Chapter 26 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lin Rong was well aware of the principle that a cunning rabbit has three burrows.
She dared not hide the rations alone in the military tent. She took out a few old clothes from the bottom of the trunk, tore them into squares, carefully wrapped the rations, divided them into three portions, and buried them in secret places in the camp.
Lin Rong specially dried the naan bread and dried meat in a tea stove so that the food would not attract mosquitoes and flies, and the bread would not mold, thus preserving it for a longer time.
Although the baked flatbread was very dry and hard, and the meat became even drier, it was still edible if you diluted it with water.
In addition, Lin Rong also stored some beans and hay for the horses.
Generally speaking, in plains where grass is plentiful, horses won't go hungry.
However, on rainy days, the hay becomes too wet, and the horses are prone to diarrhea, so it's still necessary to prepare some dry food.
The food and water preparations are almost complete; the rest are money and personal belongings.
Pei Zan took all of Lin Rong's money. She searched high and low but couldn't find any loose silver in the military tent.
The young master was very wary of her; even though he left the trunks containing books and clothes at the camp, he didn't leave behind anything of value.
Lin Rong was at her wit's end, and finally decided to plot against the jade cup that Pei Zan used to drink tea.
Although it's an old item, you might be able to get some money by pawning it.
After much deliberation, Lin Rong quietly took the cup.
Taking something without asking is stealing, and Lin Rong, who had lived an upright life, had never done such a petty theft.
She reassured herself, "Then consider it a reward for serving the young master's bedchamber..."
It's just a jade cup; Pei Zan wouldn't be so stingy, would he?
Lin Rong put it into her bag and then stuffed a gold armlet given to her by Zheng Huiyin into her bundle... Luckily, it was a reward she had received recently, and Pei Zan was not at the camp and had no idea about it.
That night, while delivering cakes, Lin Rong inquired about the battle situation at the front with Zheng Huiyin.
Zheng Huiyin had no suspicions and only thought that Lin Rong regarded Pei Zan as her admired husband. She had not seen Pei Zan for many days and was worried about him, so she wanted to know where he was.
"Commander Pei is a man of both literary and military prowess, resourceful and wise. In this attack on Changzhou, our Pei family army, with its well-trained troops and ample supplies, has naturally achieved repeated victories. News has come from my brother's side that they have won the siege and captured Changzhou. They will be able to return to camp in less than five days..."
Zheng Huiyin knew full well what a great victory in the battle meant.
The Wei Kingdom has a total of fifteen provinces. This time, Pei Zan and Wu Chong cooperated from within and without to capture Changzhou.
Once the two of them form an alliance through marriage, the six prefectures of Jiangzhou, Yuzhou, Luzhou, Changzhou, Qingzhou, and Xuzhou will be integrated, encompassing all the important towns in the south.
It should be noted that when the Supreme Emperor swept across the land, he began by suppressing a peasant uprising in a single state, recruiting soldiers, accepting rebels and surrendering, and gradually establishing his foundation, founding a nation and bringing peace to the country.
Pei Zan had a strong army and many talented subordinates, making his foundation much better than that of the founding emperor.
Zheng Huiyin is Zheng Zhiming's younger sister. She knows that Pei Zan is a man of great ambition and wisdom. His plans over the years are nothing more than to take advantage of the internal strife in Wei, seize a region, and declare himself king.
In this way, they could break free from the shackles of Emperor Yuanqing and no longer be controlled by others.
Zheng Huiyin used to admire Pei Zan. Rather than saying she liked him as a person, it would be more accurate to say she coveted his power and wanted to get a share of the spoils from him.
However, Zheng Huiyin offered herself to him and was then injured by Pei Zan.
In her despair, and seeing his cruel and heartless treatment of Lin Rong, she finally realized... This man is cold-hearted and indifferent; he wouldn't even bestow favor upon a woman, so how could he possibly grant status and power to someone else? To befriend him would be a terrible loss.
Zheng Huiyin remembered that Pei Zan was going to marry Wu's daughter. She didn't know if Lin Rong knew about it, and couldn't help but look at Lin Rong with sympathy.
She probably doesn't know that Pei Zan's legal wife is about to come to visit.
Rong'er is innocent and obedient, but which legitimate daughter raised in a prestigious family isn't shrewd and cunning? Living under such a powerful matriarch, Lin Rong will likely face many hardships in the future.
If Pei Zan had protected her even a little, it wouldn't have been a problem, but since he treats Lin Rong as an insignificant concubine, he probably wouldn't stand up for a plaything who was originally a maid.
Zheng Huiyin sighed and said earnestly, "Rong'er, listen to your sister's advice. When Commander Pei returns to camp this time, think of a way to sleep with him a few times and give birth to a son as soon as possible."
Lin Rong was still secretly looking at the map that marked the locations of various places.
Lin Rong couldn't help but sigh, thankfully she knew a little bit of writing, otherwise she wouldn't even be able to understand a map, let alone escape.
Before she could memorize the location of the front-line battlefield, she suddenly heard Zheng Huiyin's earnest admonition.
"Huh?" Lin Rong was stunned by her question and looked up blankly.
Zheng Huiyin originally wanted to talk to Lin Rong about Wu's daughter and advise her to have a child as soon as possible so that she could gain a foothold in the inner quarters.
But then I thought... Pei Zan is a cunning and ruthless man, how could he allow the eldest son of the Wu family to be born first? His legal wife hasn't even conceived yet, and he's already having a child born from a concubine, it's practically a slap in the face to the Wu family!
If Lin Rong listens to her instigation and actually tries to seduce Pei Zan, it might backfire and she might even be disliked by others.
Thinking of this, Zheng Huiyin shook her head: "It's okay... Just be careful in everything you do. If anything happens, come find me and I will do my best to help you."
Lin Rong smiled sweetly: "Thank you, Miss Zheng."
Zheng Huiyin rolled her eyes: "Why are you calling me 'Miss Zheng'? Just call me 'Sister Zheng,' and I'll consider you my new sister."
Lin Rong was taken aback that Zheng Huiyin was willing to claim kinship with someone like her, a commoner. Her heart softened for a moment, and she didn't want to refuse her kindness, so she called out fluently, "Sister Zheng!"
"Hey, so good girl." Zheng Huiyin was happy and pinched her little face.
Zheng Huiyin lost her parents at a young age and relied on her older brother Zheng Zhiming for survival. She has always been the youngest daughter in the family, and now she has a little sister, which is quite novel.
Lin Rong, in particular, is obedient and honest, which easily arouses people's protective instincts.
Zheng Huiyin mistook her for her sister and would stand up for her in everything.
“Rong’er, come here. I have a set of gold-threaded headdresses from India. Let me show you how to wear them.”
Ever since Zheng Huiyin braided Lin Rong's hair and dressed her in Hu clothing last time, she has found it quite interesting, and every time she sees Lin Rong, she always dresses her up.
Zheng Huiyin pulled Lin Rong in front of the dressing mirror, braiding her hair while rummaging through a trunk to find various foreign women's dresses for Lin Rong to try on and show her.
Lin Rong harbored ulterior motives. She allowed Zheng Huiyin to dress her up, and while Zheng Huiyin was engrossed in having fun, she deliberately inquired about military intelligence, the battle situation, and routes to nearby prefectures from her older sister.
To coax her younger sister into staying still so she could help her put on an earring, Zheng Huiyin was extremely open and honest with her.
From Zheng Huiyin, Lin Rong learned that Pei Zan would hold a banquet in a nearby military town in five days to reward the soldiers who had survived the front lines.
In the rear camp, apart from some new recruits guarding the camp, all the other officers of rank would follow orders from their superiors and go out in groups to attend the banquet.
If they really didn't want to attend the banquet, they could set up a feast on the spot, and servants would bring fine wine and meat for the soldiers to eat, drink, and have fun.
Zheng Huiyin knew perfectly well what was going on.
This victory celebration banquet also served as a formal alliance banquet between Pei Zan and Wu Chong.
At the banquet, the two are very likely to announce their marriage in public.
It's possible that Pei Zan's future wife will also be invited to the banquet.
In this situation, Zheng Huiyin did not want Lin Rong to be humiliated by sitting down at the table.
Lin Rong decided to stay at the rear camp and wait for Pei Zan to come and pick her up.
After all, Pei Zan had seized the supplies and captured prisoners, achieving a great victory. No enemy troops dared to take the opportunity to attack the camp or catch them off guard.
Perhaps the night of the victory celebration was the perfect opportunity for Lin Rong to escape.
Lin Rong's heart skipped a beat; she was both delighted and nervous. She absolutely could not miss this opportunity to attend the banquet.
Lin Rong didn't crave fine clothes and delicacies, nor did she covet gold and silver treasures. Her wish was simple: she just wanted to escape with Sesame and return to the wild mountains to live a free and unrestrained life.
Lin Rong will no longer be forced to have sex, nor will she be forced to serve Pei Zan. She will no longer be powerless and will no longer be trapped in a cage.
Lin Rong hoped that Heaven would have mercy on her and grant her wish.
-
At the end of March, the King of Qin led a group of rebel troops to attack the capital.
During those days, the capital was besieged, blood flowed like rivers, and the city was devastated.
However, Pei Zan's army, which was sent to defend the emperor, dared to defy the imperial edict and refused to enter the capital to provide assistance.
Pei Zan, as a member of the Pei family, was so audacious as to abandon Consort Pei and the Second Prince Chen Yishan in the capital.
Even the most obtuse emperor would realize... This scoundrel! Pei Zan is plotting a rebellion!
Emperor Yuanqing had been playing the game of imperial strategy for many years, always maintaining the balance of power in the court. He thought Pei Zan was sentimental, so he deliberately used the status, life, and power of Consort Pei to blackmail Pei Zan, a powerful regional official, and to guard against Pei Zan's potential rebellion.
Emperor Yuanqing thought to himself that no matter how fiercely Pei Zan resisted, he was only trying to seize power and become the highest-ranking official. Little did he know that despite his meticulous planning, he hadn't foreseen Pei Zan's ruthless nature; he was capable of abandoning the entire Pei family just to achieve his imperial ambitions!
This young man is ambitious and unscrupulous in his actions; he truly has the demeanor of a monarch.
Emperor Yuanqing's eyes widened in anger, and he vomited blood, spitting out a mouthful of blood that soaked the bedding in red.
He was so angry that he wanted to order his second son to be imprisoned and Consort Pei to be executed in order to appease his resentment and hatred!
However, Emperor Yuanqing had some concerns. He feared that his ruthlessness would become an excuse for Pei Zan to send troops to the capital!
At that time, Pei Zan, holding the moral high ground, will be able to launch a legitimate attack on the capital under the pretext of "avenging Consort Pei."
He's still in the south, at least he doesn't pose a threat to the capital... Good, very good!
Emperor Yuanqing summoned his eldest son, Chen Wenjin, who, with his aged and weathered eyes, issued an edict establishing the crown prince before his death.
"My son is intelligent and wise, and he is well-mannered and virtuous... I hereby appoint my son as the Crown Prince of the Great Wei, and bestow upon him a golden jewel and a jade tablet. He shall oversee the country and ensure its peace and stability, and help those in distress. All officials shall obey this decree and shall not disobey it."
When Emperor Yuanqing handed over the precarious state of the nation to his eldest son, Chen Wenjin, the pent-up anger in his heart finally dissipated.
After the emperor's death, the crown prince sealed off the palace. After assassinating his second brother, Chen Yishan, at his residence, Chen Wenjin, on charges of treason, imprisoned Consort Pei in the palace but spared her life.
Chen Wenjin showed mercy only because he wanted to use Consort Pei as a hostage to lure Pei Zan to the capital.
But it is clear that Pei Zan is cold-blooded and cruel. He does not care about the life or death of his aunt. Pei Zan regards Consort Pei as a pawn to be abandoned and allows Chen Wenjin to humiliate and kill her.
Chen Wenjin was surprised by Pei Zan's cold-blooded ruthlessness, but he had no time to worry about the south and could only let Pei Zan recruit troops everywhere and incite rebellion.
The King of Qin has already stormed the capital. Chen Wenjin's most urgent task is to expel these treacherous officials who are eyeing the throne from the capital region and then put the throne firmly in his own hands.
The Great Wei Dynasty was crumbling and weakened, its capital city already in chaos and turmoil.
Pei Zan let them fight like dogs and ignored them.
Interestingly, at such a critical moment, he was able to receive the message that "Consort Pei is alive." It seems that someone deliberately sent him a message, hoping that Pei Zan would consider their past relationship and risk her life to save him.
Regardless of whether the letter was a tip personally delivered by Consort Pei or a peace negotiation written on her behalf by Crown Prince Chen Wenjin, Pei Zan did not respond.
Flames soared into the sky outside the military tent, as bright as a red sunset.
Pei Zan emerged from the tent, clad in gleaming armor.
He stood tall and proud, his shoulders erect, beneath the flames.
Pei Zan pondered for a moment, then pressed his fingertips to his lips and let out a sharp whistle.
The thunderous sound of hooves shook the heavens and the earth, carrying billowing dust. A dark cloud of thunder approached from afar, clearly the warhorse Moyu galloping towards them.
Pei Zan gripped the saddle with one arm, leaped onto the horse, and tightened his grip on the reins.
Several eagles flapped their beaks and claws, circling Pei Zan and screeching.
Pei Zan's eagle-like gaze swept across the sky, his sharp phoenix eyes as keen as frost knives, cutting through the dim light to a few black falcons soaring through the clouds.
This is a magnificent eagle that Pei Zan specially crafted for delivering messages between the inner court and the imperial court.
Now, Pei Zan has abandoned Consort Pei; he has revealed his true nature and is no longer willing to be a lackey...
Thinking of this, Pei Zan narrowed his cold eyes, reached out and firmly grasped a powerful ox-horn bow hanging on the horse's back in his palm.
Pei Zan exerted force with his wrist, drawing the bow to its fullest extent with the force of a thunderbolt, the sharp arrowhead pointing straight at the dark sky, ready to be released.
A sharp sound rang out as an arrow pierced the air.
Black-feathered arrows shot out in a rapid succession!
A moment later, the dull thud of an arrow piercing flesh could be heard.
Blood splattered, and red rain fell.
Those plum-like drops of blood stained Pei Zan's fair, jade-like cheeks, leaving a winding, ferocious red mark.
He indifferently wiped the blood from his face, his cold eyes showing no emotion, and put away his bow and arrows.
The moment the bow was drawn, the circling falcons were killed instantly by the poisoned arrows, falling to the ground with a rustling sound.
The horse's hooves thundered like shooting stars, pounding the ground. Pei Zan spurred his horse and galloped away.
Those black eagles raised by Pei Zan met a tragic end, trampled underfoot and crushed into piles of rotten flesh by the unstoppable cavalry.
The hawk is dead.
There are no more falcons to deliver messages for Consort Pei.
Pei Zan severed ties with the capital on his own.
From then on, the life or death of Aunt Pei was no longer his concern.
Pei Zan grew tired of the insincere interactions with the Pei family and personally severed this blood tie.
The man smiled, his dark eyes as cold as ice.
Ruthless or heartless, it may be.
There is no one in this world who can make him keep in his heart.
-
Changzhou was frequently embroiled in military conflicts, with flames of war and smoke rising from the ground.
The defending generals released carrier pigeons and falcons to send letters to the capital several times, hoping that the Ministry of War would send supplies and military provisions, and that a general would bring the imperial seal and lead troops to provide support.
But they waited for a long time, and no one came to Changzhou to join the defense.
The homing hawks were still being released one by one, flying towards the distant capital of Wei.
Strangely enough, logically speaking, with so many falcons spreading out of the city to deliver messages, the besieging enemy forces would surely have set up an arrow barrage to intercept and kill them, preventing the news from getting out.
But Pei Zan remained inactive, letting them rack their brains for survival and desperately plead for help...
After many days, even the slow-witted General Liu realized that they would not receive reinforcements and that no one could save them.
Something must have happened in the capital. The imperial relatives are too busy taking care of themselves to care about the life or death of a mere southern prefecture.
Everything was under Pei Zan's control.
Changzhou was destined to fall.
General Liu's lips were chapped and twitching incessantly.
His shoulders and back were stiff, and he felt uneasy.
General Liu looked up at the sky and saw the soldiers in full armor on the watchtower being attacked.
An unstoppable arrow pierced his head with lightning speed.
The attacked soldier stared wide-eyed in anger, blood gushing from his head, splattering everywhere, and fell straight to the ground like a wounded eagle.
He died with his eyes wide open, but he fell from the arrow tower and crashed right in front of his brothers, smashing himself to pieces.
Looking at the soldiers' bloodied and mangled faces, the group exchanged horrified glances.
They suppressed their fear and continued pushing the cart, setting up their formation, and putting up a stubborn resistance.
Seeing the horrifying bloodstains everywhere, General Liu was enraged, and the taut string in his mind finally snapped.
The night was dark and the wind was biting.
He listened to the deafening, violent pounding on the city gates outside, and he watched the endless stream of enemy soldiers climbing the city walls.
He knew that the soldiers in the city were already exhausted, out of ammunition and food, and would not last more than a few days.
General Liu shouted, drew his curved sword from his waist, and mounted his horse.
He made up his mind that rather than fight while starving, he would rather fight to the death!
"Brothers! Follow me and kill the enemy!!"
General Liu roared with overwhelming rage, gripping his murderous longsword, determined to slaughter all the enemy soldiers who had broken into the city.
In the distance, the Pei family army was attacking cities and seizing territories with overwhelming force, causing the sea to boil and the mountains to tremble.
Tens of thousands of black-armored soldiers surged into the city like an overwhelming torrent of hurricanes.
The Pei family's troops were well-disciplined, and their warhorses were also plump and strong.
Following Pei Zan's command, after breaking through the city gates, each wielding a blood-stained longsword, they charged straight in, brandishing their blades and mercilessly slaughtering the soldiers within the city.
This was a battle that was almost a complete rout; the enemy outnumbered us, and General Liu had no chance of winning.
But he was unwilling to accept this. As a general, he could not live a life of dishonor and should dedicate himself to the country and be willing to die for the defense of the territory.
But his king abandoned him, and his country did not protect him... Even if General Liu wanted to die a worthy death, he had nowhere to go.
General Liu was at his wit's end, filled with sorrow and despair. He understood the principle of "the victor is king, the loser is villain," and he was determined to die for his cause, fighting bravely and relentlessly against the enemy.
But in the next instant, a black-maned steed galloping past him like lightning.
However, after a moment of distraction, a clear and melodious sword cry suddenly rang out, deafeningly loud!
General Liu's vision blurred as a thin blade was drawn from its sheath, its silver light flashing and entering his eyes.
Intense pain spread from my neck, a foul stench filled the air, and large spurts of bright red blood gushed from my flesh.
General Liu clutched his neck, turned around in terror, and looked at the man and horse in the distance.
A cold wind ruffled the man's long, black hair, and blood-red light adorned his towering, mountain-like figure. He held a sword in one hand and a rope in the other, his aura imposing and majestic, like a bloodthirsty god of slaughter reborn from hell.
“Pei…Zan…”
General Liu, exhausted, fell off his horse in pain and despair.
His eyes widened, filled with resentment, but he could no longer speak. He had lost all his strength, and his body gradually lost its temperature.
Before his death, General Liu looked up at the sky.
All he saw was a string of compassionate prayer beads lightly tapping against the cold hilt of a sword... and Pei Zan's sharp, cold phoenix eyes.
To capture the thief, first capture the king; General Liu was appointed as the commander-in-chief to defend the city.
He had already died at Pei Zan's hands, and with the group leaderless, the remaining soldiers were no longer a threat.
Pei Zan indifferently sheathed his sword. Observing the battle situation, he knew that the enemy army had already shown its disadvantage and was no match for him.
Once this city is captured, Changzhou will be his for the taking.
Pei Zan understood perfectly. He raised the flag with great enthusiasm and spurred his horse into a gallop.
The man raised his strong, muscular arm, his long fingers holding a flag that was fluttering wildly in the wind, and quickly planted it on the towering watchtower.
The flags fluttered in the wind, and the bold, ink-written character "Pei" swayed endlessly in the firelight.
Pei Zan's phoenix eyes flashed with power as he raised his arm and shouted, "Commander Liu Zhen has already been killed by my sword. If you continue to fight, it will be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, utterly overestimating yourselves. If you abandon the darkness and surrender, I will value your talents and not only spare your lives but also protect the lives of your families!"
Hearing Pei Zan's menacing warning and seeing the enemy flag in the distance, the defending army's morale finally dissipated completely under this combination of coercion and enticement.
The first spear landed.
The second, third, and fourth weapons... fell to the ground one after another.
The enemy surrendered and submitted.
Pei Zan won this battle, and won beautifully, leaving everyone convinced of his superiority.
Author's Note: I'll reiterate my promise: Pei Zan will remain a virgin throughout the entire story, and will not have any intimate relationships with anyone other than Rong'er. (When I say "both virgins," I mean I'll only write about virgin male protagonists.)
I won't spoil the rest, let's keep watching!
Actually, the story isn't even halfway through yet... Take your time, everyone. We need to make sure the whole story is good, so please wait for me. Thank you for your hard work! Love you all!
In the next chapter, Rong'er sets off! [Hugs]
I'm posting a little earlier today; this is Friday's post. We'll continue on Saturday at 10 PM (you can check back at this time every night, 10 PM; I might just occasionally post a little earlier =3=).
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