Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The sound of hooves grew louder, and it wasn’t until the enemy charged that everyone saw there were only about 200 of them.

Unfortunately, the civilians were too weak, like lambs waiting to be slaughtered, incapable of resistance. Nearly a hundred were killed in the first charge.

The rest either hid under carts or turned to flee, but this area was completely open, with no trees or cover in sight. Where could they run?

Corporal Ge wielded his long blade and fought desperately against the enemy. The battle had already lost its momentum, and unless reinforcements came from Yingzhou, everyone would die here.

“Charge! Kill these weaklings from the Central Plains!” The Khitan leader deliberately issued orders in Chinese, breaking the courage of the civilians. Some even knelt, begging for mercy, only to meet with cold steel.

Zhao Beichuan and his group were at the rear of the convoy and were spared from the first wave of the attack due to their position. Still, they were terrified. Zhao Guang’s face turned pale, and his legs gave out, leaving him kneeling on the ground. The Qin brothers sobbed uncontrollably.

In the face of death, no one could remain unafraid.

Zhao Beichuan moved the food from their cart to create a simple barricade in front of them, hoping to prevent a sudden horse charge. He then waited for the right moment: either to flee or to kill the enemy. Even if he died taking one with him, it would be worth it.

The Khitans noticed his actions, and a few soldiers came toward them with long blades.

Zhao Beichuan swallowed hard, his body tense and trembling. He crouched low, gripping his blade tightly, like when he hunted wild boar in the mountains, treating the two approaching Khitan soldiers as prey.

“Ha!” One Khitan soldier sneered, raising his blade, thinking it would be as easy to kill these people as before.

But unexpectedly, someone suddenly pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. Before he could react, his throat felt a burning sensation as blood gushed out.

The other Khitan soldier swung his blade furiously at Zhao Beichuan, who rolled on the ground to evade.

The others were too stunned to move until Old Qin took the lead, urging his sons, “Go help Beichuan!”

The older Qin brother, clutching a wooden stick, charged at the Khitan soldier with a roar. His younger brother picked up a rock and hurled it.

Gao Qinghe, who had been frozen in fear, suddenly stood up, cursed, “To hell with this! I’ll fight you!” and charged with a kitchen knife from home.

The group, working together, actually managed to kill the two Khitan soldiers.

Their commotion caught the attention of the Khitan leader. He spurred his armored horse and charged at them with his long blade.

The group was now in a frenzy, their fear replaced by desperation. They no longer cared about survival. If they could kill one, it was worth it. If they killed two, even better. At worst, they would die together.

“Come on, I’m not afraid of you!” Gao Qinghe yelled, tears and snot streaming down his face as he brandished his kitchen knife.

Zhao Beichuan noticed something was wrong. The man charging at them wore armor, and even his horse was armored. They couldn’t possibly take him on.

“Get back!” he shouted, dragging the group behind the food barricade.

The Khitan leader didn’t think much of the civilians. He urged his horse to leap over the obstacle to kill them.

As the horse’s hooves were about to clear the barricade, Zhao Beichuan mustered all his strength and grabbed one of its hind legs, dragging the horse down.

…

…

The horse fell heavily to the ground, letting out a painful neigh.

Someone shouted, “The Khitan leader is down! The enemy leader is down!”

The battlefield shifted instantly. The Khitan cavalry descended into chaos, scattering in all directions.

Corporal Ge snapped out of his daze and roared, “Kill! Don’t let them go!”

The remaining Khitans who failed to flee were surrounded and killed by soldiers and civilians. No one had expected to win this battle.

The Khitan leader, lying on the ground, wasn’t dead yet, though he was close. The fall had broken his neck, leaving him unable to move, let alone take his own life.

He glared at Zhao Beichuan in hatred, unable to comprehend how he had fallen.

Corporal Ge ordered his men to tie him up and patted Zhao Beichuan on the shoulder. “Well done! You contributed greatly to this victory. When we reach Yingzhou, I’ll make sure the general hears of your deeds.”

Zhao Beichuan wiped the sweat and blood off his face and forced a smile. The intense tension and exhaustion finally caught up with him, and he fainted.

—

“Beichuan, have you finished grinding the beans?”

“Almost, just two more scoops.”

Lu Yao stepped out of the house and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “This weather is unusually hot. It’s not even sunrise, and my clothes are soaked.”

“Maybe there’s a storm coming. Take an umbrella when you go to the shop later.”

“Alright.”

“Big Brother, Big Brother, Xiaodou stole my hairpin again!” Xiaonian pouted, running over to complain.

“Stop stealing your sister’s things! What does a boy need a hairpin for?”

“Wah…wah…” Zhao Beichuan felt a headache coming as his brother cried. A strange voice suddenly interrupted.

“How is he doing?”

“No major issues. He just pushed himself too hard. With some rest, he’ll be fine.”

Zhao Beichuan’s mind was a mess. Yesterday, he had been at home. Today, he was in a completely unfamiliar place.

“He’s awake.”

Slowly opening his eyes, Zhao Beichuan saw a bearded middle-aged man in light armor standing before him.

“Where…where am I?”

“Don’t get up yet. You’ve still got needles in your body. This is the Northern Frontier Army camp,” the man said, pushing Zhao Beichuan back onto the bed as the doctor removed the needles from his shoulder.

The doctor said, “He’s young and strong, or else this injury might have left him unable to lift heavy objects in the future.”

Zhao Beichuan was confused. He suddenly remembered the Khitan cavalry attack on their way to Yingzhou and anxiously asked, “What about the others? When can I go home?”

Corporal Ge sternly scolded, “Don’t be rude in front of the prince!”

Zhao Beichuan was startled and quickly knelt on the bed. “I didn’t know this was the prince…please forgive me…”

Yang Ye reached out to help him up. “I heard you took down the enemy leader at Datong Pass, turning the tide of the battle. I want to ask if you’re willing to stay in the army and serve under me?”

Zhao Beichuan froze for a moment, then quickly lowered his head. “This commoner is not worthy and only wishes to reunite with his family.”

Corporal Ge was exasperated. Did this fool realize he was rejecting the prince? Staying under him was a chance most soldiers would die for!

The prince was surprised as well. “Do you not wish to stay in the army, or are you reluctant to leave your family? If it’s the latter, you can bring them here.”

Zhao Beichuan continued to refuse. “Your Highness’s favor is a great honor, but I lack the skills for military life. I’m just a farmer with a bit of strength, scared even by the sight of blood. I only want a peaceful life with my husband and siblings.”

Yang Ye didn’t push further. Straightforward and unpretentious, he valued talent above all else. “In that case, I’ll reward you with 300 taels of silver. May you return home soon.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Zhao Beichuan kowtowed again and collapsed onto the bed after they left, drenched in sweat.

Corporal Ge sighed. “You, you…if I’d known you didn’t want the credit, I would’ve taken it myself!”

Zhao Beichuan kept his head down. “Thank you for your care, sir. This commoner truly lacks the courage…”

“Fine, fine. Stop talking. When you get your reward, go home.”

Left alone, Zhao Beichuan finally relaxed.

Lying on the bed, he took a deep breath. Overwhelmed with joy, tears flowed freely. He could go home. Finally, he could go home!

—

By noon, Xiaodou came back from school, greeted by the rich aroma of milk before even stepping inside.

“Sister-in-law, what delicious thing have you made again?”

Lu Yao was steaming eggs, and the cake made with goat milk smelled even better than before.

In order to eliminate the fishy taste of the eggs, Lu Yao had put in a lot of effort, trying several methods before finally finding that mixing sour clover (also known as three-leaf clover) into a cloth, crushing it, and squeezing out its juice could neutralize the smell of both the eggs and the goat milk.

Today, he had made more cakes than usual. In addition to the ones he was sending to Lin’s family, he had made a few extra for the children to eat.

“Don’t rush, it’ll be ready soon. Afterward, you can take some to Lin’s family.”

“Okay.” Xiao Douzi put down his schoolbag and sat by the stove to help him tend the fire.

As the steam rose from the pot, the cake’s fragrance grew even stronger. Lu Yao lifted the lid and took a look; the cake had puffed up, looking white and plump, very cute.

It’s a pity there was no oven; otherwise, the taste would be even better.

Once the cakes were done, Lu Yao took out a food box, carefully selecting six perfectly-shaped cakes from the pot and placing them inside. Then he added a bowl of braised vegetables.

“Go ahead and take this to Lin’s family. The ones in the pot are for you; you can eat them when you come back.”

“Mm!” Xiao Douzi took the food box and headed outside.

It was only a fifteen-minute walk from Zhao’s to Lin’s house. Given the hot weather, the food was still piping hot by the time he arrived.

“Knock knock knock.” Xiao Dou knocked on the small door. A doorman came over and, seeing him, smiled and said, “Young Master Zhao, you’ve come!”

Xiao Dou blushed and hesitated for a moment. The title “Young Master” sounded too elegant for a farmer like him.

“Come in, come in! The young master has been waiting for you,” the doorman said, and led him straight to the back garden.

The weather was nice today, and the old master rarely went outside for a stroll, so Lin’s father and Lin Zijian had accompanied him.

After walking for a while, they grew tired and sat down in the shade of a tree to rest.

Since Lu Yao had promised Madam Lin to help with the cooking, Xiao Dou had been running over almost every day to deliver food, sometimes bringing two small dishes, sometimes cakes and desserts. Whatever it was, the taste was always delicious.

The old master had been eating so much that his health was recovering rapidly, and he looked much better than before. Lin Lang and his wife were very grateful to the Zhao family for their help.

“Young Master Zhao has arrived.”

“Beidou’s here!” Lin Zijian ran over to greet him, took the food box from his hands, and eagerly opened it. “Wow, more cakes today! It smells so good!”

“Zijian, mind your manners.” Lin Lang said sternly.

Lin Jingxian glanced at his son and said, “Go ahead and busy yourself, I’ll stay with the two children for a while.”

“Yes, Father, take care of your health and don’t catch a cold.”

The old master waved his hand in frustration, and once Lin Zijian left, he immediately softened his expression and waved at Xiao Dou. “Beidou, come over here and sit.”

“Hello, Grandfather Lin.” Xiao Dou walked over and sat on a small stool next to the old man.

Lin Zijian had the servant bring a table, and soon took the food out of the box to eat outside.

“Grandfather, the cakes are still warm. You should eat them while they’re hot.”

The old master didn’t hesitate and immediately began eating. His taste had become quite refined from eating the household food every day, and now he was just waiting for this mouthful of delicacies.

“Ah, this is truly a rare delicacy. A bite of this prolongs life…” The small cake, with the fragrance of honey and goat milk, was soft, sticky, and sweet, leaving a lingering taste that was irresistible.

The old master ate two pieces before he reluctantly stopped and urged the grandchildren and Xiao Dou to try some.

“My wife saved some for me. You two go ahead and eat.” Xiao Dou smiled happily when he saw how much the food from his sister-in-law was enjoyed.

The grandfather and grandson didn’t hesitate, and within moments, the cakes were gone, with the two of them licking their lips in enjoyment.

A servant brought some tea, and the old master took a sip before turning to the two children and asking about their studies.

“What did you learn this morning?”

Lin Zijian said, “We recited the Learning section of the Analects today.”

“Recite it for me.”

The two children simultaneously began: “There was a saying by Ziyou: ‘A person who is filial and respectful to his elders but often offends his superiors is rare. Similarly, one who does not offend his superiors but likes to cause chaos has never existed. The noble person focuses on the foundation; once the foundation is established, the path will naturally emerge. Filial piety and respect are the foundation of kindness!'”

Lin Jingxian stroked his beard and asked, “Do you understand the meaning of this sentence?”

The two children shook their heads. Their teacher hadn’t explained it yet; they had only been asked to memorize it.

“This sentence is about the concepts of filial piety and respect. Now, tell me, what are filial piety and respect?”

Lin Zijian said, “Filial piety towards elders, being kind to one’s siblings!”

Lin Jingxian knocked him on the head. “That’s too superficial.”

Xiao Dou thought for a moment and said, “My parents passed away early, and my eldest brother and sister-in-law raised me. To me, they are both my parents and my older siblings. I should be respectful and courteous to them, avoid doing things that would hurt or upset them, and try my best to share the household chores and improve myself so I can care for them in the future.”

Lin Jingxian stroked his beard, satisfied. This child had a pure and natural temperament, truly a gem.

He patiently explained the meaning of the sentence, using classical references to help the children understand it thoroughly.

Xiao Dou listened attentively, and it wasn’t until the sun began to set and his stomach rumbled that he remembered he hadn’t eaten lunch. He quickly stood up to excuse himself.

“Don’t leave yet, Qingye, go get a piece of ink stick from the chest and wrap it up for Beidou.”

“No, no, it’s too valuable!” A few days ago, Lu Yao had taken Xiao Dou to the bookstore to buy some ink, and a palm-sized ink stick cost two taels of silver! No wonder they say reading is expensive; the cost of ink, paper, and brushes was beyond the reach of ordinary families.

“I eat your food every day, and I feel bad about it. I have plenty of ink sticks at home, so don’t feel burdened. Come visit when you have free time and play with Zijian.”

“Ah, thank you, Grandfather Lin.” After leaving Lin’s house, Xiao Dou hurried back home, starving!

“Sister-in-law, sister-in-law!” Xiao Dou’s voice reached the house before he did.

“If you don’t come back soon, I’ll go find you. Why did you take so long delivering food?”

Xiao Dou ran, his face flushed, out of breath. “Grandfather Lin taught us the Analects. I got so caught up in listening that I lost track of time.”

Lu Yao couldn’t help but murmur to himself, not expecting that, by chance, Xiao Dou would receive such a fine tutoring!

“By the way, Grandfather Lin also gave me an ink stick!” Xiao Dou handed over the ink stick he had received.

Lu Yao took it and looked at it. The palm-sized ink stick was wrapped in paper, and when opened, it revealed a black, glossy ink stick. Even though he didn’t know much about it, he could tell it was far superior to the ones sold at the bookstore!

“How could you accept such a precious gift?”

“I refused, but Grandfather Lin insisted, saying they had plenty at home and told me not to feel burdened…”

Lu Yao patted his head. “Then take care of it and don’t waste Grandfather Lin’s kindness.”

“Mm! Sister-in-law, is there any more cake?”

“I saved some in the pot. Go eat it!”

By the time evening came, Xiao Nian and Lu Miao returned. The two of them had spent the afternoon at the neighboring Liu family’s house, learning embroidery from Liu Dama.

Lu Yun was due to give birth in a little over a month, and the two of them had planned to make some small clothes as a gift for the baby’s full month.

That night, after Lu Yao secured the door, checked on the mule in the animal shed, closed the chickens in the chicken coop, and fed the pigs with a basin of bean dregs, he washed his hands and prepared to rest.

The fields were almost all harvested, and today, Lu Guangsheng had returned home. He wouldn’t be back until tomorrow, so tonight it would just be the four of them, and they decided to sleep in the east room.

“Sis-in-law, do you think the flowers I embroidered are pretty?” Xiao Nian handed the cloth to Lu Yao for him to take a look.

“Let me see.” Lu Yao carefully examined it by the candlelight. “Not bad, our Xiao Nian’s skills are getting better and better. You could even become an embroideress.”

Xiao Nian blushed and shook his head with a smile. “I can’t. Aunt Liu Yue’s embroidery is much better than mine. I’m afraid even if I practice for a lifetime, I won’t be able to match her skill.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself. Xiao Nian is clever with his hands. Even if you don’t become an embroideress, you can still do better than most people.”

Nearby, Lu Miao hesitated and handed over the little garment he had been working on. “Third brother… do you think I’ve embroidered it well?”

Lu Yao didn’t refuse, taking it and carefully inspecting it. “Not bad, your stitches are tighter, and there are no loose threads inside. You could sell this.”

Lu Miao’s eyes lit up. “I was worried the fourth brother’s child is too small, and the loose threads would rub and irritate the skin, so I hid them all inside.”

“Very thoughtful.”

“When you have a baby, Third Brother, I’ll make something for my little nephew too!”

Lu Yao sighed. He didn’t even know where the child’s father was, so how could he think about having a child…

It’s already been a month and a half since Zhao Beichuan left. Since hearing that he went to the border to deliver supplies, Lu Yao couldn’t stop worrying about him.

During this time, Lu Yao had thought a lot, and the worst outcome he could imagine was that Zhao Beichuan died on the way. Just thinking about it made it hard for him to breathe, and tears couldn’t help but fall. But no matter what, he would raise Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou to adulthood.

“It’s too late. Xiao Dou, stop reading. You two, stop stitching, be careful with your eyes.”

The three children obediently put down their things, extinguished the candles, and soon fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, Lu Yao suddenly heard a noise at the door, as if someone was trying to pry it open. Frightened, he immediately got up.