UCTOOT CH116

It is said that on this day, Min people burn paper by the roadside to sacrifice to the dead, coinciding with the meaning of the Jing people’s Ghost Festival.

Along the way, people in groups of two or three drew circles by the roadside, burning clothes and paper money inside the circles, offering dried meat and milk wine. People wearing demon masks, with messy robes, ran here and there.

“More than half a month has passed; the news of the defeat in Yunzhou can’t be hidden?” Shi Shu stepped on the ashes of paper money.

“Can’t be hidden. Many Min soldiers died. Perhaps learning of the deaths, this year’s sacrifices by the commoners are particularly bleak,” Xie Wuchi said.

The night was quiet. Shi Shu looked up and saw the ghastly green light in the forest. Countless white banners were tied to tree branches. Along the way, brand-new paper money and wreaths, capable of summoning the souls of the dead, danced in the wind.

“…Summoning the souls of these Min soldiers? They believe they died unjustly, so the ‘culprit’ is us—even this Xie Wuchi beside me.”

Thinking of this, Shi Shu looked back. Green smoke at both ends of the narrow road, like the road to the underworld, the long night full of ghostly atmosphere. Vengeful spirits don’t distinguish right from wrong; they only want revenge. Although used to seeing corpses, at this moment, Shi Shu also felt a tingling sensation on his back.

Especially since every household put out paper figures, paper ghosts, paper houses, and paper horses, abandoned by the roadside, revealing bloody teeth. Shi Shu suddenly saw a ferocious ghost mask with a severed head and exposed tongue, scaring him so much his legs went soft, and he sucked in a breath of cold air.

“Xie Wuchi…”

Xie Wuchi turned his face, pulling Shi Shu into his arms: “Shall I carry you in my arms?”

Shi Shu: “Carry me in your arms? The guards are still behind?”

Xie Wuchi: “Then switch to carrying on my back?”

Shi Shu happened to be bored, jumping onto his back: “Xie Wuchi, actually I’m already dead. You’re carrying a dead person now. Is it heavy? Are you scared?”

Xie Wuchi: “You are a dead person; I’ll have a ghost marriage with you.”

Shi Shu was startled by him: “You are the ghost.”

“If I say yes now, you’ll probably be scared into running around. I’m not.”

Shi Shu let him carry him: “Middle of the night, pitch black, only paper money and green smoke. This road looks like the road to the underworld.”

Shi Shu muttered, unexpectedly hearing Xie Wuchi’s low voice.

“If it were the road to the underworld, we would be walking from life through death together.”

Shi Shu hummed, “Saying that, how many mass graves have we walked through together?”

Xie Wuchi said: “Kiss me.”

Shi Shu: “Kiss? The guards—”

“Am I your adulterer? Always sneaking around.”

Shi Shu: “What are you saying, you’re my bro.”

Shi Shu kissed him by his ear. Xin Bin led the horse, maintaining distance, always walking more than ten meters away. Seeing many families and relatives in the forest, Shi Shu thought of his parents: “Wonder how it is in modern times? Does transmigrating count as dying? Did Mom and Dad collect our corpses?”

“Maybe.”

“Hope they won’t be sad. I didn’t die, just went to live in another place. Tell my mom, I’m not a coward.” Shi Shu’s eyes were like fried eggs (teary).

“Brother is still carrying you, little clever egg.”

“You wanted to carry me yourself, what do you mean?” Shi Shu jumped down.

After passing this road, they would reach the courtyard at the foot of the mountain. The guards had long since hidden themselves. Xin Bin also confirmed safety with other guards using bird calls, then went to tie up the horses himself.

Shi Shu and Xie Wuchi walked to the stream. The water was clear. As soon as there was cover, Shi Shu had his face cupped and was kissed. “Mmph…” Out of breath, Shi Shu’s hand was also pressed somewhere.

Xie Wuchi had always been straightforward, including his desire. After kissing for a while, seeing that he couldn’t stop, Shi Shu quickly dragged him toward the courtyard.

Fetching water, boiling water, Shi Shu tidied up the drying seeds: “I have to take these back for the people in the military settlement to plant. Although the military settlement is already prosperous, money doesn’t bite. The higher the yield, the better everyone eats.”

Then, went into the room to bathe. After bathing, Shi Shu recorded seed names and planting methods in a small notebook. Xie Wuchi changed into thin inner clothes and was also writing a diary. When he stopped writing, he leaned over to look at Shi Shu’s notebook: “Plant after the oriole calls for three days in spring, harvest in summer…”

“Can write? I thought you only knew how to tick and write ‘read’.”

Shi Shu sweated profusely: “No? Bro, no…”

Xie Wuchi: “I’m not worth you writing a few more words for.”

Shi Shu: “This.”

Xie Wuchi finished speaking indifferently, took off his clothes, and got into bed first, reading a book while waiting for Shi Shu to finish his record. He propped his chin with one hand, reading military strategy. Recently he was even learning the Min language. He looked calm and upright, only the aggression between his brows was strong, lines distinct.

Shi Shu put down the brush, leaning on the bed to get to his side: “Xie Wuchi, what’s wrong, smile quickly. I suddenly remembered, I rarely see you smile.”

“Not in the mood.”

“Ah, Brother Xie.” Shi Shu leaned close to kiss him, until he was held on his lap, lips pressed together. They fell onto the bed. Shi Shu’s eyes looked at the spiderwebbed roof beam, quickly invaded by Xie Wuchi’s heat.

“Is your skin hunger cured?” When Shi Shu asked him, he was held in Xie Wuchi’s arms, skin stroked and kneaded, thrown hard into his embrace, kissed on the face and ear/neck.

Shi Shu: “Xie Wuchi, how did you spend the decades before meeting me?”

As Shi Shu spoke, he was kissed on the Adam’s apple. Xie Wuchi’s breathing became heavier, moving down to bite that small bead lightly and incessantly. Shi Shu’s forehead sweated, corners of eyes turning crimson, but Xie Wuchi refused to let go for even a moment.

…

Until heated all over with passion, Shi Shu’s fair body was held in his arms, fingertips clutching the sheet into wrinkles, seemingly unable to bear the water on the skin, hearing the sound of wet flesh sticking together.

“Mm… ah…”

Shi Shu was first held in his arms with his back turned, then held facing him. His fingers stroked Xie Wuchi’s dark brows and eyes, legs across the man’s powerful waist, fair toes tensed, arches slender, swaying up and down in the darkness.

Deep kissing on the lips, and deep hot kissing in another place.

Perhaps because Xie Wuchi had been satisfied recently, he didn’t kiss fiercely, not a frantic attack, but a gradual approach. Shi Shu pressed close to him, grinding against his undulating abs, kissed by him.

The bed made shaking noises. Shi Shu clearly felt Xie Wuchi’s existence, whether kissing or stroking him, nose tip oozing hot sweat.

“Baby.”

Shi Shu said softly: “Mm.”

After Shi Shu responded, he heard Xie Wuchi say a profanity hoarsely. He would curse in a foreign language when extremely unguarded, and this point was only revealed recently. However, no matter what language he spoke, his voice was elegant and magnetic, and it rarely appeared.

…

Fair, healthy, slender legs were propped up, swaying in the stuffy room. Shi Shu twisted like a fish, voice hoarse, black hair sticking wetly to soft ears, body controlled by a large hand.

While the room was in full swing, suddenly, the sound of guards walking was heard outside the door, speaking from outside the fence: “My Lord?”

Shi Shu was being held, face to face with Xie Wuchi, able to see the bone structure of Xie Wuchi’s tensed shoulders and neck dyed in dim light, like a sculpture polished from marble, powerful. Xie Wuchi’s sharp nose bridge was also sweaty, hair damp with sweat, holding Shi Shu, the sound of wet biting continued.

It was Xin Bin, seeming to have others.

Shi Shu’s consciousness was a bit blurry. Before he could react, he was picked up upside down. Shi Shu thought Xie Wuchi was leaving, didn’t expect a soft “ah”, spine going limp in his arms.

Still eating.

“Xie…” Shi Shu’s voice disappeared, gritting his teeth.

Walking behind the door, Xie Wuchi didn’t even bother to drape an outer coat, asking calmly through the door: “What is it?”

Voice somewhat hoarse, indistinguishable, separated by the wind.

Shi Shu lay in his arms, shoulders trembling, the tight sound of flesh continuing. Hearing Xin Bin’s voice: “Official Yuan just sent an urgent letter. A fire in the northwest, burning King Zhouchi’s heart dry, reaching the moment of needing water for rescue. He is sighing about enemies on all sides, powerless, especially since we released rumors saying we would attack from the east, scaring him out of his wits even more.”

“Go on.”

Still thrusting. Shi Shu was unbearably hot, burying his head in his neck. Because of the dead silence, the sound of water at the connection could be heard, very loud. Shi Shu was even worried if it would be heard.

“In short, this King Zhouchi is anxious to burn incense and pray to Buddha, looking everywhere for solutions to difficult problems. Internal and external troubles, can’t sleep well. Sought Official Yuan to drink and play chess to relieve boredom, face showing worry.”

Shi Shu’s toes curled. The arm holding him was very strong, preventing falling, also embracing his fair back.

Xin Bin’s voice was very respectful: “At this moment, Official Yuan casually mentioned: ‘When Commander Xie attacks from Yanzhou in Xingu Prefecture, Yong’an Prefecture as the border will definitely bear the disaster of war first. This attack on Yunzhou, Your Majesty also saw, not only yielded nothing but killed many sons. Emperor Min’s money has been delayed, and it also attracted attacks and coveting from other tribes.'”

Xie Wuchi: “Speak.”

…

“Mm,” Xie Wuchi lowered his eyes, “Baby is so amazing.”

Shi Shu trembled all over, having his jaw pinched for kissing, wet tongue flesh turning and deep kissing him, licking each other. Hearing Xin Bin’s voice: “In short, Yong’an Prefecture and the Tribal Prefecture under King Zhouchi will be the first to suffer heavy damage, not only attacked by Great Jing’s Northern Army but also used by Emperor Min, eventually cannibalized, becoming victims of this war. King Zhouchi doesn’t want to see this ending and is asking for help.”

The sensation became clearer, deep water sounds.

Perhaps fearing discovery, the feeling was even stronger. Shi Shu tried hard to hear Xin Bin’s words clearly, but his whole attention couldn’t focus, eyes misty.

…

Xie Wuchi made a sound for outside the door to hear, neither slow nor fast: “And then?”

“Although Official Yuan didn’t propose it actively, the conversation was very clever. Someone casually mentioned, what if cooperating with Commander Xie? King Zhouchi immediately felt like being granted amnesty. Turns out he also vaguely had this idea.”

Xie Wuchi: “This victory in Yunzhou demonstrated the martial power and strength of the Northern Army. When two countries are at war, only strong military force brings dignity and voice. The other side will naturally be afraid. So? They want to cooperate?”

Xin Bin said loudly: “Yes! King Zhouchi is obviously very afraid of My Lord’s army!”

Finished speaking, simultaneously felt somewhat strange why My Lord didn’t open the door.

Late at night in the courtyard, cicadas and frogs chirped. Now, there was no sound of speaking from behind the door for a moment.

…

Shi Shu said word by word: “You… answer him quickly.”

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