The Idle Man of Zhenguan Intercepts Wu Zetian at the Start

"Duke Lu, you're living too comfortably. His Majesty has repeatedly ordered that no oxen be slaughtered, but you not only feast on their meat but also drink wine in your tent."

Changsun Dan tied his horse outside the door and looked at Cheng Yaojin with a grin. His beef, which was simply stewed with salt, looked unappetizing at first glance.

Cheng Yaojin used a small knife to cut the beef into chunks, taking a sip of wine and a piece of meat, eating with relish. Seeing Changsun Dan enter, he stuffed a large piece of beef into his mouth, his eyes widening in surprise:

"I, Old Cheng, have always been the first to support His Majesty's decrees. Our Zhenbei Camp, besides being responsible for training the Imperial Guards, also has the Zhechong Fu soldiers who farm when there is no war. The ravines at the foot of Longshou Mountain are continuous and the temperature is cold. Oxen often fall to their deaths or die from disease. The Wannian County Government even has people specifically assigned to our camp to register these deaths. How can this be considered a violation of the decrees? You've come at the right time. Have a few drinks with me!"

Changsun Dan rolled his eyes. He had originally thought that Xin Chujian, the magistrate of Wannian County, was a fair and capable official. In the court, who didn't know that Duke Lu loved to eat beef? And which of the military officers in the court hadn't received some dead beef from the Cheng family?

He even went so far as to send someone to register the dead cows for him. They say the law doesn't apply to officials, but it seems these laws only apply to commoners. However, Changsun Dan didn't care about such things; he was just there to ask for something. Smiling, he stepped forward, grabbed a piece of meat, and stuffed it into his mouth. The taste was rich and fragrant, far superior to the antibiotic-laden beef of later generations. He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"The Duke is indeed a model for the court officials. Despite his high position, he is so frugal that he can't bear to waste even a dead ox." After saying that, he grabbed another piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth: "I will definitely learn more from the Duke in the future."

Cheng Yaojin beamed with joy; this lad has potential.

"You brat, you definitely didn't come here just to freeload off my beef. It's almost dark, so spit it out and get back to Chang'an. The Empress's medicine can't be delayed!"

Changsun Dan smiled and leaned closer to Cheng Yaojin:

"This young man wishes to ask the Duke for some ox horns, ox tendons, and dried oxhide."

Cheng Yaojin glared at him: "These are all materials for making cavalry horn bows. What do you need them for?"

Changsun Dan smiled and thought, "Old Cheng may seem rough around the edges, but he's actually quite meticulous. He probably dislikes people who beat around the bush, so I might as well just tell him directly."

"The boy wants to make his own small bow; I can't draw the longbow the infantry use for training in the camp!"

Cheng Yaojin laughed heartily for a while, as if he had heard the funniest joke, before impatiently speaking to the soldiers behind him:

"Go, go, take him there. Let him take whatever he wants."

Changsun Dan was delighted. He had thought he would have to say a lot more, so he immediately took his leave from the command tent. The soldier led Changsun Dan directly to the kitchen. Behind the kitchen, there was a large courtyard with a mountain behind it. Half of a cow was still hanging upside down from a tree with its legs tied. Several cooks were cleaning a cowhide that had just been skinned.

The soldiers greeted him, and the cooks also looked respectful as they led Changsun Dan into a room that was drafty on all sides. The room was so small that it was hard to find a place to step inside, with shelves everywhere filled with cowhides, horns, bones, and other such items.

Changsun Dan took a large ox horn and a bundle of strips of cowhide, tendon, and rope, came out of the room, and pointed to the large ox leg:

"I want this whole hind leg, and give me a few pounds of beef tendon too."

The soldier leading the way rolled his eyes, cursing inwardly, "How shameless! You don't need this much beef to make any bow!" But the Duke had ordered that he should get whatever he wanted.

The cooks worked quickly and efficiently. They cut off a cow's hind leg, which they estimated to weigh fifty or sixty pounds, and packed several pounds of fresh beef tendons into it. They then tied the whole thing together with rope and helped him put it on the horse's back.

Changsun Dan then leisurely led Red Hare out of the military camp, satisfied. The guards at the gate cast envious glances at him. He was the first person in the Zhenbei Camp who could freely enter and leave, and even take away the Duke's beef. After all, the Prince of Yue was still imprisoned. What was even more infuriating was that there was a carriage parked outside the military camp, with four beautiful and spirited young women riding large horses. The girl standing next to the carriage was especially stunning.

Changsun Dan was disheveled and bruised, leading a skinny horse with a large cow leg hunched over. He looked incredibly pathetic, like a refugee fleeing a disaster. Kan Yue and the others couldn't help but cover their mouths and chuckle, while Dong Yao's expression changed several times.

"You... why... why were you beaten up like this?"

Changsun Dan was in a great mood upon seeing Dongyao and the others. He couldn't bear to ride Red Hare anymore, which was already carrying an ox, but he still kept a serious expression on his face.

"Your injury hasn't healed yet, why make such a fuss? If you tear your wound open and leave a scar, don't blame me if your future husband doesn't take it personally."

Dongyao's face showed a complex expression, a mixture of worry, joy, and anger:

"None of your business." With that, he climbed into the carriage.

Seeing that Kan Yue and the others were riding large horses and carrying long swords, Changsun Dan guessed that something had happened in the city; otherwise, Old Qian alone would have been enough. He handed the reins to Kan Yue and got into the carriage. Seeing Dong Yao's cold face, he reached out and pinched her cheek.

"Come here, let me check your wounds." He then made a move to undress her. Dongyao blushed and flinched slightly. Changsun Dan withdrew his hand. He himself had been quite exhausted that day. He lay down on the seat opposite Dongyao, hands behind his head, legs crossed, toes dangling. It felt so good to be home.

"Tell me, what happened at the distillery!"

Dongyao was so angry that her teeth itched. This young man, who was only fourteen or fifteen years old, was sometimes so sly. Just when you thought he was serious, he would take the opportunity to run away. Seeing that his face was covered in bruises, she didn't know where she got the courage, so she sat down on his side, lifted his head and placed it on her lap, and gently wiped the dirt off his face with a handkerchief.

Changsun Dan closed his eyes, and with his hands free, it seemed like he had nowhere to put them. He swung them left and right, and finally simply interlaced his fingers and placed them on his chest. This was the life of a landlord. With each breath, a faint fragrance of a young girl entered his nostrils. His head resting on Dongyao's lap was much softer than his own arms. Now he wished this road would go on forever. As he relaxed, he began to feel sleepy.

Dongyao's fingertips occasionally touched Changsun Dan's face, giving him a tingling sensation. She then recounted the story Chunchan had told her to Changsun Dan in detail. She had only just gotten to the part about the six horses charging in a row when Changsun Dan began to snore softly.

Dongyao's gaze softened as she looked at Changsun Dan's handsome yet still somewhat immature face, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb a few times—sometimes, he seemed like an old fox who had lived for thousands of years!

She lifted the curtain at the window and said softly:

"Tell Old Qian to slow down, the county magistrate is asleep."

Kan Yue saw that Xianzi had turned over, and naturally raised her right hand and placed it on Dong Yao's waist.

Dongyao's face flushed, and she quickly lowered the curtain, trying to remove the young man's hand. She made several attempts, but in the end, she only gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

Kan Yue suppressed a laugh, her cheeks puffed out, turning her oval face into a full oval one. Li Shu asked curiously:

"Fifth Senior Sister, what are you laughing at?"