Song Tingfeng bought three taels of loquat paste from a street vendor. It was hard and cut into small square pieces, somewhat similar to the throat lozenges from Xu Qi An’s previous life.
In the capital, one couldn’t find such hard candy that both soothed the throat and was sweet. It was a specialty unique to Yunzhou.
Damn it, even a piece of candy is harder than me… Song Tingfeng thought as he sucked on the candy and looked around aimlessly. He sighed, “Even though it’s all Yunzhou, Baidi City is different from other places. Looking at this flourishing scene, one might think Yunzhou is truly prosperous and peaceful.”
Along their journey, they had passed through various prefectures and counties, and seen large tracts of abandoned fertile fields, and desolate, uninhabited villages. They realized the decline of Yunzhou.
Life is hard for the people!
“With such fertile land, no worry of food shortage when farming, three generations can live off the mountains, and it’s adjacent to the outer sea, rich in salt fields…” The usually quiet Zhu Guangxiao spoke unusually much, saying gloomily:
“How did it end up in such a state?”
Song Tingfeng and Xu Qi An looked rueful. The former said in a deep voice, “Our coming to Yunzhou this time is precisely to eliminate these deep-rooted problems. Once we deal with the Governor who colluded with the mountain bandits, the bandit problem in Yunzhou will improve significantly.
“Ning Yan is right, we can’t indulge in the courtesans’ quarters. A real man should work for the country and the people, and make a career… Holy crap, a beauty!”
Xu Qi An and Zhu Guangxiao looked in the direction he was pointing. Their eyes suddenly lit up. Standing gracefully at the side of the street ahead was a devastatingly beautiful woman.
She wore an exquisite and gorgeous gauze dress, her hair styled in the current fashion. A silk ribbon inlaid with blue jade accentuated her slender waist.
Her skin was snow-white and delicate, her eyes like drops of ink, her lips bright red. Her straight nose complemented her pointed face, making her incomparably beautiful.
Nice… This word flashed through Xu Qi An’s mind.
Pretty women with oval faces and big eyes were Xu Qi An’s favorite type, even better if they had a touch of fox-like charm. The three most standard oval-faced beauties he had seen were Xu Lingyue, Huaiqing, and Two.
But the auras of those three were respectively: a pure and beautiful JK, a cold and noble strong woman, and a spirited female police officer.
Only this beautiful woman he encountered by chance had a fox-like, enchanting oval face. She looked very seductive at first glance, exactly his ideal goddess.
“Perfect, this is the beauty I’ve been dreaming of…” Xu Qi An’s heart fluttered, feeling as if he had finally found love in this lonely world. Of the three thousand weak waters, he would only take one ladle. Fuixang, Huaiqing, Lin’an, the National Preceptor, and others were all just passing clouds.
Hm?
He immediately realized something was amiss. No matter how beautiful this woman was, she couldn’t overwhelmingly surpass those beauty monsters… He keenly picked up on this illogical situation, which made Xu Qi An slightly more clear-headed.
Then, his left thumb felt a slight warmth and a warm current flowed out from the jade ring given by the Purple Yang Hermit, nourishing his spirit.
When he looked at the devastatingly beautiful woman again, Xu Qi An’s pupils contracted. What he saw was not a peerless beauty, but an exquisitely crafted paper doll.
The paper doll had her hair styled in the current fashion and wore a gorgeous gauze dress, dressed exactly like the fox-like beauty.
The delicate face was deathly pale, the gaze lifeless, without any sign of vitality.
Hiss…
Encountering such an eerie thing in broad daylight, Xu Qi An drew in a sharp breath.
“This is not a person, it’s a ghost… Caiwei said that for ghosts to exist in the world for a long time, they either need to benefit from the land’s energy, like the female ghost in the well of my new house… or they’re the undying spirit of a powerful being after death, but there’s still a time limit, they can’t exist forever…”
Xu Qi An immediately made a judgment that this female ghost was being controlled by someone, with a ghost raiser behind her.
This female ghost is quite powerful, even able to bewitch me… If not for the Confucian righteous energy repelling all evil, I might have fallen into this trap… Xu Qi An discreetly withdrew his gaze and looked at his two colleagues beside him.
At this moment, he realized they had serious problems. Their gazes were slightly dazed, staring at the female ghost. Although they retained some rationality, they were deeply affected by the charm.
…Did I also look like such a love-struck fool just now? Xu Qi An felt somewhat ashamed.
“Guangxiao, Ning Yan, I believe in love again,” Song Tingfeng said in a deep voice, unable to extricate himself from the beauty’s charm. “I’m planning to settle down and start a family. I’ve even thought of a name for my son.”
That’s not love, you just lust after her body… No, she doesn’t have a body… Xu Qi An thought to himself.
“You’re just lecherous,” Zhu Guangxiao criticized, his face showing a conflicted expression, struggling to choose between his childhood sweetheart next door and this woman he fell in love with at first sight.
The reason for this struggle was that his thoughts at this moment were identical to Song Tingfeng’s.
Just then, that devastatingly beautiful woman, swaying her slender waist, walked gracefully towards them.
“Are you three gentlemen also out for a stroll?”
As she approached, she stopped, her skirt settling from swaying to stillness. She curtsied gracefully:
“This humble woman is alone and quite bored. I wonder if I could join you three gentlemen?”
She’s targeting us… Xu Qi An became alert but pretended to look lustful and hesitant, frowning as he said, “We’re about to go to the courtesans’ quarters. That wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?”
“Who’s going to the courtesans’ quarters? If you want to go, go by yourself. I’m not that kind of person.”
“Ning Yan… ah, how crude.”
Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao quietly stepped back, distancing themselves from him.
Hmph, this man is indeed a lecher, speaking so boldly about visiting brothels in broad daylight… The Charm inwardly spat, her smile becoming even more radiant on the surface.
Leechers are great, your grand auntie is most skilled at dealing with lechers.
I have the Purple Yang Hermit’s jade ring to protect me, I’m not afraid of evil spirits. If she tries anything untoward, I’ll ambush her immediately. With the element of surprise, the chances of success are very high… But it’s best to keep her alive for interrogation tonight… Xu Qi An’s eyes flashed, and he said reluctantly:
“If that’s the case, then let’s go together.”
He planned to observe quietly first. If he remembered correctly, there was a Taoist spell for dealing with ghosts in the magic books gifted by the great Confucian scholars.
It seems like you’re fishing for me, but actually, I’m the one fishing for you…
…
In the teahouse, by the window.
Li Miaozhen turned her body sideways, using the window curtain as cover, looking down at the three people in the distance. Seeing the Charm so easily infiltrate the enemy’s ranks, she nodded with satisfaction.
Among many tactics, beauty has always been the most effective weapon against men.
“Jiang Lvzhong has gone out with Governor Zhang to inspect the people’s conditions, and the three white-robed members of the Bureau of Astronomy and Calendar have accompanied them. They won’t be back today. Without Jiang Lvzhong at the courier station and the spiritualists’ aura-sensing technique, the Charm wouldn’t be discovered.
“Although the Charm is skilled in enchantment and illusions, she ultimately has no physical form and can’t engage in bedroom activities with men. To maintain a long-term relationship with Xu Qi An without being discovered, I’ll have to go to the courtesans’ quarters to request a woman…
“After this matter is concluded, I’ll send him a few bottles of tonic pills for virility and blood replenishment. To be so depleted at such a young age, if he doesn’t replenish soon… Hah.”
…
The four of them wandered around Baidi City, taking in the local customs and eating all sorts of delicious food.
The woman introduced herself as Susu, born into a merchant family. Her father was a silk merchant, which explained why she could afford such beautiful and colorful clothes.
Seeing that the three gentlemen were handsome and distinguished-looking, she felt admiration and couldn’t help wanting to befriend them.
Is it befriend or what kind of friend… You need to be clear about this… Xu Qi An inwardly criticized. The crucial point was that Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao believed such a flimsy excuse, they believed it…
Well, can’t blame them, their intelligence has been lowered.
In a private room of a teahouse, Song Tingfeng pushed the pastries in front of Susu, asking attentively, “Why isn’t Miss Susu eating?”
“This humble one isn’t hungry.”
“Why isn’t Miss Susu drinking tea?”
“This humble one isn’t thirsty.”
Afraid the water might leak out, I suppose… Xu Qi An picked up his teacup and smiled, “Miss Susu, entering a teahouse and not drinking tea, are you looking down on us three brothers?”
Susu immediately put on a wronged expression: “How could you say that, sir?”
“Ning Yan, if Miss Susu doesn’t want to drink, don’t force her,” Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng immediately scolded their colleague, standing up for their sweetheart.
Damn it, you two probably don’t even remember your surnames now… The lower head has taken over the upper head… Xu Qi An immediately gave up on the idea of using water to wet the paper doll.
Susu pursed her small mouth and asked casually, “Judging by your accents, you gentlemen are not local to Yunzhou.”
Song Tingfeng raised his chin, speaking arrogantly: “We’re from the capital.”
Susu let out an “Ah” and covered her mouth, surprise mixed with admiration: “So you gentlemen are from the capital. This humble woman has heard that the capital is the most virtuous city in the world, full of talented people and spiritual land. I’ve been longing to see it for a long time.”
Xu Qi An had to admit that when it came to stir men’s hearts, this female ghost of unknown origin was the strongest he had ever seen, even slightly surpassing Fuixang.
She always knew how to touch the right spots in a man’s heart.
This is true seduction… Vulgar seduction uses the body as bait, but a cerebral climax is the essence of seduction.
Zhu Guangxiao added, not without showing off: “We are Night Watchmen… Miss Susu, have you heard of the Night Watchmen?”
Susu cooperatively shook her delicate head, blinking her clear and innocent eyes.
Song Tingfeng seized the topic, praising the Night Watchmen’s office. After receiving Miss Susu’s admiring gaze, he felt a bit light-headed and unsteady.
Susu subtly guided the conversation, “Then why have you gentlemen… ah no, officials, come to Yunzhou with the Governor?”
“Naturally, to investigate a case.”
“What case?”
Just as Song Tingfeng was about to speak, Xu Qi An kicked him under the table. He immediately sobered up a bit and said reluctantly, “Miss Susu, this involves state secrets and cannot be disclosed.”
Susu smiled charmingly, “This humble woman was presumptuous.”
Her apology was very gracious, not at all affected, making Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao like her even more.
These three have quite strong willpower. Your grandauntie needs to increase the intensity. If I can’t bring back some useful information today, the master will be angry. If the master is angry, she won’t give me a man… This Xu Qi An has the strongest willpower. Although he often steals glances at my body, he’s the most clear-headed… Well, the master ordered me to seduce him, the other two can be ignored…
This female ghost is starting to show her true colors. This won’t do, Tingfeng and Guangxiao are about to break. I need to act quickly…
With hidden agendas, Xu Qi An and Susu smiled at each other. Xu Qi An spoke first: “I need to use the privy. Tingfeng, Guangxiao, keep Miss Susu company.”
Creak… Bang… The door of the private room opened and then closed.
Only three people remained in the room. Song Tingfeng said, “Miss Susu…”
Across from them, Susu’s red lips parted slightly, exhaling an illusory, unreal yin energy that dispersed on their faces.
Their gazes instantly became dull, like puppets.
In a daze, Song Tingfeng saw Zhu Guangxiao leave as well, leaving only him and Susu in the private room. At this moment, Miss Susu gracefully stood up and began to undress.
The gauze dress, and undergarments, were removed one by one…
“Su, Miss Susu, don’t do this. I’m not that kind of person.”
“Miss Susu, let’s go to the pillar…”
The same illusion occurred in Zhu Guangxiao’s eyes. He wasn’t as hypocritical as Song Tingfeng. As a hardworking person, he led Miss Susu to sit at the table…
…
“Shhh!”
The energy ignited the paper, and Xu Qi An threw the paper ashes into a wine jug. After a moment, the paper burned completely, and smoke rose from the mouth of the jug. Complex incantations appeared on the surface of the crudely fired ceramic wine jug.
This was a Taoist spirit-sealing talisman, specifically used for catching ghosts.
When using this talisman, one needs to find an object as a vessel. Cups, bottles, pouches, jugs, and jars all work. Point the mouth of the vessel at the evil spirit, and the talisman will activate in response.
He hid the bottle in his bosom, held the jade ring in his palm, and strode back to the private room.
Just as he reached the door, he heard two heavy breathing sounds. They were men. This made Xu Qi An’s heart sink, leading to unpleasant associations.
I still underestimated this female ghost.
Susu in the private room seemed to hear the footsteps and called out loudly: “Is that Master Xu? The two gentlemen have suddenly fallen ill, please come quickly and take a look…”
Xu Qi An remained vigilant while cooperatively “hurriedly” pushing open the door.
In the private room, he saw Song Tingfeng hugging a pillar, thrusting frantically; Zhu Guangxiao had his hands on the edge of the table, showing off his waist strength.
“…” Xu Qi An was stunned.
At this moment, Susu, who had been lying in wait by the door, seized the opportunity and exhaled yin energy towards him.
Xu Qi An’s consciousness blurred for a moment but quickly cleared. The jade ring in his palm continued to emit a warm power.
He cooperated by pretending his pupils were dilated, feigning that he had fallen under the illusion.
“Bang…” The door closed gently, and a soft laugh reached his ears.
Miss Susu walked gracefully around the private room, giggling, “Hah, men!”
She sat on a long bench, crossing her legs. From a charming and alluring gentlewoman, she transformed into a cold and aloof queen.
Ignoring the two bronze gongs immersed in male-female pleasures, she looked at Xu Qi An, raising her willow-like eyebrows slightly: “Your grand auntie has some questions for you. Answer honestly.”
Xu Qi An nodded with a vacant expression, like an obedient puppet that could be manipulated at will.
Su Su pondered for a moment and asked, “Is Zhou Min an undercover agent for the night watchman?”
“Yes.”
… This aligned with what her master had said! Su Su nodded slightly, her doubts dispelled. She cut to the chase: “Tell me everything you know.”
The copper bell across from her, still dazed, replied, “You’re dreaming!”
Hmm?
Su Su froze for a moment, and then she saw Xu Qi An, the copper bell, calmly pull out a wine flask from his sleeve. He uncapped it and pointed the opening at her, saying, “Suck it in!”
Throughout this process, he maintained his dazed expression, and it wasn’t until he retrieved the flask that Su Su realized something was amiss.
In the next instant, a powerful suction enveloped her, drawing her spiritual form into the flask.
“Ha, a woman!” Xu Qi An’s eyes sparkled as he regained his composure, smiling as he sealed the flask shut.