[š„š„ Support link: patreon.com/MrGhost69
You can find 40+ chapters ahead here
Also another exciting fanfic available š„š„]
"Good, good! I think Sister Kang Ning is quite good!" At this moment, the unrestrained Zhao Zhangru nodded from the side and said, "Among the women in this Marquis's Residence, I'm the only one who practices martial arts; it's so boring!"
"This Sister Kang Ning has such a fiery and straightforward personality! She actually dared to chase after that petty thief in the street; she's very much to my liking! If she enters the residence, someone will accompany me in practicing martial arts in the future!"
Upon hearing these words, the women present all had black lines on their foreheads; Zhao Zhangru's words were a bit too blunt! Especially Kang Ning, whose face even flushed slightly! However, Zhao Zhangru's straightforward personality in Kang Ning's heart caused her favorability to suddenly increase by several points. It's just that Zhao Zhangru didn't know that although Kang Ning had a fierce and direct personality, she didn't particularly like practicing martial arts! Instead, if her Fifth Sister Le Shan could enter the Marquis's Residence, she would definitely be a good playmate for Zhao Zhangru!
"What nonsense are you talking about now?" He Weifang quickly lightly tapped Zhao Zhangru's forehead with her round fan. Among the women in the Marquis's Residence, He Weifang was currently the oldest, and only she would chastise Zhao Zhangru like this.
"Ouch!" How could a woman who loved martial arts like Zhao Zhangru be hurt by a light tap from a round fan? However, she still pretended to be in pain, grimacing, and acted spoiled towards Wei Tingyu. "Marquis! Look, Sister He is bullying me again!"
Seeing Zhao Zhangru's delicate and affected manner as a little woman at this moment, Kang Ning's eyes widened directly! Good heavens! Can a person's personality really be like this? If I hadn't seen her transformation with my own eyes, who would believe that this was the same female hero who knocked down the petty thief with a single punch and kick just now?
"Alright! Since everyone came to offer incense with Sister Ming today, let's not say anything more here!" Dou Zhao smiled slightly at this moment, then fanned herself with a round fan and said to Dou Ming, "Sister Ming will officially enter the residence soon, so let's not delay and anger the Bodhisattva!"
At this point, Lady Li Niang and Kang Ning finally understood that the entire Marquis's household had come out today just to accompany this little lass Dou Ming! That's right! This little lass is about to get married, so she must be both nervous and excited! It's perfectly normal for her to want to offer incense to calm her mind in her apprehension. However, the entire family actually came out to accompany her, which showed Dou Ming's status in the Marquis's Residence. Not only the Marquis, but the other sisters also pampered her greatly! Such a harmonious inner courtyard! This was truly a destination beyond the dreams of noble daughters!
"Has Lady Li Niang finished offering incense? Would you like us to go together?" Dou Zhao then turned to Lady Li Niang and asked.
"Not yet! Not yet!" Lady Li Niang was startled, then quickly nodded and said, "Since Head Madam doesn't disdain our humble status, then let us go together!" Are you kidding?! This opportunity to get closer to Dou Zhao is rare and hard to come by! Since it's presented itself, there's absolutely no reason to let it pass by! Even if Lady Li Niang had finished offering incense earlier when the petty thief suddenly interrupted her, she would certainly have to go back and offer incense with Dou Zhao and the others again now.
"Marquis, you can stroll around nearby! So you don't get bored accompanying us!" Dou Zhao nodded, then turned and smiled at Wei Tingyu, saying.
"The Marquis isn't going?" Lady Li Niang was surprised; she hadn't expected Wei Tingyu not to follow along.
"The Marquis doesn't believe in gods or Buddhas!" Miao Ansu said at this moment, "So he's just accompanying us!" He doesn't believe in gods or Buddhas, yet he's willing to accompany you to offer incense? What kind of amazing gentleman is this? Lady Li Niang couldn't help but swallow dryly! How come I've never heard of such a man in this world before?
"Perfect! We can chat after we finish offering incense!" Dou Zhao smiled faintly, then actively took Lady Li Niang's hand and walked towards the main hall on the steps. She wants to chat with me too? About what? Could it be that Head Madam Dou wants to discuss which daughter to send into the residence as a concubine? If so, that would indeed be a good thing! Lady Li Niang's eyes darted, then she felt a little expectant in her heart. After all, at this moment, she was certain that whichever of her four unmarried daughters was arranged to enter the Marquis's Residence would definitely be willing! Including Third Daughter Kang Ning!
"Hiss..." Lady Li Niang shifted her already sore legs from kneeling, and a low gasp of cold air escaped the corner of her mouth. Looking at Dou Zhao and the others beside her, who were all kneeling and praying with incredibly devout expressions, Lady Li Niang felt a bit helpless. After all, she was already over 30, naturally not comparable to these young girls in their teens and twenties! Plus, this was her second time kneeling in a row. Her legs were simply too numb to bear it!
However, just as she was distracted, the corner of her eye suddenly noticed Wang Yingxue, who was kneeling at the very back of the women, quietly getting up and leaving the main hall. Lady Li Niang was very curious about this close friend of hers! She had been surprised before by how Wang Yingxue was among the Marquis's wives and concubines, and even treated Dou Zhao, her junior, with such respect! She hadn't had a chance to ask her directly, but now seeing her strange behavior, her delicate brows immediately furrowed. There must be something wrong! Thinking of this, Lady Li Niang quietly got up and secretly followed her out. And this scene went unnoticed by the other women who were still devoutly kneeling and praying.
Lady Li Niang followed Wang Yingxue out of the main hall and towards a side hall, even taking a small, branching path through a secluded bamboo grove. The scenery here was indeed quite unique! However, Lady Li Niang was in no mood to appreciate it at the moment, because her good friend's actions were becoming increasingly strange! Could it be that my close friend secretly ran out to have an illicit affair with someone? Lady Li Niang thought long and hard, and could only come up with this one possibility. After all, they were of similar age, and it was precisely the age of passionate desire! Sometimes, even while sleeping, one couldn't help but have spring dreams! However, Lady Li Niang was a widow; she could only indulge in dry spring dreams! In this regard, she was quite envious of Wang Yingxue; at least she still had a husband! But even so, Wang Yingxue still couldn't resist having an improper affair with someone? The thought of this possibility actually made Lady Li Niang feel a little stimulated! Her face immediately flushed slightly!
But where exactly was her good friend going after all these twists and turns? Although meeting a lover should be done secretly, this place was perhaps too secluded and secret! However, just as Lady Li Niang was silently complaining in her heart, a figure appeared in her line of sight. From afar, she saw a young master wearing a jade fox mask standing in the distant bamboo grove, his figure tall and graceful, clearly waiting for someone. Could this be Wang Yingxue's lover? Lady Li Niang immediately muttered to herself! But seeing Wang Yingxue also spot that figure, she actually quickened her pace, her fair feet, revealed beneath her lifted skirt, almost seeming to fly straight towards him. Lady Li Niang was finally certain; it was definitely this jade-masked gentleman! The two had arranged to meet here beforehand!
And events indeed unfolded as Lady Li Niang had expected. Wang Yingxue, like a bird, flew into the jade-masked gentleman's embrace, and the two actually embraced just like that! Good heavens! It really is an affair! My best friend secretly meeting her lover in broad daylight in the bamboo grove behind this Buddhist temple... This is simply... too exciting! Lady Li Niang, not knowing Dou Laoqi anyway, naturally wouldn't feel indignant on his behalf! Moreover, at this age, if a woman lacked her husband's affection, she deeply understood the bitterness in her heart. At this moment, Lady Li Niang not only didn't feel that Wang Yingxue's actions were wrong, but she even vaguely felt a sense of envy!
"My Lord!" Wang Yingxue finally rushed into Wei Tingyu's embrace, feeling his broad and firm chest, and closed her eyes blissfully. Seeing the delicate and alluring appearance of the beautiful woman in his arms, Wei Tingyu naturally couldn't restrain himself either! After all, having a secret rendezvous in the bamboo grove behind a Buddhist temple truly felt exciting just thinking about it! Without another word, he gently raised Wang Yingxue's chin with his hand, then directly kissed her with his large mouth.
"Mmm!" Wang Yingxue felt the warmth of her Lord's breath from his mouth and nose, and naturally could not have any other reaction. Her entire body instantly went limp, leaning against his embrace, and her small mouth, of course, was at his complete disposal! A moment later, this long kiss finally ended! Wei Tingyu then lifted Wang Yingxue horizontally into his arms and strode into the deeper reaches of the bamboo grove.
At this moment, Lady Li Niang's entire face was as red as a ripe peach! Although she wasn't involved in this matter, the sensory stimulation alone had already made her heart pound and her breathing heavy! When the two had kissed just now, Lady Li Niang had felt her limbs go somewhat weak! Now, seeing them embrace and enter the bamboo grove, as an experienced woman, she naturally knew what would happen next!
As Wang Yingxue's good friend, should this peeping stop now? And then help her keep this secret; that would be worthy of their decades of sisterhood! Lady Li Niang's rationality told her that it was time to turn back! There would probably be no benefit in watching further, and they might all be embarrassed if she were discovered! But alas, her feet completely disregarded the call of reason, and she inexplicably began to move, slowly following them. Of course, she only made this decision after a difficult internal struggle!
However, just as she approached the edge of the bamboo grove, she heard faint, indistinct sounds coming from within. For an experienced woman like Lady Li Niang, these sounds were absolutely all too familiar!
"My Lord!" Two ke (quarter of an hour) later, the "wind and rain" ceased. Wang Yingxue lay on Wei Tingyu's shoulder, openly resting within the bamboo grove! She closed her eyes and gently stroked his resolute cheek with her hand, whispering, "Your slave has missed you so much these past few days..."
"A few days?" Wei Tingyu was startled, then laughed. He had only seen Wang Yingxue yesterday! How had it become "a few days" in her mouth? However, this also showed that Wang Yingxue's body and mind had been completely captivated by him! Wei Tingyu naturally felt quite pleased! However, he hadn't secretly asked Wang Yingxue to come here just because he was so urgently lusting after her body; there was a more important matter... He wanted to conduct an experiment: to see if his system's achievements included the one he was thinking of!
He had watched many historical dramas with strong female leads before, and Wei Tingyu had discovered a rule that he had complained about for a long time: these Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, and other places of pure cultivation in the dramas invariably became places where the male and female leads released their desires. This was probably a complaint by the screenwriters and directors of these female-led dramas against the religious oppression of the feudal era? Wei Tingyu didn't understand what these people were thinking, but the idea did sound quite stimulating! Since he had transmigrated into a world where many of these female-led dramas were merged, he naturally couldn't miss out on this trend, could he? Of course, he thought through the women around him, and only Wang Yingxue had the courage to have a secret rendezvous with him in the bamboo grove behind the temple; the other women would definitely be unwilling! At least, they weren't "trained" yet!
[Congratulations to Master for obtaining the hidden achievement "Forbidden Place"]
[This hidden achievement can be unlocked by breaking taboos and performing acts of love in places of pure cultivation such as Buddhist temples or Taoist temples!]
[Achievement Reward: System Barracks upgraded to Level 3!]
Good heavens! Just as Wei Tingyu was gently stroking the beautiful woman's back in his arms and fantasizing about this possibility, the system's notification sound directly appeared in his mind! It seems I guessed correctly! This kind of achievement truly cannot be passively awaited; one must actively seek it out! The only thing he felt a little regretful about was that this achievement didn't come with the usual achievement gift package! However, he thought about it carefully and decided it didn't matter. His martial arts and the protective forces around him were already very strong! There was no immediate urgent need to become stronger!
But the system barracks directly upgraded to Level 3! This was indeed a pleasant surprise for him! After all, for this thing, each level-up required exponentially increasing effort to reach the next level!
[System Barracks Level: 3]
[Recruitable Soldiers: Garrison Troops]
[Combat Power: Medium]
[Combat Will: Medium]
[Weapons: Saber-shield, Iron Spear, Short Bow]
[Protection: Light Armor]
[Troop Type: Infantry]
[Overall Combat Power:]
[Recruitment Cost: Fifty taels of silver]
After checking the status of his system barracks again, Wei Tingyu was even more excited! These Garrison Troops were completely different from the previous Peasant Rebel Army; they were a regular military branch! The recruitment price of fifty taels per soldier was also acceptable to Wei Tingyu at the moment! Moreover, they used a combination of weapons: saber-shields, iron spears, and short bows, making the troop composition more complete! Of course, the disadvantage was the lack of cavalry and insufficient mobility! Garrison troops would indeed be a highly cost-effective choice for defense! However, they were very lacking in offense, and Wei Tingyu was clear about this in his heart!
But since he now had a certain trump card, he could appropriately let loose and expand his influence in this world! Of course, at this moment, he still couldn't act openly. He either had to hide from the court and act secretly, or he had to act openly under the banner of the court! Wei Tingyu thought for a moment and decided that the second option was safer!
Previously, he had destroyed Song Mo, and the court had also disbanded the Dingguo Army in the south, which led to a resurgence of coastal pirates! Could he perhaps seek an imperial decree from the court to suppress bandits in the south? Being able to fill the military vacuum there would provide a basic foundation for contending for天äø (Tianxia - everything under heaven, referring to the world/empire)! Of course, before that, he still had to marry all the Li family women into the Marquis's Residence! After all, delays breed trouble, and he certainly didn't want to return from a trip to the south only to find that he couldn't gather all five of the Li family "tigers"! That would truly be heartbreaking!
"I'll go back first!" After helping Wei Tingyu dress, Wang Yingxue looked up, gently kissed his cheek, and then said with a smile, "Marquis, you can go later, so as not to attract attention..."
"Good!" Wei Tingyu smiled faintly and nodded. However, his eyes glanced towards a clump of bushes in the distance, behind which Lady Li Niang was hiding. This woman had already noticed his and Wang Yingxue's affair, but Wei Tingyu naturally didn't expose her! Moreover, he was still wearing the jade fox mask on his face at this moment, so he didn't know if Lady Li Niang had recognized him. Even if she had, he didn't care. Since he could take Wang Yingxue, he could naturally take Lady Li Niang as well! This was simply not something he needed to worry or fret about!
As for Lady Li Niang herself, she was now hiding obediently behind the bushes, covering her mouth with her hand, not daring to even breathe heavily! When Wang Yingxue left, she even passed by her, but due to her fast pace and a slight nervousness in her heart, she didn't notice that her good friend was hiding just a few steps away...