duo, then smiled at everyone, "I'm sorry, my cousin Yong Ge can't hold his liquor. He probably mistook the fruit wine for fruit juice just now in the backyard."
"No problem, no problem…" Everyone smiled kindly and was about to help smooth things over when they heard Yong Ge, held in Cheng Duo's arms, protest unhappily, "I'm not drunk!"
"I know you're not drunk." Cheng Duo helplessly held him and whispered in his ear, "Tan Shoubei doesn't want to give me people, he wants to add a concubine for your eldest cousin."
"???" Eldest cousin?
Yong Ge widened his eyes, stared at Cheng Duo for a moment, then slowly shrank his head back. So it was for his eldest cousin; then there was no problem…
But when he thought about how he had rushed out without a care, vehemently opposing the idea just now, he blushed and buried his head in Cheng Duo's arms, pretending to be dead.
Cheng Duo laughed softly, then got up and held Yong Ge like one would hold a child, with one hand supporting him at the bend of his legs. This way, Yong Ge could bury his face in Cheng Duo's shoulder.
Cheng Duo was tall, and holding Yong Ge like this didn't seem out of place at all. He straightforwardly said to everyone present, "Sorry, Yong Ge had a bit too much to drink. I'll take him back first."
Wei Ling also felt that enough face had been given, so he bid his farewells.
Tan Shoubei was stunned, "Young General Wei, what about my proposal…"
Wei Ling regretfully said, "Our family rules are as such, so I can only decline your kind offer, General Tan."
"But…"
Tan Yulou quickly supported his father, seemingly helping to save face but actually trying to prevent him from causing further trouble, "Actually, my father's not good with alcohol. When he gets drunk, he tends to talk nonsense. General Wei, please don't take it to heart."
"Of course not." Wei Ling looked understanding and patted Tan Yulou's shoulder, "Then I'll take my leave now. I'll leave General Tan to your care, Tan Young Master."
Tan Yulou blushed, "Of course…"
After Wei Ling left, Tan Shoubei knew his plan had failed. He decided to use alcohol to cover his embarrassment and smoothly left the banquet.
Once on the carriage, he wiped his face and appeared displeased, "Why have I never heard of such a rule in the Wei family? Adding a few concubines wouldn't be a big deal. It seems Wei Ling doesn't trust us!"
"Dad, General Wei has always been lenient towards his subordinates, so why insist on forcing people into his backyard?" Tan Yulou raised his eyes to the sky. His father was good in every aspect, except that he lacked self-restraint when it came to women.
He himself took in a bunch of concubines, not to mention being willing to add people to others' backyards. Many of his half-siblings were sent away like this.
Of course, if his half-siblings were unwilling, Tan Yulou would also stop his father, but if they were willing… just like today, he could only let his father do as he pleased.
"You don't understand. Can we have the same relationship as Wei's trusted subordinates?" Tan Shoubei said gruffly. He wasn't afraid of anything else, just that he was worried about being taken advantage of even after sincerely helping in the war effort.
He had already sent out a plea for help. Now, why bother with this matter?
Tan Yulou was speechless, "If they don't want it, can you force them?"
Then, it wouldn't be forming a relationship, but creating an enemy.
Tan Shoubei was momentarily choked by his son's frank words, then glared at him, "It's just that your aunts are disappointing. If they had given birth to a beautiful ger like Little Master Wei, he would've begged me for them. Do I need to coax them to make them willing?"
His legitimate wife was acceptable; after all, she had given birth to his legitimate son, Tan Yulou. Although he was a bit weak, he was intelligent, and it was Tan Yulou who had worked hard to make their move to Wei's family possible.
In fact, Tan Shoubei didn't dare to provoke Tan Yulou. First, Tan Yulou was his only son, and second, when this unfilial son was displeased, he never spoke directly but would secretly set obstacles for him!
Tan Yulou couldn't respond to this. If he wasn't his son, he really wanted to hand a bronze mirror to his father and let him take a good look at his own face.
His half-siblings' appearance really couldn't be blamed on their aunts! After all, these women were beautiful women he had collected from various places. If they didn't look good, they wouldn't have been able to enter his father's backyard!
Did his father think that him taking concubines was because they admired his talents?
》》》
Yong Ge felt that he had lost face at the banquet, so in the following days when Wei Ling and Cheng Duo went out, he didn't follow them. Instead, he strolled around the stores in Jianxin City alone.
This was something he had discussed with Xie Yuan before leaving. If Jianxin City was willing to surrender, their hotpot restaurant business would naturally be expanded here.
But somehow, every time he went out, within less than fifteen minutes, Du Boyan seemed to appear in front of him, having an "accidental" encounter.
"Little Master Wei, are you also out shopping?" Du Boyan pretended to be elegant while fanning himself, "It seems we have a lot of fate, always running into each other. I wonder what Little Master Wei wants to buy? How about I show you around?"
Yong Ge was annoyed and coolly refused, "No need, I'm just browsing."
"How come I heard that Littlr Master Wei is planning to buy a shop?" Du Boyan didn't give up so easily, "Our Du family has a few shops facing the street. If Little Master Wei likes them, I'll personally decide to give you one."
"I appreciate Young Master Du's kindness, but it's better if you keep the shop for yourself. Otherwise, if this gets out, people might think I, as a son of the Wei family, am not ambitious enough," Yong Ge said nonchalantly. He wasn't really uninterested; he just couldn't accept a gift from him without giving it to his eldest cousin.
But Du Boyan's words reminded him. On the day they entered the city, the officials and wealthy merchants in the city sent valuable gifts. Yong Ge wondered if there were any suitable shops among them.
That night, Yong Ge went back and asked Wei Ling, and indeed, there were suitable shops available. They had their own people in Jianxin City. Wei Ling had someone inquire and eventually provided three suitable property deeds to Yong Ge.
Yong Ge stuffed the deeds into his pocket and said, "Alright, I'll go and take a look tomorrow."
Wei Ling chuckled at his money-loving younger cousin and reminded him, "Remember to bring some people with you when you go out."
Although Tan Shoubei didn't have a problem with it, it never hurt to be more cautious when traveling away from home.
"Don't worry, Cousin. Cheng Duo has told me many times." Now, whenever he went out, he would bring two squads of people with him. Before entering a place, he would have them search it first to ensure there were no issues before he went in.
The next day, Yong Ge went to see the first shop, but felt it wasn't quite suitable. Then, he headed towards Yue Liu Street.
The shop on Yue Liu Street was a two-story building. As he strolled around casually, he walked to a window near the adjacent backyard and suddenly froze in place.
From his vantage point, he could vaguely see the backyard of the neighboring house.
It was obvious that this backyard had been carefully arranged, with pavilions and terraces, vibrant flowers, and an enchanting scenery. Two people were sitting at the stone table by the waterside, flirting and feasting.
One of them had a slender willow waist and a petite figure, clearly a young man. He picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one go, then climbed onto the man's lap, hugging the man's neck and lowering his head…
Even though his view was partially obstructed by the man's back, Yong Ge could tell what they were doing – the young man was feeding the man wine. The two quickly became intimate, kissing passionately as if they could perform a fiery acrobatic show on the spot.
Yong Ge discreetly moved a few steps, but unfortunately, his view was blocked by a branch sticking out at an angle, and he still couldn't see the man's face clearly.
After a while, the two finally separated. The young man playfully tapped the man and said, "Master Cheng, don't be so forceful. You've made me all red… I heard your wife is famous for her beauty. Are you willing to treat her like this?"
The man replied, "What's the use of beauty? It's been four years, and he hasn't even given birth to a fart. I've grown tired of it."
The voice and figure used were actually Cheng Duo's, and the hair accessories, clothing, and robes were exactly the same.
(T/N: I was gonna take a break after this chapter but the end made me stay up for another half hour… (̀_́)ᕤ )
Yong Ge couldn't help but laugh in anger. Initially, he had been curious because of the familiar figure, as he had never seen anyone who resembled his Cheng Duo so much. However, he quickly realized that the man was putting on a show for him!
Others might not know about his feelings for Cheng Duo, but did he not know it himself?
Cheng Duo had confided all his origin, his space, and the earth-shattering secrets to him. If he still doubted Cheng Duo, he would be unworthy of the affection Cheng Duo had shown him all these years!
However, knowing it was fake was one thing, but seeing a man who looked like Cheng Duo intimately embracing another young man was something else entirely.
A pang of sourness surged through Yong Ge's heart, and his throat felt tight and uncomfortable. He tightly clenched his teeth, unable to help but think that if this were true, he would rather die than see Cheng Duo's affections bestowed on someone else!
"Little Young Master…" The personal guard by his side also noticed the scene in the neighboring courtyard. He wanted to console his young master with a few words but didn't know how to begin.
Over the years, General Cheng had gained high prestige in the army, not just because of his title as a Grand General's son-in-law but also due to his formidable strength and compelling personality. He dared to say that if General Cheng called for it, many soldiers in the northwest would follow him. Even he himself admired General Cheng.
A hero like that, willing to dote on their young master, was already quite rare. Occasionally sneaking around outside wasn't a big deal…
Just as the guard was thinking this, "Cheng Duo" continued speaking, "Tan Shoubei gave you to me to bear me a big, chubby son. You better be more outstanding. Don't end up like my useless wife; I played with him until I got bored and didn't hear a peep from him."
The young man with the slender waist chuckled, "Is General Cheng so powerful that he fears not having heirs? After you left last time, I lay in bed the whole day. This time, you can't act recklessly like last time."
The man domineeringly held him, "You still have many brothers. Let Tan Shoubei send two more to serve us together."
The words were spoken, and he promptly slipped into the young man's clothes. It was evident that they were engaging in an intimate rendezvous, biting and sucking each other passionately.
"You're so hateful. Isn't it enough for me to serve you…" The young man's face flushed with a charming redness, his eyes narrowed, seemingly enjoying it very much. From time to time, he let out ambiguous moans.
However, soon, it seemed like he noticed this side and screamed in alarm. He quickly pushed away the man in his embrace and hurriedly disappeared from the corridor.
"Little Young Master, should we go and take a look?" The guard asked anxiously.
Yong Ge sneered, "Of course, why wouldn't we go?"
After all, the other party had put on a show for him, and if he didn't make an appearance, it would be a shame!
He led two squads of personal guards out of the gate, about to head straight to the neighboring house, when unexpectedly Du Boyan emerged from somewhere, saying, "Little Master Wei…"
Following the prepared scenario, Du Boyan intended to step forward to console him. But to his surprise, when they made eye contact, he noticed that Yong Ge's beautiful face had not shed a single tear, and he appeared unusually composed.
Du Boyan's prepared lines got stuck in his throat. Wasn't Little Master Wei supposed to be a meek and indecisive young man, raised in a mountain village? How come he wasn't crying when he saw his lover being affectionate with another young man and even denigrated himself for being unable to bear children?
"Why are you here, Du Boyan?" Yong Ge narrowed his eyes. In a bad mood, he had no patience to play games, and even the way he addressed Du Boyan changed.
"Li… Little Master Wei, you might not know, but this two-story building used to be my Du family's tea house. I was worried you wouldn't understand, so I rushed over to give you some advice…" Du Boyan stammered in explanation, using the excuse he had thought of earlier due to the sudden situation.
They had anticipated Yong Ge losing his composure, crying like a pitiful soul, and then Du Boyan would comfort him and lead him inside to catch the adulterers. In Yong Ge's panic, he might not even think of asking questions.
However, the reality was that Yong Ge remained chillingly composed, and Du Boyan's words inadvertently played into his hands:
"So, this deed was set by your Du family!"
A cold gleam flashed in Yong Ge's eyes. Fearful that the people in the backyard might escape, he didn't bother arguing further. He directly gestured, "Seize him!"
"Little Master Wei?!" Du Boyan's face changed.
"Yes, Master," the personal guard responded. Immediately, two men stepped forward, and one of them kicked Du Boyan behind his knees, causing him to fall to the ground. Then, they bound him.
Du Boyan winced in pain, but he still protested, "Little Master Wei, Littlr Master Wei, how could you suddenly attack me? I haven't offended you… Is there some misunderstanding here?"
"It's just unfortunate timing. You appeared at a bad moment, right when he's in a terrible mood," the personal guard said. Unaware of the true situation, he thought that Little Master Wei was acting out of anger, and Du Boyan became the scapegoat.
Du Boyan: "…"
This script was wrong! He wasn't supposed to be the gentle and kind man, consoling the hurt and sad young man, looking at stars and moon together, and even rolling in bed with him.
If Yong Ge didn't follow the script, what would happen to their plan?!
"Littoe Master Wei, Little Master Wei, you've truly misunderstood me!" Du Boyan still wanted to plead, but unfortunately, Yong Ge no longer paid any attention to him.
Instead of rushing into the neighboring house, Yong Ge had the soldiers block the front and back doors before entering.
"Report to the Master, apart from the kitchen maid and the kitchen workers in the back kitchen, and a little maid who serves tea, we've searched everywhere else, and there's no one else." The soldier in charge of the search swallowed nervously and reported cautiously.
He suspected that there might be hidden mechanisms or secret passages in the room, but they had too few people, and half of them had to protect Little Master Yong. Finding it in a short time would be difficult.
Moreover, if there were secret passages in the house, the other party would have already escaped by the time they found them.
What the personal guard didn't say was that even if they found them, they couldn't defeat General Cheng. Their young master probably wouldn't do anything to him either, so it was better not to find them.
Yong Ge pondered for a moment, "I remember Cheng Duo said they were going to visit the ironware shop and the armory in the Shoubei Camp today."
The whereabouts of the two generals were unknown to Yong Ge's personal guards, so they didn't know how to answer. Luckily, Yong Ge didn't ask for their response and directly ordered, "Bind them all and let's leave the city immediately."
"But, Little Master, Young General Cheng forbade you from leaving the city. What if there's an ambush?" the guard worriedly asked.
Yong Ge considered, "Then, let's go back. Send two people to wait near the nearest city gate. If they spot the two generals, immediately inform them about what happened here."
"Understood…" The personal guard noticed his little master's unwavering confidence and knew something was different. He promptly followed the orders.
They vigilantly escorted Yong Ge back to the other courtyard, taking Du Boyan and the kitchen maid from the next house along with them.
Fortunately, the journey back was uneventful.
Du Boyan's face was gloomy. Of course, nothing would happen. Tan Yulou had surrounded Jianxin City like a tight bucket. It was already challenging to sneak in the man resembling Cheng Duo and the ventriloquist. Moreover, after leading the tiger away from the mountain, assassins from Jiangdong County were still waiting outside the city to ambush Wei Ling…
If anything happened to Wei Ling, and if there was a rift between Cheng Duo and Wei Ling due to their infidelity, he could take advantage of the situation and perhaps win over Wei Zhenyuan's only son. At that point, the Northwest's 200,000-strong army would be his for the taking. What a missed opportunity!
Now that the situation had reversed, Du Boyan couldn't care less about the others. He only wanted to plead for his innocence and find a way out.
However, Yong Ge paid no heed to that and directly ordered the personal guards to use severe methods to extract confessions.
"Littlr Master…" The personal guard hesitated. Although they were soldiers, they didn't want to harm ordinary civilians.
Yong Ge's eyes turned sharp, "Do as I say!"
Surprisingly, he looked just like Cheng Duo in this moment. The guard trembled and quickly complied.
They bound the four individuals to a bench, prepared to use military sticks to beat them. The kitchen maid, the kitchen workers, and the little maid were so frightened by the sight of the military sticks that their faces turned pale, and they were about to collapse. Before any questioning, they confessed everything.
However, they were just hired servants and knew very little. They only knew that the people in the courtyard gave them instructions, and their job was to deliver meals. They didn't need to bother with anything else.
Yet, the little maid knew there were three people living in the courtyard. Apart from the young man and the ventriloquist that Yong Ge had seen, there was also a peculiar-looking man in his thirties with a goatee.
The little maid stammered, "I… I've seen him imitate bird calls; he imitated them very well…"
The personal guard's eyes lit up, "A ventriloquist!"
Yong Ge didn't want to implicate the innocent, so he immediately said, "Leave the three of them. As for Du Boyan, beat him until he confesses!"
Du Boyan: "…"
He had planned to impress Yong Ge and show resilience. If he persisted and didn't confess, Yong Ge might relent, thinking he had mistakenly targeted the wrong person. Then he could use the pretense of recuperation to sow discord between Cheng Duo and Wei Ling…
Unfortunately, he had underestimated his own endurance for pain. The military stick was no joke – solid ironwood that made him want to pass out with every strike. If he had truly lost consciousness, it would have been better, but he was painfully awakened with each hit. Du Boyan endured about ten strikes before hurriedly surrendering, "Stop, Little Master Wei, I surrender, I surrender!"
Yong Ge looked somewhat disappointed, "You surrendered so quickly. I thought you were some heroic figure. Young Master Du doesn't know, but our Wei family's army has a special iron clamp stick for dealing with stubborn spies. They use two sticks to clamp the ankle or knee joint, and with a forceful push, the joint dislocates. Cheng Duo said that spies under this clamp punishment scream particularly miserably. I wanted to hear it myself!"
Yong Ge had spent these years with Cheng Duo, and not only had he copied Cheng Duo's mannerisms, but he even imitated his sarcasm.
Du Boyan, lying weak on the bench, shuddered upon hearing Yong Ge's words. Since the soldiers had released him, he accidentally fell from the bench, and his rear end hit the ground, causing him to gasp in pain, "Ah, no need, Little Master Wei. I will tell you everything. I won't dare to hide anything…"
In his miserable state, he was far from the handsome and confident appearance when they first met.
The surrounding personal guards looked down on him, thinking, how could someone like him dare to seduce their young master?
In truth, they had overestimated Du Boyan. He indeed was a young master of the Du family. However, because the Du family had secretly sided with the Jiangdong County Lord, he was selected due to his handsome appearance.
(T/N: In this chapter we learned never get on Yong Ge's bad side… ᕙ( ︡'︡益'︠)ง )
Du Boyan was not foolish; he knew that if he exposed the truth and ruined the Jiangdong County Lord's plan, he wouldn't escape death either.
So he dragged on, only admitting that he fell in love at first sight with Yong Ge, and then he had a sudden idea to use this method to ruin the relationship between Yong Ge and Cheng Duo.
"A sudden idea?" Yong Ge sneered, "A sudden idea allowed you to find a skilled ventriloquist and someone who looks like Cheng Ge within just a few days. They cooperated so seamlessly; it must have been planned for a long time."
"Even though they cooperated seamlessly, didn't they still get recognized by Little Master Wei?" Du Boyan bitterly smiled. "I won't hide it from you, Little Master Wei. Cultivating such strange talents is my small hobby. As for that man who looks like General Cheng, he's just a servant from my Du family's estate. I happened to see him, and that's when I got the idea…"
His clothes were disheveled, and sweat dripped from his forehead due to the cold sweat. However, his gaze towards Yong Ge was quite sincere. Even the nearby personal guards almost thought that he genuinely committed these despicable acts for their master's sake.
After all, tales of wealthy and debonair young masters setting their sights on others' partners, scheming to entice, stir up emotions, and secretly pursue their love interests were common in dramas and tales, becoming well-known anecdotes.
With their master being so handsome, it wasn't entirely impossible for Du Boyan to fall for him at first sight…
Yong Ge wasn't that conceited. Du Boyan wasn't stupid, and even if he had misunderstood at first, once he met Cheng Duo and they cleared things up, everything would become clear.
He coldly sneered, "Still not willing to tell the truth? It seems like you really want to try our Wei family's iron clamp stick! Bring it in, let's use the clamp stick!"
This time, no matter how Du Boyan cried and begged for mercy, the guards forcefully applied the clamp to his left ankle. With a sudden press from both sides, Du Boyan, who was pinned down, let out a miserable scream and jumped up like he had been shocked, "Ah—"
Seeing Du Boyan on the ground, curled up in pain, with tears and snot flowing, Yong Ge almost couldn't bear to watch.
However, when he thought about the Wei family's situation and the safety of Cheng Duo and his eldest brother, he hardened his heart. He wouldn't let go of any suspicious points: "Are you willing to talk now? If you don't confess, you still have your right ankle, both knees, and both wrists…"
"Sob… No, I'll talk, I'll honestly confess…" Du Boyan cried on the ground, dragging his dislocated leg, and there was no hint of hope left.
As Du Boyan was dragged out, Yong Ge's relaxed expression disappeared, replaced by a serious one: "Quick, bring everyone out, we're leaving the city together!"
"Yes!"
On the other side, Cheng Duo, who was inspecting the mines outside the city, did indeed receive news that Yong Ge was deceived by Du Boyan. Because Wei Ling had gone to the armory, Cheng Duo couldn't return to meet him. He only sent a subordinate to deliver the message and hurriedly rushed back to the city.
"What's going on? Why did Yong Ge follow Du Boyan?"
"I don't know the details either. It was a message from a personal guard by Little Master's side. He said that Little Master suddenly cried a lot, and then Du Boyan appeared, and they left together," said the soldier guarding at the foot of the mountain.
"What about that guard?"
"He was afraid Little Master would be in trouble, so he delivered the message and hurriedly returned."
Cheng Duo frowned, feeling that something wasn't straightforward, but he had to return to the city and find Yong Ge first.
Due to his worry, he whipped the reins the entire way, and his swift steed dashed forward like lightning, leaving the group of soldiers struggling to keep up.
Fortunately, they caught up eventually. When they arrived at the city gate, General Cheng was talking to the two guards Yong Ge had sent to guard the gate.
After listening to their descriptions and combining it with the earlier news, Cheng Duo's face turned green. "Could Yong Ge really have mistaken that person for me?"
One soldier said, "Little Master was crying, so it must be a misunderstanding!"
"Who is behind this mischief? How dare they frame General Cheng?"
"We can vouch for General Cheng. He has been outside the city all morning and couldn't possibly be toying around with some non-existent lover!" the soldiers accompanying Cheng Duo said one after another.
"Crying? Little Master didn't cry!" Yong Ge's guards were puzzled. "Little Master is very calm. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent us brothers to guard the city gate."
"Why did the messenger say that Little Master left crying with Du Boyan?"
Yong Ge's guards looked at each other. "He didn't. Little Master ordered Du Boyan to be tied up, and besides us, he didn't send anyone else to deliver a message."
"What? Then the previous person…" Cheng Duo's expression changed suddenly. "Oh no, this was just a distraction.!"
Using the same move to deal with two issues at once: misleading Cheng Duo to keep him busy while dealing with Wei Ling.
Luckily, Yong Ge was vigilant and didn't fall for their trick.
"Quick, come back with me!"
Cheng Duo quickly mounted his horse, but his steed had just completed a long gallop and hadn't caught its breath. As he tried to ride, the horse shook its head and neighed in protest.
The horses of the soldiers behind him were the same, stomping their hooves and panting heavily.
"Cheng Duo, use our horses!" Yong Ge appeared like a godsend, and before he even gave an order, someone immediately handed him their horse.
Cheng Duo didn't hesitate either, quickly mounting the new horse, and led Yong Ge and the others out of the city.
After such an incident, he couldn't leave Yong Ge alone in the city. It was better to bring him along.
As Cheng Duo led the large group of riders towards the city outskirts, back in the armory, Wei Ling and Tan Yulou had already fallen victim to an assassination attempt.
A large group of black-clad assailants descended from the sky. Wei Ling had only two teams of guards with him, and besides the armory guards, there weren't many people with Tan Yulou either. They could only fight while retreating, and one by one, their companions fell, leaving the ground covered in bodies and blood.
The armory was built at the foot of the mine, where a village gradually formed due to the large number of blacksmiths crafting weapons. Witnessing the black-clad assassins killing everywhere, the blacksmiths and ordinary villagers were terrified, fleeing for their lives while some fell victim to the attacks. The vicinity of the armory turned into a living hell.
Wei Ling and Tan Yulou hid in a cellar that seemed untouched for a long time. Not only was the entrance blocked by debris, but the cellar itself was filled with dust, making it difficult to breathe.
However, in this life-threatening moment, both of them disregarded these discomforts.
Wei Ling stood by the entrance and peered outside through the gaps in the old wooden planks. A large group of black-clad people was still searching for them, and it was uncertain when they would find this cellar.
Due to the dim environment, he couldn't see Tan Yulou's expression inside the cellar, but he could hear his slightly heavy breathing and the faint smell of blood in the air.
Wei Ling hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you injured?"
He remembered that during the fight, Tan Yulou seemed to have pulled him aside. When he turned around to kill the black-clad person behind him, he found that Tan Yulou had already taken care of the one in front.
The two of them protected each other and fought their way out, ultimately finding refuge in this abandoned cellar when no one was watching.
Tan Yulou wiped the blood trickling down from his lower back and nodded. "Mm, I accidentally got cut."
He downplayed it, but in reality, the wall and floor behind him had formed a small pool of blood, and his face turned pale from the fright.
Wei Ling stood up, bending over to approach him. "Let me bandage it for you."
He started to take off his clothes, intending to tear his undershirt to dress Tan Yulou's wound.
Tan Yulou stiffened. "No need, I can do it myself…"
"Your injury is on your back. How can you dress it yourself? Hurry up, the black-clad people might come soon."
Prompted by Wei Ling, Tan Yulou closed his eyes and thought that since it was dark in the cellar, he couldn't see anything anyway. Besides, he had decided to be more assertive like a man, so being hesitant and coy would only raise suspicion.
Tan Yulou didn't want to die, nor did he want to become a burden to Wei Ling. He took a deep breath and extended his trembling hands to remove his belt.
After Wei Ling took off his undershirt and put on his outer robe again, he saw Tan Yulou's slow actions and thought it was due to the injury. So he came over to help him, saying, "Let me assist you."
Although Tan Yulou's hands trembled, he didn't stop Wei Ling.
Wei Ling's rough hands felt around Tan Yulou's body, sensing the slight shivering. He couldn't tell if it was from excessive blood loss, the cold, or fear of dying here. After all, he was touching his back, which was usually covered by a robe. Wei Ling's heart softened, and he couldn't help comforting him, "Don't be afraid. Your father and Cheng Duo will come to rescue us soon. Hold on a little longer."
"I know." Tan Yulou replied softly, letting Wei Ling half-hug him as he removed the bloodstained outer robe, followed by the undershirt… feeling so embarrassed that his toes almost curled up.
Wei Ling continued talking to him, "I didn't expect Young Master Tan's martial arts to be so good at such a young age."
Tan Yulou forced a smile and said, "Still can't compare to General Wei."
"Don't be modest, Young Master Tan. We can spar again when we have the chance…" As his fingers touched the smooth skin on Tan Yulou's back, Wei Ling's expression suddenly became a bit strange.
Why did the touch of his back feel different?
Unable to resist, Wei Ling touched it a couple more times and couldn't help but think that Tan Shao's skin seemed too delicate. The muscles on his back didn't feel as solid as his own, not like that of a seasoned warrior exposed to wind and sun.
Tan Yulou, feeling embarrassed and angered, held down Wei Ling's wandering hand. "General Wei, what are you doing?"
Wei Ling felt a bit embarrassed. "Uh, sorry, I just found it curious that your skin is not as rough as mine. It piqued my curiosity."
Tan Yulou's heart was almost in his throat. He stammered, "We are all… all men, there shouldn't be any difference. General Wei, please stop the bleeding as soon as possible."
Though he said that, when Wei Ling applied the medicine and bandaged the wound, their bodies inevitably touched. Wei Ling then realized that Tan Yulou was at least a bit narrower than him in build. Holding him in his arms just fit perfectly…
A blush started to appear on Tan Yulou's face and body, but fortunately, the dimness of the cellar prevented Wei Ling from noticing it.
After finishing the bandaging, Tan Yulou eagerly put on his clothes, even if the movements were too strong and caused some discomfort around the wound.
Wei Ling noticed his urgent actions, making him even more puzzled. He rubbed his fingers, as if there was still a lingering sensation of smoothness. Moreover, when they were close just now, amid the strong smell of blood, he seemed to catch a faint, pleasant scent – probably Tan Yulou's natural fragrance.
Having spent a long time in the military, the only person Wei Ling had any physical contact with was his cousin, Yong Ge. However, as his cousin, he couldn't touch him inappropriately. Initially, he thought that it was Tan Yulou's cleanliness that made the difference.
But Tan Yulou's behavior and the peculiarities he noticed made him feel that something was off…
(T/N: Yes… this translator likes this kind of peculiarities… finally someone for General Wei also….(ω)！)
Seeing Cheng Duo approaching from a distance, the black-clothed men knew that Du Boyan's plan had failed. Fortunately, they never trusted him much, so they had a backup plan!
"Quick, set up the tripwire!" the leader of the black-clothed men ordered.
"Yes!" Two groups of black-clothed men swiftly responded, and thick hemp ropes were raised. At such a close distance and with horses charging at high speed, they wouldn't be able to stop in time, leading to a spectacular scene of chaos and falling people.
Cheng Duo chuckled when he saw the situation. He stretched out his hand to Yong Ge and said, "Yong Ge, lend me your bow."
Yong Ge rode his horse closer and handed his bow and arrows to Cheng Duo without a word. Over the years, he had changed his bow multiple times. The one he had now was the standard military issue, heavier and with a highly flexible bowstring.
Cheng Duo notched an arrow and shot it. The arrow whizzed like a supersonic missile, "pu," piercing through one man's chest. Its momentum didn't weaken, hitting the second and then the third man behind him…
The leader of the black-clothed men's face changed, but before he could say anything, the other end of the tripwire made more black-clothed men fall to the ground.
By this time, Cheng Duo's horse had arrived nearby. He returned the bow and arrows to Yong Ge and drew his saber from his back. With a swift move, he dismounted and charged towards the closest black-clothed men.
Although there were twice as many black-clothed men, Cheng Duo's display undoubtedly boosted the soldiers' confidence. As he moved among the black-clothed men, he took down one after another with almost every thrust, blood spraying, and an imposing aura, causing the black-clothed men to scatter in disarray.
The soldiers who followed Cheng Duo were inspired and filled with excitement. Someone roared towards the sky, and others followed suit, creating an earth-shattering cry of battle.
Yong Ge's hands holding the bow trembled slightly, not out of fear, but excitement. Every time he saw his Cheng Ge take action, he felt a surge of blood boiling within him. No wonder everyone in the Wei Family Army liked following his Cheng Duo – he liked it too!
Yong Ge didn't dismount either. He shot arrows at the black-clothed men attacking Cheng Duo. Finding that Cheng Duo didn't need his support, he turned to help the Wei Family Army soldiers on the scene.
The leader of the black-clothed men looked at the scene with a grim expression. He had wanted to capture Yong Ge himself, but he didn't expect that there were so many people protecting him. Before they could deal with the surrounding soldiers, Cheng Duo had already returned…
A cold glint flashed, and the leader of the black-clothed men's wide-open eyes suddenly froze. He tightly held his bleeding neck, severed by a blade that belonged to one of his own men. The hilt of the blade even had a few severed fingers, showing how tightly its owner had gripped it before losing it.
The leader's last thought before dying was that Cheng Duo from the northwest was indeed no ordinary figure. With such a fierce and brave general, no wonder their master was wary to this extent…
The leader was dead, but his black-clothed men remained fierce and unafraid of death. The soldiers who followed Cheng Duo fought for what seemed like half an hour or maybe a full hour. Bodies lay scattered on the ground, belonging to both the black-clothed men and their own comrades.
Finally, when Tan Shoubei arrived with his men, the bloody battle came to an end. Seeing the remaining black-clothed men scattering, Tan Shoubei didn't chase after them. Instead, he looked at the limbs and body parts strewn all over the ground and anxiously asked Cheng Duo, "General Cheng, where's my son?"
Cheng Duo hadn't answered yet when a response came from not far behind him, "We're here!"
Tan Shoubei turned to look and saw Wei Ling supporting Tan Yulou, both of them limping out. They had originally hidden in a cellar, but they were soon found by the black-clothed men who followed the blood trail. The two of them fought their way out, desperately fleeing.
Fortunately, Cheng Duo arrived in time, drawing the black-clothed men away and sharing most of the pressure with them.
However, both of them were injured, especially Tan Yulou, who was now covered in blood, looking like a bloodied figure.
"Yulou!" Tan Shoubei breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly went up to meet him.
But he soon realized that he had relaxed too early. As soon as Tan Yulou saw him, he fainted, and Wei Ling quickly caught him. As Wei Ling was about to carry him, Tan Shoubei snatched his son away from him.
"I'll do it!"
Tan Shoubei found a clean room and ordered his subordinates to fetch a military doctor. Wei Ling hesitated whether to stop him, thinking about the peculiarities on Tan Yulou's body. He wondered if he should conceal it.
He carefully examined the center of Tan Yulou's eyebrows, which was clean and normal. Perhaps he was overthinking it…
However, when he saw the military doctor start to undo Tan Yulou's clothes, and the neckline was just pulled down, revealing the delicate skin that was completely different from his face and neck, Wei Ling tensed up again.
As a young general who had experienced the battlefield, life and death were of little concern to him, so why should he care if his body was seen at such a time? However, when he looked at Tan Shoubei, he felt that he should be kept in the dark. What if something really happened to Tan Yulou? Would Tan Shoubei become furious? Would the people who helped conceal it also be implicated?
Especially when he saw how casually Tan Shoubei treated his other illegitimate children, Wei Ling felt uncomfortable at the thought of Tan Yulou also being handed over to someone.
However, he was too tense right now and had no time to worry about these matters. As he watched the military doctor unbuttoning Tan Yulou's shirt, exposing almost half of his shoulder, Wei Ling's hand involuntarily rose… But Tan Yulou woke up at that moment.
Wei Ling breathed a sigh of relief, and Cheng Duo glanced at his strange behavior, then looked at his raised and lowered hand.
Others didn't notice, but he saw everything. Just now, his eldest cousin had become tense all over, his handsome face devoid of his usual free and easy demeanor. It seemed that something had happened between these two during the black-clothed men's attack.
"Father?" Tan Yulou had just woken up and sensed something amiss. He quickly pressed his shoulder and, ignoring the military doctor's dissuasion, pulled his clothes back.
Tan Shoubei, who was standing beside him, hurriedly said, "Yulou, don't move. Let the military doctor treat your injuries."
As soon as Tan Yulou heard that, he struggled to sit up. "It's just minor injuries. I can handle it myself…"
"What do you mean, you'll handle it yourself? Look at how injured you are!" Tan Shoubei's eyes narrowed, and his voice involuntarily raised, "Lie down quickly!"
Tan Yulou, of course, wouldn't listen, and the consequence was Tan Shoubei pressing him down forcefully. He then called out to the military doctor, "What are you staring at? Treat my son's injuries now!"
The military doctor was taken aback but quickly nodded, "Yes."
"Dad!"
Wei Ling had already suspected something, and seeing Tan Yulou's abnormal behavior after waking up, his suspicions reached their peak.
Regardless of whether it was during the life-and-death struggle with him or earlier in the cellar… Wei Ling remembered how Tan Yulou obediently let him unbutton his clothes, and his ears couldn't help but turn red.
He quickly stepped forward and said, "Tan Shoubei, in fact, Cheng Duo has a better way to stop the bleeding. He saved my uncle, Wei Zhenyuan, using that method when he was severely injured."
Cheng Duo raised an eyebrow and saw Wei Ling looking at him with a pleading expression, as if there was something difficult to say.
Cheng Duo glanced at his son, Tan Yulou, and said, "I do have a way to help Tan Yulou stop the bleeding, but there are too many people in this room, which is not conducive to disinfecting the wound. Tan Shoubei, why don't you go out first?"
"Really?" Tan Shoubei naturally was overjoyed. He had also heard about Cheng Duo healing Wei Zhenyuan: "Great, great! We'll go out first, and we'll leave the military doctor here. He can assist you."
"No need, let Wei Ling stay."
Tan Shoubei thought that Wei Ling had helped before and knew what to do, so he didn't object. With the military doctor and his confidants, he then left the room.
Once they were all gone, Cheng Duo looked at Wei Ling and asked, "What's the silent communication between you?"
Before Wei Ling could answer, the pale-faced Tan Yulou lying on the bed interrupted, "There's no silent communication. I just… I just didn't want to worry my dad."
After saying that, he fell silent.
Wei Ling stepped forward to mediate, "Let's treat the injury first."
Cheng Duo didn't confirm or deny anything, but when he approached, a new problem arose: Tan Yulou still refused to cooperate and wouldn't say the reason.
"You'll die if you keep bleeding like this!" Wei Ling was anxious, but then he realized that he had become too agitated. He wiped his face and softened his tone, persuading, "Just let Cheng Duo take a look. We won't say anything random. We were just fine in the cellar, and at a life-and-death moment like that, those things are not important."
When he mentioned the cellar, Tan Yulou's pale face suddenly blushed, "You're mistaken…"
He wanted to say, "At that time, it was a last resort," but saying so would expose his identity… Although Wei Ling had already hinted at it in his words, as long as he denied it, Wei Ling couldn't do anything to him.
Observing the situation, Yong Ge, looked at this and then that, "Most of Young Master Tan's injuries are on his back. Why don't I help him expose the wounds, and then Cheng Duo can stitch them up?"
Tan Yulou's eyes suddenly looked at him, his gaze flickering, but he didn't say anything. He just curled up, clearly not opposing this proposal.
He was already weak, and though doing this might raise suspicion, he absolutely couldn't admit it. Otherwise, his mother might go crazy, and his father… Tan Yulou couldn't predict how his father would react, but given his father's ruthlessness towards his step-siblings, he definitely wouldn't let him off easily.
Wei Ling rubbed his nose and said, "Then let's do as Yong Ge said."
What to do? He unbuttoned someone's clothes and even touched, touched the person's waist…
Yong Ge couldn't help but find it amusing to see his eldest cousin in such an awkward situation. According to his previous words, he must have taken advantage of the situation in the cellar.
Yong Ge had always felt that Tan Yulou looked too delicate, and now he was almost certain. When he flipped open Tan Yulou's clothes and touched the skin that was different from a man's, he quickly confirmed it: Tan Yulou was indeed a ger!
Yong Ge was different from Wei Ling; he had himself as a reference and frequently touched Cheng Duo, making it easy for him to notice the difference.
The gruesome wound on Tan Yulou's back was still bleeding, and following Cheng Duo's instructions, Yong Ge quickly cleaned the edges of the wound and then took out cotton cloth soaked in high-proof liquor. "It might hurt a little later; bear with it."
…Throughout the entire process, Tan Yulou remained silent. Yong Ge couldn't help but admire him. Ger's bodies were actually more sensitive and more prone to pain than males. Sometimes, when Cheng Duo got a bit rough, he couldn't help but cry out in pain. Not to mention such a large wound like this?
The stitching process was swift; Cheng Duo's movements were quick, precise, and ruthless, as if he was dealing with lifeless objects rather than human flesh.
Yong Ge grimaced at the sight and couldn't help saying, "Cheng Duo, take it slower. If there are too many scars, it won't look good."
Cheng Duo glanced at him and replied, "How about letting your eldest cousin do it? He has been watching for so long, he should know how to do it, right?"
Cheng Duo felt uncomfortable even thinking about touching another ger, especially since he hadn't been mistaken; there were other wounds on Tan Yulou's arms and chest.
With a cloth in his mouth, Tan Yulou, who was almost passing out, managed to say, "…"
Wei Ling felt even more uneasy on his face, but upon hearing Cheng Duo's suggestion, he didn't back down and stepped forward, saying, "Alright, I'll do it."
(T/N: Our leads creating opportunities for the side couple… ԅ(ˆ‿ˆԅ) )