Chapter 41 Beauty
Yu Wanyin noticed that he also smelled of floral dew powder, which blended with the morning dew and dawn scent he originally carried.
It was so close that it was a bit damp.
She was a little uncomfortable. "If you kill my flowers, I'll definitely come looking for you."
Rong Si wasn't good at comforting people, and he said out of the blue, "Next time you deliver a letter, you can send it wherever you want."
"Just tell them, you don't need to hide it from me, and I won't ask."
Yu Wanyin was stunned for a moment by his words, "Really?"
"Hmm." Yu Wanyin hadn't expected her goal to be achieved so smoothly.
Perhaps it was too smooth sailing, which made her feel a little guilty.
She looked at him uncertainly for a moment.
But the man misunderstood. His deep gaze lingered between her eyes and thin lips for a moment before settling on her slightly parted lips.
He lowered his head.
Yu Wanyin's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she took a step back.
Rong Si lowered his eyelids, paused for a moment, then looked up, his eyes stinging.
He wasn't annoyed, he was just a little hungry since he hadn't eaten.
This was the emotion Yu Wanyin saw in his eyes.
The temperature inside the room inexplicably began to rise.
It makes your cheeks burn.
Yu Wanyin found an excuse to urge him, "These are wilting, go and get me some wildflowers."
Rong Si agreed in a hoarse voice, then took her change of clothes and went out the door.
Qing Song just happened to come in from outside the door.
Upon seeing Rong Si, she glanced at him with a complex expression.
While Yu Wanyin was still in a daze, Qing Song came in and placed the five-red soup that Aunt Duan had made for Yu Wanyin on the table. "Madam, what did he come in for?"
"It's nothing." Yu Wanyin walked over. "If you're tired, you don't need to do these things."
Qing Song opened the food box and served Yu Wanyin a nourishing soup. "I've rested for so long, if I lie down any longer, my bones will fall apart."
Still feeling uneasy, she whispered to Yu Wanyin, "Did he bully you?"
Yu Wanyin did not answer Qing Song's question directly, "He's just a bit unreasonable."
He did bully him, but if you say he didn't, then you could say he had some conscience.
With Aunt Duan around, she could pretend to be sick and avoid sleeping with him.
Qingsong pouted, "He probably did something indecent to the madam back in the manor. If I had known that would happen, I would never have invited him up the mountain."
Qing Song realized something was off halfway through his sentence, "But if we're not familiar with him, we're currently in a barbarian's tent."
Perhaps he wouldn't save them anyway.
Compared to the Hu people, this bandit stronghold seems to be better.
The Hu people certainly wouldn't let her lie in bed for seven or eight days to recover.
Yu Wanyin shared the Five Red Soup with her, and suddenly remembered the history book she had seen today, "Let's forget about the Hu people."
"In the tents of the Hu people, that kind of thing was no different from dying."
The Northern Chi people and the people of Daizhou share the same lineage.
The woman was captured and forced to change husbands every night.
Qing Song understood this in her heart, especially since Rong Si was, after all, the leader of the stronghold.
Even without Yu Wanyin's involvement, she still owed them a life-saving favor.
Even though Qing Song resented him for forcing his master to marry her, she didn't dare to show him any displeasure.
At most, she would just awkwardly refrain from calling him "Lord" when she bowed.
Instead of calling Yu Wanyin "Madam," the ruler addressed her as "Madam," as a sign of his impending wrath.
But nobody cared.
It's just that their wives are suffering. Their health had just improved a bit at the Prime Minister's residence, but now they're starting to fall ill again.
They must have suffered some injustice.
Rong Si hastily selected some wildflowers, but the wildflowers weren't blooming very well at this time of year.
He sat on a rock, chewing on a lemongrass.
First, the basket was filled.
He got up to go back when the cook who was tending the fire came over and asked, "My lord, what kind of tonic will the Queen have today?"
Rong Si didn't say anything for a moment, and casually patted the basket on the cook's chest, "Take this to the Queen first."
He mounted his horse and went to the place behind the mountain where ingredients were prepared.
The bandits in the back mountains were handling their tasks in an orderly manner.
Since it was the food for the entire village, no one dared to be careless.
Seeing Rong Si approaching, they became even more serious.
Rong Si walked to the small stove prepared for Yu Wanyin and frowned in thought.
The cook, uneasy at his cold, hard face, paced back and forth between the stove and the kitchen counter.
He was extremely meticulous about the queen's stove.
There can't be any mistakes.
Then, he watched as Rong Si casually picked up a piece of deer antler.
Yu Wanyin didn't eat those strange, bitter, hard slices at dinner tonight.
Tonight's dish is corn and pork rib congee.
It tastes pretty good.
However, Yu Wanyin didn't eat much; she finished a whole bowl.
Rong Si didn't eat; he leaned against the side.
After Yu Wanyin finished eating, she watched him silently wiping the short knife in his hand.
Rong Si slowly rubbed the cloth in his hand against the dangerous blade.
Occasionally, the calluses on my fingertips would brush against the sharp, pointed blade.
The cold light reflected into his eyes, but his gaze was burning hot.
Yu Wanyin asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
I'm not hungry.
Rong Si lowered his eyes.
Today, he helped her try a few bites of the deer antler powder added to the ingredients, only to realize that he couldn't take the same tonics as Yu Wanyin.
For men who already have excessive liver fire and nowhere to vent it, deer antler is like dynamite that fans the flames.
He'd better not eat the same things as her.
He doesn't need these.
Yu Wanyin said very softly, "Okay."
"We're going to Long'an in a couple of days," Rong Si changed the subject, trying to distract her. "Want to come with me?"
Yu Wanyin considered for a moment, then said, "Okay."
She happened to want to go too.
Yu Wanyin had her own little schemes.
Once I get to Long'an, I can send the letter to my elder sister.
Rong Si told her to go back and pack her things that night.
You don't need to bring too much.
They'll be back in a few days.
Yu Wanyin told Qingsong to rest in the village, and that the fewer people involved, the better.
They didn't plan to send too many people to Long'an this time.
However, it only costs about a hundred points of firepower.
The prefect of Long'an came in a hurry this time, so he was also in a hurry to ask them to go.
It is said that the troops of Daizhou have already begun to set up camp outside the city, and there is no time to lose.
Long'an is about a day's walk from Jiangling if you walk fast.
Yu Wanyin is not tired.
She took a nap and arrived in Long'an.
When he got off the carriage, the prefect of Long'an was there to greet him at the city gate.
The soldiers were neatly arranged on all sides, and the remaining soldiers also appeared to be disciplined and well-behaved.
Ultimately, those who didn't flee at this point mostly had some backbone, and their military discipline was still better than that of ordinary wounded soldiers.
Yu Wanyin got out of the carriage, and the guards following the prefect stared in disbelief.
He turned to the prefect and said, "This young lady is the one who delivered the letter to me that day."
The prefect of Long'an suddenly realized and bowed to Yu Wanyin, saying, "So that's how it is."
"The young lady and Chief Rong..."
Rong Si succinctly replied, "My wife."
Yu Wanyin fell silent for a moment, which was taken as tacit agreement.
She was still a little scared that someone might recognize her.
I know she used to be...
Fortunately, Long'an is located some distance from Shang'an, so no one knows her.
The prefect felt it was both unexpected and reasonable, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you."
He stepped aside and led the two to his residence.
After passing through the courtyard to the backyard, we were told, "The side rooms have been prepared for you two. Please rest first."
"If there is anything you feel uncomfortable with or that is not appropriate, please feel free to speak up."
Several heads peeked out from the residence of the Prefect of Long'an.
I secretly peeked out from behind the artificial hill.
Yu Wanyin noticed something and turned her head to see the pretty, innocent faces of several young girls. Upon seeing her, they immediately all hid behind the artificial hill.
Yu Wanyin smiled, not paying much attention, and continued to the side room.
Several girls squatted behind the rocks, and only started whispering among themselves after they left, "What a beautiful lady."
"Isn't Father bringing a bandit king today? And bandit kings have such beautiful wives."
The youngest one's thoughts became clearer: "If I become a bandit king in the future, will I be able to find a handsome husband?"
"Then grab a few more, and give me one too."
The prefect escorted them to a side room, instructed the servants, and then left to check on the dinner.
Rong Si entered the room, put down his things, and went to the table to pour himself a cup of tea.
He gestured to Yu Wanyin, "Sit here."
He spoke extremely bluntly, and his deep voice carried an undeniable air of authority.
At first, Yu Wanyin didn't know this and always thought he was fierce.
But once you get used to it, you realize he wasn't deliberately putting pressure on you. In the past, the more direct and blunt you were when talking to those people in the village, the more efficiently you could convey your meaning.
When he said "sit here," he meant to sit here and rest.
Yu Wanyin did not shirk her responsibility.
She sat down and watched Rong Si pack his things.
After watching for a while, Yu Wanyin suddenly realized a big problem.
Having left the village, it seems she's now going to share a room with Rong Si.
Yu Wanyin glanced at him a couple more times, but couldn't tell whether Rong Si had thought of this.
She looked around, but this was someone else's house after all, and she was living in someone else's home. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to ask for a separate room; it would sound very strange.
Yu Wanyin suddenly became restless.
After Rong Si changed his bedding, someone came to call them to have dinner.
They didn't rest for long before leaving the room again.
Just before leaving, Yu Wanyin glanced into the inner room, seemingly unintentionally.
Upon seeing him, she spread a quilt on the bed.
Does sharing a quilt mean we're going to cover ourselves with it?
Yu Wanyin pursed her thin lips tightly.
Rong Si walked beside him, asking the servant about the current situation in Long'an.
The servant sighed upon hearing this, "They have already set up camp twenty miles outside the city."
"However, the specific details will be discussed by the Prefect tomorrow, who will take the Chief to inspect them."
The servant led them to the flower hall and gestured to them from the side.
Servants were busy arranging the banquet in the flower hall, and the prefect and his wife rose to greet them.
The banquet was small, consisting mainly of the prefect's family and others.
The prefect greeted them, "Please have a seat, both of you."
Yu Wanyin followed and took her seat.
The prefect's family looked much more reserved; apart from the children, everyone looked somewhat haggard.
It is the fatigue that results from long-term exhaustion.
The prefect clearly didn't want the children to know, so the war wasn't mentioned at the dinner table.
He acted very enthusiastically, trying to keep the atmosphere from becoming too heavy, saying, "These two are distinguished guests that Father has invited today."
He turned to Yu Wanyin and the others and introduced them, saying, "These are my wife and daughters."
The girls greeted each other respectfully.
She appears lively and adorable, well protected by the prefect's family. Even amidst the chaos of war, her eyes remain clear and bright, untouched by sorrow.
Yu Wanyin curled her lips.
In that instant, she thought that being a daughter in this prefect's household would be a good life.
Several young girls sat opposite them at the table, the oldest of whom had just turned fourteen.
The youngest is only six years old.
The prefect's wife, who was well aware of her daughter's personality, repeatedly hinted, "When guests come, please be quiet, okay?"
The girls nodded obediently, but their eyes kept darting between Yu Wanyin and Rong Si.
Halfway through the meal.
The youngest one glanced at his mother's expression.
Unable to resist any longer, she asked in a childish voice, "Brother Leader, is being a bandit fun?"
Rong Si raised an eyebrow. "You want to go up the mountain too?"
Yu Wanyin's eyelids twitched, and she secretly pinched his thigh.
Immediately afterwards, a large hand pressed down on her hand that was still not pulled away.
It was only natural to hold it in my palm.
The man's palms were large and warm, with calluses on his fingertips, which made her feel a slight, itchy, tingling sensation all over her body.
By the time Yu Wanyin realized she had fallen into the wolf's den, it was too late.
I can't pull it back no matter what I do.
Her face flushed red with anxiety.
The magistrate's wife across from him frantically tried to stop her daughter's absurd words.
The little girl didn't see it at all and asked earnestly, "Can I also go up the mountain and become a bandit?"
The prefect's wife stuffed a small steamed bun into her mouth, silencing her wild idea, and apologized, "Please forgive my rudeness, Master."
They were busy educating their children and had no idea what was going on behind the scenes.
Seeing that she couldn't pull her hand back, Yu Wanyin sighed in relief and simply placed her hand in his palm.
His hands were warm, just like a person's.
Rong Si did nothing else.
He held her hand, his fingertips rubbing against the back of her hand.
Each touch was scalding hot and slightly tingling.
It has a very strange feel to it.
After dinner, Yu Wanyin had a layer of red marks on the back of her hand.
On the way back to her room, she showed it to him, "It's red."
Rong Si clicked his tongue lightly, "I didn't use much force either."
Her tone was slightly annoyed, with a hook at the end, "You've been dragging this out for too long."
Rong Si felt an itch in his fingertips and rubbed his fingertips lightly.
I still want to keep grinding.
She kept talking to him like that.
Yu Wanyin didn't know what was wrong with her words. Seeing that he remained silent, she thought she had intimidated him and made him reflect on his mistakes, so she walked forward with satisfaction.
I plan to give him some time to reflect on himself.
The night was cool, and the full moon illuminated the courtyard, which was shaded by trees, making it as clear as a spring.
The surrounding area was filled with weak, muffled insect chirps.
Flying insects hovered and swarmed around the lampposts placed in the courtyard.
There seemed to be an unusually large number of insects in the prefect's residence.
It's probably because they don't have the time or energy to manage it.
Yu Wanyin remembered that there were many insects in the village, but she was afraid of them, so they would burn insect-repelling incense in their dwellings.
The villagers are very skilled in this area, so she rarely sees snakes, insects, rats, or ants in her house.
But it seems a little different here.
Fortunately, they're only staying here for a few days.
With that thought in mind, Yu Wanyin walked back to her room.
Servants stood guard outside their room and prepared hot water before they returned.
After Yu Wanyin entered the room, she suddenly remembered something important.
She stared blankly at the quilt, her brows furrowed.
Not far behind, Rong Si had already closed the door and bolted it.
He walked over and saw her staring blankly. "Aren't you going to wash up?"
Yu Wanyin snapped out of her reverie and absentmindedly replied, "Go."
She went into the bathroom, but her mind was still elsewhere.
Sleeping in the same room is one thing.
A quilt...
Yu Wanyin gently bit her knuckles and paced anxiously around the room for a moment.
I still had to bite the bullet and finish washing up before going out.
To avoid him noticing anything unusual.
Yu Wanyin walked to the side, feigning calmness, and picked up a book.
I breathed a slight sigh of relief when I heard him enter the bathroom.
Yu Wanyin never approached the bed.
He was just sitting there flipping through the books, but in reality, he hadn't even turned two pages by the time Rong Si came out.
After he finished tidying up, he asked, "Aren't you sleepy?"
"I slept all day, so I'm not too sleepy right now."
Rong Si had no doubt. "Would you like to come with me to take a look tomorrow?"
Hearing that it was a serious matter, Yu Wanyin turned to look at him and said, "I want to."
Just then, Rong Si carried another quilt and spread it on the daybed opposite the bed.
Yu Wanyin paused for a moment.
Rong Si made up another bed. "Then we'll have to get up at dawn tomorrow."
Yu Wanyin stared blankly at his actions.
Discern the meaning behind it.
As soon as Rong Si sat down, he turned around and looked at Shangyu Wanyin with a slightly inquisitive expression.
The moment he looked over, she subtly looked away.
Rong Si knew what she was thinking at a glance.
He got up, walked over, and touched her earlobe. "Want to sleep with me?"
Yu Wanyin turned her head away and quickly made up an excuse, "I haven't recovered yet."
That's a terrible excuse.
But it works.
Rong Si chuckled silently, "Then stop staring at me."
Rong Si returned to his small couch, having never intended to share a bed with her in the first place.
For him, sharing a bed right now might not be a good thing.
In fact, it was no different from torture.
Yu Wanyin then put down the book she had been trying to hide.
Quietly moved back to bed to rest.
After the lamp was extinguished, only the chirping of insects could be heard all around.
And the sound of shallow, even breathing.
Nothing happened that night.
The next morning, as soon as it was light, everyone in the prefectural governor's mansion got up and started preparing.
After having breakfast with them, the prefect took them to the Long'an border defense wall.
The carriage traveled through the city.
That's how Yu Wanyin came to see the situation in the city.
There are some families who have fled to Long'an, but they are actually a minority. Most of them are refugees who have fled to Long'an and are now begging along the streets.
Yu Wanyin couldn't bear to look at these things for too long, so she lowered the curtain.
There was an undeniable tension in the air.
Besides telling them about the current situation in Long'an, the prefect also told them about Yanzhou, which had already been annexed.
"After Daizhou occupied Yanzhou, they conscripted soldiers, robbed people of their wealth, forcibly seized women, and killed relatives who refused to comply."
“Many people from Yanzhou have fled to Long’an. We opened the city gates to receive them for two days, but it wasn’t enough,” the prefect said with a sigh. “This small city of Long’an can’t accommodate so many people.”
After they closed the city gates, they also witnessed those barbaric acts.
I can't bear not to open the city gates, but if I do, I'll be in danger myself.
They went up to the city wall and saw some refugees gathered outside.
The refugees kept their eyes fixed on the city gate, as if waiting for it to open so they could get in.
Some people couldn't wait and set off immediately to flee to the next city.
“It’s not that I’m heartless,” the prefect sighed after looking around for a while. “With so many people coming in, their accommodations, food, clothing, and daily necessities, as well as the stability of Long’an, will all be problems. I can’t neglect one thing for another.”
Yu Wanyin walked beside her, understanding the prefect's meaning.
Some things are far more complex than they appear on the surface.
If we really let all these people in, it's hard to say what kind of people they'll end up being.
It was hard to guarantee there weren't spies from Daizhou among them. They went up to the city wall, and the soldiers guarding the city handed them several telescopes.
Through the hole, one could see things in the distance. After watching for a while, the prefect said, "The troops from Daizhou are openly encamped twenty miles outside the city. Judging from their posture, they could attack at any moment. We don't know how long we can hold out."
"That's why I had no choice but to ask you two for help."
Rong Si listened and said, "I can only say I'll try my best; I can't guarantee it will be completely effective."
“In this world, who can guarantee that everyone will be safe and sound?” The prefect was well aware of his situation. “Long’an has already been abandoned; it’s just a desperate move.”
As they were talking and about to leave, they turned around and saw Yu Wanyin still holding up her binoculars and looking outside.
They have no intention of leaving.
Rong Si didn't leave; he just stood there and waited.
Therefore, the prefect could not leave first.
He stayed by his side and stood guard.
Yu Wanyin held the telescope with her two white, jade-like arms and slowly extended the telescope to look into the distance.
The plain-colored hem of her dress fluttered in the wind.
It was, however, an extremely captivating scene.
The crowd gathered at the foot of the city wall also saw this figure.
"How could there be a woman here? Who is she?"
"Who knows? I've never seen her before. She's beautiful, like a celestial being."
The crowd scoffed, "They're just high-ranking officials and nobles. While we're suffering here, they're enjoying themselves with beautiful women."
Meanwhile, among the refugees, several disguised spies from Daizhou heard this and keenly looked over.
I spotted the person they were referring to at a glance.
She was so eye-catching that it was impossible not to notice her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com