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墨書 Inktalez
Elder Brother Li came down from the battlefield and immediately began helping to treat the wounded, not having slept for three nights. Once all matters were settled, he returned to his quarters and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep instantly. His roommate, Yue Yunfei, was in slightly better shape and had gone to bed a bit earlier. The two of them slept soundly until they both woke up two hours later.
Sitting on their beds, they exchanged glances and smiled at each other.
"I'm so hungry; let's go eat," Yue Yunfei said.
Elder Brother Li glanced outside and replied, "At this hour, the kitchen has already stopped serving food. Let's go outside the camp and catch some wild game to roast."
Yue Yunfei jumped out of bed excitedly. "Great! I haven't had meat in a long time; today I want to feast!"
Elder Brother Li couldn't help but laugh. "I'm just afraid that if we move too slowly, all the nearby game will be eaten by others."
Yue Yunfei reassured him, "No worries! We can ride a bit farther; we'll surely catch one or two stragglers."
Elder Brother Li stood up as well. "Then let's go."
As they stepped outside, they ran into Geng Shi'an, who had just finished resting but still bore a hint of fatigue.
"Where are you two headed?" Geng Shi'an asked.
Yue Yunfei grinned and replied, "We're going out to hunt some wild game. Want to join us?"
Geng Shi'an waved his hand dismissively. "I'm busy; I don't have the leisure you two do."
Although the wounded had received timely treatment, there was still much follow-up care that needed to be handled by them as Military Doctors, leaving no time or mood for barbecues.
Yue Yunfei understood the hardships of Geng Shi'an, after all, he had experienced it himself. "We'll bring you some good food when we return."
Geng Shi'an scoffed at his back, "I'm not like you, a glutton!"
Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei rode their horses, galloping until they were over a hundred miles away before stopping. There was no choice; they weren't the only ones wanting to eat meat, and the wild game near the military camp had been wiped out by the soldiers.
Yue Yunfei caught a wild chicken and two rabbits, while Elder Brother Li started a fire to cook some wild vegetables. He made two fires: one for roasting meat and the other with an iron pot hanging above it, boiling water. They set up their fire by the riverbank, and Yue Yunfei carried his catch to the river to clean it. Elder Brother Li called out, "Yue Fei, just clean out the insides of the wild chicken; you don’t need to pluck the feathers."
"Why not? Wei Feng, do you want us to eat feathers?" Yue Yunfei asked in confusion.
Elder Brother Li laughed, "If you want to eat feathers, that's on you. Don't worry; I won't waste this chicken. I’ll make it so delicious that you won’t be able to stop eating."
Elder Brother Li's method was similar to Huang Rong's; he smeared a layer of yellow mud on the outside of the chicken and stuffed its belly with mushrooms and various seasonings, wrapping it in leaves and burying it under the fire. As for the two rabbits, one was roasted traditionally while the other was chopped into pieces and thrown into the pot to stew with wild vegetables.
Yue Yunfei was very curious about Beggar's Chicken and didn’t touch the roasted rabbit, waiting eagerly for Elder Brother Li's dish.
When Elder Brother Li dug out the Beggar's Chicken from the ground, Yue Yunfei looked at the blackened lump with suspicion. "Can this really be eaten?"
Without answering, Elder Brother Li demonstrated through action. He peeled off the dry mud, and as the feathers fell away with it, tender white chicken meat emerged, releasing a rich aroma.
"It smells so good!" Yue Yunfei sniffed eagerly, drooling over the tender chicken. He realized he had been wrong to doubt Wei Feng; his cooking skills were exceptional—everything he made was delicious.
"It smells so good!" another voice came from behind them. "What are you making?"
Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei had already sensed someone approaching but hadn’t paid much attention since there was no malice in their presence. Now that they heard the voice, they naturally turned around.
A magnificent white horse carried a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old. Although she was dressed in men's clothing, Elder Brother Li was well-versed in the world and immediately recognized her gender. Yue Yunfei, on the other hand, thought a young boy had arrived. Indeed, ancient people were quite simple-minded. The girl's appearance was striking; a hint of heroism graced her brows, setting her apart from ordinary girls. She radiated vitality and spirit.
"This is Beggar's Chicken. Miss, since we have met, would you like to try some?" If she had been an ordinary woman, Elder Brother Li would not have made such an invitation. However, this girl exuded an extraordinary aura; if she were overly concerned with propriety, she wouldn't be riding alone on horseback and casually greeting two men.
The girl's expression changed instantly. "No way! I'm a boy, a boy!"
Yue Yunfei was taken aback, his mouth agape. How could he not have realized that the youth was actually a girl? After all, what kind of girl would be so bold as to ride alone?
Elder Brother Li merely smiled and remained silent, wearing a confident expression.
Under his demeanor, the girl felt her resolve wavering and reluctantly said, "Fine, you have some knowledge. Well then, you can share half of that Beggar's Chicken with me."
"Not a problem." Elder Brother Li felt quite fond of this straightforward girl.
"My name is Mo Yan. What are your names?" She jumped down from her horse and sat on the only empty stone beside Yue Yunfei. He couldn't help but notice the faint fragrance emanating from her, causing his face to flush involuntarily.
Elder Brother Li smiled and glanced at Yue Yunfei. "I am Li Wei Feng, and this is my good brother Yue Yunfei."
"You both must be soldiers under General Yang," the girl asked.
"How did you know?" Yue Yunfei inquired.
She giggled mischievously. "I know a lot more than that, but I won't tell you."
Yue Yunfei sighed in exasperation.
Elder Brother Li watched them interact with a smile, splitting the Beggar's Chicken and One Minute in half, handing portions to the girl and Yue Yunfei.
"It's delicious, so delicious," they exclaimed, quickly finishing off half a chicken and the vegetables inside. Still unsatisfied, their eyes wandered to the third of the roasted rabbit that Elder Brother Li had.
Amused, Elder Brother Li tore off two rabbit legs with a quarter of meat and shared them with the two: "There's still soup after you finish this."
The girl's eyes turned into crescent moons: "What you make is so tasty! I've never had chicken or rabbit meat this good in the capital."
Yue Yunfei replied proudly, "Of course! Wei Feng's culinary skills are top-notch. He knows many unknown wild herbs and spices, mixing them with game for roasting. The flavor is simply amazing..."
The girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement: "Do you have any extra spices? Can you sell me some?"
Elder Brother Li said, "It's just some wild-growing things; they're not worth much. You can ask Yue Yunfei to teach you how to forage for them yourself."
She looked at Yue Yunfei with hopeful eyes.
Yue Yunfei, slightly tipsy, nodded eagerly in agreement.
Elder Brother Li found it amusing; he was helping his brother out and hoped Yue Yunfei would seize the opportunity.
All three had impressive appetites, finishing off the Beggar's Chicken, roasted rabbit, and a pot of soup together. Out of the corner of his eye, Yue Yunfei noticed the girl’s flat stomach and wondered where she was putting all that food.
Realizing Yue Yunfei's gaze was on her, the girl quickly turned away and shot him a fierce glare: "Pervert! What are you looking at?"
Yue Yunfei blushed but retorted defiantly, "Of course I'm wondering where you're putting all that food! Half a chicken, a quarter of a roasted rabbit, two bowls of soup—your appetite is bigger than our soldiers'!"
The girl blushed upon hearing this and stubbornly replied, "So what? Being able to eat is a blessing."
Yue Yunfei said, "I've never seen a woman as fortunate as you."
The girl rolled up her sleeves and challenged, "Are you looking for a fight?"
Yue Yunfei stood up and took two steps back from her. "Girls should be graceful; there's no need to resort to fighting so easily."
Without responding, the girl threw a punch at Yue Yunfei's face. He quickly dodged, but she relentlessly continued to swing her fists. The two of them engaged in a playful back-and-forth, one attacking while the other evaded.
Elder Brother Li watched from the side, clearly amused. It was evident that the girl had trained in martial arts and was quite skilled, but she lacked combat experience and was no match for Yue Yunfei. He could easily subdue her; for now, he was just teasing her.
"What a pair of happy rivals!"
The girl's strength and stamina were no match for Yue Yunfei's. After failing to land a hit on him, she grew frustrated and jumped onto her horse, cracking the whip as she rode away. Her voice echoed from a distance, filled with indignation: "Yue Yunfei, I won't forget you!"
Wiping nonexistent sweat from his brow, Yue Yunfei turned to see Elder Brother Li wearing a strange smile. Annoyed, he asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Elder Brother Li's grin widened. "I just calculated something; someone's love star has been activated."
Yue Yunfei shot him an embarrassed glare. "Who would fall for that gluttonous girl?"
Elder Brother Li laughed heartily. "I only mentioned someone's love star; I didn't involve the girl. Sounds like you're confessing!"
"Wei Feng!" Yue Yunfei exclaimed in embarrassment and anger. He decided to mimic the girl and jumped onto his horse, galloping away.
Elder Brother Li stood up with a smile, slowly extinguishing the campfire and washing the pot with water before leisurely mounting his horse and turning back to the military camp.
As soon as he returned to the camp, Yue Yunfei approached him.
"The Marshal wants us to go see him."
Elder Brother Li's expression turned serious as he asked, "Is there enemy activity again?"
Yue Yunfei shook his head. "It shouldn't be. The messenger didn't seem anxious, so it’s likely not an enemy attack. It’s probably something else for us to handle."
Elder Brother Li felt a bit relieved. "Then let’s hurry!"
The two arrived at the Marshal's quarters, where he assigned them a task. Fortunately, it was not about an enemy resurgence; rather, Prince Qirui, who was sent by the Emperor to reward the troops at the Border, had already arrived at Beian Town, two hundred miles away. The Marshal ordered them to lead a contingent of soldiers to welcome him.
"Understood." The two accepted their orders, gathered one hundred soldiers, and set off for Beian Town.
Prince Qirui's entourage was not large, only about five or six hundred men, but they carried substantial supplies. Along the way, there were certainly those who would try to take advantage of these goods. However, every member of Prince Qirui's group was skilled enough to take on ten opponents each; anyone who dared to attack would find it impossible to escape. Thus, when they arrived at Beian Town, both men sensed an atmosphere of hostility and bloodshed that did not belong in a military camp.
"Who goes there?" A group of fierce guards blocked Yue Yunfei and Elder Brother Li's path.
Elder Brother Li cupped his hands in greeting. "General Yang's Roving General Li Wei Feng and Yue Yunfei have come on the Marshal's orders to welcome Prince Qirui."
"What about your token?" The guards showed no signs of letting them pass based on Elder Brother Li's words alone. Elder Brother Li quickly presented the token given to him by the Marshal.
The lead guard examined the token carefully before tossing it back to Elder Brother Li. "Brother, I apologize, but we must do this for the safety of the Prince."
Elder Brother Li smiled in understanding. "I see."
The head guard also smiled. "Follow me."
One hundred soldiers were left outside the town, while Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei followed the head guard into the town. Prince Qirui resided in the only inn in the area, surrounded by a heavily guarded entourage. The original residents of the town dared not venture out, and the streets were filled only with guards, with no other people in sight.
"General Yang's subordinates, Roving General Li Wei Feng and Yue Yunfei, pay their respects to His Highness."
Prince Qirui was just over forty years old, of average height but very robust, exuding a powerful presence.
"You two are Li Wei Feng and Yue Yunfei?" Prince Qirui said with a smile as he scrutinized them. "Indeed, you are extraordinary."
Yue Yunfei asked in confusion, "Your Highness recognizes us?"
Prince Qirui replied with a grin, "Someone has mentioned you two to me."
Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei exchanged puzzled glances.
The Marshal had not seen Prince Qirui for many years; it was unlikely that he had brought them up. So who could it be?
"Father, I heard that Yue Yunfei and Li Wei Feng have arrived?" A familiar voice came from outside the door, followed by a figure who rushed in like the wind.
"Nonsense! As a princess, you should have some decorum; don't make a fool of yourself." Prince Qirui scolded her lightly, though his eyes flashed a warning to the others in the room not to discuss his daughter's lack of manners.
Mo Yan, the Princess, pouted and turned her gaze to Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei, laughing heartily. "Hey there, you two! It's good to see you again!"
Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei were dumbfounded, unable to believe that the girl they had encountered earlier was actually Mo Yan, the Princess, daughter of Prince Qirui.
Yue Yunfei awkwardly smiled, "Your Highness, I apologize for saying that you eat a lot!"
Elder Brother Li turned his head away, thinking to himself that he did not know this person.
Mo Yan, the Princess, widened her eyes again. "Yue Yunfei, are you looking for a fight?"
"Please spare me, Your Highness!" Yue Yunfei cried out as he covered his head and fled, with Mo Yan hot on his heels.
Elder Brother Li and Prince Qirui exchanged glances.
"Your Highness, I apologize on behalf of Yue Yunfei. Please forgive his rudeness."
Prince Qirui waved his hand and chuckled, "It's quite normal for young people to play around; there's no need to worry about rudeness. Are you and Yue Yunfei close friends? Can you tell me about his situation? Where is his family from? How many people are there in his household? What is their financial situation like?"
From the tone of his voice, it was clear that Prince Qirui was considering this young man as a potential son-in-law. Elder Brother Li felt happy for his friend and began to detail the situation of the Yue family: "Yue Yunfei hails from Anxi, and there are twenty people in his household including grandparents, parents, and siblings..."
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