Book 21 Chapter 4 – Illicit Relations In A Secret Room
Xiang Shaolong lay in the underbrush observing the enemy's barracks. In just two days, he had covered what would have taken an ordinary person ten days, reaching a Zhao encampment approximately ten miles from Zhongmu. He was initially confident of sneaking past the enemy's defensive perimeter, but upon seeing the situation, this unfulfilled dream burst like foam bubbles in sunshine. Most aggravating was the fact that Li Mu had cut down all the trees in the area that might have offered him cover. He had also dug long trenches in the plains where Xiang Shaolong was and posted guards on all passageways. Even if he could somehow cross the trenches, he still had to surmount three layers of fences before he could reach the barracks. And then he had to sneak past ten miles of barracks and finally though a stretch of plains outside Zhongmu that was completely devoid of cover.
Looking at Li Mu's arrangements, he must be preventing anyone from approaching Zhongmu. Xiang Shaolong was like a delirious half-starved kitten seeing a fish but was unable to consume it. The agony was beyond description. His only gratification was that while Li Mu had put a water-tight seal around Zhongmu, he was still unable to breach Zhongmu's sturdy walls. He was most familiar with Zhongmu's capabilities. Defending Zhongmu for even a year would not be a difficult thing.
At the moment, he had only two choices. The first was to follow his original plan to get to Daliang and then to the Zhao border before reuniting with Huan Qi at Tunliu. The other option was to go round Zhongmu, sneak past the Zhao soldier's frontier defence and then back to Qin. The latter option was of course much more dangerous. With Li Mu's meticulous planning, he is sure to have outposts preventing Qin soldiers from rendering assistance from the East. If he did not have his skis, this option was akin to walking into a trap. But at this point, it was not without a chance of success. Just as this desire was burning in his heart, the sound of horses and dogs came from the Southwest. Xiang Shaolong's heart sank. He let go of this enticing thought and headed towards Daliang.
He reached the outskirts of the Wei capital of Daliang at dusk the next day. Having returned to the scene of his previous exploits, he thought about the late Prince Xinling Wei Wuji and could not help his conflicting emotions. At this point he had already exhausted his dried rations and was both hungry and tired. Yet Daliang's defences had obviously been strengthened. All the high points were staffed with sentries. Most despairing for him were the few large rivers and man-made ditches obstructing the road towards Daliang.
Observing the area, he realised that he had to cross the rivers to reach Daliang before crossing the ditches on the other side of capital in order to get to the Zhao border. It would also be best for him to stock up on foodstuff on the way as the bitter cold made it impossible to gather wild fruits to allay his hunger as he had been doing. At present, his greatest advantage was that the Wei people were still unaware that he had arrived at the vicinity of Daliang. It was therefore not impossible to traverse Daliang before rushing to the Zhao border.
After the decision was made, he hid his equipment such as the ski board and crossbow at a certain place and marked a symbol. Then he climbed up onto a big tree, swept away the snow and huddled in between the branches to wait for dawn.
At midnight, snow fell heavily and he felt frozen and trembled in the cold. Despite suffering from cold and hunger, the only thing he could do was to be patient. As he was being attacked, he was always escaping capture using his wits and strong determination and therefore had no time to think. However, as he settled down, he was plagued by stray thoughts.
Thoughts about the man who was sent by Jing Nian and whether this man managed to reach Teng Yi with his news. Thoughts about those wives in Xianyang, what how they would react to his news. These thoughts felt like tonnes of pressure on his mind, and he was unable to relax.
The painful borne by the body is far less than the pressure felt in the heart.
Suddenly he felt the chill and lost consciousness. When he woke, he felt the pain throughout his entire body and realised that he had fallen off the tree in the night, and his body was covered by snow. The winter sun had risen and the soft sunlight entered the forest. He tried to get up and felt the heat on his face and a weakened mental state. He realised that he had fallen sick at this critical moment! Xiang Shaolong felt extremely weak both mentally and physically, but he knew that if he didn’t continue the journey before nightfall, he would not live to see tomorrow’s dawn.
By thinking about his wives to distract the weakness, he tried his hardest to stand. Every step that he stumbled, he would get back up to try to reach the edge of forest. When he barely got to edge, his strength gave out and he fell back down unconscious.
After a long period, he was woken by the sound of cart wheels scraping against the ground. He opened his eyes and saw a convoy of carts moving along the road to Daliang. Sunlight had already faded and dark clouds gathered overhead to signal another incoming snowstorm.
Xiang Shaolong knew that this very moment would be about life or death. Trying to avoid attention, he snuck into the convoy and climbed onto one of the carts, falling onto soft wheat.
Then he lost consciousness.
A voice woke Xiang Shaolong. Although he still suffered from hot and cold, tiredness, and a leaden head. He still felt better than before. But his throat burnt and he desperately needed some water or tea.
Xiang Shaolong lifted up the tent of the cart. The only thing he saw in the endless white snow, besides the road, were some houses. It felt like he had arrived in the city of Daliang after a nightmare.
The cart moved slowly and headed off in another direction. At that moment, Xiang Shaolong could not decide whether it was better alight here or not, and as he hesitated, the cart turned into a street and entered into the yard of a residence.
Xiang Shaolong gathered his remaining strength and willpower and waited for the right moment. The cart stopped in front of a warehouse. Sunlight had been extinguished, and thus the workers were not going to offload the cart immediately. Instead, they just parked the cart and left.
Xiang Shaolong thanked his lucky stars. After for a while, he used his remaining strength to crawl out from the cart, and fell onto the show.
Lying on the ground, he refreshed his mind to observe the circumstances. He saw that the warehouses were dark but that the front lawn was lighted. He observed that the residence should belong to one of the Wei's nobles as it was surrounded by high walls.
He laid in a rectangular open lawn and there was nothing other than the carts. On side of the lawn was a stable while the other side consisted of the slave quarters.
The sound of dogs barking from somewhere in the front lawn startled Xiang Shaolong. In this era, noble residences always rear dogs so that when the noble is sleeping, the dogs would patrol the lawn.
There is no way for Xiang Shaolong to climb out from the wall in his current condition and the only thing he can do is to find a hiding place and wait for tomorrow.
With strength that appeared from nowhere, he got up and to find a warehouse to lay in. At the same time he feels that he is recovering, and his spirit is restored.
When he got in front of a warehouse, he found that it is locked up securely and that he can’t enter.
On impulse, he checked every door and manages to find an unlocked door at the last try. He feels joy and enters.
As the door closes and shuts out the light from the front lawn, a hot body hugs him suddenly. She says, “I did not expect you to come. Didn’t Mistress command you to drive a cart for her? Why are you back this early?”
Xiang Shaolong grumbled inwardly. He had inadvertently bumped into an illicit relation between slaves. He was out of words to explain but the infatuated lady encircled her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.
It would be disrespectful to decline so Xiang Shaolong took it in his stride.
The lady left his lips trembling and said, “You are not Shǐlíng. You are Liú Jié. You can’t cheat me.”
Xiang Shaolong replied vaguely afraid that she would raise her voice. He moved forward and hugged the lady and kissed her cherry lips.
The lady’s alluring passion, her moral struggle, and amorousness created a reaction within him. Perhaps it was the excitement of sexual desire that caused Xiang Shaolong to feel better from his illness, for he did not feel the cold unlike previously.
The most exciting thing he feels that the seductive event is that he does not even know the appearance of the other party; from touch he can feel that she is voluptuous, and sexually experienced.
Xiang Shaolong strength is in his resistance against temptation of womanly wiles. But he is not a modest in rites. Now that he is turned on by desire, he is unable to stop. Moreover, if he does not satisfy her, he has to subdue or kill her. Upon weighing the importance of the 2 decisions, the former is better and it may deceive. [Someone help me improve this passage please]
His hands are searching on her body to incite sexual passion. The lady starts breathing heavily and her body becomes soft and hot. If there is a light, it would reveal her burning cheeks. His searching fingers finds that her coat is surprisingly thick and her smooth thighs are plentiful. He realizes that she is a very young and estimates her age not older than 20.
Her reaction is like burning fire while her body reacts to his hugs and fondles, and she can’t stop groping his back. A groan is released from deep inside her lips and anyone knows what she desires for.
The fact that she knows that he is not the one who is waiting for but is still reacting freely, therefore her mind is expansive on sexual relationship. Thus Xiang Shaolong does not feel any responsibility.
This thought causes him to relax and enjoy the sexual amorousness.
Suddenly, she detaches from him and leads him by the hand into darkness. Without the heat from her burning body, he is feeling cold and weak again. He forced a smile, never expecting that a lady can be a panacea to his illness.
They stop and fall onto some wheat. There is a quilt on the wheat, since she was sneaking here more than once, she was well prepared.
Laying on a comfortable “bed”, Xiang Shaolong never wants to get up again.
The lady stands up and takes off her clothes like a sex-starved person. She throws herself on Xiang Shaolong with a smooth, warm and hot body. When she starts to strip him, Xiang Shaolong finds that he is reacting passionately.
Xiang Shaolong smiles bitterly, he is poor but still addicted to sex.
“You such are despicable person, usually looking at me with your desire.” The lady whispers on his ear. “I don’t know what you paid ShiLing for this that he lets you come and humiliate me. Hurry up!”
Xiang Shaolong turns and presses tightly to her. The lady says “Do you like me?” He mumbles, and concentrates on the joy of sexual relationship.
Debauchery descends onto the warehouse.
Xiang Shaolong worked hard for a while, his strength could not cater for this, so the lady takes the lead. After a while, she is spent and lays on his body. Xiang Shaolong hugs her tightly and says “I am not Liu Jie!”
She trembles. “Who are you?”
He has a planned answer. “I am Chen Wu, a worker that followed from the cart team. I want to see the situation of the warehouse but I met you. Thank God, I am so lucky. What is your name?”
The lady hesitated, and then she laughs out loud and says, “You dead man! Treated me like this! I am Qiu Lin and I am the maid of Young Master. Sigh! You! But you are better than Young Master and Shi Ling and even Liu Jie is not as good as you.”
Xiang Shaolong feels free for this and asks, “Would you please bring me some food and drink? But don’t let anyone know!”
Qiu Lin sits up and whispers with her hand lingering on his chest, “OK! If someone knows this, I am dead too!” And she dresses up and leaves.
Xiang Shaolong wears his clothes and falls sleep because of the exertion.
After a while, he is woken by Qiu Lin. She lights on a oil lamp, looking at him speechless. Xiang Shaolong sits up, and looking on her too.
Qiu Lin’s beauty cannot compare his wives, but she is still good-looking. The most attractive thing is that she has a dainty, cute, delicate and attractive body. That is why Shi Ling is addicted to her. This girl is bewitching in all aspects.
Qiu Lin fondles on his bearded cheek and whispers, “I’ve never seen such a dominant and handsome guy like you! You are just a little bit thin.”
Xiang Shaolong hugged her and said, "What sort of good food have you brought?"
Qiu Lin opened up the bundle, took out a pot of tea and a dozen steamed buns.
Xiang Shaolong watched with dripping saliva and devoured them right away. Qiu Lin asked, "What are the hooks on your belt used for?"
Xiang Shaolong made something up, "It is used for moving goods."
Qiu Lin, who clearly wasn't one that would think deeply into things, did not doubt him and asked, "Wouldn't Boss Xie, who was in charge of transporting the grain, blame you for slipping away like this?"
Xiang Shaolong said, "I told him I was looking for friends, so it shouldn't be a problem."
Qiu Lin jested lewdly, "Looking for friends? More like looking for girls, and I just happened to be the girl."
Watching her flirted shamelessly with him, Xiang Shaolong in a flush of hot blood and almost wanted to pull her over and have another roll in the hay. At the same time, he also rejoiced in his heart. Who could have expected that his earlier activity had caused him to break out in a sweat and resulted in his physical condition taking a turn for the better?
Qiu Lin cast a glance at Xiang Shaolong and showed a hint of resentment, "In the future, I would cast aside name and status, and only wish to be with you!"
Xiang Shaolong smiled, "You wouldn’t be able to help yourself even if you wished otherwise." By asking seemingly casual questions, Xiang Shaolong skilfully extracted information from her on his surroundings. He found that the mansion belonged to a minister of the Wei and the state of affairs in the household.
Qiu Lin sighed, "Young Master is coming back, I have to leave you ......"
Xiang Shaolong brought her in his embrace and softly said, "When can you return?"
Qiu Lin was in a confused state of emotion, "It depends on the situation, how can I tell?"
Inspired, Xiang Shaolong said, "For Sister Qiu Lin, there is nothing that I, Chen Wu would not do. If there are no mishaps, I'll just wait for you here. Sister Qiu will come here when she can, but it is important to bring some food and drink. If possible, some clothes too."
Qiu Lin was in a fit of passion and paid no mind to anything else; she rained kisses on his face, constantly nodding.
Xiang Shaolong was still afraid she would ask others of him, and after reminding her not to do so, let her leave. Using the lighting from this temporary comfort zone, Xiang Shaolong shifted to a concealed corner of the warehouse, laid down and rested. The warehouse was full of firewood, which was an indispensable necessity in the winter.
For a time, he could take a breather. Not only he had a girl for company, he was also in no danger of being captured by Wei’s troops. He only needed to build up his health before leaving in the night by using hook and rope to climb over the wall.
However, there are limits to one's physical endurance. If he was to travel in this freezing cold weather, he could at most last a few days. As Zhao is to the north of Wei, the weather there would be even more severe. Previously when he was anxious to return Zhongmu, he made the wrong decision to turn north instead of south. If he had gone south, he would had reached Chu and would not be trapped in this situation where he could neither advance or retreat. It was indeed an unwise decision. With those thoughts on his mind, he soon fell asleep.
On the second day, although there were people coming in to take out bundles of firewood, they had no clue to his presence.
Before dusk, Qiu Lin brought some food, and said apologetically, "Wu Lang (young man or husband), please make do with it! Young Master’s clothes don’t fit you too well; there are not many men as tall as you."
Xiang Shaolong, however was totally satisfied, after sharing a moment of tenderness, let her go. Physically, he had more or less recovered and was silently thinking that this wasn’t a suitable place to stay for too long.
Before the vicious dogs were set loose, he climbed over the wall onto the street. With the howling snow, there were not many people. The few people on the streets were also hurrying along and paying little attention. Xiang Shaolong used a piece of rag torn off the thin quilt to cover his head and face and headed toward the north gate.
When walls were in sight, he was however shocked to discover that the walls were covered with thick ice and extremely slippery. It would be impossible to climb over even in the best possible conditions. Xiang Shaolong was, however unwilling to give up immediately. He found a suitable length of wall, and tried a dozen times but failed to set the hook over the wall. At this point, he had no choice but to admit defeat, while gaining an understanding why there were so few sieges in the winter.
By this time, returning to the warehouse would be a problem due to the roaming dogs. Therefore he had no choice but to find a side lane and huddled up for the night before making his way cautiously towards the gates at dawn.
The snow stopped at midnight and the sun rose from the horizon at dawn. Xiang Shaolong was walking down the street, with the feeling of being totally naked. He had always been proud of the body, but now it was his biggest burden. He had specifically chosen the side streets to avoid eyes and ears, where he came to an open space where a group of children was playing with the shuttlecock.
One of the children caught sight of him, and his face changed colour, and shouted, “Here's the bandit!!”
The other children saw him and scattered off in fear. Xiang Shaolong sighed bitterly in his heart, “Do I look like a bandit?” Suddenly, he understood where his problem lied.