Chapter 63: Bewitched by Temptation, Pretending to Flee.
As the music began, a strong, pungent aroma wafted over.
While Yue Yining was still in a daze, a handsome young man appeared beside her, his soft, dark shadow sweeping past her feet.
His expression was enigmatic, his alabaster-like arms draped suggestively over her shoulders, his posture and tone utterly submissive: "My lady."
"This servant will pour wine for you, sir..."
As he spoke, he reached out towards the wine glass on the table, the hem of his colorful robe falling onto Yue Yining's lap.
A soft, sweet fragrance lingered around her nose. Yue Yining paused, then turned her head to look directly at the young man whose face was almost touching hers as he leaned forward. She said, "No need to pour, I don't drink."
The young man froze. This was the first time he'd encountered a customer who didn't drink. He adjusted his thoughts and expression, preparing to use a more humble and gentle tone to ingratiate himself with her: "I will obey your orders, sir. What does my sir need me to do..."
The boy didn't finish speaking because Yue Yining gently placed two fingers on the back of his hand.
Warm, burning fingertips brushed across his arm, leaving a ticklish sensation.
The young man met her gaze, and it seemed that only then did he truly see the female official in green before him. She had a fair complexion, delicate eyebrows, and refined features; her eyes were gentle and expressive. Yet, the light that occasionally flashed in her dark eyes was incredibly sharp.
Hidden within a cluster of fragrant and delicate orchids is a jade blade that can cut iron like mud.
He couldn't detect a single flaw in her expression. There was no intoxication, no loss, no recklessness. Her eyes were clear, and her gaze towards him held no hint of profanity, only a profound tranquility.
The deliberately seductive expression on the boy's face gradually melted away like spring snow.
Yue Yining's voice was gentle as she traced her fingers along the back of his hand, moving towards his wrist: "What's your name?"
The boy was asked his name for the first time, and at the same time, his wrist, hidden in his sleeve, was touched. It wasn't anything special, yet his heart was in turmoil.
“I…I don’t have a name…the nannies all call me Yue Nu.”
“Yuenü,” Yue Yining repeated. She smiled, her fingers slipping from his sleeve, through the thin, colorful robe, to the boy's slender shoulder and collarbone. She asked, “How old are you this year?”
"...ten, fifteen."
That's about the same age as Fu Yao.
She said, "Only fifteen? That's still very young."
Yue Yining looked at him; the boy's face was completely red, his eyes shimmering. He no longer looked at her with the same tender gaze he had at the beginning, but instead lowered his eyes shyly. When she stroked the side of his neck, Yue Yining felt a slight tremor from his skin.
The young man appeared experienced, but he had only been serving distinguished guests for a short time. Beneath his mature smile lay the inexperience and panic that involuntarily surfaced when faced with unexpected situations.
The boy's cheeks burned, and he didn't know what was wrong with him. Perhaps it was because this female official in blue was too gentle with him. Before, no one had ever asked his name; they would only put their arms around him and slip their hands inside his clothes.
Yue Yining looked him over, her gaze still gentle. Finally, that fair, jade-like hand touched his face, and he gasped, feeling the pounding in his chest grow increasingly louder.
"Don't be nervous," Yue Yining said, looking at him. "I won't do anything to you."
The boy was about to respond to her, saying that he believed her, but he found himself unable to open his mouth.
……Um?
It was at this moment that Yue Yining loosened her grip and slowly moved her fingers away from the boy's face.
The boy was shocked to find that he couldn't move at all, not even a single finger. When he looked over again, Yue Yining's eyes had regained their initial quiet and reserved expression, and the deliberate gentleness she revealed was like bait to lure him into a trap.
Yue Yining lowered her eyes, took his brightly colored sleeve in her hand, and secretly glanced at Jin Yuanxiu sitting above her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry to trouble you. I'll borrow your sleeve for now."
Normally, if Fu Yao saw someone daring to harass her young lady, she would have slapped them long ago.
She had just seen the boy approaching and was about to go forward when she saw Yue Yining put her hand on the back of the boy's hand.
Fu Yao and Yue Yining had spent many years together, and she was already familiar with her every move. So she stopped and stood aside, watching Yue Yining slowly press all the key acupoints on the boy's body.
Seeing the boy standing there blankly, Fu Yao snorted coldly behind him and threatened him in a low voice, pretending to be fierce: "You'd better behave and cooperate with our young lady, or I'll show you what it means to ask for trouble!"
Jin Yuanxiu appeared to be drunk. His gaze swept across the room and landed on Yue Yining. The handsome young man slumped over, almost leaning on Yue Yining's shoulder, while Yue Yining touched the young man's hand, their posture undeniably ambiguous.
A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and the smile on his lips gradually widened.
Yue Yining knew he had seen through her; she had only done this for him to see.
"Bang!"
A loud crash was heard in the hall. Yue Yining looked over and saw that Ye Miheng's desk had been overturned.
Exquisite dishes were spilled all over the floor. Ye Miheng stood straight, staring in horror at the beauty he had pushed to the ground. His face was flushed with shock: "W-where did you just touch me!"
The beautiful woman lay weakly on the ground, crying out repeatedly, as if she couldn't get up.
Seeing Ye Miheng's anger, the surrounding officials, assessing the situation, all gathered around to persuade him not to get angry.
Seeing that Jin Yuanxiu's attention had also been drawn to it, Yue Yining's eyes hardened, and she decisively stood up and said to Fu Yao, "Let's go now."
She summoned the guards from the princess's residence; these were the men Wei Yihua had assigned to her before she left. Yue Yining had one of them carry the young Yue Nu away, while the other stayed behind to deliver a message to Jin Yuanxiu after they left.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Yue Yining and her group successfully left the banquet hall.
The last guard who stayed behind to clean up the mess came to Jin Yuanxiu and relayed Yue Yining's instructions to him verbatim: "Lord Jin, Lady Yue said it's getting late and she's been working hard investigating the case all day, so she's going back to her room to rest."
"The Yue people specifically instructed their subordinates to convey her gratitude to you. She is very satisfied with the servants arranged by Lord Jin."
Jin Yuanxiu was a shrewd man. After hearing this, what didn't he understand?
The flesh on his face immediately bunched up, and he beamed with joy, clearly in a happy and carefree mood.
He exclaimed repeatedly, "Good, good, good, that's perfect! I understand everything! Go and tell Lord Yue that there's no need to rush to send the person back. If Lord Yue likes him, he can keep him around for a few more days!"
At this moment, Yue Yining had already returned to her room.
She had the guards put the boy down and placed him on a soft couch in the room, then quickly pressed several acupoints on the boy's body with her fingers.
The boy shuddered, and then realized he could move again.
He struggled to his feet and looked up to see Yue Yining's reassuring gaze: "It's alright, this is my room. You can sleep here tonight and go back tomorrow."
The boy's heart skipped a beat. He had been disheartened, but Yue Yining's gentleness rekindled an inexplicable expectation within him: "Does Your Excellency mean...?"
“I need your cooperation,” Yue Yining said. “I’m going out to investigate a case today. You have to stay here and pretend you spent the night with me. If Jin Yuanxiu’s subordinates question you tomorrow, you have to do as I say.”
“Don’t worry, I will pay you.” Yue Yining sat on the edge of the couch, gazing into his eyes, her lips parting slightly. “You are his pampered slave, kept to serve the powerful and wealthy, right?”
“I guess you don’t necessarily want to do this kind of work where you have to humble yourself to please others, but you don’t have a choice. So now I’ll give you this choice.”
“If you help me, I will ask Jin Yuanxiu for you. When I return to Yanjing, I will find a way to clear your name and make you a free person. From then on, you can find a job that allows you to support yourself, get married and have children. Your children will no longer be slaves. If they are promising, they may even be able to participate in the literary selection and earn a degree, so that you can enjoy a peaceful and happy life in your later years.”
With just a few words, Yue Yining sketched out a future that he couldn't refuse.
"And what you have to do is come to my room every night and cover for me to sneak out of the mansion until I finish investigating this case."
Yue Yining had thought things through clearly. The Green Ghost case wasn't as simple as it seemed. If she investigated further, Jin Yuanxiu and the others would definitely intensify their efforts to obstruct her. They couldn't deal with her because she was an official sent by the imperial court, with powerful backers. She would definitely have to return to Yanjing unscathed, but the people with her might not be so lucky.
If some "accident" happens and a few people die, she may not be able to get justice unless she can produce evidence.
She must act without Kim Won-soo's knowledge in order to uncover the truth and protect everyone to the greatest extent possible.
The boy's heart was on the edge of its seat as Yue Yining narrated, almost holding its breath.
...So that's how it is.
After hearing everything, he found himself both delighted and disappointed. He was delighted because he had met a kind-hearted nobleman, and perhaps he wouldn't have to suffer for the next seven days; he was disappointed because he realized that for the first time he genuinely wanted to serve someone, but his looks didn't seem to catch this person's eye.
The boy hesitated. Should he say yes?
This female official in blue should be a good person. But if she deceived him and didn't take him away in the end, he would face Jin Yuanxiu's revenge. A favored servant who betrays his master usually suffers a terrible fate; he might be sold to an even more horrific place, or simply beaten to death.
Yue Yining noticed the boy's hesitation, but she was not in a hurry. Instead, she patiently waited for his answer.
A guard at the door suddenly came in and presented a jar of ointment to Yue Yining with both hands: "Lord Yue, the medicine has arrived."
Yue Yining took the medicine and nodded: "Thank you for your hard work."
The boy was stunned for a moment, then saw Yue Yining reach out and push his sleeve up to his upper arm. Instantly, his neck turned bright red, and he cried out in surprise, "My lord...!"
"Shh." Yue Yining opened the medicine jar and placed it next to him. "Hurry up and apply it. The wound on your arm will be fully healed in a couple of days after you apply this ointment."
The boy froze. He looked down, and the pale moonlight streaming in from the window illuminated his bare arm, which was covered in mottled bruises, almost entirely covered in unblemished flesh—all remnants of the previous VIP. Occasionally, there would be guests like this who enjoyed watching him in pain and tears. Getting injured was a common occurrence for him; he had almost forgotten he was even wounded.
The sleeves clearly covered it all, so how did she find out?
The boy couldn't understand, but his lips trembled slightly, and his eyes reddened. He knew this ointment; it was a top-quality wound medicine, and this jar of ointment might even cost more than he did.
Seeing his stunned expression, Yue Yining felt amused and teased him, "Why aren't you doing anything? Are you waiting for me to wipe it for you?"
"...This servant dares not." His voice was a little hoarse than before.
Outside the room, moonlight filled the empty courtyard, and the bamboo grove gently swept through the long night.
As Yue Yining watched him finish applying the medicine, she was about to stand up when she heard the boy's voice: "...Your Excellency."
"Whatever you ask me to do, my lord, I will do." The boy's thin heels landed on the cold stone bricks. Then he bent down and knelt before Yue Yining, his long, jet-black hair falling over his shoulders with the movement. "I only ask that when you leave, my lord, you take me with you."
Yue Yining smiled and reached out to help him up: "Okay, I promise you."
"Since you've helped me, I'll definitely take you away from here."
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