Chapter 594 - 597: Tricked

Chapter 594: Chapter 597: Tricked

The young lady’s pretty face flushed bright red. She hurriedly lowered her head, revealing the delicate, slender nape of her pale neck. Clinging tightly to her pipa, she looked unbearably shy.

"In broad daylight... Sir, isn’t this a bit inappropriate?"

Li Liao took out a gleaming silver ingot and placed it on the dining table.

"Just tell us what we want to know, and this silver is yours."

That ingot had to be at least five taels. An ordinary singer earned two or three silver coins at most for a song; some only received a dozen or so copper coins.

To offer five taels right off the bat was incredibly generous.

The young lady was clearly tempted.

Hua Manman picked up the silver ingot and pressed it into the young lady’s delicate hand. She even gave the back of the girl’s hand a little stroke and said with a smile,

"Go on, tell us. We won’t treat you unfairly."

Li Liao’s eyelid twitched.

’She... she actually dared to cop a feel.’

The young lady clutched the heavy silver ingot as if she had finally made a decision, and at last, she was willing to speak.

"If you were asking about anything else, Sir, I might not know. But when it comes to the Yu Royal Mansion, I actually do know a little. I was summoned to the Yu Royal Mansion just two days ago to perform."

Hua Manman watched her with a burning intensity, encouraging her. "Go on."

The young lady said, "When I went to the Yu Royal Mansion, I only saw the Second Master and some guests. I didn’t see Prince Yu. I heard he was bedridden and couldn’t receive visitors."

Hua Manman asked, "Do you know who those guests were?"

The young lady replied, "Some of them were generals under Prince Yu, some were well-known local scholars and poets, and there were also a few Alien Clan People."

Hua Manman repeated, "Alien Clan People?"

Seeing her interest in the Alien Clan People, the young lady explained in detail.

"Although they were dressed like Great Zhou people, the language they spoke was not our Great Zhou language, nor did it sound like a regional dialect. In any case, it was a language I had never heard before."

Hua Manman asked again, "What were they there for?"

The young lady said, "It looked like they were there to discuss a partnership. The Second Master was very courteous to them. I don’t know anything more specific than that."

Hua Manman asked a few more questions.

The young lady told her everything she could.

When she couldn’t get any more information out of her, Hua Manman finally let the matter drop. Patting the empty seat beside her, she gave a suggestive smile.

"Sit here."

"Thank you, Sir." The young lady sat down gracefully, gently placing her pipa on the floor beside her.

Hua Manman picked up a cup of wine and brought it to the young lady’s lips.

"It’s freezing outside, and you’re dressed so lightly. You must be chilled to the bone, right? Here, drink some wine to warm yourself up."

The young lady hesitated. "I can’t hold my liquor very well."

Hua Manman said, "Just a little sip. It’ll be fine. If you get drunk, I’ll personally see you home."

The young lady couldn’t refuse and had no choice but to drink the cup of wine.

It was indeed fine wine, smooth and fragrant on the palate, with a lingering aftertaste.

Afterward, Hua Manman not only poured the young lady’s wine herself, but also served her food, peeled her shrimp, and deboned her fish, acting exceptionally thoughtful and considerate.

When the atmosphere was congenial, the young lady asked cautiously,

"You don’t look like a local, Sir. What brings you to Lingxi City?"

Hua Manman said with a smile, "We’re here on business. We want to buy some tea to take north and sell."

The young lady’s eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh, I see. The tea here is indeed quite good, especially the Longjing. That’s a tribute tea, sent to the palace every year for the Saint to taste."

Hua Manman nodded in agreement, adding a few more words of praise about how good the local tea was.

The young lady asked, "Is it just the two of you? If so, I’m afraid you won’t be able to buy much tea. Transporting it is quite a hassle, after all. You’ll need to hire more people."

Hua Manman replied, "Of course it’s not just the two of us. We’ve hired several assistants, but they’re busy elsewhere. It’ll be another two days before they can meet us in Lingxi City."

The young lady smiled sheepishly.

"It seems I was worried for nothing. I’ve made a fool of myself, Sir."

Hua Manman took her small hand and said softly, "How could that be? You were just concerned about us. I’m delighted."

The young lady’s face grew even redder.

Li Liao: "..."

’Forget it,’ he thought. ’Out of sight, out of mind.’

After the meal, Hua Manman personally escorted the young lady downstairs. After asking for her address, she even had an attendant hire a carriage to take her home.

Just as they were about to part, Hua Manman suddenly asked,

"What’s your name? Can we see each other again?"

The young lady was already a little drunk. Seeing his gentle, warm smile and remembering his earlier thoughtfulness, her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

She said with a blush,

"My name is Yue Niang. In the future, if you wish to see me, Sir, you need only send someone to the last house in Jasmine Alley to let me know."

Hua Manman called out her name gently.

"Yue Niang. That’s a beautiful name. I’ll send for you again tomorrow."

She stood by the side of the road, watching the carriage depart.

Only when the carriage had disappeared from sight did she withdraw her gaze and turn back to the private room.

That night, they stayed at the inn.

Li Liao and Hua Manman’s rooms were adjacent to each other.

Before she entered her room, Li Liao handed her a dagger for self-defense.

Hua Manman understood what he meant.

Her deliberate inquiries about the Yu Royal Mansion earlier that day had likely alerted the spies.

They would very likely come tonight to test Hua Manman and Li Liao.

Hua Manman had to be prepared.

The moon rose high in the sky, and the noises from outside grew fainter and fainter.

Everyone in the inn was asleep.

In the dead silence of the night, two men dressed in black snuck into the inn and silently picked the locks on two guest room doors.

The two exchanged a glance and entered separate rooms.

In the room on the left, the man in black crept toward the bed in the darkness. He couldn’t see the person lying on it clearly, only the raised shape of the blankets. He assumed the bearded man was sleeping underneath.

The man in black drew his dagger, and with the tip pointing down, he viciously stabbed at the bedding!

But all he heard was a dull THUMP.

The blade had sunk into cotton. There wasn’t a drop of blood.

The man in black cursed inwardly. ’It’s a trap!’

He spun around to flee, but his path was blocked by Li Liao, who had appeared without a sound.

Li Liao spoke unhurriedly.

"Since you’re here, don’t even think about leaving."

The man in black raised his dagger and slashed at him.

Li Liao didn’t draw his weapon. He simply used his scabbard to block the attack while simultaneously raising his right foot.

He kicked out.

The man in black was sent flying backward from the kick. He slammed into the wall, slid to the floor, and fell unconscious, blood spilling from his mouth.

After dealing with the uninvited guest, Li Liao planned to check on the situation next door.

Just then, he heard a blood-curdling scream from the next room, followed by a sharp CRACK.

It sounded like something had shattered.

And then, silence.