Chapter 82
Book 8 Chapter 5: Reacting with Calmness
As Xiao Shaolong starting riding away from the Marquis’s Residence, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss in his heart.
Right now is evening and the street lamps are being lighted. The autumn wind blows a chilling sensation in the air.
Teng Yi has already left the city for Hidden Army Valley and Ji Yanran is not available. Now that he wants to confide in someone, who can he look for? Thinking about his date with Zhao Zhi, he starts to feel better. His only escape to forget all the headaches is to indulge in the flesh of a beauty.
In hindsight, he cannot openly visit Ji Yanran but he can still do so discreetly. His conscious in clear and the intelligent beauty may even have a good plan to counter the present danger
With this thought, he hurried home and changed into fresh clothes. With his skills, he slipped into Liu (Huasheng) Residence and finally found his belle in her loft.
Seeing him, Ji Yanran is crazy with happiness. After an intense frenching session, Xiang Shaolong related everything he encountered at Zhao Mu’s residence.
After thinking long and hard in his bosom, Ji Yanran straightened her pose and offer: I have a plan which would help to solve all the present problems, although I am not very happy to execute it.
Xiang Shaolong did not feel good hearing this and quickly asked her for the details.
Ji Yanran replied:" Li Yuan has been feeling dejected because of me. He is against you also because you won my favour. I have to openly show no interest in you and conspire with him. In the process, I have to make him understand that if he harms you again, I will ignore him forever. Thus, he may hate you but he will not dare to plot against you anymore."
Xiang Shaolong couldn’t take it anymore. He revealed: "How can we proceed in such a manner? What if you really fall for him? Li Yuan is merciless when he wants to achieve an objective. He resembles Han Chuang who gave me a bottle of aphrodisiac to make you succ.u.mb to me."
Ji Yanran was incensed: "That shameless brat!"
After they consolidated their thoughts, Yanran hugged Shaolong:"Relax my dear. Yanran is well-equipped to deal with all kinds of evil men. I guard very well against people who try to tamper with my food and drink. Li Yuan will not succeed in wooing me. Moreover, I am the famous Ji Yanran, the stone cold maiden If Li Yuan wants to marry me openly; he has to wait till he goes back to Chu. "
Xiang Shaolong still feels uneasy: "Now that Li Yuan is the Imperial Uncle, he is probably thinking of going back to Chu to consolidate his power to match Lord Chunshen Huang Xie. If he wants to bring you back to Chu and you disagree, it will reveal your real intentions."
Ji Yanran reasoned: "If we can drag the matter for one day, we benefit the extra day. In Handan City, everyone is clamouring to Li Yuan’s side. And your situation will grow from bad to worse. If we do not hasten to hold his hand, we may not be able to survive tomorrow. Let’s hope the treaty will take more time to finish so that Li Yuan has to remain in Zhao for a longer period."
Xiang Shaolong secretly admits that this is the best strategy. If he tried to escape now without capturing Zhao Mu, how is he to face Lu Buwei and King Zhuangxiang? No matter what it takes, regardless of personal or official obligations, he cannot retreat without settling his blood debt.
Gritting his teeth, he consented: "Sorry to trouble Yanran!"
Before he finished his sentence, the maidservant came to report that Li Yuan has come to invite Ji Yanran to enter the palace together for the banquet.
Xiang Shaolong felt the ultimate discomfort and his heart is bleeding.
Xiang Shaolong has just arrived in the bamboo grove when the large yellow dog started barking.
This time, he entered through the front main door. Zhao Zheng welcomed him in and keep tugging his clothes. "Please dissuade Little Rou. She never listens to anyone. Tian Dan is at the peak of his power and I did not want to see Little Rou commit such a dense act akin the moth flying towards the flame (to get burned 飞蛾扑火)"
Xiang Shaolong sighed: "But I do not have full confidence in dissuading her"
Zhao Zhen replied:"Despite her display of hatred for you, I can tell that she thinks often about you. These few days, she is depressed and throws tantrums and it is all because she is upset with you.
Xiang Shaolong thought of that night when he held Shan Rou on the floor. Her dress had spilled opened to reveal her white and supple legs. Swallowing his saliva, he headed to the back of the house. He asked: "Don’t you employ any errand boy or page?"
Zhao Zhen explained: I like peace so the errand boy goes over to sleep at the school after dinner. This is more convenient for Little Rou as she cannot be seen by the public.
Xiao Shaolong finally understood.
Zhao Zhen sent him to the stairwell and asked him to enter own his own.
Xiang Shaolong banished all the troubles in his mind, consolidate his spirits and came to the front of the door. He was about to knock when the door was pulled open. Zhao Zhi was dressed in an entirely new outfit which put her in a different light. Waiting at the door, she gives the impression of a dainty wife welcoming her husband home after a hard day’s work. In a pleasant voice she cried: "Master Dong please come in!"
He cannot bear but look at her intensely before stepping into the hall.
Zhao Zhi let him have a good look at her. Not only is she not offended, she happily tugged his sleeve and pointed upstairs:"Sister is upstairs. Would you please go and find her?"
Xiao Shaolong endured the thought of caressing her and questioned: "Aren’t you going up with me?" Zhao Zhi giggled: "I am preparing cakes to pamper our esteemed guest. Please be lenient and don’t bully too much. Remember Zhao Zhi has promised to do your bidding from now on."
Xiang Shaolong is aroused by her tender att.i.tude and cannot bear to hurt her anymore. He knows he is deeply entrenched with the Zhao sisters till the point of no return. After, humans are creature with feelings. The two girls have such a pitiful background. As a typical man, he is compelled to protect the weaker s.e.x. He cannot help but feel drawn towards them.
Hai! Since he is here, he will do his best according to the circ.u.mstances.
Xiang Shaolong smoothly gave a light pinch to Zhao Zhi’s cheek before ascending the stairs.
Zhao Zhi’s delicate face turned red as she returned to her baking.
He reached the place where he had his first tussle with the two ladies. He did not see Shan Rou immediately. After scanning the area, he noticed two huts on the right. One has its door blinds down while the other hut seems to be uninhabited.
Xiang Shaolong purposely took off his boots and approached the hut with the blinds down.
Shan Rou’s icy voice shot out from the hut:"Who is it?"
Xiang Shaolong replied:"Me" and lifted the blinds and entered the hut.
Shan Rou is leaning on a couch at the side of the room. She straightened herself immediately. Under the candlelight, her chiselled face and curvy lips in addition to her slightly untidy hair gave off a tantalizing aura that Xiang Shaolong has never experienced before. Although he is used to beauties, his eyes lit up at the sight of her.
Shan Rou stared at Shaolong with mixed reactions. She tidied her hair and stood up and said embarra.s.singly: "I did not sleep well the last few nights. I unexpectedly fell asleep while leaning on the couch for a slight rest."
For Xiang Shaolong, this is the first time he saw this beauty in such a stylish light. In spite of strong external character, she carries another side of her. If not for the fact that he heard it with his own ears, he cannot believe Shan Rou can speak in such an affectionate tone.
Shan Rou caught Shaolong examining herself and became shy. But she resumed her icy tone and spoke displeasingly: "Will Mister Dong please wait outside, allow me to freshen up..."
Xiang Shaolong interrupted her:"No need to freshen up. Miss Rou is looking her best!"
Shan Rou’s beautiful and big eyes blinked in puzzlement but she did not insist. Using her icy voice, she replied:"You are strange. My clothes and hair are disorderly and you said it is prettier. Fine. Let’s talk outside."
Shan Rou was about to cross the door ledge into the inner hall when she had to stop. Apparently, Shaolong had blocked her path with his large hand. If she had gone a further two inches, her chest will collide into his huge arm.
Shan Rou could not apprehend why he wants to block the way and keep her in the room. She forgot to react and only stared at him dumbly.
Xiang Shaolong also couldn’t understand why he is so rude with her. He knew that without a proper explanation, this female a.s.sa.s.sin will not take it easy on him. He spoke: "Will you a.s.sa.s.sinate Tian Dan