Chapter 19 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Chapter Nineteen
Pei Zan's words were like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploding in Lin Rong's ears.
At that moment, she finally realized that all those vague feelings of goodwill, her respect for her benefactor, and the extravagant life in the mansion could not compare to the joy she felt when she escaped the Pei mansion and breathed in the fresh air.
But all the spirit that had been lifted by the freedom to leave the manor vanished the moment he saw Pei Zan, like a broken sky lantern bursting open.
The bamboo frame collapsed, the fire went out, the paper lantern fell, and all that remained before her eyes was a chaotic and hazy darkness.
Lin Rong didn't hesitate. She knew Pei Zan was up to no good, so she practically took off running.
Before she could run out of the alley, a strong and muscular arm suddenly came across and wrapped around her waist.
The man's arm strength was immense; it tightened like a snake, instantly constricting Lin Rong.
Lin Rong was panicked and helpless. She was thrown back to her original position by a fierce force. Just as she was about to shout, a scalding palm came from behind and tightly covered her mouth and nose.
"Waaah!" Lin Rong struggled to speak, tears streaming down her face.
She was trapped in that warm embrace, surrounded by a rich sandalwood scent that seemed to permeate her senses and engulf her completely.
"Be good, I won't hurt you."
Pei Zan's voice, like the whisper of an evil spirit, echoed in my ears.
Although his words were gentle, the force he applied with his hands did not diminish in the slightest.
Pei Zan's palms radiated a warmth befitting a mortal, yet his very being was filled with an inhuman chill.
Lin Rong was terrified and struggled even more fiercely.
Pei Zan seemed utterly disgusted by Lin Rong's shouting. His hand moved down inch by inch, gripping Lin Rong's slender, fair neck. His cool fingertips pressed against her throat, slowly stroking it up and down.
This move carries no ambiguity whatsoever; it's more like a blatant threat.
Pei Zan inwardly blamed Lin Rong for being ungrateful, but seeing her trembling all over, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, and with a slight smile, he kindly warned her, "If you shout again, I'll break your neck."
Our vital strategic location is at the mercy of others.
Lin Rong was overwhelmed by the powerful force. Knowing that Pei Zan was cold-blooded and ruthless, she finally dared not shout anymore.
Lin Rong, like a flower branch that has been withered for a long time, gradually wilted.
Then, Pei Zan grabbed her by the arm and threw her onto the carriage.
Faced with Pei Zan's evil deeds, the coachman didn't even dare to raise his head.
Immediately, the carriage door closed, and the carriage sped off, heading straight out of the city.
Pei Zan had no intention of showing mercy; he struck with extreme force, and Lin Rong was practically thrown into the carriage.
She fell into a corner, a dull pain shooting through her limbs.
Lin Rong hissed and made a move to get up again.
Pei Zan sat kneeling inside the carriage, guarding the door, his cold, indifferent phoenix eyes staring at her silently, as if he were watching his prey.
Pei Zan was like a venomous snake lurking in wait, exuding a chilling and terrifying aura.
The carriage doors were bolted shut, and there were no lights inside, not a single ray of light, as if trapped in a deep swamp.
The more Lin Rong struggled, the deeper she sank.
She must remain still; she must respond calmly.
What does Pei Zan want? What exactly is he after?
Why would the busy Grand Commander Pei have to make such a big fuss with an unknown nobody like her?
Lin Rong couldn't understand why Pei Zan would condescend to waste his time with a commoner like her.
Lin Rong took a deep breath, suppressing the tears welling in her eyes, and knelt before Pei Zan, pleading, "Young Master, I have redeemed myself, been released from slavery, and become a respectable woman. I want to return to my hometown; you cannot force me to stay..."
Lin Rong dared not utter the words "forcibly abducting a woman".
She deliberately elevated Pei Zan to a high position, placing him on the pedestal of a "righteous gentleman," so that Pei Zan, mindful of his noble character and integrity as a scholar, might not force him to stay.
But Lin Rong was wrong.
Or perhaps she dared not and did not want to admit it... Pei Zan had never been a benevolent and righteous gentleman.
As expected, Pei Zan merely tugged at the corner of his lips upon hearing this, his phoenix eyes dark and unfathomable.
He leaned forward, his long fingers gripping Lin Rong's slender white wrist, his fingertips pressing against her restless, throbbing pulse.
He held Lin Rong's life in his hands, looking down at the girl whose shoulders and neck he had pressed down, and coldly questioned, "Why are you leaving? I have already promised you the position of concubine."
He regarded Lin Rong as a loyal family dog, believing that she was inherently loyal and devoted, destined to be with him, and suited his heart.
He showered her with favors, personally trained and disciplined her, intending to provide her with the best food, drink, and entertainment, and keep her by his side for amusement. But Lin Rong, on the contrary, dared to bite the rope and try to escape...
A slave who betrays his master should be killed.
Lin Rong angered him, she deserves to die!
Pei Zan had not been angry for many years; he was clearly very good at keeping his temper in check. But today, for a nobody who had been pulled out of the mire, he was filled with anger and became extremely depressed.
Pei Zan's jaw was taut, revealing a jagged, bony face. His expression was horrified, and beneath the thin skin of his neck, several blue veins throbbed slightly, blood coursing through them like molten lava, constantly boiling.
Pei Zan quietly scrutinized Lin Rong, awaiting her reply.
Lin Rong's shoulder bone was held by Pei Zan, making a constant cracking sound. She was so scared that she almost forgot the pain, and she had no doubt that she might die at the hands of that cold-blooded man today.
She kept telling herself to say something, to do something...
Lin Rong finally understood.
Pei Zan always knew that she was the one who helped him with the antidote. He remained calm and observed secretly, knowing that Lin Rong could not escape his grasp.
Pei Zan offered her the title of concubine as a reward and a promotion, but she rejected it like trash, avoided it at all costs, and wanted nothing in return... She had offended Pei Zan.
Lin Rong tried to calm her breathing and make sure her speech was clear and articulate. She couldn't be afraid of him or anger him again.
“Young Master, I do not covet the position of concubine. Helping you with the antidote that day was my own choice… You taught me to read and write, and gifted me fine food and clothes; we are now even. Now that I have redeemed myself and left the Pei family, I am no longer a member of the Pei clan. I beg you, Young Master, to have mercy and let me go…”
She pleaded earnestly, her almond-shaped eyes burning with devotion, as if she were worshipping a god or Buddha.
She longed for even the slightest bit of pity from Pei Zan.
Upon hearing this, Pei Zan took a step forward, his aura as cold as frost and snow, sending chills down one's spine.
Pei Zan knelt down on one knee, pressing it between Lin Rong's thighs and trapping her between his hips.
The carriage was cramped, and Lin Rong had nowhere to avoid or hide. Her knees were half-bent, and she was pinned down by Pei Zan.
The fine and coarse fabrics were intertwined and piled together, inseparable.
Pei Zan coldly observed Lin Rong's predicament. He remained unmoved by her pleas, fear, and shrinking back; he was not a man who easily softened his heart.
Pei Zan lowered his head, his half-tied black hair flowing down like a waterfall.
The scent of sandalwood is stronger now.
A delicate fragrance lingered inside the car, creating a strange and lewd atmosphere.
Pei Zan held her captive, his voice not loud, but his aura was overwhelming, "Lin Rong, do you think... that just because you've slept with me, you can easily call it even?"
"I..." Lin Rong's almond-shaped eyes widened, tears blurring her vision, a tremor creeping into her soul. At that moment, she suddenly understood Pei Zan's meaning.
Why would Pei Zan care about her predicament?
He wants it, and he gets it.
It's that simple.
Lin Rong's wishes were irrelevant and not worth his time or effort.
Lin Rong was furious, unable to understand it and unwilling to accept it.
She was so close to being able to take a boat south along the rivers, lakes, and seas, traveling through mountains and rivers, and leaving behind the nightmare of Jiangzhou.
She was so close to escaping to Meixi Town, where no one could find her. She could have done some steamed cakes and embroidery work, saved up money for over ten years to buy a small house in the suburbs, or reclaim barren mountains, plow the land and farm, and be self-sufficient... Lin Rong had suffered a lot. She was mediocre in her studies, but she was very good at farming. She could go to the mountains to collect fish eggs and fry, and then raise them in the rice paddies. She could also go to town to buy chickens and ducks, and keep them in the courtyard to wait for them to lay eggs.
As long as she avoids the main cities, and as long as she disguises herself and keeps her whereabouts secret, she will not be affected by the war and will be able to survive.
The future is promising, and the days ahead will be beautiful, peaceful, and happy... She no longer has to get up at dawn to brave the wind and snow to boil water for her masters, or be called by the steward to shovel snow outside.
She was just a hair's breadth away from being caught by Pei Zan.
The life that Lin Rong longed for was ultimately shattered.
It was so close!
Lin Rong gritted her teeth, holding back her tears: "Grand Commander, you must respect the law. I am from a respectable family, you cannot arrest me!"
The delicate and frail girl in his arms finally let out a sharp scream.
But her anger did not affect Pei Zan at all; it only increased his interest.
Pei Zan suddenly realized.
He seemed to understand why he insisted on keeping this little girl.
Because she is very interesting, and because she has no temper at all.
Pei Zan was wicked by nature, but also adept at discerning people's hearts.
He only spared her a few glances because Lin Rong had no designs on him.
Pei Zan vaguely remembered some things.
The first time he caught Lin Rong, stripped her naked, and pressed her against the edge of the table;
The first time I coaxed her to lick my hand and swallow it down to the base of my fingers;
He was thinking...
Why does she only cry even when the chisels are so deep and heavy?
They didn't even dare to push or shove, and they couldn't even resist.
He was filled with wicked thoughts and suddenly wanted to see Lin Rong's fierce and aggressive side.
I want to break her skin and draw blood, break her bones and expose her flesh, to see if she can truly get angry.
At that moment, Pei Zan felt a subtle sense of satisfaction.
Pei Zan's dark eyes were devoid of emotion, as desolate as a deserted tomb. He said, "If everything were governed by etiquette, I would have died long ago. Lin Rong, my principle is that I will not offend others unless they offend me. I thought you should know that."
Lin Rong squeezed out a desperate sentence: "I don't know."
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know, as long as you understand from this moment on that once you’ve been my slave, how could you possibly be passed down to someone else?” Pei Zan said cryptically. “Besides, you were the one who barged in that day.”
A double entendre.
She recounted both the sexual encounter where he first received the antidote and the secret military talks a few nights prior, during which Lin Rong brought him food.
Pei Zan did not stop her, allowing Lin Rong to trespass; he gave her ample opportunity.
Pei Zan waited at the deepest part of the spider web, waiting for Lin Rong to fall into the abyss step by step.
Lin Rong was filled with regret. Why did she go to Yuchen Courtyard to deliver tea that night?
Why did she have a change of heart that day and insist on steaming cakes for Pei Zan?
If she did nothing, could she escape Pei Zan far away?
But in this world, there's no going back!
But she was just a lowly servant girl with no power or influence, and she had no other choice!
She knew that neither tears nor soft words could sway Pei Zan.
Lin Rong had no other choice.
The only option now is to run away!
Lin Rong glanced at the slightly swaying curtain of the car window. She saw the deep blue sky and green ground outside the window. She suddenly sat up and rushed towards the window.
Lin Rong tried to jump out of the window to escape!
She paid no heed to the fact that the speeding carriage might leave her covered in wounds.
She's really stubborn.
Before Lin Rong could fall out of the window, the man's arm wrapped around her again.
Pei Zan was a seasoned military general; how could he let a frail young girl slip away right under his nose?
Lin Rong's repeated attempts to run away had completely enraged Pei Zan.
Pei Zan pinched her face, forcing her to accept her fate.
“I told you, if you do not betray your master, I will treat you well; otherwise, I will kill you.”
Pei Zan is determined to get what he wants.
He has never made a mistake, without exception.
Lin Rong was pulled back by Pei Zan and thrown into the car. Her lower back hit the wall, and she saw stars from the pain.
She clasped her hands together and raised them above her head.
Pei Zan held her two slender wrists between his thumb and forefinger, pressing them down.
Lin Rong's sleeves slipped down, revealing her bare arms, which were as white as nectar, like slender snow branches waiting to be snapped.
Lin Rong was furious and blurted out, "I do not wish to be a concubine!"
Lin Rong had fantasized about the future.
She should have a small amount of land at home, kind parents-in-law, and an honest and kind husband.
She could share a bed with her husband and chat about everyday things after a busy day in the fields... It was never like this, where she was a concubine, going from a slave girl to someone else to be defiled!
She didn't want to beg for Pei Zan's favor, didn't want to be a concubine in a high-ranking family, didn't want to be neglected, locked in a mansion, sold off, or looked down upon... She didn't want to!
Pei Zan narrowed his eyes: "If not a concubine, then a wife? Lin Rong, even if I give you some face, you should know your place and know what you should and shouldn't say."
Pei Zan had already shown some patience towards Lin Rong.
He had originally thought that this woman was interesting and could be kept in the inner quarters.
He would find a dignified, intelligent, and tolerant noblewoman to guard the house and ensure Lin Rong's wealth and prosperity; this would be the greatest favor he could bestow upon her.
From a servant, he turned into a master.
From then on, all she had to do every day was think about how to enjoy herself and please her husband. Wasn't that a good life?
Lin Rong's face flushed, a mixture of shock, anger, and shame.
She suppressed the rising resentment in her chest and retorted, "Young Master, you misunderstand. I know my status is lowly, I am just a commoner, how could I be worthy of being the mistress of a noble family? I just don't want to be a concubine... I redeemed myself and left the manor. Even if I marry into a poor family in the future, I will be a proper wife. I don't want to be a concubine!"
What's the difference between being a concubine and being a slave? Both can be sold off by the husband's family and live a life less than human.
Lin Rong's wishes were simple: she just wanted to live freely, to live with dignity, and to live a little more like a human being.
Lin Rong was unmoved by reasoning and retorted blankly. She opened her two watery almond-shaped eyes and pursed her red lips, looking as if she wanted to take Pei Zan down with her.
Pei Zan was not afraid of her sharp and unyielding spirit; he simply disliked the feeling of being out of control.
Perhaps Lin Rong had truly angered him, for the man merely raised his sleeve, and with a flurry of silver flecks, a dagger sharp enough to cut through iron like mud pierced heavily into the carriage wall, creating a piercing roar.
Lin Rong was suddenly startled; the loud noise made her ears go numb.
Lin Rong tilted her head slightly, feeling the pain of the sharp blade slicing across her cheek.
The rising vitality, the collapsing anger, and the surging desire to escape were extinguished little by little and completely dissipated in the face of absolute force.
Lin Rong stared blankly at Pei Zan, her eyes glazed over.
The sharp blade gleamed, illuminating Lin Rong's fair and delicate face.
The Pei Zan before me was like a demon from hell, crawling out of a pool of blood.
With a cold expression on his beautiful face, he pressed his fingertip against the dagger and deliberately cut a wound.
He felt no pain, only letting the blood seep from his fingers, the pungent smell of blood filling the room, shattering the calming sandalwood fragrance emanating from the man's flowing sleeves.
Lin Rong felt as if she had witnessed a blood sacrifice meant for the evil god. Helplessly, she watched as blood stained Pei Zan's hand bones, which then clung to his fair skin and onto the dark prayer beads.
He wickedly smeared the blood from his fingertips onto Lin Rong's slender neck.
A line of blood was drawn.
A cool sensation spread instantly, startling Lin Rong so much that she dared not even tremble.
Pei Zan was clearly very beautiful, with a beauty as exquisite as plum blossoms and snow.
But she was afraid of him, so afraid that she couldn't even speak.
A moment later, she heard Pei Zan ask in a cold voice, "Lin Rong, die by my hand, or become my concubine, you choose."
He had had his fill of fun and lost patience, waiting for Lin Rong's reply.
Lin Rong looked down at the bloodstains all over her body. Sparks flew up from her slender back, burning her bones with a painful, itchy sensation.
She knew that Pei Zan really would kill her.
He wasn't joking.
Lin Rong is nothing but an insignificant plaything; she is not worth Pei Zan's gentle coaxing and persuasion.
When a person dies, they have nothing left.
Only by saving her life could Lin Rong plan for the future.
She has to survive, by any means necessary.
Lin Rong remembered Liu Qingshan, who had been stabbed through the throat by Pei Zan.
At this moment, she and Liu Qingshan were both ants under Pei Zan's feet, their lives indistinguishable in terms of status or worth.
First and foremost, you have to survive.
Lin Rong's cherry lips moved slightly. She clearly didn't want to cry, but tears inexplicably rolled down her cheeks, glistening like autumn water.
Lin Rong suppressed the tremor in her teeth. Her eyes were vacant as she wisely said, "I... will stay."
She was not told she would become a concubine; she was merely coerced into compromising.
Pei Zan didn't care whether she still wanted to ask for the position of concubine.
If he gives it to her, she will have to accept it, no matter how unwilling she is.
Pei Zan looked down at the pitiful, trapped beast before him, seeing that she had nowhere to retreat and could only obediently lie down on his knees again.
Pei Zan praised her for being pragmatic, and his cool fingers once again touched the girl's cherry lips.
Pei Zan lowered his eyes, staring at the patch of red.
Apart from Lin Rong, he had never touched a woman's body, because he found that white skin greasy and those intimate, passionate acts disgusting.
Pei Zan remembered the night he took the aphrodisiac, when he forced Lin Rong to penetrate him from behind, and he didn't seem to hate her at all.
For some reason, Pei Zan narrowed his eyes slightly and pinched Lin Rong's cheeks.
He glanced at her lips and said softly, "Lin Rong, open your mouth."
"Huh?" Lin Rong was stunned for a moment.
Startled, she instinctively obeyed the command.
Lin Rong was distracted, her soft lips slightly parted.
Taking advantage of this brief moment, Pei Zan lowered his head.
The man's hot breath instantly enveloped her, landing on Lin Rong's sweat-dampened forehead.
Lin Rong's long eyelashes trembled, and she caught her breath.
She looked at Pei Zan, who was so close to her, her palms sweating and her knuckles curling.
Pei Zan leaned closer and closer... and his thin lips gently covered Lin Rong's!
Author's Note: A red gem has dropped! [hugs]
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