Using kindness as bait to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Rainwater washed over the mountains and forests. Qin Lingfeng stood on a high place, his sharp gaze sweeping over the stream below.

Excellent, everything is going according to plan—he "happens" to be passing by and rescued the leader of Jinxi Town, "Jiang Shanren," who had been chased and seriously injured and fallen into the river.

When Qin Lingfeng arrived in a hurry, holding an oil-paper umbrella, he was somewhat surprised to see the slender figure on the driftwood at the river mouth.

The leader of Jinxi Town is so young!

When he lifted the person out of the water, what he saw was...

Her face, washed by the rain, was as clear as white jade. Her long eyelashes were covered with water droplets, her lips were full but pale, and her chin was delicate. She was a rare and beautiful face.

When he saw that his gray robe was torn in many places by a sharp blade, and that dark red bloodstains were spreading in the water, he couldn't help but feel a ripple in his heart.

"Send someone to investigate the Feng family's movements in Chunxi Town and create some trouble for Qin Kun."

Although he had hinted at this pursuit, since the goal was for the clam and the heron to fight so that the fisherman could reap the benefits, the Qin family branch naturally couldn't be allowed to gain the upper hand.

Qin Lingfeng gave instructions to the guards in a low voice, but his eyes never left the person in his arms.

He settled Jiang Manyan in a secluded private residence and took care of her personally.

To avoid suspicion, he used the alias "Chen Lingfeng" and claimed to be a cloth merchant from Yancheng.

— — — —

One week ago.

In the study of the Qin family's villa, the candlelight flickered.

Qin Lingfeng tapped his long, slender fingers lightly on the rosewood table, with two newly delivered secret reports spread out in front of him.

The first secret report, written in illegible handwriting, detailed the evil deeds of the Qin family branch in the southeast region—seizing farmland, oppressing merchants, and imposing extra taxes.

Qin Lingfeng's brows furrowed more and more, and his fingertips turned white from the force he exerted.

The Qin family's Thirteen Factories relied on cross-regional trade to maintain the operation of the entire family, and reputation was the foundation of the business. These parasites had to be eliminated.

The second secret report caused a look of surprise to cross his eyes.

In just five years, Jinxi Town has transformed from a barren land into a major grain-producing town. Now, it has joined forces with Chunxi Town and Qingquan Town to form a force to be reckoned with.

The report specifically mentioned the leader known as "Jiang the Benevolent," who led the three towns with extraordinary wisdom and courage.

The family's secret order to him—Qin Lingfeng unfolded the silk scroll, which contained only a brief sentence: "Capture Jinxi Town as a condition for succeeding as the head of the family."

The candlelight crackled, illuminating his deep-set eyes and brows.

His plan was to sit back and watch the two tigers fight, so that Qin Kun from the collateral branch and "Jiang the Benevolent" from Jinxi Town would both suffer heavy losses.

Unexpectedly, Qin Kun was so incompetent that he was defeated by a rising power.

"Jiang the Benevolent..."

Qin Lingfeng murmured the title, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.

To be able to build a "granary" in the southeastern region, which the nobility discarded like trash, is a sign of talent.

A meticulously planned order was quietly sent out: to hint to Qin Kun that Jiang Manyan could be lured out by the Feng family in Chunxi Town, and then ambushed and killed...

— — — —

Qin Family Villa

During her days in a coma, Jiang Manyan slept very restlessly.

He lay on the bed, his brows furrowed, his long eyelashes trembling, and fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

Yili's face was completely bloodless, only a broken, pale white.

He seemed to be trapped in a deep nightmare, his jaw clenched, occasionally letting out a few unclear and painful murmurs from his throat.

The body may also spasm slightly without the awareness of the patient, as if it is enduring invisible torment.

Qin Lingfeng sat on the edge of the couch, holding a damp cloth in his hand, and gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

His gaze fell on Jiang Manyan's face, which was tense with pain, and his heart tightened for some reason.

This "benevolent Jiang," who had taken control of three towns at a young age, had now lost all his luster and was as fragile as easily broken glass.

What would it be like if those tightly closed eyes were to open? Qin Lingfeng couldn't help but wonder—would they be as resilient and wise as rumored, or would they still retain the fear and confusion they felt at this moment?

His fingertips unconsciously brushed across Jiang Manyan's slightly furrowed brows, as if trying to smooth out the wrinkles there.

His hand was icy cold to the touch. Then, he took Jiang Manyan's hand, which was exposed outside the thin blanket. The hand was long and slender with distinct knuckles. There were thin calluses on the fingertips from years of holding a pen, and the tiger's mouth was covered with a layer of hard skin left from practicing swordsmanship.

These were the hands of a strategist and a warrior, but now they were limply curled up, trembling slightly.

So young, bearing such contradictory traits, and born so...attractive.

Looking at his face, which still exuded charm even in his sleep, yet was deeply etched with pain, Qin Lingfeng felt a complex mix of emotions: curiosity, curiosity, and even a touch of pity that he himself was unaware of.

At this moment, Jiang Manyan is in her dream.

The suffocating cold still lingered in her lungs, and the biting chill of the lake water had not yet faded from her limbs. Jiang Manyan suddenly opened her eyes, her chest heaving violently, greedily craving air.

wrong……

His last memories were of his investigation being exposed, the cold glint of the pursuers' swords, and his resolute leap into the dark lake in despair.

But right now...

Where am I?!

As far as the eye could see, there were intricately carved window lattices and soft, cloud-like silk curtains. The air was filled with a familiar yet nauseating, cloyingly sweet and expensive incense. Every detail was frantically assaulting his senses.

Wangyue Tower!

The name tolled in his mind like a death knell, making his eardrums ring and his soul tremble.

No! Impossible!

He roared silently in his heart, fear like countless cold vines instantly wrapping around his brain, making it almost impossible for him to think.

Didn't he already escape? Didn't he use all his strength to establish his own sanctuary in the three towns, escaping this nightmare? Why is he still here?!

The overwhelming sense of absurdity and despair nearly tore him apart.

Just then, a magnificent yet languid voice, as deep as a nightmare and with an undeniable sense of control, slowly rang out from behind.

"Yan'er, come here."

boom--!

This sound was like a thunderclap exploding above Jiang Manyan's head, freezing his blood instantly, making his scalp tingle, and every pore screaming to escape.

However, his body reacted even faster than his brain, which was overwhelmed by fear.

It was an instinct ingrained in the bones, honed through countless days and nights of repeated "training" and "refinement".

Without even thinking, his joints bent on their own, his body as if controlled by invisible threads, and he knelt down obediently and humbly, his forehead gently touching the cool, smooth floor.

He heard a respectful and submissive sound emanating from his own throat, a sound that was absolutely not of his own will at that moment.

"Master, what are your orders?"

No!!! That's not right!!!

Deep within his consciousness, the real Jiang Manyan was screaming, struggling, and roaring madly—he had clearly escaped! He was the leader of the three towns, he was Jiang Manyan, he was not this Yan'er trapped in Wangyue Tower, at the mercy of others!

However, his body was like a cage that betrayed him, locking him tightly in this deepest nightmare.

...

Under Qin Lingfeng's tireless and meticulous care, after two full days, the young man who was trapped in a nightmare on the bed finally relaxed his tightly furrowed brows.

Her long eyelashes trembled violently a few times, as if she had used all her strength to slowly and laboriously open her honey-brown eyes, which were misty and filled with confusion.

When Jiang Manyan's gaze finally focused, she saw an unfamiliar face.

The man was sitting on the edge of the bed, his fingertips calloused, and his hand was gently caressing his Adam's apple, the movement focused and precious.

Jiang Manyan's heart tightened suddenly, but she remained calm on the surface, quietly dodging the attack by turning over.

His gaze swept over the person in front of him without making a sound—a black brocade robe, broad shoulders and a narrow waist, deep-set eyes and brows, and a composed demeanor!

Unlike people from the southeast.

Qin Lingfeng was stunned by those honey-brown eyes that suddenly opened.

Those are truly unexpected and unique eyes.

The next second, Jiang Manyan suddenly curved her lips into a smile, her eyes narrowed slightly, and her pupils seemed to hold scattered starlight. Her originally pale face instantly became vivid, like a night-blooming cereus suddenly blooming in the dark night, so bright that people couldn't take their eyes off her.

"My name is Wang Ping'an. Thank you for saving me, young master."

Jiang Manyan's voice still carried a hoarseness from her illness, yet it was gentle and melodious, very pleasant to the ear.

Faced with the stranger in front of her, Jiang Manyan subconsciously concealed her identity.

Jiang Manyan slowly sat up, propped up by the brocade quilt, and leaned against the soft pillows on the bed. Her hair was slightly disheveled, making her appear somewhat frail.

"It was just a small favor. I was passing by while running a cloth shop in Xialingfeng. Our meeting is fate."

Their honey-brown eyes looked straight at each other, and their eyes met.

Qin Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat when he was looked at by his beautiful eyes—his heart was actually racing.

"It is my honor to save Young Master Wang."

Qin Lingfeng's smile was exceptionally genuine, and the joy in his eyes was undisguised.

"You've been unconscious for two days, you must be hungry."

Jiang Manyan nodded gently, her eyelids slightly lowered, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow under her eyes.

Qin Lingfeng immediately raised his voice and ordered his servants to prepare some light and soft porridge and snacks.

He was always a quiet and decisive person in the Qin family, but in front of Jiang Manyan, he couldn't help but talk more, and even his actions revealed his eagerness.

Before long, the food was served.

Qin Lingfeng walked to the bedside, stretched out his long arm, went around behind Jiang Manyan, and half-supported, half-embraced her as she was lifted up, his actions intimate.

“You’ve been unconscious for a long time, and your legs are weak. Let me help you.”

Jiang Manyan paused slightly, but did not resist. Instead, she obediently leaned her weight on his shoulder, the faint scent of ink and leather emanating from the man filling her nostrils.

He tried hard to recall the cloth merchants he had met, their clothes either carrying the dry feel of fresh plant fibers or the scent of dyes—the bitter fragrance of indigo, the woody sweetness of sappanwood, the floral and fruity aroma of gardenia…

This man, though claiming to be a cloth merchant, had a certain odor... and an air of superiority in his speech...

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Manyan had already made up her mind.

This rescue was too coincidental; we must be wary!

Jiang Manyan suppressed the flutter in her heart and continued to feign weakness, but her fingertips secretly clenched the hem of her clothes as she secretly observed the person in front of her.

...

Qin Lingfeng's smile hadn't faded for the past few days.

He greatly admired Jiang Shanren's talent and did not want to suppress him directly with violence, thus losing a valuable talent.

This meticulously planned scheme was based on the principle of "using kindness as bait to subdue the enemy without fighting."

First, use a fabricated "life-saving grace" to lower "Jiang the Benevolent"'s guard and win him over.

Then, by using pressure or enticement, the goal of winning them over without bloodshed can be achieved.

But when he thought of the young man's handsome face, another layer of thoughts arose, and he couldn't help but smile.

This trip to Southeast China was well worth it.

...