Chapter Fifty-Eight: Long Hair, Keen Insight

Lu Hu was taken aback, staring at Quan Meiyu in astonishment.

Quan Meiyu swung the bow in her hand, raining blows on Yakeshi without restraint.

Yakeshi remained motionless, head bowed, silently enduring the lashes.

“Meiyu, what are you hitting him for? Stop it!”

Lu Hu darted forward, executing a graceful Thomas flair midair, and snatched the bow from Quan Meiyu’s grasp.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he looked up at Quan Meiyu, who sat astride her horse. “Meiyu, what did Kesi do to offend you? Why are you so angry?”

Quan Meiyu glared at Yakeshi. “Let him tell you himself, that shameless wretch.”

Shameless wretch? Did he just make advances toward Quan Meiyu? That’s bold beyond belief…

Lu Hu fixed Yakeshi with a furious glare, saying nothing.

Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words.

Better to confess willingly and suffer minor consequences than to resist and face misery forever.

Yakeshi slipped from his saddle, knelt on the ground, and didn’t dare utter a sound.

Lu Hu scrutinized Quan Meiyu again. She looked composed, hardly like someone who had been taken advantage of.

“What are you staring at, you big fool? Check on your precious one,” she snapped.

Lu Hu turned around, and at once a surge of jealous anger welled up in his chest. He spun back to bark at the Changli soldiers, “What are you staring at? All of you, shut your eyes! Idiots.”

Quan Zhenzhu’s clothing was torn open at the right side, and from this angle, a glimpse of her snowy, rounded skin could just be made out.

Earlier, Bear Two had ripped her armor, damaging her clothes, but not completely tearing them. Then Lu Hu slew Bear Two, tamed the yellow horse, and comforted Quan Zhenzhu, paying no attention to her attire.

It wasn’t until he lifted her onto the horse and their bodies brushed together that the fabric finally gave way.

Lu Hu had been standing on the horse’s left side, so the tear was out of his sight.

Quan Zhenzhu, preoccupied with Lu Hu, only felt a chill along her right rib, not yet realizing what had happened.

Yakeshi, however, had been watching Lu Hu the whole time, and naturally noticed the exposed flesh.

His eyes lit up greedily, saliva trickling from the corner of his mouth.

One was the woman he desired, the other his own sister. To see the two of them flirting and whispering sweet nothings right in front of him—Quan Meiyu was already seething, with nowhere to vent her anger.

When Quan Zhenzhu was lifted onto the horse and her torn clothes revealed her skin, all the assembled soldiers, who had been waiting attentively for divine orders, froze in place.

What a sight! A rare treat for the eyes…

Now Quan Meiyu had found her outlet. You dare lead the charge in ogling—she swung her bow at Yakeshi, venting her fury.

Lu Hu felt a bitter pang in his heart. Such beauty, such grace, and he hadn’t even caught a glimpse before everyone else had stolen the moment.

He vaulted onto his horse and swept Quan Zhenzhu into his arms.

At that moment, Quan Zhenzhu realized her clothes had been torn, and knowing others had caught a glimpse, her cheeks flushed crimson with shame.

“Brother, don’t let me go again—I’m cold,” she whispered, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s.

“Are you cold under your clothes? Let me warm you with my hands,” Lu Hu said slyly. Damn it, if everyone else has had a look, I should at least get to touch.

“No!” Quan Zhenzhu was adamant, clamping her right arm tightly over the tear in her clothing.

Lu Hu removed his fur robe and wrapped it snugly around Quan Zhenzhu’s petite form, holding her close.

“Aren’t you cold, brother? Don’t let yourself freeze,” Quan Zhenzhu said, her body warm, her heart even warmer.

Now left in just his thin underclothes, Lu Hu couldn’t help but shiver.

Yakeshi took off his own armor, quickly stripped off his fur robe, and offered it to Lu Hu with both hands. “Lord, please wear this, or you’ll catch cold.”

“Put it back on,” Lu Hu barked, eyes blazing with anger. “If you give it to me, you’ll freeze instead.”

“Kesi doesn’t fear the cold. But if you were to fall ill, Lord, what meaning would my life have? Please, put it on at once.”

The Changli guard captain hurried over, taking off his own fur robe and handing it to Yakeshi. “General Kesi, you are Lord’s right hand. Put this on quickly.”

The Changli guards all began to remove their fur robes. “If Lord won’t wear one, we’ll all freeze together.”

Quan Meiyu rode up to Lu Hu’s side.

What’s she doing? Is she going to take hers off too? Absolutely not, not here, not now.

You can only take it off for me, and in public like this? How could I ever show my face again…!

Lu Hu was startled.

Quan Meiyu simply picked up Yakeshi’s fur robe and handed it to Lu Hu, her tone brooking no refusal. “Put it on.”

Lu Hu, like a henpecked husband, obediently did as he was told.

“You all put your robes on,” Quan Meiyu ordered, then dismounted and strode to the side of the great black horse.

The black horse lay on the ground, its hind legs kicking in agony, its broken foreleg limp and motionless—clearly ruined.

A horse lives standing and is ever restless; a broken leg means near-certain death.

Quan Meiyu drew her waist knife and, without hesitation, slashed the black horse’s throat.

Not sparing the horse a glance, she calmly declared, “General Kesi, you and a few others skin the black horse. Wrap yourself in the hide to keep warm.”

This beautiful young woman was no ordinary girl—her hair was long, but her knowledge greater.

The soldiers silently admired her.

“General Kesi, once you finish with the hide, you few guard Lord back to camp. The rest, follow me to continue the hunt.” With orders given, Quan Zhenzhu spurred her horse and rode off.

The Changli guard captain leapt onto his own mount and followed close behind.

The guards urged their horses, thundering after their captain into the forest.

This woman’s not even married in yet and already so domineering. If I dare keep a harem one day, she’ll probably beat me within an inch of my life…

Lu Hu grimaced internally.

Watching Yakeshi and the others skin the horse, he leaned close to Quan Zhenzhu’s ear and whispered, “Zhenzhu, that she-devil… your sister, does she bully you often?”

“No, never! My sister’s always been wonderful to me, giving me the best food and clothes. When I was seven and wet the bed, afraid our parents would find out and be embarrassed, she told them it was her who did it.”

Lu Hu hugged the little beauty in his arms even tighter. This girl was so shy about wetting the bed, yet she could tell him so naturally—it meant she already trusted herself to him. How blissful…

“But why is she like this today, like a mother tiger?”

“You mustn’t speak about Sister that way. She’s only like this today because you made her angry.”

“I was wrong, I won’t make her angry again,” Lu Hu said, admitting fault on his lips, but laughing inwardly.

As long as I find a way to tame that little she-devil Quan Meiyu, I’ll be able to live the life I want, surrounded by wives and concubines without shame or care…

The black horse’s hide was peeled off, still steaming with warmth from the flesh.

With help from the guards, Yakeshi awkwardly wrapped himself in the hide.

The yellow fox, ever clever, didn’t wait for Lu Hu’s command but headed straight for camp.

The wild horses followed, while Yakeshi and a few guards brought up the rear.

Holding Quan Zhenzhu in his arms, Lu Hu’s thoughts returned to Quan Meiyu.

A band of rough men hunting ferocious beasts—danger could lurk anywhere. What if some fool ran into my little beauty? What then?