The Morning After 1

Huangfu Yun was quicker to get up the next morning than his new bride. Not a surprise, considering how he had had his way with her twice. Well, three times if one took into account the rough bedding earlier in the evening, before he took over Huang Fuyun's body. He could not help but grin at the memory of their last coupling, after he brought her back to his room.

Doing it in the kitchen was an experience, but it was hard on his knees. So he had opted for the more accepted, more relaxing roll on his bed after that. Looking down at how she was sprawled on the same, totally exhausted, it was clear that she preferred that too. Well, between the stress of finding a physician for her younger brother, and what he had put her through himself, Huangfu Yun was not surprised to see her in that state.

But there were consequences to his actions the day before, consequences that needed to be dealt with, he knew. And he wasn't even thinking about his overly vigorous indulgence the night before. That could be settled easily, with another training session. After all, this Huang Fuyun's body had an overabundance of fiery qi, as he had discovered.

No, he was thinking about how he had 'wasted' that so-called miraculous medicinal pill that Huang Tiancheng had left with his son. The same one that he had stuffed into Yang Xiaochun's mouth the night before. That would require a bit of an explanation, he thought.

Well, it was not as miraculous a medicine as some would see it, but it should be sufficient to start the healing process in the young man's body. And deal with most of his injured internal organs. As well as one or two of his more serious broken bones.

That was why Huangfu Yun had gone through the trouble, to use his own meagre qi to guide the medicinal effects of that Returning Spring Pill to the most critical injured spots in the boy's body. Added to the fact that the boy was only twelve or so, his body should not take too long to recover, with continuous care.

Something that was unlikely to be denied him, given how he was now a brother-in-law to Alchemist Huang Fuyun, and a member of Huang Tiancheng's extended family! The fat slob did have a reputation to uphold, after all!

Of course, Huangfu Yun had a few small details to settle, before that could be carved into stone. Like convincing his mother that it had been because to the situation; faking an infatuation with Yang Xiaoli should not be that difficult. And the trouble that she found herself in should be urgent enough for him to snatch her away like that.

His knowledge of Huang Fuyun's memories of the interactions between him and his mother was a sufficient guide for him to deal with her, he was confident. She doted on her son, and that should make her easier to manipulate than someone like Yang Xiaoli, who was a complete stranger.

Dealing with those who had tried to make trouble for her and her younger brother, on the other hand, would take a little more finesse.

That is, if he really had to take a hand in the matter. For all that he knew, the others who were supposed to be watching over the pair - the Army Veterans Group, that was what they were called, wasn't it? Well, the siblings were children to one of theirs, and they were supposed to help take care of Yang Xiaoli and Yang Xiaochun, while their oldest brother was away, fighting against the Lei Kingdom. And what happened to Xiaochun was clearly no accident.

The ones who broke Xiaochun's body, on the other hand, were not going to be that easy to handle, however. He only recognised the gang who did the pummeling and the breaking of the boy's bones. But the group that was behind the same was unfamiliar.

Not that that was a great surprise. Huang Fuyun was not the sort of chap who bothered with things like that. He hardly stepped out of his own house, and only made the trip to the Training Yard to satisfy his curiosity regarding Yang Xiaoming once a blue moon.

So he would have to be a bit more careful and try to find out more about the same, before he started anything. Of course, if they did try to make trouble for Yang Xiaoli, he was certainly not going to stand aside! And that included keeping her younger brother safe! In fact, he was even going to try to make sure that Yang Xiaoming would not die in the War against the Lei Kingdom!

She was, after all, his concubine now!

Then he adjusted his mood, and started heading towards where he had left the injured boy earlier that morning, when he dragged Xiaoli back to his bed. He was still unconscious, as Huangfu Yun had expected him to be. He was unlikely to wake up for another day or two, given the amount of trauma and healing that his body had just experienced.

Which was just as well, in Huangfu Yun's opinion. So long as he was still in that coma of his, he would have no feeling in his limbs. That should save him from the sort of agony that he would have to go through, if he was awake and aware, during the whole healing process. It was not something that Huangfu Yun cared for himself.

At least, he had experienced it before, in his other life.

Well, in the end he decided that he would change the boy's bandages himself. And take another look inside him with his zhenqi and his heightened senses. The breaks in his bones should not be any trouble, but there was always the danger of infection. And Huangfu Yun did not wish to leave any stone unturned.

While Yang Xiaoli was his first woman, and he cared very much for her, there was the possibility that she might lose her younger brother in the near future. Which could drastically change her perception of him. Or rather, of Huang Fuyun.

So he was determined to make certain that did not happen.

Besides, it was only something that he should do, isn't it? As the one responsible for saving Yang Xiaochun's life?

The boy, however, was in no danger at all. In fact, he was still unconscious. Probably thanks to Huangfu Yun using some of his zhenqi to keep him in a healing coma. It would be a lot easier if he didn't wake up, and rouse the whole household with his screams of pain. Huangfu Yun was aware of how all of those injuries would hurt!

After checking on the young injured fellow, he started walking about the estate aimlessly. And comparing his surroundings from what memories he had of the places that he saw. Only to realise that he had somehow entered into an elaborately decorated courtyard that was filled with some three, four maids. Who dipped their heads at him in greeting.

What drew his attention was the fact that none of them seemed very surprised to see him, and that there was an older woman who was standing next to the building within the same. One who was looking at him in what might be anticipation.

Then he remembered: this was Huang Fuyun's mother's personal courtyard! And it was customary for him to go within every morning, and pay his respects to her!

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