Chapter 3, The Beauty Trap

Chu Yu felt as if the other person's gaze sliced through her inside and out like a knife, as if she were a fish on a chopping board waiting to be slaughtered

The beautiful yet sorrowful and dim gaze of the woman, along with the cold murderous intent and shocked expressions of the surrounding people in white, intertwined to form a net that descended upon Chu Yu's forehead

Chu Yu's gaze swept over to Jin Yao, who was staring at her with a gloomy expression, his long sword drawn. Unable to suppress a cold snort, she followed Aunt Jin into the room

Help!

Chu Yu stared at him in a daze, a strong sense of guilt suddenly surged in her heart, making it almost impossible for her to hold the stone in her hand

Master Qin San glanced at the bewildered Chu Yu, gracefully took the medicine from Aunt Jin's hand, drank it in one gulp, and placed the cup on the intricately carved silver tray held by the maid

She covered her face, unsure of what to say, and then let out a long howl—I'm still a virgin! Not that big of a deal, son!

The courtyard is deep, how deep is it

Saying this, she turned and walked straight towards the door.

Chu Yu nervously clutched a piece of broken porcelain that she had secretly hidden in her hand, and quietly raised her eyes to look into the room. She then discovered that the room was extremely large, elegantly and nobly decorated, and filled with many people. Among them, a middle-aged woman dressed in a royal blue embroidered top adorned with bright yellow chrysanthemums and a stone blue horse-face skirt walked over, crossing through the crowd towards them

Are these people crazy? Do they speak as if she does not exist?

She began to consider the possibility of escaping with this Aunt Jin as a hostage

The flames leap behind like ghostly shadows, while the beauty beneath remains calm yet despairing, as if all the joys and sorrows of her life have been exhausted

Just as she took a step, her ankle was seized by someone, causing Chu Yu to stumble and nearly fall awkwardly. When she looked up again, she saw a cold, gleaming long sword already pressed against her neck

Stop it—daughter

Aunt Jin smiled as she took the medicine bowl from the hand of a nearby maid and gently said, "Your request has been fulfilled, may you drink the medicine now?"

Aunt Jin did not speak, but instead fixed her gaze on the young girl in front of her, who was dressed in a black soapstone outfit, her expression sharp and somber.

Aunt Jin looked at Chu Yu with a blank expression and said: "Miss Chu, the Qin family is not only wealthy in Jiangnan, but also a prestigious family with a history of serving in official positions for over a hundred years. Many families wish to send their daughters to the Qin family as scholars' maids. I believe this does not bring disgrace to you, and it would only benefit the Hu family."

It was merely the gaze of the man in white, with his pair of peach blossom eyes, that instilled a sense of foreboding in her heart—those were the eyes that looked upon the dead

She felt that the woman in front of her, Aunt Jin, was clearly not someone with a brain tumor

She crossed her arms and, unafraid of death, rolled her eyes at Aunt Jin: "You really have a lot of nerve. Aren't you afraid that someone like me, with an unknown background, might accidentally serve your family’s Master Qin San to his demise?"

The long eyelashes, as fine as phoenix feathers, cast a faint shadow on his face, which is as delicate and white as jade

Aunt Jin slightly bowed and respectfully offered a greeting to the person on the bed: "Third Master, the person has been brought here. From today onwards, she will be your personal maid, staying by your side without leaving for a moment"

A hint of frailty and fatigue between his brows has dulled the ethereal and aloof aura he possessed upon our first meeting, which made him seem like a celestial being, untouchable and cold. Yet, a touch of vermilion on his pale and delicate lower lip only accentuates its vividness. This morbid and unusual beauty possesses an inexplicable allure that captivates the soul.

I ... ... that ... ... " Chu Yu instantly froze, not knowing what to say

Chu Yu shuddered and glared at the beauty on the ground, saying: "How despicable, you almost led me astray. How dare you ask me why I would kill? You beast..."

He paused for a moment, his voice as light as smoke: "Go ahead, Sheng'er will not escape."

Enough! Chu Yu's big eyes widened as she coldly glared at Aunt Jin: "Are you threatening me?"

Chu Yu was forced into a split, her hips facing the sky, feeling a chill in the air

Chu Yu curled her lips in disdain: "Yes, you are flattering me. If I do not recognize your flattery, it would only bring harm to my family, wouldn't it?"

At this moment, Chu Yu finally reacted, her eyes widening as she grabbed Aunt Jin's hand and exclaimed, "Wait... wait a moment, what did you say? When did I agree to be his personal maid!"

"Take Third Master away, and clean up the rest." The man coldly threw down a sentence, not even glancing at her, as the tip of the sword swiftly and decisively cut towards her neck

She glared back displeased: "Have you seen enough?"

However, she had no opportunity to think further, as a cacophony of footsteps and loud shouts came from the direction of the wind: "Third Master, Third Master, where are you!"

He parted his thin lips and asked, "Why?"

... ...

She looked at Chu Yu and coldly said: "Chu Yu, female, aged seventeen, from Yunzhou, parentage unknown. Five years ago, she was found unconscious by the roadside in Yunzhou and was taken in by the Hu family of Yunzhou. Her elder brother is a constable under the governor of Yunzhou. You have relied on family connections to serve as a constable in Yunzhou for over three years, with a lively and unrestrained personality..."

The powerful roar infused with internal energy drowned out the sounds of collapsing and burning houses, instantly chilling Chu Yu's heart. Without the time to deliberate on whether to silence the witness, she threw down the stone and prepared to flee.

The actions of several individuals created a scene that was both comical and bizarre

Two figures passed through the corridor and arrived in front of a large door

She stiffened all over and looked at the swordsman in white. Although his face was not as beautiful as the one on the ground, it could still be considered quite handsome.

Before her words could finish, she froze again. His blood-stained pale fingertips rested on her thigh, and he seemed utterly exhausted as he closed his eyes, hoarsely saying: "Mother ... ... "

In just one night, they managed to uncover all her details thoroughly; the Qin family truly possesses great capabilities

A cold smile flickered in Aunt Jin's slender eyes: "Although Miss Chu Yu has a lively personality, she is indeed a clever person"

Over the years, she has accompanied Old Hu in capturing ruthless thieves and has seen blood, but she has truly never committed murder

Under the lamp, a beautiful woman, her skin like shattered jade piled with snow, her exquisite eyes reflecting the serene moonlight on still water, with delicate, flickering lights shimmering softly. The originally meticulously arranged black hair atop her head now cascades like flowing satin upon the pillow, further accentuating her complexion, pale as paper.

"Do not be rude!" Jin Yao coldly reprimanded.

He suddenly fell silent, merely staring at her in a daze. His pair of eyes was lighter in color than those of an ordinary person, a faint amber hue, shimmering like the reflection of firelight on the dark waters of a night lake, mesmerizing and breathtaking. In that moment, an almost desperate sorrow overflowed from them, capable of shattering a person's heart.

Chu Yu felt flustered and short of breath under his deep gaze, unable to help but turn her head away with a flushed face, her mind only conjuring one word—especially!

Two calls sounded simultaneously

But why did that demon leave her as a maid

In the dimly lit deep courtyard, the long corridor winds and is built against the mountain

The beauty on the bed, upon hearing this, finally shifted her gaze to Aunt Jin, slightly raising her exquisitely contoured chin

Aunt Jin glanced at Chu Yu, who was holding her hand, and a trace of coldness and impatience flashed in her eyes

However, upon seeing Aunt Jin's prominently bulging temples, she dismissed this thought—Old Hu said that unless there was a tumor in the brain, only an internal martial arts master would have such high and bulging temples

Mother, I want..." The beautiful woman lying on the ground slowly focused her somewhat dazed gaze, finally resting on the hand that Chu Yu had raised high.

The man's sword halted in mid-air, his face stiffly turning towards Qin Sheng, who was being held in a waist embrace by someone. His gaze then fell in disbelief upon Qin Sheng's hand—his hand was tightly gripping one slender ankle of Chu Yu, pulling Chu Yu's legs on the ground into a large letter 'X' shape

Matters concerning the future can be discussed later; extricating oneself is the best strategy

Aunt Jin, however, was not angry; she simply said expressionlessly, "Miss, please follow me."

Chu Yu's slender figure swayed again, and her heart inexplicably raced. Yet, she could not discern whether it was due to the beautiful woman's exquisite despair that stirred her emotions, or because she felt angered at being perceived as a middle-aged woman.

As Chu Yu leaned forward to take a look, she unexpectedly found herself gazing directly into a pair of deep, tranquil eyes.

A gust of cool wind swept by, instantly awakening her with the strong smell of blood that brushed past her nose

She suddenly recalled the strange words that the old man had said to her before he died, which sounded like a code.

Aunt Jin led Chu Yu to a finely crafted zitan wood carved Luohan bed, where two maids promptly and gracefully hung the flowing cloud and fish-scale gauze that draped from the edge of the bed onto the golden fish holding jade hooks, revealing a white silhouette half leaning against the gold-threaded satin square pillow at the head of the bed

Over the years that Chu Yu has served as a constable, she has developed considerable skill in reading people. She observed that the middle-aged woman had delicate brows and long eyes; although her attire was not extravagant and her hair was simply styled in a round bun adorned with a green gem floral silver hairpin, the composed and astute demeanor she exuded indicated her extraordinary status

What made her feel uncomfortable, apart from Aunt Jin's condescending attitude, were the strange and inscrutable gazes of the people in the room directed at her

Aunt Jin said gently and respectfully: "My lord, please rest well, we shall take our leave."

Who could bear to hurt the owner of such beautiful eyes

A sudden jolt ran through Chu Yu's heart—could it be that the demon intended to use her for something?

Aunt Jin, I have brought the person here" The man in white opened the carved rosewood door and said to the person inside with a blank expression, then stepped aside to reveal a figure with their head bowed behind him

You..." Chu Yu looked around and saw that the servants, maids, guards, doctors, and some people who appeared to be aides were all looking at her with a mix of vigilance and disdain, which made her feel a sense of suffocation in her heart