Chapter Twenty-Nine: Isn’t This What You Like?

"This... is not a good idea, Acting Superintendent."

Upon learning of Chen Yi's request, the record clerk spoke with hesitation.

Chen Yi asked, "What is not good about it?"

From that ambush, Chen Yi had seen clearly what the Ding'an Party intended. Those Confucian scholars, who prided themselves on their concern for the nation and its people, had resolved to topple the Lin Party by any means necessary. When the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer; he feared that not a single person who had served the Lin Party would be spared. They would never let the attempt on his life go. Instead, it would come in wave after wave.

To protect himself, he had two choices: either flee the capital immediately and hide his identity for the rest of his life, or make the Ding'an Party pay a heavy price before they could kill him, forcing them to weigh the true cost of their actions.

Chen Yi could not possibly leave the capital. Putting aside the exotic poison coursing through his veins and the upcoming prayer ritual for the expulsion of bandits and demons, neither event would allow him to just walk away.

Since that was the case, the only thing left to do was to entrap the Ding'an Party.

The clerk hesitated, offering a reminder: "Acting Superintendent, Superintendent Xue has already reviewed most of these case files, and he believes there are basically no issues within them."

Chen Yi could easily discern the implication: this was a warning that even Superintendent Xue dared not offend the Ding'an Party too severely. Observing his reaction, the clerk continued, "Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding? If you are able, Acting Superintendent, why not send a formal invitation to the Prince Jing Estate to clarify the matter?"

Chen Yi sneered repeatedly. Anyone else could send an invitation to the Prince Jing Estate, but he certainly could not. In that village, he had killed over a dozen Embroidered Uniform Guards; there was no room left for negotiation. The Ding'an Party would not take Xue Youge's life, so he could naturally coexist with them. They refrained from moving against Xue Youge partly because he was a fifth-rank master, making the cost of eliminating him too high, and partly because he was the Ceremonial Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial; to kill him would be a public provocation against the Empress Dowager, who held court from behind the curtain.

He, however, was different. Though he leaned on the Lin Party, his foundations were unstable. He was merely a chess piece the Lin Party could discard at a critical moment, and he was only an *Acting* Superintendent, not a formal one. Furthermore, Elder Lin would die after the prayer ritual. Once the great tree of the Lin Party fell, he would inevitably be cast aside. If he did not strike now, his situation would only become more perilous.

"I told you to search, so search. If you won't, I will do it myself," Chen Yi said, pushing the clerk aside with a cold tone.

Hearing this, the two clerks knew Chen Yi’s mind was made up. Daring not to delay, they hurriedly began rummaging through the files in the archive room. Chen Yi watched the scene in silence. After standing for about an hour, the two clerks had pulled out almost all the files concerning the Prince Jing Estate, piling them onto the desk.

Just as Chen Yi was about to step forward, a knock sounded at the door of the archive room.

*Who is it?* Chen Yi wondered, pulling the door open.

Min Ning stood outside, arms crossed, her expression devoid of emotion. She said coldly, "I need to see you."

Chen Yi looked at her with confusion, then turned to the two clerks. "You may leave." The two clerks nodded submissively and hurried out of the room without a moment's delay. Min Ning turned and slowly closed the door.

"What is it?" Chen Yi asked.

"What do you think?" Min Ning stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Her footsteps were firm and crisp.

The heroic-looking woman, dressed in men’s attire, raised her hands and pressed them against Chen Yi’s shoulders, exerting sudden force to shove him against the wall. She bent her arms, pinning him in place as if to prevent him from escaping.

*A wall-pin?*

Before Chen Yi could react, Min Ning looked at him with bitter resentment, closed her eyes, and crashed her thin lips against his.

*I’m being... wall-pinned?* Chen Yi felt a sense of disbelief.

As he pondered this, she leaned further forward, her chest pressed tightly against his under her official robes. The subtle softness of her form filled his embrace, and her lovely face was pressed right against his. As if possessed, she took the initiative to kiss his lips. The kiss carried a courage and resolution that had been bottled up for far too long.

After a moment of shock, Chen Yi slowly began to respond, wrapping his arms around her trembling back. A long while later, they parted.

"What... was that for?" Chen Yi asked, finally finding his voice.

"To repay a debt..." Min Ning said, her face flushed with shame, her tone fierce. "You scoundrel... isn't this what you like?"

Chen Yi was stunned, but he quickly understood. It was the boxing manual he had left at her home... He couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Min Ning’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she demanded in a hushed tone. Her questioning only made Chen Yi laugh harder.

Min Ning was torn between shame and rage. One hand rested on the hilt of her sword, and she looked as if she might cut off his head then and there. Chen Yi quickly stifled his laughter, forcing his facial muscles to tighten. Seeing this, Min Ning's expression softened slightly. She pushed him away and crossed her arms. "Thank you... thank you for returning it to me."

Chen Yi touched his lips and said softly, "Actually, you didn't have to repay me..."

Min Ning did not look at him, her eyes cast downward. "If I didn't, my conscience would never be at ease. Besides, you... you are still thinking of making a move on my sister..."

Chen Yi understood instantly. This kiss was not just to repay a debt; it was a form of protection for her sister. She hoped that by using this kiss to stir his intense desire, she could diminish the attraction she feared he felt for her sister, distracting him until his interest eventually waned. Min Ning was like a mother hen protecting her chicks, desperate to shield Min Ming. It seemed Min Ming... likely harbored the same thoughts. Now, as Min Ning sank deeper, it appeared he was getting closer to his goal of a "perfect save" of all the heroines.

At the thought of this, beyond mere desire, Chen Yi felt a deep sense of pity. However, with his tongue, he teased, "If you insist on repaying me, then you will have many debts to settle in the future."

Min Ning’s face turned scarlet, her composure shattered. Chen Yi strolled slowly to her ear and whispered playfully, "When Young Hero Min makes a name for herself in the martial world and ascends the Martial Ranking, perhaps some busybody will ask: 'Why does Young Hero Min keep the dark history of her time as an Embroidered Uniform Guard?'"

Min Ning recoiled in shock, her ears burning red. She stared at him with intense loathing, but could only manage a weak, "You are truly insane!"

Suddenly, the sound of a pigeon came from outside. Min Ning’s ears perked up. She hurriedly pushed Chen Yi away and went to the window, opening it. A grey carrier pigeon flew onto her arm, a small cylinder tied to its leg. Min Ning extracted a note, and upon reading the characters, her face instantly filled with dread.

"My sister is in danger!"

Chen Yi looked over immediately, seeing a single line written on the note: *Urgent. Hundred Flowers Pavilion.*

...

The twilight was heavy, and the autumn chill was thick. Min Ming kept her fingers on the zither strings, glancing occasionally at the woman in white who was meticulously whisking tea. Beside her, two ladies-in-waiting knelt with their eyes closed, as if in meditation, but a closer look would reveal their faces were as white as paper, devoid of any vitality. Viewed from the side, one could see these two women were nothing more than paper cutouts.

It was this very technique—cutting paper into human forms—that had caused all the martial artists hidden within the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to be utterly defeated.

As the song ended, Min Ming asked with hesitation, "I wonder what brings the Immortal Lady Yin to this place of pleasure?"

Yin Weiying chuckled lightly. "Miss, please, continue playing. Do you know how to play the 'Guangling San'?"

Min Ming nodded. Sharing a room with this woman made her scalp tingle. It wasn't just because she had forced her way into the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and defeated the hidden experts with her paper-cutting craft, but because of the natural, indifferent detachment she displayed toward ordinary mortals. She always felt that when this Daoist nun looked at the people of the world, it was as if she were looking at mere animals living out their mediocre lives.