HMHSE - 45

The continuous mountain range of Wangji Mountain stretched from east to west, one end reaching the east corner of the riverbank, the other trailing towards the northwest border, lying silently over the land of Youzhou.

Two fast horses traversed the mountains and forests, arriving at their destination one after another, then stopped.

Shan Zong dismounted. “Come down, we can only walk from here.”

Shen Rong dismounted after him.

Behind them, a troop of military soldiers led by Hu Shi’yi was remotely stationed. That was Shan Zong’s order, instructing them to wait for commands in the rear, ready to provide timely support in case of emergencies.

Shen Rong looked ahead. The path ahead was flat, with reeds just beginning to sprout in spring, swaying gently in the wind. They could clearly ride horses through it, so she didn’t know why he said they could only walk.

She guessed there might be defensive arrangements, so she obediently dropped the reins and walked forward on foot.

The foot of the mountain she intended to reach was beyond this area, further on.

Just as her foot was about to step onto the reeds, hurried footsteps came from behind. Her waist tightened as Shan Zong grabbed her and pulled her back.

The spot where her foot had just landed had collapsed, revealing sharp spears below.

It was a trap.

She looked at Shan Zong in astonishment.

Shan Zong released her waist and then grasped her wrist. “Follow me.”

Shen Rong took a breath, then followed him, passing through the right side. He stepped, and she followed step by step.

The area looked no different from anywhere else, yet he knew exactly where to place his feet. Every step he took was safe, with no more traps appearing.

It was just very winding. Shen Rong, holding his wrist, followed closely, and upon observing carefully, realized they were walking along an extremely narrow path.

She looked up and said, “No wonder you said you’d only bring me.”

Shan Zong stepped out of that area, turned back, and pulled her hand. “Don’t get distracted.”

Mountains and forests have always been the easiest places for infiltration, and even towering mountains are no exception. The mountains near this border were almost entirely filled with defensive traps set by the military, and this was just one of them.

The more people one brought, the more troublesome it would be; just getting past them one by one would take a great deal of effort.

Shen Rong took a step out after him, breathing a sigh of relief.

He looked at her with amusement, then tugged her wrist again. “There’s still a section ahead.”

Further ahead appeared the mud pit Shen Rong had seen before, several zhang wide, with no visible end in sight, and of unknown length. This time, there weren’t even any stones to lure enemies, and no path could be seen to cross.

Only then did Shan Zong release her wrist, pointing forward. “Beyond that is the border line.”

Shen Rong glanced in that direction. “So what? We’ve come this far; how can we retreat?”

Shan Zong looked at her, then suddenly began to unfasten his belt. “Wait.”

Shen Rong watched him curiously as he unfastened his belt, removed his arm guards and waist guard, and then took off his nomad’s robe, leaving him only in his undergarment and nomad’s trousers. He then approached the mud pit, several zhang away.

He squatted by the edge of the pit, pulled up his sleeves, and extended his scarred right arm into the mud pit.

He probed deeper and deeper, eventually leaning down completely, kneeling on one knee, one hand propped on the bank, his right arm fully extended into the pit. His sleeve was soaked with mud. He seemed to have grabbed something and pulled it up.

Mud splattered. A wooden board emerged from the mud pit, still covered in flowing muddy water.

Shan Zong stood up, shaking the mud-covered arm. “Go ahead.”

Shen Rong looked at him, lifted her skirt, and placed one foot on it first. Feeling it wasn’t too slippery, she walked forward.

Shan Zong walked over, following behind her. When her foot suddenly slipped, his hand immediately reached out, but she quickly regained her balance and walked straight across the wooden board.

He twitched his lips and withdrew his hand.

Shen Rong finally saw the other corner of Wangji Mountain.

The towering mountains seemed to pierce the clouds, lush and continuous, spreading out before her to the northwest. There, a section of border wall was entrenched like a coiling dragon or snake.

The border wall was built against the mountain, seemingly cut off at that section of the range, indicating that there was still a section of the mountain range outside the pass, which surprised her.

“Is this mountain cross-border?” she asked, turning back.

“Mm,” Shan Zong responded, reminding her, “This area, within a hundred paces, is safe. You can move around and look freely.” He then walked to the other side.

Shen Rong turned back again to look at that section of the border wall, silently contemplating with the already unfolded scroll in her hand.

According to her calculations, the change was here, but she hadn’t expected to be unable to see the full extent, that there was actually a mountain range outside the pass.

She walked slowly, observing the surrounding earth winds inch by inch, thinking about the direction of the ore vein, and looking at that section of the border wall again and again.

After exploring the area and its earth winds, Shen Rong realized that Shan Zong had walked away and hadn’t returned.

She remembered where he had gone earlier and followed that direction.

She was still within the hundred-pace radius he mentioned, so there was no need to worry about traps.

Shen Rong stepped onto the half-withered, half-green reeds, gradually hearing the sound of water. She rounded two short trees and saw a flowing shallow stream.

Shan Zong sat by the water with his back to her. His nomad’s robe and leather belt were piled by his feet. He had washed the mud off his right arm, and the sleeve of his inner garment, soaked and wet, had been taken off and was being wrung out in his hand.

When Shen Rong arrived, she immediately saw his bare back, his broad shoulders, muscles relaxed. Below was his taut waist, tucked into his nomad’s trousers, with half of his waistline exposed...

She couldn’t help but be stunned. Seeing a man’s body so unexpectedly in broad daylight, just his shoulders and back, outlined like a figure, it once again brought forth that secret dream from the depths of her heart.

Shan Zong sensed her presence and suddenly turned his head.

Shen Rong’s gaze met his abruptly, and her eyes flickered. She turned and walked away.

Shan Zong watched her retreating figure, shook the semi-dry inner garment in his hand, put it on, and stood up.

Shen Rong had just rounded a tree when the man’s long strides blocked her.

Shan Zong stood in front of her. “Why are you running?”

Shen Rong naturally couldn’t say that she was reminded of that dream. Each time, it was because of him, yet she clearly didn’t believe that man was him.

It absolutely couldn’t be him.

Thinking further, a hint of indignation arose in her heart. She indifferently averted her eyes. “Who said I was running?”

“I said so,” Shan Zong chuckled, glancing at himself. “Shy? I thought with all your tricks, you were always very bold.”

Shen Rong immediately swept her gaze over him, staring at his smiling eyes. This person was indeed utterly wicked, even looking proud of himself.

“Who are you saying has a lot of tricks?” she snorted softly, taking a step closer to him. “And with which eye did you see me running?”

Shan Zong lowered his eyes and looked at her for a moment, then suddenly reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

Shen Rong bumped directly into his solid chest, touching the half-wet, slightly open collar of his inner garment, hearing his voice ask beside her ear, “What about now?”

She was slightly stunned, unconsciously flustered for a moment, then steadied herself, grasping his collar. “What about now?”

Suddenly, her waist tightened as his hand clasped firmly. Then, her ear felt hot as his lips suddenly pressed against it.

Shen Rong’s breathing quickened immediately. She clutched his collar, her face forced to turn away, seeing his arm clasped around her waist.

His sleeve was half-wet and rolled up, half of the mottled tattoo exposed, with small drops of water hanging from it. He held her tightly, the lines on his forearm showing clearly as if carved.

She gasped softly and said, “This is your trick...”

Her voice abruptly vanished as she bit her lip.

Shan Zong pecked her earlobe and chuckled, utterly unrestrained. As if responding to her, he lowered his head further, pressing heavily against her ear and kissing her cheek.

Half of Shen Rong’s face flushed. How could a man’s mouth be so hot, from her earlobe to her cheek, it felt like it was rubbed against, a burning sensation.

She even felt a sting, and just as she was about to pull away, her chin was caught.

Shan Zong used one hand to cup her face.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of hooves in her ear.

He stopped, his eyes still fixed on Shen Rong’s lips.

Shen Rong’s cheeks were flushed crimson, she glared at him sideways, her body soft against his, her chest rising and falling in waves.

“We’ve delayed too long; they’ve come looking for us,” Shan Zong’s arm, still around her waist, loosened, his voice still low.

Hu Shi’yi and his team, following orders, had been waiting behind, watching the sun. He felt it had been quite a long time. Jin Jiaojiao was only supposed to look at the mountain. He worried something might have happened, so he led his men on horseback to check the situation.

From afar, he saw the two of them coming from the border, each leading a horse. Jin Jiaojiao was walking in front, followed by their chief, whose nomad’s clothes were somewhat disheveled, his waist guard and arm guards tucked under his saddle, and his collar slightly open.

Hu Shi’yi knew the situation in this area and assumed that Shan Zong had personally handled the traps. This time, he didn’t think much of it. He dismounted and first ordered his men to restore the places they had passed through to their original state. When they approached, he hurriedly asked, “Are you alright, Chief?”

Shan Zong glanced at him. “Since I didn’t send a message, do you think anything’s wrong?”

Hu Shi’yi was bewildered. Those words didn’t sound right, as if he shouldn’t have come. He took two steps back and chuckled awkwardly. “Then I guess nothing’s wrong.”

Shan Zong looked at Shen Rong. She had already put her foot in the stirrup and mounted her horse, one hand pulling up the overlapping collar of her nomad’s robe, half-covering her face.

From horseback, she looked back. “My brother is still waiting for my results. I need to go first.”

She didn’t wait for a reply. After speaking, she patted her horse and returned along the original path.

Shan Zong motioned for two soldiers to follow and escort her, then went to grab the reins and mount his horse.

________________________________________

Shen Rong returned to the mine shaft. Changsun Xin was indeed waiting for her, having watched in that direction for a long time.

When she reined in her horse, he walked forward, initially intending to ask for the results, but seeing her appearance, he looked at her face. “Why is your collar up? Were you in the wind for too long?”

Shen Rong uncomfortably raised a hand to smooth the hair by her ear, nodding along with his words. “Yes, it’s a bit cold.”

Changsun Xin immediately instructed Zirui to fetch a cloak for her.

Shen Rong didn’t dismount. She put on the cloak, pulling up the hood as well, covering her face and earlobes more thoroughly. Fearing he might ask more questions, she quickly spoke, “We’ve been in the mountains long enough. Let’s go back first and talk then.”

“That’s fine,” Changsun Xin went to lead his horse, then remembered to look back.

Just then, Shan Zong and his men arrived. He was on horseback, his nomad’s attire a bit disheveled, a hint of unrestrainedness in his eyebrows and eyes.

As Shen Rong rode off, she glanced at him again and moved her lips towards him: bad seed.

Others might not have seen it, but Shan Zong saw it clearly and was not surprised at all, watching her ride out of the mountain.

Changsun Xin also glanced at him, frowning at his unkempt appearance. He gracefully mounted his horse and followed Shen Rong.

Shen Rong left the mountain. When she was almost at the foot of Youzhou City, she secretly touched her ear again. It was still burning hot, especially her earlobe.

Donglai and Zirui were still following her, one on each side.

She lowered her hand, acting as if nothing had happened, so she wouldn’t have to think about that man’s earlier wanton lips.

Ahead, a group of riders was also entering the city.

Donglai on the right called softly, “Young mistress, it’s them.”

Shen Rong fully regained her senses and looked at the group. It was a troop of soldiers.

Danzhou soldiers. The leader’s side profile was visible as he entered the city; it was General Zhou Jun.

She couldn’t help but take another look. What was he doing coming to Youzhou?