8: Chapter 8 This is the real deal when it comes to dual cultivation (Part 1)

Noon, in front of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion.

An extremely luxurious carriage slowly approached, its body made of fine red sandalwood and carved with intricate crabapple patterns.

Red gauze curtains covered the windows, swaying gently in the breeze, and a pleasant scent of rouge could be faintly detected.

Under the gaze of the surrounding people, the carriage came to a steady halt at the main gate of the Marquis Mansion.

Passersby and many sharp-eyed servants of the nobility stopped in their tracks, whispering to one another.

"Isn't this the carriage of Miss Youyou from the Yihong Pavilion?"

"Good grief, that's the Capital City's top courtesan. Usually, it's hard for even princes and Young Masters to catch a glimpse of her. Why has she parked her carriage here?"

"Hey, don't you know? The Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Zhenguo is Miss Youyou's top patron; he used to show up there every day to support her."

"That being said, I heard that Heir Apparent is a total simp."

"Ever since Miss Youyou became famous in the Capital City, he's gone there every day. But even now, they say he hasn't even touched her hand."

"Did the sun rise in the west today? The top courtesan came to his door in person?"

Amidst looks of astonishment, envy, or jealousy, the gates of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion opened.

Chen Shanzhi had changed into an ink-black brocade robe, with a warm jade pendant hanging from his waist and a folding fan in his hand, looking quite elegant as he walked out.

It had to be said, if one ignored his arrogant and smug demeanor...

...Chen Shanzhi's physical appearance could be considered that of a handsome man, as gentle and refined as jade.

Glancing at the carriage, a smile tugged at the corners of Chen Shanzhi's mouth.

Without any ceremony, he stepped onto the footstool, lifted the curtain, and slipped inside.

The curtain fell, cutting off the view from outside.

The crowd instantly erupted in a frenzy.

"Ah? That playboy Heir Apparent actually got into the carriage?"

"This isn't how the script goes, right? Did he actually win over the top courtesan?"

"A simp, a simp, if you simp until the end, you'll have everything? No way, I'm going to simp for Miss Youyou too."

"You? Forget it. Can you even compare yourself to the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion?"

...

In a corner of the crowd.

A young girl wearing a bamboo hat was staring intently at the departing carriage, her pretty face beneath the veil cold as ice.

This person was none other than Tang Xiaowu.

Since she finished discussing the cooperation with Chen Shanzhi that day, she had been mentally preparing herself after returning.

The Witch Priest's words were like a thorn stuck in her heart.

"For the sake of the tribe, some sacrifices are worth it."

For the past few days, she had shut herself in her room, considering countless possibilities.

Chen Shanzhi was a lecherous man; if she wanted more than just the "Nine-Turn Golden Body Art of the Witch God"...

...relying solely on her verbal agreement with Chen Shanzhi definitely wouldn't work.

Perhaps she really did have to let him taste some sweetness first.

She had finally managed to convince herself, thinking through gritted teeth that as long as it wasn't too much, letting him touch her a few times or kiss her a bit would just be like being bitten by a dog.

For the sake of her clansmen suffering in the great mountains, she, Tang Xiaowu, could endure this bit of grievance.

But! She had waited at home for three whole days!

That bastard! There wasn't even a sign of him!

"I thought he was busy cultivating or planning how to help me get the Secret Manual."

Tang Xiaowu's hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms.

For some reason, after seeing the scene just now, a strange sense of bitterness and anger welled up in her heart.

"So he was fooling around with a courtesan!"

She watched the luxurious carriage as it moved further away, the image of the famous Miss Youyou, whom she had never met, surfacing in her mind.

She heard that the woman was the Capital City's top courtesan, proficient in the four arts of the scholar, and possessed a seductive charm that could captivate anyone.

"I'm not exactly worse than her in any way..."

As soon as this thought popped up, Tang Xiaowu startled herself.

What am I doing? Getting jealous over a Brothel woman?

"Tang Xiaowu, get a grip!"

She took a deep breath, and the bitterness in her eyes was instantly replaced by indifference.

Since he didn't come to find her and instead went to look for that courtesan, it meant he didn't care about her at all.

This kind of fickle, lecherous playboy was not worth trusting at all.

"Good, it saves me from having to lower myself to serve him."

Tang Xiaowu gave a cold snort and turned to leave, her back looking resolute.

However, her steps seemed to carry a hint of petulance no matter how one looked at them.

...

Inside the carriage, the space was spacious, covered with a thick, soft fur carpet.

A delicate small tea table sat in the middle, with a pot of wine being kept warm on it.

Jiang Yingrao had clearly dressed up meticulously today.

She had shed her usual cold disguise and changed into a fiery red gauze dress.

The neckline was cut somewhat low, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin and delicate collarbones.

Her face was adorned with exquisite makeup, and the faint touch of crimson at the corners of her eyes made her look both glamorous and dangerous.

Even an experienced veteran like Chen Shanzhi couldn't help but be momentarily stunned the moment he entered the carriage.

"Tsk, tsk."

Chen Shanzhi plopped down opposite her, his gaze scanning her body without restraint as he let out a sigh of admiration.

"Is Your Highness Saintess's outfit today intended to hook This Heir's soul away? It seems you've thought it through and are ready for Dual Cultivation with me?"

As he spoke, he leaned forward, and his wandering hand naturally reached for Jiang Yingrao's soft hand resting on her knee.

*Slap.*

Jiang Yingrao backhanded his hand with a slap, neither too hard nor too soft, and gracefully withdrew her hand.

"Heir Apparent, haste makes waste."

She rolled her eyes at Chen Shanzhi; that look was full of charm and seduction, making Chen Shanzhi's heart itch.

"Business first."

Jiang Yingrao put away her seductive manner and said solemnly:

"Shopkeeper Jiang confessed; it was at the Grand Elder's instigation."

"But he's just a messenger and has no idea who his contact is, only that the other party is a major power in the Capital City."

"I need to know now: who exactly is the person behind the Grand Elder?"

Her beautiful peach-blossom eyes stared intently at Chen Shanzhi. "Since you can decipher the secret letters, you must know something."

Chen Shanzhi rubbed the back of his hand, leaned back against the soft cushion, and crossed his legs.

He of course knew who it was.

In the game, the Grand Elder's backer was Prince Qi.

In the original game plot, Prince Qi had secretly colluded with the Grand Elder of the White Lotus Sect, promising to help him ascend to the position of Sect Leader.

And he needed the White Lotus Sect's vast Jianghu influence to help him fight for the throne.

So, this was a big fish.

But could he tell her directly?

Of course not.

When a man deals with a woman, especially one as strong and intelligent as this, he must never reveal all his cards at once.

He had to keep her dangling, make her guess, make her feel he was inscrutable and that she couldn't do without him.

"Your Highness Saintess, you think too highly of me."

Chen Shanzhi leisurely poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip.

"The Zhenguo Marquis Mansion's intelligence network is powerful, but not quite that powerful."

Seeing Jiang Yingrao's expression change as she was about to flare up, Chen Shanzhi changed the subject:

"However, those in the Capital City, under the Emperor's nose, who could fulfill the promises made to your Grand Elder... there are only a few such powers in the entire city."

He held up his fingers and counted them off one by one:

"First, the Imperial Family. Whether it's the First Prince or the Second Prince, both have the capability."

"Second, the current Prime Minister. As the representative of today's scholars, that old fox has students all over the world and numerous informants."

"Third, the Jiantian Division. Commander Fu Qingyun is in the top ten of the Heaven Ranking, and the Jiantian Division monitors all Martial Artists in the world; its power is immense."

"Fourth, naturally, is our Zhenguo Marquis Mansion."

"Fifth, the other three great families besides our Chen family."

Listening to these names, Jiang Yingrao's brow furrowed tighter and tighter until it formed a deep frown.

"The Imperial Family, the Prime Minister, the Jiantian Division, the Great Families..."

"Any one of these powers could make the Capital City tremble just by stomping their feet."

"No matter which one was the Grand Elder's ally, it would be a catastrophe for her and her Master's plans."

"What you said is as good as saying nothing." Jiang Yingrao rubbed her temples irritably. "The scope is too broad; there's no way to investigate."

"Don't be in such a hurry."

Chen Shanzhi put down his wine glass and chuckled inwardly at her distressed look.

It was exactly because she couldn't investigate that he was needed. If she could find out on her own, what would she need him for?

"Actually, this matter wasn't originally hard to handle."

Chen Shanzhi suddenly sighed, looking disappointed. "The only blame lies in Your Highness Saintess being too reckless."

"I was reckless?" Jiang Yingrao was stunned.

"Shopkeeper Jiang is just a small fish, merely responsible for delivering messages."

Chen Shanzhi shook his head. "You caught him too early."

"By making this move, it's like throwing a stone into calm water. The big fish behind him has surely been alerted."

"Startling the snake by beating the grass, do you understand?"

Jiang Yingrao bit her lip and said nothing.

She had been furious at the time and, wanting to get evidence as quickly as possible, had indeed been a bit impulsive.

"Then what should we do now?" she asked subconsciously.

This feeling of turning to Chen Shanzhi whenever she was unsure made her a bit unhappy, but she had no choice.

"It's not that there isn't a way to remedy this."

Chen Shanzhi leaned forward, closing the distance. Smelling the faint fragrance, he said word by word:

"The key to breaking this deadlock is that old farmer who delivers the vegetables."

"The farmer?" Jiang Yingrao frowned. "I've investigated him. His family has been poor farmers for three generations; there are no issues. He also had no idea there were letters in the cabbages."

"That's exactly where the problem lies."

Chen Shanzhi wagged a finger. "Since the people the Grand Elder arranged around you are all single-line contacts..."

"...then the person who placed the letter wouldn't know that Shopkeeper Jiang has been caught by you after stuffing the letter inside."

"Normally, if no response is given from this side or the next letter isn't delivered on time, the person who placed the letter will definitely become suspicious."

"He'll wonder: Was the letter not delivered? Did the farmer sell the cabbages to someone else? Or did some accident happen?"

Chen Shanzhi watched Jiang Yingrao's eyes gradually light up, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"So, barring any accidents, when he doesn't receive a reply, he will definitely go back to check."

"He might go to the farmer's vegetable field, or he might follow the farmer."

"But regardless of the possibility, this is our last chance to catch him."

"That makes sense!"

Jiang Yingrao suddenly realized, her beautiful eyes filled with joy. "I'll send people right away to keep an eye on that farmer and set a dragnet. As soon as someone approaches, we'll arrest them immediately!"

With that, she prepared to get up and leave the carriage.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't be in such a rush."

Chen Shanzhi grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"What is it now?" Jiang Yingrao said urgently. "Speed is of the essence. What if that person escapes?"

"He won't escape."

Chen Shanzhi was very calm. "That kind of person is extremely cautious; it's impossible for him to investigate so quickly. He'll wait at least two or three days to confirm that no reply has indeed been received before he takes action."

"If you send a large force over now, you'll really be telling them there's an ambush."

"Then..."

"No 'thens' about it." Chen Shanzhi pointed toward the back door of the Yihong Pavilion; the carriage had already turned into the back alley. "Right now, the most urgent thing isn't the messenger, but This Heir's cultivation."

He looked at Jiang Yingrao and chuckled.

"Your Highness Saintess, the deal has been made."

"I've analyzed the intelligence and offered the strategy."

"Now, isn't it time to get down to business?"

"Business?" Jiang Yingrao was stunned, then she reacted, her face as beautiful as a peach or plum instantly flushing with two clouds of crimson.

"Dual... Dual Cultivation?"

"What else?" Chen Shanzhi raised an eyebrow. "Playing chess?"