stonecrandall Page 44
Page 44
She reached out and gently stroked Shi Feixuan's cheek, whose face still bore traces of wet tears.
"The feeling in your heart has not yet dissipated."
Fan Qinghui said softly, "That's not the smell of a man, it's the smell of 'obsession'."
Feixuan, you must know that water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.
The same applies to emotions and desires, love and hate.
You can regard it as a monstrous flood, something to be avoided at all costs.
It can also be used for one's own purposes, to see through appearances and reach one's true nature.
Do you understand it? "
The hot spring steam rises gently, and as the temperature cools slightly in the mountains after nightfall, a layer of hazy white mist rises over the pool, blurring the outlines of the pavilions.
The warm spring water soothed Wang Meng's entire body, as if washing away the fatigue and pain of the past few days, leaving him feeling comfortable in every part of his body.
He leaned comfortably against the smooth pebble wall of the pool, his eyes slightly closed, and exhaled a long breath.
He could even feel that the internal energy within him, which had been somewhat disordered due to the fierce battle, was slowly returning to a calm and peaceful state under the nourishment of this warm current.
Behind him, Li Qingluo was carefully attending to him.
She wore only a thin, white gauze dress, damp with moisture, which clung tightly to her mature and voluptuous curves, revealing her proud breasts, slender waist, and the outline of her body. Her jade-colored skin beneath the dress was faintly visible, adding to the alluring and ethereal beauty.
However, the lady of the manor had no romantic thoughts at the moment.
While she gently massaged Wang Meng's broad, muscular shoulders with her soft, boneless hands, she nervously looked around with anxious eyes.
She used almost all of her privileges.
Using the excuse that "the owner must recuperate here and no one is allowed to approach or disturb him," she arranged the most capable female guards of the manor in layers around the entire area centered on the pavilion.
The guards were all old men who had followed her for many years, loyal and devoted. They were now vigilantly guarding every entrance leading here, ensuring that no fools would dare to intrude.
Fortunately, this pavilion built over the hot spring is the most secluded and private spot in the resort.
It was close to the kitchen, making it convenient to get food, but it was quite a distance from the guest quarters where the guests stayed.
Normally, apart from herself, almost no one else comes here to stroll around.
Even so, Li Qingluo's heart was still in her throat.
The resort is now almost full of people.
Even the most secluded courtyards are now occupied by guests.
A mountain breeze occasionally swept by, stirring the gauze curtains of the pavilion. Each time, it made her heart leap with fear, terrified that someone might inadvertently stumble upon this scene that would leave her utterly ashamed. Her gentle hands trembled slightly with nervousness.
Wang Meng closed his eyes, enjoying this rare moment of relaxation.
He could clearly feel the trembling of the woman's hands behind him, and he could also hear her suppressed, slightly rapid breathing.
His cold smile deepened. That's exactly what he wanted.
The point is to enjoy the humiliating service of this renowned beauty in broad daylight and amidst the misty air, while simultaneously keeping her on edge and letting her experience the ultimate shame and fear, savoring the taste of being completely dominated.
This is much more interesting than simply torturing her in bed.
Just as Wang Meng was enjoying himself immensely, a series of light yet extremely respectful footsteps came from the stone path outside the pavilion.
Li Qingluo's soft hand, which was massaging his shoulder, suddenly stiffened, and she turned deathly pale like a startled rabbit.
It wasn't until they saw two maids cautiously approaching that they stopped a few steps away from the pavilion, bowed deeply, and didn't even dare to raise their heads.
One of them, who looked older and was probably in charge, was struggling to hold a thick book with a brocade cover.
Beside her, another, younger maid held a candle aloft, the flame flickering in the steam, casting their shadows on the ground in varying lengths.
"Mr. Meng!" Li Qingluo leaned down and whispered in Wang Meng's ear, "It's the managers from the manor; they've come to deliver the auction catalog!"
Wang Meng slowly opened his eyes, his crimson pupils appearing particularly menacing in the steam.
He didn't look at Li Qingluo; his gaze fell directly on the thick booklet in the steward's hands.
"auctions?"
He asked lazily, "I heard before that the manor was going to hold an auction, so I cleaned the manor well in advance."
"Yes!"
Li Qingluo nodded: "Every year around this time, I hold an auction at Mantuo Manor."
This...this is the list and register for this auction.
Seeing that Wang Meng seemed interested, Li Qingluo explained with a smile.
"The items auctioned at the manor are diverse, but most of them are needed by people in the martial arts world."
For example, rare herbs that are beneficial to martial arts training, or divine weapons that are rarely seen in the martial arts world, or even materials such as black iron and sunken gold needed to forge divine weapons... Of course, some common treasures are also sold.
The resort sells everything that can make money, such as the latest brocade silks woven in Jiangnan, the fine cotton cloths just spun in Songjiang, or the newly fired official kiln porcelains from Jingdezhen.
The main selling point is its vastness, aiming to attract wealthy merchants and martial arts heroes from all over the country to Mantuo Manor.
As she finished speaking, a hint of barely perceptible smugness crept into her voice.
Wang Meng reached out and took it, then casually flipped through a few pages.
In the candlelight, one could see that the booklet was filled with tiny characters recording all kinds of rare treasures, with the reserve price and origin noted in red ink next to it.
He didn't look closely; instead, his eyes lifted from the booklet and fell on the body by the pool, which looked even more alluring from the steam.
"You have such a large manor, so many servants, so much land, and I've heard that you also have markets and shops in Jiangnan. Logically speaking, you shouldn't be short of money."
Why hold these auctions at all? They attract unwanted attention and create unnecessary trouble.
Wang Meng's voice was deep, with a hint of inquiry in it.
Li Qingluo was stunned; she hadn't expected Wang Meng to ask such a question.
Her kneading motion paused, and she remained silent for a moment. A complex and unspeakable bitterness flashed in her always tired eyes. Then she slowly said, "My lord, you do not know... I am just a widow with Yan'er. We are an orphan and a widow, surrounded by wolves."
This Mantuo Manor may seem large and powerful, but there are far too many people who covet it.
She sighed softly and said quietly, "Take the Murong family of Gusu across the lake, for example."
When she mentioned that name, her voice clearly carried a hint of resentment and fear.
“Back when my late husband was alive, the Murong family would often send people to ‘visit,’ and in their conversations, they always treated my Huanshi Water Pavilion as if it were their own villa in Yanziwu.”
After my husband passed away, they became even more brazen.
"But they won't openly rob us. The Murong family prides itself on being a martial arts family and values its reputation highly. However, their underhanded methods are truly difficult to guard against."
Her voice lowered, "The several acres of fertile land outside the manor are my dowry."
Two years ago, during the autumn harvest, the steward of the Murong family brought his servants to cause trouble, claiming that the farmland boundaries were unclear and that the farmland had been encroached upon.
Although they didn't gain any advantage, they still caused widespread anxiety among the tenants.
"And there's Taihu Lake."
Our villa's boats only need to enter and exit this lake to transport goods.
However, the Murong family members often sail their speedboats, ostensibly to cruise the lake, but in reality, they recklessly ram into the waters of my manor, displaying their provocations.
If it weren't for the capable guards of my manor, something terrible would have already happened.
Wang Meng listened quietly without interrupting.
Li Qinglu smiled bitterly and continued, "If I were to close the gates of this manor and live my own life, I'm afraid that in just a few years they would use this slow, insidious method of 'boiling a frog in lukewarm water' to secretly devour me completely."
When the day comes that even the well water in this manor belongs to the Murong family, the rest of the martial arts world will only say one thing: that I, Li Qingluo, mismanaged the business and failed to protect my late husband's legacy.
As she said this, a shrewdness and decisiveness flashed in her eyes, which was inconsistent with her delicate appearance.
"Therefore, I'll simply open this door!"
Her voice carried a sense of desperation: "I will make this auction as big as possible, and invite all the heroes, valiant merchants and tycoons of the world to my Mantuo Manor."
Their coming here to trade has created a connection between them and my manor.
"As long as they are in the manor for a day, they are my guests at Mantuo Manor for a day."
"In this way, all the eyes of the world are focused here. They have become the eyes and ears of my Mantuo Manor."
"If the Murong family wants to pull any more tricks in the shadows, they'd better think twice before offending me, a widow, or the reputation of the martial world!"
Wang Meng watched her quietly, observing the fleeting vulnerability and helplessness that flashed in the depths of her eyes as she explained her resolute decision to burn her bridges, a vulnerability she forcefully suppressed.
He suddenly felt that this woman, who appeared gentle but secretly used all her cunning to support her vast business empire, was somewhat... pitiful, yet also adorable.
When recruiting people, you must win their hearts.
This applies to both women and subordinates.
Physical pleasure and the deterrence of violence are ultimately inferior means, effective only temporarily and not permanently.
There will always come a day when you get tired of it, and there will always be a time when you can't control yourself anymore.
Once people's hearts are won over, they are like steel refined through a hundred trials, difficult to break.
Wang Meng was well-versed in this art, and he knew when to be as cold as ice and when to be as passionate as fire.
Tonight, at this moment when Li Qingluo has shed all pretense and revealed her deepest weariness, is precisely the time when she needs a raging fire.
Wang Meng slowly placed the heavy register on the bluestone by the pond. The soft sound made Li Qingluo's delicate shoulders tremble imperceptibly.
Then, he stretched out his strong arm and, amidst Li Qingluo's short gasp, wrapped it around her slender waist, which was completely naked except for a thin veil.
An irresistible force came, and Li Qingluo felt her body lighten as he lifted her up from the edge of the pool and slowly dragged her into the warm spring water.
With a soft "splash," the warm spring water instantly soaked through the last strand of dry gauze covering her body, turning it completely transparent and clinging tightly to every breathtaking curve of her body.
Their naked skin was pressed tightly together under the misty steam and flickering candlelight.
Li Qingluo's body stiffened, her mind went blank, and her heart pounded wildly.
She thought what followed would be another violent assault.
However, Wang Meng simply held her tightly, lowered his head, and gently, yet with unwavering determination, kissed her slightly parted lips, which were still damp from the spring water.
This kiss lacked the previous ferocity and plunder, and carried no hint of punishment or conquest. Instead, it was filled with an unprecedented... tenderness.
His tongue was no longer a weapon for conquering and seizing, but rather like a docile dragon, guiding her with an irresistible force, probing into her mouth, gently curling around her somewhat bewildered little tongue, slowly entwining and sucking it.