HMHSE - 44

The journey had been arduous and rushed, but Shen Rong rested for only a day after entering the official residence before beginning to deal with the affairs of the mountain.

The bright sunlight streamed into the room. A mine map lay spread on the table, and Changsun Xin sat across from her.

As Shen Rong looked at the map, he was looking at her, repeatedly, until he finally couldn’t help but ask, “Ah Rong, how did you enter the city with that person named Shan that night? Did he come to pick you up?”

Shen Rong looked up, pondering for a moment. Was he there to pick her up? She wasn’t entirely sure, only felt that he had arrived quickly and at the right time.

“Who knows,” she said indifferently. “Perhaps he happened to be at the border.”

Changsun Xin nodded, seemingly convinced. “Good. Now that you’re in Youzhou and Mother isn’t around, I won’t ask too many questions about what you do, as long as you know what you’re doing.”

Shen Rong glanced at him, then lowered her head to the map. “Mm, I always know what I’m doing.”

She just wanted that man to regret it; there was no need for him to specifically remind her.

There was nothing more to see on the map. She stood up. “Never mind, I’ll go to the mountain and see for myself.”

Changsun Xin stopped mentioning the person named Shan and got up, going with her.

________________________________________

Meanwhile, in the military camp, the bearded man and his two companions stood respectfully in the main hall.

No one else was around except Shan Zong, sitting at the head seat.

After a low murmur of words, the bearded man finished his report and handed him a crumpled piece of paper. “Envoy Shan, this is all we know.”

On the paper was a roughly hand-drawn topographical map.

Shan Zong propped his sword by his foot with one hand and held the paper, examining it for a long time before nodding. “Mm, I understand.”

The bearded man sighed in relief, his raspy voice hushed. “Finally, we can see Envoy Shan. We brothers were almost caught by General Zhou, the Danzhou commander; we nearly lost our lives.”

Shan Zong remembered that incident. They were lucky enough to run into Shen Rong, and coincidentally, Zhou Jun had offended her.

Recalling her temper, he couldn’t help but smile, savoring the bearded man’s report for a moment, then composed himself, glancing at the bearded man. “Go claim your reward from Hu Shi’yi and then leave. Don’t appear again after this, as if you never did anything for me.”

The bearded man repeatedly affirmed, then left with his two brothers.

Shan Zong folded the paper and tucked it into his bosom. He stood up, took his sword, and left the main hall. Indeed, they had gone cleanly.

Hu Shi’yi, knowing he was going into the mountains, had already been waiting with his horse in the courtyard. Having just sent off the bearded men, he curiously asked, “Chief, why isn’t the bearded man delivering enemy bandits this time?”

Shan Zong took the reins and swung onto his horse. “Just pretend they were never here.”

Hu Shi’yi then understood somewhat, guessing that the men had quietly performed some secret task and reported back.

In Youzhou, there used to be all sorts of outlaws and bandits. Later, they were suppressed by Shan Zong. Those who died deserved their fate, and those who lived were all submissive, daring not to cause trouble again. Instead, sometimes they even wholeheartedly worked for him.

The entire military camp was accustomed to this by now; only he could tame a group from the underworld and make them his subordinates.

________________________________________

The situation in the mountains appeared no different.

As Shen Rong followed Changsun Xin into the mountains, she looked up, gazing at the all-too-familiar mountain range in the distance.

The weather was clear today, and Wangji Mountain, outlined by the sunlight, seemed remarkably bright, yet it also revealed a hint of mystery.

Upon reaching the mine shaft, Changsun Xin quietly explained the situation below to her, then said, “We still only dare to extract from that section below; we haven’t dared to touch other areas, for fear that touching the wrong place might cause another incident.”

Shen Rong nodded, looking left and right. “I’ll go down and take a look. You watch for wind at the east corner of the riverbank for me.”

Only Changsun Xin understood her meaning. He nodded and said, “Alright.” Then he took two men and went to the east corner.

Donglai held the wooden ladder hanging on the pit wall, and Zirui supported Shen Rong as she approached the pit entrance. She carefully stepped onto the ladder, descending step by step.

It grew darker and darker, with only a beam of light from above.

Having fallen down here once before, Shen Rong had some impression of the area below. She held onto the pit wall, slowly moving forward.

Donglai followed behind. “Young mistress, mind your step.”

Gradually moving forward, they reached the bottom of the tunnel, the place where she and Shan Zong had escaped after falling. Now, there were torches on both sides of the walls, illuminating the path.

Shen Rong walked to the large stone that had been moved by water. Shan Zong had moved it back then, and it had now been returned to its original position. No wind could be felt from below anymore.

However, she seemed to have seen something. Just as she was about to lean in for a closer look, a colossal black shadow suddenly appeared on the large stone. She turned her head, startled.

A face had appeared before her, grinning maliciously, a hideous white scar over its left eye, like a ghost.

Donglai beside her quickly drew half of his sword with a swish. She instinctively took a step back.

It was Wei Shenwu, dragging a pickaxe used for mining, grinning at Shen Rong.

One side of this tunnel had already been opened into another tunnel according to the mine map. It had been dug deeper, and the sounds of chiseling rock echoed from within. He had emerged from there.

“The little beauty is here again,” he cackled. “I actually missed you a bit.”

He then spat, a mouthful of saliva mixed with dust. “It just benefits that dog bastard named Shan.”

Donglai’s sword was drawn out another inch.

Shen Rong was suddenly startled, her face still pale. She looked at him exasperatedly. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching in the tunnel.

Wei Shenwu turned his head, dragging his pickaxe towards the side tunnel, his smile grim. “The dog bastard is here, ha!”

A soldier had already chased him out and cracked a whip. He retreated back into the tunnel.

Shen Rong looked forward, and in the torchlight, the man’s tall figure emerged.

Shan Zong, slightly hunched, walked up to her, his eyes already fixed on her. “You are indeed here.”

Shen Rong’s voice was soft. “You came too.”

When Shan Zong arrived earlier, he had seen Zirui outside and guessed that she had gone down into the tunnel. Since there were many serious prisoners down there, he came down.

He looked at her complexion, then saw Donglai, who had stepped back, just putting his sword away. He glanced at the side tunnel. “Did Wei Shenwu offend you again?”

He remembered warning Wei Shenwu to stay away from her.

“He cursed you more,” Shen Rong said.

Only then did Shan Zong stop moving his feet, and chuckled. “Let him.” He was a man who wanted to kill him; what did cursing matter?

Shen Rong looked at him. The surroundings grew quieter. She suddenly remembered what had been interrupted earlier and turned to look at the large stone.

She couldn’t see it clearly, so she had to gather her clothes and squat down, turning her head to glance behind her.

A light flared behind her. Shan Zong took a torch tucked into the mountain wall and walked over. “What are you looking at?”

It was much brighter now. Shen Rong pointed to the large stone. “You moved this large stone. The crack leading down, after being blocked, seems a little different.”

Shan Zong tucked his robe into his waist, squatted beside her, holding the torch. “So this is why you returned to Youzhou.”

Shen Rong glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “Naturally. I told you it wasn’t because of your provoking words.”

Shan Zong smiled. “Yes, you’re not a coward.” His voice, however, became much lower.

Anyway, he had long known her thoughts, and his smile faded.

Shen Rong couldn’t help but glance at him again, feeling that his mischievousness had returned, that he was poking fun at her.

But Shan Zong said nothing more. He moved the torch in his hand and tilted his head towards the large stone. “Aren’t you looking anymore?”

Only then did Shen Rong look at the crack again.

The crack was at the bottom of the stone. Even with the torch, it was hard to see clearly. She could only reach out to touch it.

As she leaned forward, she was almost touching Shan Zong. He was squatting, one leg taut in his riding trousers, right before her eyes, clearly strong and long. One hand rested on his leg, and in the torchlight, his five fingers appeared long and powerful.

Shen Rong looked away, trying not to be distracted as she felt the crack. Remembering his good eyesight, she said softly, “Help me look.”

Suddenly, a hand appeared on hers. The long fingers she had just seen already grasped her hand, dragging it slightly to the right. “Is it here?”

Shen Rong felt it. There was still a small opening there that hadn’t completely closed.

“Mm,” she responded, turning to glimpse Donglai, who had already retreated far behind. She felt the narrow opening again and again, got her bearings, and slowly withdrew her hand, lightly scraping it against his palm.

Shan Zong almost instantly turned his head to look.

Because he had pulled her hand, Shen Rong was close to him, leaning against his shoulder, her face also close. She whispered, “Your palm is so hot.”

She paused, then added, “You have calluses, not like a noble young master’s hand anymore.”

Shan Zong watched her lips move, his voice also deepening. “I’m not one anymore anyway.”

But she still was; her hand was soft and tender, like a handful of soft gauze in his palm. His five fingers curled.

Shen Rong met his gaze. It was as if the torchlight had fallen into his eyes, two flickering flames in their dark depths.

Her heart inexplicably tightened. She felt his gaze had changed.

However, the sound of chiseling in the side tunnel clearly resumed, and Donglai’s voice came from the end of the wooden ladder. “Young mistress, the young master has returned.”

Shen Rong felt those two flames in front of her seemed to recede. She responded, “Understood.”

Shan Zong stood up beside her, his eyes still fixed on her.

She rose, smoothed her skirt, and secretly exhaled.

________________________________________

Changsun Xin waited outside. Seeing Shen Rong emerge, he immediately reached out and pulled her. “The east corner hasn’t changed. How do you find the situation below?”

Zirui gently patted the dust from her clothes. Shen Rong said, “The large stone that was moved by the earth wind has returned to its original position. It should have fitted perfectly, but there’s now a narrow opening about a finger’s width, which indicates it has indeed shifted.”

Changsun Xin sighed, then asked, “Is this shift in the ore vein significant?”

Shen Rong took out the scroll from her bosom. “I need to calculate.”

Changsun Xin took two steps closer, waiting for her result, when he saw someone emerge from the wooden ladder below the pit. Dressed in black barbarian clothing, who else but Shan Zong?

He immediately looked at his sister, realizing that the two of them had been together below. He frowned, glancing at Shan Zong.

Shan Zong noticed his gaze and even smiled, brushing dust from his barbarian clothes, looking at Shen Rong.

She was wearing barbarian clothes, holding a scroll in her hand, occasionally looking up at her surroundings.

He then knew that, at this very moment, it was time for her to wield her sharp tools and confront the mountain again.

After a while, Shen Rong finished reading and put the scroll away. “It seems I’ll have to explore it again.”

Changsun Xin was startled. “What do you mean?”

Shen Rong pointed into the distance. “The change is there. I need to go there.”

“You can’t go there,” Shan Zong suddenly said.

Shen Rong turned to look at him. “Why not?” He glanced at the area. “That’s the border. No one is allowed near it.”

“No one?” Her eyes slightly narrowed at the corners.

Shan Zong stared at her. Naturally, not anyone; he and the military personnel could go.

“You insist on going?”

Shen Rong nodded.

Shan Zong turned and walked to his horse. As he grabbed the reins, he said, “Only you. Not one more person.”

Changsun Xin was about to order someone to fetch a horse when he immediately said, “What?”

“It concerns military intelligence and deployment. The fewer people who know, the better,” Shan Zong looked at Shen Rong, his face without a smile, indeed not joking. “It’s up to you.”

Shen Rong gestured to her brother, then walked over to him and whispered, “Let’s go. It’s not the first time I’m traveling with you.”

Shan Zong glanced at Changsun Xin, feeling as if it were a coded message. The smile at the corner of his mouth flickered and then disappeared.