Chapter 37: Undercover Strategy, Young Master, Are You Willing to Take Me as Your Concubine?
Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Undercover Strategy, Young Master, Are You Willing to Take Me as Your Concubine?
"Have you seen the notice? More heads will roll tomorrow! You don’t know? Tsk, it’s Zheng Xuancheng’s accomplices, the Profound Sect rebels. They’re being executed tomorrow at noon."
"Then I’d better prepare some extra steamed buns in advance."
"I mean, what are these people making all this fuss for? It’s not like life is impossible these days. They just stir up trouble and end up getting themselves killed for no good reason."
In the crowd, a stooped old woman with a full head of silver hair shuffled forward with difficulty, occasionally letting out a dry cough that sounded like she was about to hack up a lung.
Keeping her head down, she entered a modest-sized inn, ignored the waiter’s greeting, and headed straight for a guest room upstairs.
She stumbled into the room, slammed the door shut with a CLANG, then slid to the floor, panting heavily.
After catching his breath, the "old woman" reached up, felt behind his ear, and peeled off a mask as thin as a cicada’s wing, revealing a pale but handsome young face.
It was none other than Zhou Shunqing, the very man all sides were searching for. His expression flickered, and his eyes were filled with grief.
...............
Night fell, once again blanketing Tongzhou in the orange glow of lanterns. Pei Shaoqing had drunk his fill with Sun Youliang at Qunfang Garden and returned home reeking of alcohol.
"The Young Master has returned. Let me help you to your room."
Wearing artfully applied makeup and a water-blue ruqun, the housekeeper, Liu Yuheng, stepped forward to support the obviously tipsy Pei Shaoqing. She exuded the alluring charm of a mature woman.
"There’s no need to trouble you, Lady Gongsun." Though he could smell the faint, pleasant fragrance wafting from the beautiful woman beside him, Pei Shaoqing’s mind did not wander. He broke free like a perfect gentleman. "Hanshuang can see me to my room."
Gongsun Yi was his number one general. For that reason alone, no matter how seductive Liu Yuheng was, Pei Shaoqing had to keep his distance. He would never dare to cross that line.
’The old story of the Prime Minister who lost three great men for a single night of passion was a cautionary tale he knew well.’
’A man can be lustful, but he can’t let lust cloud his judgment.’
"Yes, Big Brother," Ye Hanshuang replied.
Liu Yuheng watched Pei Shaoqing walk away, momentarily lost in thought. She could sense that he coveted her body, but she could also sense his restraint.
It brought to mind the saying, "A gentleman’s feelings may stir, but his actions are bound by propriety." Her negative impression of Pei Shaoqing faded considerably. She was no longer worried that Young Master Pei lusted after her; on the contrary, she felt a sense of pride.
It meant that even though she was a married woman, her charm had not faded. Even a young man like him could be captivated by it.
’What woman doesn’t want to be alluring?’
A smile spread across Liu Yuheng’s face. She called out to their retreating backs, "I’ll make a bowl of hangover soup for the Young Master in a little while."
"Alright, you should go get some rest too," Pei Shaoqing said to Ye Hanshuang when they reached his door.
The ever-cold and taciturn Ye Hanshuang nodded and turned to leave without a word.
Pei Shaoqing pushed the door open and went inside. "I’m back."
"I have an idea." Xie Qingwu had clearly been waiting for him for a long time, speaking the moment he stepped through the door.
Pei Shaoqing closed the door and casually asked as he took off his outer robe, "What idea? Let’s hear it."
"General Li has four cats. They’re not demons, but they’re clever enough to understand human speech." Xie Qingwu took his robe as she spoke. "Since they don’t have demonic auras, they won’t be detected by the experts in the palace. So, could we plant one as a spy near Noble Consort Wan?
As long as we can grasp Noble Consort Wan’s movements and always stay one step ahead of the enemy, why should we fear her retaliation?"
Pei Shaoqing was stunned by her wild idea for a good while before he came to his senses. "It’s four or five thousand *li* from Tongzhou to the Capital City. How would the intelligence be relayed?"
"Post stations," Xie Qingwu said, uttering the two words.
Pei Shaoqing frowned. "Post stations?"
"That’s right. The post stations are already in place. We can have General Li station one or two cats at each post station along the route. They can relay the intelligence from one to the next, mouth to mouth, all the way to Tongzhou," Xie Qingwu said, her breath like orchids.
Pei Shaoqing considered the feasibility of this matter.
Xie Qingwu continued, "Using the Court’s post stations to relay intelligence requires zero investment. Once we establish such an intelligence network, we won’t just get information on Noble Consort Wan, but we can also find out about all the major events in the Capital City."
"Whether this can actually work or not, we’ll have to ask General Li." Pei Shaoqing looked around but didn’t see that damn cat anywhere. "I’m going to the study. When General Li gets back, have him come see me."
Xie Qingwu nodded obediently. "Mm."
Arriving in the study, Pei Shaoqing took out a map of the Zhou Kingdom. It was one Zheng Xuancheng had left behind, extremely detailed, with the location of every single post station marked.
The more he looked, the more he felt that Xie Qingwu’s proposal had real potential, provided General Li’s subordinates were reliable.
Because establishing such an intelligence network
would require at least a hundred cats to operate.
’These are cats, not people. What if they slack off or even desert their posts without any supervision?’
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. A knock sounded at the door, followed by Zhao Zilan’s voice. "Young Master, Lan’Er has come to bring you some hangover soup. May I come in?"
"Come in," Pei Shaoqing said softly.
Zhao Zilan pushed the door open, closed it behind her, and, carrying a tray, glided with delicate steps to Pei Shaoqing’s side. She bent over and placed a bowl of steaming hangover soup on the desk.
"Please try it and see how it tastes, Young Master."
"Did your master’s wife send you?" Pei Shaoqing didn’t touch the bowl, instead looking at Zhao Zilan as he asked.
Zhao Zilan shook her head and said softly, "Lan’Er made this soup with her own hands."
"Oh?" Pei Shaoqing’s interest was piqued. He asked curiously, "Have you ever made hangover soup for your senior brother?"
Zhao Zilan’s face paled. She didn’t understand why this bad man always had to bring up her senior brother to twist the knife whenever she tried to curry favor with him. She forced a smile. "Never."
’There were so many things she had never done for her senior brother, yet now she was doing them one by one for this corrupt official.’
"Then I must give it a proper taste." Pei Shaoqing laughed heartily, picked up the bowl, and took a small sip without swallowing. After a moment’s thought, he said, "The taste is not bad, but personally, I prefer fish soup."
"Lan’Er will go catch a fish and make soup right now." Hearing this, Zhao Zilan picked up the tray and turned to leave.
Pei Shaoqing grabbed her hand and, as she let out a cry of surprise, pulled her into his lap. "Why look far away for what’s right here?"
Today, Zhao Zilan was wearing a simple, plain white dress. It was styled more like martial attire, clinging tightly to her body and accentuating her lovely, undulating curves.
The aura of a fresh young maiden was intoxicating. With a warm, fragrant, and soft jade-like body in his arms, Pei Shaoqing naturally couldn’t control his hands.
"What does the Young Master mean by that?" Seated on Pei Shaoqing’s lap, Zhao Zilan’s voice trembled. Face flushed red, she didn’t dare to move, her toes clenched tight inside her embroidered slippers.
Pei Shaoqing said nothing, his hands simply continuing to roam the mountains and rivers.
Zhao Zilan was on the verge of dying from shame and indignation. She nearly bit through her tender, rosy lips. Her small hands gripped the edge of the desk in front of her to steady herself as she panted with rapid breaths and asked in a low voice, "Is the Young Master willing to take me as a concubine?"
"That depends on your performance. I like sharp-tongued women," Pei Shaoqing said meaningfully, pulling his hand away and gently caressing her flawless cheek.
A look of confusion appeared in Zhao Zilan’s eyes.
Pei Shaoqing leaned in and whispered a few words in her ear.
"Th-that’s... How could I do that!" Zhao Zilan was flustered, her face so red it looked like it might bleed, utterly mortified.
Pei Shaoqing’s attitude turned cold. He said calmly, "If you’re not willing, you can leave."
Zhao Zilan was instantly conflicted. If she left just like that, it would mean Pei Shaoqing had seen her body last night for nothing, and he had just touched her for nothing.
’The sunk costs were too high. She had no way to retreat.’
"I hope the Young Master will keep his promise," Zhao Zilan said in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. She dragged her weak and trembling body off Pei Shaoqing’s lap and knelt under the desk.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! The sound of knocking was accompanied by Liu Yuheng’s voice. "Young Master, is it convenient for me to come in?"
Zhao Zilan’s delicate body trembled in an instant.
Pei Shaoqing patted her head and said in a completely unruffled tone, "Please come in, Lady Gongsun."
Liu Yuheng pushed the door open and entered, her eyes scanning the study. She let out a sigh of relief when she didn’t see Zhao Zilan. She had rushed over after hearing from the kitchen staff that Zhao Zilan had come to deliver hangover soup to Pei Shaoqing.
"Young Master, have a bowl of hangover soup." A smile on her face, she walked forward carrying the soup. Seeing the other bowl on the desk, she feigned ignorance and asked, "What’s this..."
"Young Miss Zhao just brought it," Pei Shaoqing said with a slight smile and a gentle tone. "To have both you, my lady, and Young Miss Zhao bring me soup at the same time, I am truly fortunate."
"It’s just a bowl of soup. How could it compare to the care the Young Master has shown my Iron Sword Sect?" Liu Yuheng smiled as she set down her soup. "I won’t disturb you any longer, Young Master. I need to go see where that girl Lan’Er has run off to. It’s late and she’s nowhere to be seen."
In truth, all she had to do was lower her head slightly to see.
"Take care, my lady. I won’t see you out."
Hearing the door close, Zhao Zilan finally relaxed. She looked up and said, "Young Master, my master’s wife will be searching everywhere for me. Lan’Er has to go now."
"What’s the hurry? It is impolite not to reciprocate."
About a quarter of an hour later, Zhao Zilan, her cheeks flushed like a crimson sunset, slipped furtively out of the study.
And so the study welcomed its third guest of the night.
General Li pushed the door open and entered.
"My Lord, you were looking for me?"