Chapter 27 A Beauty's Schemes

The sounds of the bodyguards playing drinking games and urging each other to drink grew increasingly loud and boisterous, and everyone was flushed and swollen from drinking.

No one paid any extra attention to the fact that a servant-like man quietly left his seat and hid behind a tree in a corner outside the courtyard, where he was secretly plotting something with his companion.

Compared to Bai Hua's panic and guilty behavior, the other party clearly possessed more professional qualities as a spy, and was much calmer and more composed.

He wasted no time and went straight to the point: "After receiving the sword techniques secretly transmitted by the young lady, the hall master has practiced diligently, but he has never been able to connect them with the previous moves. Therefore, he suspects that the sword techniques are incomplete and should have been supplemented. Has the young lady made any new progress during this time, or has she discovered more moves and sword intent?"

"No." Bai Hua shook her head in distress, slightly deflated, and asked another question, "What's your name? How did you end up here? When did you infiltrate the Zangmen Escort Agency?"

The man answered in turn: "I am Cao Geng. I was selected to join the Zangmen Escort Agency as a bodyguard the day before you went to Xianyang Mountain. The head of the agency knew that Ning Jue was on good terms with the young master of the Zang family, so he sent me here in advance to prepare for any eventuality, so that I could contact you in a special situation."

Bai Hua was troubled by her inability to escape when Cao Geng appeared just in time, resolving the thorny problem at hand.

It must be said that her cousin was far more thoughtful and far more considerate than she had imagined.

Bai Hua asked, "I have indeed discovered some new information about sword techniques, but the intelligence is confidential. Could you please pass it on to me directly?"

Cao Geng pondered for a moment and replied, "My status in the Sword Sect is not high enough. You can write down the intelligence and have me deliver it."

Bai Hua: "Do you have pen and ink?"

Cao Geng: "Would charcoal work?"

"What else is there to choose from?" Bai Hua nodded, watching as he pulled a wad of cotton cloth from his pocket, peeled it off layer by layer, revealing a piece of dark charcoal inside.

Bai Hua glanced at him.

Cao Geng blushed slightly and explained, "As a soldier, searching for pens and paper would attract too much attention, so the paper was secretly stolen from the accounting office. It was just one page, so it shouldn't be discovered..."

Bai Hua then picked up on his question: "So the charcoal was stolen from the kitchen stove?"

Cao Geng asked sheepishly, "How did you know, young lady?"

Bai Hua: "..."

She silently retracted her earlier self-deprecating thought that the other person was more suitable to be a spy than she was.

There was no time to continue the idle chatter.

Bai Hua took the paper and charcoal, and painstakingly wrote the message stroke by stroke along the bark, quickly conveying the intelligence in writing.

After writing it, she carefully folded it twice and handed it to Cao Geng.

Bai Hua asked, "Can you leave the manor immediately? If so, please try your best to convey my cousin's message to me before I leave the Zang residence. I live on Xianyang Mountain, and it is not easy for me to go down the mountain, let alone deliver intelligence."

Cao Geng nodded: "I can leave the manor and try to get to the contact point as quickly as possible after I get away, but I will need you to do your best to stall for time."

Bai Hua replied, "I will, go quickly."

Cao Geng nodded, carefully put everything away, and stuffed it back into his pocket, making it bulge.

Fortunately, it was dark enough that his black robe made him even less conspicuous; otherwise, it would have been far too easy for him to be exposed.

Watching Cao Geng's figure disappear into the darkness, Bai Hua felt no sense of triumph, only unease and unease.

...

At the end of the corridor, in a side room behind the artificial hill in the inner garden, Zang Fan dragged Ning Jue away, deliberately delaying the time.

He slowly picked up the teacup, sipped the hot tea, and even when the pot was almost empty, he remained seated steadily.

Ning Jue glanced at him and saw through him, saying, "You just said you had a stomachache and wanted to rest, was that a lie? If you really don't want to go to the inner garden to deal with your mother, then send someone to tell her, so she won't have to wait for you anxiously."

Now that we've waited until this moment, it's alright to tell Ning Jue the truth.

Zang Fan's lips curled slightly as he admitted, "Not only was the stomachache fake, but my mother's request for me to go to the backyard to meet guests was also a lie. The servant just came to deliver a message, but it was all an act I deliberately put on in front of Bai Hua, just to get you out of there and leave her alone so that she could find an opportunity to secretly communicate with someone else."

Ning Jue frowned, paused in his tea-drinking motion, and got up to leave.

Zang Fan stopped him: "Wait, I finally managed to capture Rong Linyan's spy and went through a lot of trouble to subdue him. Now that he can finally be put to use, I must make the most of him. I don't want to waste my energy. With him, whatever messages Bai Hua sends to Rong Linyan will pass through our eyes first, and we will also know Rong Linyan's latest instructions to her in advance. The enemy knows a little about me, and I know a lot about the enemy. It's just a matter of playing along."

Ning Jue was somewhat displeased: "I'll handle her affairs; you don't need to interfere."

Zang Fan scoffed, "What's it to you? If you were really as indifferent, cold-hearted, and aloof as before, I would be at ease. But now that you've fallen for her, if I don't intervene, am I just going to watch you be completely deceived, body and soul?"

Zang Fan looked at him with a disappointed expression, his eyes filled with heartache.

Ning Jue remained calm and retorted, "What do you know?"

Zang Fan's eyes widened, and he was about to retort when a rhythmic knocking sound came from outside the door.

The two stopped talking and ceased their argument.

Zang Fan opened the door, and upon seeing who it was, his expression turned slightly solemn. He exchanged a few words with the person and then closed the door tightly behind him.

He turned and went back into the house, holding a note that had been folded several times.

Walking up to Ning Jue, Zang Fan said smugly, "You still say she's not a spy? The evidence is right in front of us."

Ning Jue glanced at his hand without saying a word, but his expression didn't show much surprise.

Zang Fan scoffed again, realizing that Ning Jue had already confirmed her identity but was unwilling to expose her, preferring to keep her by his side as a hidden threat.

They're hopeless.

Zang Fan raised his hand, holding the note between two fingers, and waved it in front of Ning Jue, asking him, "Do you want to read the contents of this note first, or should I?"

Ning Jue reached out and snatched it, hesitated for a moment, and then opened it.

The contents read: "Hua'er has been diligently investigating, but Ning Jue is too cautious and guarded, preventing me from getting close and causing a stalemate. I have also learned that only by becoming his lover and marrying him can I rightfully see the hidden sword techniques in the second half of the chapter. I am powerless to help and fear I will have to return empty-handed. Hua'er is concerned about her brother's situation in the capital and hopes that her cousin can think of other ways to rescue him. If you have any requests, please let me know, and Hua'er will do her best."

Ning Jue read it carefully, word by word, while Zang Fan leaned closer and also glanced at it.

He said quietly, "Both are her own brother and her cousin... See? You're at the very end of the list. She's sucking your blood to help someone more important to her."

Ning Jue's eyes flickered slightly, but his tone remained calm as he spoke his true thoughts: "Her situation is very difficult."

"Still making excuses for her? That's the way things are in the world, who isn't having a hard time?"

Zang Fan retrieved the note, folded it again, and handed it to Cao Geng outside, instructing him to relay it truthfully to the Sword Gate and return quickly.

Cao Geng accepted the order, tucked the item into his robes, and left the mansion through a side door.

The door closed again.

Ning Jue asked Zang Fan, "How did you manage to subdue this person?"

Zang Fan replied, “He is capable, but he is not valued in the Sword Sect. Once, during a mission, the credit was clearly his, but it was claimed by the brother-in-law of the Sword Sect's deputy hall master. That Hou fellow was too arrogant. He valued Cao Geng's abilities and repeatedly worked with him on purpose, only to steal the credit again after the mission was completed, thus obtaining rewards effortlessly. This tactic never failed him. Cao Geng was poor and weak, so he had to endure it. Finally, he could not bear it any longer and volunteered to take on the infiltration mission, coming to my Zang residence as a spy. Unfortunately, he met me and was exposed too quickly.”

At this point, Zang Fan recalled the past, a hint of smugness appearing on his face: "What else could it be but bad luck for him? We brothers used to be top-notch Embroidered Uniform Guards, lurking in the martial world, knowing everything, specializing in espionage. Compared to us, his methods were far too naive. This matter is little known, no wonder he overestimated himself. I sensed something was amiss, devised a plan to capture him, and then, thinking he had potential, I took the opportunity to recruit him into my own ranks."

Ning Jue cautioned, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard no longer exists in the world; it is not appropriate to mention this again."

Zang Fan sighed, "I understand."

Ning Jue added, "The one who bullied him should be Hou Yaozu. This man is unruly and arrogant. He is backed by the Jianmen Sect and has always been disregarding the law and bullying men and women."

Zang Fan thought of something and chimed in, "Yes, it's him. Didn't you save a girl from him before? Because of that, he held a grudge against you and spread rumors about you being a lecher. I wanted to teach him a lesson, but you told me to ignore him."

Ning Jue: "A fat, mad dog. If you can't kill it quickly, don't provoke it to avoid getting entangled in it."

Zang Fan: "Since the Sword Saint is gone, Duan Yi resigned, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard was disbanded, we are in a situation where we can't afford to cause trouble. We should just endure it."

The two stopped talking about Hou Yaozu and no longer reminisced about the past, shifting the focus of their conversation back to Bai Hua.

Zang Fan said, "I gave the note to Cao Geng and told him to spread the message as soon as possible, as Bai Hua instructed. What do you think Rong Linyan will say after he sees it? He wouldn't really be willing to let his cousin marry you, would he? Wouldn't that be a complete loss?"

Ning Jue: "I don't know, let's wait and see."

Zang Fan smiled and said, "What's wrong? Suddenly you're in the mood?"

Ning Jue glanced down at him and said, "Rong Linyan's reply might be of benefit to me."

Zang Fan pondered the deeper meaning of his words and said bluntly, "But speaking of which, you really are shameless. You insist on marrying me to see the second half of your sword technique... I've never heard the Sword Saint mention this before. You're making this up; you have ulterior motives."

Ning Jue remained expressionless: "How would you know what Master instructed me to do privately?"

Zang Fan clicked his tongue, having seen through him long ago: "Keep pretending?"

...

The escort agency and the sword hall were not far apart, and even closer to the secret contact point.

Cao Geng made his trip quickly, returning in a short time.

Just as Master Zang arrived in the courtyard to raise his glass in thanks to the guests and express his gratitude for their support, Cao Geng concealed his tracks, quietly entered the mansion, and once again sneaked into a side room in the back garden.

This time, it was Zang Fan who opened the secret letter.

The content written above is—

"We must further explore the sword techniques in the next chapter. The tournament is about to begin, and this is crucial to winning first place. Brother Shu'an is imprisoned, the Rong family is weak, and we have no connections in the capital to seek help. The only viable method is to enter the tournament and gain the favor of the Grand General, so that we will have a voice. I hope you can remain calm, continue to feign friendship with Ning Jue, and look for opportunities to spy on him. At crucial moments, you can take the initiative to show goodwill and use your wits to gain his trust, but you must never actually marry him."

After reading it, Zang Fan laughed first: "Rong Linyan is such a hypocrite. He said he would 'take the initiative to show goodwill' and 'use his cunning'? He might as well just say that he wanted his cousin to seduce you with her beauty. In the end, he even added a sanctimonious sentence, 'Don't actually marry him.' He wants both the benefits and the reputation."

Ning Jue showed no anger. He carefully examined the secret letter for a moment and asked, "Is there pen and ink?"

Zang Fan asked, puzzled, "What do you need pen and ink for?"

Ning Jie: "It will have its uses."

Zang Fan didn't investigate further and ordered his servants to fetch it.

Time was running out, and we couldn't linger any longer. Once the old man finished his formalities and speech in the front hall, he would have to go over and join in the toasting.

After receiving the paper and pen, Ning Jue laid the paper flat on the desk, pressed down half of the corner with a paperweight, held the pen in his right hand, and carefully imitated Rong Linyan's handwriting to begin making a copy.

The preceding content remains unchanged, except for the last sentence—"You must never actually marry him."

Ning Jue pondered for a moment, then slowly and deliberately changed it to: "If there are no other opportunities, she will have no choice but to marry him with her sword-wielding skills, giving everything without regard to the cost."

Zang Fan realized what was happening, stared wide-eyed, and moved his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Ning Jue remained expressionless, folded the paper into three layers, handed it to Zang Fan, and instructed, "Let Cao Geng do it."

Zang Fan was still incredulous. After taking the letter, he opened it again and checked it once more. He thought to himself, Ning Jue is still the same Ning Jue. Who can take advantage of him?

"Young Master Ning, are you sure?" Zang Fan deliberately addressed him that way.

Ning Jue's tone became serious: "Rong Lin Yan is not sincere to her, greedy, has no bottom line, and is of low character. He doesn't deserve to have her at all."

The tone shifted, Ning Jue's voice lowered, no longer sharp and harsh, but much gentler: "Since Bai Hua has been pushed to my side by him, I will not let her go. Every time he pushes her away, I will take her back openly, until she completely belongs to me."

Zang Fan reminded him: "Even if Bai Hua is really willing to go all out and is cunning and uses her beauty to her advantage, you should still be aware of the situation. You absolutely cannot hand over the second part of the Lone Goose Sword Technique to a hypocrite for nothing."

"I have my own plans."

"I'm afraid that while you'll be thoughtful when dealing with Rong Linyan, you'll become completely disoriented and lose all sense of propriety once you're facing his pretty cousin, especially..."

Zang Fan deliberately left things unsaid.

Ning Jue glanced at him indifferently: "What?"

Zang Fan chuckled and finished his sentence: "Before, they were playing with you fully clothed. But after receiving this letter, what if they act impulsively and do something rashly, climbing into your bed at night and rubbing against you naked? Will Young Master Ning still be able to talk about calmness and consideration then?"

Ning Jue looked over warily: "She won't."

Zang Fan: "No way, you actually dare to think that way?"

Ning Jue shut up, unwilling to say another word to him.

...

In the front courtyard of the Zang residence, after three rounds of drinks...

Bai Hua was the only one left at her table. As Master Zang began to toast each table, Cao Geng had not yet returned, and she became anxious and uneasy.

She glanced towards the door. The young master and his entourage had been gone for quite some time and had not yet returned. Perhaps there were many female guests in the inner quarters, making it difficult for Zang Fan to leave easily. However, she was genuinely worried that the two sides might bump into each other later.

Then she thought, Cao Geng has experience in undercover work, so he should be better at adapting to changing circumstances than she is.

As she was fidgeting, someone gently patted her shoulder. Before she could react, a hand suddenly reached out from her side. Before she could turn around, a piece of paper, folded several times, appeared near the rim of the bowl closest to her on the table.

Bai Hua reacted quickly and grabbed the letter.

Cao Geng's voice came from behind at the same time: "The hall master's instructions are all on paper. Please keep them safe, young lady. I'll take my leave now."

Bai Hua didn't have time to explain or ask any more questions, she only said, "Be careful."

With no one behind him, Cao Geng's appearance was like a winter breeze, a fleeting sensation before vanishing without a trace.

In this way, the two completed a secret intelligence exchange without anyone noticing, and things progressed much more smoothly than Bai Hua had imagined.

Perhaps it was a well-chosen day, and today is an auspicious day to go.

She sat at the table, half of her body hidden in the darkness. She was small and quiet, and since there were no other guests at the table, she was almost ignored by everyone.

Amidst the lively atmosphere and the sounds of toasts being offered, she couldn't help but clench her fist and quietly open the letter.

It's my cousin's handwriting.

Her gaze swept over the text, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper. Then she snapped out of her daze and hurriedly stuffed the letter into her bosom.

My heart is still pounding.

She could hardly believe her eyes. Her cousin actually wanted her to... use her body as bait, get married, and exchange it for Ning Jue's sword techniques?

For a moment, she felt panicked and helpless, as if she were adrift in a lone boat, with no home to return to.

Her mind was uncontrollably filled with memories of her cousin's vow to marry her. He had shown her tenderness and comfort when she was at her lowest point, and his eyes often revealed genuine affection when he looked at her.

She was moved by that look in his eyes and thought he was the one she could entrust her life to, the right person.

Now, facing difficulties together, he unhesitatingly treats her as a step in his plan, using her with such ease and without any scruples.

Using cunning tactics...

Isn't it just a honey trap?

He was reminding her that she still had her best trump card up her sleeve—her beautiful appearance and her precious virginity.

Thinking of this, Bai Hua's face turned pale, her lips trembled slightly, and the cool breeze made her seem so fragile that she might collapse at any moment.

In a daze, the seat next to me was pulled, and Ning Jue returned and sat down again.

Zang Fan was nowhere to be seen, but his voice calling to the guests could be heard in the distance.

Bai Hua looked in the direction of the sound and saw him and his father at another table not far away, toasting and entertaining each other as if they were fish in water.

Turning her gaze away, Bai Hua suppressed her dejected mood and spoke first, her voice very soft: "Young Master has been gone for a long time."

Ning Jue looked at her and asked, "Are you bored while waiting?"

Actually, she wasn't bored at all. Before Cao Geng sent back his letter, she had been secretly hoping that Ning Jue would return later.

He thought this to himself, but said aloud, "Yes, there are some. I'm the only one at the table; the other bodyguards all left early, drunk."

Ning Jue apologized and promised, "It was my fault. I won't leave you alone next time. If Zang Fan calls me again, I won't answer him."

Bai Hua lowered her eyes.

The young master's voice was gentle, like a warm current seeping into her heart, soothing her. Unconsciously, the newly formed coldness in her heart melted away a little.

She asked curiously, "Madam Zang selected several girls for Young Master Zang, why did it take you so long to return?"

The process of judging a man and a woman is actually quite simple; it usually only takes the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to finish the assessment, and it doesn't take much time at all.

If the time commitment is considerable, then it becomes a matter of the number of people involved.

Upon hearing this, Ning Jue hesitated slightly before casually replying, "Just... three or four."

Bai Hua: "Three or four? Are any of them satisfactory?"

Ning Jue: "I don't know."

Bai Hua smiled helplessly: "Doesn't the young master care about his friend's important life events?"

Ning Jue didn't take it seriously: "What's the big deal about this?"

Bai Hua blurted out, "Getting married isn't a big deal?"

Ning Jue pursed his lips, gave her another deep look, picked up his wine glass, drank it all, and then replied, "...Fine, I'll get married."

Bai Hua lowered her eyes and remained silent.

She was preoccupied, and thought again of her cousin's urging and instructions.

In order to learn his swordsmanship, he wanted her to marry another man...

Now, the safety of her elder brother and the future of the entire Guihong Sword Sect rest on her shoulders. If she doesn't do her best, she won't have given enough.

"What's wrong?" Ning Jue asked, noticing her lost in thought.

Bai Hua shook her head and replied weakly, "It's nothing."

Ning Jue observed her for a moment and noticed that she seemed to have difficulty breathing. After thinking for a moment, he asked with concern, "Is your chest binder too tight and uncomfortable? Can you still hold on? The banquet is about to end. After we finish drinking the wine offered by Uncle Zang, we will go home."

"..."

A corset...too tight?

Did you just ask so naturally, young master...?

Bai Hua remained silent, her face flushing uncontrollably. Noticing her ears burning, she lowered her head shyly.

"It's alright."

She forced herself to treat it as a normal conversation.

Ning Jue kept his eyes on her and brought up a topic: "The day after tomorrow, I plan to leave for Ye City. I would like you to dress as a man and come with me, but you are uncomfortable in your clothes. What should we do?"

Bai Hua: "What are you going to Ye City for, young master?"

Ning Jue: "Meeting an old friend."

Bai Hua had long yearned for Ye City, and now, in order to fulfill her cousin's request, she could not be separated from him and had to stay by his side.

Thinking of this, Bai Hua replied, "Perhaps the tailor shop owner's technique is wrong. I'll tie it myself, and it should be much better. I'll accompany you, young master."

She has really improved; when the topic of breast binding comes up again, she is now natural and uninhibited.

Ning Jue smiled gently and reminded her, "We'll be traveling by boat, so it will be quite a journey."

Bai Hua's eyes sparkled as she assured him, "A Peng is not afraid of hardship; she only wants to stay by your side, young master."

She is simply irresistible.

Ning Jue looked at her, his eyes darkening, becoming unfathomable.

Taking her away from Rong Linyan is a good thing, since Rong Linyan has no further use to him now anyway.

Ning Jue smiled and agreed, "Okay, let's go together."