“This, I know.” Yelü Qianxiao leaned lazily against the wooden window, not forgetting to observe the movements outside. His rogueish smile made Mo Bei’s teeth itch; she thought to herself that this esteemed elder truly did not know the meaning of modesty.
“As for last night...” Playing with a plum-blossom needle in his palm, Yelü Qianxiao turned his head and merely smiled without moving.
Mo Bei hurriedly took up the thread, neither servile nor overbearing. “Last night was my first day in the palace. I slept very soundly and never even stepped out the door. I do not know what matter Your Excellency is referring to.” Even if she were stupid, she could still see such a naked threat for what it was!
“Very good.” Yelü Qianxiao looked at her with amusement, withdrawing the needle into his long sleeve and lightly brushing his thin lips. “I like clever people. But the more ideas a person has, the harder they are to control. Wouldn’t you say?”
Sure enough, he had not wanted to kill her to silence her; rather, he had taken a fancy to her thieving skills. Otherwise, with that pinch just now, she would already have lost her life.
With this realization, Mo Bei lifted her head, her smile blooming like a flower. “In my humble opinion, between people there is no eternal obedience, only eternal benefit. If you want to control a clever person, why not use a clever method?”
“Oh?” Yelü Qianxiao’s eyes were blue as the sea, flashing with a terrifying sharpness. “Such as what method?”
Her smile slowly receded, and Mo Bei’s brows and eyes sharpened. “Help me find someone. Big eyes, a high nose bridge, loves eating as much as life itself, is obsessed with sleeping, often drools at the little fish in the river, occasionally runs to a corner and draws circles with their claws, and when excited, cries ‘wo-ah-ah’ nonstop.”
“Are you certain the one you want to find is a person?” Yelü Qianxiao raised a brow. That description was clearly of a pig—!
Mo Bei nodded very solemnly, then gave a somewhat embarrassed light cough. “If Your Excellency finds this person, I will charge a little less compensation.”
“Compensation?” Yelü Qianxiao strolled over unhurriedly, the silver mask flashing with an icy brilliance.
Mo Bei unconsciously tightened her grip on her long whip and took a large step back.
A smile floated in those peach-blossom eyes. Yelü Qianxiao seized her and ruthlessly trapped her against the wall, his left arm braced above Mo Bei’s head, his right palm mercilessly stroking her jade-like neck. Leaning in with wicked charm, he said, “Do you think you are qualified to negotiate terms with me?”
“I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare.” Mo Bei lifted her eyes, her bearing filled with wind-like arrogance. “But without negotiating terms, is my lord confident he can control me?”
Their gazes met—domineering aura like a dragon, bewitching aura like a phoenix, neither yielding to the other.
Suddenly, Yelü Qianxiao burst into laughter, his blue eyes bright and shining. “You, ah, you truly make me more and more reluctant to snap this protruding throat bone of yours! Speak. How much silver do you want?” It was the first time he had met a man evenly matched with himself. His chest felt as though something were about to explode, aching and itching, yet filled with the utmost pleasure.
“Many thanks for Your Excellency’s misplaced... affection!” Mo Bei said the last two words with extreme displeasure, skillfully moving the man’s claw away. With a smile that did not reach her eyes, she said, “One hundred thousand taels of silver will suffice!”
In an instant, all was silent. The wild wind blew past with a howl—
Yelü Qianxiao merely looked at her, coolly looked at her, until Mo Bei felt somewhat guilty and softly added, “My skills are absolutely worth that price.” In truth, she had originally wanted to ask for ten thousand taels, but this fellow had threatened her, taken liberties with her, and worn that black-bellied smile as if he could see straight through a person. It was truly infuriating!
Yelü Qianxiao, rarely cooperative, nodded and smilingly told her what she needed to steal. Then he drew a banknote from within his fine robes. Looking at Mo Bei’s face blooming with joy, he casually dropped one line: “I originally intended to offer one hundred thousand taels of gold. Who would have thought you only loved silver? What a pity, what a pity!” Then he swiftly vanished into the night, leaving no trace to be found.