Volume Two, Step by Step to Victory, Chapter Four: Erotic Scenes in the Lotus Pond
That evening, a banquet was held in the old lady's hall, firstly to welcome her home and secondly to celebrate the family reunion.
Three generations, young and old, filled one table, while Ruan Hong's two concubines, two unofficial concubines, and a group of head maids sat at a separate table to the side. The old lady inevitably shed a few tears when mentioning the old master, and Ruan Chi, with tears welling in his eyes, echoed her sentiments. The first and second ladies praised Ruan Chi to the skies, while the third and fourth young masters pestered him to recount the bloodshed and carnage on the battlefield.
At first, apart from Ruan Bi listening intently, the other girls found it too bloody and offensive, whispering amongst themselves in twos and threes. Later, when they heard Ruan Chi mention the Prince of Jin, they finally perked up their ears.
Third Young Master Ruan Jiayao asked curiously, "Third Uncle, in the battle of Zhenrong, did Prince Jin really only lead two thousand men to block the retreat of the 100,000-strong Northern Rong army?"
"That's right. The Prince of Jin took the lead and personally led two thousand cavalry to ambush them in the Yangchang Gorge, cutting off their retreat. Only in this way could they annihilate the 100,000-strong Northern Rong army."
The girls all looked on with admiration and longing.
Ruan Jiaxuan suddenly snorted coldly and said, "A fool's courage."
Ruan Chi frowned and said unhappily, "Jiaxuan, what did you say?"
Ruan Jiaxuan glanced at him sideways with a hint of hostility and said loudly, "I say the Prince of Jin is just a coward with no courage."
Ruan Chi's face darkened instantly, his eyes glaring with murderous intent. All the girls and maids were so frightened that their legs went weak.
Master Ruan Hong glared at Ruan Jiaxuan and said first, "Nonsense! Prince Jin has guarded the Northwest for five years and fought against the Northern Rong nearly a hundred times without ever being defeated. How could a mere child like you understand his courage and strategy?"
Ruan Jiaxuan retorted, "The commander of an army should sit in the main camp to stabilize the morale of the troops. If he were to enter a dangerous situation and make a mistake, wouldn't the morale of the army collapse and the army be defeated without a fight? Prince Jin only thinks about making a name for himself in bravery, but what about the country and the people? Isn't such behavior just reckless courage?"
Ruan Bi thought to herself, although it wasn't entirely correct, it did make some sense. It seemed that the eldest young master of the Ruan family did have some knowledge, but he was a bit arrogant and proud.
Ruan Chi sneered and said, "Ignorant brat, you only know how to pacify the army but not how to boost morale. It was only because Prince Jin led from the front that the morale was so high that he was able to annihilate 100,000 Northern Rong troops. Besides, Prince Jin is wise and resourceful, with countless schemes. He is no ordinary person. If he is in a dangerous situation, he will have a well-thought-out plan. The soldiers and civilians in the Northwest all praise Prince Jin. There were a few street ruffians who insulted him, and this is what happened to them..." He picked up the wine cup on the table and crushed it to pieces with a crack, splashing wine everywhere.
Everyone was startled, and for a moment, the hall was completely silent.
Ruan Bi thought to herself, it seems that Ruan Chi admires the Prince of Jin to the core.
After a while, the old lady came to her senses, clutched her chest and said, "Amitabha, what a fine family dinner, why did you have to talk about battlefield bloodshed? It made this old woman dizzy, lightheaded, and sweaty."
“That’s right, that’s right.” The First Madam chimed in, tugging at Ruan Jiaxuan’s sleeve and saying, “Jiaxuan, quickly apologize to your third uncle.”
Ruan Jiaxuan flicked his sleeves and bowed reluctantly. "Third Uncle, I was ignorant, please don't blame me."
Ruan Chi remained silent for a moment, then suppressed his murderous aura, smiled, and said, "You are my nephew, so naturally I won't blame you. However, if the Prince of Jin's men heard you say that, they would surely cut you down ten or eight times over."
The old lady and Ruan Hong both understood the implied meaning, and were both surprised and annoyed.
Ruan Hong said, "Third brother, you are overthinking it. Today is a family banquet, and these words will only be heard by people in the manor. They will certainly not reach the ears of outsiders."
Ruan Chi grinned but didn't say anything.
Hearing this, the First Madam understood and felt frightened. She gave a signal, and the maidservant standing nearby brought over another wine cup, poured more wine, her hands trembling with fear. The First Madam glared at her with disgust and said, "Go away." She then rose and personally poured a cup of wine for Ruan Chi, saying, "Third Brother, calm down. Jiaxuan is young and ignorant; he did not intend to slander Prince Jin. Prince Jin's name is renowned throughout the land. Even the ignorant women in our capital have heard many of his deeds. The Great Zhou is blessed to its people and fortunate to its nation with him."
Ruan Chi's expression softened slightly, and he said, "Sister-in-law, you truly deserve to be the daughter of the Prince of Zhuojun, a privy to the Grand Council. Your insight is truly remarkable, and you are no less capable than any man."
Ruan Bi found it amusing and slightly grinned, but then she saw Ruan Chi's gaze pierce her like a knife.
The First Madam personally handed the wine cup to Ruan Chi, then picked up her own cup and said, "Third Brother, you flatter me. When Father was alive, he once said that a good man should sacrifice himself to defend the country and protect the nation forever. It is because of young heroes like Third Brother that the people of the Great Zhou can live in peace and prosperity. Third Brother, your sister-in-law toasts you."
"You're too kind, sister-in-law." Ruan Chi felt flattered by her praise and downed his drink without hesitation.
The atmosphere finally eased, and soft laughter returned. However, Ruan Jiaxuan remained sullen, drinking his wine in silence.
The sixth daughter suddenly asked, "How old is the Prince of Jin?"
The second wife glared at her for her impetuous question.
Ruan Chi said, "The King of Jin is two years older than me, and he is twenty-two years old."
The sixth sister exclaimed, "Truly a young hero!"
Seeing that she was becoming increasingly shameless, the second madam glared at her fiercely again, but the sixth young lady pretended not to notice.
"Yes. Prince Jin is wise and intelligent, with unparalleled literary and military talents."
Ruan Hong frowned as he listened to Ruan Hong's endless praise and said, "Third brother, you shouldn't say these things. If they reach the Emperor's ears, it will be detrimental to both you and the Prince of Jin."
Ruan Chi had been following Prince Jin for half a year and deeply admired him. However, being young and arrogant, he couldn't possibly listen to such words. He said dismissively, "Brother, you're overthinking it. Prince Jin and the Emperor are twins from the same mother and are of one mind and one heart. How could they possibly have a rift because of some gossip?"
Ruan Hong wanted to persuade him further, but then he saw the old lady glare at him and immediately realized that the loss of the Prince of Jin was not bad for him, but it was a big problem for Ruan Chi, who was attached to the Prince of Jin. With this thought, he gave up his plan to persuade him and instead tried to persuade him to drink.
Everyone raised their glasses, and the conversation ended there.
The maids and concubines at the next table, having overheard the earlier remarks and seeing Ruan Chi's upright and dashing figure, making the middle-aged, overweight old man look like a piece of white, plump tofu in comparison, felt envious. They began to tease Manhua, plying her with wine one by one. Xiuping, sitting nearby, felt neglected and gradually grew resentful.
Originally, she was happy to be given to the eldest master by the old lady, but the eldest master was over forty years old and had a lot of concubines. How could he compare to the third master, Ruan Chi, who was twenty years old and still unmarried? Besides, Ruan Chi was a veteran of the battlefield and had a kind of tough man's spirit.
The First Madam was worried about what to do with Xiuping when she suddenly saw Xiuping staring blankly at Ruan Chi's back, her eyes filled with a complex mix of admiration and helplessness. An idea struck her, and she said, "The girls should also toast Third Uncle."
Ruan Chi was handsome and eloquent, and being close in age to the young ladies, they all had a good impression of him. Without hesitation, they responded to the First Madam's suggestion. Except for the Seventh Miss, who was too young to drink, the other five toasted Ruan Chi one by one. When it came to Ruan Bi, Ruan Chi gave her a cold look, and although he drank, he quickly lowered his head and spat it out.
Ruan Bi was very puzzled. Ruan Chi left home at the age of 14 to join the army in the Northwest, while Ruan Bi was only 7 years old at that time. What grudge did they have that made him hate her so much?
The family banquet lasted until 7:45 PM. Both Ruan Jiaxuan and Ruan Chi drank quite a bit of wine; the former drank on his own, while the latter was deliberately made to drink by the First Madam. At the next table, Manhua had also been plied with wine; her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were glazed, and she looked even more beautiful than before.
Everyone dispersed and returned to their respective courtyards.
Ruan Bi had drunk some wine and felt hot. Not wanting to return to Liaoyuan Garden, she walked along the covered walkway, intending to go to the water's edge for some fresh air. She hadn't gone far when a maid from the old lady's courtyard caught up with her, bowed, and said, "Fifth Miss, we don't know where a set of fine porcelain from the old lady's courtyard went. Sister Manyun would like to ask Sister Xiuzhi to go and look for it, is that alright?"
Ruan Bi nodded and said to Xiuzhi, "Go ahead, I'll just cool off by the water for a bit and then go back. Once you're done, don't come looking for me, just go back on your own."
Xiuzhi nodded and followed the maid.
The Ruan family mansion, managed by several generations, occupies a considerable area. Its gardens and rockeries are exquisitely crafted, and a small pond has been dug to grow lotus flowers. At this time, the lotus buds are high above the water, emitting a faint fragrance. Ruan Bi walked a short distance, the effects of the wine taking hold, and feeling quite tipsy, she sat down under a willow tree on the bank.
Just as she was in a daze, she suddenly heard footsteps coming from one after the other, mixed with rapid breathing. She turned her head to look and saw Manhua running over in the dim moonlight, with Ruan Jiaxuan chasing after her.
Ruan Jiaxuan rushed up, grabbed Manhua's arm, and whispered, "Don't run away, I have something to say."
Manhua struggled and said, "Young Master, let go quickly, it won't look good if someone sees us."
Ruan Jiaxuan, slightly drunk, said, "What's wrong with that? I'll go beg my grandmother to give you to me."
"Young Master, the Old Madam has already given me to the Third Master."
"No, no, you're mine." Ruan Jiaxuan hugged her tightly. "You said you would wait for me."
"Young Master, now... it's impossible for us, please let me go." Manhua choked back tears, forcefully breaking free from her embrace and running forward. After only a few steps, Ruan Jiaxuan grabbed her again, dragging her behind the artificial hill. Soon, the sounds of kissing and Manhua's muffled struggles could be heard.
Ruan Bi was now completely sober. Afraid of being discovered, she sat holding her breath for a while, listening to their increasingly rapid breathing, interspersed with faint moans, which seemed unlikely to stop anytime soon. After thinking for a moment, she stood up and tiptoed forward. She had only taken a few steps when she heard soft footsteps approaching from afar, and then saw her maid, Xiushui, walking towards her from the flower path, presumably coming to find her.
The two were kissing passionately behind the artificial hill, undisturbed. Ruan Bi, fearing Xiu Shui would make a fuss, quickly stepped forward from under the willow tree, stood in the moonlight, and put a finger to her lips to silence herself. Xiu Shui hesitated, glanced around, and then called out loudly, "Fifth Miss, Sister Xiu Zhi sent me to find you."
The rapid breathing and groans behind the artificial hill stopped abruptly. Ruan Bi was furious. She glared at Xiu Shui, strode over, and said loudly, "You've come at the right time. There wasn't a soul in sight here. I was terrified. Let's go back quickly."
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