Comfortable?

"Let big sis check whether you really have grown up."

In the room, the more Hongzhu saw the young master's awkwardness, the bolder she became. She stepped forward and reached out to take off his clothes.

"This... isn't a good idea, is it?"

Li Ziye backed up two steps, looking troubled.

"What's wrong with it? It's not as if I never saw you when you were little."

Hongzhu's smile grew even brighter as she spoke.

"I was little then. I didn't understand."

Li Ziye spoke with a bashful expression.

"Are you big now?"

Hongzhu reached out to stroke his chest, her hand sliding steadily downward.

"N-now?"

Li Ziye shuddered and backed away again.

But if he retreated any farther, the bed was right behind him.

"Whoa."

Li Ziye lost his footing and toppled backward, instinctively grabbing at the woman in front of him as he fell.

"Ah!"

Hongzhu cried out in surprise and fell along with him.

And so, their bodies ended up on top of each other.

With fragrant warmth and soft jade within inches of him, a smile of success curled at the corner of Li Ziye's lips.

"Comfortable?"

Hongzhu spoke softly.

"Comfortable."

Li Ziye answered, then suddenly sensed something was wrong. His hands instinctively squeezed, and a soft sensation immediately reached him.

Holy shit!

Rather than delight, Li Ziye felt alarm, and cold sweat immediately streamed down his head.

"Aah!"

The next moment, a miserable cry of pain rang out inside the room, frightening all the Li residence's servants outside into silence.

What happened to the young master this time?

Fairy Qin was clearly still out here!

By the lake, the corners of Qin Enuo's and Zhang Lata's mouths both curved upward. Clearly, they found this very satisfying.

Served him right!

"H-Hongzhu, I didn't do it on purpose."

In the room, Li Ziye curled up on the floor, in too much pain to straighten his back, and spoke in fits and starts.

"I did."

Hongzhu clenched her slender right hand, a dangerous smile flashing in her eyes. "Little Ziye, you really have grown up."

Seeing her right hand clench with a series of cracks, Li Ziye shuddered below the waist again and forced an ingratiating smile. "Hongzhu, let's talk business."

"Now you remember business? Go on, what did you need me for?"

Hongzhu went over to the table and sat down. "To avoid holding up your business, I traveled for three days and nights straight. I even rode several horses to death."

"Thank you for your hard work, Hongzhu."

Li Ziye pulled over a stool and sat before her, then poured a cup of tea and offered it to her ingratiatingly.

Hongzhu took the cup and had a sip, her anger easing somewhat.

Could she actually beat him to death? Of course not. He was the young master, after all. Comparing people really could anger a person to death.

"Hongzhu, I have an illegitimate son of the capital's Yin Clan here."

Li Ziye said quietly, "The Yin Clan's first madam was hunting him down, so he had no choice but to become a bandit in the Qilian Mountains outside Yuzhou City. I brought him under my command not long ago."

"An illegitimate son of the Yin Clan?"

Hongzhu looked surprised. "What, do you have a use for him?"

"Yes."

Li Ziye nodded. "You're skilled in the art of disguise, Hongzhu. Could you disguise him and then send him to Great Shang's capital?"

"Can this man be trusted?" Hongzhu asked with a frown.

"Hongzhu, you never used to ask that question," Li Ziye said.

"Isn't that because you're such a precious young master? I have to be careful about everything."

Hongzhu said irritably, "Understood. I'll add a little something extra when I disguise him. I'll prepare the antidote and give it to you as soon as possible, too."

"I knew you treated me best, Hongzhu. Give me a hug."

Delight appeared on Li Ziye's face, and he stretched out both arms, moving to embrace her.

"None of that!"

Hongzhu extended a finger and pressed it against his forehead, stopping the little fellow trying to take advantage of her.

He really had grown up. Not only did he have a thief's intentions, he had a thief's nerve, too.

She would have to watch out from now on!

"Go fetch him," Hongzhu said.

"All right!"

Li Ziye answered, then rose and headed out of the room.

By the lake in the rear courtyard, Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata both wore slightly peculiar expressions as they watched Li Ziye emerge.

"I'm heading out for a bit."

Li Ziye gave an awkward smile, then hurried away.

That scream earlier really did invite misunderstandings.

"Sneaking around like that-just what is that brat doing?" Zhang Lata asked curiously.

"I don't know."

Qin Enuo shook her head and said coolly, "But it seems to have something to do with that bandit chief."

Sure enough, at sunset, Li Ziye furtively led a man wearing a bamboo hat into the residence.

Qin Enuo glanced at the man beneath the hat and recognized him.

It really was him.

When Li Ziye brought Yin Kuang into the room, Hongzhu was sorting through bottles and jars at the dressing table, their many colors vividly bright.

"Hongzhu, he's all yours," Li Ziye said.

"Mm."

Hongzhu nodded and said evenly, "You can go attend to your own business."

Li Ziye gave the man before him a look that told him to pray for his own good fortune, then left the room.

Yin Kuang caught the schadenfreude in his eyes, and an involuntary chill ran down his back.

After leaving the room, Li Ziye headed straight to the lakeside.

"Not bad, brat. You even brought that bandit chief under your command," Zhang Lata said.

"A piece of cake." Li Ziye grinned.

"Did you learn anything?" Qin Enuo asked from beside them.

"His name is Yin Kuang. He's from the capital's Yin Family Bank. He stole that blazing fire iron essence from the Yin Clan's treasury."

Li Ziye answered truthfully, "But he doesn't know where in this world to find an object of extreme yin on the same level as the blazing fire iron essence, either. He only said the Yin Clan has a book called the Essential Arts of Heavenly Craft, which records information about many rare treasures. We might find some clues there."

"The Essential Arts of Heavenly Craft?"

Zhang Lata looked surprised at this. "So that incomplete volume is actually with the Yin Clan."

"You know about it?"

This time, it was Li Ziye's turn to be surprised. How did this old fellow know everything?

"I've heard of it."

Zhang Lata nodded. "They say its author lived in the same era as Great Shang's founding ancestor. He traveled throughout the Nine Provinces and wrote the book based on what he saw and heard. It records many rare treasures and strange events the world has never even heard of."

"In that case, all the more reason to find a way to get that book."

A fiery gleam flashed in Li Ziye's eyes. If he could find an object of extreme yin on the same level as the blazing fire iron essence, he could have someone forge a sword of his own.

"The capital's Yin Clan is no easy opponent. Getting into the Yin Clan to take something is hardly easier than getting into the Imperial Academy," Zhang Lata warned.

"I know."

Li Ziye came back to himself and smiled. "That's why I brought Yin Kuang under my command. He's a member of the Yin Clan, after all, and knows it extremely well."

"That woman knows the art of disguise?"

Beside them, Qin Enuo seemed to have guessed something and asked.

Li Ziye looked surprised, then nodded. "My fairy master really is the cleverest. Hongzhu is indeed skilled in disguise. I plan to give Yin Kuang a new face and send him into Great Shang's capital, then find an opportunity to send him into the Yin Clan."

"Impressive!"

Zhang Lata raised a thumb. "You really are full of dirty tricks, brat."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Li Ziye grinned.

"Aah!"

Just then, a cry of pain rang out from the room behind them, grating against the quiet night.

Zhang Lata froze. "Isn't it just a disguise? Why all the commotion?"

Li Ziye rubbed his nose and answered sheepishly, "Well, I'm worried someone might recognize him, so we're using slightly drastic methods to change his appearance and build more thoroughly."

Hearing this, Zhang Lata asked with a peculiar expression, "Can he change back?"

"That... depends on his luck."

Li Ziye laughed awkwardly.

Zhang Lata smiled with schadenfreude. So that meant he couldn't change back?

Sure enough, working with this brat meant he could be sold out at any moment. He would have to be more careful from now on.

About an hour later, the door opened, and Hongzhu stepped out in red.

Seeing her, Li Ziye asked excitedly, "Hongzhu, did it work?"

"Fortunately, I fulfilled my mission."

Seeing strangers present, Hongzhu resumed her respectful manner and bowed as she spoke.

"Hongzhu, my fairy master and Senior Sword Maniac are both trustworthy. There's no need to pretend."

Li Ziye spoke with a smile.

Hongzhu rolled her eyes at him. "You could have said so earlier. That man passed out from the pain. I'd say it'll take at least six to eight hours for him to wake up."

"Little girl, who is your master?" Zhang Lata suddenly asked.

Hongzhu narrowed her crescent-moon eyes, a radiant smile appearing on her face. "I'm self-taught."

"Heh."

Zhang Lata smiled faintly and asked nothing more.

Self-taught? Who was she trying to fool?

Few people in this world were proficient in both poison and disguise, and most of them were in Miao Territory. Yet this girl's behavior and dress did not resemble those of someone from Miao Territory. Truly strange.

"Old Zhang, stop asking. Even I can't get it out of her, much less you," Li Ziye said.

"I won't ask, then. You two chat. This old man is going back to sleep."

Zhang Lata waved casually, then stood and brushed the dust off his clothes before swaying toward his room.

"Exercise some restraint. Put more of your effort into sword practice."

Beside them, Qin Enuo offered this reminder, then turned and left as well.

Li Ziye froze at her words, then quickly recovered and cried out, feeling deeply wronged, "Fairy master, you've misunderstood! I-"

"What about you?"

Hongzhu interrupted him irritably. "What, am I not good enough for you or something? Why are you in such a hurry to explain yourself?"

"No, that's not it."

Li Ziye hastily shook his head. This was a question that could get him killed. The crucial thing was that he really hadn't done anything.

"Little Ziye, are you getting ready to go to the capital?"

Hongzhu did not make things too difficult for the youth beside her and changed the subject.

Over the years, she had followed the Tower Master here and there, and could discern some of the Li Family's arrangements.

Although the Li Family was unwilling to become too deeply entangled with the capital's powers, it had nevertheless begun placing its own eyes and ears there.

"I don't want to."

Li Ziye sighed softly. "But I'll most likely have no choice."