Tiger and Wolf Demeanor, My Heart Rejoices

Chapter 46: A Tiger's Demeanor, My Heart Rejoices

The next day, midday.

The madam of the brothel hurried into the Fragrant Grass Hut, pacing anxiously outside the door and softly calling, "General, General."

However, there was no response.

The madam dared not barge into the Fragrant Grass Hut, so she pulled over a familiar courtesan and whispered a few instructions, asking her to push open the door and go inside.

The courtesan repeatedly shook her head and then pleaded, "Madam, spare this servant. The General specifically ordered that if his deep slumber is disturbed, there will be severe punishment."

The madam was so anxious she was about to cry. Today, an arrogant envoy had arrived, displaying a token of power she absolutely could not afford to offend. He demanded she quickly inform General Anyuan that "an envoy from Great General Qin's manor has arrived."

She made a few perfunctory visits, then returned to report that "General Anyuan is still asleep from a hangover." The envoy waited for a while, but then insisted she hurry him up.

She tried to brush him off again, but the envoy slammed his weapon on the table and his more than ten fierce armored guards stepped forward, scaring the madam so much she sat down on the floor.

The envoy looked down at her and said, "If you can't get him out, I'll burn this brothel down!"

The madam dared not offend him, so she hurried over.

At this moment, she paced anxiously back and forth in front of the door a few more times. Suddenly, she gritted her teeth and prepared to walk into the house.

However, just as she reached the door, hurried footsteps came from behind her, along with a shout of "Absolutely not."

The madam of Chenxiang Pavilion turned her head and saw a small, delicate young lady in splendid clothes, adorned with gold and jade, standing at the entrance of the courtyard with a smile on her face, hands behind her back.

The madam recognized her and hurried over, her face like a funeral mask, crying, "Young Lady Jie, on one side is Great General Qin, and on the other is General Ning. I... I can't afford to offend either of them."

Xiao Jie smiled, "You old madam, how can you be so foolish? Let me ask you, who is in charge of Wangyue Prefecture?"

The madam cried, "But he's threatening to burn down the building! How can I explain this to the owner?"

Xiao Jie smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth. Her smile was very sweet, and then she said, "If your Chenxiang Pavilion were truly burned down, your boss wouldn't blame you; instead, he'd praise you highly."

The madam was stunned for a moment, then she thought about it again.

Cold sweat trickled down her back.

It wasn't that she didn't understand the logic, but she had been so suddenly frightened by the killing intent emanating from those armored guards that her soul had almost fled her body. That's why she had almost disturbed the General's sleeping quarters.

"Thank you for the reminder, Manager Jie," the madam said gratefully.

Xiao Jie shook her head, "I'm not a manager."

Time flew by until evening.

The glow of the setting sun slanted through the wooden lattice windows, casting a dim, dark grid of light on the floor.

Inside Chenxiang Pavilion, the waiting envoy from Great General Qin's manor grew increasingly grim.

He glanced at the sky, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Suddenly, he stood up and shouted sternly, "Burn it!!"

He had fully understood General Anyuan's debauched and notorious misdeeds today, but what did that have to do with him? His mission was to meet General Anyuan and bring him to see a distinguished guest.

That distinguished guest had traveled a long way and was waiting outside the city.

He had already kept that distinguished guest waiting all day.

He couldn't wait any longer!

"Burn it, burn it all!!"

The envoy had the decisive demeanor of a battlefield veteran.

Immediately, an armored guard behind him took out a black cylindrical object. This object contained a hidden weapon called "Palm Fire," which, when activated, could ignite fierce flames capable of burning down Chenxiang Pavilion.

Just as the guard was about to activate the "Palm Fire" mechanism, he suddenly felt his body go limp and lose control.

He involuntarily fell to the ground, entangled by a golden snake that had emerged from beneath the floor.

The envoy frowned and turned his head, shouting sternly, "Who's there?!"

Outside the door, a young Taoist nun in a python robe stood there, though no one knew when she had arrived.

The envoy glanced at the python robe. In the past, only princes could wear such robes, then generals could also wear them, and now... they had just received news that there was another type of person who could wear them: the Son of Heaven's Emissaries from the Imperial Capital's Purple Cloud Temple.

These emissaries held special status, having been personally granted python robes by the Son of Heaven to signify their identity.

However, there were still differences between python robes.

Princes wore bright yellow robes with nine pythons, Great Generals wore crimson robes with seven pythons, while these Son of Heaven's Emissaries wore black robes with five pythons.

Yet, even a black robe with five pythons was not something someone under a general could directly confront.

The envoy's eyes darted around. Finally, he abandoned the idea of "confrontation," stood up, and bowed, "I am an internal guard from General Qin's manor. Greetings, Son of Heaven's Emissary."

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt said, "This is General Ning's jurisdiction. Now that I and he jointly govern this place, how can I allow you to act so recklessly?"

The envoy waved his hand.

The armored guards understood and drove away everyone around them, leaving an empty space.

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt raised her hand, and the golden snake that had emerged from the ground dispersed. The armored guard who had fallen to the ground put away the "Palm Fire" and retreated silently, then closed the door.

Only two people remained in the hall.

The envoy then lowered his voice and said, "Reporting to the Emissary, my mistress secretly arrived and is waiting outside the city for General Ning. My mistress's arrival must mean something important. I was forced to resort to this desperate measure. Now that the Emissary is here, please tell me what I should do."

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt said, "That's easy. Tell your mistress that General Ning spends his days indulging in pleasure and doesn't concern himself with other matters."

The envoy said, "I'm afraid my mistress won't believe you."

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt said, "That's easy too. I'll bring your mistress to find General Ning myself, so that those below won't be in a difficult situation."

With that, she moved and took the envoy away, disappearing into the ground. A moment later, she returned with a beautiful woman in military attire and quietly appeared behind a rock garden at the Fragrant Grass Hut.

Laughter and a decadent aura drifted from afar.

The woman in military attire was none other than the wife of Great General Qin—Madam Zhao. She peered through a hole in the rock garden and saw a young general surrounded by women, their frivolous words unbearable, and the decadent scene unspeakable.

Madam Zhao frowned, her face showing undisguised disgust.

Seeing this, Yaozhen Immortal Aunt grabbed her and disappeared into the ground again, taking her to a high place in an empty building. She said calmly, "General Ning is young and impetuous, indulging in debauchery. I have tried to dissuade him many times, but with little effect. Madam, if you are here seeking a marriage alliance, I fear you will be disappointed."

Madam Zhao frowned and said, "I thought he was a young talent, but I didn't expect him to be like this."

She sighed and then said, "Please trouble the Immortal Aunt to send me back."

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt gritted her teeth inwardly. The continuous use of the earth-遁地 technique had exhausted her. However, thinking that she could dissuade someone from the old faction and push Ning Xuan closer to the Son of Heaven, she found renewed energy. She grabbed Madam Zhao and repeatedly used the earth-遁地 technique, returning them to a patch of grass outside the Prefecture City that barely reached their knees.

The caravan was waiting quietly by a wild pond in the grassy area.

After Madam Zhao returned, Yaozhen Immortal Aunt did not linger. She vanished from the spot, only to reappear on a hidden high ground not far away, observing this "force of the old faction generals."

After a long while, seeing the caravans turn back and gradually disappear into the distance, she returned.

Upon returning to General Ning's mansion, she was utterly exhausted. After bathing and changing in the courtyard, she maintained a simple "earth-seeking" spell to prevent the general's wife from returning. By midnight, she had not seen any sign of her and finally slept soundly, thinking, "At least this matter is concluded for now."

Tomorrow, after reporting the "request for judgment" to the Imperial Capital, she would find a secluded spot in the mountains and begin refining pills for General Ning.

Madam Zhao's carriage stopped twenty miles away.

She sat in the carriage, waiting quietly.

Indulgence and debauchery could not be the conditions for her to reject the marriage alliance.

She lifted the curtain and glanced at the high ground.

The moon had passed its zenith.

It was early morning.

She was not a wealthy wife who stayed at home but someone who often traveled. She murmured, "The Son of Heaven's Emissary used the earth-遁地 technique repeatedly today. Now, seeing me, he showed dislike and left decisively. He must have lowered his guard. Although that Son of Heaven's Emissary wears a black Python Robe, he is still too young."

A beautiful young girl beside her said, "Mother, what should we do now?"

Madam Zhao pondered, "The key is not the attitude of the Son of Heaven's Emissary, but Ning Xuan's attitude. Ning Xuan is putting on an act."

The girl interrupted, "I heard from the inner guards that General Ning has always been like this. It might not be an act."

Madam Zhao smiled and said, "If he has always been like this, doesn't that make it a mask?"

After smiling, the woman in military attire swept away her thoughts, her gaze sweeping over her three daughters who were ready for marriage. Among them was the fiancée of the Top Scholar. She asked, "The current plan is to pretend you are coming to find me, to find Wangyue Prefecture, and to find General Ning's home. At that time, can he still refuse to see you?

However, only one of you three can go.

You all know the General's temperament very well through the inner guards.

So, who dares to take on this mission?"

After thinking for a moment, she added, "This time, you must not mention the marriage alliance, otherwise, that Son of Heaven's Emissary will directly escort you out of the city, giving you no chance to get close to Ning Xuan. But you are all daughters of the Qin family. As long as you get a little close, he won't be able to shake you off. Therefore, you must use your methods.

Of course, you are not alone on this mission. In the past, Ning Taiyi pleaded for a marriage alliance outside my mansion for over a month. Seeing his pitiful state, I agreed to the marriage between Ning Xuan and Jin'er.

Ning Taiyi owes me this favor.

Once you enter the city, find Ning Taiyi first.

With Ning Taiyi there, and without openly mentioning the marriage alliance beforehand, even the Son of Heaven's Emissary cannot escort you out of the city."

Another daughter said, "Mother, why don't we let Sister Jin'er go again and have the Ning family fulfill the engagement?"

Madam Zhao said, "I want to take Ning Xuan as my son-in-law, not to ruin things. That engagement doesn't even have a piece of paper. Do you want to force it, to have a dignified General marry a concubine's daughter? Are you trying to humiliate him and push him directly to our opposition?"

The daughter quickly said, "I wouldn't dare."

Madam Zhao then said, "Alright, tell me, who will go?"

Another daughter said, "Mother, is Ning Xuan really that good?"

Madam Zhao said, "His demeanor is like that of a tiger and wolf. I am very pleased."