"You're brilliant, Brother. So it was all part of your plan. That sets my mind at ease." Ye Hanshuang's face was filled with admiration after hearing Pei Shaoqing's plan.
She didn't find him sinister or ruthless, nor did she fear him for it. She knew he would never use such tactics on her. From roaming the Jianghu together to carving out their own mountain kingdom, they had faced life and death side-by-side for years. They weren't siblings by blood, but their bond was stronger than any family tie.
Pei Shaoqing glanced out the window. Judging by the hour, it was the middle of the night. He said, "It's getting late. I'll head back now. You should return to the stronghold and make your arrangements as well."
With that, he rose and started for the door.
"Brother!" Ye Hanshuang shot to her feet. The sudden movement caused her ample chest to heave and tremble. They were truly enormous; even through her clothes, one could imagine their soft, supple texture, a springy firmness that would yield to the slightest touch, sparking the imagination.
Yet Pei Shaoqing's gaze remained steady on her face. "Is there something else?" he asked, his expression curious.
'Even though I'm a man of appetites, and I definitely appreciate a woman with curves, I can't let lust cloud my judgment. I transmigrated without the original owner's memories, so I have no idea about the nuances of his relationship with Ye Hanshuang. I can't afford to make a wrong move. In front of her, I have to be the perfect older brother.'
"What about the woman you abducted? Does she need to be silenced too?" Ye Hanshuang's tone and expression were as cold as ever, but inside her boots, her toes curled tightly. She was simply worried that her brother might develop feelings for Xie Qingwu. After all, both Chen San and General Li had mentioned how beautiful the woman was.
'It would be one thing if Brother just fell for her.'
'But I'm afraid he'll actually *fall in love* with her!'
Pei Shaoqing shook his head. "We're keeping her. I need her help to pull off this impersonation. Don't worry, I'll be watching her constantly."
"But Brother, you killed her husband. She'll never let this go. Ladies from noble families like her are full of schemes," Ye Hanshuang said, her face devoid of expression.
Pei Shaoqing didn't feel like explaining further. He instinctively raised a hand to pat her head reassuringly, but after a glance at their height difference, he quietly lowered it again. "Relax. I won't give her the chance to harm me. That's it. I'm leaving."
With that, he turned, opened the door, and was gone.
Ye Hanshuang opened her mouth, but she could only swallow her words. She stared after his retreating figure, her soft, full lips pressed into a thin line. After standing rooted to the spot for a long moment, she finally grabbed the longsword from the table, secured it at her waist, and strode out.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Pei Shaoqing returned to the residence Zheng Xuancheng had arranged. He quietly pushed the door open. General Li was asleep, sprawled on the vanity stool. Xie Qingwu was also fast asleep on the bed, her posture perfectly straight and proper.
'Does this woman think that if she gets into bed first, I'll be too embarrassed to kick her off?'
'Her daring to sleep on the bed today is a test. If I let it slide, there's no telling what she'll dare to do tomorrow. Right from the start, I have to make it clear who's in charge of this 'cooperation' and nip her little schemes in the bud.'
Pei Shaoqing let out a cold scoff. He strode forward and ripped the blanket away, and then his eyes flew wide open.
"AH!" Xie Qingwu was awake. Though she was wearing an under-robe, she still instinctively scrambled to pull the blanket back over herself. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were heavy with sleep, but she glared at Pei Shaoqing, her voice thick with indignation. "You fiend! What do you think you're doing?"
"What... What are you wearing?" Pei Shaoqing stared, transfixed, at the part of her legs still visible from under the blanket. Her legs, which should have been fair and flawless, were encased in a sheer, glossy layer of white silk! 'There's no mistaking it! Those are white stockings!'
"This?" Xie Qingwu lifted one elegant leg, dangling her stocking-clad foot in front of Pei Shaoqing. She gave him a look one might give a country bumpkin. "This is Ice Silk. The annual yield is extremely small, making it a tribute good. All the nobles and high officials in the Capital City favor undergarments made from it. It's sheer and smooth, far more comfortable than regular silk."
'Ice Silk?' The more Pei Shaoqing stared, the more it looked exactly like modern stockings. 'How could the Great Zhou have something like this?' He reached out and snatched her foot, wanting a closer look.
"Hey! What are you doing? You bastard, let me go!"
Xie Qingwu's face instantly flushed crimson. She struggled to pull free, but her efforts were useless against his grip.
Pei Shaoqing brought the captured foot closer and closer to his face.
"See no evil, see no evil!" General Li shut its eyes tight, then shot to its feet with a gasp. "My Lord, please, don't bite! Allow this subordinate to take his leave!"
'I don't want to get silenced for seeing something I shouldn't.'
"Let go of me!" Xie Qingwu saw his face drawing nearer and nearer to her foot, looking for all the world like he was about to bite down. Tears of shame and indignation welled in her eyes.
"Don't move!" Pei Shaoqing snapped. Xie Qingwu and General Li, who had just started to turn away, both froze in place.
'No way, does the master like being watched?'
'But I'm a cat! Can I really add to the excitement?'
'My lord is such a pervert.'
Pei Shaoqing didn't, as both woman and cat suspected, put his mouth on it. He merely leaned in for a closer look. Only then did he discover that this Ice Silk was truly different from the often disposable stockings of his past life. It was seamless, as if woven from a single piece. It was as thin as a cicada's wing, had a brighter sheen, and felt cool and incredibly smooth to the touch.
He reluctantly released her foot. "Does this Ice Silk come in other colors?"
'I've always been partial to black.'
"Of course. Ice Silk can be dyed any color and made into any desired garment, be it robes or trousers. The craftsmanship required is just extremely demanding." Xie Qingwu breathed a sigh of relief, quickly snatching her foot back under the blanket.
After so many days in this world, this was the first time Pei Shaoqing felt a genuine connection to it. He had finally found something familiar from his past life, satisfying his particular passion and giving him a small sense of belonging.
'A stranger in a strange land... Who could possibly understand the thrill a wanderer feels upon seeing a treasure from his homeland?'
He then grabbed the front of Xie Qingwu's robes and hauled her up. In the process, her inner collar gaped open, revealing the corner of an embroidered bodice, also made of Ice Silk—a tantalizing glimpse of what lay beneath.
At the same time, he finally saw the full picture. The white "silk" was actually a pair of tights. The section above the thighs was a darker, more opaque color to prevent any indecorous exposure. 'But sometimes,' he thought, 'a little mystery is far more alluring.'
"What more do you want! Let me go!"
Dangling in the air, the color drained from Xie Qingwu's face. She kicked her legs and flailed her arms in a panic, as helpless as a puppy held up by the scruff of its neck.
"The bed is mine." Pei Shaoqing unceremoniously dropped her onto the floor, then tossed a pillow and two blankets down after her.
Then he kicked off his own boots and climbed into bed.
'I can't believe he actually threw me onto the floor!' Xie Qingwu thought, rubbing her bruised backside. She shot Pei Shaoqing a venomous glare, wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, and resolved to sleep.
'At least I've confirmed one thing,' she fumed. 'The man is an absolute beast!'
"General Li, the lights."
Pei Shaoqing called out softly, his eyes already closed.
"As you command." With a disappointed air, General Li hopped over, blew out the candles, and climbed back onto the vanity to sleep.
...............
The next morning, Xie Qingwu opened her eyes, groggy and disoriented to find herself on the floor. Everything that had happened the day before felt like a dream.
The next moment, General Li leaped from out of nowhere and landed in front of her. "You're finally awake! Quick, call the servants and have them bring breakfast! This General is starving to death!"
"Where is he?" Xie Qingwu instinctively glanced at the bed, only to find it empty.
"He left for the Hundred Households," General Li explained dismissively, before urging again, "Now, let's get some breakfast."
Xie Qingwu placed the pillow and blanket back on the bed. Accustomed to being waited on hand and foot since birth, she knew her maids were already waiting outside. "Cui'Er! Liu'Er!" she called out. "Tell the kitchens to prepare breakfast, then come help me with my toilette."
"Yes, Madam."
Meanwhile, Pei Shaoqing, now clad in the uniform of the Jing'an Guard, had already completed his official check-in at the Hundred Households. He was now officially a Squad Leader of the Jing'an Guard.
In the courtyard of the Hundred Households stood ten Jing'an Guard riders. They wore black robes with red cloud patterns embroidered on the collars, flat-topped black caps, and black longswords at their hips.
On the steps before them, Zheng Xuancheng, dressed in his official robes, gestured to Pei Shaoqing at his side. "From this day forward, Squad Leader Pei will be your superior officer."
"Greetings, Lord Pei!" the ten men saluted as one.
"At ease," Pei Shaoqing replied, full of confidence. He rested a hand on the hilt of his sword and declared, "We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another in the days to come. Right now, we have official business. Outside the city, the horse thieves of Phoenix Mountain, led by Xu Yuanqing, have been a plague for far too long. Their crimes are unforgivable. Today, I will lead you to eradicate this scourge and restore peace to the people!"
"Yes, sir!" the men answered in unison.
Though Xu Yuanqing's infamy was widespread, the Jing'an Guard had no reason to fear mere mountain bandits. Besides, they trusted that if the Hundred Households was making a move, a foolproof plan was already in place.
Pei Shaoqing turned back to Zheng Xuancheng and gave a salute. "Sir, I shall take my men and depart."
"Yes. The entire city and I shall await news of Squad Leader Pei's triumphant return," Zheng Xuancheng said with a broad smile.
"Yes, sir!" Pei Shaoqing flashed a confident smile. He turned, produced a white mask from his robes that covered his entire face save for his eyes, and put it on. With one hand on his sword hilt, he looked to his subordinates and gave a sweeping gesture. "Move out! To crush the bandits!"
"Yes, sir!" his subordinates chorused, donning their own masks in unison.
Black robes, white masks, and demon-warding blades—the standard gear of the Jing'an Guard.
As he watched Pei Shaoqing's retreating figure, the smile on Zheng Xuancheng's face slowly twisted into a cold, mocking sneer.