Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 160

Extra 10: Quanbao, Ah Quanbao

On the seventh day of the tenth month, nearly forty thousand troops gathered outside the Western Army Camp.

Led by Xue Wangyun as the commanding general, the four deputy generals Zhang, Lin, Fang, and Gao led the army northward.

Of course, the official count of forty thousand troops could not be stated as such; the numbers had to be exaggerated. Forty thousand became one hundred thousand, and if one hundred thousand were sent out, it would be proclaimed as three hundred thousand mighty soldiers. This was a military strategy that had been used since ancient times.

Xue Wangyun was none other than Xue Ning’s biological father—the heir of Marquis Wuping and a second-rank General of Tranquil Distant Lands.

In truth, he was not particularly skilled in leading troops in battle. As a child, Xue Wangyun had suffered from leprosy, losing two fingers on his right hand, making it impossible for him to wield a blade or shoot arrows. It was precisely because of this physical imperfection that he had to work much harder than others to reach his current position.

His strategic prowess was unmatched in the world. Even the late King of Zhenbei had once praised him, saying, “This young man’s tactics are unparalleled in this era.”

Thus, the old emperor appointed him as the commander. With him stationed at the rear, even if the other generals lacked experience, there was nothing to fear.

The sight of forty thousand troops marching northward was truly magnificent. Eight thousand cavalrymen rode at the front, clearing the path. In the middle were war chariots loaded with weapons, followed by the largest number of foot soldiers. At the very rear was the logistics unit responsible for transporting provisions, over a thousand men driving mule carts filled with food supplies or carrying cauldrons as they walked behind the wagons.

“Hey, do you think we’ll get recognized?” Zhao Jingshu was dressed in a tattered military uniform that reeked of sweat. He had no idea where Xue Ning had found it, but the stench made him gag when he first put it on.

“We shouldn’t be recognized,” Xue Ning replied, similarly clad in an old uniform. His hair was tied up with a cloth strip like the other soldiers, and he had smeared soot from a pot’s bottom onto his face.

Each of them carried a ceramic cauldron on their back, with a bundle slung over their shoulders containing some silver, two sets of spare clothes, and socks. They dared not bring any weapons—cooks in the logistics unit didn’t carry arms, and doing so would risk exposing their identities.

“What did you tell your parents?”

“I didn’t say anything. I just left a letter and snuck out.”

Xue Ning flicked his forehead. “You’ve got guts. Aren’t you afraid your father will beat you?”

“Didn’t you sneak out too?”

“I told my grandfather. Besides, my father couldn’t beat me even if he tried.”

Zhao Jingshu couldn’t argue with that. His father was simply too formidable. Even though he himself was strong, he was no match for Zhao Beichuan, which was why he had to be so cautious when sneaking out.

Spitting out the blade of grass in his mouth, Zhao Jingshu said, “By the time they realize we’re gone, we’ll have traveled dozens of miles already. They won’t catch up.”

However, he had overestimated the speed of the army’s march. After a full day of travel, they were still within the borders of Shangjing. That very night, Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou caught up on horseback.

With nowhere to hide, Zhao Jingshu was immediately exposed, and Xue Ning was discovered as well. The two boys stiffened their necks, wearing expressions of unyielding defiance.

Zhao Beidou pulled his nephew aside and spoke in a hushed voice, trying to reason with him. “Jingshu, you’re being reckless. How could you make such a big decision without discussing it with your family?”

“Third Uncle, I’ve trained in martial arts for so many years. Isn’t it my duty to protect my country?”

“You… but you’re a ger. You can’t go to the battlefield!”

“Who will know I’m a ger if I don’t say anything?”

Zhao Beidou was at a loss for words. His nephew’s tall and sturdy frame indeed bore no resemblance to a typical ger. “Even so, you should have at least informed your mother. Do you know how worried he was when he saw your letter? He almost fainted!”

Zhao Jingshu lowered his head, suddenly unable to speak.

Nearby, Zhao Beichuan’s face was dark as thunder. Had Lu Yao not specifically told him not to hit the child before he left, Zhao Quanbao would already be crying for his parents.

“Be good and come back with Third Uncle.”

“I won’t go back, Third Uncle. I know you’re worried about me, but my dream is to fight on the battlefield. I don’t want to be like an ordinary ger, married off at the right age, then staying at home to support my husband and raise children. That would be too unambitious.”

Zhao Beichuan’s face hardened. “Are you saying your mother is unambitious?”

“No… no, that’s not what I meant…”

“If not for your mother, there wouldn’t be the Lu family restaurant, your third uncle’s official position, or the comfortable life you have now!”

Zhao Jingshu was speechless, guilt creeping into his heart for what he had just said.

In truth, he never looked down on his mother. To him, his mother was the most capable person in the world. It was just that he didn’t want that kind of life for himself…

Zhao Beidou sighed and pulled his brother aside. Then he retrieved a bundle from his horse and handed it to his nephew.

Zhao Jingshu looked up in surprise. “What’s this?”

“Clothes and socks your mother packed for you. Do you think Beijiang(northern frontier) is like Shangjing(capital)? The snow there is several feet deep in winter. How will you stay warm dressed like this? By the time you get there, it’ll be too late to buy clothes—once war breaks out, even the common folk will flee. Who will you buy from?”

“Mother… he agreed to let me go to Beijiang?!”

“He never actually opposed it. He was just angry that you left without a word. Even a simple farewell would have been better.”

Zhao Jingshu’s nose stung, and tears welled up in his eyes. “I’m sorry… Third Uncle, please tell Mother I’m sorry.”

Zhao Beidou patted his shoulder. By this time, Zhao Beichuan’s anger had mostly subsided. He reached into his robe and pulled out two daggers. “These were sent by Old Madam Xue. One for each of you. Be careful when you get there.”

“Understood,” Zhao Jingshu choked out, barely able to speak through his tears.

“You brat, if you keep making your mother angry, I won’t acknowledge you anymore.”

“I was wrong, Dad…”

“Enough, don’t let others laugh at us. Go on now.”

Zhao Jingshu carried a large bundle of belongings back to the ranks, watching as his father and third uncle mounted their horses again, waved at him, and turned to leave toward Shangjing.

His heart was filled with mixed emotions. For a moment, he wanted to chase after them and go home to see his mother, but in the end, he gave up. Since he had chosen to follow the army, he had to make a name for himself!

On the other side, Xue Ning was not scolded by his father. In fact, what he faced was even harder to endure than being scolded.

Xue Wangyun merely gave him a cold glance, and that alone made his skin crawl with goosebumps.

“Father, Father, Father, I was wrong, I-I-I shouldn’t have sneaked out…”

“Go back.”

“Ah? I don’t want to go back… I want to go to Beijiang, I made a promise with Jingshu to fight the barbarians together!”

“I meant go back to your cook unit, don’t come here and embarrass me.”

“…”

Xue Ning returned dejectedly, only to see Zhao Jingshu’s eyes were red. His heart tightened, and he quickly asked, “Why are you crying? Did your dad hit you?”

“No.”

“Then did he scold you?”

“Not really either, sigh…” Zhao Jingshu let out a heavy sigh.

Xue Ning sighed along with him.

“What about you? Did Uncle Xue scold you?”

“No, he just thinks I’m an embarrassment and won’t even acknowledge me.”

Zhao Jingshu couldn’t help but burst into laughter, instantly brushing away his gloom. Seeing him happy, Xue Ning was happy as well.

“What did your mother bring you? Why is your bundle so big?”

Zhao Jingshu quickly opened it up to check. At the top was a large embroidered pouch containing one hundred taels of gold and two strings of copper coins, probably in case they couldn’t easily use gold along the way.

Underneath were two thick cotton-padded coats—one for Zhao Jingshu and the other for Xue Ning. A piece of paper with Xue Ning’s name was attached to it.

“Oh wow, Auntie even made me a coat.” Xue Ning beamed with joy, snatching it over to try it on. It fit him perfectly.

Lu Yao had made them padded jackets filled with down feathers. The inner lining was soft cotton, the outer layer was coarse cloth, and the chest and limbs were reinforced with cowhide. This way, the coats wouldn’t stand out, but they would still be warm and durable.

There were also two pairs of cowhide boots, one for each of them, lined with lamb’s wool to ensure warmth.

Further down, there were wooden bowls and chopsticks, a small, lightweight iron pot, and two water pouches—one of them filled with alcohol. There was also a medicine box containing four types of pills, each labeled with paper: one for cold symptoms, one for fever, one for dysentery, and the last one was a life-saving ginseng pill.

To say that Lu Yao hadn’t worried about his son would be a lie. He was his only child, raised as a treasure. Now that he was heading to the battlefield, he had even woken up from his dreams crying.

Looking at all these things, Zhao Jingshu felt even more regretful. Seeing how well-prepared everything was, his mother must have known about his plans long ago, yet he had kept it from him the whole time.

Xue Ning patted his shoulder. “Your mother really cares about you. Don’t worry, with me by your side, I’ll make sure you return safe and sound!”

“Get lost, who’s protecting who?”

“Hey, that’s unfair! I’m still your elder brother, you know.”

“Dinner’s ready!” The two of them grabbed their wooden bowls and rushed over for food.

The soldiers nearby instinctively made way for them. Word had already spread that these two were sons of nobility who had sneaked out for fun. As common folk, they didn’t dare to provoke them.

Not only did they avoid them, but their gazes also carried hints of rejection and contempt.

Rich kids treating war like a game—how ridiculous. They had probably never even seen a dead body before. No doubt they’d be the ones expecting others to protect them on the battlefield. Just the thought of it was annoying.

The boy serving food scooped out a ladle of rice for them, noticeably thinner and more watery than everyone else’s portions.

The two of them squatted by the food barrel, eating in silence. After finishing one bowl, they went back for more. The server, though reluctant, didn’t dare to refuse and gave them another ladle.

They kept going until they each had four bowls and were finally full.

After eating, it was time to rest. Since the weather wasn’t cold yet, there was no need for tents. The soldiers huddled together in groups to sleep so they could quickly mobilize if needed.

The cook unit was divided into ten teams, each with a hundred people. They all lay on piles of straw, squeezing together for warmth.

Zhao Jingshu was about to join them when Xue Ning grabbed him back, whispering, “You’re not just anybody; you can’t sleep squeezed in like that!”

“What do you mean, I’m not just anybody?” Then Zhao Jingshu suddenly remembered—he was a ge’er (a male who could bear children). He scratched his head. “But if I don’t sleep with them, wouldn’t that make people suspicious?”

A faint blush crept onto Xue Ning’s face. “Just sleep with me, problem solved.”

“Fine.” The two of them set up their straw bedding close to the main group. Xue Ning made sure to put some distance between them and the others, and Zhao Jingshu lay on his left.

At first, there was a small gap between them. But in the middle of the night, as the cold crept in, Zhao Jingshu instinctively sought warmth and burrowed into Xue Ning’s arms, wrapping his limbs around him just like when they were kids.

Half-asleep, Xue Ning reflexively slid his hand under Zhao Jingshu’s clothes, stroking the lean waist and smooth back.

Then, suddenly, something felt off.

His eyes snapped open. Looking at the person in his arms, a certain something immediately reacted!

Since they were lying so close, Zhao Jingshu, feeling uncomfortable, even reached out and pushed at it, mumbling, “Move that thing away…”

“Hiss—”

Xue Ning immediately shoved him aside and, tiptoeing, rushed off into the trees.

He came back about fifteen minutes later, looking a bit dazed.

When he lay back down, he found himself unable to sleep. In the dim moonlight, he gazed at the person beside him, feeling an indescribable flutter in his heart.

Taking out the padded coat from his bundle, he gently covered Zhao Jingshu with it and murmured softly,

“Quanbao, oh Quanbao, when will you finally realize?”