Taking the Bait

Feng Wuhen and the others needed somewhere to hide. Mo Qingran had them stay in his own courtyard, where they pasted Breath-Concealing Talismans and set up an array to isolate their auras. That should keep them hidden.

By the time they had finished preparing everything, night had fallen. Bai Suji carefully dressed herself up and stood at the entrance, waiting for the Lord of Radiant Moon City.

The Lord of Radiant Moon City appeared at the entrance at a quarter past midnight. Seeing Bai Suji waiting there and dressed in such splendid attire, he raised his brows in surprise.

"Don't you usually hate seeing me? Why are you waiting for me here today, and dressed so grandly at that?"

Bai Suji loathed him. Every time she saw him, she wore white from head to toe and pulled a long face, looking as though she were dressed in mourning clothes, which thoroughly spoiled his appetite.

But tonight, she had changed out of that white robe and into a light pink, strapless ruqun. Her hair, which she usually wore loose, had been meticulously coiled into a bun adorned with delicate pink pearl hairpins.

Her face, usually untouched by powder or paint, now wore a light dusting of makeup, while her lips had been brushed with vivid red lip rouge. She looked like a girl of sixteen.

Someone who had not dressed up properly in a long time was suddenly so beautiful that he could not tear his eyes away.

The Lord of Radiant Moon City had originally intended to use the secret passage here to go to another residence and absorb those people's spiritual power.

But Bai Suji's captivating appearance left him too bewitched to move on. Seeing the hungry-wolf look in his eyes, disgust flashed through Bai Suji's gaze before she swiftly suppressed it.

She extended her slender, fair fingers and lightly hooked them around the Lord of Radiant Moon City's belt. Gazing at him with eyes like autumn waters, she coquettishly said, "My lord, you have not visited me for so long. Why not come sit in my Fragrant Blossoms Court today?"

Though the Lord of Radiant Moon City was blinded by lust, Bai Suji's behavior was so utterly different from before that suspicion arose in his heart.

Wanting to see what she was truly up to, he followed her.

Bai Suji knew he would not easily lower his guard. What she needed to do was not make him lower it, but raise it even higher. That way, when she revealed her purpose, he would be more inclined to believe her.

After bringing the Lord of Radiant Moon City to her courtyard, she used every trick in her arsenal to spend a night of passion with him.

Watching Bai Suji abandon herself to debauchery, the Lord of Radiant Moon City's suspicions deepened. Bai Suji noticed it and felt the time was right.

She traced circles over his chest with her finger. "Is my lord satisfied with my performance tonight?"

The Lord of Radiant Moon City held her hand and kissed it by his lips. "Naturally, I am satisfied. But unprompted attentiveness means either treachery or theft. Tell me, what do you want?"

Hearing this, Bai Suji rolled over and sat up on the bed. "Naturally, I have something to ask of you, my lord. I have been feeling unwell these past few days, so I went to Young Master Mo for a consultation. After taking my pulse, he said I do not have many days left to live.

"I do not want to remain trapped in this square little courtyard during my final days, so I wish to ask my lord to let me leave.

"Of course, I will not ask my lord to release me for nothing. I will help you obtain the thing you desire most."

As Bai Suji spoke, she took a sky-blue brocade pouch from beneath her pillow. "I know my lord has always wanted Young Master Mo, and I also know you have always been wary of the poison in his body. I can help you.

"Through hints and indirect probing, I obtained from Young Master Mo a method to avoid being poisoned by the poison in his body. I can give this method to my lord. I only hope that, for the sake of this item and our many years of affection, you will let me leave this cage before I die and live freely for a few days."

As she spoke of this, longing filled her large, bright almond eyes.

The Lord of Radiant Moon City did not completely believe her. He reached out and took her pulse instead. Her pulse was floating and weak, carrying the signs of death. She truly did not have many days left.

Even so, he did not entirely trust her. He looked at her meaningfully. "Weren't you usually quite close to him? Using him to make a deal with me—doesn't your conscience trouble you?"

At his words, Bai Suji's heart filled with ridicule, but her face showed madness mingled with guilt. "Of course I know this wrongs him, but heaven and earth destroy those who do not look out for themselves. I am about to die—how can I care about so much?

"Since he treats me so well and cares for me so much, I presume he would be willing to exchange himself for a few days of freedom for me."

Seeing the madness in her eyes, the Lord of Radiant Moon City thought of himself.

That was right. When one was about to die, how could one care about so much? So long as one could achieve one's goal, what was there that one could not do?

The Lord of Radiant Moon City's suspicion toward Bai Suji vanished. Instead, he began to admire her. This woman was as ruthless and mad as he was.

"My lord, I have said so much and done so much. Are you agreeing or not? At least give me a definite answer, so I do not have to be on tenterhooks. Listen to my heart—can you hear how fast it is beating?"

As Bai Suji spoke, she leaned down and pressed his ear against her chest, letting him hear her nervous heart thudding away.

The Lord of Radiant Moon City agreed. "For the sake of your being a dying woman, and for preparing such a thoughtful gift for me, I will send you away tomorrow."

At his words, Bai Suji revealed an ecstatic expression. Kneeling on the bed, she kowtowed to him once. "Thank you, my lord, for granting my wish. This is the pill that can prevent the poison in Young Master Mo's body from harming you. I offer it to you, and wish in advance that my lord's desire will be fulfilled!"

The Lord of Radiant Moon City took the brocade pouch she handed him and poured out a brown pill. He first held it beneath his nose and sniffed, but could smell nothing.

Seeing this, Bai Suji knew he was still suspicious. She took the pill from his hand. "Is my lord afraid there is something wrong with this pill? How about I split it in half and take one half first? I simply do not know whether that will affect its efficacy; I do not understand such things.

"But my lord is so formidable that even if you only take half, you should still be able to withstand Bone-Piercing Green's poison."

Bai Suji was about to split the pill in two. Seeing how decisively she moved, the Lord of Radiant Moon City hurriedly snatched it back from her hand. Looking at the mark where it had been pried apart, he felt a little regretful, then opened his mouth and tossed the pill directly inside.

The moment he snatched the pill back, Bai Suji tactfully got out of bed to pour him some water. As he threw the pill into his mouth, she hurriedly handed him the cup.

"My lord, have some water."

The Lord of Radiant Moon City gave her an approving glance. He took a storage pouch from his storage ring and tossed it to her. "You have neither money nor any skill to speak of. For the sake of the many years you have spent by my side, take this storage pouch. It contains some gold, silver, and low-grade spirit stones—enough for you to live out your final days."

Bai Suji clasped the storage pouch in her hand, bowed to him, and said, "Thank you for your reward, my lord!"