Da Li Temple - Chapter 38.1

Chapter 38.1
Crisis

The moonlight is chilly, and beside the rockery dotted with flowers and plants, Official Zhang is holding a pair of scissors and standing beside a pot of moonflowers, pruning the branches of the flowers.
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The candle flame in the room fluttered, reflecting his thin profile, and his brows became extraordinarily sinister.
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“Lord!” A guard held a letter report in his hand, jogging to him and presenting it with both hands.
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Clatter! A few pink-colored buds fell in response, slapping off a few slices of red. He wiped his hands and handed the scissors to the maid.
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“What is it?” He asked unhurriedly.
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“A secret report from Sheng City.”
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Official Zhang was stunned and turned to take the white towel handed by the maid to wipe his hands clean.
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He unfolded the secret report and scanned across it. A moment later, two dark colors floated in his deep eyes. He furrowed his brows, and his face was gloomy.
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Seeing this, the guards were skeptical, dismissing the serving maids around him before quietly inquiring, “Is there anything wrong?”
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Official Zhang put the letter away and pondered, “How many people did Zhou Yipu bring with him this time?”
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“Two.” The guard thought before affirmed, “A guard and a concubine.”
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Official Zhang fell silent. His eyes fell on the clump of broken moonflower branches while asking distractedly, “There’s no one else?”

The guard was puzzled and only replied, “No.”
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“This is strange.” Official Zhang casually fiddled with the flower branches and muttered, “The letter said that Da Li Temple’s Chief Su Moyi and his two subordinates have not shown up in Sheng City recently.”
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“But ……,” Official Zhang added after a pause, “Even if the Zhou Yipu in the mansion is not the real Zhou Yipu, the concubine he brought with him can’t be a man pretending to be a woman, right?”
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The guard froze at his words. His expression was shocked, “This is impossible. Yue Niang serves them closely every day. If that concubine is a man pretending to be a man, she would tell the difference. Moreover, the day before yesterday, Yue Niang reported to me that Zhou Yipu and his concubine had wild s*x. If she’s a man ……”
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“En,” Official Zhang nodded, turning his eyes and falling back into deep thought, “but it’s always good to be careful.” He paused. His pupils abruptly shrunk, and he asked: “How about the banquet I said last time?”
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“It’s ready.”
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“En,” Official Zhang responded and then said, “The secret report said that Su Moyi was injured some time ago.” As he said this, Official Zhang deliberately withdrew his voice and passed an obscure wink to that guard. He twirled the sharp thorns on the moonflower and solemnly said, “Then, I will have to add something else to the banquet.”

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* * * * * * * * * *
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With the morning rose in the east, the lodging fog receded. The sun outflowed a faint silhouette from the corner of the window, like an unfaded hickey.
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Su Moyi rolled over and looked at the sky speechlessly with two dark circles under his eyes that were about to fall to his chin. Ever since the night before, when the two found out that someone was eavesdropping on the wall, bed shaking and reciting before bed had become Lin Wanqing’s addiction.

Regardless of whether anyone is present, upholding the purpose of being careful, she will drag Su Moyi to act it out vocally and emotionally.
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The people who have no heart will sleep after the show, and the people who have a heart will suffer from internal injuries. He sighed quietly, secretly calculating to end this Hongzhou matter faster.
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Outside resounded rustling footsteps, and the door was knocked at the right time, emitting two crisp ‘knock knock.’
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“Lord Zhou, young madam,” Yue Niang’s delicate voice rings out, “Today, Lord Zhang asked Lord Zhou to go to the official mine, so this servant has come to serve you both to wash up and change clothes.”
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Su Moyi heard the voice and was about to pat Lin Wanqing, but he saw that she rolled over and wrapped her arms and legs around himself skillfully, like a flower that bloomed on him.
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“…… “Su Moy’s stiff body stiffened even more, and for a moment, he forgot to answer the person outside.
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“Come in~”
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The ‘Lin Flower’ around his body opened her mouth first, and after saying that, she didn’t forget to arch into his embrace again, rubbing her cheek against his slightly open chest and resting her jade legs on his sturdy waist.
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The maids came in a line, pushing open the window, and the light mist in the early morning drifted in with the scent of flowers. Lin Wanqing lifted the bed curtain and lazily got up.
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Yue Niang brought plain white patterned lingerie to Lin Wanqing and arranged for a few maids to help her change. Then, he turned around to serve Su Moyi.
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Lin Wanqing stayed attentive, and her eyes followed Yue Niang. She saw that Yue Niang received similarly styled underwear from the maids and calmly removed Su Moyi’s belt.

“What are you doing?!” A sudden question interrupted Yue Niang’s movements.
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Lin Wanqing sank her face. Not caring about her half-removed robe, she hurriedly pushed Yue Niang away with one hand.
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“I’m the one who always changes Lord Zhou’s undergarment.” She reprimanded while snatching the clothes from Yue Niang’s hand. Her beautiful eyes were glaring, and her cherry lips were slightly pouting, aggrieved, and unreasonable.
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When Su Moyi saw this jealousy in her, he almost couldn’t contain his laughter. It took some effort to suppress the rising corners of his mouth.
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The maids were all driven out by Lin Wanqing’s cold face.
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The sound of people faded away, and the room was quiet again. Only then did Lin Wanqing take two steps backward, releasing Su Moyi’s body in her arms.
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“What?” Su Moyi cleared his throat, but his face was as calm as ever, “No one else is allowed to help me change my clothes?”
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Lin Wanqing didn’t take Su Moyi’s teasing seriously, stretched her neck to look outside the house, and said with a grave expression, “I always feel that Yue Niang is not right. But I couldn’t say where the problem is.”
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Su Moyi didn’t answer, took the undergarment from Lin Wanqng’s hand, turned around, and went behind the screen.
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Lin Wanqing stood outside with her back against the screen and thoughtfully asked, “My Lord, do you think there will be a scheme with this sudden invitation by Official Zhang?”
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“Yes.” The man inside gave an instant answer.
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“Then are you going or not?” Lin Wanqing tensed up all of a sudden. Once she turned around, she saw Su Moyi’s sturdy back curves. She stumbled and hurriedly turned her back again.