Chapter 38 Madam
When the guards saw him come in, they also asked him a few questions.
After Rong Si gave a perfunctory answer, the guard left.
After all, they were just sent by Long'an, so asking these questions could only be considered as gathering information.
There was simply no time or opportunity to verify the authenticity of the information they provided.
When Rong Si looked up, Yu Wanyin lowered her eyes and continued writing something to herself.
When he came over, Yu Wanyin naturally handed the papers to the old woman, "Where are you looking at these books?"
She is writing a directory.
There were indeed several book titles on the paper.
There was nothing else.
The old woman took the list from Yu Wanyin's hand and looked at it carefully for a while.
Rong Si suddenly spoke up from behind her, "What do you want? Why don't you just say so?"
"I told my mother-in-law one by one, but she didn't have time to look for them, and I forgot about them after a while."
"When I was a child, I always made a list of things to buy when I went out to shop."
Yu Wanyin spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable, and no one suspected her.
She didn't hear what the man behind her was asking, and she secretly suppressed her thoughts.
The old woman took the list and searched for each name one by one, handing one to Yu Wanyin as she found it.
Yu Wanyin was standing beside her, but before she could take the book, it was taken from her by the person behind her.
Yu Wanyin turned around.
Rong Si looked down at her.
As they looked at each other, Yu Wanyin looked away first, ignoring the subtle sense of unease.
Soon Rong Si took over the job of carrying the books.
For Yu Wanyin, a copy of the Book of Documents and a copy of the Book of Han were heavy enough.
But for him, it was incredibly easy.
Rong Si casually flipped through two pages.
It mostly talks about history, culture, and politics.
He doesn't like reading.
I've never liked watching it since I was a child.
"You like watching these?"
"History books are for entertainment," Yu Wanyin replied reluctantly. The books she had written were considered relatively orthodox for women of the time, but in reality, they weren't the only ones she wanted to read.
The old woman casually stuffed another book she had found into Rong Si's hands, saying, "There's still one book on mechanisms left; let me go look for it."
She then walked around to the study and attic.
Yu Wanyin wandered around the bookshelf casually, stopping after taking only a few steps.
She tilted her head slightly and looked at the book "Wei Liao Zi" on the shelf.
Yu Wanyin took the book down and flipped through a couple of pages.
Wei Liaozi is also a military book.
Yu Wanyin remembered that her interest in reading military books did indeed originate from Yu Shao.
She attended school for a few years when she was a child.
Yu Shao disliked studying and doing homework, and whenever he went to school, he would lie and say that he had lost his books.
They actually secretly slipped it into her or Yu Heyue's bookshelf.
If they are discovered, they should say that they stole it.
Yu Wanyin found out at that time.
The books the boys read in school were different from those they read.
Perhaps it's because she's always been manipulated by fate.
Therefore, when Yu Wanyin first saw military strategy, she inexplicably fell in love with the sense of resistance that comes from manipulating existing resources and having others at your fingertips.
It's nothing more than reading books for some solace.
In reality, there's not much she can do.
Later, Nie Shi believed Yu Shao's lie.
Sure enough, military strategy was found in her book box, and Nie accused her of being immoral.
It is considered improper for a woman to study military strategy.
It's alright.
She would secretly watch.
She's gotten used to hiding these things.
In the past, the Chu Emperor had many books in his room, so he could hide them.
That won't work now.
He searched Rong Si's room three times, inside and out, but couldn't find a single book.
After thinking it over, Yu Wanyin put the book away and returned it to the shelf.
She looked away and went elsewhere.
The old woman rummaged through drawers and cabinets upstairs and found the book on mechanical arts.
They took them all at once.
Yu Wanyin didn't need many books.
There are only five books in total; the rest are just miscellaneous writings.
Rong Si leaned against one side, flipping through one of the books in his hand.
The old woman found all the items and walked to the table.
Yu Wanyin followed.
The old woman counted the books one by one, and when she reached the end, she asked Rong Si, "Young master, would you like that one you're holding?"
Rong Si closed his eyes and casually said, "Hmm."
As he spoke, he stacked the books on top.
Yu Wanyin didn't pay attention at first, but suddenly felt that the book cover looked familiar.
Upon closer inspection, I discovered three characters prominently displayed: "Wei Liao Zi".
Yu Wanyin thought she was seeing things.
She turned to look at the man who had his hands on the books.
Rong Si's expression was relaxed, probably not taking it seriously, but he was puzzled by her reaction, "You've been looking at it for so long, didn't you want it?"
Yu Wanyin moved her lips, but for a moment she didn't know what to say.
Rong Si asked again, "Do you want it?"
Yu Wanyin's voice was very soft, and it took her a while to finally manage to utter a single word, "Yes."
This was the first time she had admitted that she wanted this.
Yu Wanyin was not used to it.
Seeing her staring longingly at the book, Rong Si's ears softened.
If you want it, then you have it.
How does she manage to say such a simple sentence...?
Yu Wanyin didn't know why she said it in such an awkward tone when she was just asking for a book.
She felt embarrassed.
This very reaction made things seem even more off.
Yu Wanyin stopped looking at him.
The old woman didn't notice anything unusual between them. After counting the books and settling the bill, she wrapped them up.
Yu Wanyin went out first.
Rong Si followed behind, carrying the things.
Before mounting her horse, Yu Wanyin watched the slowly setting sun and asked casually, "You just told me to go to the study by myself. Weren't you afraid I'd run away?"
Rong Si walked towards her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I just wanted to ask..." Before Yu Wanyin could finish speaking, he grabbed her waist and lifted her onto the horse.
Rong Si mounted his horse behind her and tightened the reins, saying, "Any place I can send you to is a place where I can catch you even if you run away."
"Want to give it a try?"
This is a hunting tactic similar to feigning indifference to lure prey into a trap.
The pleasure comes from the process of letting go of the prey and then bringing it back to punish it.
He punished her until she dared not leave him.
He was an extremely talented hunter in the mountains.
Judging from his tone, Yu Wanyin knew this was probably not a very fun game. "I won't try it."
She said, seemingly casually, "I told you before that I agreed to marry you because I wanted to live a good life. Even if I run away, where can I go?"
Rong Si remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
As dusk approached, they hurried back to the village before the sun went down.
The items that were previously purchased in the street and delivered by vendors have all been collected by the village's men and sent up the mountain.
Yu Wanyin dismounted and saw that the bandits had placed the items in front of her house, waiting for them to return and deal with them.
She strongly suspected that Rong Si had brought back everything from the entire perfume shop.
There are several boxes of laundry detergent powder alone, not to mention other things.
Rong Si, carrying a bundle of books, passed by her and strode into the house.
A subtle, delicate fragrance of lily of the valley greets you as you enter.
The fragrance blends seamlessly with the scent of grass and trees in the mountains outside; it is subtle and gentle, yet quite unique.
It disappears when you smell it carefully.
Rong Si walked to a table shelf and casually placed the package on it and opened it.
As they moved, the scent of lily of the valley wafted over from somewhere again.
The wisps and strands drift and sway, intertwining and disturbing the mind.
It was more alluring than any perfume he had smelled in the perfume shop that day.
Rong Si frowned slightly, disturbed.
When Yu Wanyin came in from outside, she saw him with a tense face, unpacking a package.
Yu Wanyin didn't know what was going on, but she was afraid that he might not be careful and damage the books he had bought.
She stepped forward and said, "I'll take care of these."
As soon as she approached, the ethereal fragrance became clearer.
It's like suddenly finding the source of elusive smoke.
I know she is the culprit who disturbs people's minds.
Rong Si stopped what he was doing.
Yu Wanyin moved the books over and began to tidy up.
Organizing books is a very simple and easy task.
Yu Wanyin arranged them by category and placed them on the bookshelf.
Rong Si stood aside and watched as she arranged everything very neatly. The entire room, including the tables, chairs, cabinets, beds, and wall decorations, was kept spotless.
The wall hangings in the bandit camp were decorated with images of ox-headed and horse-faced demons, tiger and wolf bones, and the houses were built against the mountain rocks. Occasionally, large tree roots would be visible on the walls of the caves, and all the houses were filled with the atmosphere of the mountains and forests.
The once rugged and flamboyant wedding nest now features a more neat and exquisite arrangement.
Her books were organized by category, her scattered hairpins by color, and a layer of embroidered soft cloth was laid on the bare wooden table, the colors of which complemented the table in a pleasing way.
They added some soil to the tree roots clinging to the wall and placed small wildflowers inside.
Rong Si walked to the wall and touched the wildflowers that were in full bloom.
The wildflower petals swayed gently in response to his fingers.
Yu Wanyin turned around and saw his action.
Rong Si asked, "Did you do all of this?"
These were things Yu Wanyin casually arranged while recuperating in her room a few days ago, "just passing the time when I had nothing to do in the room."
Rong Si let the flower go, saying, "My room has never been this beautiful."
He could barely believe that she wanted to live a good life with him.
Yu Wanyin was taken aback when he suddenly mentioned "his house".
It was only when he came to his senses that he realized this house was their wedding room, and he had a share in it too.
She had spent so much time with Aunt Duan that she almost forgot about him; he could stay here too.
It's just not available for now.
Rong Si turned around and saw her reaction, and raised his eyebrows sharply.
He easily took in her surprise and panic.
He probably figured out what she was thinking.
Suddenly, he asked, "How long have we been living in separate rooms?"
Yu Wanyin's eyelashes fluttered twice. "Huh?"
“It’s been five days.” Rong Si had calculated it very clearly. “Since you’ve decided to live with me, I’ll move back in two days at most.”
Yu Wanyin immediately tensed up, her expression slightly flustered, "I only look better, I still..."
After Rong Si finished speaking, he didn't give her any time to refute or back out, and went straight out the door.
He still holds the same idea.
There is no reason for married couples to sleep in separate rooms.
If they continue to separate, what kind of couple are they?
Even in official circles, newlyweds take a seven-day break at home.
He, on the other hand, separated into different rooms and lived separately after only seven days of marriage.
Yu Wanyin's thoughts were instantly thrown into disarray as she watched him leave.
To this day, she still cannot imagine being in the same room with him.
She thought that everything would be alright for a while.
How could it be that in just five days...
Yu Wanyin stood there for a moment, just about to go out to find Aunt Duan.
Her subordinates outside called out to her, "My lady, dinner is ready. The lord wants you to come out for a meal and some fresh air."
Yu Wanyin's heart pounded whenever she heard the words "my lord".
"He called me..."
The dinner in the village is different from that in Shang'an.
They like to eat out.
Especially when the autumn sky is clear and the air is crisp.
The courtyard was brightly lit, accompanied by the mountain breeze, with a full moon hanging high overhead and a vast starry sky.
Eating and chatting at the same time is the most common thing in the village.
However, when it's windy or rainy, people often eat in their own houses.
Yu Wanyin had been recuperating for a while and had been staying indoors for dinner.
She found this way of dining novel and thought it looked very lively.
After all, she used to eat by herself back in the Yu family mansion.
For many people, eating means something important is happening to her.
But it doesn't seem to be the case for the people here.
Yu Wanyin walked out hesitantly.
Several boys saw her come out and hurriedly urged their companions to prepare bowls and chopsticks.
It seemed that it was the first time the group had ever taken care of a woman, so they were a little flustered and bumped into each other while walking.
In the end, quite out of sync, Yu Wanyin's bowl and chopsticks were placed on two separate tables.
Following her usual practice when visiting the village, she placed one copy next to Aunt Duan's seat, and the other on Rong Si's table.
There was no one else at Rong Si's table. Zong Cheng, who had been sitting next to her, had tactfully left after seeing Yu Wanyin come out.
Yu Wanyin stood still, gently pursing her lips.
Actually, she wanted to go to Aunt Duan's place more...
Yu Wanyin took a few quick steps in that direction, and then Rong Si came into her view.
While talking to the people around him, he grabbed the bowl and chopsticks next to Aunt Duan's seat and handed them to his subordinates to take away.
He didn't give Yu Wanyin a chance to sit at a separate table from him at all.
Rong Si pulled out the chair next to him, slowly patted the back of the seat, and said in a deep voice with an unspoken sense of pressure, "Sit here."
Yu Wanyin: "..."
She really felt that sometimes this man was domineering, rude, and unreasonable.
Everyone pretended to chat casually, but in reality, they were all secretly watching what was happening over here.
Yu Wanyin sat down.
Someone brought out the food, and Yu Wanyin's meal was different from the others'.
In other words, it's like giving her special treatment.
"These are all fresh catches that our lord hunted yesterday."
As dusk approached, Yu Wanyin couldn't see what was inside clearly, but she vaguely thought it looked like a black-boned chicken.
The wild game hunted and killed in the mountains is quite different from the game sold in Shang'an City.
Just sitting in front of it, you can smell its unique and delicious aroma.
Yu Wanyin was very reserved at first.
Fortunately, not long after Rong Si sat down, someone came up from the foot of the mountain to call him.
The man who came to summon him was wearing armor.
They were dressed like proper bandits; Yu Wanyin rarely saw this group of people in the village.
She was somewhat curious, so she pretended to eat while secretly listening to what the soldier and Rong Si were saying.
"We have inspected the newly captured weapons from the Hu people, and their rigidity and strength are far superior to those captured from Shang'an."
"The batch from Shang'an was very fragile. I guess someone cut corners in the production. They couldn't withstand any attacks at all. No wonder two cities fell in seven days."
Rong Si listened as he walked away into the distance.
As they talked, their voices were eventually drowned out by the noise of the mountains and fields.
Yu Wanyin felt a little regretful that she hadn't been able to hear much, but it wasn't hard to understand from the rest of the conversation.
She just hadn't thought of that before.
The weapons that Rong Si and his men captured were not intended to fill their own arsenal, but rather to assess the strength of the enemy forces.
It seems that the weapons manufactured by the Yingzhou General Army are no match for those of the Northern Chi.
This situation is very unfavorable for Yingzhou.
That means that if the Northern Chi tribes really want to fight, unless Yingzhou has a strong army, it will be difficult to resist them.
But with this troop strength, how could it possibly be substantial?
After discussing things with him for a while from a distance, Rong Si returned.
The bandits received their orders and then withdrew to make arrangements.
Yu Wanyin then held the small bowl of chicken soup and ate two mouthfuls carefully.
Rong Si sat down, and Yu Wanyin couldn't help but ask, "Is the situation outside very bad?"
Rong Si didn't intend for her to know any of this, and casually said, "It's nothing."
Yu Wanyin muttered under her breath, "I was just chatting with you. If you're just going to brush me off, then forget it."
Rong Si felt uneasy at these words, so he added a brown sugar cake to her plate, his deep breaths suggesting a compromise, "I wasn't just giving you the runaround."
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings.
Yu Wanyin asked casually, "The Northern Chi tribes have been invading repeatedly. If they were to reach Jiangling one day, how would you plan to deal with it?"
Rong Si replied seriously this time, "Let them fight their battle. In the midst of the chaos, the Hu people won't allocate a large force to suppress the bandits. Our mountain is safe for the time being."
Yu Wanyin said unhurriedly, "When they really fight their way up the mountain, that will be the time when the Northern Chi tribe occupies Yingzhou."
She tentatively asked, "Do you want to surrender to the Northern Chi?"
Rong Si frowned. "No."
Yu Wanyin felt more at ease after receiving his affirmation.
She remembered what Su Fang had said.
According to Su Fang, Rong Si's father was a garrison general who had been defending against foreign powers for many years, and he had also sacrificed himself because of foreign powers. If he hated Chu Yu, then he would also hate the Hu people.
But Yu Wanyin could vaguely sense it.
Rong Si hesitated to act for two reasons, one being that he could not conspire with the officials in Yingzhou who were his enemies.
Another reason is that he now holds too many lives in his hands.
He led these people out of Yuanchuan and paved a way for them to survive, and he never intended for them to easily go and die again.
This may explain why he was in the arms trade and only sold firearms for city defense, not for offense.
But some things are right in front of us.
Yu Wanyin said softly, "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; it's still difficult to remain unaffected."
Rong Si looked up.
Yu Wanyin was lost in thought.
Noticing the burning gaze... sure enough, she saw someone staring at her instead of eating.
Yu Wanyin tried to change the subject, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Rong Si then came to his senses, "I'm done eating."
Upon closer inspection, Yu Wanyin found that his bowl was indeed empty.
Eat so fast.
She didn't even notice how he ate his meal.
Rong Si got up and walked away, and soon pulled out a basket of chestnuts from somewhere.
It was freshly stir-fried in the pan and was still steaming hot when it was placed on the table.
With nothing to do, he sat down to peel chestnuts, listening to the young bandits chatting idly.
Aside from serious matters related to arms dealing, he basically doesn't participate in such mundane topics.
I mostly listened from the sidelines.
However, occasionally some children would come to him asking him to uphold justice or distinguish right from wrong.
Rong Si then spoke a few words in a deep voice.
He usually maintains a cold and somber demeanor when interacting with others.
Yu Wanyin thought.
This is quite different from when he was always looking for a way to settle scores with her.
Rong Si peeled a chestnut and placed it on the plate next to her.
Yu Wanyin had actually eaten her fill long ago, but since everyone was there, she couldn't just leave out of courtesy.
She listened to the children chatting along with them.
Occasionally, when I have a spare moment, I'll grab a peeled chestnut and eat it.
Chestnuts freshly picked from the mountains will be slightly undercooked when stir-fried.
The soft, sweet fruit has a fresher flavor.
Before I knew it, I had eaten a few more.
Yu Wanyin realized she was quite full when she said, "You don't need to peel any more for me, I can't eat anymore."
Rong Si ignored him and continued peeling, saying, "If I can't eat it, I'll eat it."
He is energetic and has a relatively large appetite.
Upon hearing this, Yu Wanyin stopped trying to stop him.
It wasn't until it was completely dark that the people in the courtyard gradually dispersed.
The tables, chairs, and seats were all tidied up.
Rong Si delivered the fabrics he had purchased during the day to the main camp and told her, "I'll ask you to pick out the fabrics later."
"Oh." Yu Wanyin answered subconsciously, then suddenly realized—
What kind of material should we choose?
Yu Wanyin wanted to ask more questions, but Rong Si had already gone to the main camp, so she had to keep quiet.
After returning to her room and quickly washing up, she leaned against the couch, flipping through books and waiting for someone.
As darkness fell, the village quieted down, and everyone prepared to rest.
The tranquil mountain forest at night is a breeding ground for ambiguity.
She knew Rong Si was coming in advance, so unlike usual, she wasn't disturbed.
She was so engrossed in reading that she didn't bother to pay him any attention.
Rong Si stepped into the room, not hearing much of her reaction, and slowly looked over.
Instead, one is greeted by a beautiful scene of a beautiful woman appreciating poetry and books.
Her long hair was loose but simply tied up, with a wisp of hair falling behind her ear, curving into a pretty arc. Her cheeks were still wet with water droplets, like beautiful flower petals that had just been soaked in water.
Yu Wanyin was quiet by nature, which complemented her literary works and books. The tender branches and leaves, along with the wild animal bones that filled her room, created a strong contrast.
It was as if she never belonged here.
And with nowhere to escape, he imprisoned them in his mountain lair.
They allowed themselves to be bullied by wild beasts.
Rong Si's steps became much lighter.
But the more subtle his movements, the stronger his presence.
Before hunting, wild animals in the jungle will lower their noise level to lull their prey into a false sense of security.
As he slowly approached, Yu Wanyin noticed him. She touched the snow-white carpet with her toes and slightly propped herself up to ask, "I forgot to ask you, what kind of fabric did you want me to pick out?"
Rong Si was lost in thought for a moment.
She lowered her eyes slightly, and when she spoke again, her voice was hoarse, "Didn't you tear that one before?"
Stepping into the heart of the marriage nest.
Today, the scent of lilies of the valley that had once bothered him wafts in again.
Rong Si's eyes held an indescribable darkness as he walked up to her and laid out three pieces of fabric for her.
Yu Wanyin suddenly regretted asking the question. She looked at the size and cut of the fabric...
Just as Rong Si was about to speak, Yu Wanyin covered his lips, afraid that he would say something unpleasant. "Alright, I know what kind of material it is."
Yu Wanyin discovered that he really liked to put everything out in the open...
I don't know whether to say he's honest or shameless.
But Yu Wanyin was overwhelmed with shame. Feeling embarrassed, she gathered the object he had casually displayed into her palm and said, "You're just showing it to me like this?"
When Yu Wanyin looked at him, she realized that they were quite close to each other.
She was so close that she could see her own thinly dressed self deep within those amber eyes.
And the aggressive intent that was clearly evident in his eyes.
Yu Wanyin's heart skipped a beat, and she belatedly let go.
The scent of lily of the valley covering his mouth and nose was about to dissipate, making the man feel a little anxious.
It was as if, once he let her go, her fragrance would linger on him like wisps of elusive smoke.
Rong Si seized her wrist and asked, "So, how would you like me to show it to you, Madam?"
When Yu Wanyin heard him call her "Madam," she instantly sensed danger.
He was pinching her wrist.
His slightly rough calluses on his palms were gently kneaded and rubbed against the soft flesh on the inside of her wrists, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily.
This instantly stirred up a layer of fine downy hair on Yu Wanyin's body, causing her to hunch her shoulders as well. "Fine, this will do."
Rong Si took in her reaction.
That's when I realized that she probably wasn't delicate no matter where I touched her.
It's so sensitive that it can feel anything when touched.
“This,” Yu Wanyin said, unaware that her secret had been discovered. She looked down and rummaged through a piece of fabric, wanting to make her choice and send him away as soon as possible, “I think this one might be better.”
But she moved a little too quickly, and her soft, long hair, which was simply tied up behind her, came loose with her movements, brushing against the man's face, chest and abdomen.
Rong Si did not move.
Yu Wanyin pinched the small piece of fabric and stuffed it into his hand.
Unexpectedly, once her hand was placed in his, she couldn't get it out.
I felt a powerful force enveloping my hand in a large palm.
It completely exposed the man's barely concealed desires.
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