Chapter 5

August in Shiyang Mountain was as beautiful as a painting.

Jiang Mei had been here for a month and could finally walk, though she didn’t dare exercise strenuously. Gu Ming drilled his troops every day, but spent most of his time keeping her company. He accompanied her to pick wild fruits, gather wildflowers, and hunt wild hares to roast.

Her complexion gradually regained its rosy hue. The events of the past slowly drifted further away, feeling almost like a dream.

One morning, just as Jiang Mei woke up, three gorgeously dressed women walked in. The one leading them was graceful and charming, wearing a light purple qipao that outlined her sexy, alluring figure.

“Are you the woman the Chief saved?” her tone was unfriendly.

“Yes. And you are?”

“We are the Chief’s wives! First Concubine, Second Concubine, and I am the Third Concubine!” said the woman in yellow behind her.

“Oh, hello, sisters-in-law!” Jiang Mei quickly stood up.

The women looked her up and down. “A vixen indeed! You’ve been pestering the Chief for so long. When do you plan on leaving?” The First Concubine was the one in the purple qipao.

“I…” Jiang Mei didn’t know how to answer. In truth, she hadn’t thought about that question yet.

Gu Ming walked in. “Who let you come here?”

“Boss, you haven’t visited me in so long!” The woman in front looked deeply wronged.

“Get out! Scram! If any of you dare come here again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” Gu Ming’s usually sunny expression was suddenly clouded with anger.

Jiang Mei rarely saw Gu Ming lose his temper. Having a bandit background, he usually wore a roguish smile and possessed a rare, lively temperament.

“It’s only right for the sisters-in-law to come and visit,” Jiang Mei said, feeling awkward.

The women twisted their waists and left, the First Concubine sobbing uncontrollably. She was likely the most favored one normally, and being scolded for no reason today had broken her heart.

“Brother Gu, don’t be like that. They are… they are your wives, and my sisters-in-law. I should have gone to pay my respects to them sooner.”

“They aren’t my wives, they are just my women. I have many women. But I will only ever have one wife.” Gu Ming looked at Jiang Mei. “I have many women at the bottom of the mountain too. As long as I take a fancy to one, I hang a plaque on her door, and she becomes mine. So, none of them hold a place in my heart. If you mind, I’ll have them all leave.”

“Brother Gu! Why would I mind!” Jiang Mei chided gently and said no more.

“I was just joking. Today I’ll take you down the mountain to have a look and relax. It hasn’t rained in ages, and the commoners at the foot of the mountain are praying for rain at the Dragon King Temple.”

She followed him down the mountain. A massive crowd was gathered in front of the Dragon King Temple, the commoners kneeling devoutly.

Gu Ming and Jiang Mei knelt as well to pray for rain. Gu Ming pressed his palms together and worshiped earnestly. Jiang Mei noticed he was more devout than anyone else.

For five consecutive days, Gu Ming took her down the mountain to pray, but to no avail. The prayers went unanswered.

On the sixth day, they went again. Even after the ceremony ended, not a single drop of rain fell. A man nearby said to a woman, “If it doesn’t rain soon, it’ll be too late for anything. We won’t harvest a single grain. We’ll have no choice but to sell Yin Yin.” Hearing this, the woman only wept.

Gu Ming’s face suddenly changed. He stood up without a word, grabbed the man, and gave him a severe beating. “You are not allowed to sell your child!” Throwing down some silver, he swaggered away.

Holding Jiang Mei’s hand, his face ashen, he asked, “Did I scare you? You know, I have a younger sister. She was sold by our family when she was little, and I still haven’t found her! That’s why I cannot tolerate anyone selling their children.”

He led her angrily back up the mountain. Halfway up, he suddenly stopped. “Damn it, this heaven is blind! What’s the use of respecting it! Da Qing, bring out our cannons and bombard the sky in turns!”

Seeing his furious expression, Jiang Mei didn’t dare speak.

A while later, artillery fire literally shook the area around Shiyang Mountain. Before the cannons had even stopped, it actually began to pour heavy rain!

“What a cheap bitch! Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!” Soaked by the heavy rain, Gu Ming laughed up at the sky.

Watching Gu Ming’s bright, childlike face, Jiang Mei’s heart warmed. For the first time in a long while, she revealed a genuine smile, the amusement reaching all the way to her eyes.

The sight melted Gu Ming’s heart. “Eldest Miss, this is the first time you’ve smiled since coming up the mountain.”

“Brother Gu, just call me Jiang Mei.” She knew she was no longer some Eldest Miss, and she felt a genuine sense of closeness to him from the bottom of her heart.

The bombardment at Shiyang Mountain sent the surrounding warlords into a panic. They all dispatched scouts to gather intel, only to discover it was just the bandits of Shiyang Mountain firing cannons at the sky. It was a false alarm!

Fu Yu and his trusted aides were discussing matters at Qinglong Mountain. Hearing this news, Zhan Yong’s mind raced.

“Boss, according to our current deployment, we’re still significantly short on troops. The risk is too high. The other warlords can’t be trusted right now. Is there any way we can rope in Gu Ming from Shiyang Mountain to lend us a hand?”

“Gu Ming? Yes, it’s time to make him make a move. We can’t just let him sit there indefinitely! He used to be Jiang Shan’s subordinate. When I absorbed those troops, he left.” Fu Yu remembered the man.

“Exactly. Rumor has it he hasn’t pledged loyalty to anyone, and he is both brave and strategic. He’s relatively reliable,” Zhan Yong said, showing great interest.

“He is indeed a talent!” Fu Yu said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Two days later in the morning, while Gu Ming was handling mountain affairs, he received an urgent report from the mountain guards: “Chief, Garrison Commander Fu Yu of Fancheng requests an audience!”

“Fu Yu!” Gu Ming furrowed his brow. What was he doing here? Had he discovered something?

“Let him in!” Gu Ming ordered, then hurried to the backyard. Jiang Mei had just picked a large handful of purple asters and was arranging them in a ceramic vase with Nanny Song.

Looking at her radiant little face, Gu Ming sighed internally. “Jiang Mei, do you still want to return to Fancheng to find Fu Yu?”

“No. He has already married someone else. What’s wrong, Brother Gu? Did something happen?”

“Nothing. I have matters to attend to today, so I can’t keep you company.”

“Go ahead and busy yourself, don’t worry about me!”

Fu Yu brought only four personal guards up Shiyang Mountain.

Dressed in black civilian clothes, his face sharp and heroic, he arrived to find Gu Ming had ordered his men to set up braziers and lay out a gauntlet of caltrops—the ‘Caltrop Alley.’

Gu Ming sat across from him with a cheeky grin. “Commander Fu, forgive any offense, but these are the rules of Shiyang Mountain. Any uninvited guest must walk this path!”

Fu Yu nodded. “Of course. I, Fu, will certainly abide by the mountain’s rules!”

Fu Yu easily navigated Shiyang Mountain’s brazier array and Caltrop Alley without a single scratch.

Watching the agile Fu Yu, Gu Ming couldn’t help but praise, “Commander Fu truly lives up to his reputation!”

Gu Ming received him in the Sun and Moon Hall of Shiyang Mountain. He looked at the dignified Fu Yu and said, “Commander Fu, you should know the history between me and your esteemed wife. So why didn’t you bring the Madam along today?”

Fu Yu’s expression stiffened slightly. “This is men’s business. Why bring a woman along!”

“That’s true. How is the Eldest Miss of the Jiang family doing?”

Fu Yu met Gu Ming’s cold, provocative gaze, realizing he must already know everything. “She… has gone missing. I am currently looking for her! I know I’ve failed Governor Jiang, and I will give him a proper explanation.”

“Oh? Back then, the Eldest Miss was entirely devoted to Commander Fu. She swore she would marry no one but you!” Gu Ming had no intention of letting him off the hook so easily.

“I am truly ashamed of my family matters. But I came today for a more important reason. I would like to invite Chief Gu to join the Fu Family Army. I wonder if Chief Gu has any interest?”

Gu Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief. So it wasn’t about Jiang Mei. “Oh? I’m living quite well right now. Why would I join the Fu family and live a life restricted by others?”

“Although Chief Gu is invincible and lives a free life, you ultimately bear the title of a bandit. Even if you don’t think of yourself, you should consider your brothers and your descendants.”

They talked for a long time. Fu Yu’s terms were incredibly generous, and Gu Ming gradually found himself tempted.

Just then, the sounds of an argument, a woman weeping, and another woman cautiously trying to break up the fight drifted in from outside.

A maid had been slapped and was kneeling on the ground, crying. Gu Ming’s three concubines were fighting over a maid; it seemed one concubine’s maid had been beaten by another concubine.

Jiang Mei had made pastries today and wanted to bring them for the women to taste. On the way, she ran into their squabble, and the plate of pastries was knocked over.

Gu Ming’s expression changed drastically. Fu Yu, however, listened to the fierce battle of women outside with great interest, a faint smile on his lips. As he listened, he suddenly stood up and walked outside.

The three concubines were tearing at each other. Standing beside them, looking completely at a loss, was a woman in a light blue qipao. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, resembling a pear blossom, glowing with health. In her hands, she held an empty tray, pastries scattered all over the ground.

Struck as if by lightning, Fu Yu sprinted over. He could hardly believe his eyes.

“Jiang Mei!”

Jiang Mei looked up, froze, and the color drained from her face. The tray slipped from her hands and clattered to the ground.

Gu Ming’s face darkened, his eyes radiating cold intent. He turned and gritted his teeth at Da Qing, “I never want to see those three women again!”

Gu Ming stepped forward, shoved Fu Yu aside, and shielded Jiang Mei. “Commander Fu has mistaken her for someone else. She is not Jiang Mei. She is mine, she is my bandit bride!”

Fu Yu sneered. “Chief Gu surely loves to joke!” He suddenly drew his gun and aimed it at Gu Ming. “Step aside, let her come here!”

“Are you threatening me? The person who can threaten me hasn’t been born yet! Come on, shoot!” Instead of stepping aside, Gu Ming stuck his head out in defiance.

Bang! Fu Yu fired a shot right into Gu Ming’s foot. It pierced straight through his sole, and blood immediately poured out.

Gu Ming hadn’t expected Fu Yu to actually shoot. He plopped down onto the ground, clutching his foot.

“Fu Yu, haven’t you done enough?! He is the only family I have left! If you dare touch him, I’ll die right in front of you!” Jiang Mei snatched up a shard of the broken ceramic plate and pressed it against her own neck.

“Fine, I won’t hurt him. But you must come back with me!”

“Men, lock the gates!” Having his foot shot through, Gu Ming grimaced in pain. When had he ever suffered such a loss? The bandits on the mountain immediately swarmed, forming multiple rings around them.

Fu Yu had only brought four guards, who now stood back-to-back in a circle around him.

“Gu Ming, let him go!” Jiang Mei turned her head, pleading with Gu Ming.

Gu Ming’s eyes were already bloodshot. He couldn’t bear to let her leave even more now.

With his men surrounding Fu Yu three layers deep, Fu Yu reached out, pulled Jiang Mei in front of his chest, and rested his gun on her shoulder.

“Despicable coward! You actually use a woman as a meat shield!” Gu Ming cursed angrily.

“I never claimed to be a gentleman! And I intend to walk out of here alive! She is my person, and I will definitely take her away. As for saving her life, I, Fu Yu, will personally express my gratitude in the future!”

“In your dreams! Fu Yu, the bond between you and Jiang Mei is already broken. You were the one who didn’t cherish it. The reason I left Fancheng two years ago was because you married her! God opened His eyes and let me meet her again. When I found her, she was already dead! I saved her life, so she is mine, and I will never let go!”

The two men glared at each other like fighting cocks.

“Gu Ming, Jiang Mei is still my woman! I respect you as a real man, and I came today to discuss an alliance. If anything happens to me, the Fu Family Army will wipe you out!”

Gu Ming shot him a look of utter contempt. “If you could wipe me out, you wouldn’t have come to Shiyang Mountain begging for help! As for whether Jiang Mei is your woman, that’s not up to you to decide anymore!”

Jiang Mei looked at Gu Ming. “Brother Gu, I am willing… I am willing to leave with him. Let us go.”

Gu Ming’s expression instantly changed. He stared at her for a long time, his face as cold as a millennium-old glacier.

Standing behind her, Fu Yu used her as a shield and slowly backed away.

Seeing the pleading look in her eyes, Gu Ming couldn’t bear it and finally turned his back. “Let them go!”

The moment they stepped out of the Shiyang Mountain gates, Fu Yu quietly snapped at his guards, “Move, fast!”

He knew Gu Ming wouldn’t let him leave easily.

Jiang Mei stood rooted to the spot. “Fu Yu, you go. I will not go back with you.”

“Jiang Mei, I haven’t agreed to let you leave me!”

“I’ve already died once. The old Jiang Mei is dead!”

Looking at her angry, flushed little face, Fu Yu stepped forward and delivered a swift chop to the back of her neck. Jiang Mei fainted. He placed her on his horse, mounted, and galloped away.

Recently, Chen Yuwei’s movements had become cumbersome, so Fu Yu assigned four servants to attend to her personally. Zijun Villa was heavily guarded; not even a fly could enter.

Fu Yu visited her regularly, remaining gentle and considerate, giving her only the best. Yet, she always felt a hidden something in the depths of his eyes that she couldn’t decipher, leaving her deeply unsettled.

Today, she noticed the guards bustling in and out, much busier than usual. Upon asking, she learned that Fu Yu was going to hold an important meeting in the council hall of Zijun Villa in a few days.

The situation in Haidong was growing increasingly unstable. Recently, a major event had occurred: Tian Weiguo, the Garrison Commander of Yucheng, had his power suddenly seized by his own subordinate, Wu Xiang!

Tian Weiguo was blown up, leaving not even a corpse, and his entire family—young and old—were all beheaded.

When Zhan Yong relayed this news to Fu Yu, Fu Yu froze for a moment. “Who did you say this person is?”

“Wu Xiang! He was originally Tian Weiguo’s adjutant, someone who usually didn’t stand out. I heard this man is nearly two meters tall, both brave and cunning, highly skilled in strategy. Tian Weiguo was caught completely off guard, his life and legacy entirely stripped away by this man. His family and trusted aides were all wiped out!”

“Wu Xiang!” Icy depths surged in Fu Yu’s eyes, startling Zhan Yong. “Boss, you know this person?”

“Of course! He’s the one who murdered Liu Hao and took Jiang Mei away!”

After finishing his affairs, Fu Yu returned to Jin Garden. Jin Garden was located on Qinglong Mountain and was the most beautiful estate there.

Aside from Fu Yu’s personal guard Yang Tao and two maids, no one knew who lived here.

Since arriving, Jiang Mei hadn’t eaten a single thing. It had been nearly two days. The maids, Lixia and Fudong, were on the verge of anxious tears.

She wanted to leave, but Fu Yu wouldn’t let her.

“Fu Yu, the Jiang Mei who loved you is dead! The current me no longer loves you, I don’t even want to see you. You don’t love me either, so what’s the point of keeping me confined like this?”

“I said, I haven’t agreed to let you go, so you cannot go!”

“Fu Yu, I hate you! Nanny Zhou is dead, Liu Hao is dead, Dong’er is dead—everyone who was good to me is dead! And you never believed me! They all died for my sake, how could I possibly still be with you?”

Her body was weak, and after speaking, she closed her eyes and lay back on the bed.

Jiang Mei, how do you know I don’t believe you? Fu Yu thought to himself.

He approached her, picked up the plain porridge, and began to feed her. Jiang Mei turned her head, knocking the bowl away. Fu Yu scooped another bowl. He took a sip into his own mouth, gripped her head, and passed the porridge to her from his mouth.

Jiang Mei spat it out. “Fu Yu, what is this all for?”

“I just want you to eat.” His voice was hoarse, his eyes filled with a heart-stopping pain.

“Fu Yu, let me go! Let me leave! You already have Chen Yuwei, why are you keeping me here?”

“You want to go find Gu Ming, is that it? If you keep acting like this, I’ll immediately send men to wipe him out!” Fu Yu’s eyes inevitably turned bloodshot.