An Unexpected Twist

Chapter 122 An Unexpected Twist (Bonus Chapter)
In the height of summer at Feng'an Fort, the midday sun is like a blazing charcoal fire.

The bluestone slabs in the fort gleamed from the sun, and barefoot children would always tiptoe as they ran past.

The old willows by the roadside are lush and verdant, providing dense shade for the workshop owners.

The owners of several workshops moved their chipped wooden tables and low bamboo stools to the shade of the trees. Local old-leaf tea was brewed in rough pottery teapots, and the amber-colored tea soup swayed in the rough porcelain bowls, emitting a faint aroma.

Whenever they had a spare moment, the shopkeepers would fan themselves with palm-leaf fans, drink tea, and chat loudly about the latest happenings in the fortified village. Their conversations, which drifted back and forth, helped to dispel much of the summer heat.

The left courtyard of Feng'an Fort was originally the guesthouse where Yang Can first came to stay. A fire burned it to the ground, and no one ever thought about rebuilding it. Now it has become a training ground for the adopted orphans.

At that moment, a series of crisp shouts came from the courtyard. A group of six- or seven-year-old children, dressed in shorts, were clenching their little fists and practicing horse stance.

Even when her face turned bright red and beads of sweat trickled down her temples, no one was willing to wipe them away.

As the little plum blossom walked over from under the willow tree, the children immediately stopped what they were doing and swarmed around her like a flock of sparrows, their eyes full of anticipation.

Surrounded by the children, Xiao Qingmei couldn't help but smile, revealing two shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth.

Today she was wearing a coarse linen cross-collar short jacket, which was washed until it was faded but was still very crisp. On her lower body, she wore a pair of ochre-colored trousers, which gradually tightened from the knees down, giving off a lively and agile feel.

A three-inch-wide black leather belt was tied around her slender waist; the tanned leather gleamed with a warm sheen.

Seeing that the children were all standing obediently, Xiao Qingmei cleared her throat and began to demonstrate the moves to them.

Her hair was styled in a neat flying bun, with a simple wooden hairpin inserted in the middle. Even when she made vigorous movements such as kicking and spinning, the bun did not move at all and did not affect her movements in the slightest.

She moved with incredible agility, her feet firmly planted on the ground like an old tree, motionless when rooted; when she leaped, she was as light as a sparrow pecking at food, and when she landed, she was as silent as a feather.

The children's eyes lit up, and they clenched their little fists even tighter.

After finishing a set of punches and kicks, a faint blush rose on Xiao Qingmei's fair cheeks.

She smiled, took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead, and patiently explained the intricacies of the moves to the children:
"When you throw a punch, you need to sink your shoulders, otherwise your power will dissipate and you won't be able to deliver a strong punch..."

The wisteria at the entrance of the courtyard is in full bloom, with clusters of pale purple flower spikes hanging from the lintel. When the wind blows, the delicate petals fall like snow.

Yang Can led the horse, with Rena beside him. The two stood under the flowering tree, watching quietly for a while.

Seeing the children looking up at Qingmei with eyes full of admiration and affection, Yang Can couldn't help but sigh softly.

He remembered someone saying in his original world: When you go to an orphanage, don't hug the children easily, and don't give them too much warmth.

For children who lack love, even a little bit of warmth is like a spring of sweet water in the desert. They will desperately grasp at it, treating that little bit of sweetness as everything, hoping to drink it forever.

But you can't be with them like family. When that warmth disappears, the wounds left behind are deeper than if you had never had it at all.

But then Yang Can felt relieved, because these children weren't all alone here.

They have him as their godfather, Qingmei as their gentle godmother, and Wangcai who treats them like his own younger brother and sister.

The uncles, aunts, grandmothers, and sisters in the village also cared for them, always thinking of giving the children some food and supplies, piecing together fragments of warmth into the shape of a home.

“Master, you are a remarkable ‘Azat’,” Rena suddenly said, her eyes sparkling like fallen stars.

"These children are lucky to have met you."

Yang Can could guess without asking that the "Azat" she was referring to probably meant a knight or gentleman.

Yang Can smiled and waved his hand, his tone carrying a hint of feigned humility: "I'm not that great. They'll be helping me when they grow up."

Rena winked at him playfully, with a hint of mischief: "That's their good fortune too."

"Hmm...that's true. In any case, it's better than the life they would have to experience growing up in a tribe."

After Yang Can finished speaking, he looked into Rena's eyes and suddenly said out of the blue, "The way you blinked just now was really beautiful."

Rena's face turned red instantly, from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.

She blinked unconsciously just now, and she wanted to gloss over it, but she didn't expect Yang Can to point it out.

Despite feeling shy, she also felt a sweet sensation in her heart, like a sweet date.

Yang Can and Rena led their horses forward, leaving the fortified village and the surrounding area opened up before them.

The crisscrossing ridges resemble a net woven across the land, and the fields are filled with crops, some of which have already been harvested.

Millet is the main summer crop in Tianshui. The golden millet ears hang heavily on the stalks, and the full grains bend the stalks over.

When the wind blows, golden waves ripple across the fields, one after another. The faint fragrance of grains drifts on the wind, and every breath tastes sweet.

Farmers would take advantage of the cool morning weather to go to the fields early to cut millet ears, bundle the cut ears into small bundles, and then carry them to the threshing ground, where they would use a stone roller to grind the grains off.

This morning, Yang Can also had a bowl of porridge made with fresh millet. The rice grains were soft and sticky, with a fresh rice aroma, and it made him feel comfortable all over.

It's harvest time for soybeans, which are called "shu" at this time.

The soybeans grown in Tianshui are mostly black and yellow varieties. The pods are plump and will split open with a light touch, revealing the plump beans inside.

Millet is more drought-resistant than foxtail millet, so it is planted in higher-altitude areas. Now it is golden yellow, and the ears of millet sway in the wind, as if nodding to people.

Looking at the pleasing growth, Yang Can couldn't help but smile. This year's bumper harvest was guaranteed for the farms under his jurisdiction.

But he dared not let his guard down until all the crops were ripe and harvested, for fear that someone might sabotage them.

He had previously dealt with Zhang Yunyi, using forceful methods to deter many unruly farms and ranches.

Then, they used the shared interests of doing business to bind everyone together.

However, he dealt with quite a few people in the process. If one of them was crazy, a single tinderbox could destroy a farmer's year's worth of hard work.

Every year at this time, the farm organizes a grain protection team to patrol at night, both to prevent wild animals from ravaging the crops and to guard against bad people causing damage.

In addition to the patrol team, many simple guard sheds have been set up in the fields this year.

The shacks were inhabited by elderly Xianbei men and women. They were old and their legs were not as nimble as before, but they were still quite healthy.

They are all people who have endured hardship, and they haven't lost their archery skills.

The village provided them with bows and arrows, as well as whistling arrows. If anything happened, they only needed to fire a whistling arrow, and people nearby would hear it and be able to come to their aid in time.

It's almost noon now, the time when the sun is at its strongest, and there aren't many people working in the fields.

Farmers are used to getting up early to work in the fields, avoiding the scorching sun, and continuing their work when it cools down in the evening.

Yang Can chose this time to conduct his inspection because he was afraid of coming at the wrong time and disturbing everyone's work.

Farmers' time is precious and cannot be wasted.

Both of them wore sun hats with the brims pulled low to block out the scorching sun.

While walking through the fields, they would occasionally encounter farmers dozing under the shade of trees on the field ridges, or old men resting in their sheds.

Everyone who sees Yang Can will bow respectfully.

But when they saw Rena, the red-haired, blue-eyed woman beside him, they didn't say anything more and quickly and tactfully avoided her.

These handsome men and beautiful women are definitely up to something. Who would dare to ruin our master's good time?

Further ahead, there are sorghum fields and hemp fields that are taller than a person.

The sorghum ears are bright red and almost ripe; most of the hemp has already been harvested in the fields, and bundles of hemp stalks are soaking in the ditches.

This is for extracting hemp bark. Once dried, the hemp bark can be used to weave cloth and make ropes; it has many uses.

There's a small patch of land left unharvested; it's reserved for harvesting hemp seeds.

Hemp seeds can be used to make porridge, extract oil, and also as a medicinal herb. They're at least a month and a half away from ripening. "Wow, this sorghum is really tall!"

Rena tiptoed and curiously reached out to touch the sorghum stalks, but as soon as her fingertips touched the fine hairs on the stalks, she quickly withdrew her hand.

Yang Can laughed: "That's right, otherwise why would it be called sorghum?"

After those words were spoken, neither of them said anything.

This conversation felt rather foolish, like people were just making small talk, and a subtle awkwardness immediately filled the air.

Actually, the two of them had felt a little uncomfortable ever since they stepped into the field.

The crops on both sides were taller than a person, like two green walls surrounding them.

There were only the two of them in the field, and they could hear the wind whistling through the leaves of the crops clearly.

There was an indescribable subtlety hidden in that quietness, which made people uneasy, yet also a little bit of inexplicable anticipation.

Rena lowered her head even further, her red hair falling to her cheeks and obscuring her slightly flushed ears.

Rena quickened her pace quietly, her skirt brushing against the weeds on the ridge of the field, making a soft rustling sound.

Clearly, she wanted to get out of this densely packed field of crops as soon as possible and dispel the suffocating atmosphere.

Yang Can noticed her little actions and couldn't help but smile.

As Yang Can's gaze swept over Rena's slender, swaying waist, he was about to follow when his expression suddenly changed, and he cried out, "Watch out!"

Suddenly, with a "whoosh," a dark figure darted out from the sorghum field on the right like a cheetah.

He spread his arms and pounced on the unsuspecting Rena!

Yang Can's heart tightened, and his right hand quickly reached for his waist.

But as soon as his fingertips touched the texture of the belt, a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck.

With a powerful palm strike, Yang Can's vision went black for a moment, and in a dizzying spin, the image of the crops and leaves blurred.

Rena was startled by Yang Can's exclamation. She turned around abruptly and saw a burly man wearing a bamboo hat reaching out to support Yang Can's limp body as he fell.

Around him, four or five more people emerged from the hemp fields and sorghum fields, moving with great speed.

Before Rena could react, the burly man with the bushy beard who had lunged at her was already in front of her.

He covered Rena's mouth with his rough hand, then raised his elbow and slammed it hard against her neck.

……

Yang Can and Rena were dragged like sacks across a dense sorghum field, the sorghum leaves brushing against the backs of their hands, leaving tiny red marks.

A small oxcart was parked on the edge of the field, making it easier to maneuver along the country roads.

The two unconscious men were roughly dragged onto the cart, and then someone brought over several bundles of freshly cut sorghum and hemp, which were then draped across the cart with a "whoosh".

The wheelbarrows are the side panels on both sides of the cart. The poles rest on them, with some gaps between them and the cart, so they won't suffocate.

"Giddy up!" The driver cracked his whip, and the oxcart creaked and groaned as it slowly began to move.

Only two of the burly men remained: one sat at the front of the cart to drive, and the other walked alongside. The rest disappeared into the fields.

After all, it would be too conspicuous for five or six strong men to walk around an oxcart loaded with crops, and it would easily arouse suspicion.

After an unknown amount of time, Rena woke up groggily.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in complete darkness. She was covered with sorghum leaves, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering through the gaps in the sorghum stalks.

Rena was startled and was about to shout when Yang Can whispered, "Don't make a sound, they're outside."

Rena swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Only then did she feel the constant jolting of the cart beneath her, hear the rumbling of the wheels in her ears, and smell the scent of sorghum and hemp stalks in the air.

“We’ve been kidnapped and we’re on an oxcart now.”

Yang Can lowered his voice even further, almost touching her ear, and his warm breath brushed against her earlobe, making her involuntarily shrink her neck.

"I haven't seen the situation outside clearly yet, so let's not make any rash moves. If we wait until they lower their guard, we might have a chance to escape."

Rena nodded again, and then softly hummed in agreement, afraid that Yang Can wouldn't see her.

Yang Can touched his waist; his throwing cards were still there. They were cleverly hidden, looking like mere decorations on his belt, and hadn't been discovered.

But they were lying on their sides, their bodies slightly higher than the cart's frame, so the sorghum and hemp stalks were draped over them.

If they make even the slightest movement, the sorghum stalks draped over them will make a sound, which will inevitably be noticed by people outside.

Yang Can could only suppress his temper and continue to pretend to be unconscious, waiting for an opportunity.

But the oxcart was so narrow that when the two men were roughly thrown on, they were lying face to face with their knees almost touching.

When the car bumped, Rena's arm would brush against his arm, her soft body swaying back and forth, sometimes close, sometimes distant.

The scent of Rena's perfume, mixed with the aroma of sorghum and hemp, gradually wafted into Yang Can's nose.

Gradually, Rena's face turned redder and redder, from her cheeks all the way to the base of her neck.

Her breathing became rapid, and her hot breath seemed to scald Yang Can's skin.

Rena bit her lip, staring at Yang Can with her big eyes, her gaze filled with embarrassment, reproach, and helpless awkwardness.

You... how could you...? Aren't you polite?

Rena tried to move her body back, but the cart was too narrow.

When the oxcart lurches, the two men collide, and the little space that is cleared becomes space left for the collision.

Rena's eyes darted around, her face flushed, and she finally couldn't help but complain in a low voice, "Master, we're still being held captive, how could you... how could you do this..."

Yang Can is thick-skinned; he's been pretending nothing happened.

Now that his words had been exposed, Yang Can could only helplessly explain in a low voice, "I didn't want it to be like this either, but my second brother has always been unruly and never listens to my discipline."

It seems that it will take at least until it's past forty and has experienced some of the world's hardships before it can temper its temperament.

Rena looked completely bewildered. What was he talking about? Who cares about your brother? Besides, I don't remember you having any brothers, right?

Yang Can's words were beyond her comprehension; Rena couldn't understand them.

Just then, the oxcart suddenly stopped with a creak.

Yang Can's expression instantly tensed up, and all his thoughts vanished in an instant.

His fingertips subtly touched the flying card at his waist, ready to counterattack at any moment.

Before he could make a move, he heard a "whoosh" and the sorghum stalks and hemp stalks on the cart were swept to the ground.

The blinding sunlight suddenly flooded in, making him squint.

Yang Can slowly raised his head and saw at least seven or eight people standing around the oxcart, each carrying a large knife.

Yang Can's heart sank. He moved his hand away from the flying card, smoothly raised it upwards, and made a gesture of surrender...

(End of this chapter)