Chapter 39

 After eating, taking care of the chickens and ducks, it was time for a break in their busy schedule. Baoning pulled Pei Yuan to the backyard vegetable garden to relax.

The garden wasn't large, but it was abundant in variety. To the east, there were two rows of spring onions, next to them were Chinese cabbage, leeks, and small persimmons. Further west was Ahuang's favorite cucumber trellis.

The northern courtyard was shaded from the sun, not as warm as the southern one, but not cold either, with a refreshing breeze.

Baoning lowered her eyes to trim her nails.

Pei Yuan lay on a reclining chair, with a soft dog nestled under his arm, twirling its whiskers and teasing it by rubbing a strand on its nose. Ahuang dodged and sneezed, but Pei Yuan held it firmly, unable to escape, embarrassed and growling softly.

"Stop it, give me your hand." Baoning nudged him with her elbow, palm up, waiting for him. "Let me help you trim yours too."

"Finally, it's my turn. I've been waiting for you for so long." Pei Yuan placed his left hand on hers, instructing, "Cut hard, bare nails are the best, long nails are the most annoying."

Baoning snapped the large scissors a couple of times, lips pursed. "You said so yourself, don't blame me if it's too rough."

Pei Yuan's eyebrows lifted. "Am I like that? A man spits a nail."

He lifted Ahuang's chin. "Little dog, what do you say?"

Ahuang didn't like the nickname, twisting its bottom and ignoring him. Pei Yuan teased its fur, lips curling slightly.

Baoning straightened his fingers. "Speaking of rural dialect, where did you learn it?"

"In the military camp. When I was in the Northern Frontier Army before, soldiers from all over the place spoke worse than this. At first, I despised it, but later got used to it. I found it comfortable to speak like this." Pei Yuan leaned closer to her, chatting casually. "Do you find it comfortable?"

Baoning was busy with her hands and didn't pay attention to him, agreeing absentmindedly, "Comfortable, comfortable."

Pei Yuan touched his nose, no longer interested in bothering her, turning his gaze to Baoning's vegetable garden. He hadn't been to the backyard a few times before, and the seedlings had grown quite tall unnoticed, a lush green sight. In the corner, there was a clump of unknown weeds that looked unsightly.

Pei Yuan asked, "What's that? Why hasn't it been cleared?"

"Fruit, it can be eaten after ripening in autumn." Baoning glanced at it, whispering, then complained, "Your nails are really hard to trim, so stiff. From now on, you should do it yourself."

Pei Yuan automatically ignored the latter half. "What fruit? Does it have a name?"

"It's called Mushroom Girl. When it's not ripe, it's a small green seed. When squeezed out, it can make a small whistle with no sound, but it's very loud. When ripe, it's orange-yellow, like a small persimmon. It's big and sour-sweet." Baoning focused on his nails. "Next time, soften them with warm water before trimming."

She grabbed Pei Yuan's fingers and snapped them hard.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Pei Yuan withdrew his hand with a hiss, checking carefully to see if it was bleeding, then turned his head to grab Baoning's earlobe. "You really did it fiercely, is it proof of killing?"

Baoning blinked her eyelashes, feeling a bit guilty. "You said it yourself..."

"Stubborn?" Pei Yuan threw the scissors to the ground, grabbing her and putting her on his lap, pinching her cheek with two fingers. Baoning pouted, and Pei Yuan smiled with narrowed eyes, lightly biting her lower lip. "Dare you?"

...

Qiu Mingshan arrived just in time to see this scene.

The front yard was empty, with no one in sight. He called out a few times without response, feeling anxious that something might have happened to Pei Yuan. He came to the backyard to find the young couple playing around.

Qiu Mingshan stood awkwardly in place. He wanted to slip away quietly, but Ahuang had already spotted him.

"Woof!"

Pei Yuan and Baoning turned their heads simultaneously.

Baoning was startled and embarrassed, quickly getting off Pei Yuan's lap, smoothing her skirt nervously, standing there at a loss.

Pei Yuan's face instantly darkened, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes.

"I..." Qiu Mingshan opened his mouth, fingertips clutching the hilt of his sword uncomfortably. "I'll leave first and come back later."

"No need." Pei Yuan spoke coldly. "If there's anything, say it here."

"Well..." Qiu Mingshan hesitated for a moment. Pei Yuan rarely treated him so amiably, and he felt satisfied with that. He walked over to Pei Yuan, and Baoning made room for him.

Pei Yuan introduced Qiu Mingshan to Baoning. "General Qiu Mingshan."

Baoning smiled and nodded politely, curtsying.

"My wife, Ji Baoning."

When Pei Yuan introduced her, Baoning clearly saw Qiu Mingshan's eyes light up. He rubbed his palms together and kept saying, "Good child, good child..."

He reached into his pocket awkwardly. "I came in a hurry and didn't bring any gifts. I'll make it up to you later, Baoning, please don't mind."

He took out a jade pendant from his sleeve.

"If you don't mind..." Qiu Mingshan smiled and pushed the jade pendant toward Baoning. "Please accept it."

The rumored General Qiu Mingshan, decisive in killing, had fought on the battlefield for more than twenty years, with countless achievements, undefeated against the Xiongnu. He was a prestigious figure. Baoning thought he should be serious and stern, not joking.

The Ba Shu Army was originally under Pei Che's control, and the Tiger Seal was in his hands. A year ago, during the southern campaign, Pei Che took the Tiger Seal to supervise the army. After the war settled, he returned to the capital, but the Tiger Seal remained in the army, entrusted to Vice General Zhou Jiangcheng. Later, Pei Che made a mistake, was imprisoned, and then disappeared. The Ba Shu Army changed its commander to Zhou Jiangcheng. According to reason, the Tiger Seal should have been in Zhou Jiangcheng's hands.

Now, how did it disappear?

Qiu Mingshan said, "The day the former Crown Prince returned to the capital, the Tiger Seal went missing. Zhou Jiangcheng dared not report it and kept the matter suppressed. A few days ago, someone reported that Nan Yue was preparing to invade again, and Zhou Jiangcheng couldn't keep it hidden anymore, so he secretly informed me."

Pei Yuan gritted his teeth. "He's utterly useless!"

"On my way here, I pondered over why someone would steal the Tiger Seal. If the Tiger Seal is divided, half is in the commander's hands and half in the emperor's hands, even if someone has one half, they cannot mobilize the army."

Pei Yuan said, "Unless there's border unrest and a need to deploy troops, the emperor would grant the other half."

Qiu Mingshan shook his head. "But that doesn't make sense either. Even if he could mobilize the troops, he could only face the enemy. The Ba Shu Army was built up by the former Crown Prince. Even if this person truly has ambitions to usurp the throne and tries to lead a rebellion in the capital, those vice generals who originally followed the former Crown Prince wouldn't just obey him."

Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes. "But with the Tiger Seal lost, Zhou Jiangcheng will definitely face consequences. Those vice generals who originally supported the former Crown Prince will also be held accountable. Without a doubt, the leadership of the Ba Shu Army will undergo significant changes."

"So the real goal of the thieves is..."

Both of them said simultaneously, "To seize military power."

Pei Yuan asked, "Does Zhou Jiangcheng suspect anyone?"

"He's not sure." Qiu Mingshan sighed. "On the night the former Crown Prince returned to the capital, there was a celebration in the army. He was heavily drunk and doesn't remember who entered his tent and took the Tiger Seal."

"Adequate in success, excessive in failure!" Pei Yuan's eyes blazed with anger. Qiu Mingshan frowned. "But there is one person who is overly suspicious, in my estimation."

Pei Yuan asked, "Who?"

"His concubine, named Green Cloud. According to Zhou Jiangcheng, Green Cloud fell seriously ill and died three days after the Tiger Seal went missing. How suspicious is that? But Zhou Jiangcheng dearly loved Green Cloud and swore to me that she would never betray him like this. It's just my speculation."

Pei Yuan seized on the key point. "Has he returned to the capital?"

Qiu Mingshan nodded. "He's in my mansion."

Before Pei Yuan could speak, Qiu Mingshan said, "Yuan'er, I know you don't like me and there's a barrier between us, but Pei Xiao has already taken action. I'm afraid it won't be good for you to stay here. This place is remote, with no signs of human habitation. If he really wants to take action against you, although your martial arts are strong, two fists are no match for four hands, especially now that you're married."

Qiu Mingshan advised cautiously, with a hint of hope. "Why not, as before, temporarily stay at my mansion?"

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