2: Chapter 2 Testing Jiang Yingrao

The sky was just beginning to turn the color of a fish's belly as dawn broke over the alleys of the capital's northern district.

A young girl, dressed in red as fiery as flames, stood in the shadows of the eaves.

Her face, capable of enchanting all living beings, was currently covered in a layer of frost, her eyes fixed intently on the staggering figure departing from the alley entrance.

“Useless trash.” Jiang Yingrao gritted her silver teeth, squeezing those words out from between them.

She then took a deep breath, a hint of doubt appearing on her face.

Yesterday, Chen Shanzhi had clearly followed her plan, bringing only one personal bodyguard at the Xuanguan Eight Apertures level.

Why did Zhao Er, who was at the Twelve Mysterious Apertures level, show up later?

It seemed this playboy Heir Apparent was not as much of a straw bag as she remembered.

As for Tang Liu, during her previous interactions with him, he had subtly hinted that even against someone at Xuanguan Peak, he wouldn't care once he played all his trump cards.

She just hadn't expected it from Tang Liu, who had previously left her with the impression of being a man of deep affection.

He actually couldn't bear to use his trump cards for the sake of his most beloved younger sister.

To think she had actually felt some goodwill toward him before; it seemed even she could misjudge someone.

Now that the plan had completely fallen through, it seemed she could only look for another opportunity.

“Chen Shanzhi...”

Jiang Yingrao narrowed her beautiful peach-blossom eyes, a wisp of pale red True Yuan swirling around her fingertips.

Since the soft approach didn't work, then don't blame This Saintess for playing hardball.

...

When the sun was high in the sky, at the capital's largest brothel, Yihong Pavilion.

Chen Shanzhi, fanning himself with a folding fan, swaggered across the threshold.

“Oh my, isn't this the Heir Apparent?”

Upon seeing Chen Shanzhi, the madam's face crinkled so much that her powder fell off in clumps. She twisted her bucket-like waist and came forward to greet him:

“It's so early in the morning, what wind blew you here? The girls were exhausted all night and probably haven't even woken up yet.”

“Cut the nonsense.” Chen Shanzhi casually tossed a gold ingot into the madam's arms. “Is Miss Youyou here?”

The madam caught the gold, her eyes widening, but she still showed a look of difficulty on her face:

“Heir Apparent, Miss Youyou is likely reading right now and doesn't like being disturbed. How about you come back later?”

“Reading? Isn't that perfect? This Heir also wishes to be a bit refined.”

Chen Shanzhi snapped his fan shut and headed upstairs with practiced ease.

“This...” The madam wanted to stop him but didn't dare to act, only able to watch as Chen Shanzhi walked upstairs.

If it had been the original playboy Heir Apparent, he would probably be down there pretending to be sophisticated, waiting for Miss Youyou to finish her reading and come down.

After all, Miss Youyou was the capital's top courtesan, proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and she sold her skills, not her body.

The playboy heirs of the capital were all suckers for that routine.

But Chen Shanzhi was different; he knew exactly what kind of place Yihong Pavilion was.

In the game, this Yihong Pavilion was the capital's branch of the White Lotus Sect.

That Miss Youyou was none other than the White Lotus Sect Saintess, Jiang Yingrao.

And his coming here this time was naturally not entirely because of last night's events.

Familiar with all the game's content, he knew that Jiang Yingrao possessed a treasure that ranked among the best in the entire game.

In the Middle Stage of the game, once the protagonist's favorability with Jiang Yingrao reached the maximum, they could obtain it.

Then it could be used all the way until the game's grand finale.

Chen Shanzhi arrived at the door of the Heaven Room Number One, a playful curl at the corner of his mouth.

Today, he was going to have negative favorability with this White Lotus Sect Saintess and then take that treasure.

“Creak!” Chen Shanzhi pushed open the door and walked in.

The room was decorated in a quiet and elegant manner, completely different from the vulgar styles outside.

On a soft couch by the window, a woman wearing a plain white gauze dress was holding a book, reading it carefully.

Hearing the movement, the woman's brow furrowed slightly as she looked up.

As she raised her head, the whole room truly seemed to brighten.

The woman's face was devoid of makeup, yet her complexion was like morning clouds reflecting on snow.

Between the shifts of her eyes, there was a naturally born allure, yet it was suppressed by her cold temperament, creating an extremely powerful contrast.

This was the capital's most popular pure entertainer, Miss Youyou.

“Heir Apparent?”

A flash of imperceptible surprise crossed Jiang Yingrao's eyes. Why did Chen Shanzhi come to her place so early in the morning?

Then, a hint of annoyance appeared on her face just at the right moment: “To barge into a lady's bedroom without knocking, is this the upbringing of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion?”

“Upbringing?” Chen Shanzhi closed the door behind him.

He then walked step by step to the soft couch, his gaze scanning Jiang Yingrao's body without restraint.

From that slender swan-like neck, to the exquisite figure wrapped in plain white gauze, and down to the jade-like feet resting on the edge of the couch.

“This Heir is famously lacking in upbringing. Is this Miss Youyou's first day knowing that?”

Chen Shanzhi chuckled and sat down on the soft couch, less than half a foot away from Jiang Yingrao.

Jiang Yingrao leaned back slightly, instinctively blocking her chest with the book in her hand, and said coldly: “Heir Apparent, please respect yourself! Although Courtesan Alias is in the pleasure quarters, I also know that men and women should not have improper physical contact.”

“As a Demonic Path enchantress, you're actually pretending to be cold and aloof quite well,” Chen Shanzhi thought to himself with amusement.

But who was he right now?

The entire capital knew that I am the lecherous Heir of the Marquis of Zhenguo.

“Since when did Miss Youyou and I become so distant?”

Chen Shanzhi unceremoniously reached out and grabbed one of Jiang Yingrao's soft hands.

“You!” Jiang Yingrao tried to pull her hand back as if she had received an electric shock, only to find that this playboy's grip was surprisingly strong, clamping onto her wrist like a pair of iron pliers.

“Heir Apparent, please let go!” Jiang Yingrao's pretty face was filled with anger, and there was already a hint of real fire in her eyes.

“Miss Youyou's hand is truly smooth, even more moist than the finest mutton-fat jade.”

Not only did Chen Shanzhi not let go, he even went further, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand with a frivolous look in his eyes:

“I heard that Miss Youyou is proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I wonder if these hands can do anything else besides playing the zither?”

Jiang Yingrao suppressed the urge to slap him to death and said coldly:

“If the Heir Apparent continues like this, Courtesan Alias will have to call for help.”

“Call for help?”

Chen Shanzhi leaned close to her face, their noses almost touching.

He could even smell the faint orchid fragrance on Jiang Yingrao's body:

“This is Yihong Pavilion, and I've paid my money. Besides, do you think those people outside would dare to come in and mind This Heir's business even if you screamed your lungs out?”

As he spoke, Chen Shanzhi's other hand actually landed boldly on Jiang Yingrao's thigh.

Through that thin layer of gauze, a warm sensation was instantly transmitted.

Jiang Yingrao's whole body stiffened, and a flash of Killing Intent appeared in her eyes.

The Heir Apparent before her was only at the Xuanguan Five Apertures level; as long as she made a move, she could make him deader than dead.

But she couldn't!

This was a stronghold that the White Lotus Sect had operated for decades. If the Heir of the Marquis of Zhenguo died here, the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion and the Jiantian Division would turn this place upside down.

The Holy Sect's decades of planning would be ruined in an instant.

Jiang Yingrao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her Killing Intent, her voice carrying a hint of grievance:

“Heir Apparent, if you truly like Courtesan Alias, we can sit down and have a good talk. Why must you use your hands and feet, disgracing refinement?”

“Refinement?” Chen Shanzhi sneered, his palm sliding gently along the curve of her thigh, feeling the tight skin beneath his palm instantly tense up.

“Miss Youyou, let's not mince words.”

Chen Shanzhi suddenly stopped his movements, the frivolity in his eyes vanishing instantly, replaced by a depth that was impossible to see through.

“The stuff in that cup of wine last night had quite a kick.”

Jiang Yingrao's pupils shrank violently, and the hand she had intended to use to push Chen Shanzhi away froze in mid-air.

“What is the Heir Apparent talking about? Courtesan Alias doesn't understand.” Jiang Yingrao forced herself to remain calm, speaking in a pitiful tone.

“Don't understand?” Chen Shanzhi smiled. “Then This Heir will say something Miss Youyou can understand.”

He leaned down, bringing his mouth close to Jiang Yingrao's ear, and whispered:

“Tell me, should I call you Miss Youyou, or should I call you the White Lotus Sect Saintess, Jiang Yingrao, Saintess Jiang?”

Boom!

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding directly in Jiang Yingrao's ear.

How did he know her identity? Was he bluffing her?

Jiang Yingrao's beautiful eyes looked up, only to see the playful smile on Chen Shanzhi's face.

She knew that the Heir Apparent before her was serious!

In an instant, Jiang Yingrao's original disguise of weakness vanished completely.

A terrifying aura erupted from her body, the temperature of the entire room dropping to freezing point, and the air seemed to become thick.

That was the pressure of someone ranked second on the immortal stele's hidden dragon ranking, at the level of Twelve Mysterious Apertures!

In those beautiful peach-blossom eyes, there was now only undisguised murderous intent.

Jiang Yingrao's wrist flicked gently, easily breaking free from Chen Shanzhi.

“I don't know how the Heir Apparent knows these things, but since you dare to say it here, aren't you afraid of not being able to walk out of this room?”

Jiang Yingrao's voice became incredibly cold, her right hand already beginning to secretly condense True Yuan.

Faced with this overwhelming Killing Intent, Chen Shanzhi remained steadily seated on the soft couch, even reaching out to straighten his wrinkled sleeve.

“Kill me? Are you sure?”

Chen Shanzhi looked up at her, without a hint of fear on his face: “If I die here, do you think your Yihong Pavilion can escape a thorough investigation by the Jiantian Division?”

“If I remember correctly, this Yihong Pavilion has been open in the capital for over ten years. Do you think you dare to kill me and let your White Lotus Sect's ten-plus years of planning be ruined in an instant?”

Hearing this, Jiang Yingrao's expression finally changed.

This time, she was truly shocked.

This useless Heir who only knew how to eat, drink, and play, could actually deduce that the Holy Sect had been planning in the capital for over ten years just from the establishment time of Yihong Pavilion?

This Heir's previous image of being a waste was actually also an act!

But at this moment, she really was being held in check by this useless Heir before her.

Although killing Chen Shanzhi would be easy for her, the chain reaction after killing him was something the White Lotus Sect could not afford right now.

A decade of planning could not be ruined in an instant.

“What do you want?”

Jiang Yingrao took a deep breath, dispersing the True Qi in her palm, but the Killing Intent in her eyes did not fade:

“If you want to use this to threaten me into becoming your woman, then you've miscalculated. I'd rather have the fish die and the net break than let someone like you have your way!”

“Tsk, your vision is too narrow.”

Chen Shanzhi wagged his finger, leaned back, and crossed his legs, looking like a lord of the manor:

“This Heir has no interest in those forced dramas, especially with a venomous snake like you who might bite me back at any time.”

He paused, his gaze becoming sharp as he looked directly into Jiang Yingrao's eyes.

“I know what you guys want. Four Seas Academy is located beneath the immortal stele, and you White Lotus Sect people can't penetrate it.”

“You've seen that Tang Liu; he's unfit for heavy responsibility. Compared to This Heir, he's simply the difference between clouds and mud.”

“What do you mean?”

With every word Chen Shanzhi spoke, Jiang Yingrao's heart sank a bit further.

Why did this person have the White Lotus Sect's secrets at his fingertips?

“I want to make a deal with you,” Chen Shanzhi said calmly.

“A deal?” Jiang Yingrao sneered. “You are an imperial noble, and I am a rebel enchantress. What kind of deal can there be between us?”

“You couldn't be more wrong.” Chen Shanzhi said with a smile. “There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. And coincidentally, your White Lotus Sect currently has something I want.”

“What thing?” Jiang Yingrao's beautiful eyes stared at him coldly, filled with vigilance.

Chen Shanzhi, however, gave a slight smile. He knew the time was ripe.

Leaning closer to Jiang Yingrao, Chen Shanzhi reached out and gently hooked her chin.

Seeing the fire of anger in the beauty's eyes, Chen Shanzhi smiled slightly: “For example, the Yang Parasite of the Heart-Devouring Life-Sharing Gu in Saintess Jiang's hands?”