Chapter 122: In Front of the Two Armies
Chen Rong slowly turned sideways.
She faintly smiled at the man who had taken her heart and her chastity. After a glance, she wordlessly turned around and pushed the door to leave.
She went down the stairs one step at a time.
With hanging head, Wang Hong's gaze followed her straight back and blood-stained dress.
The maidservants' screams had long alerted the guards. Dozens of armored men were now hurrying over. They thought to shout, but stopped themselves when they saw Wang Hong standing at the loft's door.
Their eyes swiftly flashed to Chen Rong.
They stared at her and the bloody sword in her hand before looking back at Wang Hong.
Chen Rong had gone down the stairs by this time. She watched the courtyard full of guards blocking the way as her lips upturned into a quiet smile.
She stopped and turned to glance back at Wang Hong. "Qilang, are you trying to keep me here?"
Her clothes were glaring in the sunlight, and so was her bloody sword.
While Wang Hong was looking at her, a guard stepped forward and placed his hands together to ask: "My lord, did this woman commit murder?"
Wang Hong did not speak; he was still staring at Chen Rong with a complicated look.
At long last he waved his hand.
The guards retreated upon seeing his gesture and cleared out of the courtyard.
Chen Rong turned around to leave when she saw them withdraw. Every movement she made at this very moment was made with an unfaltering determination.
Wang Hong gripped onto the bamboo railing and called after the white silhouette: "Ah Rong?"
She did not pause once. She carried the sword and kept heading outside.
Every step she took left drops of blood on the ground, forming a frightening sanguine trail.
"Ah Rong, come back... you have nowhere to go," Wang Hong hoarsely called after her.
His voice swirled in the wind like the falling leaves. It was carried away in the twinkling of an eye and left no traces behind.
Chen Rong did not look back. She didn't even stop walking.
Step by step, she walked to the far distance and faded from his sight until she completely vanished...
At length, hoof beats sounded from the road.
A rider dismounted his horse and reported to Wang Hong who was still looking down motionlessly from the loft: "My lord, the Prince of Nan'yang has urgent matters that require your consultation."
Another burst of rapid clopping followed the rider's voice. A different rider rode to them. "My lord," he cried, "the barbarians are in formation outside the city."
"Get the carriage ready."
"Aye."
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The carriage was soon ready.
But Wang Hong did not move. He was still dropping his head so that the cold wind blew his hair and clothes.
A guard hesitantly called, "My lord?"
His cry awakened Wang Hong and made him look up.
He made a reply, but for some reason, his usually clear and gentle eyes now appeared to be filled with a void.
Looking behind his guards, he softly uttered, "Men."
"Aye, sir."
Wang Hong leaned on the railing. His handsome face was slightly lowered, allowing a strand of hair to dangle in front of his eyes, when he quietly said, "Go, keep an eye on Ah Rong of the Chen House... protect her."
Several guards left with his order.
Only until they had left to the distance did Wang Hong slowly let go of the railing and lightly say, "Bury the ones inside."
"Aye."
Two guards traded glances before ascending the staircase.
They pushed open the door and entered the loft.
Shortly after, one clasped his hands together to ask: "My lord, with which ceremony shall we bury these maids?"
Wang Hong slowly walked down and replied without turning around: "Those who hold their master in contempt deserve to die. Just throw them out."
His words again caused the guards to look at each other.
Having followed Wang Hong, they naturally knew that these maids had served him for years. Even if they had had no merits, they had worked hard to serve him. Normally, a master should forgive his servants' mistakes once they were dead... But now that his words were spoken with so little gravity, how would their parents and siblings continue to stay in the Wang family?
Despite their sympathy, neither of the guards questioned him. They bowed and said, "Aye."
Even while these guards were giving him their replies, someone else was recording Wang Hong's words to send to Lang'ya. There was another who was taking his leave. He had wanted to inquire into the cause of their deaths, but Wang Hong's words had concluded the case. How they died or who killed them had no more need for pursuit.
Soon, the carriage took Wang Hong out of the hamlet.
The vehicle had just gotten to the streets of Nan'yang when quickened drums pounded outside. The dreary and rapid beats sent the crowd on the street to a frantic scramble.
Wang Hong's carriage drove faster as the driver cracked his whip through loud hollers.
Very soon, Wang Hong arrived at the north gate.
The five thousand guards from the Wang clan saluted him upon his arrival.
Without lifting his eyes, he serenely went to the fortress wall.
Dozens of scholars were already standing on the fortress, all dressed in loose wide robes. When he saw Wang Hong approach, Yu Zhi met him halfway and laughingly said, "Qilang, you're late."
He stopped suddenly. "What happened? Why are you looking so grim?"
Wang Hong cast him a brief glance without bothering to turn his head. He strode to the wall, leaned on it and looked down.
Twenty thousand Hu soldiers had filed into orderly queues below, their raised flags flapping in the wind.
"Is there any news?" Wang Hong quietly asked.
The advisor who had come to stand behind him nodded and whispered back, "Murong Ke had placed his soldiers on all sides, but the largest number is stationed at your north gate. General Ran wants you to attack from the north to curb the barbarians' main force. The west, south, and east gates will then simultaneously try to break out. This is all that you need to do; leave Murong Ke to Ran Min."
He continued: "General Ran also said if you are reluctant to use your own men, you can replace them with the prince's men. He says Murong Ke's seige of Nan'yang is no joking matter. No matter what, lives will have to be sacrificed."
The advisor wryly smiled at this juncture. Ran Min's words couldn't be more transparent. He could easily get rid of Murong Ke yet he would not do so. That he would appear at the last minute to save Nan'yang was already enough.
Wang Hong slightly curved his mouth and softly replied, "So be it."
"You can pass my order down that I've told Ran Min to show up in Nan'yang, thus we needn't do anything."
The advisor furrowed his brow and uneasily said, "My lord, why are you hiding your capability when you can obviously take care of Murong Ke? You'll disappoint the master if you continue this way."
Wang Hong glanced at him.
His faint glance made the advisor uneasily lower his head.
Wang Hong looked to the distance and slowly said, "I'll pretend I didn't hear those words."
Cold sweat rolled down the advisor's forehead. "Aye."
Time trickled on until noon passed. At the hour of the goat (1pm-3pm), rapid drum beats suddenly pounded.
On the wall at the north gate, a group of armored soldiers orderly lined up. Even though they were all armored, one could see that their styles and colors belonged to different clans.
Wang Hong stood on the wall overlooking these people for a length of time. Then, he turned his head to stare at the unmoving Hu soldiers, waved his right hand, and shouted: "Attack!"
Resonating drumming rose at his order.
The gate opened to the sound of rumbling hooves, allowing riders to dash out.
All of a sudden, the scholars standing on the wall went still. Someone shouted: "Hey, who is that?"
Wang Hong, who was in the midst of giving orders, raised his head at the noises.
He looked up and gave a casual glance.
Color drained from his handsome face. He took a few quick steps forward and grasped the wall, suddenly screaming: "Come back!"
He used all his strength to hoarsely scream: "Ah Rong of the Chen House, come back here for me –"
His voice, however, was drowned out by the drums, shouts, and clashing of war.
No one heard him besides the few who stood nearby.
All the scholars and soldiers were looking at that silhouette.
It was a snow-white figure who held a long whip and rode a tall horse to gallop towards the armies.
She rode very fast. In the twinkling of an eye, she had sprinted in front of the soldiers.
Her loose outfit flapped in the wind... Anyone could see that she wore no armor underneath her dress.
An unarmored girl was racing out to join the two opposing armies in the middle of a war zone...
Gradually, all noises stopped.
Everyone stared after the white figure in disbelief. At long last, a scholar's sigh was heard: "Even a woman dares to join the battlefield when she sees that her country is in danger. Who can say that our people lack courage?"