Chapter Forty-Five: Where Has My Sister Gone? Anxiety...

“Brother-in-law, do you think it’s an inconvenience?” Xiaoqiao, completely unaware of her own mischief, kept pressing her question relentlessly.

“Not at all, not at all!”

“In fact, I’ve been busy with official duties lately, and I might not come back tonight. So, Xiaoqiao, you should stay with your sister and keep her company. She’s been suffering from insomnia lately—you must comfort her more,” Chu Feng said with a smile.

“Don’t worry, brother-in-law!” Xiaoqiao replied with a grin, then shot a smug look at Daqiao as if to say, “See, I told you brother-in-law would let me sleep here.”

“Husband, this…” Daqiao hesitated.

“It’s nothing. I’ll be going out later anyway. Have the cook prepare dinner; since Xiaoqiao is here, tell him to make a few extra dishes, and fetch some wine so we can enjoy ourselves.” Chu Feng made his arrangements gently.

Daqiao nodded gracefully.

She was every inch the virtuous wife, deeply concerned for Chu Feng. Every time he left home, she would lose sleep and grow thinner from worry.

“Sister, off you go!” Xiaoqiao said, then turned to Chu Feng with curiosity. “Brother-in-law, father said you could fight a hundred men alone. Are you really that amazing?”

“Of course! Your brother-in-law is impressive in every way!” Chu Feng touched the tip of his nose and coughed lightly.

It was his first time boasting, and he felt a little uneasy, but he figured he’d get used to it. After all, he truly was invincible in every aspect.

Xiaoqiao nodded, looking increasingly satisfied. She continued, “Brother-in-law, when did you find out about your true origins?”

“Well, I suppose…”

Beside them, Daqiao watched her innocent sister with a tinge of envy, but she could never be like that herself. She knew well that Chu Feng had sent someone to propose marriage to Lü Bu recently.

Though taking concubines was common, what woman was not prone to jealousy? If more and more women married into this house, what would become of her?

She glanced at Xiaoqiao, who was chatting happily with Chu Feng, and sighed. If she had known things would turn out this way, she wouldn’t have let Xiaoqiao stay at home, so the two sisters could watch out for each other.

Never mind—she would bring it up with her husband when the opportunity arose. She wondered what he truly thought, and whether he had his own concerns. She’d have to find a way to subtly probe him.

Meanwhile, Chu Feng began to tell a story.

He chose “The Legend of the Condor Heroes,” one of the most popular television series of the day. Though he hadn’t read the original novel, he’d seen enough episodes to recount it easily.

Xiaoqiao was utterly enthralled.

She immersed herself in the story, her emotions rising and falling with every twist—sometimes excited, sometimes sorrowful. She was the picture of an innocent young maiden, and, truth be told, she was strikingly beautiful.

Telling stories to such a lovely sister-in-law was a pleasure in itself, especially when her delicate fragrance lingered in the air.

As dusk fell, dinner was lavish.

There was a pot of chicken soup, two cooked dishes, several bowls of rice, and a few cups of cloudy wine—a meal befitting the middle class, one that most families might not enjoy even once a year.

After eating and drinking their fill,

Xiaoqiao, having had a few extra cups of wine, sat with flushed cheeks, clinging to Chu Feng and pleading pitifully, “Brother-in-law, can’t you tell me another story?”

She couldn’t help herself—her curiosity got the better of her.

“Xiaoqiao, don’t be rude!” Daqiao quickly interjected. Being close to power was like living with a tiger, and since the Qiao family had only just gained influence, who knew if Chu Feng might take offense at Xiaoqiao’s behavior?

“Another day—there are pressing matters I must attend to!” Chu Feng gently refused with a warm smile. “Stay with your sister and rest early.” Then, he asked Daqiao to don her armor, and strode away. The embrace of a gentle beauty was a hero’s grave—he needed to restrain himself.

After some time, in the military camp.

He went first to Zhang Xun’s camp. Zhang Xun had once been a chief general under Yuan Shu, only to be sidelined by Chu Feng himself. Now, entrusted with guarding Peiguo in the north, he still needed to be won over.

In the camp, they were boiling porridge.

There were no cooks—just rice with a pinch of salt. The fortunate ate solid food, the average drank thick porridge. It was much like following Liu Bei, where hunger was a fact of life and thin gruel the staple.

Three days out of five, there were only two meals, and every meal was watery porridge—such was the norm. Liu Bei’s life had been one of hardship, always dependent on others.

He finally managed to secure Xuzhou, only for Lü Bu to seize it. Afterwards, he relied on Lü Bu, then Cao Cao, then Yuan Shao, then Liu Biao and Liu Qi—always drifting from one patron to another.

Most of his life was spent wandering, losing his wives more than once. His quest to carve out a legacy was fraught with difficulty; a man of such perseverance would succeed in any era.

Zhang Xun, having received word, hurried over. “My lord, had I known you were coming to my camp, I would have come to greet you outside. Please forgive my lack of ceremony.”

“It’s nothing.”

“At lunch in the manor, if I spoke out of turn, I hope you’ll forgive me, General Zhang,” Chu Feng said.

“You flatter me, my lord. I will do my utmost to restore military discipline and never fail the trust you’ve placed in me,” Zhang Xun replied, cupping his fists.

“General Zhang, you were my father’s chief general, steadfast and loyal—I know this well. When Shouchun was first secured, I had no choice but to act as I did.”

Chu Feng’s eyes gleamed with calculation, testing Zhang Xun’s response as much as he reassured him.

“My lord, you honor me too much!”

“Here are ten sets of black armor and a hundred taels of gold. Please accept them. My ambitions are set on all under heaven—one day, I hope you’ll help me expand my territories and be made a marquis and great general!” As Chu Feng spoke, he patted Zhang Xun on the shoulder. Though Zhang Xun was a shrewd man, receiving such favor still moved him.

“I am willing to serve the Yuan family with my life!” Zhang Xun declared, his voice strong and resolute.

Yan Xiang, standing behind them, couldn’t help but admire how well Chu Feng handled such matters.

“Be careful in guarding Peiguo—especially watch the west for Cao Cao and the north for Liu Bei in Xiaopei. Both are crafty and not to be trusted!” Chu Feng warned.

“Yes, I understand!” Zhang Xun nodded. It seemed Chu Feng was truly attentive to him.

After a few more instructions, Chu Feng left the camp. The effect was as expected; Zhang Xun knew that Chu Feng’s real purpose was to soothe his concerns, but the visit alone was enough.

A wise ruler would do no less.

Chu Feng then visited the camps of Chen Ji, Li Feng, Liang Gang, and others, offering comfort and encouragement. Though these men were not famous in history, they were still generals. At this point, Chu Feng could hardly afford to be picky—he had to make use of everyone he could.

After making the rounds, it was already deep into the night. In ancient times, with no streetlights, this hour was truly late; only patrolling guards remained on the streets.

After bidding farewell to Yan Xiang, Chu Feng returned home.

He had been so busy that he’d forgotten what he’d discussed that afternoon, and after a little wine that evening, the matter slipped his mind entirely. Besides, what man wouldn’t want to come home to sleep at night?

Upon returning, Chu Feng went straight to the side chamber.

The door was ajar. Chu Feng entered, moonlight streaming in enough to see by. As he removed his armor, he called out, “My lady, are you asleep?”

There was no reply.

But on the bed, Xiaoqiao, who had just dozed off, was startled awake. Suddenly nervous, she thought, “Oh no, is that brother-in-law? Didn’t he say he wouldn’t be back tonight?”

“Where’s my sister? Where did she go?”

Feeling that she was alone under the covers, and recalling her sister’s strange words earlier that evening, Xiaoqiao swallowed hard. Could it be that her sister had…