The long night stretched on.
Under the hazy moonlight, Fang Yu'er buried her head in Lin Yun's chest, pouring out her sorrows.
"I only ever wanted to find someone I liked and marry them," she murmured. "But I never thought my grandfather would arrange a marriage for me. Hmph. Do you think I don't know what he's thinking? He just wants to use me to gain more power for himself. It's the only way he can secure his footing here."
There was a trace of deep resentment in her voice as she spoke.
Lin Yun felt rather awkward. "Miss Fang, perhaps you could let go of me first. It wouldn't be good if someone saw us like this. If your reputation were to be stained, I wouldn't be able to answer for it."
Though he said this, his eyes were not so honest. He could tell that although this Fang Yu'er cultivated the art of seduction, she was still, to this day, a virgin. Despite her媚术 (mèishù - charm magic), she herself seemed to be rather conservative.
Lin Yun sneered inwardly.
Fang Yu'er whined coquettishly. "Big Brother Lin, I've already put myself out here like this. Don't you understand? My grandfather wants me to marry someone else. If I were with you, he wouldn't be able to say much about it. I heard you say you came from Wangjing. My family has lived near here our whole lives, but we've never been to the capital. I was hoping… I was hoping you could take me with you."
After speaking, she stared at him with wide, pleading eyes, preparing to conquer him with her gaze alone. It had to be said, women who cultivated charm magic were indeed exceptionally skilled in many areas; even Lin Yun had to admire it.
It was a pity, however, that Lin Yun was, at his core, a sword cultivator. His will, as hard as iron, was not something just anyone could sway. Even a performance like Fang Yu'er's could not shake his inner resolve.
He just looked at the woman before him and gave a gentle smile. "Miss Fang, I am but a common wanderer. It is a problem for me to even support myself, let alone someone like you."
Lin Yun had already grasped all of Fang Yu'er's intentions, though she was completely unaware.
"Big Brother Lin, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I truly have no other choice," she pleaded. "Are you… are you really willing to just stand by and watch me fall into the hands of a man I do not love?"
As she spoke, her charm magic activated. A unique, sweet fragrance wafted into his nostrils. Lin Yun saw a pink light flash in Fang Yu'er's eyes.
He immediately went into character.
Fang Yu'er had still been a little worried. After all, she had tried these methods on him before, only to fail. But this time felt completely different. Although Lin Yun didn't seem to be acting particularly strange, she felt that something was off.
Did he really fall for it?
She was an old hand at this, having dealt with many men before. But for some reason, looking at Lin Yun now, she had a very unreal feeling. She remembered her previous attempt to charm him, how his willpower had been like steel, impossible to pierce. Given that, Fang Yu'er truly couldn't believe she had controlled him so easily this time.
Hmph. I'll see if you've really fallen for it or not.
Thinking this, Fang Yu'er pulled Lin Yun's hand and led him to the bedside. "Big Brother Lin…"
"Heh… a beauty… a beautiful lady," Lin Yun said, his voice dazed and infatuated. Judging by his current performance, it seemed completely genuine.
Fang Yu'er pushed away his roving hands and asked, "Big Brother Lin, why exactly did you come to our Maoshan Village this time? I don't believe you're simply here for a tour."
Lin Yun didn't answer her directly. Instead, he suddenly clutched his head. "No… I don't know."
Fang Yu'er frowned. Before, she might have worried that this was a trick, that he was deliberately deceiving her. But now, she had no such thoughts. Hmph. So this is all the ability he has. She had previously thought Lin Yun might have some way to defend against her, but now, Fang Yu'er was completely at ease. Fang Wenhe was right; no one was paying attention to them now.
"Big Brother Lin, don't worry. Speak slowly," she cooed, inching closer. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to harm you. Don't you trust your Yu'er?"
As she fully unleashed her charm magic, Lin Yun slowly began to calm down. Seeing him gradually fall under her control, Fang Yu'er relaxed.
Lin Yun knew his plan had succeeded. And so, he began to speak, his voice slow and measured.
"I came here under the orders of Prince Zuo Cheng to investigate. Recently, there have been reports of bandits murdering people in the surrounding areas."
Hearing the word "bandits," Fang Yu'er's frantic heart stabilized. So, he didn't yet know what they were really doing. There was still time.
"Hee hee, so Big Brother Lin has such an identity," she giggled. "I'd like to know, is that all Prince Zuo Cheng knows?"
Lin Yun maintained his dazed and confused act. "The Prince only suspects there is a problem here and sent us to investigate."
"You came alone?" Fang Yu'er asked.
Lin Yun shook his head. "I am only the advance scout. More people will be arriving later."
Fang Yu'er sucked in a sharp breath. This was not good. If more of them came, it would be impossible to handle.
She then asked a few more questions, all of which Lin Yun answered truthfully. After a short while, a coughing sound came from the courtyard. Fang Yu'er glanced at Lin Yun, then gave a small wave of her hand. Lin Yun, cooperating perfectly, pretended to faint on the bed.
After doing this, Fang Yu'er finally left the room.
Outside the door stood Fang Wenhe. "How did it go?"
"Everything is taken care of," Fang Yu'er replied. "But Elder, Prince Zuo Cheng didn't just send one person this time. There are more coming."
Fang Wenhe's head throbbed. "That does sound like the Prince's style." But he didn't appear too worried. "Since he has arranged for multiple people, we will just have this boy send a message back first. Don't worry, our people on that side will coordinate with us. It will be foolproof. However, you will have to go with him."
Fang Yu'er was surprised. "Elder, you want me to go personally? But that's Wangjing!"
Fang Wenhe sneered. "What are you afraid of? You don't cultivate our Crimson Ghost Sect's techniques, and your own methods are unique. You are the most suitable person to go. Rest assured, after this matter is successfully concluded, I will be sure to praise your contributions to our superiors."
Another empty promise.
Although Fang Yu'er understood this in her heart, she didn't dare to resist. She could only grit her teeth and nod in agreement.