SGSHE109

Evening.

A gentle breeze stirred the trees in the courtyard, carrying the faint scent of osmanthus blossoms through the doors and windows that had been left slightly ajar.

On the table sat a teapot and a book.

The book had been lying there for quite some time, yet not a single page had been turned. Xing Ming, however, had already drunk several cups of tea.

With no heart for reading, he simply turned his gaze toward the doorway.

No sooner had he looked than a knock sounded at the door.

A wave of delight washed over him as he waited. It was perfect timing, he had just looked that way, and the person had arrived.

Jing Heguang knocked three times and called out from outside, “younger brother Xing, it’s me.”

The words had barely faded when the door swung open, revealing Xing Ming’s face to Jing Heguang.

Jing Heguang had changed his clothes, Xing Ming noticed it immediately.

“Why did you change your clothes?” Xing Ming asked curiously.

“I was preparing something and accidentally got my clothes dirty,” Jing Heguang said with a smile as he stepped inside.

Naturally, there was another reason: one had to mind one’s appearance in front of the person one cared about.

That went without saying, a single glance from Xing Ming told him he understood.

They entered the room.

Catching sight of the book and teapot on the table, Jing Heguang said, “Let me have a taste of your tea. I’ve often smelled its aroma but have never actually tried it.”

Although Jing Heguang mentioned the tea casually, his attention was actually focused more on the book.

But this time, Xing Ming uncharacteristically refused him: “It’s nothing special.”

Jing Heguang looked at him, a puzzled expression on his face.

Xing Ming frowned. “You probably wouldn’t be used to the taste.”

The more something is forbidden, the more one wants it, such is human curiosity.

Jing Heguang persisted, “I’d have to taste it first to know if I’m used to it or not, wouldn’t I?”

Xing Ming’s hand grasped the handle of the teapot, his movements hesitant.

Xing Ming didn’t actually want Jing Heguang to drink the tea in the pot.

It was bitter tea, an astringency laced with bitterness.

He had suffered from insomnia as a child, so his master and uncle Yu had tried countless remedies, but eventually, they managed to alleviate the condition by making him drink plenty of tea during the day and forcing him to rise early every morning.

That tea was the very same kind currently in his pot.

Over the years, drinking this bitter tea had become a habit, and a constant reminder.

— He had to taste the bitterness, lest he forget the hatred.

However, if Jing Heguang insisted on drinking it, what could Xing Ming do? Let him taste it if he wanted, it wasn’t a matter of great consequence, after all.

If his face twisted into a grimace like a bitter melon, he could simply laugh at him.

As this thought crossed his mind, a faint smile played on Xing Ming’s lips.

Then, he paused in surprise. He found he could think of the bitter tea so lightly now. It seemed…the nature of love and affection was truly mysterious.

Xing Ming raised his hand, picked up a cup, and poured half a cup for Jing Heguang. “You asked for this yourself, so you aren’t allowed to pour it out.”

Seeing Xing Ming smile, Jing Heguang picked up the cup and held it to his nose to sniff.

The aroma was rich and intense, yet not peculiar.

Jing Heguang looked up suspiciously, only to see the smile on Xing Ming’s face deepen.

Jing Heguang: !!!

There was definitely something wrong with this tea.

But what was there to fear in a single cup of tea?

Xing Ming certainly wouldn’t harm him. With that thought, Jing Heguang lifted the cup and took a small sip.

And then, his handsome face scrunched up like a bitter melon.

Bitter.

It was a bitterness so potent it seemed to numb the tongue.

Jing Heguang was shocked: “How can you drink such bitter tea?!”

Immediately realizing the high caffeine content, he asked worriedly, “Won’t drinking tea that strong and bitter keep you up at night?”

Xing Ming replied nonchalantly, “I’m used to it, it’s just like drinking water to me.”

Jing Heguang pondered this, finding it odd.

How could drinking bitter tea be like drinking water?

Water is colorless and tasteless, whereas the tea Xing Ming was drinking…was incredibly bitter.

He had observed Xing Ming’s eating habits before. Flavor didn’t seem to bother him much, yet he disliked bitter melon.

The whole thing struck him as strange.

***

They rested for a short while.

It was a dark, windy night with no one on the streets, the perfect time for a bit of mischief.

With two quarters of an hour remaining before the curfew, the two of them slipped out through a side gate.

After taking a roundabout route, they arrived behind a private residence.

Jing Heguang whispered, “This is where that person lives.”

“Are both of them inside?”

Xing Ming looked up at the high perimeter wall and began rolling up his sleeves.

Xing Ming had never climbed over anyone else’s wall before, but having been infuriated earlier that day, he cast aside the ‘gentlemanly conduct’ he had been taught in his youth.

The other party had stolen the fruits of their hard work, striking at the very foundation of their troupe’s livelihood!

The moonlight was faint, yet that stretch of fair arm stood out strikingly.

After stealing a few glances, Jing Heguang held Xing Ming tightly with one arm and, using his lightness skill, soared up toward the wall.

It hadn’t been strictly necessary, but he had certainly feasted his eyes.

Xing Ming: ???

Rolling up his sleeves had been completely pointless.

Jing Heguang said nothing, merely watching from the side.

This man…sometimes he was a natural-born rogue, yet at other times, he was kind without even realizing it.

Xing Ming looked up at Jing Heguang. It had been a dark, windy night, but at that moment, the moon emerged from the thick clouds, allowing Xing Ming to clearly see Jing Heguang’s face bathed in moonlight.

The man’s profile was sharp and stern, his brows set low near the inner corners of his eyes, giving him an imposing air. Yet, his eyes, clear and bright, conveyed a sense of calm and reliability.

As he turned his head, his silhouette brushing past the moon hanging above, he looked right at Xing Ming and offered a warm, gentle smile.

As for the fact that his partner was staring at him in a daze? Jing Heguang found it perfectly normal. After all…he did the exact same thing.

They were truly a match made in heaven!

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

In a flash, they had entered the courtyard.

The two of them carefully approached the main hall, where a light was still burning.

As they drew closer, they could hear the faint sounds of conversation and heavy breathing coming from inside.

That sound of heavy breathing made Xing Ming freeze for a moment.

It was only then he realized that he and Jing Heguang had inadvertently stumbled upon a private, intimate moment.

Jing Heguang, who was holding his hand, also stiffened.

A shared moment of awkwardness.

Listening to the two men inside, their voices laced with heavy, amorous breaths, Xing Ming felt the tips of his ears grow hot.

Jing Heguang’s hand had gone sweaty too. He let go of his own uncooperative hand and signaled to Xing Ming that it was time to act.

Jing Heguang chose a spot in the open courtyard that was hidden from the main room’s window view, then arranged the kindling and oil he had prepared.

He took out a fire starter, gave it a gentle blow, and a flame sprang to life.

Splash the oil, light the fire.

Jing Heguang finished the task swiftly, then scooped Xing Ming up and made a run for it.

They sped away using his lightness skill, then hid at a safe distance to watch how things would unfold.

The courtyard was not far from the garrison headquarters, the guards would surely notice the fire soon, and the news would reach the brother-in-law of the garrison commander.

Finding one’s brother-in-law fooling around with another man, and a man at that, meant a beating was the very least of the consequences, given the customs of the Jin country.

Xing Ming leaned against Jing Heguang’s chest, peering ahead to see what was happening.

Unfortunately, it was dark, so he could only make out a faint red glow rising from a courtyard not far away.

Jing Heguang, however, had keener eyesight. He could already see signs of activity at the Wanhu station.

“People are coming this way,” he warned.

No sooner had he spoken than a commotion broke out at the station.

***

Inside the Wanhu Station.

One of the night watchmen caught sight of the firelight.

“Whose place is that? Don’t they realize a fire has started?!”

“Go take a look! We don’t want it spreading here.”

The houses stood close together, and in this dry weather, it wasn’t unheard of for an entire street to burn down.

Several men grabbed their weapons, while others followed carrying buckets of water.

In no time, everyone at the station knew a nearby house was on fire.

Those with nothing better to do wandered over to watch, they were bored, after all.

A Qianhu (commander of a thousand) with a saber at his waist let out a drunken belch, leaning against the doorway, he cursed, “Another fool! Tomorrow…tomorrow I’ll make that family bring us some wine.” After all, they were saving the family’s lives.

Just as the Qianhu was wondering what kind of wine to drink the next day, he saw one of his subordinates returning blankly, carrying an empty bucket.

“What happened?”

“Commander…”

The Qianhu spoke casually, “Did someone die or something?”

The man in front remained silent, while another, looking equally dazed, approached from behind.

The Qianhu nodded. “Sui Da, what’s going on? Speak up, or I’ll hack you down.”

He had been drinking but wasn’t completely wasted, the sort of state where a man feels bold and dangerous.

Sui Da, knowing the commander had drunk heavily and had a history of actually drawing his saber, was terrified. He stammered, “C-Commander, the fire isn’t big, it’s just…two men are doing ‘that’…”

The commander’s eyes widened like saucers. “Fuck! Disgusting bastards. I’m going to see which two pieces of trash it is.”

Forbidden things often pique people’s curiosity.

Sui Da, assuming the commander already knew, stepped aside and said, “It’s the senior commander and that troupe leader, Wang.”

“What?”

The commander was dumbfounded.

The senior commander? Wasn’t that his own brother-in-law?!

“The senior commander?”

“Y-Yes…the senior commander.”

Too many people had seen it, it was impossible to keep under wraps.

The commander felt as though his world had collapsed. Thinking of his sister, who was heavily pregnant, he felt utterly revolted. He grabbed his blade and stormed out.

The ensuing commotion, filled with shouting and cursing, drifted to the ears of Jing Heguang and Xing Ming, who were watching the spectacle unfold.

Xing Ming was infuriated to hear that the woman was pregnant.

He cursed under his breath, “Scum!”

Hearing the anger in his voice, Jing Heguang rubbed his back reassuringly. “I would never do something like that.”

Xing Ming paused, then turned and clasped Jing Heguang’s hand tightly.

He held on hard, as if drawing warmth from Jing Heguang’s hand.

Jing Heguang asked, “Are you cold? Shall we head back?”

They had seen the show, there was no need to linger so close by. Besides, curfew was approaching, so it was time to return.

Just as Xing Ming was about to nod, a commotion arose from the nearby alley entrance.

A group of men from the senior commander’s garrison had wandered two streets over, they were whispering to one another about what they had just witnessed.

Both the commander and the senior commander had powerful backers, and the men didn’t want to offend either side.

With the argument going on over there, they were taking a detour to slip back unnoticed.

Jing Heguang hadn’t expected to run into this group. He counted the heads, wondering how quickly he could take them all out.

Just then, Xing Ming tugged at him, pulling Jing Heguang further into the shadows.

“Who’s there?!”

They had been spotted. The footsteps of the approaching patrol were rapidly closing in.

Jing Heguang grabbed a loose brick.

Xing Ming’s heart was pounding. He curled up tightly against Jing Heguang’s chest and then…

…let out a soft, whimpering sound, feigning the breathy gasps of a woman.

Having trained in female roles, he could mimic a female voice perfectly.

The sound he produced now imitated the voices he had heard earlier, but shifted into a feminine register.

The patrol group in the distance grumbled, “Just a pair of wild lovers…”

Jing Heguang took the silver ingot Xing Ming had pressed it into his hand and tossed it out toward them.

He then spoke, adopting the accent of the Jin people he had recently learned: “Forgot the curfew was…was coming up, we’re leaving right now. Brothers, please do us a favor.”

Hearing those two voices, heavy with the breathiness of passion, the group understood exactly what was going on.

Having received the silver, a large ingot of the sort usually possessed only by officials, and wanting to avoid trouble, they simply told the couple to ‘hurry back’ and chose to take a longer detour.

Once the patrol had left, Xing Ming stopped feigning the gasps.

He let out a breath of relief and was about to say, “Let’s go,” when he heard Jing Heguang’s breathing, now right beside his ear, growing increasingly heavy and ragged.