Chapter 1001 – War in the Northern Frontier (Thirty-Eight)
“Now spill it! What’s your background?” Liu Zhao lifted the woman’s chin with his folding fan, impatience etched on his face. “I don’t have much patience—if you don’t come clean, I have plenty of ways to make you talk. Do you really think I, Liu Zhao, am too weak to lay a hand on a woman?”
With the force Liu Zhao used, the woman’s chin acquired a distinct mark from the fan.
She didn’t seem angry, though. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and even as a captive, she flirted with Liu Zhao.
“Do you really want to know?” she smiled. “It seems Liu Sanlang is not as ignorant as the rumors suggest.”
A glimmer of surprise and unabashed admiration flitted through her gaze.
“If you dare tell me, I’ll dare listen.”
Liu Zhao felt a shiver run down his spine. He retracted his beloved fan, mentally noting to have his servant clean it later to avoid it getting dirty.
The woman giggled, “I suddenly don’t want to say anymore. I want to see what methods you’ll use to make me ‘talk’.”
Though bound, she leaned closer, her body sinking into his embrace. Her elbows, slightly bent behind her back, grazed against Liu Zhao’s chest. With a coy squeal, she snuggled in tighter, her curvaceous figure teasingly pressing against him—
Liu Zhao was initially taken aback, thinking the woman intended to kill him.
But as she continued rubbing against him, the innocent young boy’s face instantly turned crimson. He swatted her face away with the fan and shouted angrily, “You shameless woman! Have you no sense of decency? I’ve never seen anyone more lewd than you!”
The woman was momentarily stunned by Liu Zhao’s reaction, her beautiful face twisting in surprise.
Yet she was resilient. In an instant, she changed tactics, letting out a soft whimper, her voice lilting and teasing.
“Young Master, you hit me so well—come on, hit me again~~~”
Liu Zhao’s face turned a mix of red and green, the woman’s shamelessness far exceeded his expectations.
“Do you really think I wouldn’t hit a woman?” As she squirmed closer, he quickly kicked her away, shouting, “If you keep this up, I’ll have you tied up and sent to my elder sister! We might as well reward our men with you.”
At this, her expression changed, her flirtatious smile fading.
“Liu Sanlang—how cowardly you are!” she huffed, sitting up with effort, her thin garment almost falling off, revealing ample skin. She didn’t seem to mind her appearance; instead, she coldly laughed at Liu Zhao. “Liu Xi is just a mere woman; she will eventually have to marry, while the vast Liu estate is yours to inherit. Are you really willing to be beneath others?”
Having been humiliated by a courtesan outside, was he really thinking of passing the responsibility onto his sister? Could he be any more useless?
Liu Zhao maintained a safe distance, making sure she wouldn’t lunge at him, and slowly calmed his racing heart.
“Unwilling? Why would I be unwilling?” Liu Zhao narrowed his eyes, his black, piercing gaze flashing with intensity. This woman was clearly sent to stir up trouble between him and his sister. With a flicker of realization, he smirked. “Do you know how much my monthly allowance is? Do you know how valuable these silks and satins are, these fragrant pouches and jade pendants? Each piece is worth a fortune!”
The woman was confused by Liu Zhao’s unexpected reply.
“The cheapest item… you could make money with that skin of yours for at least three to five years, right?” Liu Zhao smirked maliciously. The woman’s face suddenly turned ashen. He continued, “I don’t have to do anything. Just by living my life, my status brings me endless wealth and a lofty position. Why would I give up my leisurely life to compete for power with my sister?”
The woman stared wide-eyed, utterly dumbfounded—it was nothing like the script she was told!
“I’m not saying you all are too good to be true, but you really think too highly of me. My only advantage over my sister is that I have a bit more flesh on me—” Liu Zhao pointed at himself, “That sister of mine can be ruthless when she wants. Don’t underestimate her; if she wanted to get rid of me, she could easily make this extra flesh disappear—”
Though Jiang Pengji hadn’t shown any extremely harsh or brutal methods before him, Liu Zhao wasn’t foolish enough not to guess that.
Meeting the woman’s astonished gaze, Liu Zhao continued, “I think you misunderstand Han culture a bit. It’s true that sons inherit the family estate, but that doesn’t mean a strong-willed daughter has no right to inherit. Have you heard of ‘marriage-in’? Even if I’m a bastard, even if I were a legitimate son, if my sister wanted to quietly eliminate me, that would be child’s play. No matter who your master is, I can only say he’s really not thinking straight. Why provoke me? Why not incite my father and sister to fight instead?”
“How about you take a trip to the skies?”
To think he’d even be seen as combat-worthy against his ruthless sister, that was quite flattering!
The woman was left dazed by Liu Zhao’s words, unable to wrap her head around them.
She furrowed her brow, “Are you really content with that?”
Liu Zhao scoffed, “Content? Absolutely willing.”
What he feared most was that in the end, he wouldn’t even get a chance to be willing.
The woman was left speechless, anger boiling within her. “Coward.”
Fortune often hides in risk!
This boy before her was utterly useless!
Liu Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Keep cursing me. If you hadn’t read a few books, didn’t recognize a few characters, and didn’t have much knowledge, I could still help you.”
The woman nearly ground her teeth to dust. She’d never seen anyone as pathetic and spineless as Liu Zhao.
He was determined to remain useless, and no one could uplift him.
How could this Liu Zhao ever drive a wedge between him and Liu Xi?
The woman pondered for a moment, her mind racing with ideas.
With a flicker of malice in his eyes, Liu Zhao said, “Your sister is too far away. Why don’t I hand you over to my father for disposal?”
True to his word, as soon as Liu Zhao got home, he tossed the woman to the idle Liu Zhi, summarizing the situation.
“This woman intends to stir trouble between you and Lan Ting?”
Liu Zhi frowned, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
Liu Zhao stated, “This person harbors evil intentions and cannot be spared. My sister is in a precarious position in the Northern Frontier, and we can’t let such scum take advantage.”
“You make a good point,” Liu Zhi said. “Lan Ting is broad-minded, but even the best relationships can’t withstand suspicion. If these troubles ruin your relationship with Lan Ting, not even a dozen of them would be enough to compensate—leave this matter to me, you can go for now.”
Before Liu Zhao left, he asked, “How do you plan to deal with this woman?”
Liu Zhi replied, “Break her hands and feet, cut out her tongue, and dump her in some alley.”
Since this was a planned provocation, those behind it would surely be watching her movements—this could lead them to the mastermind.
Liu Zhao bowed and exited, not sparing a glance at the woman’s desperate eyes.
