TCN: Mei Gongqing

Chapter 101: Fallen in Love

Chapter 101: Fallen in Love

Chen Rong huddled inside the cleft and like Old Shang, did not make a movement. Though they knew nothing of battlefields, they could sense a difference in the air, particularly the hoofbeats that were causing the insects to cease chirping and the beasts to cease howling. It was making them feel a dreadful chill.

Afraid to speak, afraid to move, each second arduously trickled by.

Chen Rong forced her eyes to stay open as she motionlessly stared out into the darkness.

They had stuffed the horse's mouth with a piece of cloth. Only that way could they keep their hiding place from being discovered.

All of a sudden, a series of footsteps sounded, eerily approaching them in the dark.

Chen Rong turned pale. Have the bandits found us? It was unlikely, but her heart was in such a knot that she had no way to think.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer.

They were indeed coming to the cleft.

Beads of sweat condensed on Chen Rong's forehead. Old Shang leaned back toward her, shakily saying: "M-miss, they're heading our way."

His voice was filled with distress.

Chen Rong wanted to contradict him, but she was also hearing the same footsteps walking faster toward the cleft.

We must have really been found!

Chen Rong blanched as white as a sheet.

At this point, Old Shang hoarsely said to her, "Miss, let me see if I can distract them." In his mind, he was nothing but an old man who would die sooner or later. His mistress was different, however. She was still too young, and more importantly, she was a beautiful maiden. No matter whose hands she fell into, she would either die or live a living death.

With this thought, he gained courage and, in a short time, felt he had become much taller and bigger.

Without waiting for Chen Rong's answer, he jumped off the carriage and dashed outside.

In a flash, he had gotten to the cleft's entrance.

Poking his head out to look, he saw a tall, strapping figure, blurry though it was, about a hundred paces away. The flickering torch behind him made him look terrifyingly massive.

The man was moving toward the cleft's entrance. Some distance from him was the indistinct darkness where it appeared as if numerous troops were waiting to ambush them.

He was blocking the exit. If they drove out, they would be falling straight into their trap.

Old Shang clenched his teeth, turned and whispered to Chen Rong: "Take care, miss!" Then he strode out.

His footsteps pounded on the ground as he ran away from the cleft.

He frequently looked back during his flight. Sure enough, the tall man was startled by his running. He snapped his head up to bark: "Who's there?" He spoke with a humorless tone and a vigilance only men of the military would have.

Old Shang deliberately ran up the hill, causing rolling rocks to rumble in the night.

As expected, the man stopped what he was doing and quickly gave chase.

He is chasing, and there are no cohorts behind him! The lady is safe for now.

At this thought, Old Shang's heart lightened as he began to frantically run ahead. Behind him, the man's height caused him to move clumsily. It had only been a few dozens steps but he was getting away from him.