Volume One, Chapter 18: Pretending to Be Strangers with Him, Is That Right?

Yuan Yi stifled a laugh.

Madam, it has to be you! Who else could have such skill, to make our usually serene and unassuming master so popular!

Yuan Kaiji rode swiftly all the way to Licheng. Upon meeting Yuan Er and Yuan San who had come to receive him, he bluntly asked, “Where is that woman?”

Yuan Er and Yuan San exchanged uneasy glances. “Master, there was a mistake in the information. Only the shopkeeper from Chaoyang Trading House and a man claiming to be Young Master Yu from Cangxian Mountain arrived in Licheng. Madam was not seen.”

“Heh, Cangxian Mountain? Young Master Yu?” Yuan Kaiji’s lips involuntarily curved into a faint smile, leaving Yuan Er and Yuan San dumbfounded.

Has the master gone mad with anger? He actually smiled!

Terrifying!

Without hesitation, Yuan Er dropped to his knees with a sharp “啪” sound. “It is my incompetence that let Madam slip away. I deserve punishment, Master, please reprimand me!”

But Yuan Kaiji waved his hand dismissively. “Have water prepared first. I shall bathe, change clothes, and then meet this Young Master Yu from Cangxian Mountain.”

“Ah?” Yuan Er was momentarily stunned. “Master, you won’t look for Madam anymore?”

Yuan Yi looked at Yuan Er as if he were an idiot and kicked him. “Still standing there dazed? Hurry up!”

Yuan Kaiji carefully bathed, meticulously removing the stubble neglected from the journey, concealing the dark circles under his eyes with pearl powder. Donning a moon-white brocade robe and taking a jade bone fan, he stepped out with graceful demeanor, heading straight to the teahouse where Yan Weiyu and the others were.

Inside the teahouse, Yan Weiyu and He Yueyue were amicably negotiating prices with Fu Zhaoyuan.

On the table between the three sat a dagger encrusted with gems. Fu Zhaoyuan examined Yan Weiyu with interest. “Young Master Yu? Your Cangxian Mountain usually keeps to itself. Why intervene in the worldly affairs this time?”

Yan Weiyu smiled faintly. “Our Cangxian Mountain only remains aloof because this world is stable and peaceful.”

“Fu, you burned Clerk He’s tea leaves, capsized her salt and silk ships, and she plundered your Fu family’s iron. I took those as mere malicious competition. But this time, you dared set your sights on the grain. Ha! Whoever dares stretch a claw, I’ll cut that claw off.”

Fu Zhaoyuan sneered and lightly waved his hand. “Men—”

He Yueyue, composed, stared at Fu Zhaoyuan and called out loudly as well, “Men—”

Suddenly, the sounds of clashing weapons echoed outside.

The three inside maintained calm smiles and composed postures.

He Yueyue courteously picked up the teapot and poured Yan Weiyu another cup.

Yan Weiyu lifted the cup to her nose, inhaled, then looked up at Fu Zhaoyuan with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Young Master Fu, would you like a cup as well?”

Fu Zhaoyuan leaned back, arms crossed over his chest, looking at Yan Weiyu with contempt. “Why don’t you tell me about Cangxian Mountain, so I can broaden my horizons?”

Yan Weiyu sipped her tea deliberately and suddenly counted, “One, two, three!”

“Pfft—” Without warning, Fu Zhaoyuan spat a mouthful of blood.

Yan Weiyu and He Yueyue, as if expecting it, simultaneously dodged to both sides to avoid the splatter.

Fu Zhaoyuan pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and chuckled. “Clerk He, we truly are on the same wavelength.”

He Yueyue’s expression darkened as she glared sharply at Yan Weiyu.

Yan Weiyu expressionless, stretched out her hand and placed a plump insect on the table.

The insect, sensing the blood’s scent, immediately crawled toward it.

“This one?” Fu Zhaoyuan’s composure cracked as he leaned forward fiercely, eyes fixed on Yan Weiyu. “Impossible!”

“Puppet Gu—impressive, Young Master Fu. You actually managed to hire an expert from the Southern Borders,” Yan Weiyu smiled innocently. “Too bad, this Puppet Gu first drank your blood, Fu Zhaoyuan.”

Fu Zhaoyuan calmed himself and coldly reached out to He Yueyue. “Hand over the antidote.”

He Yueyue’s stance was firm. “Only if Young Master Fu delivers this batch of grain safely to me. If you dare play any tricks, prepare to rot from head to toe in ten days.”

Fu Zhaoyuan laughed heartily, then suddenly turned serious to He Yueyue. “Clerk He, as I said, we really are on the same wavelength. You use poison, how could I only use Gu? That was merely to entertain you.”

Yan Weiyu raised her hand and pointed at the incense burner and the screen not far away. “You mean those?”

Fu Zhaoyuan’s face shifted slightly. “You caught that again.”

Yan Weiyu smiled faintly. “We have shown no symptoms yet. How can you be so confident?”

He Yueyue suppressed the bitter taste rising in her throat and, together with Yan Weiyu, looked at Fu Zhaoyuan with casual composure.

“Master, our men are barely holding on,” a follower suddenly staggered in.

He Yueyue stood, smiling. “Young Master Fu, we await your safe delivery of the grain to my hands.”

Fu Zhaoyuan glared at her fiercely, then at Yan Weiyu, before staggering after his follower.

He Yueyue and Yan Weiyu could no longer endure and spat out large mouthfuls of blood.

“Bastard, he’s a madman!” Yan Weiyu cursed, unable to maintain her previously ethereal calm. “A madman!”

Yuan Kaiji entered and saw Yan Weiyu’s pale face stained with blood at the corner of her lips, angrily stomping her feet.

“You’ve been poisoned!” His brows knitted tightly as he stepped forward to check her pulse.

Yan Weiyu froze at the sudden enlargement of the familiar yet strange handsome face before her.

Only then did she realize: It was that man!

She had already handed out the token. How did he find this place?

No, she was disguised now!

Wearing men’s clothing!

He surely didn’t recognize her!

“Sir, have you come to the wrong room?” Yan Weiyu avoided Yuan Kaiji’s hand, stepping back, examining him like an ordinary stranger, her tone perfectly distant and unfamiliar.

“Heh—” Yuan Kaiji was annoyed by her pretense. If not for the brief shock he saw flash across her face, any normal person would have been fooled by this sly little fox’s act!

Playing stranger with him, huh?

Yuan Kaiji suddenly stepped forward sharply, closing the distance to the point their noses almost touched. “Why don’t you take another good look at my face? Recognize it?”

Yan Weiyu blinked her wide eyes, feigning confusion. “Who are you?”

“You don’t recognize me, huh?” Yuan Kaiji took a step back, gritting his teeth, then suddenly grabbed her, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and turned to leave. “Then let’s get to know each other all over again!”

He Yueyue clutched her chest, stunned, watching Yan Weiyu being carried out of the private room without resistance. Only then did she scramble to follow, calling out, “Young Master Yu—”

“Keep up!” Yuan Yi appeared from the side, reminding the dazed He Yueyue.