Chapter 340: Riding a Tiger, Unable to Dismount

Fufang Garden quickly stirred into motion, though the commotion remained deliberately subdued. Old Six Xu quietly gathered manpower. Niu Youdao, meanwhile, pulled aside Old Twelve, whom Old Six Xu had left behind, and rapidly explained what he was to do once he brought over the wine and food. After confirming that Old Twelve had memorized the instructions, Niu Youdao hurried toward Hongxiu and Hongfu's room.

He did not dare make the two women wait too long. Dragging his feet over something like this would not fit the way he had always behaved toward them and might arouse suspicion. At this moment, he could not afford to let either woman suspect anything. Linghu Qiu's room was also the room where the two women usually stayed. Hongxiu and Hongfu were nervous themselves. This was the first time either of them had ever tried to seduce a man deliberately. Both felt uneasy.

"Didn't you say we'd prepare wine and food? Where is it?" Hongxiu suddenly whispered in alarm as she turned in a circle, looking around the room.

Hongfu said, "We don't need wine or food."

Hongxiu immediately reacted.

"Right! Tea. I'll prepare tea."

Hongfu caught her arm.

"Elder Sister, we don't need tea either."

Hongxiu stared at her.

"Then how do we drug him?"

Hongfu shook her head.

"Niu Youdao's food and daily needs are being watched too closely. If we bring wine and food here, it will certainly be inspected. What then? Drug it right in front of him? The chance of exposing ourselves is too high. This can only succeed. We cannot afford a mistake, so drugging the wine and food isn't suitable."

Hongxiu looked puzzled.

"Didn't you say we were going to drug him?"

"Why make things so complicated or take that kind of risk? Once we're embracing him at close range and he's confused by lust, can the two of us really not seize him unawares and restrain him quietly? What I told Sir about drugging the wine and food was only for Sir's ears. There are things that would leave him with no face if he knew the details. We sisters are his women. How would he feel if we said it openly in front of him?"

Hongxiu understood. This time, seduction was not merely a matter of saying the word. They were genuinely going to seduce him. Her ten fingers twisted together uneasily.

"Do we really have to let him take advantage of us?"

Hongfu said, "He won't gain much. At most he'll embrace us or touch us a few times. Before he can do anything truly excessive, we'll already have restrained him. Can Elder Sister really not endure even that small grievance? Think about it. Ever since Qingshan Commandery, you and I have been ordered around by him like servant girls, and even Sir has had to follow behind him like an ox or horse. Don't you want to end this sooner rather than later? Do you really want things to continue this way? And it's more than that. Look at him. Everywhere Niu Youdao goes, trouble follows. If this continues, sooner or later he'll drag us down with him!"

Hongxiu smiled bitterly.

"I understand what you're saying. I just feel we're wronging Sir."

Hongfu took her hand and coaxed her gently.

"Elder Sister, afterward we'll simply tell Sir we drugged Niu Youdao unconscious so he won't brood over it. As long as we never tell him the truth, and afterward silence Niu Youdao permanently, only Heaven, Earth, you, and I will ever know. It's only a small grievance. Endure it and it will pass. We aren't truly going to do anything that betrays Sir. Isn't that so?"

At last Hongxiu nodded. Just then, footsteps sounded outside, followed by a knock on the door and Niu Youdao's furtive chuckle.

"Are you two in there?"

The sisters exchanged a glance. Hongfu pressed a palm lightly against her chest, signaling for her sister to remain calm, then turned and opened the door. Niu Youdao stood outside wearing an awkward grin.

"Master Dao!" Hongfu dipped into a half-curtsy.

"No need, no need. Um... may I come in?"

As he spoke, Niu Youdao even glanced furtively over his shoulder, looking around as though somewhat guilty and afraid someone might see him.

"Master Dao, please."

Hongfu stepped aside to let him enter. She leaned out slightly to check the surroundings, then withdrew, closed the door, and gave Hongxiu a faint nod behind Niu Youdao's back. Everything was clear.

"Master Dao!" Hongxiu saluted inside the room.

Niu Youdao immediately stepped forward and took both her arms, helping her upright. Along the way he caught one of her soft hands and began fondling it.

"We're all our own people. No need for ceremony!"

The moment he stroked her hand, Hongxiu felt as though insects were crawling over her skin. Gooseflesh rose all over her body. She shuddered and nearly pulled her hand away by instinct. Seeing Hongfu subtly shake her head, she forced herself to endure it. She managed to suppress the reaction outwardly. Inside, she was disgusted beyond words. Since she did not resist, Niu Youdao kept hold of her hand and continued stroking it.

Grinning, he asked, "Does what you two said earlier still count?"

Hongfu came over.

"So long as Master Dao agrees to help us, naturally it counts."

"Good! Don't worry. Leave this matter to me."

Niu Youdao patted his chest in assurance. Then he reached out and caught Hongfu's soft hand as well. Holding one woman in each hand, he suddenly pulled. Both women were dragged into his embrace. One arm wrapped around each waist. He truly had a beauty on either side. Resistance flickered across Hongfu's face, but she managed to remain composed. Hongxiu's expression was much more strained. From time to time she glanced at her younger sister as though asking whether they should act now.

Instead, Niu Youdao hugged both women closer and said, "I've had someone prepare wine and food. It'll be brought over shortly. Later, the three of us can drink a few cups to heighten the mood!"

In truth, Niu Youdao himself was walking on a knife-edge. He knew perfectly well that the two women were using this very method to harm him, yet he still had to offer his neck to the blade and force himself to play along. Every nerve in his body was pulled taut. Calling it licking blood from the edge of a knife would not be an exaggeration. To him, Hongxiu and Hongfu were now two beautiful venomous snakes.

Holding two poisonous snakes in his arms was anything but pleasant. There was nothing enjoyable about such an erotic scene. Either woman might strike at any moment.

He could only follow the plan he had hastily worked out beforehand and use words to keep them steady, praying neither would act impulsively.

When they heard someone would soon be bringing wine and food, the two women looked up at each other from within his embrace. Both froze slightly. If someone was about to enter, how were they supposed to strike now?

Hongfu said, "Master Dao, there's really no need for wine and food."

"Aiya, for such a pleasurable occasion, how can there be no wine to heighten the mood? I've already given the order."

The words had barely left his mouth when Niu Youdao bent toward Hongfu. Her eyes flew wide. Her body trembled, and her eyes widened even further. Hongxiu stared at the scene in equal shock, then panicked as well.

"Hm?" Niu Youdao finally lifted his lips from Hongfu's and turned toward Hongxiu.

Hongfu, who had been holding her breath, hurriedly turned her head aside and gasped for air.

Niu Youdao stared at Hongxiu's hand gripping his own and said in obvious displeasure, "What's the meaning of this? Don't tell me you've changed your mind."

With a man's hand thrust against her bosom, Hongxiu's face flushed crimson. She looked toward her younger sister. Hongfu hurried to smooth things over.

"Master Dao, we haven't changed our minds. It's only that someone will be bringing wine and food in shortly. It would be terribly inappropriate if they saw us like this. Once the wine and food arrive, it won't be too late for us sisters to serve you."

"How can we stop in the middle of something this enjoyable? Don't worry. Nothing will happen."

Niu Youdao laughed and brushed the concern aside. He pulled both hands back, wrapped his arms around the two women again, and directly steered them toward the couch. Both sisters' hearts jumped into their throats. Now they finally understood what it meant to be riding a tiger and unable to dismount. At this point, who would believe Niu Youdao was not a lecher? All Niu Youdao wanted was for the person preparing the wine and food to hurry up and bring it over.

Otherwise, he was afraid the two women might be driven so far that even a cornered dog had to leap the wall. On a street elsewhere in the capital, Old Six Xu was hurrying along with several men when he abruptly stopped. The others stopped as well. Coming directly toward them were Guan Fangyi, Uncle Chen, and Old Thirteen. They stopped too. Seeing Guan Fangyi unharmed, Old Six Xu and the others let out a heavy breath of relief.

Guan Fangyi stepped close and asked in a low voice, "I told you to protect Niu Youdao. What are you doing here?"

"I was going to follow Eldest Sister's orders, but Niu Youdao said you were in danger. He said Xiaoyue Pavilion was going to move against you..."

Old Six Xu leaned close and quickly whispered the sequence of events into her ear. Guan Fangyi learned that Niu Youdao had been willing to expose what he knew and risk himself by seizing Hongxiu and Hongfu as hostages to save her. To rescue her, he had even sent away all of Fufang Garden's best fighters with Old Six Xu.

To make Old Six Xu hurry to her aid, he had gone so far as to reveal Linghu Qiu and the others' identity as people from Xiaoyue Pavilion. He had clearly been genuinely desperate. Guan Fangyi bit her lip. The revelation struck her hard enough to move her deeply. She did not show that indescribable feeling. Instead, she ground her teeth and cursed.

"That damned man! He can barely save himself. Since when did this old lady need him to rescue me? Are all of you pigs? Whatever he says, you just listen and believe him?"

Old Six Xu said anxiously, "Eldest Sister, since you're all right, let's hurry back. If you want to curse him, we can let you curse him to your heart's content afterward. He's in real danger right now!"

"Then why are you still standing here? Move!"

Guan Fangyi glared at him and immediately set off at a rapid pace with the others.

As they hurried, she ordered, "Don't let our own people keep going out there. Send someone to call everyone back."

Fufang Garden's manpower had not left together. A large group would have drawn too much attention. They had split up along different streets and agreed to regroup outside the city. Old Six Xu immediately sent two men ahead to call the others back. Guan Fangyi's skirts rippled rapidly around her feet as she hurried. Anxiety showed in her eyes. At that moment, she wished she could simply fly back.

But the Qi capital had its own rules. Cultivators could not disrupt the order of the secular world here however they pleased. The group rushed back into Fufang Garden and headed directly for the courtyard where Linghu Qiu was staying. Just outside, they happened to run into Old Twelve carrying a tray laden with wine and food.

"Eldest Sister, you're back?" Old Twelve's face lit up.

Guan Fangyi glanced at what he was carrying.

"That's for Niu Youdao?"

"Yes!" Old Twelve nodded.

"No need. Take it away!"

Guan Fangyi swept a hand and strode into the courtyard. Had she not returned, that would have been one thing. But now that she was back, she would not allow the poisoned wine to take effect and expose Niu Youdao. She understood his present position. He needed to borrow Xiaoyue Pavilion's hand to kill Wei Chu and buy himself time.

Otherwise, once he left the capital, danger would wait for him everywhere in Qi. He might scarcely be able to move a single step.

She knew very well that if Niu Youdao exposed himself now for the sake of saving her, there would be endless consequences even if he somehow survived the immediate crisis. She could not allow that to happen. Once inside the courtyard, Guan Fangyi's eyes shifted. She raised a hand and stopped everyone behind her. Then she floated lightly toward the tightly shut door. She stood outside and listened for a moment. Then she turned and kicked.

Bang!

Her skirts flared as the door flew open beneath her foot.

[End of Chapter 340]