You'd even lie to your martial aunt?

The alley was near Skywater Bridge, and the fighting inside had made quite a racket. By the time they emerged from the dead end, the street was already packed with nearby residents watching the excitement. Chen Biao, Yang Chao, and the other escorts were among them.

Third Madam Pei was dressed as a woman of a merchant household, wearing a pale lavender skirt and blouse. She stood at the alley entrance with a maid, speaking apologetically:

"Jingtang is young and hotheaded, a little rash. I'll certainly discipline him properly in the future. As for Lord She's injuries..."

"No need to stand on ceremony, Miss Pei. We were conducting inquiries under orders; the bureau will cover any injuries. This matter has nothing to do with Young Master Ye. Please forgive us for disturbing the Pei Residence."

"Not at all, not at all..."

Pei Xiangjun was an unmarried daughter of the Pei Family. Though the managers and clerks all called her Third Madam, on formal occasions, most addressed her as Miss Pei.

Ye Jingtang straightened his clothes and made sure he looked presentable before stepping out of the alley. Third Madam hurried over, while the escorts shooed away the idlers gathered to watch.

Pei Xiangjun was seething inside, but this was no place to lose her temper. She approached Ye Jingtang and carefully inspected his chest and arms.

"Jingtang, are you hurt?"

Ye Jingtang had been about to say he was fine, but then he felt a stabbing pain in his left arm. He rolled up his sleeve and looked-the veins in his forearm were swollen, his skin was red, and a dull ache lingered beneath it.

One brief look told Pei Xiangjun that forcibly stopping his technique had caused his internal force to backlash. Fortunately, it was nothing serious. She took his left hand and concealed it beneath her flowing sleeve.

"How did you get hurt so badly? Those constables, honestly..."

With his hand clasped in hers, Ye Jingtang felt the delicate, silky touch of her pleasantly cool fingers...

But Third Madam's concern came straight from the heart. He tried to pull his hand back. "I'm fine. It's just a scrape." He failed to free it.

"You call this a scrape? You've hurt the sinews and bones."

Pei Xiangjun led Ye Jingtang to the carriage and pushed him inside, looking fierce in an endearingly soft way.

Ye Jingtang entered the carriage, a little unaccustomed to such solicitous care.

"Third Madam, don't be so worried. Back home, my foster father chased me around with a stick every day. What's a little injury like this?"

Once Pei Xiangjun boarded the carriage, she drew the curtain and ordered the driver to head home, then retrieved some medicinal liniment and a soft cushion from beside her.

She placed the cushion across her knees, then rested Ye Jingtang's arm on it.

"What were you thinking? If the constables ask questions, just answer honestly. Why draw your saber and attack them?"

"It was just a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?"

Pei Xiangjun gently applied the medicine to his forearm, her eyes full of irritation.

"What misunderstanding called for such a vicious attack? Iron-Armed Impermanence has skin of bronze and bones of iron. I've heard even a martial Grandmaster might not be able to cut him. How did you injure him?"

"My foster father taught me a trump card once. I didn't expect it to be so powerful either."

Hearing this made Pei Xiangjun even angrier!

The last time she had tested Ye Jingtang's martial skills, he had "pretended" not to know anything.

Yet when the Black Bureau came to question him, he brought out his "peerless saber technique." Wasn't that courting death?

Still, Pei Xiangjun also wondered why Black and White Impermanence had failed to notice anything amiss. She asked:

"Was that saber technique really taught to you by Second Brother?"

"Of course. Who else could it have been?"

"What's the technique called?"

"White Slash..."

Smack.

Pei Xiangjun gave the nonsense-spouting Ye Jingtang a light pat on the shoulder. Biting her lower lip, she gazed at him with pitiful eyes, looking as aggrieved as a woman deceived by a faithless lover.

"You'd even lie to your martial aunt? Do you know how badly you frightened your eldest aunt and me today? We were already preparing to ask the official at Wende Bridge to put in a good word..."

Ye Jingtang truly couldn't withstand that look. He reassured her gently:

"It really was just something I practiced on my own. Don't worry, Third Madam. The authorities have finished their investigation. Everything's fine. They even gave me a token."

Pei Xiangjun knew Ye Jingtang didn't want to involve the Pei Family in martial-world affairs. After watching him forlornly for a moment, she stopped pressing him and took the waist token he offered her.

"A token from Prince Jing's Manor? This is no ordinary thing..."

This token was effectively an olive branch extended by Prince Jing's Manor. If handled well, it could establish a solid relationship with the manor, which would mean close ties to the Black Bureau.

And the Black Bureau was the government office dedicated to dealing with martial-world figures. If someone with such connections took the helm of the Red Flower House, describing him as having "hands and eyes that reached the heavens" would be no exaggeration. Even if he knew no martial arts, how many martial-world factions would dare provoke him?

At that thought, Pei Xiangjun placed the token back in Ye Jingtang's hand.

"Keep this token safe. Hmm... Prince Jing thinks highly of you, so you should show some sincerity too. I'll prepare a few things and send them to Prince Jing's Manor in your name. There's no need to visit. If you turn up without any business and Prince Jing actually receives you, you'll only look as though you don't know your own standing..."

"I'll leave the arrangements to you, Third Madam."

Pei Xiangjun considered for a moment, then added softly:

"I'll give you a few days off. Rest properly and don't worry about the shop. Once I've made the preparations, come to the Pei Residence. I'll introduce you to the Pei Family's other businesses and let you meet a few managers from out of town."

Ye Jingtang looked slightly surprised. "The Pei Family has other businesses besides the one at Skywater Bridge?"

"A few."

Remembering the Red Flower House's troubles both within and without, Pei Xiangjun felt vexed. She said quietly:

"With so much to manage, I really can't keep up alone as a woman. You've done well these past few days. From now on, you'll have to formally take things in hand and help shoulder the burden."

"You pay me such a high wage, Third Madam, that sitting idle makes me feel guilty. Whatever needs doing, just leave it to me."

"You said it yourself. When the time comes, don't complain it's too much trouble and throw down the load."

"Of course not. I always keep my word."

Only then was Pei Xiangjun satisfied, tending his arm with gentle, wifely care.

Ye Jingtang's hand rested on Third Lady Pei's lap. Though a cushion lay between them, the position was rather intimate.

Third Madam lowered her head to apply the medicine. The pearl hairpin in her bun swayed gently before his eyes as the carriage moved; her soft, lovely red lips and the heavy swell beneath her bodice were also within easy reach.

Ye Jingtang had thought his self-control exceptional, that beauty could not sway him. But since arriving in Capital City, he had grown less and less certain. He moved his gaze away from her full red lips and reached for the medicine.

"Let me do it myself."

Smack-

Pei Xiangjun slapped Ye Jingtang's hand lightly.

"Do you find your martial aunt so objectionable?"

"Of course not. I just don't want to tire you out, Third Madam. Ah... go ahead, then..."

Ye Jingtang could only withdraw his hand and sit ramrod straight, rather like Lord Guan having his bone scraped to treat a wound. Truthfully, he felt rather odd about it.

After sitting for a little while, he recalled the matter of the Red Flower House and discreetly studied Third Madam again—gentle and tender, charming as a breeze and alluring as water, even slipping into a coquettish tone every so often. No matter how he looked at her, he couldn't connect her with the "female leader" of a powerful martial-world organization.

Naturally, Ye Jingtang couldn't attack her to test her skills. After studying her briefly, he noticed Third Madam raise her eyes to glance at him and turned his gaze elsewhere...