Ji Yunshu whispered, “When you enter the ‘Moonlit Dream’ room later, observe your surroundings and try to loosen her tongue. Also, since you’re acting, then you might as well do it properly. Only then can you know for sure what those three men experienced there before they died.”
“Why aren’t you going in yourself?”
“I want to, but my body doesn’t allow for it.”
Jing Rong scanned her from top to bottom, an evil glint in his eye. Ji Yunshu turned away and gave him a shove. “Hurry downstairs. Let’s not wait for our dishes to get cold.” Go, my child! The beauty is waiting.
Jing Rong rolled his eyes, but what else could he do? He eventually made his way downstairs. Mother Bao was not quite sure why it was him and not Ji Yunshu, “Wasn’t Master Liang the bidder?”
“He can’t do it. This person belongs to me now.”
You can’t do it! Ji Yunshu glared at him with her narrowed eyes, still stroking her fake moustache. I’m a real man, okay!
Mother Bao stretched out her hand. “Since the master has made a bid, then first hand over your silver. Since we’re making a transaction, there cannot even be a penny of the promised amount missing.” As long as she received her dues, she did not care who paid.
“I’m not carrying any silver.”
“What? No silver? Then why did you bid? Really…”
Jing Rong whipped out several silver notes before Mother Bao could flare up, flinging the ‘sparkling’ notes in her face, “I don’t have silvers, only notes.”
“Aiyoh, you two young masters sure love to joke around.” Mother Bao grasped the notes and stuffed them into her sleeves, pushing Yu’in towards Jing Rong with a huge grin, “Young Master, Yu’in is now yours. You can take her away now.”
Yu’in never once looked up; from the start, she played the role of an obedient daughter well, allowing herself to be sold like an object without complaining or rebelling, and following every one of Mother Bao’s commands!
Jing Rong purposely stepped aside, putting distance between the two of them. He looked up and pointed at the second storey. “I’ve heard that Miss Yu’in’s ‘Moonlit Dream’ room is extremely spacious. How about we stay there tonight and let Miss Yu’in dance a number for me.”
Mother Bao tensed up immediately upon hearing the words ‘Moonlit Dream’, “Young master, Yu’in is already yours. You can bring her away from our House of Serenity, why stay here?”
“Why not? Is it prohibited?”
“Of course…”
Yu’in suddenly spoke, breaking her well-kept silence as she interrupted Mother Bao, “Since the young master has so requested, then let’s go to the ‘Moonlit Dream’. Yu’in can present a dance for the young master.” Her voice was soft, gentle, and warm.
Yu’in led Jing Rong upstairs to the ‘Moonlit Dream’ before Mother Bao could voice her disagreement. Mother Bao could only rub her hands anxiously. She had been able to suppress news about the last three ghost-sighting incidents, but what if something were to happen again tonight? She hurriedly had several men keep watch outside the room, ordering them to barge in immediately if a commotion were to arise.
On the third floor.
Ji Yunshu asked for a pot of tea as she waited. There was a niggling doubt in her mind. Yu’in was like an ethereal fairy, her every move flowing with the grace and poise of a lady; even her voice was pleasing to the ear – could Jing Rong withstand her advances? What if… She shook her head as if to shake those thoughts out of her mind, reminding herself to not let her mind wander aimlessly.
Inside the ‘Moonlit Dream’ room.
Jing Rong was taken aback by the spectacle before him; it looked like an ordinary guest room from the outside, but within, it wanted for nothing. The room was gorgeously adorned, with hanging gauze fluttering daintily in the gentle breeze. There was also a large stage specially made for Yu’in to dance on in the middle of the room. Behind the stage was a bed and a vanity, while before the stage was a large steaming bath. Next to it stood a screen as ornately carved as those jade screens one could only find in the palace. Mother Bao had indeed invested heavily in this lady.
“Young Master.” Yu’in called out and gave a curtsy, “How about the young master remove your robes and have a bath?” She came forth to peel his robes back.
Jing Rong immediately stepped backwards, avoiding her hands. “There’s no need.”
“Does the young master despise Yu’in?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then why? Since the young master has bought Yu’in, then Yu’in belongs to the young master. Serving the young master is now also Yu’in’s responsibility.” Tears began to pool in her expressive eyes – how could anyone bear to see such a beauty reduced to this state?
Jing Rong recalled what Ji Yunshu had handed over to him – since you’re acting, then you might as well do it properly!“Forget it, dance. I’ll do it myself.” He walked over to the bath and removed his outer robes, dunking himself into that bath with his inner clothes still on.
Splash!
Yu’in walked up to the stage. She began to twirl with dainty steps. Her form was indeed beautiful; if she named herself second-best in the Great Lin, nobody would dare call themselves the best. Jing Rong only watched, unmoved. No matter how much she danced, twirled, or spun, it was none of his concern. That figure moved back and forth, weaving throughout those muslins; her figure was sometimes obscured, sometimes crystal clear, the white steam bubbling from his bath created an even more ethereal scenario.
Little time passed before Jing Rong found his head becoming heavier and his vision becoming blurry. His sharp instincts told him that something wasn’t right! However, as he tried to push himself up from the bath, Yu’in had already walked over to his side, pushing him back down.
She leaned her upper body on his shoulders and pressed heavily as she spoke directly into his ear. “Since the young master has already come in, don’t you want to see Yu’in’s appearance?” Her voice resonated from deep within, echoing throughout his head.
Jing Rong could feel his strength slipping away, his eyelids drooping against his will. When he turned to look at Yu’in, she was slowly removing her veil. The face hidden behind that cloth was intricate; she had a well-defined nose bridge, cherry red lips, a sharp chin, and those moving eyes – she resembled a fairy one could only find in paintings. Yu’in’s slender fingers caressed Jing Rong’s neck as she spoke, “Young Master, is this servant beautiful?”
As soon as those words were spoken, that once beautiful visage gradually turned feral. It was bloody and full of scars, marks left by deep-cutting knives. Those cherry red lips began to split sideways, revealing a huge, gaping mouth. Her eyeballs popped out as they bled, even those slender fingers turning into white bones. It was terrifying!
Jing Rong could not move away or prop himself up, only able to watch as that horrifying face slowly enlarged before his eyes. Just before that bloody mouth was going to swallow him whole, a pair of hands appeared from behind Yu’in, the forefinger pressing down firmly onto an acupoint on her neck. With a sharp cry, Yu’in fell to the floor. Jing Rong tried to open his eyes, but could only glimpse a familiar shadow nearing him before he lost consciousness!
When he awoke, he was already in the guestrooms of the county yamen. He lifted his leaden body and saw Ji Yunshu leisurely sipping tea at the table beside him.
“Did you already expect this?” Jing Rong questioned.
Ji Yunshu nodded, “To some extent.”
You- Ji Yunshu! Jing Rong’s walked over to her, his disdain written all over his face, “Ji Yunshu, you’d best give this Prince a reasonable explanation.”
She looked up at him, speaking matter-of-factly. “The only way to know if there’s any problem in that ‘Moonlit Dream’ is to draw out the enemy. Otherwise, we would never get any information out of that Miss Yu’in.”
“Where is she?”
“At the yamen out front.”
“What for?”
“An interrogation!”
…