Chapter 49 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Chapter Forty-Nine
Lin Rong could barely breathe.
She felt as if she were sinking into a fragrant swamp, letting the wet, black mud seal her mouth and nose and obscure her eyes.
The tent was dark, and in the pitch-black night, she was like a stranded fish, only able to slightly open her mouth and breathe softly, forced to feel Pei Zan's presence.
Pei Zan braced himself above her, his fair and flawless arm bones slightly tightening, outlining the powerful muscles.
Pei Zan's five fingers pressed down, like shackles, forcefully restraining Lin Rong's fair wrist.
The veins on the back of the man's hand bulged, trembling slightly beneath the thin, honey-smooth skin glistening with beads of sweat.
This innate sense of power of a warrior carries an indescribable allure, even a seductive quality.
In the blink of an eye, Pei Zan's passionate kiss landed on Lin Rong's smooth collarbone.
Her small, crimson dress was embroidered with lotus flowers.
Unfortunately, the fabric was too fragile; Pei Zan could tear it to shreds with just one hand.
The plumpness hidden beneath the clothes...
All of it was sucked into the teeth.
Pei Zan swept Lin Rong's black hair up to his shoulder.
Pei Zan and she entwined their necks in a passionate embrace.
His hot lips enveloped the bony protuberance on the back of her neck, licking it delicately one by one.
The cool, tender skin was covered with gorgeous pink kiss marks.
Pei Zan skillfully comforted Lin Rong, coaxing her to relax and not to be afraid.
Lin Rong twisted her waist to avoid him.
But those strong, large hands grabbed the man's narrow waist, which was covered in muscular abs.
Her long, thick eyelashes were already wet.
In the yurt filled with the pungent, fishy smell, she could barely breathe and nearly drowned.
He knew that Lin Rong had reached her limit.
Slippery sweat trickled down to her fragile ankles.
Pei Zan still harbored deep malice towards her.
He deliberately caressed her, playing along, whispering like a demon.
"Lin Rong, if you are not satisfied."
“I can give you whatever you want, even… I can stay out all night.”
Lin Rong was stunned by his words.
Gradually, she understood Pei Zan's meaning; he actually wanted to stay overnight!
In the end, she shook her head repeatedly.
"Enough, enough..."
...
This time, we tried every possible way to play.
It took nearly two hours for the disturbance to end.
Lin Rong was covered in bright red marks. She had no strength left to say anything more to him. Just as Pei Zan was about to call a soldier to bring water into the tent, she grabbed his sleeve.
"There's still some water left in the bucket, just wash it casually..."
Lin Rong was too ashamed to let anyone know that Pei Zan had made such a fuss so late. He was shameless and didn't care about being laughed at, but Lin Rong was prone to overthinking and didn't want people to gossip behind her back, saying that she was just a concubine who used her looks to please others.
Pei Zan was satisfied tonight and didn't bother Lin Rong.
He glanced at her indifferently, then easily picked up Lin Rong.
After their lovemaking, Pei Zan's long, narrow phoenix eyes were languid, yet tinged with a hint of spring fever. He cradled the drowsy girl in his arms, weighing her in his arms, and asked, "Have you eaten anything lately?"
While not exactly emaciated, she had lost a considerable amount of weight.
Lin Rong had little appetite and didn't want Pei Zan to ask too many questions, so she vaguely replied, "I've eaten all three meals, maybe it's just the bad weather..."
Pei Zan looked at her calmly, "It's already winter, so you shouldn't be as afraid of the heat and lose your appetite as you are in the summer."
"Hmm, so it's because I'm afraid of the cold..." Lin Rong replied perfunctorily. She was very sleepy and not in the mood for conversation.
Pei Zan pursed his thin lips, thought for a moment, and ultimately decided not to make things difficult for her.
After Lin Rong finished washing up, Pei Zan tucked her back into the heavy bedding.
She heard the man lift the curtain and leave the tent, and vaguely guessed that Pei Zan was probably satisfied with his lovemaking and no longer had any desire. Since he didn't need a concubine to satisfy his lust, he naturally left the tent.
Unexpectedly, Pei Zan returned in less than a quarter of an hour.
A corner of the quilt was lifted, and the man's cold robes fell down, pressing against her.
Lin Rong was suddenly awakened by the coolness of the sleeve, and a faint fragrance permeated her nostrils.
It was a light and delicate sandalwood scent, along with the aroma of grass and trees from streams and fields... Only when Pei Zan's bony, jade-like wrist wrapped around Lin Rong's waist did she shudder, as if waking from a dream, and come back to her senses.
Did Pei Zan want to hold her while she fell asleep?
Or perhaps he's regained his temper and wants to find her to relieve his frustration?
Lin Rong's thin shoulders trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but shudder as she anxiously awaited Pei Zan's verdict.
Lin Rong's knees were sore and numb from bending, whether she was kneeling or clinging, they were still sore. She really couldn't take Pei Zan to do a few more rounds.
Fortunately, Pei Zan did not make any other presumptuous moves. He lay comfortably on his side and reached out to hug Lin Rong.
Pei Zan's strong arm tightened around the girl's waist, forcibly pulling her into his arms.
Pei Zan pressed Lin Rong's thin back against his broad chest, and the man's hot body temperature immediately adhered to her shoulders and back, making her forehead sweat.
"Lin Rong, close your eyes."
Pei Zan said coolly, then hugged her tightly again.
Lin Rong twisted and writhed in vain; she couldn't shake off Pei Zan and could only let him hold her, as if she were embracing a soft pillow to help her sleep and calm her nerves.
That night, Lin Rong felt as if she had been thrown into the Daoist's alchemy furnace, where the raging fire burned her to ashes.
But then a giant, scaly python coiled around her, like an impenetrable wall, rendering her unable to move.
Lin Rong fought desperately against the monster all night, but the devil was always one step ahead of the righteous. After three hundred rounds of fighting, she still couldn't break free and had to give up.
When Lin Rong woke up, she felt sore in her back and weak in her legs, even more tired than if she hadn't slept all night.
Lin Rong lifted the hem of her clothes, revealing intertwined blue and red finger marks on her slender waist.
It's easy to imagine how ruthless Pei Zan was when he couldn't control himself last night and teased her.
Fortunately, the soldier who delivered breakfast to Lin Rong told her that Pei Zan had received an urgent report that morning and had rushed back to the front line to fight the enemy. He might not be able to return to camp for half a month.
Lin Rong breathed a sigh of relief.
The plague god is gone.
Lin Rong was in a rare good mood, and even ate two wild vegetable buns that had no oil on them.
But the good days didn't last long.
Ten days later, Lin Rong realized something was not good.
First, she drank her usual favorite milk, but couldn't stand the fishy smell and vomited it all up.
Secondly, Lin Rong suddenly remembered that her period had not arrived for almost two months.
It's now the end of October, and she has been taken back to Pei Zan's residence for three months.
Lin Rong had always thought that her irregular menstruation was due to the bowl of infertility-inducing medicine she had drunk several months ago... but now, looking at it, she felt that something was wrong.
Lin Rong turned pale with fright, fearing the terrible outcome.
Today happens to be the day that the medical engineer will examine Lin Rong's pulse.
Lin Rong knew that if she refused the medical consultation, it would only arouse Pei Zan's suspicion... She had no way out and could only silently pray that she was not pregnant.
When the doctor took her pulse through the veil, Lin Rong deliberately drove the servants out of the tent.
A slippery pulse indicates a pregnancy pulse.
Lin Rong was indeed pregnant.
The doctor felt a pang of regret. If Grand Commander Pei were here, he would surely have given him a large red envelope containing at least ten taels of gold.
But since the young mistress is so favored, she must be quite generous...
Thinking of this, the doctor felt a renewed hope and looked at Lin Rong.
Unexpectedly, Lin Rong was so frightened that her face turned as white as paper, and she remained silent for a long time.
If Pei Zan knew she was pregnant, he would never allow her to have an abortion... Lin Rong had witnessed Pei Zan's cold-blooded ruthlessness, cruelty, and murderous nature. She feared and dreaded him. She did not want to stay by his side, nor did she want to be trapped forever in this felt tent, or in that white-walled, black-tiled Pei mansion courtyard.
Lin Rong cannot be trapped and die in the Pei residence.
She moved her lips, racking her brains, and finally managed to utter a sentence.
"Doctor, I have mistakenly taken some harmful medicinal diets. I have heard that if one takes strong medicines during pregnancy, the child may be born with intellectual disabilities, limb deformities, or ugly appearance. This is the eldest son of the Grand Commander, how can he be left with such a stain... This child cannot be kept, Doctor, I beg you, could you please prepare a decoction for me to abort the pregnancy?"
-
Three hundred miles away on the front lines, Pei Zan captured Yushan Pass, plundered a batch of military supplies and equipment, and recruited captured soldiers. However, he did not continue north to attack the capital of Wei.
As the recent snowstorm has intensified and there is a hint of a cold disaster, the northern lands are bitterly cold and the mountain roads are rugged. If Pei Zan continues his march to attack the city, there is a risk of troop losses and food depletion.
Therefore, Pei Zan decided to sound the retreat and withdraw his troops to the south, waiting for spring to arrive and the snow to melt before continuing his northward attack on the city.
For many years, Pei Zan was a brilliant strategist, invincible in battle, and no one questioned his decisions and judgments. Even when some generals in the camp privately laughed at Pei Zan for being too "cowardly," they were punched by Zheng Zhiming, who firmly supported Pei Zan.
"What is the Grand Commander so cautious about now? He only cares about the lives of our soldiers. With just a few words from you, you can smear us with false accusations. If something goes wrong in the future, who knows how many men will die! We all have parents and are born of flesh and blood. Do you think your extra head can withstand being chopped off with swords?!"
The general had been on the battlefield for many years, rising from a lowly soldier to a commanding general. He had forgotten that in every siege, breaking through the city gates required his soldiers to sacrifice themselves, one after another. He too had served as a foot soldier, and had experienced days of constant anxiety, fearing he would die on the battlefield and never be able to return home to see his wife and children.
The general was scolded by Zheng Zhiming until his face turned red, and he dared not utter another word.
Pei Zan had fought for many years and was a formidable military commander. He was the undisputed leader in the army, and no one dared to offend him.
These minor squabbles are at most private quarrels and won't escalate to his public presence.
After the war ended, Pei Zan removed his silver helmet, which was covered in blood. His sharp, razor-sharp hair fell over his shoulders, and his dark black hair made the thick red blood on his jawline appear even more sinister and eerie.
He raised his hand to wipe it away, revealing a scarlet stain on his palm, and his eyes showed disgust.
Before Pei Zan could even take out a handkerchief to wipe his face, the black eagle, its claws outstretched, excitedly reached for his iron wrist guard.
Pei Zan tore off the strip of cloth wrapped around the eagle's claw with one hand, glanced at it quickly, and frowned slightly.
Zheng Zhiming's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "Grand Commander, has something happened?"
Pei Zan pressed his aching temple: "It's nothing. You lead the team back to camp, I'll go ahead."
Before Zheng Zhiming could say anything more, Pei Zan had already mounted his horse, pulled hard on the reins, and galloped away.
Yellow sand rolls, dust fills the sky.
Watching Pei Zan dash away like an arrow, Zheng Zhiming felt a strange sense of familiarity with the scene.
-
Inside the tent, Lin Rong knelt on a soft blanket, gazing at the steaming bowl of medicine on the table.
She hesitated for a long time, not knowing what she was thinking, but still couldn't finish the medicine.
Just as Lin Rong picked up the porcelain bowl, the weary neighing of warhorses sounded outside the tent, and the sound of a man's powerful footsteps grew closer.
Lin Rong's vision suddenly blurred, and in an instant, the bowl of medicine was forcibly snatched away and smashed on the ground.
With a loud clang.
The loud crash of the shattering bowl startled Lin Rong.
Lin Rong's eyes were fixed, and her shoulders hunched over.
She subconsciously looked up and met a pair of phoenix eyes filled with raging anger.
Pei Zan, dressed in a black robe and armor, abandoned his horse and entered the tent.
His cheeks were stained with blood, and his eyes were bloodshot, like a demon god or demon crawling out of the deepest hell. He had obviously been riding his horse at full speed for a day and a night to travel three hundred miles a day and reach the camp.
Pei Zan suppressed the murderous aura that threatened to devour him, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly to control the surging killing intent and malevolent energy.
Pei Zan looked down at Lin Rong, but he didn't touch her lightly. He just gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Lin Rong, if you make a move and kill the child in your womb, whether it's your beloved horse, Yang Feng from Yumen Village, or your old friends in the Pei family's ancestral home, I will eliminate them all and make them pay for my son's death!"
Pei Zan knew that Lin Rong's uterus had been damaged by taking the medicine that would prevent her from having children. Three months ago, he ordered the doctor to take good care of Lin Rong's body so that she would remain healthy even if she could not have children.
Lin Rong's unexpected pregnancy was something Pei Zan had not anticipated.
Doctor Zhi sent a secret letter to inform Pei Zan.
If Lin Rong insists on taking the medicine to abort the pregnancy, there is a risk of abdominal bleeding, resulting in the death of both mother and child.
It would be better to have the baby and rest for another year or two, so that when the time comes for delivery, both mother and child can be safe.
Lin Rong stared blankly at Pei Zan for a moment, then explained softly, "That was a pregnancy-preserving medicine, I didn't mean to kill it..."
Lin Rong had already heard the doctor explain the pros and cons.
Previously, Lin Rong had drunk a decoction that would cause her to lose her ability to have children, which damaged her spleen, stomach, and uterus. Spending a month outdoors in the wind and rain further weakened her body.
She had been drinking soup and nourishing herself every day for the past three months, and had finally recovered some of her health. But unfortunately, she became pregnant at this time... If she insists on having an abortion, being infertile for life is a minor matter, but losing blood and dying is a major one. It's better for her to take good care of herself.
Lin Rong recalled Pei Zan's threatening words and felt fortunate that she hadn't acted recklessly and insisted on aborting the child.
Otherwise, if Pei Zan goes mad from the grief of losing her son, her relatives and friends will likely suffer.
Pei Zan had his doubts. He took the medicine and smelled the dregs.
Once it was confirmed that the soup was indeed a medicine to prevent miscarriage, the fierce and menacing look in the man's eyes finally faded.
Pei Zan knelt down on one knee, seemingly to comfort Lin Rong, and gently embraced her.
He dared not let Lin Rong get stained with blood, so he used his clean hand to press it against the back of the girl's head.
Pei Zan softened his voice, a rare occurrence, and gently promised her.
"Lin Rong, I know your concerns... I will make you my official wife and record this child as the legitimate son. From now on, no one in the Pei family will be able to overpower you."
"Lin Rong, this is our child, please keep it."
Here's a little spoiler: Fei Rong'er runs away with the baby.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the story should be halfway through. [Let me see...]
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