The Road to Glory

Chapter 159: Devouring Every Bone and Drop of Blood

Unlike the previous kiss fueled by anger, this one carried a distinct note of hysteria.

He resembled a lost, trapped beast—ferocious and reckless, yet ultimately finding no escape.

Without the veil as a barrier and with the person beneath him no longer struggling as before, his invasion was absolute, nearly consuming them completely through their lips and teeth.

Xiao Li’s breaths were heavy and ragged. In this brief moment of greedy pursuit, a tsunami seemed to surge within him, tearing away the facade of calm black waters to reveal the boundless glacier of desire lurking beneath the iceberg.

Yet, as his large hand slid down Wen Yu’s spine, he abruptly halted as if jolted awake.

He immediately put distance between himself and Wen Yu.

Panting, his eyes burning red, his expression remained icy. He wiped the damp traces from Wen Yu’s face with his finger, pressed his lips together, and uttered, “Don’t provoke me again,” before rising and storming out of the room.

Wen Yu watched his retreating figure, refusing to show even a hint of vulnerability. Only when her long lashes lowered over her eyes did they glisten with moisture.

She had tried her best.

If he still refused reconciliation, there was nothing more she could do.

Xiao Li strode out of the chamber, hurried through the courtyard, and upon reaching a narrow passage lined with several large water jars, braced his hands on the rim of one and plunged his entire head into the icy water.

Scattered snowflakes drifted from the sky, and in the depths of winter, the water in the jar was piercingly cold.

But only after being thoroughly drenched did Xiao Li feel the surging heat within him recede.

Beneath the thin layer of skin and flesh, the molten lava-like blood coursing through his veins gradually calmed.

After submerging himself for over ten breaths, he finally pushed himself up, allowing the frigid water to drip from his soaked bangs and jaw. Gasping for air, his gaze remained fiercely intense.

She shouldn’t have tempted him like that.

He only wanted to crush and tear her apart, devouring every bone and drop of blood without leaving a trace.

Wen Yu did not see Xiao Li again for the rest of the night. Only the unusually tall woman brought her a bowl of porridge. After she finished eating, the woman returned to clear the dishes and applied medicine to the severe bruises on Wen Yu’s back.

Wen Yu knew little about this woman, but from her attire and demeanor, she deduced she was a martial artist. The woman asked to be called Sanniang and had an unreserved, straightforward nature.

When the room fell silent again, Wen Yu, burdened with worries, eventually drifted into a fitful sleep to the sound of the howling wind and relentless snow outside.

She woke the next morning to find the woman named Sanniang bringing in a disheveled old man to examine her pulse.

One of the old man’s eyes appeared clouded with cataracts, displaying an abnormal gray-blue hue, and the hand gripping his cane trembled uncontrollably. Yet, when he placed three fingers on Wen Yu’s wrist, they became remarkably steady.

After a moment of careful assessment, he declared with certainty, “This is not the pulse of pregnancy. It’s a disordered pulse caused by medication.”

He then turned his functional eye toward Wen Yu. “The person who concocted this drug is quite skilled. If the effects hadn’t started to fade, even I might not have detected it.”

Gongsun Sanniang expressed amazement. “There’s actually such a medicine in this world?”

The old man chuckled dismissively. "If drugs can be made to mimic death and halt the pulse, what’s so difficult about disrupting the pulse to feign pregnancy?"”Song Qin gestured toward the door with a "please" motion: "Trouble the old physician to prescribe some tonic medicine for this young lady."

The old man rose with the aid of his cane, his hands trembling again, yet his expression appeared quite self-satisfied as he replied, "Certainly."

After everyone had left the room, Wen Yu lay silently gazing at the tent ceiling.

She hadn't seen Xiao Li again today, but since the physician had diagnosed her false pregnancy, he would inevitably learn of it.

With this ironclad evidence, his previous excuse for keeping her here no longer held water.

Yet Wen Yu didn't request to see Xiao Li.

If he still refused to let her leave, meeting him would only lead to another verbal confrontation.

Wen Yu understood that her current priority was to recover from her injuries.

Now that she was no longer in the Military Camp, once Zhao Bai and Tong Que located this place where she was being held under house arrest, they would find a way to rescue her.

What truly required her to conserve strength and plan carefully was how to pacify Southern Chen afterward and uncover the hidden troublemaker working behind the scenes.

Perhaps the morning medicinal brew contained sedative herbs, as Wen Yu soon grew drowsy again.

In the front courtyard of the convent, Xiao Li remained silent for a long while after hearing Song Qin's report before finally asking, "Truly not pregnant?"

Song Qin replied, "The old madman's medical skills are quite renowned among the greenwood outlaws. They say his ancestors served as imperial physicians, and he has cured many nobles of difficult illnesses. His pulse diagnosis should be accurate."

Xiao Li fell silent again upon hearing this, only speaking after a long pause: "Let her stay here to recover from her injuries first."

Song Qin nodded but glanced at Xiao Li saying, "The Prefect cannot remain away from the camp for too long. You should return today."

Xiao Li seemed lost in thought, his brow slightly furrowed, his profile reflected lonely in the lake beside the rockery as he merely said, "Mm, we'll return."

Song Qin watched him wordlessly for two breaths, his gaze shifting toward the ancient temple where Wen Yu was confined behind him.

Pei Song gently wiped the medicinal broth from Jiang Yichu's lips with a handkerchief, his expression tender: "Sister has been disobedient again today. How can you recover quickly if you don't take your medicine properly?"

On the bed, Jiang Yichu turned her head away, ignoring him completely.

She had grown even thinner than before, her face pale, dark hair cascading loosely. Her eyes stared fixedly at one spot as if immersed in her own world, no longer hearing any sounds around her.

Pei Song's expression remained gentle as he firmly grasped Jiang Yichu's jaw with one hand, forcibly turning her face toward him.

He scooped another spoonful of medicine and brought it to her lips, a tender smile playing on his mouth as if dealing with an intimate lover: "Be good now, no more tantrums."

But Jiang Yichu turned her head away again, simultaneously striking out violently and overturning the medicine bowl held by the maid beside her.

The spoon in Pei Song's hand grazed her cheek, leaving another wet stain of medicine, while the remaining liquid splattered onto the brocade quilt, leaving speckled yellow marks.

"Spare me, Minister! I didn't mean to!" The maid who had been holding the bowl knelt trembling on the floor in panic. Frantically trying to pick up the broken porcelain shards, she cut her hand but paid no mind, continuing to beg for mercy.

Only after patiently wiping the medicine stains from Jiang Yichu's chin did Pei Song casually ask the maid: "Do you wish to live?"

The maid trembled like a sieve, tears welling in her eyes as she nodded desperately.Pei Song handed her the second bowl of medicine that had been prepared earlier, his tone still gentle, as if he were some refined gentleman: "You know I never keep useless people. Make Consort Jiang drink the medicine, and since you still have some use, I'll spare your life."

The maid trembled uncontrollably as she held the medicine bowl again, ignoring the spilled medicine on the floor, she crawled on her knees to Jiang Yichu, weeping and pleading: "Please take the medicine, Consort Jiang."

Jiang Yichu remained facing the inner side of the bed, silent and emotionless, like a puppet on strings.

Seeing Jiang Yichu like this, Pei Song's eyes flashed with resentment, yet he still smiled at the maid: "It seems Consort Jiang doesn't wish to spare your life."

The maid turned pale with fear, her hands shaking so badly she could barely hold the bowl. Bowing her head, she sobbed: "Please save this servant, Consort Jiang. I have elderly parents and younger siblings to care for..."

Jiang Yichu finally glanced sideways, but her eyes were lifeless and numb. She spoke wearily, almost mockingly: "Haven't you tired of this act yet? Pei Song?"

Pei Song kissed her temple affectionately, his smile gentle and warm: "As long as it makes my sister take her medicine properly, any old trick will do, won't it?"

He then glanced at the maid, who immediately crawled closer despite the risk of being cut by the previously shattered porcelain, raising the bowl of brown medicine to Jiang Yichu.

Jiang Yichu finally took the bowl and drank it in one gulp. Whether the medicine was too bitter or her body too weak, she immediately began retching uncontrollably, vomiting not only the medicine but nearly bringing up bile as well.

Pei Song flew into a rage, shouting for someone to fetch the physician. Disregarding the filth, he half-embraced her through the brocade quilt, supporting Jiang Yichu as she leaned against him to vomit into the spittoon.

While wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, he whispered soothingly: "This is my fault. I shouldn't have forced you to drink the medicine..."

The maids quickly replaced all the beddings and cleaned the soiled floor.

When Jiang Yichu's stomach convulsed until nothing more could come up, completely drained of strength, she lay in Pei Song's arms and smiled faintly: "If I die, you'll lose one of your playthings for these performances, won't you?"

A vein bulged at Pei Song's temple - a sign of his rising anger.

But Jiang Yichu was too weak to withstand any of his fury.

He only ended up affectionately stroking her cheek, saying softly: "Why must you always try so hard to anger me, sister? You know I can't bear to hurt you, so I can only take it out on Wen Heng's daughter."

Just as anger flashed across Jiang Yichu's face, someone urgently announced from outside: "Master, Consort Zheng's people say she has abdominal pain. She's crying terribly, fearing something might happen to the child..."

Pei Song's expression turned cold instantly, showing no concern: "If she has abdominal pain, send for a physician."

Hearing Pei Song's anger, the messenger's voice lost confidence: "Consort Zheng insists on seeing you..."

Pei Song's face showed extreme impatience, only softening when he looked back at Jiang Yichu. He seemed to want to steal another kiss from her cheek, but Jiang Yichu avoided him.The act of refusal, however, lifted Pei Song's spirits. He gripped Jiang Yichu’s jaw and murmured, "Is my elder sister jealous?"

Jiang Yichu remained silent, responding only with a cold sneer.

This was true humiliation, needing no words at all.

Pei Song tightened his grip on her chin, rendering her completely immobile. After forcibly planting a kiss on her cheek, he finally released her.

"Elder sister knows full well that whatever I desire, I obtain. Why insist on bringing suffering upon yourself by opposing me?"

Jiang Yichu slumped by the bedside, her disheveled hair cascading down, obscuring the expression on her face.

Pei Song rose to leave. Ultimately, he pitied her—her health had never recovered since the arrow wound, and she was still with child. Pausing just before exiting the outer chamber, he said, "If you eat properly and take your medicine today, tomorrow you may see that remnant of the Great Liang for one hour."

—

After leaving Jiang Yichu’s courtyard, Pei Song was about to head to Lady Zheng’s residence when a Hawk Hound rushed to report: "My lord! Advisor Gongsun has returned and is waiting in the main hall. He requests an audience with you."

Pei Song frowned. "Wasn’t the advisor overseeing the Southern Border campaign? Why has he come to Fengyang at this time?"

The Hawk Hound replied cautiously, "It may concern Lady Jiang using herself as bait to help Yu Taifu and other former officials of the Great Liang escape Fengyang."

Understanding dawned on Pei Song. He said to the servant from Lady Zheng’s household who was guiding him, "This Minister is occupied with official duties. I will visit your mistress later."

The servant dared not say more and withdrew with a bow.

Pei Song changed course for the main hall. Upon entering, he saw Gongsun Chou standing with his hands behind his back, facing away from the threshold and window, his figure slightly stooped.

Pei Song said, "Advisor, if you were returning to Fengyang, why didn’t you send word ahead? I could have arranged to receive you."

Gongsun Chou turned around and struck his cane heavily on the ground. "This old subject abandoned the Southern Border campaign and left juniors like Yu Wenjing and Han Qi to return and handle a domestic matter for my lord."

He continued with anguish, "That Enchantress has repeatedly sabotaged my lord’s great cause. Today, even if I must die in remonstrance here, I implore my lord to execute that Enchantress!"