Chapter 38: The Hostage Packer

At this moment, the beast was carrying Ding Chong, darting through the capital at high speed. In less than two quarters of an hour, he had already crossed from the east side of the city to the west.

Passing through various wards, Wang Lu moved with great haste. With less than half an hour until the curfew, he hoped to reach his destination before the streets were locked down; otherwise, encountering the night watchmen or patrols would be nothing but trouble.

Huanghua Ward was now right before his eyes. Rather than walking down the main street, which was filled with a decadent air, Wang Lu bypassed it through a small grove behind the street to reach the small courtyard of the Warm Fragrance Pavilion.

Carrying someone over a wall made quite a bit of noise, but fortunately, both Guo Zhen and Ding Chong were lean. Ding Chong was little more than skin and bones, and carrying her on his shoulder was quite uncomfortable for Wang Lu.

Aside from Zhou Miaotong's room, all the other chambers were dark. Wang Lu felt a surge of relief; it saved him the trouble of picking a lock.

"Miaotong, it's me."

Wang Lu’s voice was very distinct to Zhou Miaotong. The door opened from the inside immediately, revealing her breathtakingly beautiful face—the kind that made one want to bully her.

"Come inside first."

Seeing Wang Lu carrying yet another person, Zhou Miaotong was momentarily speechless, but she quickly realized this was not the time to dwell on such things.

Her slender fingers rested lightly on Wang Lu’s arm as she ushered him in. Once the door was shut, she asked nervously, "Why another one? And this one looks like a girl?"

Seeing Zhou Miaotong’s adorable expression, Wang Lu tossed Ding Chong onto the floor and pointed at her. "Don't underestimate her. She’s a practitioner of martial arts; three or five ordinary men wouldn't be able to get close to her."

Zhou Miaotong’s mouth opened slightly in shock.

Wang Lu sat down and poured himself a pot of tea. Zhou Miaotong quickly tried to stop him. "The tea is cold. Let me brew a fresh pot for you, my lord."

"No need, tsk—this is fine. It’s refreshing when it’s cold," Wang Lu said with a smile. "By the way, this person also needs to stay with you for a couple of days, but I’ll be taking Guo Zhen away tomorrow."

Zhou Miaotong felt a sense of resistance, but since Wang Lu had already decided, what could she do even if she disagreed? She lowered her head and whispered, "Understood."

Noticing that Zhou Miaotong was somewhat displeased, Wang Lu pulled a hundred-tael banknote from his pocket and slapped it onto the table.

"One hundred taels..." Zhou Miaotong was drawn to the banknote, but she was startled when she saw the amount.

"My lord, this is too much..."

Before she could finish her refusal, Wang Lu interrupted, "This isn't from me; it’s from your sister."

"My sister!?" Zhou Miaotong looked at him in astonishment.

Wang Lu said, "If you don’t believe me, take a sniff. It still carries the scent of your sister’s powder. You can tell she carries it on her person daily."

"I don't want it." Zhou Miaotong suddenly grabbed Wang Lu’s hand and stuffed the banknote back into it.

If Wang Lu hadn't known that Zhou Miaotong lacked the power to fight him, he might have reacted aggressively and pinned her down on the spot.

"What are you doing? Money, it’s money! If you don’t want this, what do you want?" Wang Lu asked, eyeing her with annoyance.

As Wang Lu moved to block her, she fell into his arms. Sitting on his lap, Zhou Miaotong explained, "You refuse to tell me about my sister’s situation, but her circumstances cannot be good. Please return this money to her for me; just let her take care of herself."

"So self-sacrificing, such deep sisterly love?" Wang Lu accepted the money, wrapping his other arm around her willow-thin waist, and raised an eyebrow.

"My lord, please don't mock me. I just don't want my sister to sacrifice herself for my sake. I cannot bear that."

At this moment, Zhou Miaotong’s face was only an inch away from Wang Lu’s. The scent of orchids drifted into his nostrils, causing him to narrow his eyes. He smiled and said, "You sisters are truly interesting, each looking out for the other. Rest assured, your sister has latched onto someone wealthy. This amount of money is like a single hair from a nine-oxen hide to her; it’s not worth mentioning."

"My sister has her own fortune, but Miaotong has you now, doesn't she, my lord?" Zhou Miaotong bit her lip, leaning forward slightly, her passionate eyes fixed on Wang Lu.

Every movement now carried an inexplicable allure.

Wang Lu gave a cold, sharp smile, tapped her cheek, and asked, "What’s wrong? Hearing your sister found a wealthy man, you don’t want to lose out? You know best where my money comes from. If things go wrong, you’ll be sitting in prison with me."

Zhou Miaotong looked into his eyes and said, "I have long been yours, my lord. Now that these two are in my room, no matter how reasonable my words are, I am already tied to you."

"That is true," Wang Lu nodded. "Though, I am quite surprised by how obedient you are."

"My sister is in your hands, and you are a high-ranking official of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. As a woman of fallen status, what courage would I have to oppose you?" Zhou Miaotong said, her eyelashes fluttering lightly.

Wang Lu nodded. He wasn't surprised by the answer, though the ease of it made him realize he had underestimated the influence the Flying Fish Uniform had on her.

Just as Zhou Miaotong parted her red lips to say something, faint footsteps sounded from outside. Wang Lu immediately reached out to cover her mouth.

"Miss, several gentlemen have come to see you. The Madam sent word that since you said you were feeling unwell, you should be rested by now. She wants you to come over and appease them."

A clear, refined voice came from outside. Meeting Wang Lu’s questioning gaze, Zhou Miaotong pointed to his hand over her mouth.

Seeing that there was no deceit in her eyes—and knowing her life was in his hands—Wang Lu released her and signaled her to proceed.

"I understand. Tell the Madam I will be there shortly." After she spoke, a response came from outside, and the footsteps soon faded away.

"My lord, you are pressing against me," Zhou Miaotong said, her face flushing.

Wang Lu stood up, his expression unchanged. "A natural reaction. I will come find you at the Warm Fragrance Pavilion later."

"Understood," Zhou Miaotong replied, lowering her head. "I will go out first and check. Once I’m sure no one is around, you can leave."

Wang Lu gave a noncommittal nod. He went to Ding Chong, fed her a pill, bound her hands and feet, and stuffed her into another wardrobe.

Though the two were of different genders, their treatment was completely reversed—but then again, who told Ding Chong to be skilled in martial arts?

Before long, Zhou Miaotong confirmed that the area was clear. Watching Wang Lu "package" Ding Chong, she said, "I’m heading out. Change your clothes when you’re done before coming over. Those wealthy men and officials are most afraid of the Flying Fish Uniform."

Wang Lu looked up and nodded. "Understood."