Female-dominated society: Striving for the position of powerful minister, doting on Xiao Yunqing

The rabbit hopped around in front of him once, then jumped back into the weeds to hide. Mu Yunqing cleared some of the weeds from both sides of the road and continued walking towards the Foti Temple.

Meanwhile, Mu Yan and the others were also in Youlang Valley. Ling Yun insisted on pulling out wolf fangs, so the group chose Youlang Valley as their training ground. Xiao Qingzhou's task wasn't too difficult: choose a spot, mark it within three days, take care of their own food and lodging, and then return to the training ground. The four of them circled the valley several times but didn't even see a wolf.

Mu Yan put her arm around Ling Yun's shoulder and walked forward. "Ling Yun, do you want to eat meat?"

“There’s no meat to be found in this desolate wilderness,” Ling Yun said, glancing down at the wine flask at Mu Yan’s waist. “However, we can have some wine.”

“No,” Mu Yan tossed the wine pot behind her back, “I can’t bear to drink a single drop of this wine.”

"You're so stingy, can't you even have a sip?"

"We'll talk about it when we get there," Mu Yan said. "It's chilly here, so you won't feel your tongue getting cold when you drink."

"Alright, alright, if we can't have the wine, how about the meat?"

"Right above your head," Mu Yan drew an arrow from the quiver on Ling Yun's back, raised her hand, and shot it at the bird in the sky. "Catch it!"

Ling Yun flashed forward and caught the falling bird, looking somewhat surprised. "I didn't expect your archery skills to be so good. I underestimated you."

"Of course." Mu Yan took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off her hands, and said, "Pluck the fur while it's still hot, or you won't be able to pluck it when it cools down."

Ling Yun held the bird in his palm, but after looking at it for a short while, Ning Xi snatched it from his hand and held it up, saying, "Where did you get this bird? Its plumage is quite beautiful."

“No matter how beautiful it is, it still has to go into my belly,” Ling Yun bent down to pick up some dry firewood and said to Ning Xi, “Hurry up and pluck the feathers, I’ll start a fire and roast the bird for you.”

Ning Xi said while plucking the feathers, "It's so small, it's not even enough to fill my teeth!"

“What do you know?” Ling Yun said, “This is all about the fun, not about making you really full.”

Ning Xi disagreed, "What's fun about not being able to eat your fill? Being hungry is definitely not fun."

"Look at you, all you think about is food. Haven't you heard the saying 'things are valued for their scarcity'?" Ling Yun said, building a fire. "It's a pity we only have salt, otherwise it would be a real delicacy."

“Who said that?” Mu Yan turned around and grabbed Qiu Yi’s fanny pack, laughing, “Now we have pepper.”

"Pepper powder?" Ling Yun looked at the pepper powder in her hand and asked softly, "Where did you get it?"

"Shh," Mu Yan pointed at Qiu Yi, "I took it from her."

Ling Yun looked in the direction she was pointing and saw that Qiu Yi was busy fetching water and hadn't noticed what was going on. He couldn't help but chuckle, "You really know how to take advantage of people."

Mu Yan said smugly, "I call this making the most of everything."

Ning Xi brought the bird over and shouted, "Hey bird, make way, everyone make way!"

"Give it to me." Ling Yun placed the bird over the fire to roast, occasionally turning the branch to ensure even heating. Soon, a fragrant aroma filled the air. Ning Xi swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on the roasted bird.

Mu Yan took out a dagger from her bosom, gently cut off a small piece of meat and tasted it. "Hmm, although there's not enough seasoning, the taste is still pretty good."

Ling Yun moved closer to Mu Yan, "Let me try some too!"

"Me too!" Ning Xi also leaned closer to Mu Yan.

"Eat up, leave some for autumn."

"I understand," Ling Yun asked while munching on a bird, "Do you still stand by your promise to sharpen the wolf fang pendant for me?"

“Of course,” Mu Yan said, “as long as we find the right wolf fang. But we haven’t seen a single wolf along the way, so we’ll have to find it ourselves.”

Ling Yun tossed the bone aside and said, "Sure, I'm just killing time anyway."

Ning Xi pointed to the path in front of her and said, "I stood there for a while and saw that there are four paths down there. We can each take one."

“Okay, I’ll take this route.” Mu Yan picked up a pebble and threw it towards the path diagonally below.

Ling Yun said, "Then I want the one at the very top!"

When Qiuyi returned with water, she saw the three of them gathered around a roasted bird. She sniffed the aroma in the air and pretended to be angry, saying, "You guys actually ate it behind my back."

"How could I dare? I've saved some for you." Ling Yun smiled and handed over a piece of roasted meat.

Qiuyi took a bite and said, "Hmm, the pepper is perfectly added."

Mu Yan smiled and said, "Doesn't the taste seem familiar?"

Qiu Yi snorted, "So what if it looks familiar? It was still stolen by some people."

"Here, here you go." Mu Yan walked to Qiu Yi's side, put the pepper back into her waist pouch, patted her shoulder and said, "Keep it safe, I'll ask you for help next time we have barbecue."

Seeing that Mu Yan was about to leave, Qiu asked hurriedly, "Where are you going?"

Mu Yan leaned against the stone wall and jumped out, replying, "Let's go catch wolves."

_

菩提寺

Mu Yunqing picked up a handful of incense ash and put it in his brocade pouch. Just as he stepped out of the temple gate, a black wolf suddenly pounced on him from behind. Before he could react, the wolf knocked him to the ground and began to bite his back viciously, staining his blue robes crimson.

Mu Yunqing struggled to get up, but was pressed down again by the wolf's claws. Blood flowed down her neck and into her front, and Mu Yunqing impatiently wiped the blood away, then threw the wolf backward.

Having tasted the sweetness of victory, the wolf was not about to give up easily. It howled softly, shook its head, and pounced on Mu Yunqing again. Mu Yunqing raised his sword to block the black wolf's fangs, then with a swift turn, plunged the blade straight into the wolf's throat. The wolf, in pain, raised its paw and swung it towards his arm. Three bloody gashes appeared on Mu Yunqing's arm, and beads of blood seeped out, staining the wild grass beside him red.

The black wolves, bloodthirsty as they were, swarmed around the scent of blood, their eerie green eyes flickering like will-o'-the-wisps in the twilight.

Mu Yunqing swung his longsword forcefully, striking a wolf on the head. The wolf whimpered and staggered back a few steps. The remaining black wolves circled him for a few moments before lunging at him again.

Hidden in the tall grass, Mu Yan saw the black wolf pounce. She swiftly drew her bow and shot an arrow, the sharp arrow slicing through the air and striking the leader wolf in the heart. The black wolf fell to the ground, wounded by the arrow. The other wolves instantly became alert, looking around for their enemy.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Mu Yan fired several more arrows, and two more wolves fell. Mu Yunqing pushed himself up and slashed the black wolf's foreleg with his sword. The black wolf cried out in pain, howled softly at each other a few times, and then slowly retreated.

Mu Yunqing's lips parted slightly, but before he could speak, he was pressed to the ground. Mu Yan braced herself on her hands beside him and whispered, "Don't move if you don't want to die. You have blood on you, and the wolves will come back if they smell it."

“In your opinion, Miss Mu,” Mu Yunqing frowned, forcing herself to raise her head, “are we just going to wait here to die?”

Mu Yan replied, "If you want to die faster, then go ahead and leave."

"Heh," Mu Yunqing chuckled, adjusting his posture, "I've never been afraid of anything, but I never imagined that I would perish with you in the wolf's belly today."

Mu Yan lay down on her side and said, "You're the one who will die in the wolf's belly, not me. I'm not as stupid as you."

Mu Yunqing moved her head closer to Mu Yan and glanced at her sideways. "You still have the energy to tease me at a time like this. It seems that Miss Mu is not afraid at all."

"What am I afraid of? It's not me who gets pounced on by the wolf."

Mu Yunqing withdrew her gaze. "It wasn't you who was pounced on by the wolf. After all, leaving without saying goodbye is your specialty, Miss Mu San."

“Who left without saying goodbye?” Mu Yan said, “Isn’t it common knowledge that I returned to the military academy?”

Mu Yunqing looked up at her, her tone tinged with reproach, "You didn't tell me you were going back to the military camp, so how can everyone know?"

"Why should I tell you? Besides, it's not a big deal, what's there to talk about?" Mu Yan felt the wolf pack had gone far away, so she sat up and said, "Get up so I can see where you're hurt?"

Mu Yunqing said, "It's just a minor injury, no need to look at it."

"I've read a few medical books, do you think I don't know how badly you're injured?" Mu Yan grabbed Mu Yunqing's hand, took out a bottle of wine from her waist, and splashed it on his wound. "It hurts a bit, just bear with it."

"Hiss—" Mu Yunqing gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and the tips of his fingers resting on his side turned white.

Mu Yan tightened the screws on the wine pot and said regretfully, "Such good wine, you got a bargain."

Mu Yunqing took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "Miss Mu, your method of saving people is a bit too ruthless."

"With limited resources, this is all we can do for now." Mu Yan took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the blood around Mu Yunqing's wound. "Your back wound is too deep. Pouring wine on it will only worsen the injury, so I won't do anything rash. Go back and find a doctor to take a good look at it. Your skin is delicate, so we don't want it to leave a scar."

She paused, then asked, "Why did you come to Ghost Wolf Valley all by yourself?"

Mu Yunqing lowered his eyes to conceal his expression, and replied half-jokingly, "Naturally, I've received some information and come to investigate a case. But what about you? Why are you here too?"

Mu Yan casually replied, "We were doing field training. We came to check out the noise."

"Heh, the training ground is really quiet," Mu Yunqing said with a smirk. "Out for field training in the middle of the night... Miss Mu's reason is a bit far-fetched."

"Far-fetched?" Mu Yan wrapped the blood-stained handkerchief in the snowdrift and resignedly said, "That's right. In your Lord Mu's eyes, whatever I say is far-fetched."

“I didn’t say that,” Mu Yunqing said, “but... now is not the time to delve into it.”

Mu Yan did not reply. After washing the handkerchief, she raised the dagger to break off the wolf's teeth.

Mu Yunqing frowned slightly, staring at Mu Yan's actions, feeling somewhat puzzled, but she didn't ask.

"Let's go." Mu Yan wrapped the wolf fang in a handkerchief, got up and helped Mu Yunqing. "This place smells too bloody, let's find another place to rest."

"You go your way, you don't need to help me." Mu Yunqing forced himself to stand up and said in a relaxed manner, "I'm not so weak that I need someone to help me."

"Alright, alright, I won't help you." Mu Yan walked beside him and said jokingly, "Mu Yunqing, do you think we're destined to clash? Every time we meet, either you get hurt or I get hurt."

Mu Yunqing's expression darkened slightly. After a moment of silence, he said, "Perhaps..." His gaze swept over the surrounding weeds, then he looked up. The dim moonlight shone through the branches onto the ground, making the night seem even more desolate.

The two walked for a while.

Mu Yan turned her head and asked, "There are enough seats. Where would you like to sit?"

Mu Yunqing looked around by the moonlight and saw a flat, large rock not far away. He pointed to it and said, "Over there."

"Okay." Mu Yan replied, bent down to gather some firewood, and walked in the direction Mu Yunqing pointed. Mu Yunqing walked to the stone, slowly sat down, and let out a long sigh, finally relaxing his tense body.

"Let's start a fire," Mu Yan said. "Wolves are afraid of fire, so it will keep us warm."

Mu Yunqing nodded, glanced around, and got up to find some dry branches. "Miss Mu is indeed very thoughtful," she said, then squatted down and skillfully started a fire. "Once this fire is lit, I can feel much more at ease."

Mu Yan reminded her, "Don't move around if you're injured."

Mu Yunqing paused, looked up at Mu Yan, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes before she lowered her head again, her tone carrying a touch of arrogance, "I'm not that delicate, this little injury is nothing."

As Mu Yan started a fire, she said, "Who was it that said the men of Phoenix Perch Kingdom were known for being delicate and frail?"

“I was referring to the men of Phoenix Perch Kingdom,” Mu Yunqing said flippantly, placing the branch he was holding on the fire. “I wasn’t talking about myself.”

“That’s true,” Mu Yan nodded, “Lord Mu is certainly not the epitome of delicate.”

"Speaking of which," Mu Yunqing turned to look at Mu Yan and asked tentatively, "What did Miss Mu ask for after saving me?"

"I don't ask for anything," Mu Yan said. "I just saw injustice on the road and decided to help."

"To help those in need?" Mu Yunqing couldn't help but chuckle. "Then I must thank Miss Mu for saving my life."

After he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and began to rest.

“Fine,” Mu Yan said without any politeness, “How are you going to repay me?”

"What does Miss Mu want?"

“What I want, you may not be able to give me,” Mu Yan paused, then changed her tone, “Why don’t you repay me with your body?”

Mu Yunqing opened his eyes and looked at her. His light blue eyes seemed to be covered with a thin mist, making it difficult to see clearly. "You tease me like this every day. Aren't you afraid that one day I will suddenly take it seriously and come to you for an explanation?"

"I couldn't ask for that more." Mu Yan smiled and said, "However, I don't think that day will ever come."

“Since you haven’t thought about the future at all,” he said coldly, “Miss Mu, please don’t mention such things. If someone with ulterior motives hears them, they might take them seriously.”

Mu Yan paused in her hand as she sharpened the wolf's fangs, then abruptly changed the subject, laughing, "You're usually quite formidable, how did you get injured like this by a wolf?"

"Even the strongest fists can't fight off four hands," Mu Yunqing said. "No matter how powerful you are, you can't withstand a swarm of beasts attacking you at once."

"That's true. Be careful when you go out in the future." Mu Yan put some wild grass under herself and said, "Go to sleep. We'll leave at dawn tomorrow."

Mu Yunqing closed his eyes, but the pain from his wounds made it difficult for him to fall asleep, and he ended up not sleeping all night.

As dawn broke, the morning mist began to spread.

After a night, the campfire had long since burned out, leaving only a few wisps of ashes. Mu Yunqing raised his hand to brush away the ashes, glanced sideways and saw Mu Yan staring at him. He awkwardly wiped his hands, stood up and said, "Let's go."

Mu Yan patted the weeds off her clothes and followed behind Mu Yunqing.