Ch 164: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

After the sixth day of the New Year, Shen Yunxuan invited the best physician in the county to check Wu Feng’s pulse. Given his years of battle and fighting, he undoubtedly had numerous hidden injuries, but surprisingly, his overall health was quite strong.

The physician said that as long as he took good care of himself while he was still young, he wouldn’t suffer any lingering ailments in the future.

This was fantastic news. Grandma Wu clasped her hands together and kept muttering, “The ancestors are truly watching over us.”

Following this, Wu Feng had to drink medicinal soups daily to nourish his body. Shen Yunxuan knew of an excellent regimen from the Book of Memories, but with her current status, she hadn’t yet encountered many high-end ingredients, so it wasn’t the right time to bring it out. She would wait for a better opportunity—she didn’t want anyone to start questioning her knowledge or suspecting anything unusual.

---

During the New Year break, both the literary and martial arts teachers were on holiday, so there were no formal lessons. However, with Wu Feng—who had real battlefield experience—around, Xiao Feng and the other boys constantly sought him out for guidance. Wu Feng taught them some critical combat techniques, and they practiced with great enthusiasm. Xiao Feng and Xiao Lin even declared that they wanted to become soldiers like Wu Feng in the future.

With all this coming and going, the children quickly became familiar with Wu Feng. Naturally, news about him spread throughout the village, and people talked about him frequently.

The Shen family also heard the gossip. While tidying up Shen Jiayao’s room, Zhou Shi casually muttered, “So what if she became a county princess? She still ended up married to some rough soldier. Ha! Now that this man has returned, she’s in for some real suffering. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts beating her.”

Shen Jiayao had been lying in bed in a daze, lost in thought. But at the mention of “county princess,” he suddenly sat up in shock. “Who? Who came back?”

Zhou Shi, accustomed to his lifeless state, was startled by his sudden reaction. “What’s the matter? It’s just Old Lady Wu’s grandson, the one Erya was married off to for good luck.”

“Impossible! He already died out there!”

“What nonsense! That was just idle gossip. He came back a few days ago, and half the village went to see him. You’re the only one who never leaves the house, so of course, you didn’t hear about it.”

“No! That’s impossible! He’s supposed to be dead!” Shen Jiayao felt like his entire reality was unraveling. How could this be? In his past life, the Wu family had been completely wiped out, which was why he had taken over their house. Other people had refused to move in, fearing bad luck.

Seeing his interest, Zhou Shi continued, “That Wu Feng, I heard he’s a great fighter. Recently, Zhang Lishan, Xiao Feng, and the others have been going to the county princess’s estate every day to train with him. They’ve been improving quickly—he teaches even better than their martial arts master.

Just wait, though. I bet he’ll end up hitting her. No matter how glorious Erya looks outside, once she’s behind closed doors, she’ll be just another woman getting beaten.”

Zhou Shi blamed all their family’s misfortunes on Shen Yunxuan, as if doing so could make her feel better. She harbored nothing but resentment toward her.

But Shen Jiayao didn’t care about that. He was only fixated on the fact that his memories no longer aligned with reality. How was everything so different from his past life? Shen Yunxuan hadn’t fallen into ruin, Old Lady Wu hadn’t died, and Wu Feng hadn’t died either. And what about Li Yaosheng? He never studied—he spent his days playing with crickets. How did he end up as the county magistrate in his past life?

Then there were the things like persimmons, potatoes, all these new dishes, and even different flavors of candied hawthorn. He had never heard of any of these in his past life. Where did they come from? Could it be that he hadn’t actually been reborn but was merely experiencing a long, elaborate dream?

But he remembered everything so vividly. Could it be that he had been reborn into a different version of his past life? If so, then what was the point of his rebirth? What could he do now?

Shen Jiayao didn’t realize that all these shocking events were already pushing him toward insanity, even if he hadn’t fully lost control yet.

Suddenly, there was a loud shout from outside. Shen Dong’s panicked voice rang out, “Shut the doors! Lock them up tight! Move the water jar over to block the entrance!”

“Then help me carry it instead of just shouting!” Shen Cai snapped at him irritably.

They had no other place to live and were still stuck sharing the same house. They had originally put up a fence to separate their sections, but it had been too inconvenient and took up too much space, so they had taken it down. Now, they were both struggling to move the large water jar to barricade the courtyard gate, their faces pale with fear.

Zhou Shi pushed open the door in alarm. “What’s going on? What happened?”

Shen Dong cried out, “A wolf came down from the mountain! It nearly bit someone just now. It’s so thin—it must be starving and desperate for food!”

Zhou Shi’s voice instantly rose in pitch. “What do we do? What is the village saying? Shouldn’t the hunters be taking care of this?”

Liu Shi stepped out and gave her a sharp look. “Would you go out there if it were you? If someone gets bitten by a wolf, all the village will do is give their family a bit of money, and that’s it. What then? They’d end up like Old Lady Wu, getting cursed as a ‘jinx’ for the rest of their lives.”

Shen Jiayao desperately tried to recall—was there ever an incident in his past life where starving wolves came down from the mountains? Did anyone get hurt? No, there hadn’t been anything like this! Once again, something was happening that didn’t match his past life. Why? What was going on? His head felt like it was about to explode.

Wait—there hadn’t been wolves in his past life, but there had been a tiger! In the deep mountains, Shen Fu had died trying to hunt it down to earn more money for the family. Could it be that since Shen Fu hadn’t gone hunting this time, the ecological balance had shifted, leading to wolves coming down the mountain instead?

If such a small change could trigger such a major shift, then maybe… maybe the key to everything was his own decision to take Shen Yunxuan’s place in the Li family. Could that have been what set all these changes in motion? Maybe he should have left everything unchanged and instead treated Shen Yunxuan well—then, when she rose to success, she naturally would have supported him.

Shen Jiayao clenched his fists and pounded his head in frustration. Zhou Shi, already frightened, grew even more distressed when she saw him like this. She burst into tears. “Oh, my poor son! What’s happened to you? Why have you become like this?”

Shen Jiayao was beyond frustrated, but he had nowhere to go. He pulled the blanket over himself, covered his ears, and turned his back on everyone.

---

The villagers were in a panic. Though they lived near the mountains, the area had never been particularly dangerous. No one ventured deep into the forest, and this was the first time a wild beast had come down from the mountains. No one knew how to deal with it.

A few men gathered at the village head’s house, shut the courtyard doors tightly, and discussed how to handle the situation. They only had some farming tools and a few bows and arrows, which seemed far too risky to use.

Suddenly, someone suggested, “Why don’t we go ask the county princess for help? She has a lot of guards—they’re definitely better at handling this than we are.”

“Yes! Village head, let’s ask the county princess. Isn’t Wu Feng a soldier? The kids say he even has a precious sword and that he’s highly skilled in combat. He can help us kill the wolf!”

“Yes, yes, Wu Feng will definitely be able to kill the wolf!”

The village head agreed. At least Wu Feng had experience. The rest of them had only ever slaughtered chickens and ducks—facing a wolf was a completely different matter. If even one or two people were killed, it would be a tragedy for the village, especially right after the New Year. That would be too inauspicious.

The village head made his decision, and Niu Er volunteered to drive a cart to the county princess estate to ask for help.

As soon as Wu Feng heard that a wolf had entered the village, he immediately agreed to help without hesitation. Shen Yunxuan handed him two extra weapons. “Brother Wu, please be careful. A starving wolf is especially vicious. You must not be careless.”

Wu Feng smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll be cautious. Just wait here for the news—there’s no need for you to come along.”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. She knew she wouldn’t be of any help in this situation. If she went, the village head and the others would feel obligated to make small talk with her, which would only create more trouble. As she watched Wu Feng leave, she suddenly noticed something different about him.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but he no longer had his usual warmth. Instead, there was a sharp, almost lethal aura about him. Was this the real Wu Feng—the one who had survived the battlefield?

By the time Wu Feng and Niu Er arrived at the village, chaos had already erupted. They could even hear the sound of crying.

Wu Feng frowned. “What happened? Did someone get hurt?”

The village head came out to meet him, his face grim. “No, not a person… it’s pigs. The wolf killed two pigs and is eating them right now. Those pigs belonged to Old Zhang’s family. They were supposed to be sold to the county princess in a few days. Now, they’re all gone. He’s devastated and terrified. The wolf is in their backyard, covered in blood, baring its fangs at anyone who gets too close.”

A villager who had just returned from visiting relatives in a neighboring village spoke up, “I heard that, just before the New Year, a wolf attacked and killed a hunter in their village. Could this be the same wolf? We share the same mountain range with them.”

Everyone’s faces turned pale with fear. A wolf that had already killed a person would see humans as prey. If it attacked, it wouldn’t hesitate to kill. Now, no one dared to step forward—they all turned to look at Wu Feng.

Wu Feng didn’t waste time. “All of you, go inside and lock your doors. No matter what happens, do not come out. I’ll take care of it.”

The village head hesitated. He hadn’t realized how vicious the wolf was until now. He also remembered that Wu Feng had been taking medicinal soups to recover his health. What if Wu Feng got hurt? How would he explain it to the county princess? How would he face Old Lady Wu, his own cousin? This was their actual family.

But Wu Feng showed no fear. In fact, he was getting impatient with their hesitation. He gave the village head a push. “Hurry up! If the wolf finishes eating and runs off, it’ll be even more dangerous. If we let it escape back into the mountains, it could return anytime. I need to deal with it now. Go inside and lock your doors.”

He looked so confident that the village head gritted his teeth and nodded. “Alright, everyone inside! Xiao Feng, you must be careful. Killing the wolf is secondary—your safety is the most important thing!”

Wu Feng nodded in acknowledgment and strode toward the house where the wolf was.

The starving wolf was still feasting on the pigs. When it saw Wu Feng, it bared its fangs and let out a low, menacing growl, sensing the threat he posed.

Wu Feng’s gaze sharpened as he carefully observed the wolf and its surroundings. He quickly spotted a section of the courtyard fence that was particularly high. With a plan in mind, he charged forward, gripping his blade tightly, and swung it down at the wolf!

The wolf nimbly dodged and lunged at Wu Feng, aiming for his face. Wu Feng rolled to the side, dodging the attack, and slashed at the wolf’s hind leg. The wolf let out an enraged howl, its bloodied face contorted in fury. It bared its teeth and lunged again.

Wu Feng planted his foot against a nearby tree, using it to propel himself into the air, flipping over the wolf. As he landed beside it, he slashed downward again, this time striking its back. The wolf howled in pain and, realizing it was at a disadvantage, turned and tried to flee.

Wu Feng pursued relentlessly. His blade flashed under the moonlight, striking the wolf again. The animal, now in a panic, ran straight into a dead end—the high fence it had ignored earlier. Realizing it couldn’t escape, the wolf turned to face Wu Feng, snarling viciously.

But Wu Feng didn’t give it another chance. In one swift motion, he stepped forward and delivered a fatal strike, piercing the wolf’s vital spot. The beast let out a final, piercing scream before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

Wu Feng caught his breath, wiped his blade, and lifted the dead wolf by the scruff of its neck before carrying it outside.

The nearby neighbors, who had been cautiously peeking out of their windows, suddenly erupted into cheers.

“The wolf is dead! Wu Feng killed the wolf!”

“We’re safe! We’re safe now!”

“He killed the wolf so quickly! Wu Feng is incredible—he really is a soldier!”

“Unbelievable! That wolf was huge, and he actually killed it. Am I dreaming?”

The villagers were in total shock. The wolf had kept them trapped in fear for so long, and yet Wu Feng had taken it down in mere moments. Was this how strong battlefield soldiers were? Was this how they fought enemy soldiers as well?

Some people felt afraid, while others were filled with excitement and admiration. Zhang Lishan and the others quickly ran up to Wu Feng, asking if he was alright, while the village head also came forward with a group of villagers.

Wu Feng tossed the wolf onto the ground. “It’s over now. I’ll be taking this with me—please bring me a sack to carry it in.”

The village head hurriedly replied, “Alright, alright! I’ll have someone get one right away.”

Wu Feng then added, “I’ll head up the mountain to check if there are any other beasts around. I forgot to prepare supplies before coming, so I’d appreciate it if you could get me some rations and a jug of water.”

The village head hesitated. “Xiao Feng, maybe you shouldn’t go up the mountain. How about waiting and taking some guards with you later? Going alone is too dangerous.”

Wu Feng reassured him, “No need to worry too much. This wolf was terribly thin—it must have been completely unable to find food in the mountains. Someone mentioned earlier that a hunter was killed by a wolf in the neighboring village before the New Year. Since there haven’t been other sightings of dangerous beasts in all these days, I suspect there are no more left. Perhaps the predators fought amongst themselves and suffered heavy casualties, leading to this situation.

I’ll take a look. If I sense any danger, I’ll come down right away—I won’t take unnecessary risks.”

Wu Feng’s words carried an inherent authority, and the village head subconsciously obeyed, ordering supplies to be prepared. Only after giving the orders did he realize his own anxiety. It wasn’t just about the county princess’s relationship with Wu Feng—Old Lady Wu had lost all her other relatives for the sake of this village. If he let Wu Feng go up the mountain and something happened to him, he wouldn’t be able to face her, even if he gave up his own life in atonement.

Gritting his teeth, the village head said, “If you’re going up the mountain, I’ll go with you! As the village head, I can’t back down at a time like this.”

Two brave hunters also volunteered to join them, and the four men set off together.

As Wu Feng had predicted, they didn’t encounter any danger in the mountains. However, Wu Feng found numerous traces of wild animals. While the others saw nothing unusual, Wu Feng quickly pieced together what had happened.

There had likely been a tiger and a small wolf pack in the deep forest. The wolf he had just killed was the pack’s alpha, which meant the rest of the pack had likely perished. It seemed that a large number of traps had been set in the mountains, injuring both tigers and wolves. Unable to hunt smaller prey, the predators must have engaged in fierce battles with each other, resulting in significant casualties.

By the time winter arrived, only the starving alpha wolf remained. Driven by desperation, it had killed a hunter, and its taste for blood had emboldened it to venture into the village in search of food.

Regardless of what had happened before, one thing was certain—there were no more dangerous beasts left in the mountains. They even spotted rabbits burrowing into their dens.

The village head let out a sigh of relief. “We’re lucky to have you here. If that wolf had continued rampaging through the village, who knows how many people would’ve been hurt? We live right at the foot of the mountain, yet we had no idea all this was happening in the depths of the forest.”

Wu Feng responded, “Wild animals have their own way of surviving. As long as they don’t pose a threat to the village, it’s fine. Let’s head back.”

The villagers wanted to keep Wu Feng for a meal to properly thank him, but he declined. He still remembered Shen Yunxuan’s words before he left, and he was eager to return home and report his safety.

Grateful and admiring, the villagers gave him various farm goods from their homes as a token of appreciation. By the time he returned home, he was carrying quite a load.

Shen Yunxuan was startled at the sight. “What’s all this? Why did you bring back so much?”

Wu Feng chuckled. “I killed the wolf, and the villagers gave me these as thanks. They said I should bring them back so you could taste the vegetables they grew and the poultry they raised.”

Shen Yunxuan also laughed. The villagers were becoming more and more warmhearted toward her. And it wasn’t just about currying favor—it was genuine gratitude. After all, the entire village had been improving thanks to her, and they were truly willing to show their appreciation.

She stepped closer to examine Wu Feng and noticed the bloodstains on his clothes. Concerned, she asked, “Are you alright? Did you get hurt?”

“No, this is all the wolf’s blood.” Wu Feng gestured to the bloodstained sack. “It’s not a pleasant sight—I’ll go take care of it.”

Shen Yunxuan wasn’t sure what he meant by “taking care of it,” but three days later, Wu Feng suddenly approached her with a necklace. The pendant was a finely polished wolf’s fang, glazed to a smooth finish. He then showed her the necklace around his own neck, which had a matching wolf fang.

“This is the fang of the wolf king. There’s a legend in the military—wolves are fiercely loyal to their mates. If someone kills a wolf king and personally removes its fang as a gift for the one they love, they will be together forever.

These fangs are a matching set—an auspicious token of commitment.

Yunxuan, I want to cherish you and spend the rest of my life with you. Will you accept this?”

Over the past days, Shen Yunxuan had felt Wu Feng’s sincerity in every interaction. It wasn’t that their emotions had suddenly deepened, but rather that once he acknowledged her as his wife, he would never waver. His admiration, respect, and gentle care were all genuine. Shen Yunxuan had met countless people and trusted her instincts. She could see that Wu Feng was truly sincere.

As Wu Feng anxiously awaited her response, Shen Yunxuan smiled and stepped a little closer. “Help me put it on.”

Wu Feng was overjoyed. He carefully fastened the necklace around her neck and, seeing them both wearing the matching tokens, felt a happiness as bright as fireworks in his heart.

At that moment, he realized he cared for Shen Yunxuan even more than he had imagined. How could anyone not love a woman like her?

Tentatively, he reached out and took her hand, breaking into a wide, almost silly grin. For someone usually so imposing, he suddenly seemed endearingly foolish.

Grandma Wu, Shen Fu, and Wang Xinghua had been watching from nearby but hadn’t spoken. Now, seeing Shen Yunxuan accept, all three walked over joyfully.

“This is wonderful! From now on, we’re truly a family, and we’ll live harmoniously together.”

Since the two were now officially husband and wife, it wouldn’t be right to have no ceremony at all. They hosted a banquet at Yunlai Eatery, inviting Lord Lin and others to gather. This also served as a formal announcement of their union, allowing everyone to get acquainted.

The eatery had two floors. They hosted the banquet on the second floor, while many guests on the first floor, hearing the news, came up to join the celebration and toast the couple. As a result, word of the county princess’s husband’s return spread rapidly throughout the county and even to the surrounding villages.

Some people whispered in private, “Back when the county princess was just a farm girl, marrying him was one thing. But now that she’s been ennobled by the emperor, what virtue or ability does Wu Feng have to deserve such a good wife?”

“Exactly! Is he even worthy? Honestly, he should voluntarily request a separation.”

“As if he’d be willing! Who would give up such a good life, being taken care of? Only a fool would agree to a separation.”

“That poor county princess. With her status, she could’ve married a marquis.”

“Right? If she hadn’t been married already, the emperor might have arranged a noble match for her when he granted her title.”

Shen Yunxuan overheard these discussions and sighed inwardly. This was how the world thought. In her past life, she had already suffered enough in the Li family. If the emperor had forced her into a noble household, she would have suffocated from misery. Wouldn’t that have made her rebirth completely pointless?

Xiao Yue, who would have to start considering marriage in a few years, privately asked Shen Yunxuan, “Master, do you really have no regrets? Why? You could have married someone much better.”

Shen Yunxuan patted her head and smiled. “What does it mean to marry well? To marry someone with power and status? Tell me, who is the highest-ranking man you’ve met?”

Xiao Yue thought for a moment. “Lord Lin!”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. “Then tell me—if I married someone like him and lived the life of a county magistrate’s wife, do you think I’d be happy?”

At first, Xiao Yue didn’t understand. What could be unhappy about being the wife of a county magistrate? But when she imagined Shen Yunxuan in that life, she suddenly got it. A county magistrate’s wife lived in seclusion, had to be careful with every word and action, and was constantly entertaining other noblewomen. Forget about running an eatery or cooking—she wouldn’t even be able to leave the house freely.

If Shen Yunxuan lived that kind of life, she would definitely be miserable.

Xiao Yue had been taught not to think rigidly and to think for herself. She put herself in the same situation and suddenly said, “I think I understand now. If I were looking for a husband, I’d want him to listen to me. I want to gather medicinal herbs and study medicine—things most people don’t approve of for women. I’d want my husband to respect and support me. Otherwise, even if he were a marquis or a prince, I wouldn’t be happy.

Master, am I right?”

“Exactly. That’s how I feel, too. What others think is good isn’t necessarily good, and what others think is bad isn’t necessarily bad. Whether it’s suitable, whether it brings happiness, only you can know.”

“Then, are you happy being with Uncle Wu?”

“Of course I am. Otherwise, I’d have ways to get out of it.” Shen Yunxuan winked at Xiao Yue, making her burst into laughter.

Her master’s way of thinking was often unconventional, different from others, but it always worked. She was good at adapting to circumstances. Xiao Yue firmly believed that if Shen Yunxuan didn’t like Wu Feng, she would have found a way to leave without anyone being able to criticize her. That meant Wu Feng must be treating her very well, and that was all that mattered. Other people’s opinions were irrelevant!

Shen Yunxuan’s students all thought this way. They had been well taught. Even Qin Shi and Cui’er shared the same mindset now, fully supporting Shen Yunxuan’s perspective. The most important thing was living a good life, nothing else.

Naturally, word of this also reached Wu Feng’s ears. Some people were waiting to see him get embarrassed or angry, but he merely chuckled and brushed it off without a care. He had once cared about what people thought. He had gone to war to clear his grandmother’s name from being labeled as a bringer of bad luck, only to make her worry for years. That was when he realized that only family truly mattered—let outsiders say whatever they wanted.

Besides, he had been through life-and-death battles on the frontier. He had witnessed countless joys and sorrows, loyalty and betrayal. How could he possibly care about trivial gossip?

However, his reaction made some people even more convinced that he was shamelessly living off his wife. Li Yaosheng and Shen Yunlian were among them.

Li Yaosheng found it laughable. The last time he had seen Shen Yunxuan, he had thought she was out of his league—that their differences were too vast. And yet, in the blink of an eye, she had accepted Wu Feng. If Wu Feng was good enough, why not him? He wanted to know what exactly she had found so unappealing about him, that she had avoided him as if he were the plague, even preferring to marry into Wu’s family for good luck.

If she had married him instead, given her contributions to the empire, his family would have gladly made her his official wife. He could have secured an official title through donations and worked hard—wouldn’t they have been a perfect match?

Yet Shen Yunxuan had never even given him a second glance. She had completely disregarded him while smiling so warmly at Wu Feng. It made him resentful!

On the other hand, Shen Yunlian felt a sense of relief. Every time she thought of Shen Yunxuan, she felt inferior, believing that no matter how hard she tried, Li Yaosheng would only see traces of Shen Yunxuan in her. Even if she wasn’t jealous, she couldn’t bring herself to like Shen Yunxuan.

But now that Shen Yunxuan’s husband had returned—just a lowly soldier, rumored to be quite fierce, having personally killed a wolf king—he seemed brutish. She much preferred refined men like Li Yaosheng.

She found comfort in the thought that Shen Yunxuan had married a man who was looked down upon as a freeloader. Now, Shen Yunxuan would be ridiculed as well. People said that a woman should marry well for a good life, yet she was the one supporting her household. How could that be a happy life?

Shen Yunlian felt a flicker of joy and touched her belly. If everything went as expected, she was already pregnant. This would be Li Yaosheng’s first child and could very well become the heir of the Li family. That, she believed, was true happiness.

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆