The Slender Waist-Chapter 199 - 140 Calling Out and Trading Insults

The wind outside was strong; as soon as Pei Jue stepped out, someone had already brought Ta Xue waiting for him.

Without a word, Pei Jue took the reins and swung himself up, extending a hand to Feng Yun.

Feng Yun hesitated before approaching.

"General, I can ride a horse." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Pei Jue said, "There are no spare horses."

In other words, there were no extra horses available for her use. Feng Yun accepted this outcome and extended her hand to him.

Pei Jue took her hand, but didn’t move, "In front, or behind?"

This was a show of respect for his riding companion. Feng Yun thought for a moment, "Behind, please."

If she sat behind, she could choose to hug his waist or not. Sitting in front meant he would be holding her, without choice, and his constant jostling wasn’t comfortable for her either; better not to try it in broad daylight.

Pei Jue showed no emotion and motioned for her to step on the stirrup. Then he hoisted her up and placed her securely in front of him.

Feng Yun: ...

"Let’s go."

Pei Jue spurred the horse gently, and Ta Xue set off at a gallop.

A train of guards and maidservants were left far behind.

Good thing she wasn’t squeamish, riding together down the street in broad daylight.

It was just the cold wind rushing towards them that was painful on her face.

She suddenly understood why Pei Jue always held her in front – to block the wind.

Pei Jue pulled his cloak around and draped it over her.

Feng Yun murmured thanks, but her voice was too soft, scattered by the wind. Pei Jue probably didn’t hear her; with no response, Feng Yun said no more.

The streets were devoid of civilians. Occasionally, soldiers on patrol would stand aside, waiting for the Great General’s horse to pass by before looking up, barely able to see who was in front...

Feng Yun secretly rejoiced at the Great General’s excellent horsemanship, sparing her any embarrassment. To her surprise, she saw Puyang Jiu approaching from the injured soldiers’ ward.

For the convenience of transporting wounded soldiers, the ward was not far from the city gate. Puyang Jiu saw two people on one horse and at first thought he was seeing things.

But as he saw it was indeed Pei Jue holding a delicate lady, he immediately cursed under his breath.

He had just cleaned up the mess for him, and here he was stirring up trouble again?

Was Pei Jue thinking he had too much free time, or did he feel that after venting his energy today, he was refreshed and up for a challenge to his strong self-control?

Puyang Jiu was nearly grinding his teeth, watching the horse charge forward. He stood his ground in the middle of the street, glaring furiously at Pei Jue.

Feng Yun was the first to catch his eyes and instantly felt a shiver down her spine.

Such a resentful gaze!

The Medical Officer Puyang must be upset seeing her riding with Pei Jue, right?

Feng Yun thought of the indescribable hour described by Daman and just as she began to feel uncomfortable, Ta Xue suddenly reared, neighing loudly...

Then, carrying her and Pei Jue, the horse dashed past Puyang Jiu’s side.

The speed was so fast that Feng Yun couldn’t react in time, only to find themselves three lengths away in a blur.

"Pei Wangzhi!"

Behind them came Puyang Jiu’s angry roar.

"Stop!"

He was furious to the point of exploding.

Feng Yun also felt a chill run down her spine from the sound.

"General, the Medical Officer Puyang is calling you."

Pei Jue grunted, "There’s no need to respond to him."

He feared Puyang Jiu would spout more nonsense in Feng Yun’s presence. But Feng Yun subconsciously shifted closer to the horse’s head, distancing herself from him, inwardly cursing this scoundrel.

Then she pondered the relationship between Pei Jue and Puyang Jiu in their previous lives.

This thought led to many a conjecture.

Being locked up together, as Daman had said, happened more than once in their past lives.

But at that time, she never suspected Pei Jue of such preferences, believing he was unwell. Yet what ailment did he have? He wasn’t sick at all.

Feng Yun looked back with sympathy at Puyang Jiu standing in the wind, feeling even more pity for herself.

"The General truly is impressive."

Upon learning about their affair, Feng Yun initially didn’t want to get involved. But having met Puyang Jiu just now, the rage and sorrow in his eyes had provoked her.

She never meant to hurt anyone, yet she had.

The principal culprit was the man behind her.

She was less than courteous, her words tinged with sarcasm.

"It’s good to be vigorous. You can try anything – a big appetite, indifferent to what you eat..."

Pei Jue’s gaze turned to her profile, "Hmm?"

The horse was swift, the wind loud, and he hadn’t heard clearly. The arm wrapped around her slender waist tightened, "Are you cold?"

He was completely unaware of what Feng Yun was saying, his tone wearing a rare hint of concern, which also helped Feng Yun calm down in time...

Not to mention that she had no right to interfere in Pei Jue’s personal matters. Considering that the two of them were hiding their relationship, they surely didn’t want anyone to know, did they?

Knowing a secret brought no benefits; revealing someone else’s secret, however, could be quite detrimental. Better to bide her time. After all, Pei Jue wouldn’t touch her. It was safest to mind her own business and not provoke the ’big devil’...

Feng Yun came to her senses and whispered, "I’m not cold."

If Pei Jue had asked her one more question, she might have been unable to hold back from speaking.

But Pei Jue, after glancing at her profile, chose to remain silent.

Just then, a loud uproar came from atop the city walls, overtaking his reply with the suddenness of a thunderclap. It wasn’t cheering but rather curses shouted simultaneously by countless people, like a war cry.

Feng Yun’s attention was drawn to the noise, and she looked up.

Pei Jue heard it too and slowed the horse’s pace.

"Do you want to go up and take a look?"

So, he intended to take her up to the city tower?

Feng Yun had come over yesterday, only to be stopped by the soldiers.

At the sound, she nodded, "Good."

Pei Jue, holding the reins, turned his horse around and rode Ta Xue directly up the horse path, took a breath upon reaching the city wall, and then dismounted.

"Come."

He opened his arms, signaling for Feng Yun to jump down.

The generals and soldiers on the city wall all turned their gaze toward her, their eyes filled with surprise.

Feng Yun was dressed in light armor and had her hair styled in a man’s topknot, but her face was too tender and pale; one could tell at a glance she was a lady. The news of Feng Ji bringing medical supplies to Bingzhou the previous night had already spread through Puyang Jiu’s mouth, and everyone knew that General Pei’s favored concubine had followed him to Bingzhou.

Yet they still couldn’t believe it...

The General allowed her to wear armor and took her up to the city wall.

It’s a rule in the military that women do not enter the battlefield, and it was the Great General himself who made it.

And now he was the one breaking it...

If one looks further back, how many rules had the Great General broken for Feng Shi Er Niang?

Truly befitting the name of a nation-toppling favorite.

Feng Yun felt awkward with the soldiers staring at her.

"General, I can ride."

If one can ride, they can dismount.

Pei Jue withdrew his hand, not forcing her.

Relieved, Feng Yun jumped down, and Pei Jue was already striding ahead; whenever a soldier greeted them, Feng Yun would stop to return the gesture, moving extremely slowly.

Pei Jue silently stopped to watch her.

As she approached, he said:

"You don’t need to do this."

Feng Yun met his gaze.

"It’s necessary. I am maintaining the General’s dignity."

Pei Jue remained silent.

Feng Yun added with a smile, "Carrying the reputation of a favored concubine, it’s no surprise that people say I am spoiled by favoritism, and they say the General’s wisdom is clouded by lust..."

These words were not inherently wrong.

But when you put "carrying" and "reputation" together, it becomes negative.

She was not any favored concubine.

Pei Jue looked at her, his gaze full of meaning.

"You could be."

If she could be, it meant she was not at the moment.

Feng Yun looked at Pei Jue’s profile and raised her eyebrows in question, expressing her confusion, "Then what am I now?"

Pei Jue’s expression remained unchanged, "Aren’t you intent on being a strategist?"

Feng Yun’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly realized.

No wonder he gave her light armor and took her up to the city wall; was it because her fervent writings last night finally revealed her talent to him?

"Thank you, General," Feng Yun bowed with a fist, her joy hard to conceal.

"It seems that the words I wrote in anxious concern for the war have finally shown you my sincerity, haven’t they?"

"No," Pei Jue flatly denied.

The smile on Feng Yun’s face then froze.

Seeing the man walking faster and faster, she quickened her steps.

"Then why did the General suddenly agree?"

It was only when Pei Jue heard this that he slowed down and turned his gaze toward her.

"Didn’t Ji take an oath?"

"Hmm?" Feng Yun didn’t catch on at once.

"I don’t want to die young," Pei Jue said.

Feng Yun thought of the oath she had made, "If I use my charms on someone, my man shall not die a good death," and her lips immediately curled into a smile.

It was hard not to be surprised.

A person who controlled life and death caring about an oath.

Was this the reason he no longer wanted her to "use her charms"?

Very well. Feng Yun was delighted inside, but she maintained a calm and obedient exterior.

"Thank you for your understanding, General. A woman of the Feng Family will dedicate herself to assisting the General wholeheartedly..."

Since leaving the house, she had said ’thank you’ more than once.

Pei Jue found her thanks grating to the ear and ignored them, silently walking up to a crowd gathered at the tower.

The clamor came from there.

Pei Jue arrived, but he didn’t stop.

The soldiers were cursing so loudly at the city outskirts that their faces turned red.

Outside, there were similar sounds of cursing.

Pei Jue asked, "What’s happening?"

Shi Yin, supporting his sword, squeezed through the crowd and bowed to him:

"Great General, the Qi Army is challenging us outside the city. They’re very arrogant!"