novelraw Chapter 193
Chapter 193
The Protectorate Army knew what Ye Chutang was up to, but they all played deaf and dumb, pretending not to see anything.
Because they didn't want Ye Siyin to marry into the Qi family either.
After returning to the room, Ye Chutang neutralized Qi Yanzhou's sleeping potion.
When Qi Yanzhou woke up, he felt something wasn't quite right.
His waist suddenly tightened as Ye Chutang buried her face in his chest, giving him no time to think.
Her warm breath seeped through his inner garments, lightly brushing his chest and stirring a tickling sensation.
Feeling a surge of heat rising in his lower abdomen, he looked helplessly at the "heartless" Ye Chutang.
He silently recited the Heart-Clearing Mantra.
Halfway through, Qi Yanzhou suddenly heard a low, suggestive panting.
The desire he had managed to suppress came surging back.
Sensing his body's reaction, he immediately threw off the blanket and got out of bed.
Ye Chutang asked, "Azhou, what's wrong?"
The room was unlit, and since it was the end of the month, there was barely any moonlight. It was pitch black.
Qi Yanzhou couldn't see Ye Chutang's expression clearly, but from the rustling, he knew she had sat up.
"Atang, you rest first. I need to step out for a bit."
Ye Chutang also got out of bed, walking over to Qi Yanzhou following the direction of his voice.
"There's no need to go. I set up Ye Siyin to prevent any unforeseen complications."
Qi Yanzhou wanted to leave not just because he heard the noises, but more so because of his body's arousal.
He said somewhat awkwardly, "Atang, I need to go to the latrine."
Feeling the scorching heat radiating from Qi Yanzhou's body, Ye Chutang immediately understood.
"I'll tell Mother tomorrow that we should sleep separately."
If he kept suppressing himself like this, it might affect her future experience with him.
Qi Yanzhou grabbed Ye Chutang's arm. "No, I want to sleep with my wife."
Ye Chutang felt the burning heat of the man's palm and raised an eyebrow.
"How about I treat my husband to a passion-cooling needle?"
"...What do you mean?"
"With just a silver needle inserted into a few acupoints, it can make you pure-hearted and free of desires, completely eliminating any inappropriate thoughts."
Hearing this, Qi Yanzhou found it a bit unreliable.
"No need, I will be careful from now on."
If he hadn't heard those amorous sounds tonight, he wouldn't have had such a huge reaction.
Ye Chutang didn't force the issue. She reached out and tapped a few acupoints on Qi Yanzhou's body.
As her hand fell away, Qi Yanzhou's urges vanished.
He found it somewhat miraculous and let out a light cough.
"Atang, shouldn't we go watch the show now?"
Ye Chutang groped her way to the table and lit the kerosene lamp.
"Take the lamp. Let's go take a look."
The stage was set, and the actors were in place. How could it lack an audience?
Qi Yanzhou picked up the kerosene lamp, looked at Ye Chutang in her loose inner garments, and said, "Go put on your outer coat."
Ye Chutang slipped on her coarse hemp outer coat.
The two of them walked out of the room.
Qi Yanzhou looked in the direction of the sounds and deliberately asked the official guards.
"What is happening in this room? Why are the sounds so strange?"
His voice was not quiet, waking up the three members of the Ye family staying in the courtyard, as well as the concubines and illegitimate children of the Qi and Zhao families.
"What's all this noise in the middle of the night? Are you going to let people rest or not? We still have to travel tomorrow morning."
These words were spoken by a concubine of the Zhao family, taking a deliberate jab at Qi Yanzhou.
A soldier of the Protectorate Army glanced at Ye Chutang and said, "Miss Ye entered Young Master Zhao's room not long ago."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked toward the room.
Then they heard the sounds of a man and woman making love.
"This... this... is Miss Ye and Young Master Zhao?"
"That can't be, right? Didn't Miss Ye just get involved with the Third Young Master of the Qi family..."
"She was never a decent person. Didn't she try to seduce Young Master Zhao before?"
"Hurry up and get up, let's go watch the drama!"
Since it didn't concern them, they were more than happy to watch from the sidelines.
With such a huge scandal unfolding, it would be a waste not to watch.
When Concubine Jiang heard that Ye Siyin had gone to Zhao Qingshu's room, she wanted to retort that the person inside was definitely not her daughter.
Before the words could leave her mouth, she noticed that the spot next to her was empty, and a bad premonition rose in her heart.
Knowing that her daughter had gotten up several times tonight, she immediately went to the latrine to look for her.
But she couldn't find her.
Her heart instantly sank.
Concubine Jiang quickly thought of the illegitimate daughters of the Qi and Zhao families and realized they were all currently in the courtyard.
In other words, the person in Zhao Qingshu's room was indeed Ye Siyin.
With no time to overthink why such a thing had happened, she hurried back to the courtyard, wanting to cover up for her daughter.
As a result, just as she arrived at the courtyard, she saw Concubine Xu push open the door to Zhao Qingshu's room.
"No!"
Concubine Jiang's terrified scream startled the village dogs into a frenzy of barking.
The village, which had only been quiet for a short while, became lively once again as lights were lit.
Concubine Jiang immediately rushed forward to stop Concubine Su, but she was a step too late, and the door was forcefully pushed wide open.
Qi Yanzhou considerately brought the kerosene lamp to the doorway.
Although the light was dim, the rural room was small, and one could see the two people on the bed at a glance.
The scene was incredibly erotic.
The amorous sounds also made everyone blush and their hearts race.
Concubine Jiang almost fainted upon seeing this.
She immediately blocked the doorway, screaming like a madwoman.
"Don't look, nobody is allowed to look!"
Inside the room, Zhao Qingshu was running a high fever due to an infected wound, and his mind was groggy.
Hearing the furious roars, his consciousness gradually returned. He struggled to turn his injured neck and looked toward the door.
The fever caused his vision to blur, making it impossible to see anyone clearly.
He only felt that his good time had been interrupted, filling him with rage.
"Get lost!"
No one expected Zhao Qingshu and Ye Siyin to be so shameless.
To actually perform a live erotic spectacle in public—everyone was left dumbfounded in shock.
Concubine Jiang went mad with anger and rushed into the room to pull at Zhao Qingshu.
"You beast, let go of my daughter!"
Zhao Qingshu pushed Concubine Jiang to the ground, and his muddled consciousness completely cleared up.
He immediately used the blanket to cover himself and Ye Siyin.
The drug in Ye Siyin's body had not yet worn off. Feeling terribly uncomfortable, she took the initiative to hug Zhao Qingshu's waist.
Looking at the charming and seductive Ye Siyin, whose condition was obviously abnormal, Zhao Qingshu said to Concubine Jiang, "Did you see clearly? It was your daughter who offered herself to my bed and seduced me!"
Concubine Jiang could see that the flush on Ye Siyin's face was unnatural, and her face was filled with despair.
"You animal, you actually drugged my daughter! I'll kill you!"
Just as she approached Zhao Qingshu, he sent her flying with a palm strike. She crashed into the mud wall, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fainted.
Having finished watching the drama, Ye Chutang shot a glance at the Protectorate Army guard.
Han Chong quickly appeared.
"Not sleeping in the middle of the night and waking up the whole village, what are you trying to do?"
As soon as his voice fell, Wu Chenggang, who was staying at another villager's house, also arrived.
He yawned and asked, "What's all this commotion?"
The Protectorate Army guard briefly explained the situation.
The lights in the village chief's house were all lit up, so the lighting was pretty good.
Wu Chenggang immediately looked at the dumbfounded Qi He'an and questioned, "How did your woman end up in Zhao Qingshu's bed?"
The implication was that he suspected Qi He'an had done something to Ye Siyin.
Qi He'an snapped back to his senses and bowed to Wu Chenggang.
"Sir, I don't know."
He genuinely didn't know.
He had been sleeping soundly when he was suddenly awakened by Concubine Jiang's terrified scream.
And then he came to watch the show.
He didn't feel like he had been cuckolded because he had never intended to marry Ye Siyin in the first place.
But he guessed that Ye Siyin climbing into Zhao Qingshu's bed was Ye Chutang's doing.
Han Chong said, "Captain Wu, go in and stop them. We can't have everyone staying awake just to listen to this live sex show."
Wu Chenggang's life was in Han Chong's hands, so he immediately replied, "I'll go right away."
After entering the room, he saw Zhao Qingshu and Ye Siyin still vigorously going at it, acting as if there was no one else around.
Ye Siyin's aphrodisiac hadn't worn off, and Zhao Qingshu hadn't had his fill yet.
A well-bred young lady from a high-ranking official's family was simply much more thrilling than an ordinary bedmaid or concubine!
Wu Chenggang picked up the teapot from the table and poured the cold water inside over Zhao Qingshu's heated head.
The cold water dripped down his hair onto Ye Siyin's body, making her tense up uncontrollably and shiver.
Zhao Qingshu let out a low growl and rolled off her.
After being doused with cold water, his mind was completely sobered up.
"Sir, this has nothing to do with me. Ye Siyin took the initiative to climb into my bed and even knocked my mother unconscious."
Zhu Rong was slumped over the table without a single movement; there was no other possibility except that she had been knocked out.
Wu Chenggang checked Zhu Rong's breathing, and seeing she was still breathing, he ignored her.
He looked at Ye Siyin, whose face was flushed like a hibiscus, and asked, "Is what Young Master Zhao said the truth?"
Zhao Qingshu hadn't played with Ye Siyin enough and wouldn't allow anyone else to have designs on her. He immediately wrapped her tightly in the quilt, covering up her enticing nakedness.
Ye Siyin's body no longer felt as empty, but she had a splitting headache and didn't catch a word of what Wu Chenggang said.
Wu Chenggang noticed that Ye Siyin's condition was off and asked Zhao Qingshu.
"Young Master Zhao, has Miss Ye been drugged with an aphrodisiac? Did you do it?"
"You must be joking, sir. I am merely the beneficiary, not the instigator. If you don't believe me, you can ask her yourself once Miss Ye regains her senses."
Wu Chenggang poured the last bit of water from the pot onto Ye Siyin's face.
Under the shock of the cold water, Ye Siyin completely woke up.
The first thing that caught her eye was a bare-chested Zhao Qingshu.
She screamed in terror, "Ah! What did you do to me?"
Zhao Qingshu sneered, "Miss Ye, don't try to shift the blame. It's obvious that you did something to me!"
Ye Siyin wrapped the quilt tightly around herself, feeling the discomfort in her nether regions, and looked around.
How did she end up in Zhao Qingshu's bed?
Wu Chenggang looked at the pale-faced Ye Siyin and asked, "Miss Ye, who drugged you?"
Hearing the word "drugged," Ye Siyin's eyes suddenly widened.
"It was Ye Chutang. It must be her!"
Outside the room, Ye Chutang heard this and said displeased, "Miss Ye, you shouldn't speak nonsense without evidence. Have you forgotten your previous lesson?"
She was referring to the time Ye Siyin spread rumors about her being pregnant and was thrown into prison.
Ye Siyin pursed her lips and apologized reluctantly, "I'm sorry, I misspoke in a moment of panic."
She had no evidence, so she could only suffer in silence, just like Qi He'an!
Ye Chutang smiled and said, "I'll be magnanimous this time, but don't let there be a next time."
Ye Siyin gritted her back teeth. "I will keep it in mind. There absolutely will not be a third time!"
"Now that Miss Ye has seduced Young Master Zhao and lost her innocence in front of everyone, your engagement with Qi He'an is hereby annulled."
"Fine!"
Having dealt with Ye Siyin, Ye Chutang yawned and said, "The good show is over. Time for sleep."
Hearing this, Ye Siyin dug her nails into her palms, feeling a piercing pain.
She wished she could stab Ye Chutang to death!
Wu Chenggang was extremely sleepy and said, "Miss Ye, Young Master Zhao, you can resolve tonight's matter yourselves."
After saying that, he looked at Concubine Jiang, who had passed out by the wall.
"Miss Ye, your mother was severely beaten by Young Master Zhao. How do you want to handle this?"
Just as Ye Siyin was about to speak, Zhao Qingshu interjected, "Ten taels of silver for medical expenses is more than enough. I suppose Miss Ye wouldn't want to make things too ugly, considering you were the one who came to me."
Hearing these humiliating words, Ye Siyin took a deep breath.
"Alright, we'll do as Young Master Zhao says."
Seeing that the matter was settled, Wu Chenggang grabbed Concubine Jiang and dragged her out of the room.
He scolded the onlookers in the courtyard, "Hurry up and rest. We set off at the hour of Mao tomorrow."
After saying that, he left the village chief's house.
Outside the courtyard, the spectating villagers were gossiping animatedly about Ye Siyin's scandalous act of climbing into a man's bed.
Upon seeing Wu Chenggang come out, they immediately shut their mouths and returned to their rooms to rest.
Zhao Qingshu draped his outer robe over his shoulders, stood up, and closed the door.
He walked over to Ye Siyin and looked at her mockingly.
"You seduced me, yet ran off to scheme against Qi He'an. Now that you've been schemed against in return and ended up climbing into my bed, how does it feel?"
Ye Siyin closed her eyes, suppressing the anger and bitterness in her heart.
"I admit defeat!"
Zhao Qingshu took off his shoes and got onto the bed. He hooked his index finger under Ye Siyin's chin and rubbed his thumb against her lips.
"Don't worry. Until I get tired of playing with you, I'll do my best to protect you."
Ye Siyin knew Zhao Qingshu was scum, but she had no choice but to submit to him.
"Thank you, Young Master Zhao."
Now, her reputation was ruined, and her innocence was gone.
If she didn't have Zhao Qingshu's protection, she would definitely be reduced to a plaything for the guards!
Zhao Qingshu was very satisfied with Ye Siyin's tactfulness.
"The night is still long. Let's continue."
With that, he pressed himself upon her.
Ye Siyin was unwilling in her heart, but she did not refuse.
She wanted to get pregnant with Zhao Qingshu's child!
The next day, at half past the hour of Yin.
The village began to bustle with activity.
Roosters crowed and dogs barked. Village men went to the fields to work, while the women made breakfast.
Multigrain porridge paired with wild vegetables, all you could eat for two copper coins.
At exactly the hour of Mao, the exiled convoy set off.
Ye Siyin's waist ached and her legs were weak, while Concubine Jiang's back throbbed with severe pain.
The two of them supported each other, walking very slowly.
Wu Chenggang cracked his whip against the ground with a crisp snap.
"Walk faster! Today's task of traveling fifty li must be completed!"
If they could walk fifty li every day, they would be able to reach Tianshan Prefecture within three months.
But they were bound to encounter some unexpected situations, such as the previous incident with the Northern Barbarian hornets, which had delayed them.
Generally speaking, it would take an extra month.
Heading north, it grew colder the further they went. If they could arrive in four months, they could avoid the roads being blocked by heavy snow.
Otherwise, they would be stranded halfway, suffering from hunger and the freezing cold, and people might even die!
Ye Siyin also wanted to walk faster before the sun came out.
But not only were her legs weak, walking also chafed her sore spots, causing her terrible pain.
She had no choice but to push all the blame onto Concubine Jiang.
"Sir, my mother is heavily injured and truly cannot walk fast. Please forgive us."
Wu Chenggang ordered Ye Jingchuan, "Carry her on your back!"
Ye Jingchuan couldn't contradict the guard, so he reluctantly hoisted Concubine Jiang onto his back.
He looked at Ye Siyin, who was walking awkwardly, and deeply regretted spending five hundred taels of silver to buy the antidote to save her earlier.
What a stupid wretch who willingly degraded herself!
Seeing Ye Siyin gradually falling behind, Wu Chenggang lashed his whip onto her back.
It didn't break her skin, but it was painful enough.
"If you keep dawdling, I'll serve you with my whip!"
Ye Siyin grimaced in pain, her footsteps quickening as tears welled up in her eyes.
Through her blurry vision, she looked at the indifferent Zhao Qingshu, and a strong sense of hatred surfaced in her heart.
Once she got pregnant, she would make sure her child became the sole heir of the Zhao family!
Walking ahead, Zhao Qingshu sensed Ye Siyin's gaze but couldn't be bothered to pay attention to it.
He had overindulged in his desires last night and had no energy to help her.
Because they had all eaten breakfast before setting off, they walked for two and a half shichen today before resting.
Wu Chenggang looked at the long dirt slope in front of him and said, "We'll rest for fifteen minutes. Eat something and drink some water. Around early afternoon, we'll find a place to take a midday break for four hours."
The weather had been getting increasingly hot lately, making it unsuitable to travel in the afternoon.
Ye Chutang took out some jam and dried fruits. "Let's just have a quick bite to tide us over. We can eat more during the midday break."
The Qi family drank juice made from the jam mixed with water and ate peeled dried fruits.
Seeing her son, Qi Yunan, eyeing the dried fruits hungrily, Concubine Gao stepped forward and said, "Madam, I would like to buy a little bit of dried fruit."
Thinking that they would reach Liangzhou City in a few days to restock, Ye Chutang sold her some at a high price.
After the rest, they continued on their journey.
As they were about to reach the top of the slope, Ye Chutang heard the sounds of fighting.
Han Chong also heard the clash of swords and blades, and immediately used his light footwork to leap to the top of the slope.
He saw three carriages parked at the bottom of the other side of the slope, where a group of bandits was besieging a wealthy young master and his servants.
Because of the distance, he couldn't see their faces clearly.
However, he could tell that the young master and his servants were quite skilled in martial arts. But outnumbered, they were already losing ground.
In fact, as long as they ran away, they could save themselves.
Yet, not a single one of them retreated.
It was evident that there was something in the carriages as precious as their own lives.
With bandits running rampant in broad daylight, Han Chong naturally wouldn't sit idly by.
He said to Wu Chenggang, "Bandits are robbing passing travelers. I'll take some men to take a look."
"You ten, come down with me to save them."
With that, the selected soldiers of the Protectorate Army flew up to the top of the slope and went with Han Chong to the rescue.
Qi Yanzhou furrowed his sword-like eyebrows and voiced his doubt.
"Below the slope is an official road. Why would bandits be robbing people here?"
Normally, unless it was a time of chaos or famine, bandits wouldn't risk coming onto the official roads.
Ye Chutang said, "The bandits probably received news that a 'fat sheep' would be passing through here."
Four words surfaced in Qi Yanzhou's mind: Collusion between officials and bandits!
Entering the Liangzhou territory via the official road required travel passes.
As long as the city guards asked a few more questions, they could find out the destinations of passing travelers.
Then, based on their mode of transportation, they could accurately determine the time they would arrive at the bandits' ambush location.
In this way, the bandits could fight a quick battle, grab the goods, and hide deep in the mountains.
Since those robbed were all outsiders, the local officials wouldn't care much.
After figuring this out, a surge of anger rose in Qi Yanzhou's heart.
The empire of the Beichen Kingdom was being ruined by these parasites!
Ye Chutang didn't care much about state affairs, but as she walked, she suddenly felt a bout of palpitations.
Qi Yanzhou immediately noticed that Ye Chutang's face had turned somewhat pale.
"Atang, what's wrong?"
Clutching her rapidly beating chest, Ye Chutang said uncomfortably, "It might be too hot."
A pregnant woman's body temperature was higher than a normal person's, and coupled with the scorching sun, palpitations were a normal phenomenon.
But when she checked her own pulse, there was nothing wrong with her body.
Why then?
Qi Yanzhou crouched down in front of Ye Chutang. "Atang, I'll carry you on my back."
"No need. Once we climb to the top of the slope and catch some breeze, I'll be fine."
Qi Yanzhou swept Ye Chutang up into his arms and, with swift steps, quickly reached the top of the slope.
The dry, hot summer wind blew by, taking away the thin layer of sweat on her face and bringing a hint of coolness.
"How do you feel now?"
Ye Chutang hopped down from Qi Yanzhou's arms and looked toward the bottom of the slope.
She felt that the brocade-clad young master being besieged by the bandits looked somewhat familiar.
Squinting her eyes slightly, her vision became a bit clearer.
But it still wasn't enough to make out his facial features.
Seeing that Ye Chutang was paying close attention to the fight at the bottom of the slope, Qi Yanzhou also looked over.
"Song Jingning?"
He didn't see the brocade-clad man's face clearly either.
But because Ye Chutang treated Song Jingning differently, he had paid more attention to him and was fairly familiar with his physique.
Upon hearing the name "Song Jingning," Ye Chutang's expression changed slightly.
Because the brocade-clad man surrounded by the bandits was clearly failing to hold on, and Han Chong's group had not yet arrived.
A broadsword gleaming with cold light swung down toward the sluggish Song Jingning.
Ye Chutang's palpitations intensified, hurting so much that she crouched down.
Ignoring the discomfort, she immediately channeled her earth-element ability to entangle the bandit's feet.
The bandit would have slashed Song Jingning, but because his feet were suddenly rooted to the spot, his body fell to the ground due to momentum.
The bloodstained blade missed Song Jingning, only slicing through his clothes.
Although Song Jingning sensed something strange about the bandit's fall, he had no time to overthink it.
He seized the opportunity to take the bandit leader's life.
Seeing their leader killed, the other bandits roared with bloodshot eyes, "Avenge the boss!"
Seeing that the bandits were not afraid but rather spurred into a fighting frenzy, Song Jingning's face turned indescribably solemn.
Just as he hesitated whether to abandon the carriages to save his life, he suddenly looked toward the hillside as if sensing something.
He originally intended to look at the top of the slope, but his gaze was drawn to the officers approaching the bottom of the slope.
Song Jingning didn't know Han Chong, but Han Chong recognized him.
"Young Master Song, go!"
Song Jingning could tell that the group of men coming toward him were highly skilled in martial arts.
He immediately shouted to his servants, "Retreat!"
The three servants protected Song Jingning as they retreated toward the dense forest.
The bandits pursued them.
Ye Chutang used her ability to hinder the bandits' pursuit speed, only stopping when Han Chong caught up to them.
"Atang, can you hear me?"
After Ye Chutang crouched down, Qi Yanzhou was terrified to see her face as pale as paper.
He asked several concerned questions in a row but received no response from her.
"Atang..."
Ye Chutang turned her head to look at the anxious Qi Yanzhou, the corners of her lips turning up slightly.
"I'm fine. It's a normal reaction."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Qi Yanzhou understood.
The sudden discomfort was a normal reaction to pregnancy.
He helped Ye Chutang up and affectionately stroked her head, his heart aching for her.
"It's been hard on you."
Ye Chutang couldn't wait to know if Song Jingning was injured.
"It's nothing. Let's go."
Qi Yanzhou picked Ye Chutang up again and walked down the slope.
By the time the two reached the bottom, Han Chong had already subdued the bandits.
The bandits who put up a stubborn resistance were all killed, leaving about a dozen who dropped their weapons and surrendered.
Song Jingning walked out of the dense forest with his servants.
At first glance, he noticed Ye Chutang, who didn't look too well.
Then, his gaze shifted to Han Chong and the others who had saved him, and he bowed in gratitude.
"I am endlessly grateful to you officers for stepping in to save me."
Han Chong slightly raised a hand in a gesture for him to rise.
"No need for formalities. It was merely a slight effort. Why is Young Master Song here?"
Song Jingning straightened up and explained, "I am heading to my maternal grandfather's house in Liangzhou City and was just passing through."
After speaking, he looked at Ye Chutang.
"I didn't expect to meet Madam Qi here. It really is destiny."
Seeing that Song Jingning's clothes were torn and stained with blood, a look of worry appeared on Ye Chutang's face.
"It is indeed destiny. You're injured, Young Master Song. Is it serious?"