Chapter 21

Even your breathing sounds aren't as pleasant as yours.

Inside the room, the boy pressed his finger on the door panel and pushed it hard. Just as the sound was about to stop, it creaked and groaned again.

Xie Yutang was startled and grabbed his wrist: "What are you doing?"

The boy curled his lips into a smile, raised his watery eyes, and whispered in her ear, "Didn't Master want to make some noise? Is this enough?"

Xie Yutang was speechless for a moment.

Whether she was caught off guard by the situation or couldn't believe that the boy, who always let her tease him, would suddenly turn the tables, she couldn't even retort to his slightly provocative question.

“My father was indeed a womanizer... and my master seems to be no less so.”

Suddenly, a huge accusation was slapped on Xie Yutang's head, and she almost thought she had misheard: "What?"

"Didn't a minister send you a foreign courtesan a few days ago..." The young man's deep, hoarse voice was filled with unreadable emotions, "One courtesan isn't enough, do you want a few more?"

Xie Yutang was stunned for a moment before struggling to recall the name "Fang Guan" from his memories.

She was the young courtesan she brought back from the Weixianxi Mansion for the sake of her acting.

They were so persistent that I had to give them a good scolding before they finally calmed down.

She had almost forgotten about him, so why did Su Lu suddenly bring him up?

"If I don't take him over, how can that guy surnamed Wei be willing to accept you?"

Xie Yutang became increasingly breathless as she spoke, after all, the idea of ​​bringing back the heir of the General's Mansion in broad daylight with a dog leash and then sending him to someone else's residence was something she found outrageous.

But the other party actually agreed.

"And what about that foreign geisha, the one whose master praised for her beautiful eyes?"

Su Lu grasped her wrist and asked her a very serious question.

Xie Yutang raised an eyebrow: "You hired someone to spy on me?"

"How dare I?"

Su Lu raised an eyebrow. “You are a top-tier nobleman in the capital. Everyone is eager to curry favor with you. Even if you praise a bird, its appearance will spread throughout the entire capital in less than a day.”

...

Xie Yutang was momentarily at a loss for words.

"And what about me?"

Xie Yutang blinked: "...What?"

Su Lu stared at her intently: "I also have half Hu blood in my body, what does Master think of me?"

Xie Yutang paused, then sneered, grabbed the boy's waist with his backhand, and slammed the door shut.

Another bang.

The two guards outside the door gradually got used to it, exchanged a glance, and those who understood understood.

Xie Yutang stroked the boy's eyebrows and eyes with his fingertips: "That geisha was indeed beautiful, especially her eyes, which were like the moon in the sky. It's just a pity... compared to these eyes, they are still a bit inferior."

The eyelashes beneath her fingers trembled.

Xie Yutang deliberately looked the man up and down, saying, "His figure isn't as good as yours, his waist isn't as slender, his skin isn't as fair, and even his breathing sounds... aren't as pleasant as yours."

The boy's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

"Although she is not as good as our young master Su in every way, she is still a first-class beauty. It would be a good deal for me to take her in."

Her fingertips, adorned with crimson nail polish, traced a path down the young man's jade-like cheek. "I'm just worried that this flower of unknown origin might have thorns; what if it's here to assassinate me—"

The boy grasped her hand, which was almost about to unbutton her clothes.

"I haven't even touched a girl's hand, I'm completely innocent... Master, would you consider me?"

He spoke so easily and naturally, as if it were a retaliation for her teasing earlier. His eyes were still red, yet he managed to render her speechless with ease, despite his apparent weakness.

Xie Yutang paused for a moment: "What if you had really been drugged on the boat just now?"

The poison that melts bones is alluring and irresistible.

No man could resist.

And what about him?

The boy seemed taken aback by her sudden change of thought. He paused for a moment, then chuckled silently, releasing his grip on her wrist as if in defeat. He leaned back against the door. "What does Master think?"

I guess I accepted her attempt to steer the conversation away from the main issue.

Xie Yutang displayed the composure she had displayed in her previous life when she interfered in politics during the imperial harem: "Even if you really can't help yourself, it's alright. No matter who you offend, I will do everything in my power to protect you."

She paused for a moment, then said, "I can also protect you."

Xie Yutang was telling the truth.

This was the most useful weapon in her path of revenge and power grab, and she wouldn't allow it to be broken so easily.

Su Lu seemed taken aback by her words, "It's okay if you really can't help it," and remained silent for a moment with a strange expression before lowering his eyes and scoffing, "You're really magnanimous..."

With a gentle flick of his slender fingers at her waist, Xie Yutang was startled and was about to reprimand him when he pulled a jade pendant from the tassel on her waistband.

Xie Yutang was taken aback.

This was shortly after they had acknowledged each other as masters, and after he had been punished, he personally tied it around her waist.

The jade was very plain, with no words on it that would reveal the original owner's identity. Therefore, Xie Yutang continued to wear it after "expelling" Su Lu from the mansion.

The boy's fingertips brushed across the jade pendant: "Do you still remember what I said back then?"

Of course I remember.

He said he was her knife, and she could use him however she wanted.

With a gentle pull, he hooked the jade pendant with his fingertips, forcing Xie Yutang to possess him.

The boy whispered in her ear, "I'm your person, don't always push me away."

Even a knife has a temper.

*

The moon rises above the willow branches.

Jia, carrying an empty basket he'd found in the kitchen, rubbed his hands, which were numb from the cold wind, and said, "You know, Commander Wei is really something. Before he left, he told us—not to let a single sound escape our notice, and to report everything in detail first thing tomorrow morning—he should have assigned a few more people, the two of us alone aren't enough."

"Are you stupid?" Guard B yawned against the closed door. "Who didn't hear the commotion inside? Anyone who's not deaf knows what's going on in there."

"If Commander Wei were truly worried, would he have just sent the two of us to guard this place?"

Guard A, taken aback by this, finally realized what was going on and shook the basket in his hand: "To be honest, this is really something. They just asked me to bring in hot water, and now they want flower petals. Don't tell me—"

"Shh, keep your voice down."

Guard B glanced at the closed door behind him and lowered his voice, "You know what kind of temper that is. Instead of wasting your time gossiping, you should hurry up and get some flower petals. If you're late in sending them in and spoil the princess's mood, we won't have enough heads to lose."

Yingkou was inhabited by rough and uncouth soldiers. They weren't particularly particular about their appearance, and it was considered good enough if they could manage to tidy up a decent room temporarily. They certainly wouldn't have any flower petals for bathing.

Guard A obediently carried the basket to the back hill to pick flowers, while Guard B tightened his collar, just about to doze off, when suddenly he jolted awake and gripped the sword at his waist: "Who goes there?"

The bamboo grove outside the courtyard was shrouded in shadows. Guard B was about to go over and check when he suddenly stopped, looked back at the tightly closed door, and hesitated. His companions were not here, and he was all alone. It was best not to leave his post without permission.

Another rustling sound came from the bamboo forest.

Guard B was in a dilemma. Wei Xianxi had ordered them to stay here, firstly to monitor and secondly to protect her. After all, a princess of a nation could not be allowed to suffer any mishaps. What if there really was an assassin lurking...? Thinking of this, Guard B gritted his teeth, looked back at the tightly closed gate behind him, and cautiously drew his sword to probe it.

The shadows of the leaves and branches were indistinct, making it difficult to see clearly. Guard B drew his sword, held his breath, and was even prepared to call for help at any moment. Suddenly, a tabby cat darted out from the artificial hill in front of him, nimbly leaped a few times, kicked a small stone off the hill, and disappeared into the bamboo forest.

...It turned out to be a cat.

Guard B breathed a sigh of relief. After confirming that no one was around, he immediately returned to the courtyard. Seeing that everything was normal, he was finally relieved.

After all, he was only gone for a short while, and Princess Ning'an was focused on that matter, so it was indeed impossible for anything to go wrong.

No sooner had Guard B left the bamboo grove than Xie Yutang, who was preoccupied with "that matter," slid down from the courtyard wall. She had been focusing on cultivation recently and had grown quite a bit internally, so she landed without making a sound. She even used her internal energy to transmit a message to Su Lu: "Where did you get that cat?"

"I happened to run into them when I came out to scout the way, so I picked them up."

Earlier, Su Lu had sneaked out while Xie Yutang asked for hot water. He used his internal energy to transmit his voice back to her while clearing away the bamboo leaves and branches blocking her way, saying, "Go through here and you'll reach the West Courtyard."

The West Courtyard was the most remote courtyard in Yingkou, mostly inhabited by the lowest-ranking recruits in the army, and the gatekeeper was very likely among them.

During the day, Xie Yutang deliberately ignored the sedan chair and insisted on riding a horse to get there. On the surface, it seemed like she was "eager to save people," but in reality, she wanted to catch them off guard. She actually managed to trick them out of something, if it weren't for Wei Xianxi...

Xie Yutang had memorized the doorman's appearance during the day and was determined to "chat" with him again. Someone like him, who knew a little and had a weak mental defense, was the perfect target for a breakthrough.

Xie Yutang was mentally planning her next move when she tripped on the stone steps just as she was about to leave the bamboo forest. Su Lu steadily supported her, and the crisp, snow-like scent of the mountain peaks rushed towards her. Xie Yutang's breath caught in her throat for a moment, and she took a half-step back, coughing to cover her embarrassment: "Um..."

She had only managed to pull away halfway when the boy suddenly pounced on her, covered her mouth, and in a flash, the two disappeared back into the bamboo forest.

"Poor Xiao Dongzi, he was beaten with fifty lashes and still has to do hard labor in the woodshed. I'm afraid he won't even be able to come back to sleep tonight."

"It's his own fault for being so ignorant and talking nonsense. Commander Wei is making an example of him to warn others, so that we can all keep our mouths shut and not say anything out of line in front of the princess."

...

Under the moonlight in the bamboo forest, Xie Yutang was completely encircled in Su Lu's arms. It was more of an encirclement than a physical contact, as he simply used his body to shield her from the cold. Apart from the hand covering her lips, there was no other physical contact.

His hands were dry and warm, except for his fingertips, which were slightly cool. Xie Yutang quickly realized that it must be the frost he had picked up while breaking the branches for her.

"...I'm sorry for the offense."

The boy's voice came softly behind her ear, and after confirming that the person in his arms was quiet, he tactfully withdrew his hand.

"...I heard that Commander Wei and Chief Cui had a fight in the east wing. Be careful when you patrol tonight, and don't do anything to offend them, or you'll be punished along with Xiao Dongzi."

"The east wing?" another guard muttered. "What exactly is that thing? Why are Commander Wei and Chief Cui so paranoid?"

"You're just curious. Don't ask questions you shouldn't. Be careful you don't know too much and risk your life..."

Xie Yutang and Su Lu exchanged a glance and quickly revised their plan. Compared to Xiao Dongzi, the argument between Commander Wei and Head Cui was obviously more worthy of watching.

After the two guards who were chatting idly walked away, the two used their lightness skills to leap onto the roof tiles and headed towards the east wing.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Before even getting close, a man's furious voice could be heard across the corridor, "They must leave tomorrow, not even an hour later!"

"Lord Cui, you make it sound so easy. You know who Princess Ning'an is. Even the current emperor would have to fawn over her. You think you can just send someone away like that?" Wei Xianxi sneered, stroking his teacup. "Forgive my incompetence, Lord Cui, but I'll have to do it myself."

"you!"

Although Cui Hu was ruthless, he wasn't stupid. He knew that forcibly kicking people out like this could easily lead to Xie Yutang getting angry and even losing her head. He choked for a long time, then paced anxiously around the room, "What if she really finds those things—"

"impossible."

Wei Xianxi placed the cold tea in his cup on the table, his voice resolute, "I've said it so many times, that Princess Ning'an is just blinded by lust, eager to find a place... you know, the ship is the closest to here, if I desperately try to prevent the princess from coming, won't that just arouse suspicion?"

"But what about you? What was wrong with that gatekeeper? If I hadn't arrived in time, he might have really messed things up!"

Wei Xianxi was still shaken, his eyes flashing sharply as he looked at Cui Hu. "How did you let him know about something so serious?!"

...

Cui Hu was speechless and didn't want to dwell on Princess Ning'an's matter any further. "Alright, alright, haven't you punished him as he should? If that kid dares to miss another word, I'll twist his head off without you even having to say it!"

He paused, still uneasy: "Are you really sure the princess didn't come for that thing?"

Wei Xianxi scoffed, "You saw it yourself, with that vixen's looks, who could resist?"

Hidden behind a pillar, Xie Yutang glanced silently to his side.

The "fox spirit" had a calm expression, and her eyelashes cast a small, pale shadow in the moonlight. She looked like a cold and aloof scholar from a picture book who devoured people's life essence.

—Although he was a man who rode horses and wielded swords, he possessed an innate air of refined elegance and scholarly refinement. Coupled with his half-Hu (non-Han) ancestry, his face exuded a broken quality that made one want to cruelly ravage it.

Xie Yutang's gaze was undisguised, staring straight at her. Combined with the close proximity, it finally made the "vixen" blush.

"……Owner."

He transmitted his voice from inside the room, without looking at her at all, focusing intently on the interior. The meaning was clear—we're here to eavesdrop, so concentrate.

Xie Yutang had been secretly annoyed by his earlier remark, "I'm just right," and was now even more intrigued.

"I'm listening, I'm listening very attentively."

"I can guess what this mighty commander is thinking—"

"That old lecher must have cursed me eight hundred times over, thinking that this little vixen was clearly the fat meat that was right in his mouth, so how come I got there first?"

...

"He even used bone-softening powder; he's really determined to win." Xie Yutang clicked his tongue, lightly tracing a line on the boy's earlobe with his fingertip. "It's just a pity..."

My wrist was grabbed again.

Wei Xianxi downed the cold tea on the table in one gulp, but the nameless fire in his lower abdomen burned even more fiercely. "You have no idea how intense those two were. They were banging on the door so hard it was creaking, and they didn't stop until I left!"

He paused, then lowered his voice, "This Xie Yutang is really something, so fierce, isn't he afraid..."

When it was Xie Yutang's turn, he stiffened slightly.

This Wei Xianxi, even she made a fuss about him.

But a soft laugh came from beside her ear.

The boy gently traced his fingertips across her wrist. "Master, you can be even more vigorous."

...

A gentle, smiling whisper echoed in her ears.

"I can handle it."