Chapter 201 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

The current situation was that Qi was strong while Yan was weak. However, unlike the fragmentation of power in Qi and the internal strife between Meng and Han, Yan had, seven or eight years ago, seen the rise of a startlingly brilliant new Emperor Yan. She was an unequivocally ruthless leader, who, upon ascending the throne, initiated a grand massacre, purging the already decentralized nation of Yan and leading it to subservience through slaughter. From then on, there were no dissidents in the court of Yan; Emperor Yan centralized great power and set forth on comprehensive reforms. Though the territory of Yan was smaller than that of Qi, and its national strength inferior, it had the advantage of a centralized power and unity, with minimal internal consumption of resources. Thus, when Qi and Yan once again set the stage for war, the outcome was far from certain. After He Yunxiao and Jiang Chenyue left, Jiang Wuyou resumed sorting through the intelligence. She was distinct from other secret agents of Yan in Yinjing. She held the reins of Yan's intelligence network in Yinjing, and could directly correspond via letters with Emperor Yan. Therefore, Jiang Wuyou's assessment of the situation between the two nations was far more precise than that of most people. The intelligence from Qi's military kept piling up, and Jiang Wuyou sensed that Emperor Yan was preparing for war. The court of Qi was split in half, one faction belonging to Han and the other to Meng. It would be at least three years, when the Qi Emperor turned fourteen and the power was to be consolidated, for the next power transition to occur. These three years were an opportune window for the united Yan. If Jiang Wuyou herself were in Emperor Yan's position, she would not wait until Qi's power was unified to strike. She would certainly seize the three-year gap, looking for opportunities to carve a piece from Qi. For Yan, taking a bite out of Qi was akin to "restoring the glory of our ancestors, a duty from which we cannot shrink." Spreading out various intelligence-containing slips of paper on the table, Jiang Wuyou pulled out a fine brush and meticulously copied the most critical pieces of information. These she would send urgently to Yan via carrier pigeons, while the rest would meander through the secret network of agents and make its way back to Yan by land. Jiang Wuyou was very careful in her copying, fearful of missing even the slightest detail. She did not like war; she preferred ordinary, uneventful days—days that she had only truly enjoyed while studying at a ladies' academy. There was a time when Jiang Wuyou, too, had attempted to make errors or omit pieces of intelligence, hoping to prevent friction from flaring up between Qi and Yan once more. However, a single pill sent from Emperor Yan of Yan had thoroughly severed such thoughts. After ingesting the pill, she would require a monthly antidote sent from Emperor Yan of Yan, without which she would perish after a month. Since then, Jiang Wuyou understood that she was not the only special envoy of the Emperor Yan in Yinjing. It was highly likely that Yan's intelligence network in Yinjing was not limited to just one layer. Emperor Yan was like a puppeteer, and all the secret agents of Yan were her puppets. Useful ones were employed; the useless were discarded. Jiang Wuyou had also wondered why Emperor Yan did not simply kill her—why she kept her alive to continue working for her. The courtesans of Chunfeng Tower were numerous, and Jiang Wuyou was not the only one. She had many substitutes. She couldn't figure it out. The only possible reason was that she still had value, Emperor Yan still had a use for her. But what that was, Jiang Wuyou had no clue, and probably no one in this world could fathom Emperor Yan's thoughts. As Jiang Wuyou was drafting the secret letter, she suddenly heard a familiar set of footsteps outside the door. He Yunxiao! If someone else had discovered her secret, she could have dispatched Yahu to deal with it. But if He Yunxiao discovered it, then Jiang Wuyou truly did not know what to do. Imitating the method she had used to evade He Yunxiao's scrutiny before, Jiang Wuyou hurriedly gathered all the slips of paper on the table and tucked them away in her bosom. ... Humming a tune and singing softly, He Yunxiao jogged to Sister Jiang's boudoir. He nudged the door open gently and slipped inside stealthily. Upon entering, he found Sister Jiang tidying the table. Jiang Wuyou feigned surprise, "Yunxiao, what brings you back?" He Yunxiao stepped forward, took the items from Sister Jiang's hands, and meticulously placed them back on the table before saying, "Sister, don't move." Jiang Wuyou didn't understand the ploy of He Yunxiao but stood still as he instructed. He Yunxiao grasped one of Jiang Wuyou's delicate hands, gently pulling them to both sides of her body, creating a distance between her arms and her slender waist. Then, with the swiftness of a lightning strike, he stepped forward to face Sister Jiang. His hands reached out, first touching both sides of her small waist, then gliding along her curvaceous form, over the smooth silk fabric. After tracing out a brief yet graceful curve, He Yunxiao encircled Jiang Wuyou's slender waist with one hand while his other hand moved to her back. He held her. Held her tightly. He Yunxiao lowered his head and inhaled the scent from Jiang Wuyou's neck, "Sister Wuyou, I've missed you." Many girls are pretty yet thin, resulting in less satisfaction when held. Sister Jiang was different; she was the epitome of plump beauty. While being lusciously full-figured, her body remained exquisitely proportionate—indeed a rare beauty. Holding her felt like embracing summer clouds—warm, soft, and fragrant. With such proximity, a man's scent enveloped her overwhelmingly. Even Jiang Wuyou, who usually had high defenses in matters of love, found it difficult to resist. Though she understood everything, she had no practical experience. Her only actual practice was under the guidance of He Yunxiao. To be tutored by her younger brother was a blow to her pride. Jiang Wuyou let He Yunxiao hold her for a moment, mindful of the intelligence hidden in her embrace, so she said, "Yunxiao, Chenyue will be back." Not willing to let go, He Yunxiao replied, "Let's wait and see when she arrives." "Sister Wuyou, you once promised that debts incur interest, you haven't forgotten, have you?" Of course, Jiang Wuyou remembered. She just found it unfair. He Yunxiao hadn't done anything, but now she owed him money and had to pay interest. All the benefits fell to him, and she was at a clear disadvantage. Knowing they were alone and that it was unnecessary to be restrained without Jiang Chenyue present, Jiang Wuyou unabashedly revealed her unreasonable side before He Yunxiao. "I haven't forgotten, but I won't pay," huffed Jiang Wuyou. He Yunxiao, gazing down at her with a smile, asked, "Do you really not intend to pay, Sister?" "No, I won't." "If Sister refuses to pay, I might just have to take it!" He Yunxiao freed a hand, gently lifting Jiang Wuyou's chin. With just a light touch, he guided the beauty in his arms to raise her head, arranging her lovely red lips into the perfect angle for a kiss. Jiang Wuyou looked up at He Yunxiao, and in her eyes brimming with emotion, she saw only his reflection. "Sister, it's time for me to collect some interest." "Mmm... Mhm..." Kissing Sister Jiang was like savoring White Rabbit Creamy Candy. Soft and sweet. After finishing, one would only thirst for more, never satisfied. His hands would not stay idle either. As the elementary PE teacher would say, this was called "free activity." This time, however, for some reason, He Yunxiao didn't get far with his "activity" before Sister Jiang shooed him out. He Yunxiao was puzzled. No matter how much he coaxed Sister Jiang, he was met with a firm "keep out." Based on past experience, she shouldn't be rejecting at this stage. He Yunxiao paused his advance and after a short rest, asked with concern, "What's wrong, Sister?" Jiang Wuyou couldn't possibly reveal the truth—if He Yunxiao got in, what would she do if he encountered the slips of paper? "It's nothing," Jiang Wuyou pushed him gently, "Have you collected enough interest now?" He Yunxiao, ever so cheeky, replied, "No, it's been days since I last collected; today I am collecting it all at once." Jiang Wuyou pouted, "You've already collected several times just now." "Then let's collect for tomorrow." "You have collected for tomorrow too." "The day after tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after the day after that, I haven't collected for those yet." "Spoilsport..." Chapter 202 - A Near Exposure Tl. Soothsayer.io