After all, warhorses were strategic resources. Even if Xie Yi had money, they were extremely difficult to purchase.
After hearing this, Lian Zhiji found it almost unbelievable.
He had not expected that his moment of soft-heartedness in helping the Qilin Village people would create such a butterfly effect.
His eyes turned. “So… does that mean I own half of this horse ranch?”
Xie Yi immediately saw through his thoughts and smiled. “Of course. Thanks to you exchanging points for the cement formula, this horse ranch exists at all.”
The moment Lian Zhiji heard “points,” alarm bells went off in his mind.
Because points meant missions—and recent missions were something he did not even want to recall.
He turned and ran.
But after only a few steps, Xie Yi caught him, and “completed” several missions before letting him go.
Lian Zhiji was weak in the legs and could barely stand without leaning on Xie Yi.
Angrily, he twisted Xie Yi’s arm, but it did not move at all. He tried again several times.
Then suddenly, Xie Yi’s breathing deepened, his grip on Lian Zhiji’s waist tightening.
His voice turned low and hoarse: “Don’t touch randomly.”
Lian Zhiji: …?
Who touched you?!
He was furious but had no way to argue.
After calming down, Xie Yi led him to the stables.
Lian Zhiji immediately saw the most eye-catching white horse.
The horse had a well-proportioned frame, pure white glossy coat, smooth neck lines, and a faint silvery sheen in its mane. It held its head high with an air of nobility.
Seeing Lian Zhiji’s delight, Xie Yi asked, “Do you like it?”
“Yes.” Lian Zhiji then realized, “So this is for me?”
Xie Yi nodded. “From now on, it’s yours.”
He asked him to name it, but Lian Zhiji hesitated and said he had no idea yet.
Xie Yi guided him forward, teaching him how to greet the horse and letting him touch its neck.
The white horse was slightly rougher than expected, but very gentle, even lowering its head to nuzzle him.
Lian Zhiji was delighted and fed it, playing with it for a while.
Once familiar, Xie Yi began teaching him how to ride.
For the first time, Lian Zhiji mounted the horse himself.
Sitting there, he felt less secure without Xie Yi behind him.
Fortunately, Xie Yi kept holding the horse’s reins for him.
If Song Lü and the others saw Qingzhou’s powerful ruler personally acting as a stable hand, they would surely be shocked.
Lian Zhiji laughed at the thought.
Xie Yi turned back sharply. “What?”
Feeling the earlier thrill of riding at speed, he was no longer satisfied with the slow pace. Knowing his own limits, he said, “I want you to get on and take me for a run.”
From Xie Yi’s perspective, the young man in crimson riding clothes looked bright and radiant. His pale face was luminous, lashes casting faint shadows, his expression carrying a hint of dependency despite the commanding tone.
Xie Yi’s eyes darkened slightly. Without hesitation, he got on behind him.
Heat surrounded Lian Zhiji instantly as he was pulled into Xie Yi’s arms. The horse jolted forward.
He leaned back instinctively, but was pressed deeper into the embrace.
After a full lap around the vast grounds, they finally slowed as the sun began to set.
The sky turned orange-red, spreading across the clouds. The grasslands glowed with warm tones, the wind carrying golden light.
Everything became still.
Lian Zhiji leaned against Xie Yi, his mind gradually quieting.
For a moment, he did not want to think about missions or the system.
He only wanted to stay in this peace.
Xie Yi asked, “Tired?”
Lian Zhiji shook his head, then said softly, “It’s beautiful… like when I was a child.”
Xie Yi frowned slightly but did not interrupt.
Lian Zhiji spoke about his childhood—wealthy family, loving parents, happiness, simple joys, watching sunsets while holding their hands after a trip.
A world so different from this one.
After entering this book world, he had avoided thinking about his past.
But now, he spoke about it freely for the first time.
By midnight, they returned.
Lian Zhiji fell asleep in Xie Yi’s arms and did not even notice being carried to bed.
Xie Yi looked at him quietly, noting the relaxed expression, the absence of gloom.
He saw a more vivid version of him.
And also heard something unexpected.
A world without war, famine, or even an emperor.
A place far better than theirs.
This contradicted all his earlier assumptions.
Lian Zhiji was not a wandering soul possessing a body.
He was simply—like him—a human, raised in a different world.
Xie Yi lowered his gaze, thoughtful.
Yet he did nothing.
As usual, he washed him, held him, and slept beside him—just more tightly than before.
—
Next period, Xie Yi taught him horseback riding.
Lian Zhiji initially treated it like a short trip, but soon regretted it.
Riding looked cool, but training was brutal.
His inner thighs were rubbed raw, every touch painful, and by the end of each day his legs were numb.
But Xie Yi was strict.
If he failed the training, he was not allowed to dismount.
Lian Zhiji lay over the horse pitifully looking at him.
Xie Yi’s expression did not change. “Don’t act spoiled. One more lap.”
Lian Zhiji: …
Is this even a boyfriend?!
This is basically a father-slash-horse-coach!
Annoyed, he straightened up and rode off.
Xie Yi followed easily, correcting his posture as they went.
Lian Zhiji: …so frustrating!
Tonight, I am absolutely not letting you into my bed!
After training, he stubbornly refused help and limped back alone.
The temperature in the camp dropped instantly.
The servants and guards kept their heads down, pretending not to see anything.
To anyone else, this would be unforgivable disrespect.
But with Lian-gongzi… it was just affection.
Xie Yi would probably act normal again tomorrow anyway.
Back in his room, Lian Zhiji immediately collapsed onto the bed, hissing in pain.
Just as he turned over—
He hit a sore spot and tears immediately fell.
The next second, a pair of hands lifted him from behind.
Xie Yi saw his red-rimmed eyes and froze.
Lin Zhiji also froze, then hurriedly wiped his tears in a fluster: “I didn’t cry, I just hit a wound, physiological tears……”
Xie Yi originally did indeed have a bit of anger, but seeing him like this, that anger inexplicably dissipated.
He sighed helplessly in his heart, curled his fingers, and wiped away the tears on Lin Zhiji’s cheek: “I know, I’ll apply medicine for you.”
After saying that, he pulled off Lin Zhiji’s pants.
Lin Zhiji didn’t even have time to refuse.
The lower part was already chilly, stripping away all his earlier unyielding posture.
On the fair leg was a large conspicuous patch of redness and swelling.
Xie Yi scooped out ointment and applied it with his fingertip onto Lin Zhiji’s injured area.
The ointment was icy cold, but his fingers carried heat.
His movements were very light, yet they still couldn’t hide the roughness of his fingertips.
This was originally the most delicate and sensitive place; being touched like this immediately raised a layer of goosebumps on the skin.
Lin Zhiji trembled: “I… I’ll do it myself.”
Xie Yi instead grabbed the bend of his retreating leg, pulling them even closer: “What? Still angry?”
Hearing this, that bit of grievance in Lin Zhiji’s heart rose again.
He muttered: “What’s wrong with being angry, I already begged you like that, and you were still unmoved……”
Xie Yi paused, then lifted his gaze to look at him: “Who said I was unmoved?”
Lin Zhiji froze.
Xie Yi’s hand holding the bend of his leg moved slightly upward, saying casually: “…just afraid you couldn’t handle it.”
Lin Zhiji was so startled by the touch that he nearly jumped up, his face instantly turning red: “W-what are you saying nonsense!! I-I-I didn’t mean that!”
Xie Yi gave a soft chuckle: “How do you know what I mean?”
Lin Zhiji: …!
This rogue!
As if seeing through his thoughts, Xie Yi leaned to his ear and said a few words in a low voice.
Lin Zhiji’s face not only flushed red, but even his neck and chest turned red, his voice trembling: “You… you shameless!”
Xie Yi had already finished applying the medicine, slowly wiping the ointment from his fingertips with a cloth.
Amid Lin Zhiji’s startled exclamation, he lifted him onto himself.
Feeling his restless stirring, Lin Zhiji immediately didn’t dare move anymore.
Xie Yi held him in his arms, pressing down slightly in a deliberately wicked manner, then leaned close to his ear and said hoarsely: “This is what shameless is.”
—
The next day, Lin Zhiji was rarely given a day off.
Xie Yi ultimately still took his injury into consideration and didn’t go too far, but he also physically made Lin Zhiji understand that if he wanted to be shameless, there were plenty of ways.
However, Lin Zhiji’s day off wasn’t entirely because of this; rather, Xie Yi received a letter early in the morning, and afterward his expression turned rather unpleasant.
“You mean the imperial edict envoy is Liang Wenxu?!” Lin Zhiji said in shock.
This choice of person was truly unexpected.
Although the imperial envoy represents the Son of Heaven, his rank is not high, and the journey to Qingzhou is long and harsh—an absolute hardship assignment.
Liang Wenxu’s rank was not low, and he already had merits; there was no need for him to take such a thankless job.
Moreover, Liang Wenxu was also Xie Yi’s maternal cousin.
This matter was clearly disadvantageous to Xie Yi—did he not know that?
Xie Yi looked at the secret letter in his hand, his expression cold: “He volunteered to be this imperial envoy. It seems he wants to use me as a stepping stone.”
“Volunteered?”
Lin Zhiji froze.
He had originally thought Liang Wenxu had no choice because of imperial orders.
But now after hearing Xie Yi’s words, Liang Wenxu was simply trying to build a reputation for impartiality and righteousness, and incidentally gain favor in front of the emperor.
He had not considered Xie Yi’s situation at all.
He couldn’t help asking: “Then what are you going to do?”
Xie Yi threw the secret letter onto the table: “Delay.”
If it were anyone else, whether for money or reputation, or leverage, he had plenty of ways to make them obedient. Once the locust disaster began and chaos spread, this matter would naturally fade.
But since it was Liang Wenxu, those methods wouldn’t work.
Liang Wenxu could not be dealt with through rank or temperament.
The only helpless method was delay.
In short, Liang Wenxu must not be allowed to deliver the decree.
Otherwise, once the decree was issued, it would become open defiance of imperial authority.
And it was not yet the time.
—
Xie Yi accompanied Lin Zhiji for two more days of horseback riding, then brought him back to Qingzhou City.
If the envoy had been someone else, Xie Yi could still use the excuse of illness.
But that would not work against Liang Wenxu—they had to find a way to stop him from delivering the decree.
Lin Zhiji suddenly remembered Liang Wenxu’s fate in the book and asked somewhat fearfully: “You… what are you going to do?”
Seeing his expression, Xie Yi immediately guessed what he was thinking: “I won’t kill him.”
However, Liang Wenxu had come prepared to Qingzhou and was not easy to deal with.
Their supplies and water were all self-provided, extremely cautious, leaving Xie Yi’s people no chance to poison them.
Lin Zhiji suddenly thought of something: “There’s a type of incense in the system shop that makes people mildly ill after smelling it, like diarrhea or vomiting……”
Before he could finish, Xie Yi rejected it.
Lin Zhiji anxiously said: “Why? Isn’t he already close to Qingzhou? If we don’t think of something soon, what if he enters Qingzhou?”
Xie Yi said in a low voice: “I have my own plan. No need to use points.”
After saying that, he left the room.
Lin Zhiji was a bit frustrated.
He didn’t know what Xie Yi was thinking—clearly there were easier options.
And it didn’t even cost many points.
He had never been this stingy with points before……
Wait.
Lin Zhiji suddenly froze.
He remembered that ever since main storyline mission three, Xie Yi had never used his points again.
Not only that, he was even more attentive to daily tasks than he was.
So… was Xie Yi worried, or rather afraid, that after his points turned negative again like last time, his body would be affected?
Lin Zhiji’s mood suddenly became complicated.