Poisonous Peasant 'Concubine' Ch 84 - Hyacinth in Bloom

Apr 28, 2026

Chapter 84 — A Three-Way Confrontation • Yan Shengrui’s Abnormality

“What about the Xi Kingdom then? They should be in the same situation as Da Qing Dynasty, shouldn’t they? Has Da Qing never considered joining forces with the Xi Kingdom to first eliminate the one stirring up all the trouble?”

Pushing aside the messy thoughts in his mind, Ling Jingxuan continued asking.

After all, the memories in his head about the past few years were a complete blank. The only thing he knew was that this was an era where three nations stood in rivalry. Among them, the Dong Kingdom was the strongest and wealthiest, with the largest territory. The Xi Kingdom, meanwhile, boasted a million iron cavalry, and its unmatched fine steel blades were famed throughout the world.

As for Da Qing Dynasty, although its founding ancestor had conquered the land on horseback, the founding emperor believed that he had shed too much blood during the wars. After unifying the country, he issued an imperial decree to cease warfare and nurture the people. From the very beginning, Da Qing had valued civil governance and suppressed martial power. Over generations, its military strength grew weaker and weaker. Whenever the Eastern or Xi Kingdoms pressed them, the court would timidly resort to marriage alliances—sending princesses away in exchange for peace.

Historically, even the northern nomadic tribes had once forced Qing to hand over several princesses.

That was, until the sudden rise of the man known as the God of War—Marquis Zeng of Weiyuan.

It was said that back then Marquis Zeng and Princess Mingshang of the Imperial Family had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Yet when the crown prince of the Dong Kingdom visited Da Qing as an envoy, he took a liking to the gentle and beautiful Princess Mingshang at first sight. He demanded that the Da Qing Emperor marry the princess to him as a secondary consort.

The entire court was outraged. Their dignified Imperial Princess could only become a secondary wife? To them, it was nothing less than a slap to the face.

The emperor furiously refused on the spot.

But not long afterward, Dong Kingdom’s troops marched to Da Qing’s borders.

At that time, Marquis Zeng was still little more than a hot-blooded youth. He volunteered to lead troops into battle. Whether through fortune or talent, although the battle was fought with great difficulty, he ultimately dealt the Dong Kingdom a crushing defeat.

The emperor was overjoyed. As a reward, he personally issued a decree marrying Princess Mingshang to Marquis Zeng.

From that day on, the legend of the War God spread throughout the land, carried along with that romantic tale.

Yan Shengrui, meanwhile, was the next iconic figure of the pro-war faction after Marquis Zeng.

Back then, when he was only fourteen years old, he ignored the late emperor’s opposition and followed Marquis Zeng into battle against the Dong Kingdom. In that campaign, he captured alive the prince consort of the Dong Kingdom’s Eldest Princess—the man responsible for escorting their grain supplies. Using him as leverage, they forced the Dong Kingdom to sign a written agreement promising not to initiate war for ten years.

With that single battle, Yan Shengrui’s name became known throughout the realm.

From then on, he led campaign after campaign, winning nearly every battle. In time, he completely replaced the aging Marquis Zeng and became the new War God of the Da Qing Dynasty.

These stories were common knowledge among anyone who had read even a little. The old Ling Jingxuan had known them as well.

It was only the events of the last few years that remained unclear to him.

“The Dong Kingdom is nothing but a troublemaker,” Han Fei sighed helplessly. “They bully the weak but fear the strong. The Xi Kingdom boasts a million iron cavalry and those famous fine steel blades—of course the Dong Kingdom doesn’t dare provoke them lightly.

“Besides, back then Prince Sheng captured their Eldest Princess’s husband and forced them to sign that ten-year peace treaty. They must hate us to the bone for that.

“Now that the ten years have already passed, the only reason they haven’t made a move is because they’re wary of Prince Sheng. This new round of military conscription… it’s probably a sign that war between the two countries is coming again.”

Though such matters of state had little to do with common folk like them, if war truly broke out and the Dong Kingdom invaded, how could ordinary villagers possibly escape unharmed?

“Hehe… Sounds like the Xi Kingdom isn’t exactly innocent either,” Ling Jingxuan said with a faint smile. “They’re waiting to reap the fisherman’s profit.”

His smile, however, did not reach his eyes.

“Once a war erupts between the two great powers, the northern nomads will inevitably get dragged into it as well. The only country whose foundations remain untouched would be the Xi Kingdom. Who knows—perhaps they’ve secretly put in quite a bit of effort behind the scenes stirring up those nomadic tribes.”

War itself had nothing to do with him, and he had no intention of helping Da Qing conquer the world.

But there was an old saying—when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.

In any era, it was always the common people who suffered most from war.

It seemed that while earning money in the future, he would also have to keep a close eye on developments along the frontlines.

“Really? But the storyteller said the Xi Kingdom fears Prince Sheng. As long as he lives, they would never dare make a move.”

Zhao Dalong and Han Fei blinked at him innocently.

Ling Jingxuan shook his head helplessly. He had no intention of explaining the intricacies of politics to them. If a storyteller’s tales could truly be trusted, pigs would be flying in the sky.

“Prince Sheng isn’t omnipotent,” Yan Shengrui suddenly said, picking up the conversation after remaining silent for a long time. “I agree with Jingxuan. The Xi Kingdom definitely harbors ambitions to unify the world. Otherwise why train a million iron cavalry? Just raising them for fun?”

His handsome face carried undisguised disdain—and something else.

Hostility.

The kind of hostility reserved for bitter enemies and power-hungry schemers.

Zhao Dalong and Han Fei looked at each other blankly. After a long moment, they slowly nodded in agreement.

Ling Jingxuan cast Yan Shengrui a meaningful glance.

If he hadn’t known for certain that the man still hadn’t recovered his memories, he might have suspected that Yan Shengrui had already remembered everything.

Perhaps the so-called soldier’s soul had long been branded deep into the marrow of this man’s bones.

“Whether the Xi Kingdom has ambitions or not doesn’t concern us much,” Ling Jingxuan said finally. “Brother Zhao, I actually know a method for refining fine steel. If that’s the case… could you help me forge a set of knives like this based on it?”

As he spoke, Ling Jingxuan casually picked up a stick and squatted on the ground, sketching the rough outline of a surgical knife. Yet after waiting for quite a while, not a single person responded. Curious, Ling Jingxuan turned his head—only to see the three of them standing there like statues, staring at him with wide eyes as though he were some strange creature.

A dark line crept across his forehead.

Rising to his feet, he asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with you all?”

He hadn’t said anything that should shock them that much… had he?

“You know how to refine fine steel?”

Suddenly, Yan Shengrui stepped forward without a care for the mud covering his hands and seized Ling Jingxuan’s arm tightly.

Though he had lost his memory, the moment he heard the words fine steel, his body reacted faster than his reason.

In truth, few people knew that the wars fought by Da Qing Dynasty in recent years had been deeply humiliating. Not only had they been toyed with by the northern nomadic tribes, they also had to constantly guard against the armies of the Eastern and Xi Kingdoms pressing in on their borders. The cavalry of the Dong Kingdom was famed throughout the world, while the Xi Kingdom’s fine steel blades were equally troublesome to deal with. If not for Yan Shengrui’s capable command of the troops—instilling fear in every direction—Da Qing Dynasty might have long since been swallowed whole by ambitious enemies.

For years, Yan Shengrui had tried every possible method to obtain the Xi Kingdom’s secret technique for refining fine steel. Unfortunately, it was a matter of national secrecy—how could it possibly be acquired so easily?

It could be said with certainty that the matter of fine steel had already become a festering thorn in Yan Shengrui’s heart. Thus, even having lost his memory, he reacted with such agitation.

The pain in his arm clearly told Ling Jingxuan just how worked up his man was—so worked up that he could not even spare a thought for Ling Jingxuan’s feelings.

A trace of coldness crept into Ling Jingxuan’s phoenix eyes.

He did not cry out in pain. Instead, he simply fixed Yan Shengrui with a pair of indifferent, icy eyes.

He could understand his emotions.

But he could not accept being ignored over something as trivial as a mere metal-refining technique.

Call him selfish if they wished. Say he was overly possessive.

If he and his sons were not the most important things in that man’s heart, then he would rather have nothing at all.

“Shengrui, let go of Jingxuan! His body’s weak—he can’t withstand you tossing him around like that.”

Seeing this, Han Fei and Zhao Dalong quickly stepped forward, one on each side. One wrapped an arm around Ling Jingxuan protectively, while the other grabbed Yan Shengrui’s arm.

Only then did Yan Shengrui snap back to himself.

His whole body jolted. He hurriedly released Ling Jingxuan.

“I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I reacted like that. Jingxuan, are you—are you alright?”

Yan Shengrui’s face was filled with worry as he leaned in, trying to lift Ling Jingxuan’s arm to examine it. But Ling Jingxuan shifted his body to the side and avoided him.

“I won’t die.”

His tone returned to the same cold distance it had carried when they first met.

Yan Shengrui’s dark sword-like brows drew together until they nearly knotted.

Damn it. Why had he reacted like that? He had worked so hard to slowly draw closer to Jingxuan—yet now it seemed he would have to start all over again.

“Jingxuan, don’t be angry with Shengrui. He didn’t mean it. The method of refining fine steel has always been treated as a state secret by the Xi Kingdom. It’s only natural he’d get so excited.”

Han Fei looked back and forth between the two of them, sighing helplessly as he stepped in to speak on Yan Shengrui’s behalf.

He truly didn’t want them to quarrel over something like this. After all, when Jingxuan first mentioned it, he and Brother Long had been just as shocked and excited.

“I’m not angry,” Ling Jingxuan said.

“Brother Zhao, Brother Han—sorry. I’m going to rest for a while.”

Without even sparing Yan Shengrui a glance, Ling Jingxuan turned and walked toward the cellar.

Not far away, Ling Jinghan had been sitting beneath the eaves reading. Naturally, he had noticed the commotion. When he saw his elder brother approaching, he had intended to stand and ask what had happened.

But the moment he saw Yan Shengrui following close behind, step for step, he decisively sat back down.

He trusted that Brother Rui would be able to calm his elder brother.

“Second Master, shouldn’t you go take a look? Master Xuan seems to be hurt.”

Watching the two figures disappear from sight, Song Shuisheng, who was attending nearby, asked worriedly.

He was already fifteen—one year older than Ling Jinghan—and long capable of judging situations and reading people’s expressions.

“There’s no need,” Ling Jinghan replied with a smile, shaking his head.

“Brother Rui is far more capable than we can imagine. He’ll have plenty of ways to soothe my elder brother.”

Lowering his head again, he gently turned the page of his book.

If his observations were correct, Brother Rui was certainly no ordinary man.

Song Shuisheng did not quite understand what he meant. Still, since he had said so, he felt it would be inappropriate to press further. After refilling Ling Jinghan’s now-empty teacup, he quietly picked up a twig again and continued practicing the characters Ling Jinghan had just taught him to write.

“Jingxuan… I’m sorry. I truly didn’t mean it. Let me help you apply the medicine, alright?”

Inside the cellar, Yan Shengrui watched as Ling Jingxuan removed his outer robe and applied medicine to himself. Pain flickered across Yan Shengrui’s face as he spoke. His tiger-like eyes were fixed on the large bruise spreading across Jingxuan’s arm, and in his heart he had already cursed his own ancestors for eighteen generations.

Just a short while ago, everything between them had been fine—so how had it ended up like this?

Ling Jingxuan ignored him and continued quietly applying the medicine.

In truth, his own thoughts were in turmoil. He knew he could not truly blame Yan Shengrui. As he himself often said, a person’s memories might disappear, but certain habits would never vanish along with them. Yan Shengrui had once suffered losses at the hands of fine steel blades—so it was only natural that he cared greatly about fine steel.

For him to become so angry over it… perhaps he really was being a bit petty, almost like a sulking woman.

But…

He simply could not bear the thought that, in Yan Shengrui’s heart, he and the children might rank behind something like fine steel—or behind anything else.

Only at this moment did he realize that, without noticing it, his feelings for Yan Shengrui had already grown this deep.

If one day Yan Shengrui regained his memories and was no longer so devoted to him…

He truly did not dare imagine what he might end up doing.

“Jingxuan, don’t be angry anymore. I swear this will never happen again. It was the first time—you can’t sentence me to death over it, can you? Jingxuan…?”

Seeing that he seemed unmoved, Yan Shengrui simply abandoned all dignity and stuffed his pride into his pocket. Spreading his arms, he wrapped them tightly around Jingxuan. His tone could hardly have been more humble; he was practically displaying the very essence of shameless persistence.

At first, Ling Jingxuan struggled a little. But before long, he was amused by the man and burst out laughing. Nestling in his arms for a while, he finally turned to face him.

“Who said anything about sentencing you to death? I was just thinking about something.”

This man—he was always so shameless that Jingxuan had no way to deal with him.

The small knot of displeasure in his heart had not completely vanished, yet he was no longer truly angry.

He was not the sort of man who liked to run away from his feelings or merely accept what others gave him. Now that he had confirmed how deeply his feelings for Yan Shengrui had grown, the only thing left to do was find a way to firmly occupy the deepest place in his heart.

Even if one day Yan Shengrui truly regained his memories—

he would make sure the man could never leave him.

“Whew… You scared me to death, Jingxuan. Don’t ever scare me like that again. I’m not afraid of anything—except you not wanting me anymore.”

Letting out an exaggerated sigh of relief, Yan Shengrui leaned against his shoulder and breathed deeply, taking in the familiar scent that belonged to him alone. Heaven knew his heart had nearly stopped just now from fright.

“You’re just afraid you won’t have a son to send you off when you die, aren’t you?”

With the misunderstanding cleared, Ling Jingxuan couldn’t help teasing him.

Fine steel… it seemed he would have to put that matter aside for now. Winning and protecting love also required strategy. If he wanted to keep this man firmly within his grasp, he would have to make good use of the knowledge stored in his mind.

“Nonsense! We’re still young—what talk is this about being sent off after death? Don’t say things like that again.”

Yan Shengrui shot him a deliberately stern glare, but before he could finish speaking, he broke into laughter himself.

The son—he wanted.
But the father of that son—he absolutely could not lose either.

“Alright, alright. Let’s go out and help Brother Zhao and the others with the work. We have to finish putting up the shed today. Tomorrow we’ll start cooking fruit jam again.”

Reaching out, Ling Jingxuan pinched his cheek lightly, then brushed aside his hand with a smile and climbed up out of the cellar.

Watching his retreating figure, Yan Shengrui’s smiling eyes slowly darkened.

Now that he had calmed down, he suddenly realized something.

His concern—and familiarity—with that Prince Sheng and the battlefield had been far too strong. Yes, familiar—as though that world belonged to him.

Could it be…

that he had some sort of connection with Prince Sheng?

It had to be said—Yan Shengrui’s instincts were sharp. He had almost struck the bullseye.

Only, he probably could never have imagined—even in his dreams—that he himself was the lofty Prince Sheng.

Pinyin & Notes