Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 433 Neighborhood Harmony
It was afternoon, and the sun was faintly visible through the clouds outside the snow curtain, casting shadows that added a touch of warmth to the city shrouded in fine snow.

In the courtyard on Chang Street in the south, Zhao Wumian finished his bath, put on the blue robe sewn by Miss Su, and then draped the black cloak sent by Yuan Mu on behalf of the Emperor. He stood in front of the bronze mirror, looked at himself, and touched his face.

He is handsome, but he is still wearing a disguise, and it's a bit hard to get used to... Anyway, we've already entered the city, so let Miss Shen remove it quickly later.

As night fell, he planned to go to the capital to investigate. Whether he could be disguised or not made little difference.

The Rongren Imperial City harbors countless masters, but with Zhao Wumian's martial arts skills, in a direct confrontation, only Uudam can rival him, with perhaps the unknown Ji Yingshi as well.

If one wishes to infiltrate, with the jade pendant, one can come and go freely, without a trace, whether it's stealing treasures from the Ming capital or stealing from the Empress Dowager in the imperial harem.

But he didn't recognize Tian Xuanchen, and he couldn't just stuff everything he saw into his pocket. There were no spatial rings in this world, so the things one could carry were limited. Going to the capital to interrogate someone wasn't safe either; there was a risk of being scammed…

The best way would be to bring an expert who can identify treasures with you and enter the capital together with Ziyi. However, although Ziyi's poison skills and medical skills are unparalleled, his lightness skills and concealment are just so-so, so it is impossible to sneak in with him.

As Zhao Wumian pondered, his ears twitched slightly, and he heard the sound of water splashing and laughter coming from the next room.

"How does the Imperial Tutor maintain his appearance? His hair is so black and straight, it feels like silk to the touch."

"Yes, yes, with your excellent medical skills, you must have some great ways to maintain your health..."

"Don't touch me... I'm covered in poison..."

"Oh~ hair is secondary, it's the Imperial Tutor's figure that's truly captivating... petite and delicate, just a little bit, and the color is also... does the Imperial Tutor think that's the kind of figure my husband likes?"

Small? Is the woman in purple small? Although she can't compare to the Empress Dowager, she's still several sizes bigger than the Emperor.

Zhao Wumian was stunned for a few seconds before realizing that they were not talking about Tuan'er, but Yuwan Yingzhu.

Compared to the other girls, the one in purple is indeed rather petite.

Zhao Wumian didn't have the strange habit of eavesdropping. He shook his head slightly, clearing his mind of distractions, and then sat cross-legged on the couch. He turned his palms up, and the swirling black energy in his palms changed shape continuously, using this to train his internal energy.

In terms of the quality of his internal energy, he is in no way inferior to Shaman Tian and Xiao Yuanmu, but he is still young and cannot yet use it effectively to kill enemies.

At first, the black energy simply transformed into swords, spears, and halberds. Later, it gradually became more complex, taking on human outlines, clothing, long swords at the waist, waist-length black hair, and a carefree, light laugh with gentle eyes and brows.

The appearance of the wine.

……

The courtyard was only so big, and there weren't many side rooms, so it was obviously impossible for each person to have a room. Therefore, several girls had to squeeze in together.

They've even been through stacking beds together, so they naturally don't care about something as trivial as sleeping together. Now, they've brought out a large bathtub and are taking a bath together.

Inside, wisps of white mist rose, creating a hazy atmosphere. The air was filled with a delightful fragrance that, far from being vulgar, was refreshing and invigorating. The perfect figures of several women moved glimpsed through the mist.

Some people, having finished showering, were already dressed in their coats and sitting at their dressing tables getting ready, while others were lazily leaning against the bathtub, enjoying a soak.

The beauties are like paintings, each with their own unique charm.

Zi Yi's body was covered in poison, so she definitely couldn't bathe and chat with the girls. She took a bath by herself with her hair up.

Xiao Yuanmu was worried that she would feel neglected and isolated, so he leaned over the edge of the bathtub, rested his head on his snow-white forearm, and started talking to her.

Shen Xiangge was bolder, eyeing the purple-clad figure floating on the water, her tone slightly teasing, wondering whether Zhao Wumian preferred petite and delicate or striking and prominent...

Zi Yi was a typical "bully at home," only daring to joke around in front of Zhao Wumian. Faced with the curious gazes of the group of girls, her pretty face couldn't help but blush a little. She raised her arm to shield herself and whispered:

"What kind of person he likes is none of my business, but if I had to say, he would definitely prefer someone like Miss Shen."

"Why?"

"Because you always give him free food and let him eat whatever he wants."

"..." Shen Xiangge pouted in dissatisfaction, "Men all like the kind of flirtatious, hesitant tone."

"Then why don't you see this?" Zi Yi asked curiously.

Shen Xiangge leaned against the tub, splashed some water on her chest, and casually said:
"Using such petty tricks would only make me feel inferior, as if I think only in this way can I capture his heart and possess him entirely? I won't, and besides..."

Shen Xiangge touched her thin, crimson lips, "My husband always manages to leave me completely weak and comfortable..."

"There's no such thing as monopolizing or not monopolizing. If you really monopolize it, you'll be bedridden for three or four days the next day."

As the first wife, Xiao Yuanmu spoke calmly, shattering Shen Xiangge's naive fantasy and the subsequent lewd remarks.

Su Qingqi covered her mouth and chuckled a few times. One of the reasons she had always wanted to find a sister was that she couldn't handle it. Every time, she was exhausted, but Zhao Wumian was still full of energy, as if he hadn't had enough.

However, now that six or seven people are enjoying themselves together, Zhao Wumian doesn't seem to be exhausted... I wonder if he'll need to find a few more sisters.

Guan Yunshu, dressed in a thin white robe, sat in front of the dressing table. The white robe clung to her snowy back, outlining the perfect curves of her flesh and hips.

She combed her hair, then glanced at the dressing table, which was covered with jewelry, rouge, and other cosmetics they had brought.

As sisters, we don't distinguish between "yours" and "mine" when it comes to these things; whoever wants to wear them can wear them.

There were also some bottles and jars on the table, which were small medicines left by Shen Xiangge, specifically used to remove disguises.

They clearly shared Zhao Wumian's idea: since they had already infiltrated the area, whether they were easily accepted or not made little difference.

Guan Yunshu simply picked up a small porcelain bottle she had never seen before with her fair, delicate fingers, turned to look at the woman in purple, and asked in confusion:
"This belongs to the Imperial Tutor?"

The woman in purple glanced up and casually said, "Hmm, it makes hair look darker... You can try it if you want."

Guan Yunshu dripped some onto her fingertip, brought it close to her nose, and a hint of suspicion appeared in the depths of her beautiful eyes.

She always says she knows a little bit about everything, which is clearly not arrogance.

She could smell that it was a Biluo flower, a poisonous flower, but it was more often used as a pigment in painting. A small amount applied to the paper could last for a hundred years. If one only wanted to make black hair as black as ink and as shiny as satin, using this potent medicine would be foolish.

After all, there are better options, such as Moyunyin from Qiansuzhai in the capital, which has the elegant name of "a cup of Moyunyin, and one's black hair covered with snow is hard to find". It tastes like sweet water and is a frequent visitor to the dressing table of ladies and young ladies in the capital.

This purple medicine doesn't seem like a skincare product; it's more like a hair dye.

Guan Yunshu silently plugged the bottle, not asking any further questions, but simply keeping this small matter in her heart.

She knew that Ziyi had many secrets, but she wouldn't get an answer if she asked, so she pretended not to know anything and went about doing her own dressing.

Luo Xiangzhu sat obediently on the other side, holding a bath towel in both hands to cover her beautiful figure. Mu Li'er stood behind her, wiping her with a towel, and said:

"Wumian is going to infiltrate the capital tonight. It would be best if the Imperial Tutor went with her, but figuring out how to get there is a problem."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yi frowned slightly. Of course, she wanted to go to the capital, not just for Tian Xuan Chen, but because she coveted the Rong people's national treasury.

Last time, they made a fortune at the He Tuo treasury and even managed to conjure up a Dragon Transformation Gu for Zhao Wumian. Although the Rong people were driven out of the pass by the court, their ancestors were wealthy and their family was large and powerful. Who knows what treasures the treasury might have.

But how could she possibly sneak into the imperial city?
After a moment's consideration, she shook her head slightly. "We've only just arrived in Mingdu. We'll go out and inquire later, and see if we can find a way in."

After washing up, Guan Yunshu put her hair up, changed into a warm white dress, wrapped herself in a cozy white plush cloak, and went out first.

"Let's split up and ask around."

Guan Yunshu walked out of the room, glanced at the sky. It was still early, so she slowed her pace a bit, exhaled a breath of white air, and arrived at Zhao Wumian's door. Before she could knock, the door was opened, and Zhao Wumian appeared behind it.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Wumian asked her with a smile.

They stood very close. Although they had already established a relationship, Guan Yunshu still couldn't hide her shyness. She took a barely perceptible step back before raising her eyes. Her voice was clear and crisp as she spoke:

"Let's go, go out and ask around. Mingdu is a mixed bag, there's bound to be a way for you and the Imperial Tutor to sneak into the capital."

In the next room, Shen Xiangge made a 'stealing food' mouth shape at Xiao Yuanmu.

Xiao Yuanmu glanced helplessly at Shen Xiangge, thinking that the Empress Dowager's niece was truly youthful and lively, not at all like the mature and composed Consort Canghua, but more like a teenage girl.

Zhao Wumian didn't say much. He took out two bamboo hats from inside the house and put them on himself and Guan Yunshu. They walked out of the courtyard together. With their five senses, they could hear faint whispers coming from the neighboring courtyard.

It was just a foreign language that Zhao Wumian couldn't understand. He could only make out that it was a group of women chatting excitedly, though he didn't know what they were happy about.

But Guan Yunshu, who was beside her, suddenly raised her hand, signaling Zhao Wumian to stop. Then she saw Zhao Wumian walk a few steps to the wall and listen carefully.

The little nun can even speak gibberish? That's amazing.

Zhao Wumian secretly gloated... This is my wife.

The backyard next door was separated from Zhao Wumian and the others only by two walls and a narrow alley between them, clearly indicating that they were neighbors.

At this moment, these Hu women who came from the Western Regions with Meng Po were gathered together, drinking milk tea and eating snacks, while chatting about the news they had found out, taking advantage of Meng Po's absence.

They arrived in Mingdu a few days earlier than Zhao Wumian and the others, and had been investigating for quite some time, so they naturally had some findings.

"Why did the Great Khan of the Steppes suddenly want to select palace women from the common people, and even require them to have a Central Plains appearance, or be from foreign lands, fair-skinned, beautiful, young and lively, comparable to the Empress of the Southern Dynasty..."

"That's the Empress of the Southern Dynasty! With that status, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she's the most beautiful woman in the world. How could she be compared to these common beauties? It's not that easy to choose... Two days ago, ten women were summoned to the palace for the first round of the selection, but unfortunately, they were all rejected."

"Are you setting such high standards that you're selecting your own actresses?"

"Impossible. The Khan of the grasslands hasn't selected any concubines for over ten years. Now he's suddenly summoning beauties from all over the land to the palace. I've heard from the common people that he's choosing a pretty one to be his daughter's dowry maid."

"A mere maidservant, yet she demands to be as beautiful as the Empress..." The young girls from the Hu tribe all shook their heads and sighed softly.

"With that kind of looks, where couldn't you find a good job? Why would you want to be a princess's maid?"

"That's not right. In the world of martial arts, you rely on connections and background... Even if you put a Rong princess's maid into the marketplace, she would still be a golden branch and jade leaf, unapproachable."

"Take Zhongli, the maidservant who accompanied the Empress of the Southern Dynasty, for example. Who would dare to neglect her? Moreover, with this relationship, she can often come into contact with the Marquis of Weiming of the Southern Dynasty! If one day the Marquis of Weiming takes a liking to her, he might pull her to his bed for a good time, tsk tsk tsk..." "Oh? You are also interested in the Marquis of Weiming of the Southern Dynasty?"

"That's the number one young master of Guichan! But... alas, given our status, how could he possibly take a fancy to a foreign barbarian?"

The First Young Master of Guichan? A hint of confusion appeared in Guan Yunshu's clear eyes. When did Zhao Wumian acquire this nickname?
However, this is insignificant.

Guan Yunshu bent her knees slightly, easily climbed over the wall, and lay down on the wall of the neighboring yard, peeking out her little head, looking quite adorable.

She spoke, in fluent Hu language:
"Friends, could you elaborate on the imperial talent selection you just mentioned?"

"Ah!" The Hu women in the backyard were startled and looked at Guan Yunshu in astonishment.

"Central Plains person...who are you?"

"Our new neighbors, you must have seen our carriage."

“Neighbors? That’s the smuggling caravan from the Central Plains…” The group exchanged glances and breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

It's good that they're not from the Southern Dynasty court.

However, as members of the Western Regions Holy Sect, when traveling the world, it is best to avoid getting involved with people of unknown origin unless absolutely necessary, so that they can live longer.

Therefore, they shook their heads slightly, their attitude indifferent, and responded:

"We only heard a little bit from casual conversations in the streets... but we only know a limited amount of the details. If you want to know more, you should go to the streets yourself..."

Before the words were finished, a clear and pleasant male voice rang out from behind the wall.

"The way you're sitting, I can see right up under your skirt... Why did you rush out dressed without drying yourself off? Your underwear is completely closed, I can even see your cleavage... You've never been this careless before, is it because I'm here...?"

Before she finished speaking, the Central Plains woman's pretty face suddenly flushed red, and she let go and disappeared behind the wall. Immediately afterward, there were loud banging sounds of fighting, which made the Hu women in the backyard look at each other in confusion.

A moment later, Zhao Wumian leaped onto the wall. His clean clothes were somewhat disheveled, with faint claw marks visible, making him look a little disheveled.

But he had a friendly expression and a kind demeanor, and smiled at them:

"I don't know if you all can understand the Central Plains dialect... It's a bit inconvenient to talk like this, so why don't we come to our courtyard and discuss it in detail? The money for the information is negotiable..."

Zhao Wumian felt around in his pocket, preparing to take out some hard currency... gold bars.

This Hu merchant... what merchant doesn't love money?
But he was the type who never carried money with him, and when he reached for it, he found nothing. Just as he was about to bend down and ask Guan Yunshu for money, the Hu women in the backyard looked at his face, and for some reason, their faces suddenly turned red. They murmured shyly in broken Central Plains language:

"No, I don't want the money..."

Zhao Wumian blinked, about to say something, when Guan Yunshu pulled him down and said coldly:
"You're good at seducing women? You're quite adept at using your good looks."

"Where did I flirt with anyone? Don't make false accusations."

There was a commotion behind the courtyard wall. The group of Hu women exchanged glances, then lifted their skirts and leaped over the wall, looking rather impatient.

She was clearly blinded by male beauty.

At the same time, in the Rong people's imperial city, snowflakes were flying in the air.

Guards from all sides passed through the palace walls from time to time, while sentries hid in the shadows, keeping a close watch on all sides and leaving no blind spots for anyone to sneak into the imperial city.

As a mascot of the Rong people, the Great Khan Asur of the steppe, upon succeeding to the throne, had the greatest role of passing on the family line and continuing the royal bloodline.

However, he was a great Khan with lofty ambitions and had no interest in matters of men and women. After having a few princes and princesses in his early years as a perfunctory task, he never set foot in the harem again.

But at this moment, he unexpectedly arrived at the front of a palace, lifted the hem of his robe, and dismounted to enter the palace.

Although the Rong people's architecture was modeled after the capital, their lifestyle remained unchanged. Unlike the Central Plains, the palace was not filled with flowers and grass, or carved railings and jade steps. Instead, it was filled with many weapon racks, with all kinds of weapons, including knives, spears, swords, and halberds. In the center was a horse field, and in the distance were various targets for archery practice.

The palace maids on both sides stood by and bowed when Asur arrived, but their faces showed a hint of bitterness.

"Great Khan, Begita..."

Asur waved his hand slightly, needing no further words, and pushed open the door to enter the palace, where he saw many needlework items scattered on the ground.

He bent down to pick it up and saw the scribbles on it, which made him look somewhat speechless. Before he could even look up, he heard a complaint.

"Great Khan, I have been riding horses and shooting arrows since I was a child. I am strong enough to lift a tripod. No one from the grasslands can beat me. It's fine if you don't appoint me as the vanguard of the southern expedition, but now you insist on making me learn some nonsense about Central Plains needlework, music, chess, calligraphy and painting... Isn't this a deliberate humiliation of me?"

Asur looked up and saw a woman with long, loose hair, dressed in a plain Central Plains dress, lying on a chair in a rather rough posture, holding a half-eaten apple in her hand, her face full of impatience.

He sighed softly.

"Our army suffered a crushing defeat, the shaman is dead, and only the Grand Preceptor is left to hold on and manage the overall situation. Anyone with eyes can see that the fate of our grassland nation is in decline. On the contrary, the Southern Dynasty is at its zenith because of Zhao Wumian... I heard that he is fond of women, so why don't I trouble you to do this?"

"The beauty trap? I've heard that the Marquis of Weiming in the Southern Dynasty is unparalleled in martial arts and has a magnificent appearance. He is indeed worthy of me... But I am who I am. If he really has any story with me, he will only be in love with me as a person, not with any half-learned skills like music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or needlework from the Central Plains."

Begichi, having made his own reasoning and explanation, adjusted his posture and glided smoothly into the chair, then stood up and asked curiously:
"It's one thing for you to make me learn these things, but why do you also have to select the most beautiful maidservants from all over the world to accompany me? Isn't that stealing my thunder?"

As Begi stood up, Asur couldn't help but look up at his robust daughter.

Her appearance and figure were not unattractive, but rather perfectly in line with the Rong people's aesthetic standards... She was strong and powerful, and could subdue several wild horses with one hand.

Only women like this can survive in the harsh environment of the grasslands, and only women like this can give birth to strong and powerful offspring.

However, for a woman of her stature, dressed in the elegant and gentle attire of the Central Plains, she looked like a bear in clothes—it simply didn't suit her at all.

Asur's eye twitched, then he forced a smile.

“Zhao Wumian is from the Central Plains and is fond of women like the Southern Dynasty Empress, who are frail and pitiful. Although he may not necessarily dislike your type... more choices mean more paths. Whether you are a maid or a dowry maid, as long as he takes a liking to you, it's all a kind of relationship.”

Bieji was not an unreasonable woman; she knew that with her appearance, she would probably not be popular in the Central Plains, so she didn't say much, but simply asked out of curiosity:

"With the war still raging, does the Great Khan's desire to cultivate a relationship with Zhao Wumian seem like a sign of cowardice before the battle even begins?"

Asur shook his head slightly, "If it works, your presence or that maidservant's presence will definitely make Zhao Wumian hesitate to act... It is said in the martial arts world that Zhao Wumian is a sentimental person, and the honey trap is exactly this kind of thing."

"If the Imperial Advisor is defeated in the end, Zhao Wumian will not kill us out of consideration for our relationship."

After a moment's thought, Begi smiled slightly.

“I understand, but Zhao Wumian is nowhere to be found right now…”

"There will always be a chance to meet. Before that, choose a beautiful maid to accompany you in your dowry and have her enter the palace to eat and live with you. Cultivate your relationship properly. If she really wins Zhao Wumian's favor and enters the Weiming Marquis's mansion, you can simply become her maid and marry into the Central Plains together."

This is an overturned celestial order!

But Bieji didn't say much, only carefully saying, "The war has not stopped. Even with Marquis Weiming's status in the Southern Dynasty, it would be very difficult to enter the sect if one really wanted to.

"Then your father will put on a show with you, pretending to elope, wouldn't that be fine?"

"Indeed... the Great Khan is very thoughtful..."

"Alas, without real power, one is merely living under someone else's roof. If one didn't think things through a few steps ahead, one would have died long ago..."

"A handsome man from the Central Plains has made you all so infatuated!?"

On the main street of Nanchang, inside a courtyard, Meng Po returned to the courtyard, her feet treading on the fine snow. After hearing a few words from her maid, she immediately frowned and scolded her with exasperation.

The young girls from the Central Asian tribe immediately bowed their heads in respect, their bodies trembling.

Meng Po, somewhat speechless, strode into the main hall, lifted her cloak, sat down, crossed her plump legs, picked up a cup of hot tea, took a few deep breaths, and then slowly asked:
"What else did you do?"

“Go, go to their yard and eat lots of snacks.”

"There are many older sisters in the courtyard, and their appearances are no less than those of adults... ah no, they are only slightly inferior to adults."

"Then we learned that some of them also wanted to enter the palace as maids accompanying the grassland beige, so they all went to register. When night fell, people from the palace came to pick them up."

The girls chatted away, one after another, their voices crisp and clear.

After listening to a few words, Meng Po couldn't help but prop her forehead up and say, "Are you trying to find me a competitor?"

However, Meng Po didn't really want to go to the palace as some kind of dowry maid; she just wanted to sneak in and find the Imperial Seal. Therefore, she didn't really care about any competitors, and said:

"That man clearly has a bunch of concubines; he's a philanderer. He's handsome, which is why he can deceive so many girls. He's also a smuggler from the Central Plains, a traitor, and now he wants to send his woman away to marry into a wealthier family..."

"What good is a man of low character if he has a face? I'm lucky I was just asking for information this time. If he had taken a liking to you, I'm afraid when I got back, you would all still be naked in his bed, enjoying his pleasure!"

Unexpectedly, the little maidservant added a sentence in a low voice upon hearing this.

"But he's really handsome, and he's very gentle with us, speaking softly. If an adult saw him, they might be tempted too."

"Heartbeat?"

Meng Po rolled her eyes in a very charming way. With her martial arts experience, she had seen countless handsome men, but no matter how handsome they were, could they be more handsome than Zhao Wumian?
In terms of looks, martial arts skills, and character, which man in the martial world can compare to Zhao Wumian? Does that traitorous man next door even deserve to be compared to Zhao Wumian?
But it was definitely inconvenient to say this to these maids, since Meng Po and Zhao Wumian were still enemies.

"You think I'm like you? Sigh, alright, alright, it's good that I didn't cause any major trouble. Boil some water, I'll take another bath before entering the palace."

"Oh..." The maids stood up, their voices still tinged with hope, and said:

"Our neighbors invited us to have dinner at their place tonight, sir...?"

"All you do is eat! Do you think we're neighbors and get along well? Go boil some water!"

"Yes……"

(End of this chapter)