Chapter 64
"Tian Fu, don’t go over there! Be careful, that’s a cliff ahead!"
The more they chased, the faster the runaway horses galloped. Just as they caught sight of the fleeing steeds, the two unbridled horses dashed straight toward a pitch-black wild forest, startling a flock of birds into flight.
Ge Liang quickly called out to stop the man who had dismounted and was trying to grab the reins. Huo Shu, hearing the commotion, soon arrived as well.
"Brother Huo."
"The wild forest terrain is unfamiliar, and there are hidden pits. Don’t chase too recklessly, your own safety comes first."
After giving his orders, Huo Shu tugged his horse’s reins and entered the woods.
He gave his black steed an encouraging pat, silently urging it to track the scent and sounds of the runaway horses.
The forest was filled with towering, straight-trunked trees. In autumn, the fallen leaves would have made tracking easier—every snapped twig or rustling step would have echoed loudly. But now, in the thick of early summer, the trees were at their fullest, their canopies dense, while the ground covered in fresh grass. The horses' hoofbeats were barely audible, making them nearly impossible to follow by sound alone.
Amid the shifting shadows. A figure suddenly flashed by, followed by the unmistakable snort of a horse.
The three men immediately gave chase toward the sound. Moonlight revealed two slender figures vaulting effortlessly onto the runaway horses' backs.
The horses, their reins seized, resisted by tossing their heads a few times. But the riders held firm, and after a sharp tug and a reprimand, the animals calmed down.
Then, from the bushes, four burly figures emerged one after another.
Tian Fu’s heart pounded as he stared at these men who had apparently been lying in ambush. He had no idea what their intentions were and didn’t dare make a sound.
Ge Liang narrowed his eyes at the strangers. Lurking near the horse pastures like thieves in the night—they were most likely horse rustlers.
He drew his bow, pulling an arrow from his quiver, and motioned for Tian Fu to hide behind him. Coldly, he said, "Those horses are ours. If you know what’s good for you, let them go and leave."
The other side didn’t respond. Instead, they tugged the horses and began advancing toward the three men.
Ge Liang immediately tensed his bowstring, ready to fire a warning shot. But before he could, a hand gripped his arrow.
"Brother Huo?"
Ge Liang turned in surprise to Huo Shu, who sat mounted beside him.
Just as he was about to question this unexpected move, a mournful cry shattered the forest’s silence.
"Brother..."
____
"They’ve been gone for so long, why aren’t they back yet?"
"Something must have happened. Maybe I should go check!"
The camp grew restless as the sky darkened. Just as a few were discussing riding out on donkeys to investigate, Tian Fu’s voice carried across the plains: "We’re back!"
Everyone fell silent at once, rushing toward the sound. In the distance, several figures approached.
"They got the horses back! That’s great!"
"But why does it look like there are more people coming?"
Ji Taoyu stepped forward. The night wind whipped at his sleeves and tangled his hair.
The hoofbeats stopped as Huo Shu dismounted, his face stern. He shoved someone toward Ji Taoyu. "Get some wound medicine for him."
Ji Taoyu looked at the young man before him—his hair a mess, his face smeared with dirt, his tattered clothes barely covering the wounds visible under the firelight.
The young man stood with his head hung low, shoulders slumped like a beaten stray dog, or perhaps some half-starved refugee pulled from the wilderness.
Yet despite his wretched appearance, judging by his features, he didn’t seem very old.
He was tall—even with his head down, Ji Taoyu had to tilt his chin up slightly to see his face.
After studying the youth, Ji Taoyu glanced up at the even taller, sterner-faced Huo Shu behind him.
Now that he looked closely… the two brothers really were… nothing alike.
Ji Taoyu rubbed the tip of his nose and simply said, "Come with me. I’ll clean and dress your wounds."
"Wenliang, find him a clean set of clothes and fetch some of the hot water we boiled earlier."
Ji Wenliang was still dazed, how had three people left and nine returned?
Though full of questions, he knew priorities. He acknowledged Ji Taoyu’s request and hurried off to gather the clothes.
Ji Taoyu fetched the medical chest from the tent while Ji Wenliang swiftly prepared the supplies.
Huo Shou stood by the fire, glancing up at Huo Shu’s stony expression. He wanted to speak but didn’t dare, hanging his head instead.
"A-Shu, these… these are the remaining folks from the village we could still contact."
Uncle Fan introduced the men one by one—the youngest no more than fifteen or sixteen, the oldest in his early thirties. The younger ones barely remembered Huo Shu, but the older ones could still trace the features of the boy he once was.
"We came to bring A-Shou to you, and also…"
Uncle Fan shifted uncomfortably, the words sticking in his throat. This whole visit was already crossing a line.
If Huo Shou and Huo Shu had a good relationship, they might have had grounds to ask for help. But everyone in the village knew how things stood in the Huo family.
When Huo Shu's widowed mother remarried into the family, she brought her son along as a stepson. After the couple had Huo Shou, the difference in how the boys were treated couldn't have been clearer
Two children, one doted on—sent to school to learn reading and writing—while the other was left to labor at home, barely worth a second glance.
Even ignorant children could see how that would breed bitterness, resentment was inevitable
Later, as Huo Shu grew older, he left home to hunt on the plains, making a living for himself. He rarely returned, sometimes not even once in ten days or half a month. With each absence, the distance between him and his family stretched wider, the threads of kinship wearing thinner by the season.
The villagers didn’t know the full story of what went on under that roof, but the scraps of daily life were enough to piece together the gist.
Uncle Fan had advised the Huo family a few times, but after all, it was someone else’s family matter—no matter what he said, they might not listen.
Speaking too much would only earn their resentment.
Thank you for the update!!
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