Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Hunan Eoyang Red Bandits Sect (2)
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"Then, this servant will take her leave."
Chorim bowed her head politely like that and stepped out.
The flickering lantern light in the room now left with just the two of us.
If she were a courtesan experienced in such matters, she would have naturally filled this awkward silence.
But before me was only one woman, pretending to be composed.
No, calling her a woman felt a bit off—she was a touch too petite, almost embarrassingly so.
Only then did Yeoryeong realize her mistake, hastily lowering her head as she spoke.
"I apologize, my lord. This girl has been rude."
"No, it's fine. Forget that. Just sit down first. There."
Normally, I would have told her to come closer.
A courtesan. A woman who had pinned up her hair. One who hadn't known a man before.
Nothing difficult about it. Tell her to come close, have her undress, touch her body.
Or the other way around—let her touch me.
Use her mouth or her breasts or whatever to satisfy me, then slip part of myself into that small body of hers and move. Simple as that.
But somehow, I didn't feel like it right now. Conversation came first.
A conversation between two people, not bodies.
Yeoryeong was indeed inexperienced.
As she awkwardly took her seat, a faint unease flickered in her eyes.
No helping it, even with courtesan lessons.
If she were perfect from the start, that would be a problem too.
In truth, this courtesan business hinged on personality.
Outgoing, affable, sweet—that kind of temperament made it easy.
But this girl was the opposite. Anyone could see she was quiet and introverted.
Well, with her entire family massacred and her the sole survivor, it would be ridiculous if she turned into a bubbly courtesan.
"I've heard about what happened to the Yu Family Manor."
Her expression darkened instantly. But she quickly forced an awkward smile.
"Let me say this upfront. I pinned up your hair because I didn't like the idea of the Red Bandits Sect dragging you off against your will."
"This girl... heard from Sister Lin."
Sister Lin must be Chorim. Yeah, who else?
"I'm not interested in the Yu Family's wealth either. And with the Red Bandits Sect still standing strong, I have no intention of forcing you into my bed. So here's the deal. Say I pinned up your hair. And keep staying at the Yellow Jade Pavilion. As you've heard, no one will bother you here."
"...What will you do, my lord...? Am I not to your liking?"
"I just said I have no plans to force you."
"But..."
"What? Seeing me makes you suddenly want to throw yourself into my arms? Or were you secretly looking forward to this day?"
Her lips parted, then clamped shut again.
Probably not that. She just seemed unsure if she should say what was on her mind and swallowed it instead.
"Don't overthink it. If you really want to throw yourself at me, do it after the Red Bandits Sect falls. With a clear conscience. Unburdened. Or don't bother at all. By then, you can walk out of this pleasure house with your head held high."
"...Why show such kindness to this girl?"
Her youth showed clearly. Still not even twenty. An immature response.
New Year was coming soon, so she was probably nineteen.
And once it passed, the Red Bandits Sect would have snatched her up and mounted her without a second thought.
"If I didn't know the circumstances, I'd ignore it. But knowing them, what's so hard about looking out for you?"
Yeoryeong's eyes reddened at my words.
Bloodshot? Tears catching the lantern light?
Probably both. No need to split hairs.
"This favor... I will repay it someday, my lord."
"I'm not doing this expecting repayment. If you insist on repaying me, use that effort to help someone else in need instead. Kindness isn't just transactional. Spreading it to others is one way to pay it forward."
At my words, Yeoryeong finally let a single tear roll down her cheek.
A tear tracing her cheek. She hurriedly wiped it with her sleeve.
"The Yellow Jade Pavilion will be the best place to watch the Red Bandits Sect's downfall. So stay here and witness it. Understood?"
"Yes... my lord. Thank you."
"Good. Now change out of those clothes. Let your hair down. Wipe off the makeup."
Yeoryeong startled for a moment, but soon understood and bowed her head deeply.
Even if it was fake, we had to go through the motions.
Yeoryeong rose from her seat and slipped out of her clothes with a soft rustle.
I sprawled out on the bed for her sake and closed my eyes, lying still for a bit.
A beautiful woman undressing sounds delightful even in itself.
The clink of ornaments coming loose. The sounds of makeup being removed. The rustle of changing clothes.
A moment later, footsteps approached me.
Peeking through slitted eyes, I saw her—far plainer than before, dressed in slightly oversized, loose garments, fidgeting awkwardly before me.
"You. You're really turning twenty soon, right?"
"P-please don't keep saying that..."
She didn't seem thrilled about looking so young.
Sigh. A few years from now, she'd realize how foolish that thought was.
"Lie down here. I said I wouldn't hold you, but I didn't say anything about sleeping while holding you."
"Pardon?"
"Oh. Before that."
Was this necessary? But better safe than sorry.
I nicked my finger lightly, letting a drop of blood well up and fall onto the bed.
Seeing it, Yeoryeong realized what I was doing—her face flushed crimson as she averted her gaze slyly.
"Now no one can gossip. Alright, lie down for real."
Her face red as a ripe persimmon in late autumn, Yeoryeong bit her lip and crept onto the bed.
But those curves as she moved... quite mesmerizing.
Ah. Can I really just hold her and sleep? This might not be easy.
Yeoryeong settled stiffly beside me, kneeling rigidly without moving.
Frozen solid. One touch to her neck, and she'd probably yelp "Eek!"
"Let's sleep early. Busy day tomorrow."
I spread my arms while lying down. She glanced at me, fidgeted, then pillowed her head on my arm and lay down.
Intending to tease her a bit, I bent my arm, pressing her close—her ample breasts squishing against me.
Her face, looking ready to burst, came right up to my nose. Along with a fresh, youthful scent.
"Didn't they teach you courtesan lessons?"
"Y-yes, they did..."
"Sigh. You're not cut out to be a courtesan. Not that many women are born for it. Anyway, just sleep."
I closed my eyes after saying that, and soon a slightly ragged breathing came from right beside me.
Wonder if she can even sleep like this. Probably won't drift off easily.
So I lay perfectly still, pretending to be asleep for a good while.
Even then, Yeoryeong squirmed ever so slightly bit by bit, until finally her breathing evened out.
But now that things had settled, I felt a twinge of regret. Should've just taken her. No need for this bravado.
The next day.
Before dawn broke, when it was finally time to rise, Yeoryeong quietly sat up.
"Oh right."
"Eek."
"Eek?"
"N-no, it's nothing, my lord. You're awake?"
"Yeah. Someone kept wriggling all night; I barely slept."
"Gasp. I-I'm sorry, my lord. This girl..."
"Kidding. Don't worry about it. Anyway, for the remaining days, come to this room every night. You'll attend to my bedchamber."
"Yes!? What about Sister Lin..."
"You'll do it."
"Ah, understood, my lord."
A novel experience. Just holding a woman and sleeping.
Like making "just holding hands and sleeping" a reality.
I'm not starving for female company anyway, so this isn't bad.
Besides, her reactions are too delicious. Naturally, I should keep enjoying them.
In any case, the matter with Yeoryeong was settled.
Now it was time to watch the Red Bandits Sect.
I sneaked into their compound, hopping across rooftops of the halls, eavesdropping on the situation inside.
Day two of the plague outbreak.
It was the Tang Family's poison, but the afflicted couldn't tell the difference.
Red Bandits Sect disciples rushing about frantically, mouths covered with hoods.
And the plague had spread to the Azure Lake Sect disciples too—black spots starting to appear on their faces.
For secrecy, I'd only informed the Azure Lake Sect Leader.
Thus, the regular disciples' reactions looked utterly genuine.
Expressions of despair, utter chaos.
Hmm... feels all too real. If I'd told them all, we never would've gotten reactions like that.
It seemed every physician in Eoyang had gathered at the Red Bandits Sect.
Of course, all those physicians were in the Tang Family's pocket.
Or more precisely, not fully— but with the cure coming exclusively from Tang Family apothecaries, it was as good as.
There was a cure for the plague, albeit an expensive one.
I'd made it that way on purpose. That way, they wouldn't waste it on Azure Lake Sect disciples.
Not that it mattered if they did. It wouldn't cure the Azure Lake ones anyway.
Another day passed like that, and I returned to the Yellow Jade Pavilion to hold Yeoryeong and sleep.
Not much different from yesterday, but she was a bit more accustomed now.
Today, I emptied my mind and slept deeply.
Though those full breasts pressing firmly against me were distracting even in sleep.
Day three of the plague.
Finally, the Red Bandits Sect drove the Azure Lake Sect disciples out beyond their gates.
An abandoned house a bit removed from Eoyang. They herded them there like quarantined livestock.
If only Azure Lake members caught it, it'd look too suspicious, so I'd spread poison among the Red Bandits' lowly ranks too.
Thus, the abandoned house held a fair number of forsaken lowlifes from the Red Bandits Sect.
Too costly for medicine, or expendable guests and grunts who could die without issue.
Their sense of betrayal was immense. The Red Bandits Sect's already poor reputation plummeted further.
Regrettably, those ones had to die.
It was necessary to extract the Azure Lake disciples cleanly. No choice.
Four days passed, and by the fifth...
All in the abandoned house had succumbed to the plague.
The Red Bandits Sect didn't dare retrieve the bodies.
No different from death itself. A few loitered nearby, pretending to prepare burials.
Of course, they were fully aligned with the Tang Family apothecaries.
Only then could we pull out the surviving Azure Lake disciples.
Deep into the fifth night.
In the end, the Azure Lake Sect Leader, his daughter, and eight disciples were declared dead, allowing them to safely depart the Red Bandits Sect.
Clean and perfect closure. An extraction without a shred of suspicion.
Well then... my turn now. Time to go meet them.