Chapter 3 Early Frost (Part One)

  In an instant, the atmosphere in the house became somewhat strange. Neither side intentionally brought up their respective identities, yet neither knew what to say to get rid of the awkwardness at this moment. The invisible gap was suddenly exposed, and no matter how it was concealed, its existence could not be denied.

  After all, as an old hand who has been socializing with high-ranking officials all day, Madame Guo recovered faster than Lei Wanchun, smiled and took a small sip of wine, and quietly changed the subject. "I heard that my brother chased after the villain for over 3,000 miles, and afterwards the villain's wife willingly gave herself to him, but my brother only took an egg from her hand, is this true?"

  "That's even further away!" Lei Wanchun hastily changed the subject, smiling and continuing, "It's been almost twenty years since it happened, I didn't think anyone would still bring it up!"

  "Can you tell me? I'm just curious!" Madame Guo lowered her powdered neck, smiling as she poured a cup of wine for Lei Wanchun. Then she refilled her own wine cup in front of her and raised it with a smile.

  "That was during the Kaiyuan era!" Lei Wanchun slightly raised his wine cup to thank the hostess, then took a big sip. "That year I passed through Yi County and saw a little girl constantly kowtowing at the gate of the government office. Her forehead was bleeding, but the bailiffs wouldn't pay attention to her. In a fit of rage, I stepped forward to help reason with them. But the bailiffs said it wasn't their problem. The murderer had already escaped to Su Ye and the county magistrate had issued a warrant for his arrest. But whether the government office in Su Ye would accept the case or when they could bring the murderer back, even the girl's family was powerless!"

  "Is it just an excuse?" Madame Guo's eyes were extremely sharp and she saw through the mystery with one sentence.

  "Isn't that so?" Lei Wanchun shook his head, answering with a bitter smile. "I felt suspicious at the time. After making some discreet inquiries, it turned out that the whole thing wasn't as the yamen runners had said. So-called 'the whip is too long to reach', it was clearly an excuse made up by the officials. In fact, the officials were covering for each other and intentionally let the murderer go, then used the distance being far away to brush off the victim's family!"

  "It's also too much. Doesn't that little girl have anyone else in her family? Won't she go to the provincial capital to report their dereliction of duty?" When forgetting her current identity, Madame Guo quickly became Yang Yuyao again, with a pair of eyes flashing back and forth, as if hiding countless curiosities.

  "It's all over. The officials took advantage of this point. That little girl was very pretty and was considered a flower in the local area. The bandit saw her and had evil intentions, sneaking into her home at midnight to commit a crime. She woke up and cried for help, and her father, mother, and brother came one after another to fight with the bandit, but were all killed by him on the spot. The little girl herself was stabbed in the abdomen and seriously injured. The bandit mistakenly thought she was dead and returned home calmly. The neighbors rescued her from the gate of death the next morning when they came to borrow salt. She ignored her injuries and asked people to carry her to the government office to file a complaint. As a result, the county magistrate sent more than 40 yamen runners and helpers, but none of them were able to catch the suspect. Half a year later, the little girl's wounds had healed, but the suspect was still at large. Someone was furious and secretly told her that the suspect's family had bribed the capture officer with money, which led to this result. She was not reconciled and asked someone to write a complaint again to go to the prefectural government office to cry injustice. As a result, the prefectural government office pushed the case back to the county government again. It was still the same county magistrate who was in charge of handling the case. Because the evidence was conclusive, he couldn't shirk his responsibility and came up with this trick, letting the suspect run thousands of miles away first, and then using the excuse that it was beyond his jurisdiction to perfunctorily deal with it."

  "Damn official! Big Brother should have killed him on the spot too!" Yang Yuyao indignantly cursed in a low voice.

  "Then I became a rebel!" Lei Wanchun laughed, seemingly appreciating Yang Yuyao's indignation. "Besides, that corrupt official still had some conscience and didn't take things to the extreme. Since he issued the wanted poster, anyone who saw the suspect could apprehend them. I was worried that the little girl would have nowhere to turn and cause more bloodshed. So I patted my chest and guaranteed that I would take care of this matter. Then I tore down the wanted posters near the county government office and rode off towards the Western Regions. As it turned out, I coincidentally ran into the suspect in a general goods store in Shuoye City. He was working as an apprentice there at the time. I took out the wanted poster and told him that the case had been solved, asking him to come with me. He drew his knife and fought me. I was worried about how to bring him back from so far away, but since he drew his knife on the spot, I didn't need to make things complicated anymore. I took his knife away, knocked him down, cut off his head, and went to report the case at the government office."

  "The officials on the other side of the broken leaves were also lazy and had the suspect's head pickled in lime, put it in a box, and ordered me to take it back to Hebei. So I turned around and returned to Yi County again, and this time, I ran for eleven months!"

  He returned to Yi County, and the county magistrate could only swallow his anger when he saw the documents about the human head and the torn leaves. He rewarded me with three strings of copper coins and had me sent away. Since the suspect was already dead, the county magistrate didn't need to do any more favors, so he made use of the situation and hung the head on the city wall as an achievement during his term.

  These old things, he said without adding any exaggeration, sounded in Yang Yuyu's ears, but were more shocking than those exaggerated rumors. Until the whole story was finished, he patted his own chest and praised in a low voice: "After all, it's Big Brother, with high martial arts skills. Otherwise, running thousands of miles would have shaken people to pieces just from the bumps on horseback."

  "Hey, I'm used to sleeping in the wind and dew. What I fear least is riding a horse!" Lei Wanchun took another big mouthful of wine and explained in a low voice.

  "Then that little girl wants to offer herself?" Yang Yuyao smiled and accompanied a sentence, still unable to satisfy the curiosity in her heart.

  Lei Wanchun smiled and shook his head, "It can't be said that she has given up on herself either. She has seen the coldness and warmth of human relationships for more than a year, and in her heart, she probably gave up hope of revenge long ago. So when she saw me actually doing what I said I would do, she was momentarily impulsive..."

  "Why didn't the big brother marry her?" The stone slab had been heated to a crimson color, and Yang Yuyu cut the deer leg into slices, placing them on it one by one. With the help of the stone slab's heat retention, the roasted deer meat sizzled and crackled.

  This is a very laborious task. The meat was not yet fully cooked on the stone slab, and her face had already turned bright red from the heat. Lei Wanchun couldn't help but laugh and continued to satisfy her curiosity. "At that time, I was young and always thought about venturing out into the world alone, without being burdened by family obligations. Besides, I had never seen her before, and just because I helped someone with a favor, they wanted me to marry her. Isn't that taking advantage of someone in distress?"

  "That's different!" Yang Yuyao gently shook her head, picking up the roasted venison and handing it to Lei Wanchun, "Taking advantage of someone in a difficult situation is something others are unwilling to do. But that little girl willingly married you! Eat it while it's hot, or it will lose its flavor when it gets cold!"

  "You have some too!" Lei Wanchun smiled and modestly yielded, his tone unknowingly taking on a hint of sympathy, "Look at you, all hot and bothered. If I were to eat alone, it would really be too embarrassing!"

  "I have a weak stomach!" Yang Yuyao smiled sweetly, her bright red face like a blooming peony. "Big brother eats, I'll help you pour wine."

  Having said that, he refilled the wine cups of the two men and picked up one of them, bringing it to his lips for a gentle sip.

  Lei Wanchun couldn't persuade her, so he started eating first. The deer leg meat was tender and not greasy, paired with the same Langling fine wine as yesterday, it was simply a match made in heaven. It's unclear whether it was the intoxicating effect of the wine or the charcoal brazier being too hot, but as they drank, the two people's faces slowly turned the same color.

  "Is that woman very beautiful?" Yang Yuyu's starry eyes slightly opened, gazing at the bulging muscles under Lei Wanchun's chest clothes, and asked in an extremely slow voice.

  "Hmm! This......" The question was a bit abrupt, and Lei Wanchun thought for a while before scratching the back of his neck and answering with a smile, "To be honest, I've long forgotten what she looks like! Maybe she's very pretty, should be very pretty!"

  "How about comparing with your sister?" Yang Yuyu quickly glanced at Lei Wanchun, then quickly shifted her gaze away, staring blankly at the beautiful wine in her cup.

  "No, no, not very clear!" Lei Wanchun, who had already drunk a bit too much, thought for a moment and replied with a smile. "I haven't compared. It should be worse than that!"

  "Really?" she asked deliberately.

  "Really!" He nodded seriously, thought for a moment, and added vaguely: "To be honest, you are the most beautiful woman I have seen in all these years!

  When the wine reached its peak, the speaker didn't think this sentence was particularly bold. But when the listener heard it in their ears, their face became even more flushed. As if suddenly shy, Yang Yuyao touched her own face, then raised her head and blinked with bright eyes to ask: "Big brother thinks, did I look better that day or today?"

  "They all look good!" Lei Wan Chun replied frankly, then quickly added, "Actually, you shouldn't ask me, I've never been good with clothes and accessories!"

  "Hasn't big brother ever heard that a woman's beauty is for the one she loves?" Yang Yuyao leaned forward again, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

  "Ah, uh!" Lei Wanchun finally seemed to have figured out the flavor, patted his own head hard and responded with a smile, "I haven't read many books, how would I know so much about ancient people's sayings. Besides, ancient people's words aren't necessarily all correct. How you dress is up to you, as long as you're happy, why bother what others think. If women always live for others, wouldn't this life be too meaningless?"

  It was unexpected that the rough and unrefined Lei Wanchun could utter such thought-provoking words, Yang Yuyao was taken aback for a moment, and her eyes suddenly cleared up. Looking at the carefree Lei Wanchun, she suddenly felt a little lost again, so she picked up her wine cup once more, smiling as she invited, "Let's have another drink, brother rarely comes to my place!"

  "Let's not drink too much!" Lei Wanchun raised his cup to accompany him, then smiled and dissuaded, "I've already had enough. You shouldn't drink too much wine either. Although this Lanling beauty wine is soft on the palate, its aftertaste is much stronger than ordinary wine!"

  "Does big brother know the origin of this wine?" Upon hearing these words, Yang Yuyu was slightly taken aback and asked with a smile.

  "Yesterday, I just had a drink with Li Bai and a few others. It was brought by the two brothers from the Qin family." Lei Wanchun nodded his head and replied truthfully, "Li Bai even wrote a poem for this wine, what is it... 'Lanling beautiful wine, osmanthus fragrance, jade bowl filled with amber light. But if the host can get the guest drunk, I don't know where he is from.' I'm not sure if it's good or not, but everyone admired it very much! Hmm, I'm full now. Thank you for your hospitality. Your roasted meat skills are unmatched, simply the best I've ever seen!"

  As soon as he said this, he slowly stood up and prepared to take his leave. Yang Yuyao hastily got up to see him off, but having sat for too long, her legs had gone numb, and she swayed dizzily before falling to the ground.

  Lei Wanchun's hands moved swiftly, and he quickly stepped forward half a step. He stretched out one arm and pulled Yang Yuhuan up. "Haha, you've also had too much to drink. I told you, this wine has a strong aftereffect. But it doesn't matter, just drink a few more bowls of strong tea later, and it'll be dispelled!"

  The maid at the door tried to get close, but was stared back by Xiang Yin with a stern gaze. With three points of drunkenness, Yang Yuyao swayed a few steps, her body involuntarily falling backwards, "Does big brother also like Li Bai's poetry? Actually, I like it too."

  "Li Bai's poems, I'm afraid not many people will dislike!" Lei Wanchun thought of finding someone to help him hand over Yang Yuyao, his eyes scanned around, but found that the maids were all busy collecting charcoal basins and deer meat, no one noticed him. Had to use force to hold steady Yang Yuyao's soft body, smiling in response.

  "What's big brother's favorite one?" Yang Yuyao slowly turned her head around, her starry eyes closed tightly, and her cherry lips slightly parted.

  Lei Wanchun's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he finally remembered the boastful words he had spoken in front of Zhang Shouzhen. He composed himself, smiled, and replied, "I'm just an unrefined person, what do I know about poetry? I've heard it, that's all, and then I'll forget it!"

  "Does big brother know which one little sister likes?" Yang Yuyu seemed to have already gotten drunk and was comfortably stuck in Lei Wanchun's arms, without any intention of moving away.

  Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and Lei Wanchun burst out laughing. "What you like is probably that line, 'I'm drunk and want to sleep, you can go now.' Right? Hurry up and call someone over, you've really had too much to drink today!"

  "Big brother guessed wrong! At this moment, what I like the most is another sentence." Yang Yuyao smiled and shook her head, slightly opening her eyes, with a warm gaze like wine, "'In the jade banquet hall, drunk in my arms, under the hibiscus quilt, how can I bear you?'"