Ming Suwen needed to have a bath with fragrances added every day, or she couldn't sleep. Tonight was an exception. After she bathed and got dressed, she headed out, blessing the air with her scent.
As Shen Yiren's special new superstar, Ming Suwen was granted her own courtyard in the Female Constables courtyard instead of having to stay in the dorms. Her personal courtyard was clean and eloquent. Fake mountains and flower gardens were erected. Hence, the smell of blossoms was notable despite it being winter. Shen Yiren had someone prepare both of them beforehand. Understandably, people were jealous of Ming Suwen.
Frankly, the special privileges Shen Yiren granted Ming Suwen were already beyond merely an exception. It was considered a case almost unheard of. Ming Suwen wasn't a fan of peace and quiet, however. She'd invite her young senior sisters over to admire the flowers or dine outdoors. Every day and all day was practically a picnic to them; the once peaceful courtyard turned into a carnival ground.
Ming Suwen adhered to a disciplined lifestyle. She was no longer nocturnal, but tonight was an exception because she heard Tang Ye returned to the office to report in. News of Ming Feizhen, Su Xiao and Tang Ye being assigned to other offices was no longer news. She hadn't seen them since they left. Ming Feizhen did send a letter; however, he didn't pay her a visit. That was unacceptable. Since the trio were always together – so she assumed, she had to go and question Tang Ye.
As soon as Ming Suwen stepped into the front courtyard, she saw someone open the main door and enter. The girl who entered was the owner of a sultry body that the men plastered their eyes to. The maiden approximately twenty years old donned a light blue robe with a golden flower sewn onto her satin dress. She dangled her sword from her waist. The charming, yet hearty, maiden was none other than the Qilin Guard's Si Fu.
Upon stepping through the doors, Si Fu glanced over to Old Huang. She gave him a smile as if he was her family's manager: "Hello, Grandpa Huang."
The heat of desire rushed to the faces of the young constables Si Fu passed by. Rumour had it her best skill was setting honeytraps, a strategy she commonly used to recruit new blood for the Qilin Guards, or so they say. Despite her elegant and charming appearance, she was far from being classified as a moral woman. They claimed she had conducted countless shameless deals on beds with young men. Young men knew Si Fu was a devil, but her beauty and gentle voice were irresistible. Principles? They couldn't ask for anything more than to raise their hand and sign up to be her victim.
Grandpa Huang was the only man to not ogle Si Fu. They say a man seldom lives until he is seventy, but Grandpa Huang did. He had a son and daughter; in fact, he already had grandchildren. Moreover, as a cleaner, he had seen every type of character that could exist. Even the Emperor had walked on paths he had swept before. As an accomplished man, his ability to resist a girl's charms was heads and shoulders above the young ones.
Grandpa Huang: "Hello, Miss. What are you here for today?"
"I passed by Eternity House today and spotted a few pieces of jewellery that looked decent, so I bought them for your vice-captain. I am here to give them to her."
Si Fu wasn't on duty for the day. With nothing on her hands, she visited Liu Shan Men to see if she could pry some information out of them. She was allowed to enter the three law enforcement offices, as the Emperor granted her the role of a supervisor. In saying that, there was a time and place for inspections. Three inspections per month were considered plenty; she dropped in once every three days. Her frequent, not to mention cheerful attitude, gradually convinced everyone except Shen Yiren to lower their guard against her. They, as a matter of fact, considered her one of them.
Smiling, Si Fu stated, "Your vice-captain is absent, though. I shall ask someone to take it on her behalf. I heard Tang Ye is back. Where is he?"
Despite knowing Tang Ye didn't know a lick about jewellery, Grandpa Huang didn't question the idea. Instead, he answered, "Head to the archives room."
Si Fu wasted no time twerking her hip and strutting off elegantly. The men behind her forgot to breathe for several seconds. As for Grandpa Huang, he picked his nose and scoffed, "She has a different agenda every time. One visit is to visit Vice Captain. The next visit is to deliver documents, but she's always running off to Young Tang. Delivering jewellery and documents? You mean delivering yourself to his arms."
To be frank, Si Fu wasn't sure why she was so fond of visiting Liu Shan Men, either. She always quarrelled with Shen Yiren and was there for business. Nine of her last ten visits were to see Tang Ye, though. He left a deep impression on her ever since their first clash. When she heard he visited a brothel, she felt frustrated for no reason.
Si Fu was in her own world as she headed to the archives room. She had no idea Ming Suwen was already watching her and giggling from another corner. Ming Suwen's qinggong prowess and ability to hide her presence had reached a point where Ming Feizhen wouldn't have been able to sense her from that distance, let alone Si Fu.
Tang Ye returned to Liu Shan Men to store a file of Lu Xiazou's case after he reported in at the Ministry of Rites. Upon seeing Si Fu, he indifferently asked, "Miss Si? What are you doing here?"
Tang Ye showed no surprise as usual: "Did the Qilin Guards send you to keep tabs on me again? Neither our captain nor vice-captain is present. There's no news for you to pry."
Tang Ye's straight face led to Si Fu grumbling, "I can't visit if I'm not here to inspect you? I can go wherever I like. I don't owe you any explanations."
Si Fu wasn't a fan of engaging in verbal barbs. Nevertheless, she couldn't maintain her elegant demeanour around Tang Ye.
Peeking from outside the room, Ming Suwen easily read the situation between the two. She thought to herself, "My, my, Young Tang, your womanising skills don't pale in comparison to Feizhen's at all. Tsk, tsk, she's beautiful enough to be worthy of him."
Tang Ye placed a scroll down and left: "In that case, I shall not get in your way."
Si Fu gently bit down her lip. Tang Ye's indifferent attitude was frustrating: "Wait!"
Si Fu shoved a container of jewellery into Tang Ye's hands and grumbled, "This is my present for your vice-captain. Keep it safe and pass it on to her for me."
After letting it register in his mind, Tang Ye pinched his eyebrows together: "Me again…? That's the fourth time this month. You two sure are good friends…"
Miss Juese felt sorry and frustrated for Si Fu. By the same token, Si Fu's approach didn't sit right with her. She thought, "She likes him to the point she's ready to call him her husband, yet she's in self-denial. Young Tang is a block of wood. I doubt he'd understand her feelings even if she stripped down for him. Now this is a fun pair."
Cognizant of the fact she was also in self-denial at one point, Ming Suwen couldn't help blushing. Her romance with Ming Feizhen should've been smooth sailing, but she refused to admit to her feelings back then, so she bore a semblance to Si Fu. She realised Si Fu would deny it whenever an opportunity presented itself, for she was slightly older than Tang Ye and too proud to admit to her feelings. Ming Suwen's own romance helped her sympathise with Si Fu.
Tang Ye counted the number of items in the container then intended to leave. Si Fu wanted to stop him. Alas, she didn't know what to say. As such, Ming Suwen furtively finger speared a gust of wind at Si Fu's knee.
Si Fu gently moaned as her knee buckled, leading to her tripping toward Tang Ye. Tang Ye reactively caught Si Fu in his arms. He instinctively felt a new sensation when he caught her; he was a healthy young man, after all. No matter how skilled he was as a fighter, his natural urges were undeniable.
"Wh-What happened?"
"M-My leg is sore. I don't know what happened."
Ming Suwen's usage of Mount Daluo's technique and exceptional control of her output prevented Si Fu from thinking an enemy ambushed her. Si Fu just felt a burning sensation and ache up her legs. She couldn't determine if it was due to something within her or an external force.
Si Fu was going to massage her legs, but she discovered her arms were on Tang Ye. His scent and arm around her waist sealed her strength. He felt her body temperature creep up. As a result, his heart rate gradually picked up. Instead of releasing her as he was supposed to, he couldn't resist tightening his hold on her.
"Ah!" moaned Si Fu, looking up at Tang Ye out of confusion.
Tang Ye blushed: "S-Sorry! I'll help you over there."
Si Fu couldn't manifest any of her strength. Hence, instead of helping her, Tang Ye needed to pull her in tight, thereby increasing their points of contact. That was the first time Tang Ye had to deal with the challenge, and he had no idea where to start.
Given Tang Ye's strength, Si Fu's waist couldn't stand the pressure around it. There was nothing enchanting about having her waist crushed. Somewhat irate, she questioned, "What now? Didn't you say you'd help me?"
In Tang Ye's mind: "Help you? Where am I supposed to put my hands?"
Tang Ye didn't know a thing about romance, nor was he interested enough to research it. When a beauty landed in his arms, nonetheless, he was unable to stay level headed, especially after he touched her cleavage when he caught her. He felt his mouth go dry and knew he needed to release her as soon as possible. Otherwise…
Tang Ye clenched his teeth. He reached down with his left arm and picked Si Fu up into a princess carry. Startled, she wrapped both arms around his neck and leaned against his double-barrel chest. At the same time, her cheeks looked as if they were panted red.
Si Fu found Tang Ye's gentle approach and reluctance to hold her unmanly. When they interacted physically, however, she couldn't describe the magical butterflies in her stomach. Funnily, she would've praised other men for being polite and cultured if they avoided touching her. She giggled and mumbled, "Why did you suddenly hug me…?"
There was no way Si Fu could hide her flame of desire and smile. She gently poked Tang Ye's chest. Startled, he staggered back several steps. Seeing his red face had her giggling: "What's the matter? You're not afraid to fight me. What, are you scared I'm going to eat now or something?"
Si Fu loved Tang Ye's embarrassed reaction. Little did she know her benefactor, Miss Juese, was laughing so hard she was clinging to her belly.
Awkwardly, Tang Ye said, "Since your legs are sore, I shall… take you to a doctor."
Si Fu raised a hand to stop Tang Ye: "My legs are feeling better, so there's no need. Just sit down and have a chat with me."
Tang Ye sat down, and the two fell into silence, both thinking, "Wh-What should I say?"
The silence was nerve-wracking. Tang Ye couldn't maintain his composure whenever he thought of Si Fu's enchanting eyes. The problem was he didn't know to say. As a genuine block of wood, he could interpret Si Fu's flirting as a challenge and a love letter as a written challenge to a duel. It wouldn't be surprising if he mistook paying for a meal was swindling. In short, everything in his life revolved around martial arts. Asking him to think of a conversation topic was asking for the impossible. Knowing he was a man of few words, Si Fu didn't make it hard on him.
Si Fu, sounding similarly to an elder sister checking on her younger brother, asked, "What job did His Majesty send you on? You appear quite busy."
Having lost his parents, Tang Ye seldom had anyone care about him. Hence, Si Fu's question warmed his heart. Si Fu, on the other hand, was embarrassed, judging her tone to be excessively intimate. Unfortunately, she was powerless to alter what was already done. She, therefore, continued with the tone.
Tang Ye smiled without even realising it as he proceeded to recount the recent events for her. Needless to say, Liu Shan Men's lesser lord had no clue how to pick interesting parts or spice up his story up to win Si Fu's smile. He sounded as if he was reporting to his superior. Still, she was completely drawn in and would occasionally grin. She couldn't have cared less about Kong Duan's capture. When Tang Ye got to the parts involving him, however, she'd respond. She was furious when she heard he was forced to eat fifty baskets of buns in one sitting. If it was within her power, she'd have the Qilin Guards teach the unscrupulous owner a lesson.
The two were so immersed in their chatter and laughing that they didn't realise how much time had passed. Since the atmosphere between them was good – relatively speaking, Si Fu suddenly glanced at Tang Ye. She coyly stated, "Tang Ye, when I had my medication today, I heard something."
Tang Ye looked up: "What was it?"
"…" Si Fu grumbled, "Why didn't you ask me about the medication?"
Tang Ye nodded: "What medicine was it?"
In Si Fu's mind: "Don't ask me what the medication was! Ask me why I had to take medication! My god!"
"Are… you sick? Was that why you your legs went weak? Miss Si, you are usually busy with loads of work. You should not force yourself to come here again for some jewellery. You should just send someone instead."
Si Fu found Tang Ye's response equally comical as it was frustrating. It couldn't have been any more obvious she dropped by Liu Shan Men to see him, yet he was oblivious.
"Cough, cough!" someone outside the door coughed, startling the two as Si Fu went to speak.
The two were both adepts in their own right and would keep people at arm's length before verifying they were a friendly. However, they never detected Ming Suwen's presence. It was as embarrassing as walking into an object with everyone looking… Actually, maybe it was equally awkward.
Ming Suwen covered her eyes, pretending she was too innocent to view a censorship-worthy scene, but she was blatantly peeking between the gaps in her fingers. Giggling, she said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't want to interrupt, but it seemed you two would be talking for a while. I didn't want to have to wait until sunrise to ask my question. Sorry. Say, have you seen Feizhen?"
"N-No!" responded Si Fu, before Tang Ye could answer.
Si Fu saw something. Though it wasn't certain what that was, she felt vulnerable and guilty before Ming Suwen. Something told her… Ming Suwen was one person she didn't want to be on the bad side of.
Tang Ye hopelessly shook his head: "Big Brother has returned to the capital, but he left for some business."
"I see." Ming Suwen touched her smooth chin and stopped to think. She then said, "Thanks for that, hihi. Take your time."
Ming Suwen left the same way she dropped in.
"Big Brother went to the temple fair…" said Tang Ye. "Why didn't you let me tell her?"
"I recognise her… She's Ming Suwen. She's known as The Demoness in the pugilistic world. I heard she was the Demonness who once ruled the North. She bases decisions and actions based on her preferences. Years ago, she apparently killed dozens of orthodox and unorthodox sects' adepts, thereby becoming notorious in the martial world. Other legends say she goes through men one after another and uses dual cultivation to increase her own strength. I recognised her at first glance when you all attended Liu Shan Men's recruitment exams. She's joined Liu Shan Men now?"
"All I know is she is Big Brother's aunt."
Si Fu furtively glanced at Tang Ye. Tone unfriendly, she expressed, "She's also the North's Martial Realm's most beautiful woman. She's ranked in the top three of both the Red and Pink Reflections' Beauties' Rankings. If you ask me, she'd be at the top of both rankings if her whereabouts weren't always a mystery, and she didn't have such a bad reputation. Y-You better steer clear of her."
Tang Ye furrowed his eyebrows: "What does that have to do with whether or not she is beautiful…?"
"How does it not?! You know…"
While the two began to get rowdy and go back and forth again, Miss Juese headed back to her room.
"They sure are young." Ming Suwen raised her hands and stretched her back out. She gazed at the dark blanket overhead. Whatever came to mind made her chuckle. She remarked, "Feizhen will probably be here soon. How should I welcome him?"
Nobody would've been able to comprehend how Ming Suwen reached that conclusion. In her case, she knew Ming Feizhen as well as the back of her hand. Since he was back in the capital, he would unquestionably pay her a visit. How could he not miss her when she missed him so dearly?
Ming Suwen skipped back to her room with a mischievous smile. She behaved the same way a newlywed wife waiting for her husband to return.
"I know… Hihihi."
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