Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 435 What a Twisted Substitute Literature
At midnight, the city of Mingdu was brightly lit. Most of the Rong people were also carrying whips, driving their cattle and sheep back to their small sheds, leaving the streets full of stench of manure for others to deal with.

The Ming capital was not suitable for raising livestock and poultry, but the so-called ancestral laws could not be changed. As a nomadic people, if the Rong people were not given cattle and sheep to keep them busy, they would become violent and bloody in the streets, which would only make things more chaotic.

This deeply ingrained culture cannot be changed overnight. Even Uudam couldn't do anything about it, and could only punish them according to the law, hoping to subtly change them.

In reality, Mingdu was much better than when it was first built. However, Zhao Wumian had only been in Mingdu for a day, and he already found the stench of excrement throughout the city unbearable.

The capital city is quite grand, but how come they've made such a mess of the country?
He held his breath as he walked through the streets and alleys until he reached the foot of the imperial city. He looked up at the towering imperial city and the fine snow falling from the sky, his eyes filled with a touch of nostalgia.

Back when their martial arts skills weren't very high, they would always sneak into various places with the little nun to gather information. Now, a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

He was no longer that nobody in the martial arts world who would put on a pure white cloak and lie in the snow for half a day before daring to move when he encountered a guard... Although at that time he was a top master and was considered an upper-class figure in the martial arts world.

But now, recalling his past with the little nun, Zhao Wumian couldn't help but smile slightly. He bent his knees slightly under his green robe, rose up from the ground, and lightly touched the city wall with his toes, transforming into a black shadow as he crossed the city wall.

The guards patrolled back and forth on the wall. Some of them were rubbing the milk wine they had secretly brought with them, thinking of taking a sip to warm themselves up.

Suddenly, he felt a chilling wind blowing beside him, and the fine snow falling from the sky was also being blown into the city by the wind. He was startled and the milk wine fell to the ground with a clatter.

"What's wrong?!" The surrounding guards rushed over to look.

The man glanced around and muttered, "Nothing, just a sudden chill all over my body for no reason..."

"Hey, you've been secretly hiding something good, aren't you going to let us guys have a taste?"

“This… hehe…”

Zhao Wumian swept across the city wall as if no one was around, his speed so fast that ordinary guards could not possibly see his movements.

However, Zhao Wumian secretly thought that Uudam was very likely in the palace, so he raised his vigilance to the extreme. As soon as he entered the city, he raised his hand and grabbed the eaves of a palace building, like a gecko under the eaves, hiding in the shadows.

The dark cloak that Chaoyan gave him became a natural night-clothes, helping him to conceal his whereabouts.

whoosh—

It was already curfew. Within the imperial city, there was only the faint sound of the cold wind sweeping through, and the orderly footsteps of the imperial guards moving along the imperial road.

Zhao Wumian closed his eyes and amplified his perception of the swordsman to the extreme. Heartbeats, breathing, lanterns and candles... all the soft sounds around him entered his mind at once. He also calmly sorted through them in his mind and analyzed the location of the sentries.

A moment later, he was secretly alarmed. The imperial city was heavily guarded. On the surface, only the Imperial Guards patrolled, but in reality, there were hidden sentries from all sides to ensure that there was not a single blind spot in the way into the city.

As a master of stealing kisses and romancing women in the harem, Zhao Wumian was even involved in designing the security of Luo Chaoyan and the Empress Dowager. Seeing this, he couldn't help but be secretly amazed.

This must have been arranged by Uudam himself; this old man must have done his fair share of petty theft when he was young.

But for someone with martial arts skills like Zhao Wumian to say that he could come and go freely anywhere was clearly not an arrogant statement.

He noticed the carriage carrying the purple-clad official to the palace on the imperial road in the distance. He gripped the eaves with a slight force, gracefully flipped onto the roof, pressed down with his feet, and instantly disappeared into the night.

"what?"

In a dark corner of the palace, a dark figure slightly tilted his head, looking in the direction Zhao Wumian had just been. It wasn't that he had noticed anything; it was simply that his martial arts skills were so high that his intuition was also heightened, and he instinctively felt that something was wrong in that place.

But finding nothing, he could only silently look away.

But just as he turned his head, a handsome and refined face appeared behind him, like a lonely ghost in the snowy night.

The two were practically touching, but the sentry didn't detect a heartbeat, a breath, or even a trace of body temperature.

If he were to turn around now, he might be scared to death, thinking he had actually encountered a legendary ghost or monster.

The only blind spot within the imperial city was, of course, the area around these hidden sentries... but they were not yet qualified to detect Zhao Wumian's presence.

The sentry looked around, then turned back to find... there was nothing beside him.

Zhao Wumian used his superb lightness skill and the stealth talent brought by the jade pendant to move back and forth among these sentries, gradually penetrating deeper into the palace.

A moment later, Zhao Wumian suddenly stopped and listened intently.

Two or three palace maids, carrying lanterns, walked along the imperial road, conversing in a Rong language:
"The ten contestants tonight are of much higher quality than the last round. As a woman myself, I am also tempted by them."

"Oh, out of those ten, only two are the most beautiful, which is why you have this misconception."

"Beiji's dowry maid will likely be chosen from these two..."

"Wow, they're so pretty, maybe both of you will be chosen..."

"It's strange, actually. When selecting maids for the dowry, they didn't look at martial arts skills or how quick they were, but only at appearance..."

Having said that, the palace maids came to the front of a hall and said from outside the door:

"Great Khan, the selection of candidates has already begun at Begi's place. Shall you move to Yuhua Palace now?"

"You may leave. I am currently discussing state affairs. I will return shortly."

"Yes."

Zhao Wumian had learned Rong language from a nun since childhood. Although it was only for a short time, it was certainly sufficient for daily communication.

He listened for a moment, glanced at the palace a few more times, and then learned from their conversation which palace the woman in purple had gone to. He then quietly left.

Let's take a look at the woman in purple first.

He quickly arrived at a brightly lit hall, hid in the shadows, and peered inside through the window.

Inside the hall, small tables and incense burners were adorned with clusters of flowers, and the candlelight was dim. Beautiful women dressed in red dresses and wearing similar attire gathered in twos and threes, some eating snacks and chatting, while others sat in front of dressing tables to get ready.

Among them were gentle and reserved girls from the Central Plains, blue-eyed and fair-skinned women from the Central Plains, and even petite Japanese women.

The orioles and swallows, each with their own charm, are a dazzling array of flowers, truly mesmerizing. Just looking at them, one can almost smell their fragrance, which permeates the heart.

But Zhao Wumian immediately spotted his adorable imperial tutor.

She was sitting on a small couch, casually tossing an apple in her hand, looking utterly bored, her expression suggesting she was complaining about how slow the Rong people were in their work.

Sitting beside her was a woman of Hu whose looks were in no way inferior to hers; she was Zhao Wumian's 'neighbor'.

Zhao Wumian took another look at the Hu woman, feeling she looked somewhat familiar, but...

Hmm, not as good as Meng Po.

But this was only a side hall. According to Zhao Wumian's perception, there were two people talking inside the main hall, as well as several guards.

Judging from the conversation, it seems like this is an interview?
Zhao Wumian was about to go to the main hall to take a look, but he was afraid that Ziyi would be alone in the deep palace and frightened, so he looked around and flicked his fingers.

call----

The windows were wide open, and a wisp of evening breeze suddenly rushed into the hall. The candlelight flickered, and several clusters of flowers in a vase swayed gently in the wind. Some petals drifted along the wind's path in the hall and landed on the woman in purple.

She raised her hand and pinched a petal, her slightly annoyed expression turning into surprise as she looked out the window.

Outside the window stood towering palace walls, and no one was in sight, yet she still smiled wryly, pinching the petals tightly and hiding them in her sleeve.

Upon seeing this, a palace maid got up and closed the window with a creak.

Meng Po sat beside Zi Yi, watching her sweet smile without making a sound. She hadn't seen Zi Yi much in Shu before, but she knew that she had a close relationship with Zhao Wumian.

The sudden sweet smile... could it be that Zhao Wumian has arrived?
Meng Po's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but get up and, under the palace maid's questioning gaze, push open the window and lean out to look around.

There was nothing there... Even with her martial arts skills, she couldn't find anything.

Meng Po frowned, thinking to herself that this shouldn't be the case. She wasn't some nobody in the martial arts world; surely she could have noticed Zhao Wumian coming so close.

If that's the case, if Zhao Wumian were to suddenly become a beast and sneak into her boudoir to steal her flowers, she probably wouldn't be able to resist.

She closed the window, pondered for a moment, and thought that Zhao Wumian was now able to kill Shamantian, so his martial arts skills must have reached a level that even she could not match.

How could a man like him allow his woman to venture alone into the Rong people's deep palace?
He was willing to risk everything to plot against Naraku Red Silk in the Southern Dynasty for Xiao Yuanmu's sake, which speaks volumes.

Meng Po believed that Zhao Wumian must have also come to this deep palace, and immediately wanted to tell Zi Yi that he had been discovered by Ding Jingcheng.

But after a few seconds of thought, her enchanting nature gave her another idea...

She is beautiful, but not kind-hearted.

Back in Shu, Zhao Wumian bullied her quite a bit. If she doesn't get her revenge, will people still think of her as some kind of lowly Hu girl who can be bullied at will?

"Next person!"

As a young woman in a red dress finished her "interview" and returned to the side hall looking slightly nervous, a palace maid immediately called out from outside the hall.

The other young ladies were a little nervous and hesitant, but Zi Yi stood up confidently. With her lover by her side, she was fearless.

Unexpectedly, Meng Po walked out of the side hall before her, turned back and smiled politely at her.

"I'll go wade through the water first."

Purple-clad blinked, not wanting to disappoint her neighbor's kindness, and sat back down inside the hall.

Tap tap tap————

Meng Po, dressed in a red dress, walked along the covered walkway.

Outside the covered walkway, snow was falling softly.

Upon reaching the main hall, Meng Po glanced at the snow outside the corridor, exhaled a breath of white air, but a smile appeared on her face.

With Meng Po's martial arts skills, she naturally knew that there were originally many hidden guards in the main hall... but at this moment, all of these hidden guards were lifeless.

She was certain that Zhao Wumian had indeed come to this deep palace.

Zhao Wumian actually managed to sneak into the deep palace all by himself...

crunch————

A palace maid pushed open the palace door and stood to one side.

Meng Po lightly swept her sleeve across her face and stepped past the palace maids into the hall.

She has transformed into a face clad in purple.

Her makeup, expression, every glance and smile were exactly the same as Zi Yi's; the only difference was her figure, which was not very obvious under the thick dress.

The art of disguise, known as "a thousand faces for a thousand people," was the foundation of Yan Rongfei's livelihood back then, and her two apprentices truly surpassed their master in skill.

Zhao Wumian quietly sneaked into the main hall. After dealing with the group of guards, he lay on the roof beam and looked at a rough-looking Rong woman sitting in the main seat of the hall. He thought to himself that this was probably the grassland beiji, that is, the princess.

Although there were many secret guards, there wasn't a single armed guard, palace maid, or other idle people in the palace...

Zhao Wumian thought to himself that this talent show was probably very complicated, otherwise they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to conceal it.

rustle----

The little white snake emerged from the shadows, lay down in front of Zhao Wumian's face, and rubbed its forehead against his face.

It was clear that Xiao Bai Suzhen was released by Ziyi to gather intelligence.

Zhao Wumian touched the little white snake's forehead, and then saw the palace doors open wide. A woman in a red dress swayed gracefully, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, and walked past the furnishings in the palace. She came to the farewell altar and performed the proper etiquette.

"Greetings, Begi..."

Zhao Wumian raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at... Purple Robe?
Her appearance, demeanor, and makeup were all undeniably purple, but...

He hid in the shadows, sizing up Meng Po.

The little white snake also watched Meng Po with him.

Both the man and the snake looked somewhat bewildered.

Meng Po didn't know where Zhao Wumian was hiding, but she knew he must be inside the hall. Therefore, she put on a convincing act, so even if Luo Chaoyan came, she probably wouldn't suspect anything.

She wasn't very familiar with Ziyi; they had only spent a short time together. But as a martial arts master known for her disguise skills, that was enough time for her to role-play.

After bowing, Meng Po looked up at Biege of the grassland, then tilted her chin up slightly, a hint of surprise in her heart.

How come this grassland princess is so tall? She's probably two heads taller than Zhao Wumian...

Bieji's martial arts skills were mediocre, and he had no idea that his palace had been thoroughly infiltrated and riddled with holes.

As she watched Meng Po approach, she stood up and circled her once. Even though the Rong people's aesthetic sense differed from that of the Central Plains, she couldn't help but be amazed.

"Good, good, good... Such looks and temperament are certainly no less than those of the Empress of the Southern Dynasty..."

"You flatter me, Bieji. There are many other sisters in the side hall waiting for you to see them..." Meng Po smiled slightly.

Upon hearing this, Begi immediately waved his hand and said with great pride:

"When a woman's beauty is at the top of the martial arts world, each has her own unique charm and it is difficult to distinguish between them. But if her appearance is even slightly inferior, then she can never compare to her... Now, you are the top beauty, and there is no need to look at the rest of the beauties."

Meng Po was naturally more than happy to see this happen, to prevent the true form in purple from entering the hall and alerting Zhao Wumian to anything amiss. Therefore, she smiled slightly and no longer feigned modesty, "So now it is..."

"Hey, it's not over yet." Bieji sat back down in his chair and pointed to the ancient zither, jade flute, paintings, chessboards, and other items displayed in the hall.

Are you proficient in the four arts: music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?

Meng Po was slightly taken aback, but sat down and played the zither with composure. Although she was a Hu woman, she was able to play this skill, which had nothing to do with martial arts, with ease.

An outstanding person is one who excels in every aspect. Since Wu Kui can become a top figure in the martial arts world, he can become a top figure in any other aspect if he is willing.

For example, Zhao Wumian mastered the Rong language in just a few days.

After the song ended, Bieji shouted "good" several times, expressing his satisfaction with Meng Po.

Holding the guqin, Meng Po couldn't help but ask, "Why does Bieji require us to master these skills that have nothing to do with serving you?"

Bieji had already considered Meng Po as a maidservant in her heart, so upon hearing this, she smiled slightly and did not hide it.

"Do you know anything about the Marquis Weiming of the Southern Dynasty?"

"Who in the world doesn't know you?" Meng Po replied, quoting Zhao Wumian.

“Indeed, who in the world does not know you?” Bieji stood up, hands behind her back. Though a woman, her every move resembled that of a bold man. She proclaimed in a loud voice:
"It's a pity that such a talented person is an sworn enemy of our grasslands. It's said in the martial world that Marquis Weiming dislikes power and wealth, but only loves women. Since that's the case, we should cater to his tastes and prepare for the future..."

Meng Po's pupils widened slightly, a vague sense of unease creeping into her heart. Sure enough, the next moment she heard the grassland princess say:
"This talent show is not for selecting my maid... it's for selecting the future wife of Marquis Weiming."

Bangdang————

Meng Po's zither fell to the ground with a clanging sound, but the beauty trap was well-concealed. The soundproofing inside the palace was excellent, and the palace maids outside did not notice anything amiss.

Although it was just a charade, Meng Po immediately recalled that day outside Jiannan Forest, the warm fingertips, the gentle yet firm pressure, and the trembling, icy cherry blossoms...

She shook her head repeatedly, "No..."

"Oh? To be my chosen wife?"

Suddenly, a clear voice rang out from behind Begi.

Both women were shocked and turned to look. A handsome man dressed in a blue robe and cloak was sitting on a chair, propping his cheek up and looking at Meng Po with great interest.

Bieji's face turned deathly pale instantly. He stumbled back several steps, nearly collapsing to the ground, and cried out in alarm, "Zhao Wumian!? Guards! There's an assassin!"

Meng Po almost screamed in surprise. How could Zhao Wumian suddenly appear like a ghost?

But when she thought about the purple vest she was currently wearing, she forced herself to remain calm and put on an act as if she had expected it all along.

"The secret guards you left in the palace are long dead."

Zhao Wumian shook his head slightly, not caring about a mere grassland princess. Instead, he turned his head to look at Meng Po, a smile appearing in his eyes.
“However, I appreciate Begi’s kindness… He wants to choose a wife for me? This one is indeed quite remarkable. Even though I’ve seen countless beauties in the world, I still can’t help but be amazed at her beauty… Come here.”

Zhao Wumian waved slightly to Meng Po.

After a brief moment of shock, Meng Po began to feel a burning rage, wanting to beat Zhao Wumian up to avenge the grudge she suffered in Jiannan.

But she couldn't lose her disguise. Meng Po disguised herself in purple clothes because she wanted to find out Zhao Wumian's purpose in coming to Mingdu... If it was also for the Imperial Seal, then could she also get some benefits?

Therefore, Meng Po stepped forward gracefully and glared at Zhao Wumian, "What time is it? You still have the mind to tease me?"

That's exactly what Ziyi would say.

"Don't you think this scene has a unique charm?"

Zhao Wumian held Meng Po's small hand and gently pulled her. A fragrant breeze wafted over, and Meng Po sat in Zhao Wumian's arms.

Her firm, pert buttocks pressed against his lap—the exquisite sensation was enough to drive any man wild at that moment.

Meng Po had no intention of letting Zhao Wumian take advantage of her, so she immediately struggled genuinely until her ears turned red.

Little did they know... this action only made her look more like Ziyi.

"You, you're incredibly audacious! There are outsiders here..."

"Where?"

Meng Po was taken aback and looked back. She saw that the grassland girl had fallen to the ground with a thud, and there was a bruise on her neck. She wondered what kind of hidden weapon Zhao Wumian had used to knock her unconscious.

No, how come you, a princess of the grasslands, are so weak in martial arts?

But even someone as weak as Bieji from the grasslands or as strong as Meng Po from the Western Regions seemed to be no different from Zhao Wumian.

Zhao Wumian embraced Meng Po's slender waist, pressing his mouth and nose against her smooth, graceful neck.

"You smell so good..."

Meng Po wanted nothing more than to slap Zhao Wumian, but she forced herself to endure the electric shock-like tingling sensation and said in a cute but fierce tone:

"What are you doing?! Have you forgotten that we have a serious business to attend to at the palace?!"

"The Khan of the Rong people will be here soon. We can capture him and ask him anything we need to know. It's perfect timing that the princess cleared out the bystanders around the palace for this honey trap, which will make it easier for us to talk."

"What if they see us!?"

"Do you really think someone can sneak up on me without my noticing?"

"You! Waaah..."

Meng Po let out an uncontrollable sob, as Zhao Wumian actually raised his hand and lifted her skirt, immediately exposing a pair of snow-white and slender legs to the air. Looking down, one could see cute cotton socks and dainty embroidered shoes on her ankles.

Zhao Wumian covered her with his palm and gently caressed her, while his other hand gently stroked Meng Po's slender waist through the fabric of her red dress.

Even when Meng Po was just pretending to enter the palace, she had to disguise herself, so her obsession with cleanliness was extreme. She couldn't withstand Zhao Wumian's teasing and immediately went limp.

Immediately afterwards, she suddenly tensed up uncontrollably, wrapped her arms tightly around Zhao Wumian's neck, lowered her head, pressed it tightly against Zhao Wumian's shoulder, and breathed heavily, only managing to curse:
"You, you...beast...huff..."

But the dirtier Meng Po's curses were, the softer her tone became, which only excited Zhao Wumian more.

Snap————

The embroidered shoes fell to the ground, and Meng Po's feet, wrapped in cotton socks, were already tightly tense, with her arches raised. Then, a large hand grabbed them and played with them wantonly.

Meng Po struggled even more violently, but for some reason, she couldn't use any of her martial arts prowess. She felt completely powerless, and her so-called struggle was more like a thug's excited punch, which seemed even more interesting.

She couldn't help but regret her decision. Why did she have to play with fire? She had already been bullied by Zhao Wumian once, was she going to be bullied again this time?

Her beautiful eyes were slightly glazed over, and she looked like she was about to cry, but suddenly, Zhao Wumian stopped what he was doing.

Meng Po's beautiful eyes regained some of their luster. Although her body was still tingling and weak, she still looked back warily at the tightly closed palace doors, her expression turning stern.

"The Khan of the Steppes has arrived?"

Since they've already taken advantage of the situation, they have to go all out with the act.

We must use the identity of the woman in purple to infiltrate Zhao Wumian's inner circle and steal the Imperial Seal of the State.

Even though she didn't want to admit it, with Zhao Wumian appearing here, Meng Po felt a little at ease and was no longer as uneasy as when she entered the palace.

She knew that as long as Zhao Wumian was there, even if Uudam attacked, she would definitely be safe.

As long as Zhao Wumian wants to enter the palace to find the Imperial Seal of the State, he will definitely be able to achieve something.

If he wants to do something, he will definitely be able to do it.

Being in the same Rong people's palace, they were bound to rely on and help each other. So she couldn't help but hug Zhao Wumian tighter, and it seemed that she really felt a bit of the intimacy between a lover and a lover.

But to his surprise, Zhao Wumian followed closely behind and whispered in his ear:

"You're not her...you're Meng Po, aren't you?"

Meng Po's delicate body suddenly trembled, and she turned around to look, her beautiful eyes wide open.

Zhao Wumian sat in the chair, his expression serious.

"You, how do you know?"

Meng Po stammered. She had disguised herself in front of Zhao Wumian many times before, but Zhao Wumian had never noticed. Why was it different this time...?

"Did Shen Xiangge also teach you the art of disguise?"

In her astonishment, Meng Po forgot that she was still sitting on Zhao Wumian's lap.

"No."

"Then you, you..."

Meng Po instinctively clutched her chest, then recalled those warm fingertips and the gentle yet firm pressure...

But Zhao Wumian only touched his legs and played with his feet; he didn't touch anything else.

Zhao Wumian smiled as he looked at her somewhat dazed expression and said carefully:
"If you also have someone you like, then no matter how skilled their disguise is, they will never be able to fool you."

Meng Po was stunned, her thoughts racing.

Oh, so that's the real reason. The previous times, I disguised myself as a stranger, so Zhao Wumian couldn't recognize me.

The person in disguise is now the woman beside him, so it's immediately obvious that something is wrong.

Meng Po puffed out her cheeks again, realizing that her very foundation in the martial world had been so easily shattered by Zhao Wumian.

What welled up in her heart was not annoyance, shame, humiliation, or competitiveness, but rather a faint sense of envy.

People always say Zhao Wumian is lucky, having so many beautiful wives around him.

But now it seems that his wives were not so bad off.

In the precarious world of martial arts, to meet a good man is a luxury.

"Oh? You know she's not me, yet you still held her in your arms and groped her all over... Lord Weiming, you seem to be enjoying it?"

Suddenly, a woman in a red dress stood before the palace gate. She raised her small hand, and a small white snake crawled on it, hissing and flicking its tongue at Meng Po as if its fur had been bristled.

The woman in the red dress gave a cold laugh, watching the two adulterers with disdain.

Zhao Wumian and Meng Po froze at the same time.

The little white snake continued to flick its tongue at Meng Po, its meaning roughly being:

Hey! I knew it wasn't my mom from the start!
(End of this chapter)