Chapter 25: The Roar of the Dragon (III)

Spring in Yiwu City arrived no later than in Chang’an. As soon as the spring breeze blew, the poplar trees in the city sprouted green leaves and stretched their branches; the wild grass by the Heishui River put out tender buds, as if smiling. Within a ten-mile radius of the oasis, countless unnamed small flowers bloomed, thriving brightly and persistently.

Life circled endlessly, bringing endless hope. The oasis deep in the desert was even more alluring, and the flags fluttering in the wind stirred people’s hearts even more.

Inside the Yiwu Garrison, Ni Xin stared blankly at the scenery outside the window.
“The fragrant trees shed their flowers without anyone to admire them; birds sing alone along the spring mountains!”
With no one to share this beautiful spring scenery with, for whom was it all meant?

“I’ve been outside for a while. I miss my wife. Please forgive me.”
He was married now! He really was married!
Whenever she thought of Li Kuo’s radiant smile on that starry night, Ni Xin’s heart ached terribly. Why? Why did fate torment her so, making her fall headoverhearts in love with someone only to discover they already had someone else in their heart?

She had woven a beautiful dream for herself, indulging in it completely. But when she woke from the dream, what could she do?
He was a military officer—allowed to have multiple wives and concubines, to be surrounded by beauties. Yet she couldn’t just surrender herself like that!
Why should she, Ni Xin, humble herself in such a way? She had her own principles, her own standards…
Yet he still captivated her heart so deeply. His heroic demeanor on the battlefield, his courage in rescuing his comrades, his confidence in commanding battles—each moment was deeply etched in her heart, impossible to erase.

Wasn’t this the man she had been searching for? The man she loved wasn’t he the brave warrior who valued righteousness and cared deeply for his country?
She loved this man so much, yet, alas, she couldn’t even express it…
Damn it! What a stubborn fool!
Ni Xin bit her lips tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. It was all because of him—because of him she was suffering…
It’s said beauties don’t cry—until they’re truly heartbroken!

“Miss, your bath water is ready!”
At that moment, the loud voice of the garrison’s servant came from outside.
“Come in!”
Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Ni Xin turned and walked toward the wooden door.
“Thank you for your hard work. Place these buckets of water over there.”
“Miss, if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now. If you need anything, just call out—I’ll be right here!”
The servant nodded at Ni Xin and said politely, “Thank you. Have a good day!”
After seeing the servant leave, Ni Xin slowly closed the door.

She tried lifting the wooden barrel filled with hot water, and Ni Xin nodded in satisfaction. The water in these barrels was enough for her bath. Though she was a woman, having spent years traveling in the martial world, she had to do everything by herself, including bathing.

After passing by a screen adorned with four panels of embroidered peonies, Ni Xin poured the steaming hot water from the barrels into a half-human-height tub. The misty vapor rose, filling the small room. She untied her belt and hung it on a pentagonal rack nearby. As she was on a long journey beyond the borders, her clothes were almost identical to those worn by men. Though the coarse cloth was dirt-resistant, after such a long trek, it was covered in earthy odors. After gently patting it, seeing little effect, she simply threw it into a basin, planning to wash it after her bath.

Under her outer robe was a jacket embroidered with colorful peonies, made from much finer material than her outer robe. The renowned brand Feng Lai Yi produced fabrics that were always in high demand; even at high prices, many noble ladies rushed to purchase them.

The jacket was scented, and with the mist from the water, the room seemed like a fairyland. She hung the jacket on a rack and then went to untie the straps of her undergarments. The knots were too tight, and Lady Ni couldn’t untie them at first; she finally managed to loosen them by gently biting them with her teeth.

Her underdress, underwear, and other intimate garments fell off one by one, and Ni Xin felt a chill, letting out a gasp. She hadn’t expected it to be so cold even in spring—the misty air in the room still carried a slight chill. With only a piece of underwear left on, Ni Xin was completely naked. Though she knew no one was outside, she couldn’t help but blush. After all, in this unfamiliar environment, her feminine side fully emerged.

Removing the last piece of clothing, Ni Xin slowly walked toward the half-human-height tub. The tub was quite large, allowing her to stretch out fully.

As beautiful as water, Ni Xin truly understood the meaning of this phrase when she submerged herself in the fragrant bath water.

Soft and ethereal, seemingly close yet distant—this bath water mirrored her current state perfectly.

Grabbing a handful of bath beans, she rubbed them gently on her body, feeling immense relief. The beans produced foam upon contact with her skin, and with a little effort, they helped relieve the fatigue accumulated over days. In the misty vapor, Ni Xin felt as though all her burdens had been lifted, and she slowly closed her eyes.

She felt as though her body had melted into a pool of clear water, allowing the currents to flow over her…

She tried to adorn herself with a jade hairpin, but as soon as she took off her clothes, she felt a chill. She moved the orchid-shaped candle to cast shadows that made her blush, and tried the scented bath water, yet feared it might be too intense. At first, it seemed like handling flowers was hard enough, but eventually, she worried she wouldn’t be able to endure it like snow melting over her skin…

Just as Ni Xin was about to enter Tai Bai’s illusory realm, the wooden door creaked open!

Ni Xin suddenly opened her eyes and instinctively covered her chest.

“Who is it? Get out! Leave now!”

Though her voice was fierce, she was terrified inside. This pervert must have planned this for a long time—stealing in while she was bathing in scented water…

Damn! She hadn’t even locked the door…

Who could be so bold as to enter her room without permission? She was completely naked and submerged in the tub—how could she possibly put on her clothes?

Ni Xin felt both ashamed and angry, yet helpless. All she could hope for now was that the intruder wouldn’t go into the inner room; otherwise, she…

But things in this world rarely went as one wished. The intruder’s footsteps, Ni Xin’s rapid breathing, and heartbeat intertwined, making her desire unbearable.

Finally, the worst happened. Around the four-panel screen, the intruder’s figure appeared before her!

“You pervert!”

Ni Xin covered her breasts and screamed loudly, eyes shut.

“Tian Er!”

“Tian Er!”

Hmm, that voice sounded so familiar. Full of joy and shyness.

It was him… It was him! How could it be him, that little troublemaker!

She suddenly opened her eyes, and what she saw was the tall figure from her dreams…

“It’s you, you pervert! Get out right now!”

Ni Xin stared in shock at the man before her and poured the scented water at him.

“Tian Er, I’m back. Weren’t you always complaining that I didn’t come home? Well, I’m back now. Why are you bathing? Your husband’s back—why don’t you come out to greet me?”

Li Kuo’s cheeks were red, and his strong smell of alcohol made Ni Xin frown.

“Which Tian Er is yours? Get out immediately!”

So he was drunk! He had come here drunk!

Lady Ni finally understood why the young man had entered the room at this moment and shouted sharply.

“Tian Er, haven’t you always wanted to know how we can… Just sleeping together isn’t enough. We need to…”

Li Kuo staggered forward, step by step, toward Ni Xin in the tub, his face full of a smile.

“Don’t come closer! I’m not some Tian Er. Open your eyes and look properly—I’m Ni Xin, Ni Xin!”

Ni Xin was truly terrified now, screaming and shouting nonstop. Yet her efforts yielded little effect—Li Kuo had already reached the barrel in no time.
“Tian Er, I know you’ve always liked me… I was wrong about that night. Today, I’ll make it up to you!”
The young man swallowed hard and lifted Ni Xin up from the barrel, holding her around the waist.
Like lotus blossoms emerging from water, her beauty filled the room!
“Let me go, you beast! I’m not Tian Er—let me go…”
Ni Xin was almost driven mad. This madman, this troublemaker, actually thought of her as his wife. What did he want? What on earth was he planning?
Ni Xin had never felt such fear before. He was like an injured little bird, flapping around desperately…
“I love your fried eggs—it’s true… Well, sometimes we both have our issues. This time, I’ll definitely satisfy you…”
Though Ni Xin struggled, Li Kuo, who had spent years in the army and was strong-built, made it impossible for her to break free.
Before Ni Xin could react, he laid her down heavily on the embroidered bed.
“Go away, beast! Go away…”
Ni Xin’s voice was already tinged with tears, yet she couldn’t push Li Kuo away even a little.
That man… he was actually starting to take off his clothes! No, no—how could he do this?
She wanted to cry but couldn’t produce a sound. Did she also want to be his wife? No, it couldn’t be! How could this happen…?
One piece, two pieces…
In the end, Ni Xin clearly saw the young man’s strong abs and the bunch of ripe grapes beneath them…
“You love me, right?”
Li Kuo gazed at her affectionately, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.
Stunned by the question, Ni Xin simply nodded foolishly.
“We’ll be together forever, okay?”
“Mm.”
Though she knew Li Kuo’s heart didn’t belong to her, Ni Xin nodded as if possessed. It seemed she just couldn’t let go after all…
“Let’s…”
“I… we… let’s…”
That spring in Yiwu City, with its blooming flowers and lush grass, love was in full bloom…
The curtain slowly descended, embracing the room in springtime beauty.
Li Kuo and Ni Xin hugged tightly. At that moment, Li Kuo kissed her crimson lips passionately. His fiery tongue parted her teeth, marking his first conquest of her…
It was the beauty of a stunning woman that drove heroes to madness!…

Note 1: Bath beans: A cleaning agent used for bathing, equivalent to soap. Before the Tang Dynasty, bath beans were already widely used, and by that dynasty they had reached their peak. Sun Simiao, a renowned physician of the time, said, “Facial ointments, hand creams, fabric fragrances, and bath beans—these are all highly valued by scholars.” The “Qianjin Yifang” states that bath beans are among the essential items in people’s lives.