Chapter 183: Meet Up with Ran Min
Chen Rong wanted to struggle free when she felt his desire growing anew. But when she heard him say 'live for today' she couldn't help but think: Never mind, I don't know what will happen tomorrow. The child may not have the chance at life even if I did get pregnant. I should go along with his wishes.
Thinking thus, she wrapped her arms around his neck and received his kiss. Gradually, the carriage was filled with spring again.
The vehicle slowly traveled through the evening. After spending two nights in the wilderness, it was again dawn.
Chen Rong lay in Wang Hong's embrace and lazily watched the scenery outside.
Wang Hong lowered his head and caressed her bare shoulders. He was afforded a partial view of the swell and valley of her breasts from this position.
In the morning light her mouth was slightly swollen, her eyes shimmering, and her smooth skin alluringly fragrant. She was always like this – utterly bewitching as soon as she laid down her defense.
A hand extended to clasp her bruises again, now much darker than they had been.
Although his touch was light, Chen Rong still winced from the pain. She turned around and complained, "It hurts." Seeing him looking at her, she sniffed her nose aggrievedly and added, "It really does."
Wang Hong closed his hand over her breast and tiredly asked, "Ah Rong?"
"Hmm?"
As he was about to speak, a series of clopping horseshoes arrived outside. "My lord, General Ran is here."
Ran Min is here?
Chen Rong shivered. She heard Wang Hong chuckling above her head. "Didn't the battle just end? Yet he rushed here instead of resting. I can't deny that man's devotion."
Chen Rong downgazed upon his last few words.
Wang Hong glanced at her and ordered, "Get ready."
"Aye."
The carriage stopped. Chen Rong retrieved a set of clothes and helped Wang Hong change. She then reached for the dress that he had prepared for her.
When she touched the white outfit, a hand stilled over hers.
Chen Rong turned around in surprise.
Wang Hong glanced at the white dress and then reached for a red one with goldwork embroidery. "Wear this one," he said, placing it on Chen Rong.
At her puzzled look, he kept his head turned to awkwardly say: "Wear it."
Chen Rong retrieved the dress from him. The pleats gathered like crashing waves and golden strands glittered like morning light. It was altogether an exquisite dress.
She never wore red in the past.
If it wasn't for Murong Ke's coercion, she wouldn't have known that she could look so striking in this color.
At present, she still had conflicting feelings about the color, but since Wang Hong insisted... Chen Rong bit her lips and removed her outer robe. Her slender, snow-white neck and beautifully curved shoulders appeared before Wang Hong's eyes. His hands instinctively reached out towards her skin.
Caressing her, he said, "Your ice-like skin glistens like the moonlight, your jade-like skin is sumptuous and warm. There lies indeed the fabled gentle town."
温柔乡 (gentle town) is a metaphor used to describe a man's infatuation with a woman's sensuality. It traces back to who said his concubine's, , body is so perfect that she's the gentle town he never wished to leave.
Thus recited, he leaned forward and hugged her as he buried his face into her nape.
His hot breath tickled her ear.
She bore the tickles and blushingly smiled. "Qilang, what sweet words you speak. Is this the wedded bliss people speak of, I wonder?"
Her question gave him pause. "My darling, you sound as if you have been yearning for this wedded bliss?"
Chen Rong quickly dropped her gaze.
She had yearned for it since long ago. In her previous life she had been dressed up and seated in front of the gossamer screen, looking out to the greenery and wishing for this untouchable happiness.
Now it was within touch, and so beautiful even if it may only last a few days. Why should she be plagued with worry?
At this thought, Chen Rong gently tilted her head and bit the tip of Wang Hong's nose. She charmingly fluttered her eyes and said, "Name me a girl in this world who doesn't want it."
She turned and held a smile, then removed her clothes with her back to Wang Hong.
When her underclothes slipped to the ground, she heard the breathing behind her growing thicker.
Chen Rong smiled. She picked up the new set of clothes with the grace of a dancer.
She had just drawn the inner layer on when her hands were held in place.
Wang Hong locked her arms from behind and latched his lips on her shoulder.
In the blink of an eye, several tooth marks had appeared.
Chen Rong had no time to cry before he turned his head and bit the spot right below her ear.
When he moved away, she blankly stared into the bronze mirror where the teeth marks were obviously on display.
"What am I going to do?" she cried.
"How do you suppose I'm going to see other people now?" she demanded, while pinching his arm vexedly.
Wang Hong answered in a huff, "You don't have to see anyone in the near future."
What did he mean she didn't have to see anyone? What about Ran Min who was still waiting?!
As soon as Chen Rong thought of Ran Min, she unavoidably looked back and chuckled. "Qilang." She saw Wang Hong, having moved to the window, gazing at the clear sky with an aloof face, the vision of grace.
This brat was putting up a pretense again.
Chen Rong gave him the side-eye and finished putting on the inner layer and the outer robe.
The carriage progressed again after they finished.
The road ahead gradually grew louder. When the carriage pulled to a stop, Chen Rong looked in the mirror and did her hair.
This time, she wore her hair up in the style of married women. She had only managed to slide a hairpin on by the time Wang Hong's gentle voice called to her: "Come down."
"Aye."
He did not wait for her but strode forward.
Chen Rong hurried after him.
A large army appeared two hundred steps in front of her. At first glance, she only saw a sea of heads among the billowing dust trodden by hooves.
There were thousands upon thousands of men.
As they went, someone from the troops dismounted from his horse and walked towards them.
In just a short moment, Wang Hong had arrived under a large banyan tree and stood with his hands clasped together.
Chen Rong went to stand behind him. She squinted in the strong sun.
More than a dozen men strode forward in her field of vision. The one in front looked particularly tall and cruel.
His armor was covered in blood and dirt and had almost no unsoiled spot. There was also a bloodstain under his sharp, wolflike eyes.
The men behind him were all likewise covered in blood and dirt.
The man saw Wang Hong at a glance, twitching his lips into a smile.
Thereupon, he shifted his gaze behind Wang Hong and saw Chen Rong.
Surprise glinted in his eyes.
This translation belongs to hamster428.
Wang Hong strode out.
He bowed to the armored Ran Min and smilingly said, "Congratulations on your victorious return, general."
Ran Min nodded, his eyes remaining on Chen Rong.
"You are looking ever radiant. I take it that you are doing well," he said to her after a while.
Then he turned back to Wang Hong.
Staring at him, his thin lips moved to faintly say: "Qilang of many tricks, your playing the hero has succeeded in making the beauty change her hairstyle."
Wang Hong paused and then looked back at Chen Rong.
His lips slowly upturned to see her married hairstyle.
After withdrawing his gaze from Chen Rong, Wang Hong was positively beaming, happiness glinting from the crinkles of his eyes.
Ran Min scoffed to see Wang Hong like this.
"So, how went the fight?" asked Wang Hong, after some silence.
At the mention of the fight, Ran Min's expression turned somber. He frowned and throated, "Murong Ke lives up to his name. Even with our plans, I could only wipe out Murong Yu's three thousand men. As for the two thousand men he led..."
"Those two thousand got away without a loss."
He looked at Wang Hong, saying: "He situated two thousand men to ambush me on the way and caught me off guard. I had only gotten out when I met Murong Ke himself. By that time I was drained from two consecutive battles. Although I was not outnumbered, we both ended up retreating after some skirmishes."
Wang Hong nodded and quietly replied, "Aye, Murong Ke is exceptionally talented and his men are brave. Fighting recklessly with him can only result in mutual casualty." After a pause, he brought up his own situation: "He saw that I just wanted to take Ah Rong away so he didn't want to risk it."
Ran Min naturally knew this. He nodded. But at Wang Hong's mention of Ah Rong, he glanced at Chen Rong again.
Withdrawing his gaze, Ran Min turned back to Wang Hong. "As you wished, I did not touch the mayor's wealth during the escort... Hu Yancheng who was dispatched by Murong Ke was also driven away."
Wang Hong's surprise was apparent. He stared at Ran Min in amazement and quietly asked, "You didn't take anything?"
Ran Min nodded.
"I had made it clear that he belongs to the House of Wang. They were your spoils to take."
Ran Min didn't reply, instead looking up at Chen Rong.
This time, his gaze was utmost somber.
"I couldn't let this woman be humiliated," he said as he stared at her. "I only wished to save her, those other things aren't important to me."
Without looking at Wang Hong, he unbiddenly added, "Please step back a little so I can speak to her."
At his words, the soldiers retreated one by one. Wang Hong squeezed Chen Rong's hand and also slowly left.
Ran Min took a step forward.
He lowered his head and stared down at Chen Rong.
Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "Did Murong Ke touch you?"
Chen Rong froze at first, then shook her head and quietly replied, "Nay. I persuaded him to let me keep my dignity."
Ran Min did not make a reply.
Surprised, Chen Rong quietly looked up at him.
Under the sun, his razor-sharp eyes resembled flames in the dark. She saw for the first time in them solitude, desolation, and an unspeakable loneliness.
It was with these lonely eyes that he bore into her. "Over and over you have betrayed and wounded me... but I don't blame you for any of it," he murmured at last.