Chapter 59 Evil Desire
Yu Wanyin never expected to run into Chu Yu here.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Qin Yuan's hand.
Qin Yuan noticed that she was tightening her fingers and thought she had fallen and hurt herself. "Madam, did you fall somewhere?"
One of the accompanying guards must have heard it, because he stepped forward to check Yu Wanyin's injuries.
But the person who came was Wu Zhou.
Wu Zhou walked up to her, looked at the woman wearing a black veil, and was about to reach out to help her up.
Yu Wanyin instinctively flinched.
Wu Zhou's outstretched hand hovered in mid-air before he politely withdrew it.
Qin Yuan helped Yu Wanyin up.
Wu Zhou asked, "Is this lady injured?"
Yu Wanyin shook her head.
She stood there hesitating for a long time, her eyelids slightly raised, but she didn't dare to look in that direction.
Just as Yu Wanyin was lost in thought, she heard the Prefect of Ganning come down and berate the soldier, "How could you be so reckless? How have I always taught you?!"
"If it weren't for the timely intervention of the Marquis of Chu, wouldn't this lady have been injured?!"
The people standing to the side gathered together, watching the prefect reprimand the soldier and discussing it amongst themselves.
Amidst the commotion, Yu Wanyin heard the words "Lord of Chu" again.
These successive implicit messages left her somewhat dazed.
She murmured the title "Lord of Chu" to herself several times.
It's hard to believe.
Along the way, she probably heard the name of the Marquis of Chu and the Rong tribesman far too many times.
Is it the Marquis of Chu that she's thinking of?
After scolding the guards, the prefect turned to Yu Wanyin and said, "Madam, you fell quite hard. Why don't you come with us to the carriage and let the female physician check if you are injured?"
Yu Wanyin refused repeatedly, "No need, I wasn't seriously injured, and I have some important matters to attend to."
She gave a simple bow and said, "Thank you for your concern, Prefect."
As she spoke, she pulled Qin Yuan away.
Inside the carriage, the man with a handsome face and a noble, aloof demeanor looked up upon hearing the voice.
His gaze lingered on the ink-wash black dress and the hazy, indistinct veil, following her as she left.
Her dress fluttered gently, exuding a graceful and composed aura.
From a distance, they even look somewhat alike.
Yu Wanyin could feel the lingering gaze on her body.
She didn't disappear from them until they left the crowd.
She confirmed that Chu Yu was still alive after a long time.
But when he actually appeared before her, she was somewhat at a loss.
She knew perfectly well that they could not acknowledge each other.
Based on Yu Wanyin's understanding of Chu Yu.
He sent Chao Yue to find her, and if he found her, he would not let her leave again.
Yu Wanyin thought of the countless nights she had been imprisoned, when he had held her tightly and entangled her.
He stirred every one of her senses, making her feel his presence, and all he said was, "I really want to hide Yao Yao away."
"Hide away, so that only I can see you."
Besides, she has already married someone else.
Three days after his accident.
If he finds out, he'll probably go crazy and hide her away.
Will he torment her and punish her for her betrayal?
That must be quite tough.
Yu Wanyin didn't want to take that risk.
No matter how you look at it, it seems like they're not really suited to see each other again.
Perhaps before long, he will be just like Rong Si, busy with important matters and forget about her.
However, just when Yu Wanyin thought she had concealed her secret perfectly...
As the carriages and horses passed by, leaving behind a mess at the city gate entrance, Wu Zhou was about to turn back when he caught a glimpse of the exquisite object that had accidentally fallen to the ground.
Wu Zhou frowned and picked it up.
Meanwhile, the procession leaving the city began its journey, and the surrounding populace was gradually dispersed.
Wu Zhou stepped forward and handed the things he had picked up to Chu Yu.
The jade whistle, dusty with a few specks of dirt, suddenly appeared in Chu Yu's sight!
Chu Yu was slightly taken aback, then immediately reached out and took it.
He couldn't possibly not recognize this.
This is something he specially left for her.
If he only thought it looked like it before, now Chu Yu is absolutely certain!
Chu Yu propped himself up slightly, as if to get up.
But after realizing what was happening, he sat back down in a daze, feeling uneasy.
So, that's why she recognized him just now.
You were in a hurry to get away, weren't you?
When Prefect Gan Ning saw a crack appear on Chu Yu's calm face, he assumed that Chu Yu was angry because of them. He panicked and quickly apologized, "Today's events were really sudden. I don't know why that person was so reckless."
Chu Yu gently tightened his fingers, holding the jade whistle in his palm.
Her voice was clear and melodious, but what she said was, "If the prefect doesn't know, then he's just being disobedient. Kill him."
"Yes, yes, yes..." Prefect Gan Ning replied, only to realize something was wrong. "Killed?"
He was killed simply for rudely arguing with a woman?
Chu Yu didn't say much.
His carriages drove the Prefect of Ganning away as soon as they left the city.
The prefect of Ganning looked blankly at the city gate.
But they discovered that the guard who had almost bumped into Yu Wanyin was nowhere to be found.
A guard rushed over, "Prefect, over there, over there..."
"What's going on? Can't you talk properly?" The prefect was annoyed by their noise and followed their directions to a spot at the foot of the city wall.
To their horror, they saw the corpses of both man and horse lying quietly in the corner.
Blood was everywhere.
The Prefect of Ganning tensed up and fainted instantly from fright.
Inside the carriage outside the city, Wu Zhou whispered, "I was thinking that if we went further south, we would reach the border between Bei Chi and Nan Long, and it would be difficult to go to Shu Ping to find Madam. I didn't expect Madam to come first."
Wu Zhou felt this was a joyous occasion, as he had finally found a wife.
But the atmosphere is not quite like that now.
Wu Zhou glanced at Chu Yu's expression. "My lord, shall we go and bring the madam over?"
Chu Yu gazed quietly at the distant, layered mountains, the coolness of the jade whistle seeping into his fingertips.
He slowly ground the jade whistle between his fingers, as if he were grinding someone.
The force was not light.
Even the jade knuckles were tinged with white, as if one could crush the jade whistle with their bare hands.
She must have realized it was him before he did.
But why won't she acknowledge him?
Previously hidden doubts resurfaced.
It's like she met Chao Yue first, even though she knew it was Chao Yue.
He might even know that Chao Yue was the one he sent to find her, so why doesn't he acknowledge it?
Previously, Chu Yu had thought that she might have had reservations, or that she might have been coerced.
So what about now?
No one had coerced her earlier.
Why.
Seeing that his master had not responded for a long time, Wu Zhou did not dare to speak.
Chu Yu sat upright in the carriage, his increasingly dark thoughts slowly engulfing him.
He had imagined a thousand different scenarios of meeting her, but he never imagined that they would meet and not recognize each other like this.
The anxiety, gloom, and dissatisfaction from not being able to find it before, combined with the dazedness and secret joy of seeing it for the first time, created an indescribable feeling of possessiveness.
Her avoidance instantly ignited his repressed, sinister desires, swallowing up his reason.
Yao Yao is really naughty.
You're making him worry so much, yet you still avoid him.
He misses her.
I want her.
I wanted to tell her all my almost insane delusions and fantasies.
It might scare her, but that's okay, he can coax her back.
She was afraid of him and avoided him.
Yao Yao should be punished.
After a long while, Chu Yu's cold and gloomy voice rang out as he stared intently at a certain spot, "It doesn't matter. If this is lost, she will have no choice but to come looking for me."
Yu Wanyin, who was in the city, only slowly came to her senses after she and Qin Yuan found an inn to stay at.
Qin Yuan was packing her things when she noticed Yu Wanyin's distracted state and couldn't help but ask, "Were you scared?"
Yu Wanyin composed herself, but the lingering unease remained. "A little."
"That horse was in such a hurry, like it was rushing to be reincarnated."
Qin Yuan was also somewhat dissatisfied.
Running like this in crowded places, they're probably afraid of not hitting anyone. "I guess these people are like this all the time."
Yu Wanyin was startled, but not because of the horse. She was silent for a moment, then casually brought it up, "That Marquis of Chu, he came here today to discuss things with them, so why did he leave the city? Did they not reach an agreement?"
Qin Yuan thought so too, "I'll go ask."
If they can't reach an agreement, a fight would be another problem.
After Qin Yuan left.
Yu Wanyin quickly drifted off into thought again.
Chu Yu probably didn't recognize her.
She was dressed very differently today than usual, and she was also wearing a veiled hat.
There was a long distance between them.
It's unlikely that they would be able to recognize it.
Even after comforting herself in this way, Yu Wanyin still felt somewhat uneasy.
Honestly, now that she finally knew Chu Yu was alright, she should go and ask him a few questions.
However, their relationship is unusual.
Chu Yu's personality was something she really didn't dare to do.
Yu Wanyin had to suppress her emotions and think positively. Chu Yu was now the Marquis of Chu, with fame and power in his hands, so he didn't need her care.
Besides, she had arrived at the place she had arranged to meet her family.
That's what's most important to her right now.
Yu Wanyin calmed down after thinking about it.
I found paper and pen in the package.
She planned to write a letter to see if she could send it to her older sister.
Tell them she has arrived.
I'll also check on my sister's situation.
Just as Yu Wanyin finished writing, Qin Yuan returned with the information.
Qin Yuan chatted with the shopkeeper downstairs for a long time. When she came back, she drank some water because her mouth was dry. She told him what she had heard, "The shopkeeper said it's not that simple, but it's not likely to break out into a fight."
“This prefect of Ganning is cunning; they are currently in a crucial position.”
"Ganning is a good place with abundant resources. But the prefect knows his worth and won't easily reach an agreement, but he also doesn't want to start a war."
"He probably wants to stall for time and negotiate a situation and price that is most favorable to him."
Yu Wanyin listened and said, "At a time like this, you're still thinking about these things."
Qin Yuan leaned to the side, "Who says otherwise? A bunch of old foxes."
Yu Wanyin looked at her thoughtfully, "You want the Marquis of Chu to take charge of this place?"
"Today he seems a bit more reliable than this prefect, but the main thing is I don't want to fight."
Qin Yuan is a businesswoman who dislikes trouble.
"I don't want to either." Yu Wanyin finished writing the letter, put it away, and realized that if a fight broke out, the chances of her making it home safely would be even smaller.
But if Chu Yu takes control of Gan Ning, will he often run into him?
Just like today.
Yu Wanyin quickly realized that she was overthinking things.
It was just a coincidence that we encountered it.
She can just go out less from now on.
When her older sister and the others arrived, she went with them.
Yu Wanyin dismissed those unfounded wild thoughts, took the letter, and prepared to go to the post station.
Before leaving, she subconsciously touched the jade pendant at her waist.
It's not as easy to reach out and touch as usual.
Yu Wanyin missed her target this time!
Her body stiffened for a moment, then she pretended to be calm and looked down to search.
But at this moment, her waist was empty, without a trace of a jade pendant.
*
After the flames of war and the smoke of battle subsided.
The banner bearing the character "蚩" above a city fell down and was replaced by one bearing the character "陇".
Han soldiers were once again stationed on the city walls.
The plaque on the city gate was taken down, cleaned, and replaced.
The city had been ravaged by the Northern Chi tribes, leaving the once beautiful town in ruins.
The sound of patrolling footsteps filled the air, each one resounding and orderly as they marched down the long street.
The patrols were conducted in two groups: one group inspected the safety of the city, while the other group, as usual, helped with the town's renovations.
They could occasionally find people hiding in their houses and cellars.
At first, the people were terrified when they were discovered, thinking they were going to be forced into labor.
Unexpectedly, they came to help him repair his house.
The grain shed remained standing, but that gentle figure was no longer around.
When some people received relief grain, they expressed their gratitude and asked, "Who is the benefactor who is providing us with relief now?"
The soldiers distributing the provisions all said, "Our Queen."
However, there was no trace of the Queen.
Only one name remains, passed down among the common people, which sounds peaceful and stable.
Rong Si sat by the fire and added fuel to the fire in front of him.
The fire raged up instantly!
Rong Si remained motionless, silently watching the rising flames.
He wiped the blood off the long sword in his hand and rolled it through the raging fire.
The fire crackled and popped intermittently as it burned.
Rong Si, however, seemed completely oblivious.
He lowered his eyes, a dark fire flickering in them with the wind.
Zong Cheng walked in from outside and hesitantly reported, "My lord, there is still no trace of the Queen."
Not only was there no trace, but there wasn't even a whisper.
Even when they asked along the way if they had seen a woman resembling a female ruler, they found none.
They have now searched all the places they could reach.
Rong Si remained silent, staring intently at a certain spot.
After a long time, he placed the cleaned knife aside and sheathed it.
The sharp blade scraped against the scabbard, producing a cold, trembling sound.
It exudes a sharp and dangerous aura.
Just like its owner.
Rong Si looked at the blazing, thriving flames.
They always felt that Yu Wanyin had nowhere else to go or relatives to rely on except Shang'an.
But one person was always overlooked.
Chu Yu.
Why did he never think of Chu Yu?
Did she leave him to find Chu Yu?
Rong Si suddenly lifted his eyelids and stared at Zong Cheng.
Zong Cheng felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze.
Rong Si's thin lips, stained with blood, parted slightly, his voice deep and filled with murderous intent, "Yanzhou, where have we reached?"
*
The Northern Chi seem to be in no hurry to confront the Rong Si.
Instead, they devoured many northern cities, almost reaching the borders of Yanzhou.
In the battle for the city, the three sides—the defenders, the defenders, and the defenders—are all experiencing a balance of power, with one side gaining at the expense of the other.
At night, soldiers came to the camp to report on the lost cities.
King Bei Chi pondered for a moment, but didn't seem to care much.
Victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare.
No one will lose their composure over a few cities during wartime.
The King of Bei Chi was still looking through the letter that the King of Dai had sent before his death.
The Prince of Dai led the Rong Si to counterattack the attack on Daizhou, and then revealed how they used treacherous schemes to sow discord within his royal family and undermine the loyalty of his subjects.
Every word and sentence was written in great detail.
The person who orchestrated this was Rong Si's wife.
Madam... Jiangling bandit stronghold.
The Northern Chi King had another letter in his hand.
The handwriting was delicate, and it said that she was in a bandit stronghold at the time and asked her elder sister and aunt if they could come.
The location to pick her up is Jiangling.
He only connected the two places after receiving frequent battle reports about the enemy recently.
The wife of the bandits in Jiangling.
This is a military camp.
It turned out to be her husband.
No wonder that letter came from Jiangling, not Shang'an.
Unable to find anyone in Shang'an, he received this letter. After sending the letter back, he changed his route and headed east to Ganning.
Therefore, he wasn't too fixated on holding onto Shang'an.
The King of the North read this letter for what felt like the umpteenth time.
When I reread it in my spare time, I can still appreciate the captivating charm of that intelligent and beautiful woman. "She was the wolf she raised; no wonder she is so brave."
The King of Bei Chi didn't blame him, saying, "He's a promising individual."
Just then, someone came to deliver a message outside the tent.
The messenger presented the letter to the King of Beichi, saying, "Your Majesty, she has arrived in Ganning."
"We're waiting for you."
*
After the spring warmed up, there was more rain.
It rained for two days in a row, and Yu Wanyin searched along the city gate for two days, but still could not find the jade pendant. She and Qin Yuan even questioned the passers-by and pawnshops.
What if someone picks it up and sells it?
But it still hasn't been found.
If they didn't fall in the city, then they can only search outside the city.
They could only go up the mountain after the heavy rain.
Yu Wanyin had considered the worst-case scenario.
Chu Yu picked up her jade pendant.
Outside Ganning City, vegetation gradually flourished, mountain paths turned green, and clear streams flowed by.
Yu Wanyin followed Qin Yuan upstairs.
Even if we could go up the mountain, the weather wasn't very good. The sky was covered with dark clouds, and everything was shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see clearly.
After all, Yu Wanyin remembered that the jade pendant was still there before she entered the city, so she couldn't have dropped it too far. She searched for it on the nearby mountain road.
The mountain path, washed clean by the heavy rain, exuded a fresh, mossy fragrance, but the more Yu Wanyin searched, the colder her heart felt.
It doesn't seem like it'll happen at all.
Qin Yuan held a wooden stick in her hand, poking and prodding around. "Is this thing important?"
“Important.” Yu Wanyin stepped up the stone steps and walked up the mountain.
The mud in the mountains inevitably stained and dirtied Yu Wanyin's skirt. "But if we really can't find it, so be it."
The token was for meeting her.
But even without this, it shouldn't be difficult to find someone.
It's just a thought that matters.
They found their way when dark clouds began to roll overhead, with occasional rumbles of thunder.
Qin Yuan looked up and murmured, "Is it going to rain?"
Then large raindrops began to fall from above.
Qin Yuan couldn't help but say, "My foul mouth."
Yu Wanyin quickly opened her oil-paper umbrella and prepared to go down the mountain with Qin Yuan, saying, "The weather in the mountains changes all the time."
She had lived in the mountains for a long time, but she also knew that when it rained in the mountains, an umbrella was basically useless.
"Let's find a place to hide. Maybe this cloud will pass and stop soon."
Qin Yuan remembered, "When we came up here just now, we saw a bamboo inn down below."
Yu Wanyin could only agree with this.
The rain was pouring down, and there was no way to avoid it by simply holding an umbrella.
They hurried down a section of mountain path and, upon seeing the bamboo inn, slipped inside.
Perhaps because of the rain, the inn was quite deserted.
The innkeeper's waiter stepped forward and asked, "Are you two here for a meal or to stay the night?"
Qin Yuan brushed the rain off her clothes. She was fine; as someone who worked as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) year-round, her clothes were made of a special material that didn't get wet easily, so brushing them off would make her feel better.
He couldn't help but look at Yu Wanyin.
Yu Wanyin's clothes became slightly damp from the rain.
Qin Yuan thought it wouldn't work, so she suggested, "Let's stay at a hotel."
"Take this lady to a house, we'll sit here for half a day, and leave before dark."
The waiter agreed and led them to the backyard.
Qin Yuan looked around and realized that the bamboo house was very new. She vaguely remembered that when they came down the mountain three days ago, there didn't seem to be this house yet.
But upon closer inspection, how could that be?
Perhaps she did, but she forgot.
The waiter, with keen insight, found a stove, added charcoal, and placed it in the room.
Qin Yuan stoked the fire and said to Yu Wanyin, "Take off your clothes and dry them in the fire, so you don't catch a cold."
The waiter said to Qin Yuan, "There are no other customers in the shop today, and there are plenty of rooms available. Why don't you go to the next room and grill some food there too, young lady?"
Qin Yuan looked at Yu Wanyin.
Yu Wanyin gestured for her to come over, "You should rest for a while too."
Qin Yuan agreed, "Then I'll come find you in a bit."
Yu Wanyin wiped the water droplets from her cheeks and gave a muffled reply.
The damp dress clung to her body, outlining her beautiful figure.
After Qin Yuan left, Yu Wanyin locked the door and slowly untied her skirt. As soon as she pulled it open, she could see the snow-white skin hidden under the black gauze.
She slowly took off her outer garment.
Outside, a light rain pattered against the bamboo leaves, casting bamboo shadows that swayed endlessly against the thin windowpane.
There were no lights in the house, only the stove burning brightly, casting a dim, indistinct glow on the gloomy, rainy day.
Meanwhile, behind the bamboo-patterned screen inside the house.
The man, who had been waiting for a long time, sat silently, propped his forehead up, and opened his eyes.
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