"little Feng I've been meaning to ask you but didn't find the right moment since I returned..... How is Donghai? Is he taking care of himself.... Is he perchance living alone with nobody to take care of him?"

A couple minutes after Night returned huffing in frustration because his target cowardly evaded his chase, Bao Baozhai opened the door of the carriage and sat in the vacant couch which is meant to be for the carriage driver.

After hesitating for a while the old lady finally gathered her courage and asked probing-ly, she saw the previous exchange between Feng and the handsome young man earlier and decided to seize the moment of Feng's somewhat improved mood to ask about her loved man.

"Auntie Baozhai needn't ask in a roundabout way, do you know if senior Donghai has someone in his heart?"

Zhu Feng sighed inwardly when the eventual question arrived, he had to give this appraisal the honest truth but first he wanted to know if Bao Baozhai knew about auntie Qing Qiuyue.

"Da Donghai has a woman in his heart..... Decades ago before he lost his arm he had a childhood friend but after losing his hand things got complicated and he lived for a long while in Obsidian city."

Sadly she nodded then said matters of the past with a heavy heart, Joy seemed to have felt the depression in the old lady's tune and jumped next to her on the couch and like always she snuggled in her lap and licked her cheeks mischievously.

"There's an update which is mainly caused by me auntie Baozhai, I won't blame you if you hated me for it and I won't hide a single detail from you. Senior Da Donghai's childhood friend is called Qing Qiuyue, she's the first friend that I met after I entered Rock city. At that time I was freshly kicked out of the military......"

Bao Baozhai listened to Zhu Feng's words and felt the taste of ash in her mouth, still she endured and listened to the end with despair in her eyes.

"I'm an outsider with nothing but my honest opinion on this matter auntie, do you care to hear me out? I won't say I'm sorry for what I caused because you and auntie Qing are precious in my heart and I carry nothing but goodwill and respect for both of you." Zhu Feng smiled in self ridicule when he saw how emotionally hurt Bao Baozhai was after he finished speaking, he swallowed his frustrations and spoke again then continued when the sad woman gave him a nod of approval to continue speaking his mind. After complimenting her Zhu Feng took a deep breath then carried on speaking : "Auntie Qiuyue's niece was the one who gave me this robe, if it wasn't for her then me and your benefactor might've been still burdened with poison but that isn't my point. Your Donghai simply is a big dunce, despite all his muscles he's slow as a turtle when it comes to these matters and the proof was how he turned timid and awkward when auntie Qing confronted him but that is still not my point. Some people have hearts which can embrace the sky with much room for more, auntie Qing is such a person and my Biyu is the same. My advice is that when you go there you shouldn't go for the heart but go for the brain instead, meet your love-rival of your fantasies and I'm sure you'll end up embarrassed with your false conclusions. I've spoken my mind and do forgive me if I was out of line."

Zhu Feng smiled such a heartaching smile that touched Bao Baozhai's inner feelings when he mentioned little Biyu, she felt like a fool for hurrying to shrink in her shell of depression once he mentioned the woman whom she never met and only heard about.

She felt embarrassed with herself when she got lectured by a young man on the matters of the heart, yet she embraced the naughty wolf in her lap and smiled genuinely and brightly.

Her previous worries and her anxieties were shaken off from that day and Bao Baozhai spent the slow days of their slow voyage carefree-ly, Zhu Feng intentionally took all the time and care that he can provide for his pregnant and unconscious Biyu in this journey.

He travelled in a month from Obsidian city to Sword Villa which should've taken a few days normally with these warhorses!

One week after they left Obsidian city Storm returned, she was thinner but had this dangerous and savage air about her and Feng visibly noticed that her fur seemed longer, more lush and overly silver-ish in the roots compared to the greyness of before she left in heat and in a hurry.

Many nights Storm would take one or two of her growing pups and would return a day later with their hunt, as the wolves grew accustomed to their lifestyle in the wilderness they resembled a true wolfpack by the day.

Nothing but aerial creatures could get within the ten kilometer radius of Zhu Feng without being noticed by the wolves, during the times where they had to traverse steep and rocky terrains Storm scouted the dangerous spots like it was nothing!

That gave some peace of mind to Zhu Feng's alert and jumpy soul.

Exiting the extremely complicated territory of rocky maze and seeing the sight of the lonely short mountain who witnessed his first kill and first slaughter with Storm and Shadow made a faint smile of nostalgia appear on Zhu Feng's face for a second before his serious gaze returned to scan the area, the previous days Zhu Feng encountered many different merchant convoys and choose to keep his distance just to be on the safe side while the existence of five wolves by his side was working well enough as a deterrent factor.

By noon the next day he led the way towards Da Donghai's smithy and dismounted to open the courtyard's doors for the carriage before closing the door behind them, the interior was vastly different from what it was when he left the workshop was in order and clean, the garden well attended and organized with new foliage and flowers.

The main residence was freshly painted and maintained unlike before where the building was on the verge of collapsing on itself from prolonged neglect, clearly auntie Qiuyue's touch was the reason of this polar change.

"Eh! Little Feng what took you so long to return? Donghai is in madam Cho's tavern losing money like usual but don't worry your sword is finished long ago-" coming out from the house was Qing Qiuyue who looked a decade younger and a lot more cheerful, seeing Zhu Feng she smiled and gestured for him welcoming-ly then she halted her words and movements when she saw the woman exiting the carriage.

Somehow she felt unease in her chest when her eyes fell on this lady, then she got hold of her erratic emotions and spoke : "We have guests!"

"Auntie Qing this is appraisal Bao Baozhai from the Steel Anvil Smithy of Obsidian city, senior Da Donghai's superior for many years and his benefactor. Auntie Baozhai this is Lady Qing Qiuyue of the Qing clan one of the eight ancient clans of our Shi kingdom and owner of the Qing store in Rock city, it is good that the macho muscle head isn't here." After introducing the two ladies to one another Zhu Feng sighed and thanked his luck.

Women tend to act overly protective like cats when their male is stuck between, but things could be a lot easier if the source of dispute is out of the picture for now.

"Huh! What was that little Feng?"

Qiuyue glared at Zhu Feng and was about to reprimand him some more when she noticed the lips of the lady called Bao twitch and the unease in her chest grew.

"I believe you two need to talk privately auntie Qing, I'm sorry but I already have enough to keep me preoccupied for now. I just hope you'll give auntie Baozhai a chance to unload decades worth of pent-up emotions, without judging. She never had anything but goodwill and she's straightforwardly here to meet you exactly like how a honest person should behave, please consider that and remember how you felt before things returned to normal." Zhu Feng shrugged then said that while staring directly at Qing Qiuyue's eyes, then he turned and gave Bao Baozhai a hug and whispered 'good luck and stay strong and true to yourself' before he opened the courtyard's doors and took his wolfpack and carriage away towards the Hui's courtyard.

*****

Bao Baozhai was feeling insecure ever since they entered sword village, that feeling intensified when she met Qing Qiuyue.

Yet something changed when Zhu Feng hugged her, she felt her courage and she smiled serenely while thinking : 'oh what the hell! I came this far already and I need to see this thorough to the end no matter what, for big sister Meirong, for little Feng, for Donghai, and above all else for me' after that supremely embarrassing inward speech with the aim to raise morale, Bao Baozhai accepted the invite from this lady and sat in front of her under the pavilion in the garden.

The tea was lovely and refreshing, somehow it managed to calm her more and she spoke without restrictions to Qing Qiuyue who silently listened.

In two hours she was done narrating all her encounters with young and vigorous Da Donghai, how she refused to get in the way of his pure love for Qing Qiuyue out of pride of Baozhai's own.

She poured out her deepest emotions to this strange lady Qing then waited for the verdict of her love-rival peacefully.

Suddenly tears trickled down Qiuyue's cheeks and Bao Baozhai got embraced tightly, honestly she was expecting to receive insults or to be rudely kicked out of the courtyard not this gesture.

Bao Baozhai was diving too much in her memories earlier as she spoke that she didn't notice that she was already crying long before Qing Qiuyue, Zhu Feng's advice to stay strong and true to herself was applicated to the letter that poor Qing Qiuyue was sympathizing with this strange lady.

She still hasn't forgotten the years she spent waiting expectantly waiting dumb oaf Donghai to come for her, yet this one could've stolen him from her long ago yet Baozhai's integrity made her refrain from being a shadow in the heart of her loved one.

"Sister Baozhai I admire you, that log-head doesn't deserve yours or mine love really. But he's such a pathetic soul that we can't stop feeling sorry for him..... Sniff.... You can't argue with me on this selfish request please, we need to share him we have to. I can't correct him by myself he's too damn stupid and dense that it's driving me crazy these days, will you refuse your younger sister's first ever request. I'll forever brand you as a bully if you do, to be honest when I saw you I felt unease but now I know why. If I missed this chance of getting myself a big sister then I'll forever regret it, come-on let's go drag him here by the ears right now so we can have some fun scolding him together. He always makes a mess of the house and runs away to gamble whatever money he earns from the workshop anyway, it's about time he gets some sense slapped inside that thick skull of his." After a minute of embracing each other, Qiuyue wiped the tears off of hers and Baozhai's face then tried to lighten up the mood.

When she spoke she seemed a lot like Liling or maybe it's the other way around!

"En.... Thank you for accepting me.... Sniff..."

"Nonsense! That's my line. Big sister Baozhai is brave and beautiful, honest and pure. I should be learning from you. Come lets go show our man hell, if he dares and make you sad someday then know that I'm always on your side. Even if he's innocent, tehehe."

Pulling her by the hand, Qiuyue led Baozhai towards the village tavern with a smile on her face.

Had Da Donghai saw it on his woman's face then he would've certainly hid himself somewhere away and safe.

"Still, little Feng was very pumped up for his sword before yet he left without even asking for it. Strange isn't it?"

Scratching her cheek, Qing Qiuyue remembered how different the boy was from his usual self this time.

"It's because of Bo Biyu, ever since she met with an unfortunate but strange accident and he changed. He cares for my goddaughter very much, and it became worse when he learned that she's pregnant. But I trust that he's going to pick himself up soon."

"Eh! Zhu Feng is going to become a father? Tell me what happened in details? He's such a good kid it broke my heart when is saw his eyes, it felt so sad to see him unusually Quiet."

"He told me that you were his first true friend sister Qiuyue, after little Feng's arrival in Obsidian city he met me and my goddaughter......"

*****

"Little Feng! You're back hahaha, come in come in."

Coincidentally when Zhu Feng arrived in front of cheese maker Hui's courtyard he met Hui Huiliang who was taking his cheese stand back inside the house after a very boring day with no customers at all, seeing the boy whom his daughter kept daydreaming about his return for months now drew a wide smile on the face of this hardworking person and gentle father.

"I'm back, sorry uncle Huiliang I was delayed more than I expected."

"Nonsense, you gave yourself a year of time and it hasn't been five months yet. It's me who's in a hurry, I want to see my grandchildren before I hit the dust." The old man grinned while waving away Feng's polite words as unnecessary, then he cupped his hands at his mouth and hollered for his daughter. "Lanfen, we have a visitor."

"So What!"

"Better come quick."

"I'm busy, you receive the guests."

"Then I'm sending your husband away, sorry he came in the wrong time because I happened to be busy as well."

Hearing this exchange between father and daughter gave away where Lanfen inherited her mischievousness, once Huiliang said the last line the door of the storage house was kicked open from within and Hui Lanfen bolted out and after a split second which she took to confirm the identity of the visitor she didn't hesitate to come running towards Zhu Feng.

"What took you so long?- I mean why didn't you take your time? Just a bit over half a year more and I could've took your silver..... Eh! These guys grew up very fast, they used to be cute now they look fearsome yet still cute in their own way.... Joy will be mine if you're going to marry me don't you forget that. I won't make things hard for you but if you bully me then Ill really chase you away....."

Zhu Feng's chest received afew hits from the cute girl who made him slightly confused by her contradictory words! Then she was all over Joy and the wolves who keps sniffing her delicious aroma and licking her arms.

"I never go back on my words Lanfen, you requested that mansion over there and the luxury of jewelry, dresses and servants plus Joy. Now it's my turn to make your dreams come true.... It's just we need to talk before our marriage about what happened in Obsidian city. Please sit, you too uncle Hui."

Zhu Feng felt saddened inside then swallowed his grief and took the father and daughter to the pavilion.

"Why so serious all of a sudden?"

"Listen to me first, please."

"Awkay. You're scaring me you know, am I not enough for you?"

"Just Listen woman! I've been under pressure on my own for months now, I chose you as my partner please don't add to the pressure at least not now. Sigh.... I'm sorry Lanfen, I really am. It's just that I've been through a lot lately and i know that I'm reaching my breaking point."

"En...."

"Go on little Feng."

When Zhu Feng snapped at Hui Lanfen because she was asking about this and that while he's in urgent need for someone to share his burdens, he was thrown further into the gloomy ocean of sadness when he saw the look of shock on her face.

Even when he tried to apologize, he knew that she was still visibly hurt and in disbelief because tears were starting to fill her eyes.

All Hui Lanfen could give back in reply was a tiny nod while chewing on her lower lip to stop herself from bursting in tears.

Her father patted her shoulder and urged Zhu Feng to continue while hoping what he says would distract his daughter, he knows that his babygirl was dreaming day and night of the day Zhu Feng would return and make all her dreams come true.

Unfortunately when the young man returned he was oddly different and startled his daughter in the first conversation, things weren't going like they should that's for sure.

"When I arrived at Obsidian city I met a girl called Bo Biyu, right now she's in that carriage and she's unconscious." Like he was expecting, the first lines he uttered managed to pull the attention of the father and daughter from whatever unnecessary thoughts they're having. Seeing that Lanfen was about to shoot him with another question, Zhu Feng beat her to it by continuing : "Please Lanfen let me continue first, it will prevent any misunderstanding. Biyu have been unconscious for more than three months now and she's carrying my child, I'll explain the circumstances of how we met and what happened to cause her to be in that state and everything to you if you still want me to marry you Lanfen. Before she fell unconscious in that unfortunate incident, before we she became my woman, Bo Biyu always wanted to meet her sister Lanfen so that you two will bully me. She always talked about how she envies sister Lanfen for being so smart, how you demanded a manor full of servants and jewelry and one of my wolves to protect her in my absence while she got surrounded by wolves until her legs betrayed her and she fell in the arms of their alpha."

Zhu Feng's voice quivered at the end and some sad smile was on his face.

Looking directly into the eyes of gorgeous Hui Lanfen, Zhu Feng clenched his jaw and spoke again to the silent beauty : "Lanfen, I made you a promise to return for your hand while holding in the other hand the key to your dreams. If you feel unwillingness within you to accept me because I have other woman then know that I will respect your choice and still make your dreams come true and more, but if you accept me then know that I'm not one to leave my loved ones suffer then neglect them in need. Bo Biyu loved me for who I am and honestly I don't know what she saw in me, our encounter was the same I felt something for you and acted upon my feelings and here we are. Take all the time you need to think this through then let me know your decision, I'll be in the village until you give me your answer."

Giving a final nod to Hui Huiliang, Zhu Feng prepared to leave the courtyard.

"You still haven't told me how you met sister Biyu."

The shaking voice of Lanfen was laced with a touch of anger and something else to Zhu Feng's ears, yet he was spent mentally actually and his brain was screaming for some rest.

For months now Zhu Feng felt so mentally exhausted that he couldn't even train in Liling's foot work, he was beyond sad because he felt like everyday he isn't training in that complex footwork means that he's forgetting some more about that technique!

"The kids bullied her and she's very timid yet impulsive by nature, after being cornered by them for a while she literally fell into my arms after her stiff legs betrayed her. Before that incident we had some disagreements in the smithy her master works in and she threw a dagger at my face, I held a grudge and she had to stay close to me because of her master's orders and because I'm a very lucrative business opportunity to their establishment. One thing led to another and it began with a kiss after I found her lost and panicking in some alley then she saved me from the flame poisoning of an earth vein and took care of me for a week and afterwards she fed me and gave me the knowledge I need about that foreign city and took care of me. She always threatened me with coming here to snatch my wife, whenever she said it I would wish for the snow to melt faster so that I would beat her to you."

Zhu Feng went on and on and when he reached the end he was shuddering when he tried to get the hang of his emotions.

"I want to see her, why's she unconscious? Can't the healers do anything to wake her up.... I'm sorry Feng."

Feeling the touch of Lanfen's hand on his cheek made Zhu Feng's steady exterior crumple like a house of cards, all it took was a touch and he was hugging her while crying like a baby.

The feelings being bottled up for months now inside his chest came gushing out in the form of tears like geysers, Hui Huiliang shook his head sorrowfully and retreated from the place.

"Hueck.... S... sorry Lanfen I never meant to hurt you, Biyu and I talked about coming here together to apologize for you on our knees if that would help you forgive us.... Sniffle.... But.... But she was taken from me by an evil witch. They say Storm tore the vile woman to pieces but I heard others say that witches can do strange things to survive..... I don't know what to do, I.... Want to make it up to you, I want to take care of Biyu until she delivers my child and wakes up, I want to get revenge on that demonic witch, I want and want some more but I cant do anything on my own..... Sniffle.... I'm weak, I'm nothing.... Less than nothing."

"Hush now, shhhhh."

Panick talking, and agitated. Zhu Feng spoke chaotically while shivering yet he clung to the girl as if she's his only source of support, even inexperienced Lanfen felt angry for his sake when she felt how emotional the young man got.

Hui Lanfen kept rubbing Feng's back while trying to calm him, he amost squeezed the air from her lungs.

"Come, lead me to meet my sleeping sister."

Lanfen rubbed her cheek with the man who felt even more manly in her eyes despite tears and snot on his face.

"Aight."

*****

Next day Zhu Feng left Sword Villa heading for Rock city looking for general Laoci, there he payed five hundred gold coins for the deed of the manor at the best location in Sword villa and bought jewelry and dresses worth another thousand more coins for Lanfen.

The general felt the slight improvement in Feng's mood and promised him to send a team of fine craftsmen to help fix anything that needs to be fixed in Feng's new manor and to help Feng make whatever he would like to add, for another two hundred coins the manor servants and guards could be handled personally by the administration of Rock city for five years and Zhu Feng payed for that as well.

Fifty servants and one hundred guards for five years for five years! Feng felt like he struck a good deal for the house and it's workforce.

Then for another two hundred coins Zhu Feng can be the owner of a very large fertile plot of land and a number of livestock to breed and consume if he wanted! Since he's going to live there and with his previous plans for the Hui family opening their own diner and restaurant chain stores, Zhu Feng paid for the land the got the deed for it too.

With a weird smirk, general Laoci handed Zhu Feng to Jian Jianjun to explain to him his rights since he's an owner of a big deal of land in this territory.

Later with a few black veins pulsing on his forehead and much more profane words circulating inside his brain and directed at the general who just tricked him into throwing his capital into the hands of the kingdom plus selling himself as a bonus while helping them count the money, it turned out that he bought the manor of a lesser noble and it's land which means that from now on Zhu Feng is Baron or Lord of the Shi kingdom.

He has the rights of a noble and the right to choose his own family insignia, of course he has taxes to pay yearly which means after the freaking five years of tax exemption he will be paid a visit from the mentioned officials to collect the due taxes.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴? 𝘜𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬.

𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘦𝘺.

Zhu Feng gritted his teeth when he remembered how naively he must've looked when he smiled at the prospect of having so many servants and guards under his service for just two hundred coins! It turned out to be that way for any low rank noble Lord or Baron like him, the kingdom made it cheap to protect it's nobles.

Whenever he remembered how awkward Jian Jianjun was when he patiently taught him his rights, it made Zhu Feng wish if he had the power to unsheath Tushi's sword and run all over the city lord manor while hollering : "Shit fuck Laoci get the fuck out for your dady." At the top of his lungs or even better if his lungs imploded while saying that.

As he rode out of Rock city on Shadow's back and surrounded by his wolfpack, Zhu Feng felt disgusted with the city and didn't want to enter it again in the foreseeable future.

*****

Inside the city lord manor.

While Zhu Feng was feeling like bursting in rage after getting schemed against and raced towards his territory, shameless general Lian Laoci was drinking tea and feeling younger by a decade or two as he sat in the garden with his men.

He was wearing similar armor made from the newest secret material, the miraculous ZhuQing material which his favorite star came up with.

So far only the general's men and advisor's including himself are equipped with it, the excess armors are being secretly shipped to the treasury of the king.

Suddenly the footsteps of advisor Jian stopped the general's happy thoughts, he smirked and gave his friend an inquisitive look.

"General, He left but he isn't happy with what we got him involved in."

"Did he make a scene? Throw tantrum? Stomp his feet and call for a refund? What happened then?"

Whenever Jian Jianjun shook his head to deny the general's deductions it made the general frown some more! Finally his mood turned for the worse and the general snapped at his friend for an answer instead of silence and head shakes.

"He silently listened while giving me frosty eyes then took his wolves and left, I already knew that he was in a bad mood and still mourning his woman and was prepared for some kind of emotional retaliation but that silence was much worse especially on my nerves. His killing intent was suppressed yet I kept feeling like puking my guts all over the map all the time as he stood next to me."

"I see, he grew tougher than I expected. With how he was in Obsidian city when we last met I expected him to break mentally with the slightest push, seems like I was mistaken yet again. he keeps surprising me one time after another, heh."

"General, should I follow up like we planned or...."

"Proceed with the plan, send the craftsmen and the rest first thing in the morning. We gave him enough pressure and he swallowed the sourness in silence, tell the detachment of guards that those who trouble the jinx or his subordinates will see hell and back a dozen times over before they meet the sweet release of imprisonment in the dungeons or the sweet release of the military or life all-together, whichever comes first works for me. Keep close watch on the brat's affairs, we can't miss his wedding day. Make the necessary arrangements for it."

After the conversation Jian Jianjun took some of the men and went to complete the final touches on the plan which was being perfected ever since Zhu Feng left Sword Villa heading towards Obsidian city before last winter, had he known that then certainly he wouldn't have accepted Lanfen's condition about the manor.

Alas, it was strangely fated.

The shameless general Laoci smirked then went to his private study to send a report to the only supervisor of his, The King himself!

*****