Book 8 Chapter 4: Isolated Without Support
Ji Yanran, accompanied by Xiang Shaolong and Teng Yi on her right and left, galloped out of the school.
As Xiang Shaolong remembered Zhao Ba’s invitation for them to become the honored guest instructors, he couldn’t help be reminded that Lian Jin must have received the same treatment when he was alive, therefore he had the opportunity to become closer to Zhao Zhi thus evoking their short affair.
Maybe Zhao Zhi is fickle in love, for her first lover was killed and she instead fell in love with him, the person who killed her lover, but because of her relationship with Jing Jun, he didn’t dare to accept her love. However, if she threw herself into Li Yuan’s embrace out of anger because of this, it could really make one feel resentful.
Li Yuan will definitely not appreciate or care for the fairer sex for he is too selfish.
Returning to the busy town centre, Teng Yi said, “I want to go to the Hidden Army Valley to see them, I may not be able to return by tonight.”
Xiang Shaolong bitterly smiled in his heart, the path to attaining this goal is very long and arduous, but without Great Qin, it would not be possible for the following period of the two Han Dynasties to have peace, even more so for China to exists in the 21st century. When he thought of this, he abruptly resolved to cast aside his own moral principles and see if he can help Xiao Pan a little.
At the same time, he secretly sighed. For someone like him who views all wars are evil, it wasn’t easy for him to suddenly change his ideology.
Zou Yan laughed, “How did it go?”
Ji Yanran blushed, “Scholar Liu saw that I am not in the mood for war so he let me off this time!”
Everyone laughed.
That Liu Huasheng didn’t know Xiang Shaolong background and only regarded him as horse fanatic Dong Kuang. After some small talk, he and Zou Yan went back inside to continue contending for supremacy on the chessboard while Ji Yanran happily led Xiang Shaolong towards small building she’s temporary residing in.
Two beautiful servant-girls opened the gate and welcomed them in. Xiang Shaolong recognized them and suddenly felt a surge of familiarity.
Ji Yanran took him upstairs to her room. After waving away her maid, she sat on his lap and gave him a scorching kiss.
Both of them felt like they were transported to another world.
Yanran pretended to be solemn and asked, “Brother Dong! May I dare to ask when will you officially take Yanran as your wife?”
Xiang Shaolong grinned, “Since Miss Ji is asking this question, hmm, let me inspect you first to see if you are good stuff!”
He extended his hand and start stroking her bosom.
Ji Yanran melted into his embrace, but still stubbornly asked, “I am being serious now. When I can’t see you, that longing feeling is truly tormenting for me.”
Xiang Shaolong felt deeply touched by her love for him, sighed, “If everyone knows that I have won you over and even sleeping together with you, it’ll be difficult for me to move around. By that time, everyone will pay attention to us even you surely will lose your position and status as a detached girl free from all manly and womanly lust. This will be detrimental towards my operation here in Handan.”
These few days, Ji Yanran has fallen head over heels in love and has forgotten everything else. Now that Xiang Shaolong has reminded her, she pondered and nodded, “Yanran’s too reckless, forgetting that you are in a dangerous situation, I understand now!”
After a short discussion, the two of them reluctantly parted.
Xiang Shaolong leisurely walked back to his residence instead of riding.
Xiang Shaolong sat down beside her, “Miss Zhi, don’t you have to accompany Li Yuan?”
Zhao Zhi paled and bit her lips, not answering the question at all as she replied, “Teacher asked me to invite you to our school.”
Xiang Shaolong understood that she is just using this as an excuse to come see him, otherwise why would Zhao Ba task a beautiful girl like her to come alone to invite him for it just doesn’t conform with the etiquette. He sighed, “How are you these last two days? Now, my heart is very troubled.”
Zhao Zhi still looked down, whispered like a fly, “What are you troubled about? You have just flaunted your abilities today and also won the talented Lady Ji’s favor. I thought you won’t be home so early.”
Xiang Shaolong suddenly understood her intention for coming here looking for him. She wanted to show him that she didn’t give in to Li Yuan. Coming from such a proud and arrogant beautiful girl, this is already a large concession. It can also be seen that this girl had fallen hard for him to the point of losing her self-control.
Zhao Zhi slowly lifted her head, sadly watching him, “You can do whatever you like to me, hit me, scold me, because it’s Zhao Zhi’s fault.”
Xiang Shaolong was secretly lamenting, when a beautiful girl is willing to allow him to punish her, it’s an equivalent to allowing her husband free reign to handle her. If he still rejected her, there’s no other way for her to redeem her pride besides suicide. He couldn’t help getting a headache and stood up.
Zhao Zhi watched him in trepidation.
Xiang Shaolong said, “Miss Zhi, just sit here first, I will be back with you right away.”
He hurried over to the east room.
Zhao Ya was leaning on the window blankly watching the garden outside. Under the evening sun, the flowers and trees gave out a thick autumn feeling.
Hearing his footsteps, Zhao Ya trembled slightly, turned around and smiled, “Talented Lady Ji did not invite you to spend the night?”
Xiang Shaolong snorted, “Did you think her a wanton girl? I didn’t even have the chance to touch her little finger.”
Zhao Ya knew that he taking the opportunity to blow this up and being sarcastic that she’s making herself easy for Li Yuan. She looked down in shame and sighed, “I come here now to apologize to you. Will Mister accept my apology?”
Xiang Shaolong was secretly lamenting, he really shouldn’t have fought today. During this period where they value martial prowess over literature, there are no beautiful girls who won’t admire heroes with superb sword skills. Just because he wanted to gain a momentary pleasure and although he put managed Li Yuan down a little, he also made two girls fall head over heels over him and now he’s at a loss as to how to handle them.
At the moment where there is a lot of urgent business for him to handle, he didn’t have any more free time to cope with them two.
Zhao Zhi’s much easier to handle, Zhao Ya on the other hand gives him a headache and he is in a dilemma.
The biggest problem was that he himself still held a residue of love towards Zhao Ya and still crazy about her arousing body, so it’s easy for him to feel jealousy and resentfulness towards her. On the whole, Zhao Ya’s not a bad person, it’s just that she does not have a strong will. But it’s impossible to forgive her, besides he didn’t dare to trust her anymore, it’s just that sometimes he doesn’t have the heart to hurt her excessively.
He exclaimed, “Don’t joke with me, Lady. You have never offended me the slightest bit so there’s no need to apologize at all.”
Zhao Ya gracefully walked over towards him till her chest was nearly touching him, before gazing up tenderly, “Can Zhao Ya stay here tonight?”
Zhao Ya saw his indecisive expression and moved half a step forward, throwing her slender body into his embrace, her soft perky bosom pressing tightly against him and enchantingly asked, “Do you really disdain me, Mister?”
Xiang Shaolong was shaken awake, secretly relieved that he had applied the sap from the Love Plant, otherwise Zhao Ya might have recognized him. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. With strong willpower, he hardened his heart and pushed her away a little to avoid being tempted by her enticingly soft breast.
His eyes sharp, he laughed, “Why would Lady have such a thought? Any normal man would not have let you go.”
Zhao Ya bashfully replied, “What are you waiting for then?”
Looking at her laying out the obvious, a look of wantonness which hinted that he can do anything to her, Xiang Shaolong was tempted but also angered. His eyes wantonly roved over her beautiful, heaving breast, and asked with a wry smile, “If Li Yuan wants you to sleep with him tomorrow night, will Lady be able to reject him?”
No one understood her wantonness and weak-will better than himself. Even when she was deeply in love with him in the past, she still couldn’t resist Qi Yu’s seduction and slept with him. After she broke off her relationship with Zhao Mu, she was still willing to allow herself to be toyed by this traitor. So these words are like a stab to her vital point.
Indeed Zhao Ya instantly was dismayed and she looked down, “Can you not ask me this kind of question! It’s difficult for me to give you an answer.”
Xiang Shaolong was indescribably furious, turned around and walked out as he replied icily, “Lady, please return to your residence! I still have other guest that I need entertain!”
Zhao Ya cried out piteously, “Dong Kuang!”
Once he heard how miserable and sorrowful she sounded, his heart softened and he stopped, replying with a deep voice, “Is there anything else you wish to instruct me, Lady?”
Zhao Ya went behind him and discarding all etiquette, she hugged his waist holding tightly, melding herself to his back and suddenly cried desolately, her cries filled with untold misery.
Xiang Shaolong fears neither Heaven nor Earth but he is most afraid of women crying. Remembering their past love, he embraced her and used his sleeves to frantically wipe her tears away.
Who would have known that her cries just kept intensified unstoppably, making his sleeve wet with her tears.
No matter how much Xiang Shaolong hated her, at this moment, he couldn’t bear to chide her anymore.
After a while, Zhao Ya calmed down and slowly removed herself from his embrace. Her puffy red eyes glanced mournfully at him and she whispered, “Zhao Ya’s leaving!”
Xiang Shaolong was stunned and he had a distinct feeling that her loss of composure was probably due to remembering him, Xiang Shaolong, and the sadness just welled up in her. At the same time she is no longer interested in other men so for that instant she did not know what to feel.
He nodded, “I’ll send you out to the main door!”
Zhao Ya woodenly replied, “Mister, don’t stand on ceremony!” She turned around and hurriedly left.
Xiang Shaolong returned to the inner chamber and changed his clothes. In the meantime, he also sent someone to invite Zhao Zhi who had been waiting for awhile to come to the inner hall.
He felt thirsty, so he asked someone to pour him two cups of hot tea, enjoying it together with Zhao Zhi, who sat across from him.
Zhao Zhi felt slightly flattered by his treatment and occasionally stole a glance towards him.
Xiang Shaolong’s heart started burning up and secretly thought that if he wanted to take her, she definitely will not refuse. Precisely because of this tempting thought, he had to make a lot of effort to rationalize his mind and forcefully control his impulses.
Zhao Zhi, at this moment in time, displayed a pitiful expression.
Truthfully, he himself didn’t understand why he had not touched this beautiful lady, for it seems that Jing Jun is not enough reason for a deterrent, because it was apparent that she didn’t fall in love with the boy.
Zhao Zhi whispered, “That traitor has entered the city!”
It took a while before what she said dawned on Xiang Shaolong and he asked in bewilderment, “Traitor? Oh! You mean Tian Dan?”
Zhao Zhi looked down, “I am afraid that Sister Rou might go and assassinate him without much thought.”
Xiang Shaolong’s heart skipped a beat, “You need to warn her not to be reckless in doing things, otherwise it will be too late for regrets.”
Zhao Zhi was pleased, “So you do care about us.”
Xiang Shaolong knew he had accidentally betrayed his intention and smiled wryly, “From the start, I have always cared about you two.”
Zhao Zhi’s pretty face seemed suddenly revitalized as she rolled her eyes at him, “But why are you always so indifferent and ruthless towards us?”
Xiang Shaolong replied exasperatedly, “That night, I wholeheartedly thought that I would be able to enjoy the night Miss Zhi, but instead I got ambushed from the back and nearly lost my life, how much nicer do you want me to treat you?”
Zhao Zhi is after all an unmarried maiden and to hear him speak so honestly, both her cheeks blushed but on the inside she was deliriously happy as she said with embarrasment, “Sorry! That was just a misunderstanding. Zhao Zhi will now bow and apologise to you, alright?”
Surprisingly, she really did kneel down.
Xiang Shaolong was so surprised that he jumped out of his seat and to help her up.
Zhao Zhi allowed him to grab her shoulder and pressed her to her seat again. With a blushing face, she raised an eyebrow at him and asked sadly, “You’re no longer angry with me?”
Xiang Shaolong felt her delicate body trembling under his hands like a frightened little bird and a surge of sympathy welled up as he said gently, “Why torture yourself like this?”
Zhao Zhi’s eyes reddened as she mournfully said, “Zhao Zhi has been unlucky since young, my whole family either separated or dead. Sister Rou is constantly thinking of revenge, so my temper can be quite bad sometimes, consequently offending Mister.”
Xiang Shaolong sympathized even more with her as he secretly thought that he was the one who made her say all those heartless and obstinate words. He suddenly couldn’t help but feel apologetic towards her as he reached out his right hand to hold her chin up and smiled, “Let’s stop with the blaming game, from today onwards, why don’t we forget all about our old and new hatred forgotten?”
Zhao Zhi face turned redder as she lowered her long eyelashes and with half-lidded eyes, nodded her agreement. Who wouldn’t be affected by that kind of tender expression on a young lady’s face?
Xiang Shaolong can’t help but leaned closer and lightly kissed her lip.
Zhao Zhi’s body trembled and even her ears turned red. Her reaction was more intense than the last time when Xiang Shaolong forcefully kissed her while on the horse.
Xiang Shaolong almost wanted to press her down on the bed on impulse to copulate with her but there was still an ounce of clarity in his mind as he reluctantly released her and asked, “Where will Tian Dan be staying and how many people will be coming with him to the city?”
Zhao Zhi heard Tian Dan’s name and became clearheaded again, “He’s staying in the Zhao Palace. I’m not sure how many people will be coming with him, but usually, regardless of where he’s going, he’ll have many bodyguards around him.”
She added, “Tonight, the King of Zhao will hold a banquet to welcome this traitor, and all the envoys have been invited to attend.”
Xiang Shaolong knew immediately that he’s not invited again. The King of Zhao is obviously on Li Yuan’s side and deliberately giving him the cold shoulder.
Zhao Zhi asked shyly, “Would Mister mind going to advise my Sister Rou? In my opinion, she will definitely listen to your words.”
At any rate, Xiang Shaolong couldn’t allow Shan Rou to take the risk in trying to assassinate Tian Dan so he readily stood up and said, “Alright! Let’s go see your sister.”
Xiang Shaolong and Zhao Zhi rode their horses out of the residence. From far away, someone came riding towards them and shouted, “Master Dong, please wait!”
Both of them looked over in surprise and it turned out to be Pu Bu.
Xiang Shaolong seized the chance to tell Zhao Zhi, “Go home first and wait for me there!”
Zhao Zhi meekly nodded and left immediately.
Pu Bu stopped beside him, panting, “Marquis has invited Mister Dong to see him at once!”
Xiang Shaolong nodded his agreement and followed him back towards the Marquis’ residence.
He had on several occasions wanted to reveal his identity to Pu Bu, but in the end he bit back his words. After all, a person’s heart might have changed within the last half year.
Xiang Shaolong met Zhao Mu inside the secret room in the Marquis’ residence.
Continuing his excited tone: By now, you should know who is Xiang Shaolong, right?
Xiao Shaolong had a big fright, just nodded his head to express a positive answer. He wonders why Xiang Shaolong was suddenly mentioned.
Zhao Mu continued: I just got word from Qin. Xiang Shaolong is leading a force here to seek revenge. I will enter the palace and report this to King Xiaocheng later. However crafty is Xiang Shaolong, he will never expect I have a spy in Xianyang (Qin capital).
Xiang Shaolong is dying to know who is the spy but he suppressed this unwise emotion. He pretended to be surprised and quoted: What has this got to do with our rebellion?
Zhao Mu replied: There is a big connection. Long Shan (Teng Yi) and your physical body resemble that of Xiang Shaolong. We can prepare wooden swords for you and disguise as him to kill the Zhao King. After “escaping”, the public opinion would put the blame on Xiang Shaolong, our scapegoat. This way, we will not bear the crime.
Suddenly, he felt that he has lost the advantage he had in Handan. He felt cornered and attacked from all four directions. He bitterly suffers his isolation.