Two boys, both around ten years old, rushed over. "Sister Fengyu, the Kyoto Capital Guard... the Kyoto Guard is here."
Fengyu raised an eyebrow, "What are they here for?"
"They’re building houses for us and clearing the snow."
"Huh?" Fengyu was puzzled. What kind of strange wind was blowing?
Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin led over four thousand Kyoto Guards to the northern part of the city to repair the homes of residents. Due to the notorious reputation of the Kyoto Guard, the locals hardly believed they were here to help. Lin Xiao assigned over a hundred men to clear the snow and sent the more kind-faced members of the guard to communicate with the residents. Some hesitantly allowed them to try helping. Xie Xun, accompanied by Feiying and Nuanyang, also arrived.
Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin, unfamiliar with house repairs, were taken aback by the sight of crumbling walls and numerous injured residents. Lin Xiao turned to Xie Xun, who came shortly after, and asked, "Young Marquis, hasn’t the Ministry of Industry or the Capital Governor sent anyone over to assist?"
Frowning, Xie Xun hadn’t expected the northern part of the city to be so neglected. "Do you know how to repair houses?"
Lin Xiao shook his head. Xie Xun instructed, "You and Nuanyang should go assess the disaster situation and help rescue the people trapped in the debris."
"Understood!" Lin Xiao and Nuanyang accepted the order and left. Xie Xun rolled up his sleeves and personally led the Kyoto Guard in repairing the houses. The guards alongside Lin Xiao stared in astonishment at the young marquis of noble standing. Watching him swiftly climb the roofs and direct others to pass him tiles and tools, they were surprised to discover that he actually knew how to rebuild houses.
The wind and snow lashed against Lin Xiao’s face, and for some reason, it burned, as if humiliating him. Xie Xun, capable of both intellectual and physical prowess, could even repair houses. Lin Xiao, having grown up in the selvedges of the capital’s splendor, felt useless, unable to do much of anything. Taking a deep breath, the frigid air chilled him to his chest, suppressing the bitterness rising in his heart. Resigned, he followed Xie Xun’s orders and went to assess damages in the northern part of the city. Zhang Boxin quickly followed to assist.
With the young marquis leading by example, none of the over four thousand Kyoto Guards dared to slack off. They spread out, forming groups of six to carry out their assigned tasks. Feiying saw Zhang Da near a dilapidated straw house and was surprised, "Zhang Da, why are you here?"
Seeing Zhang Da meant the lady should be nearby. Zhang Da had spotted the group assisting earlier from the roof and assumed it was the Forbidden Army or someone sent by the Capital Governor but was surprised to find it was the Kyoto Guard instead. He truthfully explained, "Our lady owns several weaving workshops and tea factories here. Knowing how severe the disaster was, she sent people to help."
"The lady is truly righteous." Feiying brushed the snow from his lashes. "My master also heard of the severe damages and brought the Kyoto Guard to assist."
The two exchanged a few words before parting ways to continue their tasks.
Chunlu, accompanied by the protectors of the household, delivered food and cold-proof clothing. The women carried the items indoors, and Chunlu even brought a great deal of ginger and ginger tea.
"How many Kyoto Guards have come?" Fengyu asked.
"Four thousand." Xie Xun strode in quickly. His sleeves were tied up, revealing half of his well-built arm, exposed to the wind and snow as if impervious to the cold. His garments were marked with dust and mud but didn’t seem disheveled.
He stepped swiftly to the porch, eyeing the room full of women and children. Seeing the young marquis, some showed fear and shrank back slightly. Surprised, Xie Xun turned to Fengyu, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to help." Fengyu turned around, holding a bowl of ginger tea, and handed it to him. "Young Marquis, have a sip of ginger tea to warm yourself up."
Lowering his gaze, Xie Xun stared at the steaming ginger tea. As he took the bowl, his fingers briefly brushed against Fengyu’s hand. The warmth and smoothness of her skin stood in stark contrast to his icy touch, causing Fengyu to shiver from the cold.
Xie Xun downed the ginger tea in one gulp. When Fengyu reached for the bowl, he avoided her and placed it on the stove nearby. The Third Miss’s face, wrapped in her cloak, appeared as white as snow. Xie Xun remarked, "The Kyoto Guard has taken over this street. It’s cold—can you bear it?"
The implication in Xie Xun’s words was that if she couldn’t endure it, she could go home, and he would have his men handle the supplies. By noon, the wind and snow intensified. The storm howled, and the roofs accumulated a thick layer of snow, making the repairs increasingly challenging. Softly, Fengyu replied, "You handle repairing the houses; I’ll take care of the freezing and starving women and children. In the western district, there are many suffering from hunger and cold, and they can’t be ignored. This courtyard is quite spacious. I’ve been cooking ginger tea here. It’s hard work for the Kyoto Guard repairing houses in the snow. They can come in for some hot tea—how about that?"
A gust of strong wind blew past. Xie Xun turned sideways to shield her, the wind catching the tips of Fengyu’s hair. Xie Xun blocked the snow and wind for her, his deep, soulful peach blossom eyes fixed intently on her. Unable to discern his intentions, Fengyu wondered if he thought she was causing trouble and didn’t want her to help. Yet for three years now, every winter disaster in the northern city had ended with her handling the aftermath.
After a long pause, Xie Xun simply said, "Stay indoors. Be careful of the wind and snow."
Watching his hurried figure retreating, Fengyu found it harder to believe than a miraculous rain in the desert that the Kyoto Guard had come to help with disaster relief and house repairs. Suddenly, Fengyu remembered that Xie Xun was now the Commander of the Kyoto Guard.
Reflecting, Fengyu thought, the young marquis truly was an extraordinary boy. No matter how unconventional or unbelievable something might seem, if it involved him, it wasn’t surprising—it could only be him.
Neither the Forbidden Army nor the Ministry of Industry nor the Capital Governor’s men were present. They were in the Imperial City, Southern and Eastern districts, and the central streets. Who would care about the long streets of the northern city? In all the Capital City, it was only Xie Xun.
For the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, Xie Xun could have obediently played the carefree libertine. No one would have blamed him. Yet he resolutely led the Kyoto Guard to assist in the rescue.
Knowing it was impossible yet remaining true to one’s conscience—that’s what made him the young general of the Yanyang Dynasty.
While the world was so wretched, it wasn’t wholly devoid of hope. In her childhood, Fengyu had once despaired and hated the world. Someone had pulled her out of the darkness. Over the years, though she had not reconciled with anyone, someone had continuously shown her that the human warmth of this world was worth lingering for.
Somewhere out there, a single breeze can grant me my eighty thousand dreams.
"Xinxin, set up three more pots, boil water, and prepare ginger."
"Got it, Miss!" The courtyard was spacious enough to set up makeshift stoves. The people began bustling again, and the woman who went to tally results returned. Fengyu rolled up her sleeves to help Chunlu review the compiled lists. Medicines and cold protection clothing were the most urgently needed supplies. Over the past three years, Kyoto experienced hailstorms yearly, causing a mix of small and large disasters. Fengyu had always stocked cotton-padded jackets, food, and medicine starting in the fall to prepare for emergencies.
She wasn’t immensely kind-hearted—she only cared for the women and children of Six Cross Street. After sorting the inventory, Fengyu instructed Chunlu to distribute the supplies.
Thanks to the statistics collected by the women, Fengyu handed the list to Xie Xun and requested that the Kyoto Guard prioritize the repair efforts. Xie Xun assigned Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin to lead a thousand guards to the western district. Fortunately, due to the annual snow disasters, every household had stocked things like tiles, beams, and dry straw. Homes that were sturdier suffered less damage, while places hit by dense hailstorms had nearly half their homes destroyed. Repairing these houses required significant time, resources, and effort.
It was the first time the Kyoto Guard had undertaken such a mission. Hearing words of gratitude from the residents, some of the younger guards blushed shyly, slightly embarrassed. In this kind of rescue effort, collective honor naturally flourished. They gained fulfillment and pride from the continuous thanks of the people.