Back at the east wing, Li Zhifeng still sat on the veranda with one knee drawn up, watching the snow fall. The grounds had only just been swept, but it was already covered in wet bits of ice again. At the sight of You Miao's return, he finally rose to his feet and followed You Miao inside.
Once in the room, You Miao huffed out a breath and sat on the edge of the bed. Li Zhifeng got down on one knee to remove his boots, then placed them by the fire pan to dry.
"It's snowing outside. Why aren't you wearing more?" You Miao asked.
Li Zhifeng did not answer, so You Miao added, "I'll get you a fur robe tomorrow."
Li Zhifeng nodded. You Miao commented, "Then again, you Quanrong live beyond the wall where it's freezing all the time. So you're probably used to it."
Li Zhifeng still did not answer. He picked up a brush and gently swept off the snow from You Miao's boots. You Miao had already grown accustomed to how to get along with this guy, though.
"I have to take a trip back home tomorrow," You Miao said.
The brush paused.
You Miao continued, "You don't have to stay here. You can go with me."
Li Zhifeng set one boot down to the side. "If I am too much trouble, simply order me to kill myself."
You Miao didn't quite hear him at first, but was then taken aback when he registered what he had said. However, Li Zhifeng carried on like he hadn't said anything at all.
"I'll go tidy things up."
You Miao wiggled his bare feet from where he sat on the bed. He wondered whether he should tell him about his intention to free him. Maybe not—if he could take him home and keep him, then You Miao didn't actually want to let him go. It was just that his old man was even harder to hoodwink than You Deyou—he would definitely ask where the new guy was from, and then demand to see the slave deed once he found out about that. Nothing could sneak past him.
Besides, he probably shouldn't be taking a Quanrong slave everywhere anyway. Keeping slaves had always been one of those "don't ask, don't tell" kind of things with the government, after all. What a shame. He didn't even get to use him much yet.
Something else occurred to You Miao, and he called toward the screen, "Li Zhifeng?"
Li Zhifeng emerged, and You Miao said, "How about you sleep with me tonight and teach me how things go? I'm probably getting called home to get hitched."
Li Zhifeng regarded You Miao with a complicated expression. You Miao quirked an eyebrow and looked back expectantly.
"Normally, I listen to you," Li Zhifeng said. "But in bed, you have to listen to me."
"Fine by me," You Miao agreed. "It's not like I know anything anyway."
Li Zhifeng narrowed his eyes and stared at You Miao for a moment before he finally gave a curt nod. The way You Miao saw it, he was going to have to let Li Zhifeng go soon anyway, so he might as well use him for all he was worth. Waste not.
But Li Zhifeng was tall and toned, and You Miao had never bared himself in front of another before. The most he'd ever done was fool around with Li Yan and the gang, and maybe get pinned for a smooch. He couldn't help feeling a bit nervous at the thought of actually getting it on with a bed slave.
During dinner that night, You Deyou and his wife bombarded him with words of wisdom, which all went in one ear and out the other. You Miao barely registered half of it since his mind was wholly on doing the do. When he returned to his own room, he found Li Zhifeng waiting for him on the veranda as always, standing tall and upright.
Li Zhifeng's expression was coolly stoic as he helped You Miao undress. Left in only his underclothes, You Miao lay down on the bed and scooted close.
"Don't forget, you have to listen to me in bed," Li Zhifeng reminded him.
You Miao breathed an "mn" in reply.
Li Zhifeng thus moved to untie his own robes. He first took off his outer jacket, then undid the inner layer, revealing the tanned skin of his chest and firm, beautifully defined abs. You Miao swallowed despite himself. Li Zhifeng pulled off his belt and let his trousers drop to the floor. Already half-hard, he lifted one toned leg and stepped onto the bed before he turned to sit at You Miao's side. Then, he reached over without a word to pull him closer. You Miao's heart raced, and he suddenly wanted to evade his grasp. When he turned his head away, however, he felt Li Zhifeng's strong arms wrap around his waist, followed immediately by an assertive hand reaching beneath his thin undershirt.
Startled, You Miao made a grab for his hand, but Li Zhifeng was having none of it. He lowered his head and pressed their lips together.
"Mmf!" You Miao grunted.
Li Zhifeng's eyes were fixed on him even as their lips melded intimately together, and one large hand traced along his chest before his tongue was pushing past his lips without giving him any time to think. You Miao couldn't even describe this feeling—it was his first time being so intimate with a man in all his fifteen years. He instantly flushed, wanting to push the man away, but Li Zhifeng crumbled his will.
When their lips parted, Li Zhifeng stared him pointedly in the eyes.
You Miao finally remembered that he had agreed to listen to him earlier, and obediently stopped squirming. Li Zhifeng leaned in to resume the kiss, and You Miao's nose was filled with the light scent of him—that musky scent of virility, palatable and enticing. Li Zhifeng kissed him heatedly, frenziedly; kissed the breath right out of him while he swallowed, helpless.
You Miao clung to Li Zhifeng's arm, feeling his large, calloused hand making its way downward, tearing open the thin layer of his undershirt and then his belt, all the way down to that place between his legs, where You Miao was already hard and standing at attention. Li Zhifeng took him into his hand, making his entire body tremble with every stroke, straining with how good it felt.
You Miao's mouth was wet with saliva when they parted again, his face was bright red, and his eyes were brimming with tears. But Li Zhifeng's hands did not idle; one held him by the waist while the forefinger of the other lightly fondled the head of his erection, rubbing and kneading until it was beading with precum.
"W-wait." You Miao felt like he'd become Li Zhifeng's plaything, but he was undeniably skilled, relentlessly assaulting his most sensitive places. He'd just turned his head when Li Zhifeng pressed a kiss to his neck, the bridge of his nose nuzzling against his ear.
"Ah!" You Miao couldn't help crying out, his pupils contracting. He turned back to find Li Zhifeng was once again watching him carefully.
Li Zhifeng reached up with his fingers covered in You Miao's arousal to pry his lips open and press in for him to suck.
Thoughts in utter disarray, it was all You Miao could do to instinctively follow Li Zhifeng's movements. Li Zhifeng's expression was cool and detached even as he was doing such lewd things. You Miao pulled off his fingers and swallowed, then wrapped his arms around the other's neck and buried his flushed face into his shoulder.
Li Zhifeng released him and dropped a chaste kiss on his cheek. The gesture made You Miao's heart clench with the way it made him feel adored and pampered. When he looked up, Li Zhifeng's eyes were undulating like twin pools of water. He untangled You Miao's hands from around his neck and guided them downward, parting his fingers and wrapping them around his massive length before leaning down to capture his lips again.
You Miao barely even had time to breathe between kisses; the proud cock in his hands felt so hot it was almost scalding. Every line of its length prominently defined. It was thick and long and so, so hard, and the round swollen head already dribbling stickiness all over his hands.
Li Zhifeng lifted his hips slightly, his length sliding out of You Miao's hands until only the tip remained between his fingers. But You Miao seemed almost infatuated with holding that large cock. Noticing this, Li Zhifeng arched his back lightly, pushing back into his hands for him to grasp. Delirious from kisses, You Miao's hands wandered along the hardness, fingers caressing its masculine beauty and making it twitch in their wake, the leaking wetness gathering in his palms with little lewd noises.
"Don't…don't touch there…" You Miao's brows furrowed in discomfort when he felt two fingers press into his opening; he hurriedly turned to stop him, but only got his earlobe bitten instead.
Li Zhifeng bit and tugged on his ear, the feeling so stimulating it made him shudder and spasm. Their eyes met when he turned his head, and Li Zhifeng released his ear to devour his lips instead.
Li Zhifeng motioned for You Miao to open his legs as he licked the corner of his mouth and pulled away with a silvery thread trailing between their lips. You Miao, breath coming out in little pants, did as he was told and spread his legs. Li Zhifeng pulled the quilt over their naked bodies, then reached over for the mink oil.
"Hah…hah…"
As he stared, transfixed, at those sensual, defined lips, You Miao couldn't help wanting them to kiss his again.
Li Zhifeng gazed into his eyes, quirking a brow.
"Kiss me…" You Miao's eyes were watery, already addicted to his kisses.
Giving him a nonchalant look, Li Zhifeng twisted the lid off of the oil container and flashed a dismissive smile.
You Miao was dazed by the sight—it was the first time he'd ever seen Li Zhifeng smile. He was usually so stoic and straight-faced, but he looked breathtakingly handsome when he smiled. It made You Miao's heart beat faster, and he reached up to wrap his arms around his neck and leaned to kiss him. Li Zhifeng turned to pin him against the bed, oil-slicked fingers trailing down his erection and pressing into him again, breaching his body without any warning and pushing all the way inside to that cluster of nerves deep within him, bearing down on that spot, stroking and rubbing.
You Miao's entire soul departed from the pleasure; his body was powerless to resist as he was kissed right into the bed. With only a few prods from those fingers, the base of his cock was already throbbing unbearably like he was about to lose control of his bladder. A moan escaped unbidden as the muscles of his belly tightened and he stopped breathing for a second.
Looking as though he'd gained what he'd expected, Li Zhifeng pulled his fingers out to work over his own cock before leaning over You Miao. And then his cock was pressing relentlessly inside, oil and fluids slicking the way.
The sudden excruciating pain made You Miao want to scream, but Li Zhifeng was faster; a hard hand closed over his mouth before he could make a sound.
Being split open on that large cock hurt so much that You Miao's eyes were instantly welling with tears, convinced that Li Zhifeng was going to kill him. He tried to struggle but Li Zhifeng had him firmly pinned down, his grip unyielding. He pulled out, then fucked back in. You Miao was helpless to resist as that massive cock pushed all the way in, impaling him on its length and wringing strangled sobs from his throat; he felt like he was going to retch. Then Li Zhifeng pulled out completely. The rounded head pressed lightly against the still-open hole, prodding it gently.
Li Zhifeng finally let go of him, watching his eyes carefully as he brushed his lips lightly with his own. There were tears spilling past the corners of You Miao's eyes, and his gaze was begging for mercy, but Li Zhifeng was unmoved and only kissed him with cool impassiveness as he pressed slowly back into his body.
But You Miao wasn't yelling anymore. His trembling lips met with Li Zhifeng's fiery ones, sucking on the tongue against his own, He could feel that massive cock inside him, opening him up and pushing all the way in to the deepest parts of him, but it was nothing like the unsparing savagery of the first time—the slow pressure was sending a faint ripple through his body instead.
Li Zhifeng drew his leg up and nudged You Miao's legs further apart with his knee. And then he started to move, fucking into him, and You Miao couldn't help but moan as pleasure mixed into the pain with every thrust.
"Ah…ah! Ah!" You Miao cried brokenly as he clung desperately to the other's shoulders. Li Zhifeng watched his expression carefully; it was You Miao's first time experiencing something like this, and he couldn't help the tears rolling down his cheeks. Li Zhifeng kissed the tears away.
"Ah, ah, ah…ah…" His voice was starting to get hoarse.
Li Zhifeng thrust ruthlessly into him a few more times, then suddenly pulled out until only the tip was left inside, leaving You Miao feeling indescribably empty. By the time he managed to pull himself together a little, his erection was throbbing uncontrollably and there was a mess of his own making on his stomach.
Kneeling between You Miao's legs with his cock still inside him, Li Zhifeng was a vision as he ran a hand down his own chest and abdomen, glossy with You Miao's slick in the dim light passing obliquely through the bed curtains. You Miao couldn't resist clutching Li Zhifeng's waist.
"C…come in," he pleaded.
Li Zhifeng arched his back slightly, driving a good part of the way in. You Miao threw his head back, his throat working in a swallow, only to have Li Zhifeng slowly drag back out. And then he slowly pushed back in, finally giving You Miao that indescribable feeling of fullness. The hard length breached him inch by inch, pulling back a bit then fucking in hard, pressing into and grinding against that spot in him that lit his nerves on fire.
"Give me…give it to me…" You Miao wanted nothing more than for Li Zhifeng to push deeper, fuck harder. He hugged Li Zhifeng's shoulders as the man bent to kiss him once more.
"Mmn…"
Li Zhifeng's breaths were coming out in harsh pants now as he fucked him, the sound of flesh against flesh lewd in the air. You Miao didn't know how much more of this he could take; every thrust jolted his body, his blush spread down his neck to his chest, but Li Zhifeng slowed down just as he was about to tip over the edge, denying him release. You Miao's voice had already gone from moaning to pleading, begging him to go deeper, to fuck him harder, please, please—
You Miao could barely even talk anymore; his thoughts were hazy and muted. With a thumb caressing his cheek, Li Zhifeng captured his lips again in a passionate kiss as he set a brutal, tempestuous pace. This time, he didn't stop. With his lips sealed and that hard, massive length thrusting in and out of him, the merciless stimulation made You Miao's abdomen tense up, quivering, and he forgot to breathe for a moment before he came undone with a muffled cry.
"Ah—! Ah—! Ah—!"
The pleasure finally spilled over, and Li Zhifeng fucked him through it. You Miao's cock twitched as spurts of cum issued forth, hot and thick, and the strings of white got on them both—catching Li Zhifeng on the stomach and chest and even reaching their necks.
"Ah—!"
You Miao felt spent and a little dizzy as he came down from the most intense high of his life.
Both of their fronts were wet and sticky with his cum. Li Zhifeng stilled, holding him around the waist, and stared into his eyes for a long while before pecking him on the lips. He buried his head against the crook of his neck, pressing kisses there. His soft, warm tongue flicked out to lap up the seed splattered there, trailing kisses down along his fair-skinned chest, licking him clean and swallowing his seed. He traveled all the way down to You Miao's cock, still half-hard between his legs, and there that tongue flicked out and dragged along his length, making him shudder.
"I…I'm good," You Miao stammered out.
Li Zhifeng came back up and loomed over him. You Miao brushed his face with his hand.
"You're…not done yet? Come on, then," You Miao beckoned, and reached out to touch his cock, still hard as a rod and yet to come. You Miao had touched himself before, and had the mind to stroke him to completion.
However, Li Zhifeng said, "We're not done yet."
Startled, You Miao felt Li Zhifeng press back into him. He had just come, so how could he possibly take more right now?
He hastily said, "No way, hold up…"
Li Zhifeng paid his protest no heed and sank his cock back deep inside of him, thrusting slow and languid this time. But even then, the drag of his cock was really too much for You Miao's oversensitive walls right now, and he kept begging for mercy and trying to push him off. Li Zhifeng grabbed his underpants from beside the pillow, bunched it up, and shoved it in You Miao's mouth.
The underpants smelled like the musk between Li Zhifeng's legs and a faint hint of urine; You Miao couldn't help the wave of arousal that rolled through him as the heady scent flooded his nose, but getting fucked again so soon after coming ached all the same without a shred of pleasure to be found. He was desperate for Li Zhifeng to finish soon, yet Li Zhifeng only picked up the pace. He held You Miao from behind, letting him pillow on one arm while his other circled him around the waist before yanking his hips back and hitching one of his legs up and fucking ruthlessly into him like a male dog.
"Mmf—mm—!"
You Miao whimpered through the cloth in his mouth, muffled and strained at first, but before long his body began to thrum again, helpless against the rhythmic in and out. His opening felt numb, and heat surged through him as Li Zhifeng's cock pounded against the inside of his belly, again and again.
"Mmf—mmn—!"
You Miao's voice gradually changed from pleading to ragged moans, and his eyes glazed over, becoming unfocused. Li Zhifeng yanked out the cloth gagging him and replaced it with his fingers instead, making him suck on his fore and middle fingers. You Miao's body was flushed all over with arousal as Li Zhifeng fucked him, fast again, slow again; he had never felt this good in his life, and he could feel himself starting to get hard again.
You Miao shuddered through another orgasm as Li Zhifeng thrust viciously into him, contracting helplessly around Li Zhifeng's cock. Then he felt a warmth spilling inside him.
He turned to look over his shoulder and reached out to touch Li Zhifeng's face.
Li Zhifeng kissed him, still buried deep inside, and said, "I don't really know how to say anything romantic."
"What are you talking about? I just… I still want more," You Miao said.
Li Zhifeng kissed his ear with whole-hearted attention, whispering, "I'll give everything to you. Everything…"
The second time felt so amazing that You Miao couldn't help but want more. He was just about to ask if Li Zhifeng needed a break when Li Zhifeng turned and mounted him, bearing down with his weight as his massive half-hard cock slid back in slowly.
You Miao buried his face in the pillow, trying to keep his breaths slow and even, and felt Li Zhifeng grow to full hardness inside of him after only a few thrusts. Li Zhifeng's stamina was even more indomitable this time. His weight was solid against You Miao's back, and he kept one arm wrapped around his waist as he drove into him ceaselessly, driving You Miao out of his mind until he was drifting in and out of consciousness. His feet lifted off the bed as his hips subconsciously rocked against Li Zhifeng, trying to take him deeper. Slick dripped down his thighs, the sounds wet and obscene with each thrust. His own erection was pressed against the bed and dragged along the sheets with the rocking of their bodies. The friction was driving him mad. He cried out and was just about to come when Li Zhifeng suddenly pulled him up and brought him off the bed, still fucking him all the while.
"Hahh…ngh…" You Miao was mortified. "D…don't…"
You Miao's legs felt weak, but Li Zhifeng held him upright and fucked him as they walked to the full-length dressing mirror in the room, not once pulling out. Then Li Zhifeng splayed him open and held him up like one would help a child pee.
Reflected in that copper mirror, illuminated by dim candlelight, You Miao could see Li Zhifeng's thick length thrusting in and out of his opening. It was dripping wet, and he blushed furiously at the unkempt sight of it all.
Li Zhifeng kissed his ear affectionately and gestured for him to reach out and touch. You Miao's fingers touched where they were joined and brushed against that large cock as it slid in and out. He felt the ridges of the protruding veins as it fucked into him, over and over; it was so intense that he felt like he might lose control of his bladder all over himself. Li Zhifeng rammed into him from behind, holding him up just like that until his arms got tired—after which he carried him back to the bed, lying down on it himself before settling You Miao on top and letting him ride his cock. He held You Miao's length in both hands, stroking and rubbing.
You Miao's waist was stiff, and his entire body was straining as he worked himself on Li Zhifeng's cock, the heat in both of them ramping to a head.
"Ahhh…" You Miao leaned down and kissed Li Zhifeng, coming again amidst the intimacy and feeling Li Zhifeng's cock twitch inside and cover his walls with his seed for a second time.
It wasn't yet dawn when a voice came from outside the door.
"Shaoye, the carriage is waiting outside."
You Miao blearily sat up in a daze. He almost thought that last night was a dream, but his legs shook when he tried to stand, and his hole was sore and swollen when he reached back.
Li Zhifeng, having already packed their luggage, came over to help him dress while You Miao clung sleepily to his waist with his face buried in his chest. Li Zhifeng maneuvered him into underclothes, then wrapped him in an insulated mink jacket, and finished off with a large fur coat and a hat.
The servants filtered in to wait on him while he washed his face and brushed his teeth, and he finally woke up a little. When he walked out the door, he saw Li Zhifeng with a clothed bundle slung diagonally across his back, receiving a meal box from one of the maids.
It was barely morning and still dark out. Not a sound was to be heard in the whole city. You Deyou and his wife were still asleep. There was a horse-drawn carriage waiting by the back entrance, where Shiqi-er was currently talking to the driver.
The butler turned to Li Zhifeng after helping You Miao into the carriage and said, "You. Follow the coach on foot."
You Miao waved his hand and beckoned. "Li Zhifeng, come on in," he said. "Shiqi-er, you go back. The weather's so cold, you don't have to go on this trip with me. Li Zhifeng will be enough."
The butler was about to say something, but decided against it.
"It's decided, then," You Miao said. "Don't any of you argue with me. I'm already going home, so what can you do, huh?"
"I'm off then, shaoye." Shiqi-er was delighted—the winter was bitterly cold, so who would want to go out and about? But he didn't forget to lecture Li Zhifeng. "Don't forget you're only alive because of the young master. Make sure you take good care of him."
"All right, all right," said You Miao, sending them all back until only the driver sent by the caravan to pick him up was left.
The driver gave him a sidelong glance and greeted, "Morning, shaoye."
You Miao fished out a couple of broken silvers to tip him, which the driver accepted with a bow. And then they were off.
Groggy, You Miao dozed off again in the carriage. You Deyou used this carriage on long trips, but it used to be a Procurement Carriage.[1] The inside of the coach was sectioned into two using a curtain: the outer compartment by the coach door had two stools for servants and a cabinet for luggage, and the inner compartment had a narrow bed for sitting or sleeping with a pair of brocade chairs on either side, right by the window curtains. The coach also had a carved decorative exterior for wind resistance.
The stove was already burning merrily when he got in, so You Miao lay on the bed to catch up on his sleep. Li Zhifeng, on the other hand, sat in the outer servant compartment to put things away.
"Shaoye, breakfast is ready."
Too lazy to eat, You Miao replied, "Maybe later. Get in here."
Li Zhifeng lifted the curtain and entered as asked. You Miao made him sit on the bed, tugged his hand over, curled up in his arms and promptly went to sleep.
He wasn't sure how long he'd slept for when he was woken by the growing commotion outside, horses neighing and dogs barking and all.
"What's going on out there?" You Miao asked, yawning.
"City gate," Li Zhifeng answered.
You Miao lifted the curtain to peer outside. It was light out now—it had snowed last night, but the sky was clear and blue today. The northern gate of the capital was bustling with activity, and cart drivers were hollering back and forth.
"What nice weather! We're off, then—!"
"Pray that the gods of travel are kind to us lowly lot. Pray the mountains that we climb and the rivers that we cross bless and protect us, pray all the goddesses watch over us. We ask nothing more than to make a humble living and return home safe and sound…"
"Dad! Bring me back something fun, okay?"
The merchant caravan was forming up. You Miao's driver shouted, "The little young master of the You family is here—!"
The leader of the caravan led a commander of the imperial guard around to all the carriages in turn, checking everyone off on the roster and taking inventory.
"Greetings, shaoye," he said when they got to You Miao.
You Miao recognized this man—his name was Hao Sanqian, and he could often be seen bowing and scraping at You Deyou's estate. You Miao acknowledged him with a nod. Behind him, Li Zhifeng opened the meal box and took out the food items one by one to warm on the stove.
"This gentleman here is the little young master of the You family," introduced Hao Sanqian to the imperial guard commander.
"And him?" asked the commander.
Li Zhifeng looked up and met his eyes squarely. The commander appeared a bit suspicious. "You're not a Midlander?"
"He's my slave servant, called Li Zhifeng," You Miao answered. "Not that it's any of your business."
Then he dropped the curtains.
The military man lifted the curtain back up with his pike. "It's not that, You-shaoye. The border tribes have had ongoing conflicts with the Central Plains for years now, as I'm certain you well-read scholar types are well aware. There are always concerns about Barbarian spies sneaking in, so I'm afraid he's going to have to come with me."
You Miao hadn't expected some random little gate guard to be this full of himself. Incensed, he said with a frown, "How impudent! What is your name?"
The man did not back off one bit, and replied, "My name is Nie Dan, Captain of the City Watch Division. But you—with neither office nor title, I was going to let your manners slide in view of your young age, but how can you be this heedless of the rules?!"
Seeing the situation heading south, Hao Sanqian hastily apologized to Nie Dan. "General Nie, please don't be angry. Our young master was just…"
You Miao hung out with nephews of generals and sons of ministers day in and day out, and even the chancellor's son was tight with him. Of course he didn't think much of some measly officer.
"Li Yan's the one who gave him to me, what're you gonna do about it? Let's go. To the city. Let's drag him out of bed, bright and early, to have some words with you, hmm?"
Too mad for breakfast, he was ready to alight the carriage with a sweep of his sleeves when a servant arrived on a horse from afar, breaking their stalemate.
"You-gongzi—!"
You Miao looked out the window while the servant got off the horse and offered him a box.
"Delivery from our young master. He heard you are going home today and prepared some traveling expenses for you. There is also a permit with the chancellor's seal, in case you are stopped at checkpoints because of Li Zhifeng. And a dagger, for self-defense."
You Miao accepted the box and opened it to find twenty silver—just a small gesture—and the permit. He took it out and waved it at Nie Dan, who gave a cold humph and waved to let them go.
The caravan set out in an impressive line of carts and carriages nearly a thousand yards long on the official highway. The winter sun shone bright in the clear blue sky. The needles on the pine trees were all frosted over, and the air was crisp and refreshing.
Watching as the squadron of officers vanished far behind them, You Miao sneered. "Some lowly officer. He must really love money to be that brazen."
"He was simply doing his job," Li Zhifeng said as he pulled a low table from under the bed. He propped it up, then poured heated congee from the metal jug and set it on the table.
"Heh. You don't get it," You Miao said. "These gatekeepers are all just in it for the money. They'll jump on anyone for some extra coins."
Li Zhifeng didn't reply. You Miao took a sip of the congee and said, "Have some too."
Li Zhifeng started setting some small side dishes on the table, and said, "I'll just have some flatbread."
Seeing that Li Zhifeng seemed to be talking more today, probably in a good mood from getting out of the capital and You Deyou's place, You Miao commented with a grin, "You were really something last night."
Li Zhifeng only looked at him from where he sat.
You Miao contemplated him. "How come you're like a whole different person in bed?" he wondered.
Li Zhifeng's face betrayed nothing, like a block of wood.
You Miao continued, "The things you said in bed last night… Oh man, no wonder Li Yan beat you up."
With Li Yan's explosive temper, calling him a slut and telling him to call "ge"[2] would lead to nothing short of getting skinned alive. The mere thought of it made You Miao want to laugh.
"Where'd you learn all that?" You Miao asked.
"The Royal Academy," Li Zhifeng answered.
You Miao nodded, thinking to himself that this was the real Li Zhifeng—it was like he'd been possessed or something last night, with what came out of his mouth.
"Have some," he beckoned. "This is way too much food for me to finish any time soon."
Li Zhifeng shook his head. You Miao knew that the kitchen girl who fancied Shiqi-er made extra so that Shiqi-er wouldn't go hungry on the road—how lucky for Li Zhifeng. You Miao hastily shoveled some more food into his stomach then gestured at him again to come eat, like calling a dog over. This time, Li Zhifeng didn't refuse, and he cleaned up the lukewarm congee along with the side dishes.
As the sunlight filtered through the curtains, You Miao said, "This road goes through Mount Yangkou and then along the Great Wall to Yanbian City. Past the bazaar of the frontier is you Quanrong people's territory."
Li Zhifeng nodded slowly. You Miao couldn't resist testing him.
"Don't run off on the way; go home with me."
"I won't," Li Zhifeng said. "I will follow you."
"There's nothing I can do even if you do run off, actually," You Miao said.
Li Zhifeng said nothing, and only sat there quietly. You Miao suddenly didn't want to let him go.
"C'mere," he said, waving him over.
Li Zhifeng shuffled over and sat. You Miao made him sit properly, then stuffed himself into his arms and clung to him, his hands roaming all over.
Li Zhifeng's face was stoic as ever as he looked out the window at the passing scenery. You Miao couldn't help but wonder what this guy was thinking about—his tribe? His past? The road was framed by a mantle of snow on either side, the icy boundaries gleaming like a world of glass. The warmth of the sun made him feel cozy and lazy.
And in the distance, the plains were an endless white under the blazing sun. Once past the capital region, the plains stretched out from both sides of the highway, open and boundless into the horizon.
[1] When regional tribute to the palace is insufficient, the local government can procure more resources from the local merchants. Regional Tribute is called "Suiban," and Procured Tribute is called "Caiban." As a local merchant, You Deyou would have a Procurement Carriage.
[2] "Ge" or "gege" is an intimate, casual address for an elder brother or friend.