Chapter 334: Covered in Stink

Niu Youdao was dragged away in public by Guan Fangyi. From the feeling of it, whether he agreed or not was no longer entirely up to him.

They had not gone far before Guan Fangyi looped both hands around his arm again, looking for all the world like a loving couple. Linghu Qiu and Hongxiu stood there blankly watching them leave. The scene had changed too suddenly for either of them to quite recover. Along the shaded path, Guan Fangyi noticed Niu Youdao trying to pull his arm free and immediately hugged it tighter.

"What? Disgusted with me?"

Niu Youdao's teeth itched. He lowered his voice.

"When did I ever say I would marry you? Is that something you can casually say?"

Guan Fangyi smiled sweetly.

"You can explain it clearly if you want. I didn't sew your mouth shut. You refuse to explain, and somehow that's my fault?"

"How am I supposed to explain it?"

There was no way to explain a matter like this unless the two of them had agreed on their story beforehand. If one said yes and the other said no, exposing contradictions everywhere, did they think everyone else was an idiot?

Guan Fangyi said, "Good. At least you understand it isn't convenient to explain. If we're putting on an act, we have to make it convincing. Your Second Brother absolutely believes now that there's something between us. That means I can strengthen your protection without making him suspicious. I've worked myself to the bone for your sake. Why do you look so ungrateful?"

"This is what you call doing it for my sake? After this, even jumping into a river won't wash me clean."

"Why wash yourself clean? You spent the night in my room. Didn't you say you didn't care about your reputation?"

"What exactly are you trying to do? I'm warning you, don't mess around!"

"I'm messing around? Did I provoke you? Did I offend you? You and I had neither old hatred nor recent grievance, yet you sank your teeth into me and refused to let go. You insisted on dragging me into the water. Fine. Then we'll go into the water together! Now you're disgusted because I'm dirty? Afraid I'll foul the water when I get in?"

"Here you go again. Don't drag this somewhere else. Stick to the matter at hand!"

"Fine! We'll stick to the matter at hand. Why should I follow you into fire and water? You're plainly using me. What if you tear down the bridge after crossing the river once you're done? All you've given me are a few sweet words. I've heard men's sweet words my whole life. They're worth shit. What guarantee can you give me? If things fail, I fall with you. If things succeed, I'll have abandoned everything I built here in the Qi capital. Then if you tear down the bridge after crossing the river, what am I supposed to do? Are a few sweet words enough to make up for that?"

"If you want a guarantee, say so. I'm not unreasonable. We can discuss it."

Niu Youdao tried once more to pull his arm free.

"Don't move!"

Guan Fangyi yanked him back and locked his arm tightly between hers. Her cultivation was higher than Niu Youdao's. He tried several times and still could not free himself.

"I don't want any other guarantee. I want this one. You want me to follow you into fire and water? Fine. But why should I wallow in filthy water while you stand clean and spotless on the bank? If we're getting dirty, then we get dirty together. I want everyone beneath Heaven to know that I followed you because you promised to marry me. If you dare tear down the bridge afterward, if you would even use this kind of trick to deceive a woman like me, then let everyone beneath Heaven see exactly what kind of face you have! Of course, don't worry. I'm not actually making you marry me. Something like marriage can't be forced anyway, can it?"

Thinking over the deeper meaning hidden in those words, Niu Youdao felt a chill. And yet Guan Fangyi said all this while smiling sweetly, her movements intimate beyond measure. To outsiders, who knew what kind of loving whispers they appeared to be exchanging?

Back in the courtyard where they were staying, Linghu Qiu kept shaking his head.

"Such a young man. How could he behave like this? Shameless!"

Hongfu, who had remained behind to guard the Goldenwing, walked over.

Seeing him like this, she could not help asking, "Sir, why do you look so aggrieved?"

Hongxiu gave a bitter smile.

"Niu Youdao wants to marry Guan Fangyi!"

"Ah!" Hongfu was startled.

Disbelief filled her face.

"Wasn't he only playing around with her? Why would he take it seriously?"

Now even she, a woman herself, thought Niu Youdao should only have been playing with Guan Fangyi.

Marry her?

"Ah!" Hongxiu sighed. "The real problem is that Guan Fangyi now treats Niu Youdao like the treasure of her heart. She's afraid Prince Jin's residence will send people to kill him, so she has assigned guards to protect him at all times..."

Hongxiu briefly explained the situation. Hongfu immediately understood how serious the problem was. Openly attacking and killing someone inside the Qi capital was almost impossible.

If Niu Youdao now had people beside him at all times, would that not mean they had no opportunity to strike? She stared blankly.

"How did things turn into this?"

Hongxiu could not help cursing under her breath.

"That Guan Fangyi is a shameless slut. We calculated every possibility and still failed to account for that woman, who's been with every man under Heaven, actually doing something like this! And Niu Youdao is no better. He even wants a ruined thing like her!"

"Ah!" Linghu Qiu shook his head and sighed. "I always knew some people beneath Heaven had unusual tastes. I simply never imagined one of them would appear right beside me. And I even swore brotherhood with him. What kind of damned situation is this?"

Hongxiu said, "Sir, what he does is his business. We can't control it. The problem is that with Guan Fangyi interfering like this, we have no way to complete the mission from above."

Linghu Qiu lifted one hand and pinched his brow. The matter truly gave him a headache. Even in his dreams, he would never have imagined something like this suddenly appearing. He lifted a finger.

"Let's watch the situation first and see whether an opportunity appears. If there really isn't one, report it upward and let the higher-ups decide what to do."

"I actually have an idea. It may work."

Hongfu suddenly spoke in her usual slow, cold manner. The other two looked at her.

Hongxiu asked, "What idea?"

Hongfu stared at her and spoke two words.

"Seduce him."

"..."

Linghu Qiu and Hongxiu both went silent. The suggestion struck something in them. They could roughly guess what she meant.

Hongfu explained, "Hasn't he always been interested in us sisters? If the protection around him is too tight, then you and I can lure him with sex. That should draw him away from his guards. Surely he wouldn't leave people standing beside him watching while he does that sort of thing. He would definitely send his guards away."

She had always been cool and detached. Even while proposing such a thing, her tone made it sound as though the woman going to seduce him had nothing to do with her. Hongxiu looked toward Linghu Qiu. The sisters had attended him for years and had long since become his women. She did not know whether he would agree. Linghu Qiu waved his hand.

"No. I cannot let you sisters do such a thing. Even if it succeeded, how could I face either of you afterward?"

Hongfu dipped into a half-curtsy.

"Sir having that thought, Sir saying those words, is enough. We sisters naturally belong to Sir in this life. We will not give ourselves to another man. In truth, there is no real danger. With our strength, it would be difficult for him to force himself on us. Beforehand, we can serve wine and food to liven the mood, drug him unconscious, then force that thing into him and use spiritual power to trigger the medicinal effect early. Once we obtain the information we want, we'll kill him immediately and leave at once. No one should stop us entering or leaving Fufang Garden."

Hongxiu nodded.

"Little Sister is right. Sir, I think it can work."

"This..." Linghu Qiu hesitated.

The thought sat badly with him. Asking his own women to do such a thing was difficult for any normal man to accept. After weighing it again and again, he still shook his head.

"No, no. He's wanted the two of you for a long time and I've always refused him. If I suddenly agree now, you've both seen what kind of mind this fellow has. Won't he become suspicious?"

Hongfu answered coolly, "That's easy enough to solve. Didn't he ask Sir to kill Wei Chu? Sir can use finding people for the job as an excuse to temporarily leave. You can even say you'll go ahead first. That naturally won't make him suspicious. My sister and I can then wait for an opportunity to strike. The moment we succeed, we'll immediately leave and rendezvous with Sir. This plan has another advantage. Killing Wei Chu isn't something that can be accomplished the moment one decides to do it. Sir can repeatedly use the excuse of looking for suitable people. Sooner or later, my sister and I will find an opening."

Linghu Qiu felt uncomfortable. Yet her reasoning was sound. He could not find a good reason to reject it. Still, he did not agree immediately.

"We don't need to decide this in a hurry. Report it first. Let's see what the higher-ups say."

The sisters understood him. They knew he cared about them. That knowledge warmed both their hearts... Over the following days, Niu Youdao lived rather leisurely. He often wandered around the Qi capital, sightseeing with Guan Fangyi beside him. Guan Fangyi was plainly publicizing the matter on purpose. Whenever she met someone she knew, she announced that Niu Youdao intended to marry her. It made Niu Youdao's teeth ache. He had not gotten a bite of meat, yet had somehow ended up covered in stink.

Whenever people asked him about it, he could not even deny the claim. He did not confirm it either. But sometimes, refusing to deny something was itself a form of admission. Niu Youdao knew the woman had thoroughly ruined his reputation this time. Who knew what people were saying behind his back?

He had finally learned firsthand what the saying meant: those who stay near vermilion turn red, and those who stay near ink turn black.

But who could he blame?

He had brought it on himself. Beside a shallow pond, banana leaves gleamed green. Guan Fangyi held a round fan and waved it lazily, apparently in an excellent mood. The subordinates wandering nearby had noticed it too. Their elder sister's mood had been unusually good lately. When she smiled at people now, it was no longer the old false, social smile. The happiness came from the heart.

Standing beside her at the pond, Niu Youdao asked, "Second Brother, how is the matter with Wei Chu going?"

Linghu Qiu sighed.

"This can't be rushed. I'm trying to contact suitable people and look for an opportunity. It isn't convenient to move against him inside the capital. We need to find the right moment when he leaves the city. Wait a little longer."

His sighs were genuine. He would have preferred to wait until Niu Youdao left the capital and then make his move. If necessary, he could simply gather enough manpower and attack by force. Unfortunately, there was no such opportunity. Niu Youdao feared Wei Chu.

As long as Wei Chu remained alive, Niu Youdao had plainly decided to hide inside the capital and refuse to leave. The higher-ups had now approved the plan. More accurately, they strongly approved of using seduction. Linghu Qiu was no longer looking for an opportunity to kill Wei Chu. He was looking for an opportunity to strike Niu Youdao... Late at night, Hao Yuntu was suddenly seized by a refined impulse.

He climbed one of the palace towers and gazed across the myriad lights of the city. He stood there for a long time. One hand rested on the railing. When emotion rose in him, he sighed.

"May the people of the State of Qi know peace for all generations."

Behind him, Bu Xun smiled.

"Your Majesty's great wish will surely be fulfilled."

Hao Yuntu slowly shook his head. A trace of self-mockery seemed to touch the corner of his mouth.

Then he suddenly asked, "Where has that Niu Youdao reached by now?"

"..."

Bu Xun was speechless.

Reached where?

Where else could he be?

The man was still enjoying himself in the Qi capital.

"What's wrong? Even you have lost track of where he went?" Hao Yuntu turned and asked.

Bu Xun genuinely did not know how to answer. Did anyone even need to track him? The affair had caused such a sensation that one could learn about it without making any special inquiries at all. The news had spread long ago. Bu Xun simply had never found a good way to tell Hao Yuntu, afraid it might affect the emperor's mood.

"Why are you hesitating?" Hao Yuntu turned fully around and stared coldly at Bu Xun.

What he disliked most was people hiding things from him.

[End of Chapter 334]