Lili did her best to look shocked, hesitant, and slightly terrified at Feng Jun's request.
"General Lu Wei?" she repeated, her voice trembling just the right amount. She widened her eyes, making them glisten with unshed tears. "But... he is known to be the most righteous and unapproachable man in the kingdom! He is terrifying, almost as scary as that... that Grand Duke Wang Huo!"
Feng Jun sighed, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of the entire world. He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his touch lingering. "I know, my love. It pains me to ask this of you. If there were any other way, I would never put you in such a position. But the Queen—your aunt—has been making moves to consolidate the military power under the Crown Prince. If Lu Wei falls to their side, our hope for a future together... it will be crushed."
He looked at her with such profound sadness that Lili almost applauded his acting skills. 'Wow, give this man an Oscar. If I didn't know he was a manipulative schemer using me as a pawn, I'd be swooning right now. Wait, I am swooning. He's so handsome when he's tragic.'
"For our future..." Lili whispered, leaning her cheek into his hand. "If it is for you, Feng Jun, I will walk through fire. I will try to get close to the General. But... how? I am just a weak woman."
Feng Jun's eyes gleamed with calculation, though his smile remained tender. "You are far more captivating than you realize, Lili. Use your... charms. Men like Lu Wei are rigid, but every fortress has a gate. You just need to find the key. Find out what he likes, what he lacks. Be the comfort he doesn't know he needs."
'Honey, I'm not just the comfort, I'm the whole damn spa package,' she thought, suppressing a smirk. 'I've already found the key, the gate, and the master bedroom.'
"I will try," she promised solemnly. "But you must promise me... when you ascend the throne, you will save me from my misery."
"I promise," Feng Jun vowed, sealing it with a soft, chaste kiss on her forehead. "Now go, before we are seen. Be careful, Lili."
Lili left the private room of the tea house with a spring in her step that she tried hard to disguise as a melancholy shuffle until she was safely in her carriage. Once the door clicked shut, she threw herself back against the cushions and stifled a squeal of delight.
"This is perfect!" she whispered to herself.
Fate—or perhaps the Judges of Maat—was finally throwing her a bone. She had been worried about how to juggle her time between her "lovers" without arousing suspicion, but now, her main target (Feng Jun/Samael) had explicitly ordered her to spend time with her side-piece (Lu Wei). It was the ultimate "Get Out of Jail Free" card. If Feng Jun ever caught wind of her being with Lu Wei, she could just cry and say, "I'm doing it for the mission!"
She felt like a genius. A master strategist. A queen of the harem.
"Driver!" she called out. "To Haochi Restaurant!"
It was Lu Wei's scheduled day to visit, and she had a mission to accomplish.
The atmosphere at Haochi was bustling as usual. The scents of roasted duck and spiced wine filled the air, but Lili barely noticed them. She was focused on her narrative.
Since Feng Jun wanted her to "get close" to Lu Wei, she decided to play the long game. She couldn't just be a booty call forever; she needed Lu Wei to be emotionally invested so that he would eventually side with Feng Jun (or at least, so Feng Jun would think she was succeeding).
She breezed past the receptionist, tossing him a silver coin. "Is he there?"
"Yes, Miss. Same room," the receptionist winked. By now, the staff assumed she was the General's pampered mistress, and they treated her with the utmost deference.
Lili climbed the stairs, composing herself. Last time, she had been naked on a table. Today, she needed to be a bit more... substantial. She needed to be the "pitiful but brave" woman Lu Wei seemed to have a soft spot for.
She knocked gently—a change from her usual barging in.
"Enter," came the deep, commanding voice.
Lili pushed the door open. Lu Wei was sitting by the window, a cup of tea in his hand. He looked up, and for a split second, Lili saw a flash of genuine relief cross his stern features before he masked it with his usual stoicism.
"You came," he said simply.
"You told me to find you if I needed help," Lili said softly, closing the door and locking it. She walked over to the table but didn't climb on it this time. Instead, she sat opposite him, folding her hands in her lap. "And... I missed you."
Lu Wei put his cup down. He stared at her, analyzing her face. She looked demure today, dressed in a pale blue hanfu that made her look innocent, almost fragile. It was a stark contrast to the wanton goddess she had been during their last encounter.
"Has the... man... been bothering you?" Lu Wei asked, his jaw tightening slightly. He hated the idea of that abusive merchant touching her, though he refused to examine why.
"He is busy with his business," Lili lied smoothly. "He ignores me mostly, which is a blessing. But it gets lonely. And scary. I keep thinking about... escaping."
Lu Wei leaned forward. "If you want to leave him, I can help you. I can arrange for a safe house. You don't have to stay."
Lili's heart skipped a beat. He really was a good guy. 'Oh, Lu Wei. If only you weren't a 2D character and I wasn't on a divine deadline. You're practically husband material.'
"I can't," she said, looking down at her hands. "He has... leverage on my family. A debt that hasn't been fully paid. If I leave, my parents will suffer."
It was a classic trope, flimsy as wet paper, but Lu Wei, with his rigid sense of honor and duty, bought it hook, line, and sinker. His fists clenched on the table. "Then tell me his name. I will settle the debt."
--
TBC