It was Yun Zhonghe's turn to be dazed when he heard Ning Qing's words.
This… This… This…
Woman, was your name Wild?
Was it suitable for such a cultured, talented lady like Ning Qing to utter such unconstrained words?
"Are you not going to consider it for a moment?" Ning Qing said, "As long as you have the talent, you can continue staying by my side. You will become one of the clean and noble people within this land with no master. Everyone says that this place is a desert, devoid of culture. We can plant the seeds of civilization and allow literature and decency to flourish here."
Yun Zhonghe said, "I'll have to pass. I still prefer sensual pleasures, glory, and wealth. All I can obtain here is a reputation, while I will be able to obtain influence if I stay by Jing Zhongyue's side. Perhaps there will come a day where she'll wake up on the wrong side of the bed and appoint me as her husband. When that time comes, I'll have obtained both beauty and influence. I will have become the man behind a female castellan and truly stepped onto the peak of life."
Ning Qing said, disappointed, "Alright then. We walk different paths. It is not suitable for us to work together."
Yun Zhonghe said, "Lady Ning Qing, are you really not going to consider changing your report a little? Even if it is just slightly more advantageous toward the City of Torn Gust. It would be a catastrophic disaster if the Baronage Alliance were to prosecute us."
Ning Qing replied, "I'm sorry. I would rather die than change the report."
Yun Zhonghe continued, "Then may I ask, is your stubbornness and determination for the sake of fairness and justice, or is it for the sake of your reputation?"
Ning Qing said, "It is, of course, for my reputation. I already have nothing to my name. All I have is my reputation."
Yun Zhonghe said, "You're willing to allow the eruption of a great battle, you're willing to see every living thing in the Valley of Torn Gust get exterminated for your reputation?"
"That's right," Ning Qing said. "I was willing to protect you just now, but you rejected me."
Yun Zhonghe shrugged.
Ning Qing said, "The paths we walk are different, and it is unsuitable for us to work together. Since you wish to suck up to Jing Zhongyue that much, you can leave. I worry that you will have indecent thoughts if I continue allowing you to stay. I am afraid that you will think that you can change my stand and make me edit the report."
She chased Yun Zhonghe out.
"Of course, you need not care about my illness. After all, there's no use in your buttering me up," Ning Qing said.
Yun Zhonghe asked, "Are you chasing me away?"
"Yes," Ning Qing replied.
Yun Zhonghe said, "Alright, I'll leave. However, I'll come back another time to give you your medicine. That's because your body lacks many nutrients. That results in your anemia and hair loss. No one other than me can formulate the medicine you need."
Ning Qing said, "I will not help you, nor will I change my stance and edit the report, even if you tend to me and fully treat my illness."
"I understand!" Yun Zhonghe said, "You regard your reputation more highly than your life. I'll come again in two days."
"I'll not send you off!" Ning Qing said.
"Goodbye," Yun Zhonghe said.
Then, Yun Zhonghe left.
No one sent him off. He left the castle, crestfallen.
He could not bear to turn back and have a look, even after he walked out of the castle.
Was his mission a failure?
He had not managed to deal with the widow, Ning Qing, nor had he managed to get her to change her stance.
However, that woman had an extraordinary allure.
She was loving and gentle yet merciless.
She held her reputation with the utmost regard, yet did not look at all hypocritical.
She was proud yet humble. More importantly, she did not hide her humility.
She was a clean, chaste woman, yet she had a bold, unconstrained heart.
She was an enigma of a woman.
More importantly, she was beautiful. She had a great figure.
Her figure was too great.
She had curves like a willow, yet was mixed with a certain maturity.
Unfortunately, her will was too strong. It was unattainably hard for a person to change her mind.
It was useless to kill her.
She had been married twice, and both her husbands had passed on. People called her a nemesis, a lone star.
She truly had nothing left aside from her reputation.
***
Yun Zhonghe returned to the Wild Boar Territory. He had just entered the borders of the Valley of Torn Gust when he was immediately escorted away by two warriors.
Of course, they did not kill him. Instead, they brought him directly into Jing Zhongyue's opulent, majestic tent.
Jing Zhongyue had had another change of clothes.
It was not obvious that she had changed her clothes. The clothes she had on looked like the ones she wore two days ago, but it was a completely different piece.
Even though this was also a white robe embroidered with gold thread, the patterns embroidered on this robe were slightly different.
This woman's life sure was luxurious. Furthermore, she pretended to be reserved even though she was secretly a coquettish lady.
However, this woman was also very beautiful.
Jing Zhongyue first pinched her nose when she saw Yun Zhonghe enter the tent, as Yun Zhonghe smelled rancid.
He had not taken a shower in two days. Furthermore, he had been tortured on multiple occasions, been drenched in sweat several times, as well as nearly wetting himself a couple of times.
Ning Qing was also immaculately clean, yet she did not give any looks of disdain when she was near Yun Zhonghe. She did not pinch her nose, nor did she deliberately use incense.
That was because she was a person who truly cherished talented individuals, even if that individual had a subpar image.
However, Jing Zhongyue did not hide her hatred toward the unkempt.
Was there anything wrong?
No!
The two women were both filled with charm. They were both incredibly alluring.
"Get out!" Jing Zhongyue waved her hand.
At that moment, everyone in the tent got out.
Jing Zhongyue had been enjoying a delicious venison steak. However, she instantly lost her appetite when she saw how unruly Yun Zhonghe was.
She had wanted to pretend to be a well-mannered person and continue eating as if nothing had happened.
However… She could not stomach another bite. Thus, she decided to give up and not keep up the pretense.
"Yun Zhonghe, no one had been able to enter the castle and meet Ning Qing for the past month, yet you managed to do it," Jing Zhongyue said. "Just on this point alone, you are more powerful than everyone before you."
"Yes," Yun Zhonghe answered.
Jing Zhongyue hesitated for a moment, then said, "I have a question that I wish to ask you."
Yun Zhonghe said, "You're more beautiful. Compared to Ning Qing, you are more beautiful. Compared to anyone, you would be the most beautiful."
"Thank you!" Jing Zhongyue said while she pinched her nose. "Then, can you please take three steps back before you speak? The stench coming from you is very heavy."
"Alright." Yun Zhonghe took three steps back.
Jing Zhongyue said, "Tell me about the process."
Yun Zhonghe narrated the incident. He did not leave any details out. However, he did not tell Jing Zhongyue about the poem, 'Mister Taia.'
He could not show that he was a cultured person at this moment. He still had to pretend to be illiterate. However, it was not for keeping a low profile. Instead, it was to facilitate him pretending to be even more remarkable in the future so that he could dazzle Jing Zhongyue's large, beautiful eyes.
"Have you seen the report?" Jing Zhongyue asked.
Yun Zhonghe answered, "Yes."
"How was it?" she asked.
Yun Zhonghe replied, "Impressive. As it turns out, the leader of the Wild Boar Territory did not rebel under the instigation of the City of Autumn Waters. Instead, it was you who sent spies to force the rebellion. Your method was truly merciless. I also know that not only did you engage in a massacre after you invaded the City of Autumn Waters, killing upward of ten thousand people, but you also destroyed tens of thousands of acres of the City of Autumn Waters' fertile land. It was an absolutely devious plan."
Jing Zhongyue said, "So what? Are you going to judge me?"
"No," Yun Zhonghe replied. "I wish to idolize you. Those actions are what makes you a passable leader."
Jing Zhongyue said, "Continue."
Yun Zhonghe continued, saying, "Ning Qing has already finished her report and allowed me to see it. The contents of the report are extremely unfavorable to the Valley of Torn Gust. It pins all of the blame onto our heads and provides irrefutable evidence. Furthermore, you are described as a female demon in the report. She also strongly suggests that the Baronage Alliance prosecutes the Valley of Torn Gust with the severest of punishments."
Jing Zhongyue retracted her gaze as she said, "She is not going to change her stance, even though you have saved her life and exposed a traitor by her side?"
"That's right," Yun Zhonghe said. "The widow, Ning Qing, would rather die than change her stance. She is determined to get the Baronage Alliance to prosecute us. It is more difficult to get her to change her determination than to ascend the heavens."
Jing Zhongyue said, "All in all, you still failed in your mission?"
Yun Zhonghe replied, "That's right. I failed. However, at the final moment, she was willing to protect me and take me in. However, for you, I rejected her and chose to return to your side."
"I am very touched," Jing Zhongyue said, "However, a failure is a failure. Of course, you managed to enter the castle and come into contact with Ning Qing. You even managed to read the entire report before it was submitted. Those are undeniable contributions. So, I can spare your life, but I will still have to punish you. I'll still have to rescind your position as the third official registrar of the Embroidered Uniform Guards."
F*ck, I love how merciless she is.
"Alright, you can go, Yun Zhonghe," Jing Zhongyue said. "I have to deliberate about what to do next."
At that moment, Jing Zhongyue instead seemed very calm. Her gaze seemed to contain a certain determination.
Yun Zhonghe could not help but recall the contents he saw in the report. The crisis that the Valley of Torn Gust was facing was a catastrophic disaster.
However, the situation Jing Zhongyue faced over a year ago was as dangerous as the current one. The situation back then might even be worse for her than the current crisis.
The old castellan Jing E collapsing without warning was akin to the sky falling onto the territory. Jing Zhongyue had taken up the position as a woman and broke all of the traditions. The leaders of all of the territories under her were raring to take action and plotted to rebel. A group of barons from the outside world were also fanning the flames.
However, Jing Zhongyue had managed to reverse such a terrifying situation.
Since there was no way to prevent a war from happening, she brought the battle forward. She then took the initiative and turned a large-scale war to a small battle. It was just that the small battle was even more intense and merciless.
The braver party always won in battle.
Jing Zhongyue was definitely a merciless person, a passable leader.
She was not depressed or lost when she faced a difficult situation. Instead, she met the challenge head-on with the gleaming eyes of a fierce beast.
Furthermore, she did not overly blame Yun Zhonghe. Instead, she did not even say that she was going to attack Ning Qing. That was not because she was magnanimous, but she knew that it would not help the situation.
Yun Zhonghe asked, "Will the prosecution definitely happen if Ning Qing submits her report? Does it really mean a catastrophic disaster that cannot be avoided?"
Jing Zhongyue replied, "Yes."
She then suddenly stood up and said, "Make the preparations. We return to the City of Torn Gust immediately. Prepare for the worst. Prepare for an intense retaliation."
"Wait…" Yun Zhonghe said, "Master, I can reverse the situation. I can resolve all of this. I can make Ning Qing change her stance and change the report."
Jing Zhongyue asked, "Didn't you say that Ning Qing would rather die than change her stance? Didn't you say that it was more difficult than ascending the heavens?"
Yun Zhonghe said, "That's right, but it is effortless for me. I can resolve it in two days."
Jing Zhongyue said, "Tell me your plan."
Yun Zhonghe said with a smile, "It is very simple. My plan is called 'hooking up an illicit love affair.'"
Jing Zhongyue asked, "Between who and who?"
Yun Zhonghe answered, "It will, of course, be between Ning Qing and me. I am going to sleep in the same bed as her in two days. Also, we will not be wearing any clothes."
***