Mei Gongqing

At this juncture, Murong Ke’s lips gave a smirk under his mask . His eyes glanced behind Wang Hong .

He knew there were many hypocrites among the Jins where infighting was fierce, which meant there could, among the Wang guards, very well be spies sent by other clans . If the spies disclosed what he said, Wang Hong would be in for a bad time no matter his abilities .

The Hu captains stood orderly behind Murong Ke, and in the woods, all the Hu soldiers had organized into groups . They stood their ground, numerous and relentless, no longer the burnt animals they had been .

Wang Hong amusedly watched Murong Ke and unhurriedly voiced, “What kind of person is Murong Ke? I trust that you won’t be a sore loser, will you?”

Murong Ke somehow couldn’t stomach these words . His expression altered as soon as Wang Hong finished .

At this time, Wang Hong leisurely continued: “Prince of Tai’yuan, you have miscalculated . The ones behind me are direct descendents of our clan . If they weren’t, then I really wouldn’t have dared to bring them on this thousand-mile journey to rescue a woman . ”

He was explaining to Murong Ke in all seriousness .

Murong Ke’s expression turned more and more unsightly .

Wang Hong was apparently in high spirits . He grinned, “Prince of Tai’yuan, you came to Luo’yang in disguise six years ago to play with me for three days . The results were that you lost to me in chess, in warfare, and even that siege game where you sent fifty guards to play . Even your teacher observed that you’ll never defeat me in your life . ”

His sudden mention of the past earned him a harrumph from Murong Ke .

Wang Hong was just a twelve-year-old boy at the time while Murong Ke was an arrogant prodigy whose fame spread far among his clansmen . After encountering Wang Hong in the Central Plains, however, he was handed his defeat time and time again .

He studied military books, practiced martial arts, and thought himself a genius ever since he was little . What gave him the right to easily defeat him, this boy who had an eternal smile on his face and a penchant to care for naught?

After returning home, the more he thought about it the more disgruntled he became, and the more bewildering it felt . Subconsciously, he began to see Wang Hong as his arch enemy; he could never rest as long as this man was still alive . And yet, his clansmen could neither kill all Jin people nor occupy all Jin land .

So he sent men to secretly investigate the identity of the boy and pay close attention to his words and deeds . Nevertheless, Wang Hong who had always hidden his military talent was not known to outsiders . His chance ultimately came in Mo’yang .

He laid siege to the city in order to kill this potential opponent in one fell swoop . He didn’t expect Wang Hong to escape at the last minute .

“I was just a child then,” Wang Hong’s voice continued to sound . “I thought we were simply playing, why won’t you let it go?” After a pause, he sighed, “Murong Ke, to be honest, you’re too petty . ”

Even though he was accusing him, Wang Hong continued to smile personably and radiate charm . He was positively graceful and dazzling in his snow-white robe among the soldiers in this wilderness .

His bearing outshone all who were present . Even the Prince of Tai’yuan, Murong Ke, was reduced to a vulgar country brute .

Murong Ke glared at the elegant and nonchalant Wang Hong with a huff . Wang Hong’s amused voice continued: “Dear me, did I startle the Prince of Tai’yuan? I do apologize, my two captains insisted on brandishing their names . ” When he said this, the banners with the words Shi and Xuan were given a shake by the soldiers, accompanied by their loud laughter .

The Hu were outraged this time . “Your Highness, we can’t spare him,” someone growled . “It’s one thing to bluff, but how dare he also make jest of us? We won’t tolerate this insult . ”

“Your Highness, please let me go at him . ”

“Your Highness, we cannot let him get off lightly . ”

In the midst of these appeals, Wang Hong was still grinning at Murong Ke .

Murong Ke warily drew his lips into a line . The more Wang Hong made no secrets about his plans, the less he believed him .

“What do our scouts say?” yelled Murong Ke .

“... The scouts have not returned, Your Highness . ”

“You are needlessly worried, my prince,” a captain said to him . “Look behind the Jins: it’s completely empty . Clearly there is no ambush . ”

“Shut up . ”

Murong Ke coldly glared at him and replied, “Wang Hong is cunning and he’s got Ran Min behind him . We’ll wait for our scouts to return with their reports . ” Not to mention, his two thousand men may not necessarily gain victory against Wang Hong .

“Aye . ”

Murong Ke turned his head and stared at Wang Hong .

When he glanced over at Chen Rong he could perceive her bowing her head and shrinking away .

Her behavior was completely different from the fearlessness she previously flaunted in front of him .

Murong Ke stilled and blinked, his eyes slowly darkening .

Chen Rong could feel his eyes on her .

She didn’t want him to pay attention to her . In fact, she was anxious to get far away from these Hu... She was kept with Murong Ke for a long time, and even now her clothes were torn . Her reputation may have been of the promiscuous sort, but that did not mean she wanted her innocence to be questioned .

She didn’t want Wang Hong to doubt her .

Wang Hong looked down when he saw her curling into herself .

“It’s alright,” he gently told her .

Chen Rong looked up .

Facing her bewildered eyes, Wang Hong softly smiled and said, “It’s all in the past, I won’t let others criticize you . ”

I won’t let others criticize you .

I won’t let others criticize you .

Chen Rong’s lips quivered as her eyes turned red . “I wasn’t...” she croaked . “I had persuaded him to let me keep my dignity . ”

She felt choked up, bitter, but more than that – elated . With a downcast gaze, she murmured, “I really wasn’t, really . ”

It had been a long time since she was last compelled to explain herself to him this seriously and wholeheartedly . As if he was the only one in her heart, as if his faith in her or lack thereof would determine her fate...

Wang Hong froze . He held her closer, his voice a little choked up: “I know you weren’t . ” He looked skyward and murmured, “Since I’ve come to save you, then I won’t care about that . ”

Chen Rong looked up upon hearing these words . What she saw was his beautiful chin .

At this time, Murong Ke’s sneering voice arrived: “How sweet of you . ” For whatever reason, his lips moved but he swallowed back his next words .

Wang Hong turned around in surprise . He quietly stared at Murong Ke . At this moment, a captain stepped out from behind Murong Ke, pointed at Chen Rong and piped, “Sure enough Wang Qilang cares for this woman . It’s too bad that she...”

Before he could finish, Wang Hong made a cut in the air and interrupted him with a proud, disdainful demeanor .

“You lost,” said Wang Hong after turning his head to look at Murong Ke .

“Murong Ke, you lost again . ”

After uttering these words, Wang Hong watched Murong Ke whose eyes could spew fire, gave a laugh and ordered his men to retreat .

His knights slowly departed .

The Hu troops looked on as more than a thousand riders pulled farther away in the midst of billowing dust . In reality, the overworked Hu may not successfully thwart the Wang army even if Wang Hong did not ambush them .

When the Hu troops finally awoke from their anger, more than a thousand Wang guards were disappearing before their eyes .

Gradually, their figures vanished in the woods leaving behind only desolate fields .

Murong Ke made a fist and punched behind him, making the branches shake violently . He gritted his teeth and growled, “That blustering bastard . ”

How loathsome that he deliberately came here to laugh at him .

Hearing his growl, a Hu captain murmured, “If he’s this angry, why didn’t His Highness use that woman to provoke him?”

He was not very loud, and Murong Ke did not hear him .

This translation belongs to hamster428 .

Chen Rong couldn’t believe what was happening . Did Wang Hong retreat upon a simple declaration?

At this time, a guard approached him and whispered, “Why did we retreat, m’lord? We haven’t implemented our plans . ”

Wang Hong looked down .

In his arms, an exhausted Chen Rong was unable to lift her eyes . “Just because,” he lightly said, stroking her hair .

His men were used to hearing such an answer, however arbitrary it was . The guards glanced at one another then at Chen Rong, and stopped talking .

Chen Rong was the only one who suddenly relaxed when Wang Hong ordered the withdrawal, as if a boulder had been lifted from her shoulders .

Her relief opened the gate to fatigue and sleepiness .

But she didn’t want to sleep .

She looked at the pure, white robe in front of her and listened to him saying: “Just because . ” Unknowingly, her eyes reddened again .

Smart as he was, he didn’t want her to be questioned or hurt by other people...

Chen Rong clutched his lapels .

A slender hand reached out .

It gently pried each of her fingers before enclosing them in its palm