Great, saved many innocent lives again today

From horseback to the ground was only a short distance, and it took only a brief moment, yet the two of them seemed to spin around seven or eight times. Even after landing, they were still turning in circles, unable to stop.

The soldiers stationed around Liaohua Lake were utterly dumbfounded.

“Why are they still spinning?”

“Wait, are they playing around here?”

“Hey, have you spun enough yet? If not, go home and keep spinning. Don’t get in our way!”

“Are you actors from some opera troupe? Do you have to spin in circles wherever you go?”

…

The soldiers on guard were clearly not a suitable audience. They failed to become immersed in the wondrous atmosphere of the pair spinning dizzily while gazing deeply into each other’s eyes. Instead, their crude remarks shattered this rare and romantic moment.

That made Pei Wugou rather angry.

After carefully setting Wen He down in his arms, he turned around and barked, “Who are you?”

“How dare you disturb us like this?”

The soldiers replied coldly, “We are soldiers from Iron Gate Pass. By order of the garrison commander, we came to Liaohua Lake to catch fish and gather provisions for the army.”

“Judging by your appearance, you must also be soldiers of Yunjing, mustn’t you?”

“How dare you behave so recklessly?”

“Do you not know that this is a forbidden area?”

Pei Wugou was still angry. He instinctively wanted to flaunt his identity and intimidate these soldiers, but just as he was about to speak, he caught Wen He’s gentle and kind gaze. He immediately closed his mouth.

After changing his story in his mind, he said, “I am General Chen Song’s personal guard. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to come here?”

The soldiers knew of Chen Song.

Yunjing had dispatched an army to Pukou City to assist in defending it, and Chen Song was the commander leading that force.

Chen Song had come from Yunjing. He was far more powerful than a local garrison commander, and their statuses were worlds apart.

The moment the soldiers heard that Pei Wugou was one of Chen Song’s personal guards, they all dropped to their knees.

“We did not know that Your Excellency had arrived! We have shown you disrespect. We hope Your Excellency will be magnanimous and not hold it against us humble soldiers.”

Pei Wugou had never been one to bear grudges against soldiers or punish them—provided, of course, that they had not offended Wen He.

If anyone offended Wen He, however, that was another matter entirely.

Even if the King of Heaven himself came, Pei Wugou would still kill the offender without hesitation.

Thus, Pei Wugou said, “Rise. I merely brought a fellow soldier here to survey the terrain and happened to arrive at this place…”

As he spoke, Pei Wugou’s gaze swept across Liaohua Lake. On one section of the lake, he saw a continuous shimmer of reflected light. Looking more closely, he discovered that it came from countless lively fish, trapped within a section of netted water and thrashing about.

“How long have you been fishing here?”

“How has the catch been?”

The soldiers from Iron Gate Pass hurriedly replied, “Reporting to Your Excellency, the garrison commander ordered dozens of ships from the river forces to drag their nets day and night. The infantry pulled massive nets along the shallows, while the auxiliary troops built dams to cut off the flow. It took a great deal of effort.”

“So far, we have caught several hundred thousand pounds of fresh fish!”

“We are only waiting for the garrison commander to arrive tomorrow and have everything processed. After that, it will be transported to Iron Gate Pass.”

“The garrison commander even said that we may have enough left over to send some to the other fortresses in the Jiangbei stronghold network and supply our allies.”

Pei Wugou listened and nodded inwardly.

With this, Iron Gate Pass would have ample food supplies and reliable provisions for several months.

By then, even if Ren Tianye pursued them relentlessly and launched attack after attack, Iron Gate Pass would no longer face any danger of running short of food.

This garrison commander certainly had some foresight, Pei Wugou thought approvingly.

Beside him, however, Wen He suddenly paled and exclaimed, “Oh heavens, hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish? Just how many fish is that?”

“And all these fish are going to be eaten?”

“That’s… that’s far too bloody.”

“A fish’s life is still a life…”

She turned to Pei Wugou and said, “Ah Wu, why don’t we release them?”

The moment she said this, several soldiers from Iron Gate Pass changed expression and hurried over. At that instant, they even began to question Pei Wugou’s identity.

—Was he really General Chen Song’s personal guard?

—Could General Chen Song’s personal guard really say something like that?

—Could this bastard be a spy sent by Ren Tianye to destroy their food supplies?

Fortunately, Pei Wugou turned around and smiled.

“Little He, we can’t release them. These fish are provisions for the army.”

“They are what the soldiers of Iron Gate Pass rely on to survive.”

“So releasing them is absolutely out of the question.”

A deep look of disappointment and unwillingness spread across Wen He’s face. As she stared at the lively fish, she felt as though her heart were being cut by a knife.

They were all living creatures. How sinful!

Only after this did the people of Iron Gate Pass finally relax a little.

They could see now.

The girl called Little He was probably a new recruit who did not know any better, which was why she had spouted such nonsense. But since General Chen Song’s personal guard was there to correct her, there was no problem.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Pei Wugou’s voice rang out. “Little He, this place is quite beautiful. Let’s take a stroll.”

“Mm!”

After Wen He nodded, Pei Wugou exchanged a few words with the soldiers. Then, riding one horse together, the two of them leisurely wandered around Liaohua Lake, admiring the setting sun, the evening clouds, the shimmering waters, the boundless sky and earth, and the green grass. Their hearts were filled with peace and delight.

They stayed by the lakeside from evening until the next morning, even leaning against each other and sleeping for a while. When they awoke, they were still full of energy and continued strolling.

That was when a rider came galloping over with a report.

“Report!”

“Marquis… um, General Chen Song has arrived at Iron Gate Pass. However, the commander defending Iron Gate Pass showed disrespect to the Marquis, and a conflict broke out.”

“General Chen Song has ordered you to return immediately.”

Pei Wugou was still immersed in the sweet whispers and tender affection he shared with Wen He. For a moment, his mind went blank. Only after a while did he slowly process the report.

Chen Song had already brought the army to Iron Gate Pass?

Excellent, excellent!

Chen Song was indeed someone with potential.

But… the commander of Iron Gate Pass had shown disrespect to the Marquis?

Wasn’t the Marquis him?

No, it was his shadow!

His own shadow!

So the commander of Iron Gate Pass had shown disrespect to his shadow…

What difference was there between that and showing disrespect to him?

Pei Wugou rose and said apologetically to Wen He, “Little He, I have to go back.”

Wen He was exceptionally understanding. “Ah Wu, the general has given you an order. Hurry back. Military matters come first.”

“All right!”

Pei Wugou leaned over and placed a light kiss on Wen He’s forehead. Only after giving the messenger beside them a generous serving of public affection did he mount the horse and gallop away.

Before leaving, he did not forget to instruct the messenger to stay behind and protect Wen He.

After watching Pei Wugou ride away, Wen He turned to the messenger.

“Hey, why haven’t you left yet?”

“Well…” The messenger did not know how to respond. “I’m worried that you’ll be unsafe out here alone.”

“It’s fine. Go back. It’s perfectly safe here.”

“That doesn’t seem right.”

“It’s completely fine. Go back!”

Wen He insisted that there was no need for him to stay and stubbornly urged the messenger to leave. The messenger was helpless. After thinking it over, he realized that Liaohua Lake lay beyond Iron Gate Pass and within Yunjing territory. The surrounding area was also filled with soldiers from Iron Gate Pass, so there truly should be no danger.

Unable to overcome Wen He’s insistence, he finally rose and took his leave.

Once the messenger had gone as well, Wen He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at the rippling waters of Liaohua Lake.

Such a huge lake, and yet they refused to leave any place for the fish to live!

How cruel!

“Though they’re only tiny creatures, tiny creatures are still living beings. If I don’t save them today, how would that be any different from harming them?”

Wen He’s resolve slowly hardened.

She had to save these fish.

After wandering around with Pei Wugou for half a day yesterday, she had seen clearly that the fish from Liao Flower Lake had been driven by the soldiers at Iron Gate Pass into a large pond. The pond had been reinforced, and though it wasn’t very large, it held a great many fish.

However…

There was a drainage outlet at the bottom!

“As long as I open that outlet, the fish can regain their freedom!”

Wen He’s conviction grew ever stronger. Her face seemed to shine with a sacred radiance as she crept forward, tiptoeing carefully toward the bottom of the pond.

By then, the soldiers were idle, and there weren’t many of them around. Clearly, Chen Song’s arrival at Iron Gate Pass with his army had kept the garrison commander from overseeing the final capture of the fish. The soldiers who remained were only there to guard the place.

But…

No one had imagined that anyone would dare release the fish.

The defenses were extremely lax.

Wen He reached the spot alone and saw the drainage outlet at the bottom of the pond. It was about a foot in diameter and had been blocked with a wooden stopper and a stone slab.

They had been wedged in extremely securely.

Wen He felt somewhat discouraged. She did not have that much strength, but the faith in her heart instantly gave her courage and confidence again.

“The fish are so pitiful. I have to save them!”

Thus, Wen He summoned nearly every ounce of her strength and used an abandoned wooden pole to pry the stone slab aside.

All that remained was the wooden stopper!

The stopper held back the water in the entire pond, so the pressure against it was considerable. Fortunately, it was wedge-shaped and had not been locked in place.

Wen He found a stone and began hammering it.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Again and again.

She soon became drenched in sweat.

But her labor gradually began to pay off.

The wooden stopper slowly shifted.

Seeing this, Wen He worked even harder. She struck with greater force, pounding it more than a dozen times in one breath. Suddenly, the stopper shot out with a loud bang, and then…

A surging torrent burst forth.

The first rush of water drenched Wen He from head to toe. The tremendous current even knocked her to the ground, but instead of becoming angry, Wen He’s face filled with delight.

Because as the water gushed out, countless fish leaped and danced with joy, as though they had broken free from prison. They poured through the opening and into the river.

Following the river, they were heading toward a place where they could live freely.

“How wonderful!”

Watching the beautiful sight before her, Wen He’s joy grew more and more radiant. She felt as though a halo had settled around her.

“Today, I’ve saved so many innocent lives again!”

…