Chapter 522: Beauty Scheme

Chen Wuji admitted that he had said some things too early.

This bunch, not a single one of them is decent.

But at the same time he felt relieved.

He liked this atmosphere and these subordinates; it was harmonious and pleasant, how good.

If it weren't for them brainstorming wildly right now, these matters, if he had to think of them himself, he really wouldn't be able to come up with them.

"The fact that Lu Ping'an sent a female envoy here indeed needs to be investigated, but for now there's no need to send her head back; first let her bring a verbal message back to see what Lu Ping'an's attitude is." Chen Wuji said.

"If Lu Ping'an's attitude is abnormal, I see no need to discuss the rest. Lord Zhang, continue your trip to San Guan Jun; once the situation there is clear, we'll launch troops to attack Qingzhou."

"Yes!" Everyone rose together, respectfully receiving the order.

They offered no other opinions, simply and directly endorsing Chen Wuji's decisive word, thus settling the matter as such.

The tea‑brewing by the fire continued; the subsequent conversation gradually returned to normal, with no further shocking suggestions popping up.

In the evening, Chen Wuji reserved a table at Dingqing Lou and had someone summon Shen Chai over.

"Miss Shen, you've come a long way; I ought to welcome you and cleanse the dust. Hezhou is remote and barren, with nothing special, so we'll just make do with a couple bites." Chen Wuji raised his hand and cheerfully greeted Shen Chai to sit.

Shen Chai, now dressed in a purple long skirt, wore a just‑right joyful expression; her gaze was like a deep pool that draws one in. She sat poised, nodding to the civil and military officials of Hezhou on either side as a greeting.

"General Chen, you've gone to trouble; you're really too courteous." After sitting, she gave a faint smile in reply to Chen Wuji's words, her demeanor losing the afternoon's alluring charm and gaining instead a bit of aloof, dignified detachment, as if she had become another person.

This was a countermeasure Shen Chai had devised after sitting in silence for an afternoon.

She thought that Chen Wuji, this lecher, perhaps didn't like women who eagerly throw themselves at him, but rather women who hold themselves aloof, feigning purity and enjoying keeping men in suspense.

Chen Wuji's attitude at noon had left her feeling stifled for a good while.

Now seeing Chen Wuji personally arrange a banquet for her, her heart felt a little more balanced.

This also let Shen Chai realize that, in coming this time, she still held the initiative in the negotiations.

As long as she kept her composure, this assignment would certainly not be botched.

Just as Shen Chai was thinking that, Qin Feng, seated to Chen Wuji's right, suddenly let out a cold snort: "Throughout history, I've never heard of a woman serving as an envoy. What does Lu Ping'an mean by this? Treating my lord like a woman?"

Shen Chai startled, "Sir, what do you mean by that? Lu Jinglve sent me here only because I'm suited for this task, with no other intention."

"No other intention? Let me ask you: what official post do you hold in Nan Jun, or what position do you have under Lu Ping'an?" Qin Feng demanded coldly.

Shen Chai calmly replied, "I hold no official post; merely my family has old ties with Lu Jinglve, and he appreciates my eloquence, so he entrusted me with this assignment."

"Shut up!" Qin Feng exploded in anger.

"You hold no office, aren't under Lu Ping'an's command, a mere commoner, and a woman of proper conduct—yet you come as an envoy to my Hezhou. In Lu Ping'an's eyes, does my lord deserve only a woman of proper conduct as an envoy?"

Faced with five or six gazes suddenly directed at her from the table, Shen Chai felt a bit flustered.

Before saying that, she hadn't even considered it, nor did she see any problem.

But now that it's been said, even she feels… indeed somewhat troublesome.

"Let me ask you, what exactly does Lu Ping'an mean?" Qin Feng loudly questioned.

Shen Chai clenched her hands nervously, realizing she might be in trouble; flustered, she forced herself to steady her mind and answered, "Lu Jinglve does not look down on General Chen; he merely…"

Shen Chai almost blurted out the truth instinctively, but after thinking, if she directly said she was the woman Lu Ping'an sent to Chen Wuji, things would likely get worse.

Turning her thoughts, she steeled herself and said firmly, "Although I am indeed a woman of proper conduct, I have accomplished many major tasks for Lu Jinglve, which earned his favor and gave me this opportunity to meet General Chen."

"You've helped Lu Ping'an accomplish many major tasks—what does that have to do with my lord? All we see is you, a woman of proper conduct with no status, dispatched as an envoy to discuss state affairs with my lord. Do you even deserve to piss and look at yourself? You—are you fit?!" Qin Feng shouted sternly.

Shen Chai's mindset completely collapsed.

What sort of people are these in Hezhou? Can't they show a little restraint when dealing with a beauty?

At noon, he had already been angered enough by Chen Wuji; now it's even worse.

Chen Wuji raised two fingers and pressed them down slowly, saying leisurely, "If Miss Shen doesn't know how to answer this question, why not write a letter and send it by express horse to Lu Ping'an to ask him what he really means?"

"If his answer fails to satisfy me, sorry, I'll probably have to send Miss Shen's head back to Qingzhou for Lu Ping'an to view."

Shen Chai considered herself a talented, eloquent woman among heroines, but now faced with the surrounding gazes as fierce and ruthless as wolves and tigers, she could think of nothing to say to extricate herself.

Her usual quick wit seemed to vanish in an instant.

Moreover, she was truly afraid…

Chen Wuji had already more than once revealed his intention to take her life.

"Go on, tell Lu Ping'an exactly what we just said, in full, so it doesn't endanger your life." Chen Wuji said lightly, "Also, Miss Shen, while you're in Hezhou these days, don't casually meet strangers, lest I misunderstand."

Shen Chai forcibly restrained her inner panic, nodded, rose, and left her seat.

This seat, she had just warmed it up; she hadn't even had time to pick up her chopsticks.

After Shen Chai left the private room, the atmosphere at the wine table instantly became lively.

"I wouldn't have guessed, but you're quite suited to playing a fierce bully!" Chen Wuji joked to Qin Feng, then personally rose to pour drinks for everyone.

Qin Feng held his wine bowl with both hands and laughed, "In our Hezhou we have a Sheep Commandant; that's enough of a fierce bully—I don't need to act like that."

"But speaking of which, Lu Ping'an sending this woman as an envoy really does seem to look down on our lord. Look at her just now—I only said a little, and she started trembling. With such little courage, what kind of envoy could she be? Perhaps she was sent here for our lord to look at."

Chen Wuji went around Qin Feng to pour wine for Cheng Zhiheng, saying, "Don't say that—this might actually be true; Lu Ping'an suddenly had the odd idea to pull a beauty scheme on me."