TCN: Mei Gongqing

Chapter 173

Chapter 173: The Dragon's Inverted Scale

"Everything you ever want, eh?" the other man laughed. "I was really unfair, then."

He bowed to Wang Hong from his boat, which had turned the other way.

Wang Hong smiled without saying another word. The other man did not mind that Wang Hong hadn't asked for his name. He merely laughed and drifted farther away.

At this time, the ships reached a fork in the river where they kept to the right.

Chen Rong sat by Wang Hong and watched the white clouds in the sky with him.

A warm arm caught her thin waist.

She did not push him away and even snuggled closer.

His playful voice sounded above her head: "Why are you getting close to me?"

Chen Rong looked at the clouds in the sky and carelessly replied, "Just because."

He laughed to hear her say this.

Chen Rong gave him the side-eye and, with a hidden knife in her smile, said, "Did you forget, Qilang? I can keep pretty boys according to His Majesty's order."

As gentle as the wind, her words sounded as if they had inadvertently floated out.

In the meanwhile, the smile on Wang Hong's face had stiffened and coughs broke out all around them. When Wang Hong and Chen Rong looked over, the men who cleared their throats all bowed their heads in avoidance, but their coughing only grew louder and louder.

Chen Rong squinted her eyes in enjoyment of Wang Hong's stiff smile. "Don't be upset Qilang, I bet there are many in Jiankang who think the same." She grinned. "There's no point in being upset."

His Majesty allowed her to keep pretty boys, but she was only ever seen with this one. Furthermore, they were still together this late at night... wasn't this exactly what the emperor had in mind?

Wang Hong looked at the gleeful Chen Rong and harrumphed. He decided to ignore her gloating face, turning to stare at the horizon instead.

Chen Rong relished his fleeing from the fight. She giggled and snuggled closer to him, hugging his arm to murmur: "I'm your mistress and you're my lover. Qilang, are you and I thus considered adulterers in the eyes of others?"

Her laughter was soft and her voice was gentle. Thus the word 'adulterers' did not sound vulgar, but rather coquettish.

Wang Hong pressed his lips in exasperation and continued to ignore Chen Rong.

She laughed even more pleasantly at this sight.

It was the first time she was able to render him speechless.

Amid Chen Rong's peals of laughter, Wang Hong coldly said, "Darling, too much happiness will lead to sorrow."

Chen Rong's laughter rang more resonant.

About half an hour later, the ships made a turn and went to the riverbank.

Chen Rong gazed at the moonlit road where clamoring people and neighing horses were seen. With a sigh, she said, "We've really come back."

While she was talking to herself, the white robed man had gone ahead, prompting her to quickly run after him.

There were some twenty to thirty horse-drawn carriages and countless mule wagons. Chen Rong looked at the endless cavalcade and asked, "Are these used to transport grains?"