Chapter 23: Move, get inside...

Yunzhou City is the capital of the Great Liang Kingdom. Under the very nose of the Emperor, one sees no signs of the underworld on the surface. However, in a major metropolis with a permanent population of over a million, it is unrealistic to claim there are no dark corners.

Around the West Market of the capital, half of the city’s martial arts schools, security firms, and carriage transport businesses are concentrated. It is a place where all walks of life converge, a favorite stopping point for martial artists entering the capital. The Black Office has also planted many "informants" among the common folk there.

Ye Jingtang intends to impersonate the "Wingless Owl" to lure the snake out of its hole. The Black Office is fully cooperative; since yesterday, Wang Chihu has had his informants spread rumors through the streets—tales of "thefts in noble households," "suspected sightings of the Wingless Owl," and "the theft of a dildo, now being fenced."

All Ye Jingtang has to do is sneakily approach the "black market channels" provided by the Black Office and offer the "dildo" for sale, thereby attracting the attention of those with ulterior motives.

Although Wang Chihu appears boisterous and somewhat unreliable, his ability to get things done is truly remarkable. Ye Jingtang had expected to spend several days wandering before Wang Chihu could stir up any rumors, yet, as he walked, he overheard a conversation:

"Brother Wang, have you heard? The Wingless Owl has struck again..."
"Oh? Really? Whose house did he hit this time?"
"Word has it he snuck into the Prime Minister’s residence and stole a..."
"Whoa! Is the Wingless Owl that bold?"
"He has never lacked nerve. It is said that item was essential for Prime Minister Li’s marital affairs. By obtaining it, isn't it the same as having indirectly touched the Prime Minister’s wives and concubines..."

The light rain continued, and the sky darkened imperceptibly.

Ye Jingtang, leading his horse through the sparsely populated streets, felt a complicated mix of emotions upon hearing the whispers from the teahouse. Throughout the day, he had merely wandered the capital, visiting several shops to ask for prices on the "dildo" without even having to invent a backstory.

Yet, the imaginative capacity of the idle commoners was truly formidable. They added fuel to the fire, concocting wild theories that turned a nonsensical event into a scandal of lost virtue, even going so far as to lament and curse the Wingless Owl for being a scoundrel. Some even described the usage of the object so vividly, as if they had personally witnessed the Prime Minister’s wife inserting the "dildo" into her private parts.

News regarding such intimate matters between men and women spreads quickly anywhere. Ye Jingtang had initially been skeptical of this method, but hearing the ruffians in the teashop gossiping about it convinced him that if the Wingless Owl were in the capital, he would surely hear the rumors. All he had to do was wait for him at a shop capable of fencing such goods.

Luo Ning, trailing behind him and holding the box like a bashful young wife, turned pale upon hearing these lewd remarks, wishing she could smash the filthy object in her arms right then and there. But that was impossible. As the sky grew dark, Luo Ning asked, "Where to now?"

Ye Jingtang’s public wandering had attracted much attention, but after he and Luo Ning scrutinized the crowd, they found only ordinary martial artists who had heard the rumors; there was no trace of any expert with extraordinary lightness skills.

Under the agitation of the Black Office, almost every place where the underworld converged was buzzing with the story of "the Wingless Owl’s deft theft of the phallus." If the "Wingless Owl" were hiding in the capital, he could not fail to hear the commotion. To find him, they only needed to wait at a shop that handled stolen goods.

Ye Jingtang estimated that the Wingless Owl might already be watching from the shadows, but his movement techniques were too refined for them to detect. If they were to call it a day and go home now, they would likely blow their cover. He pondered for a moment.

"Ning’er, shall we continue looking for a place to offload the goods, or rest for the night?"

Luo Ning hesitated. In her view, the rumors spread by the Black Office had likely reached every corner of the city. For them to continue their charade and try to sell the goods now seemed too forced. But they could not return to Shuanggui Lane; if they were to rest, they would have to find an inn.

The two were disguised as a martial arts couple—if they stayed at an inn, they would have to sleep in the same room...

Luo Ning slowed her pace, hesitated, and whispered, "You are the man; you make the decision."

Ye Jingtang nodded slightly, scanned the street, and walked toward an inn by the roadside.

Luo Ning secretly gritted her teeth. With the mission at stake, she did not show any outward sign of distress and followed him inside.

"Waiter, one top-tier room. Feed the horses well and bring up some hot water."
"Right away, guests. Please, this way."

Soon, they arrived at a room on the second floor. After the waiter departed, Ye Jingtang entered, went to the window, and tapped twice.

"Coo~"
Niao Niao, who had been on guard in the shadows, was waiting outside the inn and responded to the signal.

Ye Jingtang felt a sense of relief. He removed his bamboo hat and straw cape, then turned to look at the swordswoman.

Luo Ning closed the door, removed her veil to reveal her stunning, mature face, and scanned the room. It was a standard "large bed room." The window faced away from the street, and it was flanked by other guest rooms. Inside, there was a square table, a tea set, and a large canopy bed draped in green mosquito netting against the wall.

Luo Ning glanced at the bed, mindful of walls having ears, and sat down at the tea table with a cold expression. "The rumors outside are intense. Let us take turns keeping watch so the bailiffs don't catch us off guard!"

Ye Jingtang sat down beside her, gesturing toward the window—signaling that taking turns wouldn't help lure the snake—but he smiled and said, "What is there to fear? Do you not trust my skills? Those few little tails following us earlier were all shaken off. Sleep easy."

Luo Ning blinked, wanting to say something but finding no excuse. She rose and sat before the vanity, pretending to comb her hair.

Saying too much would risk exposure. The two stopped chatting. After the waiter brought the hot water, they washed up like ordinary travelers. Ye Jingtang walked to the bed, placed the box by the pillow, and collapsed onto the mattress.

"Whew..."

Luo Ning sat at the edge of the bed, eyeing the man on the mattress with complex emotions. She couldn't sleep at the table all night. After gritting her teeth for a long while, she finally touched the soft sword at her waist, sat down on the bed, and glared at Ye Jingtang.

Seeing her look as if she were ready to kill, Ye Jingtang shook his head and sighed, "Go to sleep. We might have to bolt in the night; no need to undress."

After glaring at him for a moment, Luo Ning finally lay down on the pillow. With her hand constantly resting on her sword and keeping a foot of distance from Ye Jingtang, she closed her eyes, appearing to sleep while keeping her senses alert.

But falling asleep instantly would hardly look like a married couple. To make the act more convincing, Ye Jingtang tilted his head to look at the sandalwood box between them.

"Ning’er, have you ever used this thing in private?"

*?*
*Are you insane?!*

The swordswoman opened her beautiful peach-blossom eyes, filled with embarrassment and annoyance, and whispered through clenched teeth, "What nonsense are you spouting? Go to sleep!"

Luo Ning possessed an ethereal beauty; even without makeup, she was extraordinary. Whether angry or annoyed, her eyes held a heart-stopping allure. As they lay on the pillows, face to face, the distance was so close that every tremble of her eyelashes was visible.

*Rustle, rustle...*

Outside the window, the drizzle continued. Aside from their breathing, there was no sound in the room. Ye Jingtang looked at the side profile of the beauty so close to him, thought for a moment, and added, "Are you still angry? I truly didn't mean it last time. You were almost discovered by the bailiffs, and I was just trying to help. Who could have known you wouldn't cooperate at all..."

Luo Ning’s small, rounded chest rose and fell beneath her clothes. She said flatly, "Enough. It’s in the past. If I really blamed you, I would have castrated you long ago."

Though it was an act, her words were true. Ye Jingtang smiled and closed his eyes, feigning sleep while secretly listening for movement outside.

Not long after, the hoot of an owl echoed in the distance. "Coo~ Coo..."

The sound of an owl is common at night and unremarkable, but Ye Jingtang felt a jolt in his heart; he understood Niao Niao’s signal—there were suspicious figures outside. He hadn't expected the fish to bite so quickly. He turned his gaze toward Luo Ning.

Luo Ning also recognized the sound. To avoid alerting the intruder, she turned over, met Ye Jingtang’s eyes, and mouthed, "What now?"

Ye Jingtang listened intently. Because he couldn't pinpoint the intruder's location, he signaled with his eyes not to alert the enemy, then spoke in the tone of a couple chatting, "Why do I feel like you're still angry?"

Luo Ning kept her expression serious, listening for any stirrings outside the window, and responded in kind, "When have I been angry with you?"

"Sleeping so far away, if that's not anger, what is?"

*?!*
*You little thief!*

Luo Ning’s eyes widened, looking as if she wanted to devour him.

There was indeed a faint movement outside; someone seemed to be eavesdropping on the roof, but their exact position remained unclear. Luo Ning was furious, but for the sake of the mission, she moved closer until they shared the same pillow, their faces only two fists apart. She raised a delicate hand and made a scissors gesture, signaling him not to play with fire.

Ye Jingtang understood. Keeping his eyes on the window, he reached out to pull Luo Ning closer.

*?!*

Seeing him push his luck, Luo Ning leaned back to dodge, glaring at him—the look in her eyes clearly saying, *Little thief, are you tired of living?*

Ye Jingtang paused, then leaned toward her ear, whispering with the intensity of a mosquito’s buzz: "What am I supposed to say? I can't kiss you, and we can't just lie here staring at each other, can we?"

The hot breath against her earlobe and neck made Luo Ning shiver, and she averted her eyes. But lying face to face without any movement would surely arouse suspicion. Gritting her teeth, she gestured to the bed, signaling him to shake it.

"No foreplay? We're just going to start shaking?"

*Foreplay?*

Luo Ning didn't fully understand, but fearing that waiting too long would alert the intruder, she steeled herself. She covered Ye Jingtang’s mouth with her hand, pinned him to the pillow, leaned in, and kissed the back of her own hand.

*Smack...*