He and Yu'er Fought on the Brocade Bed! (Two-in-One Chapter)

Chen Mo looked at the girl sitting in his arms.

Her brows were like distant mountains brushed with dark pigment, and her eyes like autumn waters rippling with light. Beneath her delicate nose, her lips were full and red, practically dripping with color.

In terms of looks alone, she was a cut above those other dancers—a beauty who could dazzle anyone at first sight.

More unusually, she carried the refined elegance and scholarly air of a noble young lady. Yet her clothes were far too revealing. Through her thin gauze dress, he could see the pale pink bandeau beneath, as well as the faint outline of her cleavage.

Close enough to touch, deep enough to drown in.

"There aren't any chairs here, so I sat on your lap, sir... Am I a little too heavy?" Yu'er asked softly.

Chen Mo nodded, then shook his head.

She was indeed a little heavier than the dancer from before who'd boasted about her "D-cup," but she was just the right kind of heavy.

"You know who I am?"

Chen Mo asked.

Yu'er smiled, pressing her lips together. "Who in Heaven Capital City hasn't heard of Flag Chief Chen? I wasn't supposed to receive guests tonight, but when I heard you were here, I couldn't resist my admiration. I wanted to see your distinguished bearing for myself..."

As she gazed at his porcelain-white face, Yu'er's ears began to burn.

She'd seen portraits of Chen Mo long ago, but she hadn't expected the real person to be so handsome, like a flawless piece of jade.

Beneath his clothes, his muscles were taut and powerful. His fierce masculine aura made her heart race and her body go soft.

Those students from the Imperial Academy were always writing sappy poems for her, hoping to win her favor. They had no idea that, deep in the heart of this noble young lady, she yearned for a powerful man who could conquer her...

Especially a great hero who had slain evil fiends!

"Though this was arranged by that lord, it seems I'm the one who's come out ahead."

Yu'er filled the cup on the table, then lifted it with both hands and offered it to Chen Mo. Her voice was like the clear music of a forest spring.

"Sir, drink this, then come inside and rest with me."

Faced with such an eager invitation from a beauty, Chen Mo couldn't find a reason to refuse.

"Even the hungriest eel eventually gets its fill of oysters. Tonight really was worth the trip."

Chen Mo took the cup and drained it in one go.

Then, amid a startled cry, he scooped Yu'er up in his arms and strode toward the inner room.

"Chen..."

Li Yuan's lips moved, as if she wanted to call after him.

But even after the two of them disappeared from sight, she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

The wine room fell briefly silent.

The guests exchanged glances, hardly daring to believe it.

Yu'er was not only beautiful and skilled in music; she also had a very special background. She was the daughter of the former Minister of War.

She was one of the leading candidates to replace Gu Manzhi as the top courtesan!

Before she'd even been formally initiated, she'd actually invited a guest to share her bed... Wasn't that lowering herself far too much?

"I heard her call him Flag Chief Chen. Could it be..."

The man in white suddenly realized something, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"She's Qingya Pavilion's top courtesan! Last time, I spent thirty taels just to hear two songs."

"And our chief didn't spend a single coin before he had the beauty in his arms."

Qin Shou shook his head with a sigh. "I always fancied myself a master of the brothel arts, but in front of the chief, I'm nothing but a raw recruit."

Still, they hadn't come for nothing. Every man had an entertainer or dancer nestled in his arms, and the company was far higher-class than what they usually enjoyed.

"Everyone, enjoy yourselves! Tonight's bill is on Flag Chief Chen!" Qin Shou called out.

If it weren't for Chen Mo, they wouldn't have gotten this "recuperation allowance" in the first place. Saying the bill was on him wasn't exactly wrong.

"Long live the Flag Chief!"

"He's a Hundred-Household Commander now!"

"Next time the bureau has a mission, you have to bring me along!"

With beauties in their arms, the men raised their cups and drank merrily.

The other guests also came to their senses and realized who Chen Mo was.

"No wonder Miss Yu'er was so forward."

"Flag Chief Chen has been on a roll lately. This isn't lowering herself at all—it's a golden opportunity to make a name for herself!"

"Brother, aren't you quite familiar with the Heavenly Qilin Guard? How did you fail to recognize Flag Chief Chen?"

At the others' teasing, the man in white flushed scarlet, so embarrassed he wished he could crawl under the table.

How could he have known his bragging would land him face-to-face with the very man he was talking about?

"Come on, stop making fun of me. The drinks are on me tonight. Let's drink."

"Haha, drink!"

The room soon grew lively again.

Only one person at the table remained out of place.

Li Yuan said nothing, downing cup after cup of strong liquor.

Her gaze was vacant. No one knew what she was thinking.

Meanwhile, Chen Mo carried Yu'er in one arm and pushed open the bedroom door.

A delicate incense fragrance greeted him. The room was decorated in great luxury, with furniture made entirely of rosewood. Most eye-catching of all was the enormous, lacquered canopy bed, decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay.

It was truly spacious, large enough for four to lie across it. Even with eighteen kinds of martial arts to perform, there'd be room to spare.

Chen Mo set Yu'er down on the bed and was about to lean over her.

But a pair of soft hands pressed against his chest.

"Sir, let's bathe first."

Yu'er spoke gently.

Chen Mo didn't refuse.

The spring night was long; there was no need to rush. Besides, a good wash was healthy.

"Sir, come with me."

A pretty maid led him toward the bathing room.

Yu'er rose and went to sit before the mirror, combing her satin-smooth hair with a jujube-wood comb.

"The Heir Apparent told me to find a way to get close to Chen Mo. I never expected the chance to come so quickly."

"Now that the Xu Family is gone, I've been reduced to a lowly status. Sooner or later, those potbellied pigs will have their way with me. I might as well give myself to him. At least he's easy on the eyes..."

"Gu Manzhi managed to keep him so infatuated. I can make him fall for me too!"

When the Heir Apparent had chosen her, the standard had been Gu Manzhi.

Whether it was her looks, figure, education, or musical skills, Yu'er was sure she was second to none. Besides, she was the daughter of the former Minister of War. Many court officials were fond of that sort of thing...

"With the Chen Family's standing, they could also be a source of support for me."

At the thought of the Heir Apparent, whose temperament was vicious and unpredictable, Yu'er's face paled slightly.

If she hadn't been meant to get close to Chen Mo, the Heir Apparent would already have made her his plaything.

She'd seen what had happened to those other women with her own eyes...

She couldn't hang herself from just one tree!

At that moment, her determination to win Chen Mo over reached its peak!

Just then, a wisp of black smoke slipped through the crack beneath the door. It wound silently along like a black snake, crawled up Yu'er's body, then suddenly burrowed into her ear!

Yu'er's body stiffened. Her eyes rolled back, and the comb in her hand fell to the floor.

Her whole body convulsed violently, her face contorting as if she were fighting something with all her strength.

A moment later.

Her expression returned to normal. She picked up the comb and continued to brush her hair in the mirror, her face expressionless.

The bathing room.

The hot water was ready. The maid helped Chen Mo out of his clothes, revealing a well-proportioned, athletic body.

His muscles flowed in smooth lines, brimming with explosive power and radiating a potent masculine aura.

The young maid's face turned red. Her eyes darted about, as though she wanted to look but didn't dare.

Chen Mo found it rather amusing.

"So nervous? Is this your first time?"

The maid replied quietly, "This servant only just started here. It really is my first time helping a guest bathe."

"It's fine. I can wash myself."

Chen Mo lifted a leg over the side of the tub and sank into the water.

The temperature was just right. Fragrant spirit herbs floated on the surface to dispel odors and release their scent. He leaned back against the tub, his muscles relaxing and his mind unwinding.

But the maid didn't leave. After hesitating for a moment, she reached out with her small hands and began to wash him.

Her movements were still rather restrained. She was clearly shy.

Chen Mo said, "You don't have to force yourself. Don't worry, I won't tell your mistress."

The maid shook her head, stubbornly replying, "This is what I'm supposed to do."

Seeing this, Chen Mo said no more.

After a brief silence, the maid cautiously asked, "Sir, may I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you... like Miss Yu'er?"

"Hm?"

Chen Mo found the question strange. Was this maid hoping he'd buy Yu'er's freedom?

Locking up a public carriage wasn't very ethical.

Besides, the women from the Music Bureau were usually very expensive. A top courtesan like Yu'er was a hen that laid golden eggs. She couldn't possibly be bought out for less than a few thousand taels.

That much silver was enough to keep a man entertained until his kidneys gave out... A losing deal. Only an idiot would do it.

"You should understand better than I do what kind of place this is. Don't talk about feelings. They'll cost you."

Chen Mo replied frankly.

The young maid blinked and pressed him further. "Have you never truly loved anyone?"

They had nothing else to do, so Chen Mo leaned against the tub and closed his eyes, chatting casually. "Of course I have. What man hasn't started out as a lovesick puppy?"

"What's a lovesick puppy?" the young maid asked, confused.

"Knowing she liked to play the zither, I risked my life hunting a Spirit Horned Deer just to make strings for her from its sinews."

"When I heard she wanted to eat lychees from Lingnan, I spent a fortune having them shipped from Song Prefecture so she could be the first to taste them."

"Thinking she was frail and often sick, I learned Heaven Mountain Silver Lotus could improve her constitution. In the dead of winter, I climbed to the peak of Tianqu Mountain. I ended up stranded there for a whole day and night and nearly never made it back."

"I even risked getting my legs broken by secretly taking five thousand taels from my family to buy her freedom..."

At this, Chen Mo paused. "That's a lovesick puppy. But lovesick puppies usually don't get a happy ending."

Everything he'd mentioned had happened to his predecessor.

He could have sent someone else to do some of those things, but to prove his "sincerity," he'd done every last one himself.

But all of that was in the past.

To Chen Mo, it was nothing more than a story to pass the time.

The young maid fell silent for a long while. Her voice trembled faintly when she spoke.

"And now?"

"Now I've seen the light."

"Giving your heart might not get you a response, but giving it your all will always make a sound."

Chen Mo rose from the tub. He circulated his True Essence to dry himself, put on a bathrobe, and headed toward the bedroom.

The young maid watched his retreating figure, her eyes veiled by a thin mist.

He walked into the inner room.

All the lamps were out, leaving only a single candle, its flame no larger than a bean.

In the dim, yellow light, he could make out a figure under the covers.

Chen Mo lifted the quilt and slipped inside. He pressed against the plump, smooth body and felt a weight that filled one hand completely. He couldn't help marveling that his eyes really were rulers.

E-cup; straight to the soul.

"Why aren't you saying anything, Miss Yu'er... Are you shy?"

"Brr, why are you so cold?"

Just as he began to grow suspicious, Yu'er said in a hollow, distant voice, "Sir, I'm curious. Was it really you who killed Qin Wuxiang?"

Chen Mo furrowed his brows. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

Yu'er had her back to him, her voice flat and hollow. "After you killed Qin Wuxiang, did you take anything?"

Chen Mo realized something was wrong. He tried to move, only to discover that his body was already tightly bound in black mist!

Yu'er swept her hair aside. Though she was facing away from him, another face was hidden beneath her thick hair.

Its features were blurred, its complexion ashen. Its pupils had no whites, and they stared fixedly at him.

It gave off a rotting aura he recognized—

A ghost cultivator?

Chen Mo understood at once. "You came for the Soul-Summoning Banner?"

The Faceless Man's voice changed. "So you really do have it! Hand it over, and I'll spare your life!"

Ever since that treacherous disciple Qin Wuxiang had stolen his magical treasure, he'd searched for it for years. He'd finally found a clue, only for someone else to get there first!

Damn it!

Chen Mo shook his head. "It's stolen property. I can't keep it. I already turned it in."

The Faceless Man frowned. "Who did you give it to?"

Chen Mo said, "The Noble Consort... If you want, I can take you into the palace to meet her."

"..."

At the mention of the Noble Consort, the Faceless Man's heart tightened.

He quickly recovered and sneered. "You really think I'll believe your nonsense? You're only a Sixth-Grade Martial Artist, a junior banner officer in the Heavenly Qilin Guard. What makes you think you deserve an audience with Imperial Concubine Yu?"

"Hey, you can question my strength, but you can't question my standing in Her Ladyship's heart."

"My clothes are next door. If you don't believe me, look inside and see what's there."

Chen Mo looked displeased.

The Faceless Man was dubious. A wisp of black mist spread into the next room and carried Chen Mo's clothes back.

A tentacle-like tendril reached inside and rummaged through them, finding a golden token.

"That's not it. Keep looking," Chen Mo said.

The tendril rummaged again and found a purple token in the lining of his clothes.

When the Faceless Man saw the design on it, his breathing faltered.

Though he had never seen one with his own eyes, everyone in the martial world knew what the purple Luan Phoenix represented.

On the ruins of sects that had dared to challenge Her Ladyship's authority, only to be wiped out overnight, there was always a Luan Phoenix with wings spread in flight.

That was how the saying "When the Purple Luan appears, bloodshed is near" came about.

Chen Mo probably wouldn't have dared forge a token... Was Imperial Concubine Yu really so impressed with him?

The Faceless Man hesitated.

He didn't dare go looking for the Noble Consort, but he was unwilling to let Chen Mo go just like that.

Just then, the Faceless Man sensed something. Before he could react, a fist brimming with vigorous life force slammed into his face!

Bang!

The black mist scattered instantly!

His indistinct face had been forcefully stamped with the imprint of a fist!

"How can a mere Sixth-Grade Martial Artist possess such pure life essence?" the Faceless Man cried out.

"Praise Her Ladyship."

Chen Mo sneered. Firelight and green radiance entwined around his palm as he struck down with all his might!

Black mist gathered and lashed out like tentacles, repeatedly blocking Chen Mo's attacks. But the green life essence was its perfect counter, dispersing it completely in an instant!

The Faceless Man seemed hard-pressed to defend himself, but a snarling ghost had already appeared silently behind Chen Mo.

"You're still too green to take me on!"

"A martial artist who hasn't condensed a Martial Soul can't defend against soul attacks!"

"If I can't get the Soul-Summoning Banner back, I'll refine you into a wraith and make sure you never reincarnate!"

The Faceless Man sneered inwardly as the ghost shrieked and lunged forward!

Bang!

But Chen Mo seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He reached out with his left hand, and a black ancient seal appeared on its back. An immense suction force surged forth, swallowing the ghost whole!

Divine Ability: Soul Absorption!

His title, "Fierce Ghost Buster," let him sense the presence of demons and ghosts. No ghost could hide from him!

"This is... a Dharma Seal?!"

"How can a martial artist control a ghost cultivator's Dharma Seal?"

"No, there's something strange about this man. I have to get out of here!"

The Faceless Man's body abruptly turned into black mist. At that very moment, a soft chant rang out:

"Insight and wisdom flow as one; the five energies surge..."

Countless characters glowing with a pale blue light poured forth, binding him tightly in place like chains.

Chen Mo turned to look. The little maid stood not far away, hands forming a seal, a jade-like blue glow shining between her brows.

Their eyes met.

[Gu Manzhi's favorability increased.]

[Current progress: 46/100 (Regret not meeting sooner).]

Chen Mo: "???"