Chapter 66 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Chapter Sixty-Six
Lin Rong doesn't know how she fell asleep that night.
All she knew was that she had told Pei Zan she couldn't eat anymore.
He also acted recklessly, testing people with his finger.
Until Lin Rong, with tears streaming down her face, said in a low voice, "No."
Pei Zan stopped regretfully and withdrew his hand.
Ultimately, considering that Yu Nu was sleeping on the warm kang, Lin Rong was too ashamed to help Pei Zan, so she let him endure it with a stiff expression and went to sleep in a separate bed.
When Lin Rong woke up, Pei Zan was no longer in the bedroom.
Lin Rong rubbed her face, feeling somewhat ashamed to recall what happened last night.
She tucked her son in and went out to cook breakfast.
Upon entering the kitchen, Lin Rong saw several oil paper packages piled on the stove and wondered... She had shared the leftover roast pork from yesterday with her neighbors, so where did the leftovers come from?
Thinking of this, Lin Rong opened the oil paper package and found several sugar-coated sesame seed cakes and a package of roasted venison that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
While Lin Rong was chatting with Pei Jiashu, he boasted about how the cakes baked by the imperial chefs in the palace were exceptional. Pei Jiashu loved cakes with sugar syrup, but Pei Zan didn't have a sweet tooth. Every time Pei Zan fed Pei Jiashu a sweet cake, he would frown and remind him not to get any sugar syrup on his clothes.
The thought of Pei Zan picking up the child with a look of disgust, and then having to break the pancakes to feed him, made Lin Rong's lips curl up and reveal a hint of a smile.
But upon seeing the venison, Lin Rong frowned and pondered for a long time before finally remembering its origin... Many years ago, she redeemed herself from the manor, but was captured halfway. Pei Zan threatened her with a dagger, forcing her to submit. Lin Rong had no choice but to compromise under Pei Zan's lewd power.
At that time, she huddled in the corner of the carriage, terrified and at a loss. She didn't know how Pei Zan intended to torment her, but Lin Rong wanted to live. Despite tears streaming down her face, she tried her best to get along peacefully with Pei Zan.
As long as Lin Rong doesn't run away, Pei Zan is relatively easy to talk to. He not only answered many of her questions, but also lazily agreed that if he had the chance, he would bring her some venison to try.
Lin Rong stared at the piece of venison, which she couldn't tell was a bitter pill or retribution, her heart filled with mixed feelings... This guy is clearly still very hateful!
Lin Rong heated up the food and brought it to the bedroom, but Pei Jiashu felt hot and kicked off the blankets.
Lin Rong put down her chopsticks and helplessly pulled the covers up for Pei Jiashu.
Just as the blanket was pulled up to the child's chin, Lin Rong noticed that Pei Jiashu's expression was a little off.
The child was breathing rapidly, and there was a faint coughing sound coming from his chest; even his face was redder than usual…
Lin Rong reached out to touch him, and her son's body temperature was abnormally high, boiling hot, like a red-hot iron.
Almost instantly, Lin Rong knew that Pei Jiashu had developed a fever.
If an adult catches a cold and develops a fever, it can lead to serious problems if not treated promptly, let alone a five-year-old child.
Lin Rong was terrified and completely lost her composure. She immediately thought of the family dinner last night... Could it be that the child got cold then? Or perhaps he was wearing too many clothes, sweated, and then caught a cold from the wind?
Lin Rong couldn't figure out where she had overlooked something. She just shook Pei Jiashu anxiously and asked him softly, "Yu Nu, are you feeling unwell? Can you tell your mother?"
Pei Jiashu opened his eyes with difficulty. He couldn't pinpoint where he felt pain, but it seemed like he felt pain everywhere.
The child pouted pitifully, reached out and hugged Lin Rong's neck, like a badly injured little animal, only knowing to bury his face in his mother's neck and act spoiled.
The little boy was curled up in Lin Rong's arms. She held her son tightly, her body trembling slightly.
Lin Rong recalled a scene from many years ago... At that time, she held her infant son in her arms, with ruthless Tibetan pursuers behind her, and the innocent child in her arms was completely unaware of the danger. Despite such a perilous situation, because Lin Rong was holding Pei Jiashu, the child didn't cry at all, and even giggled at his mother.
Lin Rong felt as if her heart was being torn apart; she was extremely sad.
Lin Rong was at a loss. She fed Pei Jiashu a few mouthfuls of lukewarm water that had been cooled down, and then coaxed her son to lie down and rest before going out to find a doctor.
The shamans of Kucha were different from the doctors of Wei, and their medicines were also strange. Lin Rong dared not let Pei Jiashu try them. She was afraid that the dosage would be too strong and would harm the child. She also did not know if Pei Jiashu had any allergies. If the medicines clashed, it would harm his health.
After much deliberation, Lin Rong could only shout in all directions from the courtyard: "Where are the Pei family guards?! I know your master has planted people here!"
Lin Rong gave a sharp shout, and immediately a guard in light armor and a black robe descended from the eaves, curtsied, and said, "This humble general, Du Heng, greets Madam."
Lin Rong said anxiously, "The Crown Prince is seriously ill. Could you please help me find His Majesty and ask him to send a physician to examine him?"
Lin Rong was almost in tears. She sobbed, "Please hurry! I don't know what medications the Crown Prince has to take. He's so young; he can't have a high fever."
Upon hearing this, alarm bells rang in Du Heng's mind. He immediately rushed out of the hospital and headed straight for the military camp.
-
Today, the Wei army is still encamped on the vast plains.
The weather beyond the Great Wall is bitterly cold, and resources are scarce. The pastures that can support cattle, sheep, and warhorses are gradually withering away. It is likely that the barbarian tribes will launch a war before the harsh winter arrives, plundering military supplies and equipment in order to survive the long winter.
The scouts sent by Pei Zan reported that a bloody battle had broken out in the Saien tribe, a hundred miles away from the Kingdom of Kucha. The ground was littered with the severed limbs of the elderly and children, sheepskin tents were soaked in blood, and food and livestock had been looted.
Pei Zan knew the habits and temperaments of those Rong people well. They would abduct women and supplies to their tribes for their own use, kill the old and children who did not engage in production on the spot, and keep the young and strong who were willing to submit to the tribe to serve as slaves or join the army... The battles on the grasslands had a natural advantage for the nomadic Rong and Di people, and he could not be careless.
Before Pei Zan could set up his battle formation, Du Heng had already abandoned his horse and rushed over to report to Pei Zan: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is seriously ill, and the Empress is extremely anxious. She wishes to ask a physician to return and examine him."
Although Pei Zan did not officially bestow a title upon Lin Rong, his personal guards all knew that Lin Rong was the matriarch of the Pei family, and naturally addressed her as "Empress."
Upon hearing this, Pei Zan's expression immediately turned cold and stern. He entrusted all military affairs to Zheng Zhiming, then pulled a skilled physician onto his horse and galloped towards the capital city of Kucha.
Without Du Heng needing to say more, Pei Zan knew that Lin Rong must be extremely anxious.
A woman with such a soft heart would surely take all the blame upon herself… In the past, when Lin Rong suffered, he couldn't find her and couldn't be by her side. Now that he has found Lin Rong, he hopes that he will be by her side in every moment of her suffering and torment.
-
Lin Rong sat by the earthen bed to keep Pei Jiashu company. She cooked some rice porridge and fed it to the child, but Pei Jiashu had an upset stomach and kept vomiting whatever he swallowed.
Lin Rong was at a loss and could only use a handkerchief soaked in cold water to wipe his sweat, hoping to bring down his high fever.
Pei Jiashu was extremely well-behaved. Even though he was sick and somewhat delirious, he still reached out his little hand and anxiously wiped away his mother's tears.
"Yu Nu doesn't feel any pain, just a little bit of heat..."
He pointed with his little finger, and it really was a tiny little thing.
Pei Jiashu didn't want Lin Rong to cry, so he tried to cheer her up. He nestled obediently in Lin Rong's arms, as if he could endure any hardship as long as he was close to her.
Lin Rong's internal organs felt like they were being squeezed together, her heart was pounding, and the pain was unbearable.
As the door swung open, Pei Zan appeared at the entrance like a savior. Lin Rong's tears, which had been welling up in her eyes, finally streamed down her face.
In this world, perhaps only Pei Zan can truly empathize with her.
The sight of his wife and children weeping together truly saddened Pei Zan.
Before Pei Zan could wipe his sweat, he stepped forward, pulled Lin Rong into his arms, and ordered the physician to examine Pei Jiashu's pulse and prescribe medicine.
Pei Zan held Lin Rong in his arms, lifted her thin chin with his long fingers, and gently tucked away the redness in her eyes with his fingertips: "Lin Rong, don't be afraid. Yu Nu is tough, it's just a cold, she can get through it."
Lin Rong knew that her anxiety was useless. She was just a little scared and blamed herself for being negligent, for not being attentive enough, and for not acting like a mother.
Pei Jiashu was suffering from the cold and was also unaccustomed to the local environment. Pei Zan had anticipated this, so the physician took out the medicinal herbs from the medicine box and personally went to the kitchen to decoct and boil the medicine.
After taking a bowl of herbal medicine, Pei Jiashu's fever gradually subsided, and he curled up in his blankets and went back to sleep.
Lin Rong felt relieved, but tears still welled up in her eyes and she couldn't stop them.
To take care of Pei Jiashu, Lin Rong didn't even comb her hair, only twisting a few braids. At this moment, her almond-shaped eyes were red, and tears were about to fall, making her truly pitiful to behold.
She had been hungry all day, and Pei Zan knew she had no appetite, so he had to cook noodles for his wife himself.
When Pei Zan cooked the noodles and brought them to her, Lin Rong was still shedding tears as she picked up her chopsticks.
Pei Zan glanced at it, feeling helpless.
He sighed, picked up Lin Rong, and pulled her into his arms.
Whether it was the warmth of Pei Zan's embrace or the fact that only Pei Zan could understand Lin Rong's heart at this moment, Lin Rong, unusually, did not struggle. She let him hold her and apologized softly, "I didn't take good care of Yu Nu. As Yu Nu's mother, I haven't done my best to take care of my child..."
She was too childish, and she had been away from Pei Jiashu for too long, so she had no experience. If she had been more careful, perhaps the child wouldn't have had to suffer so much.
If Pei Jiashu were to die young, such a well-behaved child would perish due to her negligence, and Lin Rong would probably never forgive herself for the rest of her life.
Pei Zan wiped away the sweat and tears from Lin Rong's face, patted his wife's back, and said to her, "If we're talking about negligence, I was also at fault. Last night, I knew his undershirt was soaked with sweat, but I still insisted on helping him take a bath... We're both first-time parents, so we should just do our best and not be so critical of each other."
Pei Zan's words made sense, and Lin Rong gradually calmed down.
Perhaps it was Lin Rong's silly, dazed look nestled in his arms that amused him, but Pei Zan found himself unusually talkative.
He told her about some things from Pei Jiashu's childhood.
It is said that the first time Pei Jiashu spoke, he called out "Mother".
It is said that Pei Jiashu was naughty since childhood, but he was good at pretending to be well-behaved in front of adults. He dared not say anything when he was caught by a falcon, and Pei Zan only found out when the wound became swollen and itchy.
Pei Jiashu is actually quite a troublemaker, so don't be fooled by him. You should scold him when he gets into trouble, and not spoil him all the time.
Pei Zan told Lin Rong that Pei Jiashu had been very clingy since he was a child, but Pei Zan had no experience in raising children and was learning as she went along.
Pei Jiashu had suffered from this kind of cold illness countless times, but each time he turned things around and survived it, and then he wouldn't get sick for the entire winter.
Pei Zan narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling past events.
“I am not as good as you. When I saw Yu Nu was seriously ill, I was not so heartbroken. I was just worried that if he were to die young, you would definitely blame me in the afterlife…”
"I rarely see you in my dreams, and if I kill my son, I'm afraid you'll be even less willing to see me."
Pei Zan's casual, lighthearted remarks stirred something within Lin Rong, causing a lump to form in her throat.
She sat in Pei Zan's lap, looking up at him through the glowing red firelight from the stove.
Pei Zan maintained his aloof and solemn demeanor, offering a slight smile before quickly suppressing it.
He pulled Lin Rong into his arms, as if coaxing a child, letting her sit on his firm knees, gently rubbing her head and back.
Once upon a time, Lin Rong thought that Pei Zan was full of murderous aura, that he would only wield a knife to cut flesh, behead and slaughter... But it turns out that he was not so cold-blooded and ruthless, and that he also had a heart full of passion.
Although Pei Zan spoke calmly and restrainedly, Lin Rong was not stupid. She knew why the first word a child uttered when learning to speak was "mother".
Because Pei Zan kept talking to Pei Jiashu about Lin Rong, he hoped his son wouldn't forget his mother...
Because he was also missing Lin Rong.
In that instant, Lin Rong seemed to understand something; she suddenly had a profound realization, and she suddenly felt relieved.
Lin Rong trembled slightly, her hands curled up, and she hesitated for a long time.
In the end, Lin Rong reached out her hand to Pei Zan.
The woman's slender arms wrapped around Pei Zan's neck, pulling him closer.
Pei Zan felt the force and smelled the unique herbal fragrance that belonged to Lin Rong.
He lowered his head, his beautiful, delicate phoenix eyes trembling slightly as he gazed at his wife in his arms.
Lin Rong stopped running away and looked up at him.
Lin Rong's throat tightened, and she took several deep breaths before finally asking, "Pei Zan, those five years we were apart... did you suffer a lot?"
She finally asked about the past, finally wanting to understand Pei Zan's heart.
That short sentence left Pei Zan speechless with astonishment.
Pei Zan was born bloodthirsty and incapable of understanding emotions. He should not have known what bitterness was; he only knew that he now had a wife and children, which he had lost and then regained, and he had no other desires.
Pei Zan lowered his eyes and closed them, thinking of the years when he lost Lin Rong.
As he watched Pei Jiashu chatting and laughing, being mischievous, he couldn't help but think of Lin Rong's beautiful face.
Sparks flew and rattled in the stove.
The two remained silent.
The wind and snow outside grew stronger. After a long while, Lin Rong finally saw Pei Zan slightly raise the corners of his lips and softly reply, "...Mm."
Lin Rong, those years were really tough for him.
Author's note: Just between you and me, he really doesn't know how scary Pei used to be... He thinks he didn't hit or kill Rong'er, so what's there to be afraid of? (This guy's thought process is a bit off.)
This article has only one last node left, which is the node where the main text ends!
It's a little earlier than I expected, but I don't want to deliberately drag out the story; I'll just write the plot as it's supposed to go.
Starting today, I'll be taking a break from updating for a few days. I want to finish writing the ending in one go before posting it, which means we'll all be watching the finale on Thursday night (November 27th). It should be tens of thousands of words long. I don't want to lose this momentum, so I'll finish writing it before posting it.
There will be many side stories, not any "what if" scenarios, but rather stories that continue the main story, depicting the daily life of the family of three, and the married life that Pei Gou enjoys, while Rong'er reluctantly agrees to play with him (???).
My next novel, featuring a protagonist who is both overtly possessive and forceful, will likely be titled "When I Was Cleverly Taken Away by the Cold and Aloof Young Master." The male lead in this novel is probably the particularly difficult type to tame; he might be a gentle yet possessive character, or perhaps just pretending to be gentle, but actually quite ruthless and difficult to win over. It will also be quite long, around 500,000 to 600,000 words? So let's save it for next year. (You can add it to your favorites for now!)
Next, I'm thinking of starting a short Xianxia (fantasy/martial arts) story to relieve stress. I have a rough idea, something a little cheesy and erotic (?). I'd like to ask everyone a question: do you prefer a cold, aloof, and ascetic master, or a yandere, world-destroying villain (you'll have to choose one for the male lead in my next book)? If you don't like Xianxia, you can keep an eye out for our cold and aloof young master's book; I'll be starting it anyway. That Xianxia book isn't long; I'm just using it as a transition to relieve stress.
"After I Was Cleverly Taken Away by the Cold and Aloof Young Master" by Caodeng Daren
Double virginity | Forced love | The unattainable beauty turns evil
Scheming, seductive noblewoman x aloof, eccentric nobleman
During a time of chaos, in order to disperse the pursuing troops, the powerful Ji family chose their eldest daughter, Ji Qin, to support the family from among their two daughters.
They sacrificed their second daughter, Ji Yue, abandoning her carriage to lure the enemy before fleeing.
Ji Yue fell into the hands of the rebels and suffered greatly before finally returning to the Ji family after five long years.
He was only fifteen years old when he returned home.
-
At that time, imperial power was waning, and the Xie family, a thousand-year-old clan, came to power.
In order to secure their position, the Ji family humbly flattered the Xie family, even offering their talented eldest daughter in an attempt to arrange a marriage between her and the eldest son, Xie Jingxue.
Xie Jingxue was refined and elegant, self-disciplined and courteous, a model of a noble young master. He had no objection to this marriage.
The Ji family tacitly agreed and happily sent their two daughters to stay with the Xie family for a short time. They publicly claimed it was for their daughters' education, but in reality, they wanted to bring the two lovers together.
Thus, Ji Yue was fortunate enough to move into the Xie family home.
-
Ji Yue knew that she had been abandoned for many years, despised by her family, rejected by her relatives, and even her elder sister's gentleness was tinged with contempt and disdain.
Ji Yue accepted everything without complaint, and even if she harbored resentment, she remained calm and composed.
She had suffered a lot and wanted to make her older sister suffer for once.
Therefore, Ji Yue set her sights on her fiancé, Xie Jingxue.
If the elder sister is in love with the eldest son, then she will be the villain who steals his love.
However, Xie Jingxue was exceptionally intelligent and aloof. Even though Ji Yue tried her best, she still couldn't get Xie Jingxue to even glance at her.
Until one day, Ji Yue was tricked and fell into the arms of the noble young master, her body covered in sweat.
While pretending to cry, Ji Yue tugged at the thin sash on Xie Jingxue's clothes, trembling as she begged him for mercy.
No matter how much Ji Yue tried to seduce her, Xie Jingxue remained unmoved, like the bright moon hanging high in the sky.
Ji Yue was filled with shame and indignation, and decided to give up.
Not long after, Ji Yue's schemes were exposed by her elder sister. Fearing that she would cause trouble, the clan sent her to the countryside to marry a down-on-his-luck nobleman and get rid of her as soon as possible.
However, on her wedding day, Ji Yue did not see her husband, whose eyes were always filled with love for her.
When the veil was lifted, a pair of cold, icy phoenix eyes were revealed.
Xie Jingxue pressed her finger bone against Ji Yue's chin, forcing her to look up, and gently asked her.
"Is the Moon Goddess abandoning me to marry someone else?"
"It's a pity, your lover has already been killed by me."
Ji Yue was greatly alarmed.
Only then did she realize what she had gotten herself into...
She tried to escape, but it was too late.
Scheming, seductive noblewoman x lewd, eccentric, aloof beauty
[A red gem dropped today! See you next Thursday! See you on November 27th!]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
