Chapter 105: The Twists and Turns
Smilingly, Lady Ruan extended her painted fingers, sipped her drink, and then quietly said, “You’re right, you’re a temptress whom Lang’ya w.a.n.g Qi, General Ran, as well as the Prince of Nan’yang had all sold their souls to.” Whatever she may be thinking, she added with a disgusted smile: “It’d be a pity if you died.”
She waved her right hand and ordered, “Take her away, remember to watch her. Keep an eye on her people, too.”
“Aye.”
Lady Li walked up behind Chen Rong, gave her a shove and yelled, “Go!”
Chen Rong turned around to glare at her. The murderous intent in her eyes caused Lady Li to retreat despite herself. Only then did she turn and walk outside.
As she crossed the door step, Chen Rong suddenly paused and asked, “When we were in Mo’yang, people of the w.a.n.g House had asked me what I was afraid of. Do you know what my answer was, aunt?”
Lady Ruan frowned and impatiently placed her teacup down. As she was about to order the maids to drag her away, Chen Rong audibly stated: “I said that what I fear most isn’t death, but that I can’t make my uncle Chen Yuan and his wife happy.”
She gave Lady Li and Lady Ruan a smirk, turned and strode away.
Staring after Chen Rong’s back, Lady Ruan slapped the table, her face red with anger. “Did she threaten me? How dare she threaten me?!”
Lady Ruan sat down again to sip her tea and sneered: “Did you use the w.a.n.g House in Lang’ya to scare me? Ah Rong of the Chen House, w.a.n.g Hong can’t even guarantee his own life at this point. And even if he could, he wouldn’t make you his honored concubine. You have no worth. Hmph, why don’t you take a good look at your situation before you rely on a fleeting lover!”
This translation belongs to hamster428.wordpress.com
Chen Rong entered the same cabin she had been to in her previous life.
When the door closed, the maid who stood beside Lady Li – the one with a pointy chin and a beauty mark by her mouth – shrilly laughed at her. “Ah Rong of the Chen House, I thought your dagger was fun to play with? Why aren’t you playing with it today?” At this juncture, she turned to Lady Li with a look of flattery.
Lady Li haughtily raised her chin to stare at Chen Rong.
Chen Rong turned away, not bothering with them.
At this sight, the maid smiled and said, “Let’s see how long you can turn your nose up at us!” At this time, Lady Li also shrilled, “Keep an eye on her at all times. Lock the door.”
“Aye, aye.”
After the door was locked, Chen Rong heard her shouting outside: “Keep a close watch on her.”
“Aye.”
Time gradually pa.s.sed.
Chen Rong held her knees as she sat in bed, looking at the skylight on the ceiling.
She wasn’t particularly smart, otherwise, she wouldn’t have met her end in her last life.
She sat wracking her brain but was unable to find any way to escape. She could only pray that the invitation hadn’t been sent by Lady Ruan and Lady Li. Otherwise, she was really done for.
Chen Rong buried her face between her knees and saw w.a.n.g Hong in her trance. The terrifying memories of last night played in her mind over and over again.
Darkness descended in the blink of an eye.
The cabin was already too dark for her to see her own fingers. If not for the voices and laughter outside, Chen Rong might have been driven mad from her own heartbeats.
Uncertain how long had pa.s.sed, starlight gradually filtered through the skylight while the chatter lessened outside.
At this time, she heard footsteps approaching.
She dashed to the door and helplessly looked out.
Sure enough, they were coming for her.
Thump thump, Chen Rong’s heart beat rapidly.
Soon, the footsteps stopped at the door. Then came the sound of the door unlocking.
Chen Rong walked back to the divan and sat down again.
The door opened at a squeak, letting starlight spilling in.
Two maids and two tall guards appeared. After the maids shot Chen Rong a look, they turned to the guards and whispered, “Make it quick.”
Make it quick!
Chen Rong panicked.
She quickly stood up. Before she could do anything, the four of them had swarmed her and gagged her mouth with a white cloth. At the same time, her hands were cuffed and she involuntarily stumbled forward.
A carriage was parked by the door.
The guards swiftly threw her in. As soon she was released from their grasps, Chen Rong made a move to jump down. Unexpectedly, the maids knew martial arts, and they rushed up on either of her sides to hold her down by the shoulders as soon as she made a movement. The cloth that had just loosened gagged her mouth once more.
As the carriage began to move, the maids took out a rope and tied her up.
Once Chen Rong had been tied into a zongzi and none of her limbs could move, they dragged her down to sit.
By this time, the carriage had driven out of the estate.
This translation belongs to hamster428.wordpress.com
Since she couldn’t move, Chen Rong did not continue her struggle. She lay on the carriage floor wide eyed and thought to herself: They’re planning to take me out of the Chen estate. Do they want to kill me or lock me up somewhere else?
Strangely enough, she didn’t panic at the thought of death. Perhaps it was because she had died once already. Or perhaps it was because she didn’t know herself how to keep going down this path.
The carriage made its way out of the Chen estate and headed into town.
It was late, and the city was cloaked in silence. Only the gilded houses located deep in the roadways produced singing and laughter… It was always like this, even if the Hu captured Nan’yang tomorrow, the n.o.bles never forgot to indulge in their music.
While Chen Rong was lost in her train of thought, the carriage produced a tipping sound and made a turn.
A burst of cold wind lifted the curtain, affording Chen Rong a glimpse of the tall wall that enclosed a village.
She knew this village from the past as a village Lady Ruan had set up in Nan’yang.
The curtain dropped again.
Chen Rong closed her eyes and began to estimate the distance from the sound of the wheels.
After half an hour, the carriage pulled to a stop.
The maids carried Chen Rong down and threw her into a simple room.
After untying the rope, they locked the door and left.
Chen Rong moved her numb feet to slowly stand up.
Although it was simple, the room was furnished with a divan and a table, and had doors and windows. Nevertheless, the windows were covered by cow hide and prevented her from seeing outside. Behind the divan was a small door which led to a toilet.
From the footsteps she heard, she reckoned there were at least four guards outside.
Seeing that her life was safe for now, Chen Rong exhaled and went to the divan to get some sleep.
Unsurprisingly, sleep didn’t come, and she lay there eyes wide open listening to the footsteps and frogs croaking outside.
Murmuring sounded at length. Finally hearing people’s voices, Chen Rong quickly stood up and soundlessly went to the door to listen.
“She should be sleeping, right?”
“It’s almost morning, a little girl like her has to be falling asleep after suffering all night.”
“You sound as if you know her?” the first one asked in surprise.
The second voice was a little hoa.r.s.e when he chuckled: “Of course I do. There may be many girls in Nan’yang, but none can compare to her. Tsk tsk, that a.s.s and those t.i.ts, tsk tsk, just looking at her makes me go weak. I wouldn’t mind dying if I could sleep with her for one night.” He laughed lewdly.
At this time, a third voice interjected: “That’s enough, Madam has told us to watch our mouths.”
The first one laughed it off and lowered his voice. “She can’t escape anyway, what’s the harm in talking a little?” A pause. “Besides, she’s sleeping,” he muttered.
Seeing that the third man did not rebuke him, the second man hoa.r.s.ely spoke: “Aye aye, what’s the harm? And what a pity it’ll be. According to Sister Hong, Madam wants to watch her for a couple of days and if nothing happens, to give her a white cloth.”
Chen Rong made a s.h.i.+ver when she heard him. Lady Ruan actually wanted to kill her? Moreover, she even wanted to make it look like a suicide?
The voices outside went on. This time, the one to speak was the man with the gloomy voice. His interest was apparently piqued, sounding slightly excited now. “You’re right.” He lowered his voice: “Y’all don’t know this, but Sister Hong said that when that time comes, we can enjoy ourselves to our content, and even if she dies from our playing it wouldn’t matter.”
His words caused low gasps from the other men.
“Keep your voices down!” he barked.
After a stretch of silence, he laughingly whispered: “Of course, it would be even better if we can get her to kill herself. I heard Sister Hong said she’s an unwed girl who had stayed out all night, and no one knows what had happened. Everybody is gonna believe it if we say she took things hard after coming home.”
Once more, four crude laughter simultaneously sounded.
Chen Rong sat up.
She coldly smiled in the night.
Soon, light was born in the east.
Followed by a din of voices.
And quickly went down in the west.
Time continued to go by but no one had come to give her food.
At last, as the light gradually left the room, the door opened at a creak.
A maidservant stood by the door with a basket in hand. She glanced at Chen Rong, who was staring warily at her from the divan, and placed the basket down. Then she wordlessly shut the door again.
Chen Rong caught a glimpse of four middle-aged men standing outside. They were lecherously smiling at her until the door was closed.
Night fell once more.
The frogs came out to croak. Reed music sounded from a distant place.
Chen Rong sat motionlessly on the divan while her nails dug into the palms of her hands. She told herself that if she escaped this time and even if it showed her vulgar nature, she would ask w.a.n.g Hong and Sun Yan to help her dispose of Lady Ruan and Lady Li.
This translation belongs to hamster428.wordpress.com
Time did not stop.
Unknowingly, Chen Rong had fallen asleep.
When she next woke up in cold sweat, the room was still pitch black but the footsteps had ceased outside.
Chen Rong perked her ears to confirm it was really quiet before quickly running barefoot to the door and giving it a hard push.
The door was securely locked.
She ran to the window.
As she was about to push it, footsteps again sounded outside.
They stayed for nearly an hour, and thus Chen Rong had to go back to the divan and fell to a groggy slumber.
By the time she woke up, the east was bright again.
The sun was blazing when the maid brought her food.
Like yesterday, the four men huddled together and leered at Chen Rong when the door opened, clamping their mouths so their drool wouldn’t spill.
The maid locked the door and went away again, leaving Chen Rong panicking by each pa.s.sing second.
She had known this village. It was located by the northern gate of Nan’yang, in a remote and spa.r.s.ely populated area. It was also often left vacant. By listening for the past two nights, she discovered that there were only her and the four guards in the entire village.
All she could do now was pray that w.a.n.g Hong could quickly make his own escape and remember about her… Aside from that, she really didn’t know what else to do.
She spent three more days in this groggy state.
This translation belongs to hamster428.wordpress.com
On the fourth morning, she heard the sound of rolling wheels.
Listening to them getting closer, Chen Rong suddenly broke away from her trance, jumped down from the divan and ran to the door.
She clasped the hairpin in her palm, unblinkingly staring at the door.
Soon, the carriage stopped in the courtyard. Subsequently, Chen Sanlang’s voice spoke: “Is she here?”
He sounded somewhat angry.
The maid with the pointy chin and a beauty mark cried, “Aye, aye.”
She only managed two words by the time she made gurgling sounds. She sounded to have been gagged.
Chen Rong pauded, holding onto a ray of hope.
Pattering footsteps.
Before long, Chen Sanlang’s voice came to her, gentle and warm: “Ah Rong, Ah Rong? Dear sister, are you inside? Your brother is here to take you home.”
Chen Rong stared outside and ecstatically replied, “Third brother? Is that you? Have you come to take me out?”
She pounded on the door.
Chen Sanlang shouted: “What are you waiting for? Open the door.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
The door creaked opened amid the repeated answers.
Due to sunlight in her eyes, Chen Rong covered her face with her sleeve.
At this time, Chen Sanlang strode up to her as he painfully exclaimed, “Ah Rong, you’ve gotten thinner. Look at your chin. It breaks my heart to see how pointy it has become.” He spoke as he held Chen Rong. Behind him were several maids and tall guards. Intentionally or otherwise, they blocked Chen Rong’s view, as if they didn’t want her to see this village.
When she heard his concerned voice, grief overtook her and she covered her face to cry.
Chen Sanlang went to her. He stared at her slender waist and satin-like hair that retained its silkiness though it had been a few days. He reached out trying to hug Chen Rong.
At this point, her feet gave out, sending her falling forward.
Chen Sanlang quickly let her go and brushed away the sleeve that was covering her face. Looking at her closed eyes and wan face, she couldn’t help himself from falling into a daze.
“The young lady has fainted from joy,” whispered a servant behind him.
Chen Sanlang snapped awake and quickly shouted: “Quick, take my sister to my carriage.”
Two maids stepped up to take Chen Rong. Intentionally or not, their long sleeves were placed over Chen Rong’s face and blocked her eyes.
After only two paces, Chen Rong woke up and broke into tears. She was as loud and annoying as could be!
Stunned, Chen Sanlang couldn’t help from grimacing. “Don’t cry, dear sister.”
Unknowingly, his words prompted Chen Rong’s wails to grow even louder.
Her cries were sharp enough that they could tear his eardrums apart. Chen Sanlang screamed. When he saw that she didn’t hear him, he got irritated, waved his sleeves and shouted, “Get her in.”
The two maids almost pushed Chen Rong into his carriage when Chen Sanlang thundered: “Are you blind? Let her sit with you!”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
They took Chen Rong and stuffed her into their smaller carriage.
At this time, the maid with the beauty mark, who had been thrown aside after Chen Sanlang had gagged her mouth with a cloth, was lifted by the guards and thrown into the last carriage.
The vehicles drove on. With each jolt, the curtain stayed down and didn’t lift even when the cold wind blew.
Gradually, Chen Rong’s sharp cries softened and eventually ceased.
By now, the carriage had left the village and onto the paved road.
Finally receiving some peace, Chen Sanlang took a deep breath and a mouthful of tea before cursing: “d.a.m.nation. It’s as if the sky is falling every time a woman cries!”
He then thought of his own matter. He lifted the curtain and kindly smiled toward the other carriage. “Dear sister, are you feeling better now?”
Some time later, Chen Rong’s hoa.r.s.e voice quietly replied: “Aye, much better… thank you.”
Chen Sanlang chuckled, but quickly frowned and said, “I got here too late and caused you to be locked up for many days.”
At this juncture, he hatefully cursed: “It was that lowly wench! Speaking nonsense to my mother using her silver tongue. But rest a.s.sured, dear sister, I won’t forgive her. After we return, you can beat her or kill her however you want!”
He had sounded so sincere and moving.
Chen Rong sneered. If she hadn’t heard the guards last night, she would also have thought that Lady Ruan only wanted to lock her up for a few days.
“I won’t let her off easy,” she gritted her teeth. Her voice was cutting and spiteful: “So that wench was the one to harm me? Third brother, I won’t forgive her!”
“Aye aye, don’t forgive her.”
Chen Sanlang laughed twice and then signaled his carriage to near Chen Rong’s.
He poked his head out, leaned toward Chen Rong’s carriage and concernedly said, “Ah Rong, the past few days have been hard on you. Go home, vent, and take a few days to rest. I have told the cook to make chicken soup and lamb stew to nourish you back to health.”
“Thank you, third brother.”
Chen Sanlang laughed.
He retracted his head, cast a glance at Chen Rong’s vague figure inside her carriage, and inwardly thought, No, it cannot be rushed. Lets broach that matter after she’s had a day to rest.
This translation belongs to hamster428.wordpress.com
The carriage arrived at the Chen estate.
It did not go to Chen Rong’s courtyard, but instead went directly to Chen Yuan’s.
Soon, it pulled to a stop.
Chen Rong had just stepped off the carriage when vague sobs were heard. She saw the maid with the beauty mark kneeling in front of Chen Yuan with her hands tied behind her and her mouth gagged with cloth.
Chen Yuan sat before her while both Lady Ruan and Lady Li stood below with their heads bowing in shame.
At the time Chen Sanlang led Chen Rong in, Chen Yuan stood up to welcome her. He concernedly looked at her and said, “Ah Rong, do forgive me.”
There was anger in his voice.
He was genuinely angry.
Chen Rong looked at him in surprise. Chen Yuan’s face was drawn long in a shade of black, his eyes were also cracking fire. His anger didn’t seem to be pretense.
At this time, Chen Yuan noticed her looking at him. He regarded her and again said, “Ah Rong, do forgive me.”
She heard sincerity in his voice.
Chen Rong bowed her head and feebly said, “You’re exaggerating, uncle.”
“Not at all.” Chen Yuan was very angry. He paced in place and gravely said, “I’ve only left for a few days but the house is turned upside down. These days…” He gasped for breath, strode to the maid and gave her a hard kick.
He had used all of his strength. The maid gave a cry and rolled backward. Even Lady Li and Lady Ruan who were standing nearby made a s.h.i.+ver, their heads bowing lower.
The kick did little to lessen his ire. Chen Yuan again rushed forth to give the maid another kick in the chest. She lurched to the side and spat out blood. Due to her mouth being stuffed with cloth, the blood stained through the fabric in a red blob.
Despite this, Chen Yuan was still furiously kicking and thundering: “A blind lot of fools. Is Ah Rong someone you can touch, you lowly wench?”
Though Chen Yuan wasn’t a scholar, he was educated and had been keeping appearances until now. And yet, he was being so brutal that his anger seemed to seep out from his disguise.
Chen Rong looked toward Lady Ruan and Lady Li who were shrinking back in fear. She couldn’t help herself from thinking: Perhaps Chen Yuan really had not consented to any of this?
Chen Yuan gave a few more kicks and only stopped to catch his breath. After a while, he waved to Chen Sanlang and said, “Ah Rong must be tired. Take her back and let her rest.”
“Aye, father.”
Chen Rong had just turned around by the time Chen Yuan’s barely suppressed fury again roared behind her. “And you, stay inside. You’re not allowed to go anywhere without my permission!”
“Aye,” Lady Ruan replied at long last.
“Have you gone mother f.u.c.king blind?!” He next cursed. “Drag this woman away and lock her up for three days. n.o.body is to give her any food.”
Lady Li’s weeping sounded at this point: “My lord.” Her voice had lowered into a whisper, but she did not beg to be pardoned.
As the voices behind her faded away, Chen Rong grew increasingly curious: Had something happened? Why have Chen Yuan come for me? And appearing so livid, at that?