Chapter 39: Open the door! I know you're home!

The young lady's voice was clear and ringing, yet it made the people inside instantly tighten their fingertips.

Someone inside answered the call, but no one came to the door.

Du Shanü felt somewhat puzzled, then reached out and knocked on the door, calling out:

"Chief Clerk Chen?"

"I heard about you from a friend and came specially to visit; please open the door so we can have a brief chat."

Having spoken, Du Shanü focused her attention and listened carefully.

One breath, two breaths.

Finally, she heard extremely faint footsteps and the rustle of fabric.

Du Shanü immediately sprang to attention, carefully straightening her clothes and the gift in her hands, preparing to meet this Yin Dynasty Grand Minister of the Imperial Stables.

Chinu has his own ideas; expecting him to submit and obey in a short time is as hard as climbing to heaven.

However, the few words that leak from between his fingers these days are enough to savor and ponder.

Although no one said what this Chief Clerk Chen is capable of, the fact that Chinu remembers and praises him suggests his abilities are not insignificant.

Since we can't get a hold of Chinu, let's start with Afang instead!

All roads lead to the capital!

Du Shanü's heart leapt with joy, but the next instant she heard the faint click of a bolt being moved inside the house......

It didn't sound like opening the door; rather, it sounded like locking it.

Wait, lock the door?!

Du Shanü startled, the slightly hoarse voice from inside spoke again:

"Leave at once."

Du Shanü: "???"

No, these capable ministers and strategists—how can their tempers be so strange!

She hasn't even stated her purpose yet, inviting them to join her in supporting the great cause!

How can they not even let her through the door!

What then is all the preparation she's done over these days for her speech?

Is it just because she overthinks too much?

Du Shanü conceded, but not entirely.

She silently lowered her hand, stepped back two paces, and quietly left the doorway.

The people inside, hearing her footsteps retreat, had already relaxed—who would have thought that in the next instant Du Shanü had already gone around to the other side of the house by the alley and begun trying to climb the window.

Du Shanü wasn't just climbing; she was climbing while shouting:

"Sir! Sir!"

"You have to see me! Otherwise, where can I put all my talent to use!"

"Like this, listen to me! Let's try again—I'll go inside and give you the gift, you'll be overjoyed, and then we'll mutually admire each other......"

Who has ever seen such a shameless, thick‑skinned person!

This really scared the wits out of the people inside.

The shadow inside immediately lunged at the window to stop it from opening.

One person wanted to push, the other wanted to close, each grabbing the window and straining.

But the window was merely pasted with hemp paper—how could it withstand the force of two people?

Yet in just a couple of breaths, the paper was torn into a large hole.

Sunlight streamed through the hole into the somewhat dim interior, and Du Shanü got her first look at the appearance of this 'Chen Weifang'.

He was a man in his mid‑to‑late thirties, dressed in plain blue‑green robes, with a slender build.

His brows were smooth and level, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes deep and still; his eyes were neither sharp nor harsh, yet deep as an ancient pool.

To describe him with words like 'handsome' and 'upright' would be too flighty and superficial.

Nevertheless, he certainly possesses a natural, elegant bearing, with a rather fitting mature grace.

Du Shanü looked at him, and he was also looking at Du Shanü.

He still hadn't given up on closing the window, and even repeated:

"Leave at once."

He really won't let me in?!

Du Shanü couldn't understand why he was so insistent, and she gritted her teeth:

"Chief Clerk Chen, I haven't even said anything yet."

This person is truly strange, truly strange!

Who drives someone away without even meeting them?

Is it just because the visitor is a woman, so he thinks they can't be under the same roof?

In that case, this person is surely hidebound and will certainly not acknowledge her......

Du Shanü's fingers relaxed a little, but she still hadn't given up completely.

Chen Weifang's gaze fell on the already shattered window; after a few moments of silence, he then said:

"No need to say it; I know."

"It must be Chinu who sent you."

Du Shanü's fingertip twitched, and the puzzled expression in her brows and eyes gradually faded.

Chen Weifang's eyes, still as an ancient well, remained unchanged as he continued:

"The day I saw him at the Xian Xie, I knew he definitely had some scheme."

I know my own abilities; if he is preparing to again assist the Young Emperor, he will certainly have to seek other strategists for his lord, and will surely bring me along. I have been waiting for him these past days, but I never expected......

But I never expected that the one who came was neither the Young Emperor nor Chinu.

Rather, it was a woman.

【...... From a friend I learned of you, I specially came to visit...... to have a brief chat......】

This remark, perhaps falling on others' ears, is merely ordinary words.

But falling into his ears, it had already become a thunderclap.

He could not see through Chinu's schemes, nor did he know what was special about this woman, but...

But, this is clearly an extraordinary gamble.

And the safest approach is evidently to not place a bet.

"Leave at once."

"Third time."

Chen Weifang spoke softly for the third time; this time, his brows and eyes showed a little more gentleness toward an ordinary junior:

"Today I will treat it as if you never came."

Those words already count as friendly.

But for Du Shanü, it's not enough, not enough.

In a breath, Du Shanü's thoughts turned, and she intentionally feigned:

"...... Sir, how do you know Chinu hasn't chosen me?"

Du Shanü's words are certainly a bluff, but unfortunately, she has just emerged from obscurity and is indeed too inexperienced.

Whether Chinu or Chen Weifang, both are clearly not ordinary strategists.

Upon hearing this, Chen Weifang's expression didn't change at all, and he only said:

"If Chinu had chosen you as his lord, why are you the only one who came?"

Chinu not coming already says everything.

Du Shanü's smile froze at the lips, and she also discovered this loophole—

Doomed.

Utterly doomed.

She said how could Chinu so easily reveal Chen Weifang's name and origins to her...

As it turns out, this path is also not easy to walk!

If Chen Weifang today chooses her as his lord and is willing to assist her, the candle in Chinu's hand might possibly tilt toward her again.

But since Chinu has not chosen her now, Chen Weifang cannot possibly look favorably upon her.

These two people, you wait for me to bet, I wait for you to bet—a closed loop with no way to break out at all!

Du Shanü cursed silently in her heart, the force in her hand gradually relaxed, and in the end it completely fell.

Chen Weifang immediately shut the window, yet did not leave.

Du Shanü is not one to give up easily; she sent the oil-paper-wrapped item through the broken hole in the window, speaking softly:

"This is the Yuan Chong crossbow I have developed, a cluster of ten bolts capable of splitting the earth into three parts; please, sir, appraise it."

"I...... will not give up; I will surely come again another day."

This time, Chen Weifang's expression finally showed some cracks; he fixed his gaze on Du Shanü outside the window, evidently wanting to see her more clearly.

Du Shanü allowed him to scrutinize her, then weighed her words:

"We lack armor; for now we cannot test the crossbow, so I don't know its effectiveness—it will surely need further revision... until it can pierce the iron cavalry of the foreign tribes."

"Sir, I don't want this trip to be in vain. To speak frankly, I originally wanted to ask you how you obtained the Xian Xie of Cangnan, but now I want to ask you, according to your opinion... how should I make Chinu choose me as his lord?"

Armor, test the crossbow, pierce the iron cavalry...

Each word contains a grand ambition, like a great sword striking the hearts of those inside the house.

Yet all this only earned a longer silence.

Du Shanü stood in place waiting a long time, finally feeling somewhat disappointed, she bowed her head and prepared to leave.

But just then, Chen Weifang spoke:

"Chinu has three moles on his face; miss, do you know?"

Du Shanü's footsteps halted; she immediately turned her head and laughed:

"I know; I am eager to listen!"

The sly intent in her smile almost made Chen Weifang think he had fallen into a trap, but this old minister of the previous dynasty, his gaze landing on the oil-paper bundle at the window, pondered a few breaths, and finally spoke:

"I am untalented; I once entered the Daoist sect and have some knowledge of physiognomy."

"Chinu has three moles on his brow, cheek, and nose bridge; their meaning corresponds exactly to jealousy, suitability as a wife... and, lust."

Jealousy, suitability as a wife... lust?

Du Shanü's pupils dilated slightly; recalling what Hei Lao Daifu had said, she immediately had a bad premonition.

She wanted to call a halt, but Chen Weifang was quicker.

This strategist, whose brows and eyes were as calm as an ancient moon, spoke softly:

"My humble opinion: if one wishes to make Chinu submit with the aura of a hegemon, it would be as difficult as climbing to heaven."

"However, fortunately, miss, you are a woman; you have a simpler, more effective method......."

"That is, to sleep with him."

?? Is the author's writing really that bad...... Why is there no one at all o(╥﹏╥)o