Chapter 45: The Red Thread
Several soldiers came forward to untie Ge Litong. Ren Feihuan leaped onto the sparring stage and beckoned to him. “Although I am a yellow-mouthed child, you and your entire stronghold were defeated by me. How shameful, how shameful!”
Ge Litong roared, “Pah! That’s because you used underhanded means, and the master’s weapons! How can my brothers’ and my broken iron compare to the court’s weapons!”
Ge Litong was a large man, and his voice was incredibly loud, echoing through the clouds. Wen Ning’an, below, couldn’t help but shake his head to clear the ringing in his ears.
Ren Feihuan smiled. “All’s fair in war. It’s a proper strategy, a proper strategy.”
“I don’t care about any strategy! A real man uses his own two hands to beat me!”
“Fine. But if I win, you and your stronghold will all have to obey my orders and be under my command.”
“A young man who hasn’t seen the world has such a big mouth, tsk! Fine! It’s a deal.”
Before Ge Litong’s words had even finished, Ren Feihuan spat out the wild grass in his mouth and, as agile as a swift, leaped at him. Ge Litong only felt a white shadow flash before his eyes and thought to himself, This sissy-looking military master really has some skills.
Ren Feihuan landed in front of Ge Litong with a “Wild Goose Lands on the Sand” move and, aiming for his lower body, extended his leg to try and trip him. Ge Litong saw through his intention, widened his stance to stabilize his lower body, and threw a punch at Ren Feihuan’s chest.
Ren Feihuan felt a strong gust of wind rush towards him. He leaned to the side and ducked, his hand… giving Ge Litong’s buttocks a not-so-light squeeze.
…
…
Ge Litong: “???! ”
Ge Litong was stunned, and his punch missed its mark. Ren Feihuan took the opportunity to come in with a “Tiger Descends to the Plains” move, ducking low and striking at Ge Litong’s calf with his palm. Ge Litong reacted and wanted to dodge, but his stance was too wide, and he couldn’t turn back in time. His calf was hit, and he immediately lost his balance. Ren Feihuan used his lightness skill and leaped away. The next moment, Ge Litong fell to the spot where he had been standing, landing face down in the dirt!
“Hahahahaha—” Ren Feiyang and the other soldiers who had come to watch the fun couldn’t help but clutch their stomachs and laugh at this series of farcical events. Although Ge Litong’s men were tied up at the side, seeing their boss’s angry and embarrassed look after being groped, they couldn’t help but press their lips together tightly to keep from laughing, but their shoulders were shaking uncontrollably.
The scene was too beautiful. Even though the idea had come from Wen Ning’an, he had no desire to watch. He just turned his already thunderstruck head to look at the scattered green grass at the side to wash his eyes.
“Damn it!”
Ge Litong’s eyes and face were flushed with anger, his whole body trembling.
“How can you, a military officer, be so full of dirty tricks! Your heart is not right, only capable of despicable schemes!”
Ren Feihuan said innocently, “Didn’t you say it? To beat you with my own two hands. Am I not using my own two hands?” As he spoke, Ren Feihuan even held out his raised palm to Ge Litong, then curled his ten fingers inwards, a rogue-like smile on his lips.
“To hell with this bastard!” At this moment, Ge Litong wished he could tear Ren Feihuan apart. With a low roar, he charged at him.
Ren Feihuan straightened his body and, like an unstoppable force, went for Ge Litong’s knees. Ge Litong subconsciously dodged. Seeing Ren Feihuan use the same trick again, his hand sliding towards his back, his heart was greatly alarmed. Without thinking, he immediately turned to avoid Ren Feihuan’s wolfish claws, but who knew that this was just a feint. The next moment, he saw Ren Feihuan’s hand turn and go for the vital point on his waist that he had just exposed by turning. He had caught an opening and, with one palm strike, sent Ge Litong to the ground, unable to get up again.
“Did I say you were a wild boar! Did you really think I was interested in your ass? Hahahaha—” Ren Feihuan couldn’t help but clutch his stomach and laugh. Below, there was a chorus of boos and laughter that almost broke through the clouds. Ge Litong was drowned in this laughter, his face turning from blue to white.
Fang Qingqing stood beside Ren Feiyang, smiling and shaking her head. She had never thought that a bandit leader could be played with like this by the Left Army. She couldn’t help but ask, “Treating Ge Litong like this seems very disrespectful. Will it really work? I always feel it’s not quite right.”
Ren Feiyang smiled. “You’re wrong. Don’t be fooled by Ge Litong’s talk of a dishonest heart. In reality, to become a stronghold leader and engage in robbery, he’s no gentleman. We even saved a few captured women from the stronghold. It was lucky we were quick, otherwise those women would have been violated. When facing a beast, you have to use a beast’s methods. The general has his own judgment. For a person like this, only by crushing his pride in front of everyone will he obediently follow your orders and not feign compliance.”
Fang Qingqing said, “Your attitude towards these captured prisoners is different every time. I never understand. It seems I have to study more.”
Ren Feiyang rubbed Fang Qingqing’s head and said gently, “You are a kind and good girl. Of course you don’t understand these things.”
Fang Qingqing’s cheeks were flushed.
On the stage, while Ge Litong was still on the ground, Ren Feihuan immediately pounced on him and launched a rain of attacks. Wen Ning’an and the others could see that he was only now using his full strength and real skills. His attacks were as fierce as a rainbow, as fast as lightning. There was less of the usual laziness in his eyes, and they were tinged with a storm.
Ren Feihuan, who had been accumulating his strength for a long time and had preserved enough inner energy, versus Ge Litong, whose mind had been disturbed and whose inner energy was almost depleted—the winner was clear.
“I win. Unlike you, I use not only my hands, but also this.” Ren Feihuan tapped his own head with his index finger. “You’ve always looked down on strategy, but only by coordinating your hands and your brain can you guarantee victory, you big blockhead.”
“Tsk.” Ge Litong stood up and said reluctantly, “Can the Left Army guarantee that my brothers and I will have three meals a day?”
“That is natural.”
Below, there was a chorus of cheers and shouts, from both the Left Army and the brothers from the stronghold.
Seeing that the matter had been resolved satisfactorily, Wen Ning’an planned to go back to his tent to rest, letting them make a fuss, drinking all night on the pretext of welcoming new brothers and so on.
From the corner of his eye, he saw that Ren Feiyang was not participating as usual, fooling around with the brothers, but was personally escorting Fang Qingqing back. He couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. This guy is becoming more and more mature. Indeed, starting a family can really change a man. Although Ren Feiyang wasn’t there yet, after having this thought, he now even drank less.
After Wen Ning’an returned to his tent, he bathed, made his bed, and was about to sleep when he saw a striking and brilliant red figure appear outside his tent.
“Zhaohuang?”
Qin Zhaohuang, holding a pillow and a quilt, stood outside the tent, bent over, and said with an incredibly bewitching smile, “General, I have come to warm your bed.”
Wen Ning’an said helplessly, “What’s wrong with you? Come in first.”
Qin Zhaohuang said, “Can I sleep in your tent? I promise not to take up space or make a noise. Just a corner will do.” After speaking, without waiting for Wen Ning’an’s consent, he threw the bedding in a dark corner of the tent and sat down to arrange it, looking as if he were really going to “settle down.”
Wen Ning’an: “…”
What’s wrong with you now?
“Why do you suddenly want to sleep here?”
Qin Zhaohuang explained obediently, “My eyelids have been twitching these past few days. I did a quick divination, and it’s half ominous, half auspicious. A change is approaching, an old acquaintance will appear. I guess it’s probably that Yu Qianshou coming to snatch the jade pendant again. If I’m alone, how can I resist? So I’ve come to seek your help. With you here, I won’t be caught off guard if anything happens.”
Wen Ning’an shook his head. “The ground is cold. Come up here and sleep. If you mind sleeping together, I’ll sleep on the floor. I have a strong constitution, I’m not afraid of the cold ground.”
“Hey!” Qin Zhaohuang’s face was full of emotion, his eyes watery as he looked at Wen Ning’an. With a “thump,” he jumped onto the bed with his quilt, which made Wen Ning’an involuntarily think of a frog… hmm, no matter how beautiful his face was, it couldn’t stop the image of a frog’s big, sticky mouth from appearing in Wen Ning’an’s mind.
Qin Zhaohuang squeezed his small body against the wall. “Not taking up space, not taking up space!”
Wen Ning’an found it amusing and pulled Qin Zhaohuang out. “Are your divinations accurate? Will that Yu Qianshou really come?”
“Of course! Even if he doesn’t come, I will definitely have a change in my life soon. When you and His Majesty were arguing before, it was as if you were about to break off all ties forever, your fate completely severed. But I saw clearly that although the red thread between you was weak at that time, as if it would break with a touch, it was still firmly tied together. See, you’ve reconciled now, haven’t you?”
Wen Ning’an said uncomfortably, “He and I are just ruler and subject now. We are not suitable.”
“Alright, alright, whatever you say is right.” Qin Zhaohuang rolled his eyes. He says they’re not suitable, but the way he looks at him is as if water is about to drip from his eyes. Does he think I’m blind?
Wen Ning’an paused and asked in a low voice, “Then what is the red thread between us like now?”
“Ah, of course it’s tightly wound together. As if it were originally one body, impossible to pull apart. It’s so bright it’s almost blinding me! But…” Qin Zhaohuang seemed to have suddenly remembered something, and his tone changed as if he were contemplating whether to say it or not.
“What’s wrong? Just say whatever you want. Anyway, your divinations aren’t necessarily accurate.”
“…” What kind of talk is that!
Qin Zhaohuang said sullenly, “Although the red thread between you is incredibly strong, there is a place where it suddenly forks. The red thread is split into two, one as strong and thick as before, but the other is… is a blank.”
Wen Ning’an frowned. “What does that mean?”
Qin Zhaohuang paused and said in a muffled voice, “I dare not say.”
Wen Ning’an stared at Qin Zhaohuang’s somewhat nervous face for a while, then sighed. “If you don’t want to say it, then don’t. We’ll deal with whatever comes. It’s better than worrying day and night from now on.”
“Right, right!”
After the two of them went to sleep, Wen Ning’an looked at his own hand and suddenly felt a little envious of Qin Zhaohuang’s celestial eye.
I wonder what the red thread between me and Feng Qi looks like…
And Qin Zhaohuang’s hidden meaning… Wen Ning’an sighed again in his heart. He thought to himself, There’s nothing to be afraid of. No matter what Feng Qi is like, my feelings for him will not change. I’ll just love and protect him. And if he is in any danger, I will block it for him.
