Finest Servant

Chapter 586

Chapter 586 Who's Fooling Whom?

Given that Yujia's scheme had almost succeeded, jeopardizing everything, Lin Wanrong couldn't afford to take her custody lightly. He confiscated her golden bladed and bound her tightly, both inside and out, until she lay limp and powerless on the grass. Only then did he finally feel at ease.

Returning to his makeshift command post, he lay down on a disordered pile of straw. With only ninety miles separating him from Kyzil and the astute Right Prince of the Turkic forces encamped just six miles away beside Uvs Lake, sleep eluded him.

Months had passed since he left the capital for Kyzil. How were Qiaoqiao and Eldest Miss doing back home? Had Xian'er had any disagreements with Qingxuan? Had Ning'er quarreled with Eldest Miss? Had the talented Luo Ning drawn any more passionate art pieces just for his eyes? Did these beauties think of him, their husband, often?

By his estimation, Qingxuan's belly should be prominently bulging by now. Was the child a boy or a girl? Did he know that his father was out fighting wars?

He couldn't help but be overwhelmed by a wave of deep longing, as relentless as the tides of Uvs Lake. Faces of his loved ones flashed through his mind—sometimes aloof, sometimes coy, sometimes sultry—each evoking a bittersweet mix of emotions. He wished he could grow wings and fly straight back to the capital to pour out his heart to his wives. Overcome with deep emotion, tears began to well up in his eyes.

Sleep was impossible. Frustrated, Lin Wanrong rose from the straw pile, scooping up a handful of cold water to splash on his face. The icy sensation reached deep into his soul as he let out a long sigh. He felt as if something soft was nestling against his heart, tickling him.

He dug around in his robe and pulled out a straw doll. Looking at it, he couldn't help but laugh. The doll, crafted by Yueya'er, was quite intriguing. It even wore the attire of a nomad, as if she really wanted him to become her consort. But at least she had the skill to make him look handsome.

Just as he was admiring the straw doll, a soft chuckle resonated beside him. The voice of Fairy Ning floated over, "Who made this straw doll? It looks a lot like you—just like a little thief."

"You shameless man," Ning Yuxi's cheeks flushed slightly. Taking the little straw doll from him, she examined it closely before shaking her head reluctantly, "This Turkic girl is indeed clever and skilled. Unfortunately, no matter how smart she is, she's already trapped in your cage, with no chance of escape."

Her tone was soft and tinged with melancholy. Though she spoke of Yujia, it seemed to reflect her own state of mind as well. Dressed in white, with her skin as white as snow, Ning Yuxi stood under the moonlight, resembling a celestial being from a painting. However, the faint sorrow between her eyebrows added a touch of worldly aura to this divine beauty.

Lin Wanrong held her hand gently and shook his head, "Fairy Sister, you've lived too long on the fairy mountains and have seen too much of paradise to fully understand the world of human scheming and deception. Yujia may be young, but she's far from simple. To say she's trapped in my cage would be to seriously underestimate her. Underestimating others comes at a cost."

The Fairy looked at him in confusion. "You mean she deceived you? How is that possible? In the Sea of Death, she left all the fresh water for you. During the avalanche in the Tianshan Mountains, she risked her life to save you. If all of this is an act, then she is truly terrifying."

What Ning Yuxi said was completely true. As someone directly involved, Lin Wanrong's feelings were the most genuine. He shook his head deeply, "Whether it's an act or not, I can't tell anymore. What I can confirm is that Yujia's actions are not as simple as they appear. Think about it, Sister; I am from Great Hua, and she is from the Turks—we are natural enemies. Even if she was attracted to me because I am handsome and extraordinary, given our hostile relationship, isn't her eagerness a bit excessive?"

"Handsome and extraordinary?" Ning Yuxi laughed and gave him a sidelong glance. "So, you mean to say that given your opposing standings, even if she fell for you, she should be subtle about it, perhaps even keep it a secret?"

Lin Wanrong nodded solemnly, "In theory, yes. A secret crush should be like that! Especially when she is secretly infatuated with an enemy. Even if she's a brave and free Turkic woman, she still needs to consider the feelings of her parents and her tribe, doesn't she?"

The Fairy pondered for a moment and softly hummed, "You may have a point. However, a woman lost in love can't be judged by common sense, much like myself—everyone has their moments of madness."

As she spoke, a flush crept up on her cheeks. She lowered her head, her coquettish, bashful demeanor utterly bewitching.

‘The Fairy is becoming more and more feminine,’ Lin Wanrong thought, captivated by the gradual fall from grace of the exquisite fairy. This was an experience beyond the grasp of mere mortals.

He chuckled and shook his head, "Yujia is Yujia; she can't be compared with you, Fairy Sister. In fact, my suspicions about her go far beyond that."

"Beyond that?" The Fairy looked at him puzzled, "Is there more?"

Lin Wanrong nodded, his expression suddenly serious, "In fact, since the day we captured her, I've started to doubt her intentions. After the burning of Bayanhot, our army hadn't even retreated yet when we ran into her. The timing was just too perfect. And capturing her was too easy given her stunning beauty. Think about it; how could such a beautiful woman carelessly join a caravan of a hundred people with such lax security? Especially since she's so favored by the Right Prince Tursun, she must not be an ordinary person. Why would she recklessly roam in such a dangerous area near the grasslands? Tell me, how could I not suspect her?"

The Fairy was slightly stunned; Lin Wanrong's analysis did have merit.

"There's also another strange coincidence. On the day we reached Xingqing, both Brother Hu and I saw Yujia. But that very night, there was an assassination attempt on the Grand Marshal, and Yujia disappeared without a trace. When she reappeared, she was on the outskirts of Bayanhot. Not just that, but there's something even stranger—" Lin Wanrong paused. He turned his back and paced a few steps, his eyes darting like a clever cheetah, as if calculating his next move.

Ning Yuxi looked at him gently. The man before her, once ever so carefree and frivolous, now seemed like a weathered elder, wise and full of insights. Each of his glances seemed to shimmer with sagacious light.

"There can't be anyone in this world who can outwit you," she said, her tone teasing yet relieved. "So stop beating around the bush. What's on your mind?"

"You should already know what I find strange," Lin Wanrong chuckled, grasping her smooth hand. "We have captured Yujia, as witnessed by Lu Dongzan himself. And yet, the Right Prince of the Turks, Tursun, knows nothing about it. Isn't that odd?"

Indeed, it was perplexing. Before marshaling reinforcements for the front line, Lu Dongzan must have met with Tursun. Why then did he not inform the Right Prince that Yujia had been captured? There was surely some scheme afoot.

Ning Yuxi nodded. "Could it be that there is discord between the Left and Right Princes of the Turks? And with Yujia captured at the front, did Lu Dongzan deliberately withhold this information?"

Lin Wanrong shook his head. "Don't underestimate Lu Dongzan. If he were that petty, he could hardly be considered the wisest among the Turks."

"Then why didn't he tell Tursun?" she asked, puzzled.

"Exactly, that's what confounds me too," Lin Wanrong agreed. He suddenly drew a glimmering golden blade and flashed it twice before her. "Sister, do you remember what Lu Dongzan did when we first entered the Sea of Death from Yiwu?"

Upon seeing the golden blade and recalling past events, Ning Yuxi exclaimed, "He returned this golden blade to your hands!"

"Not to me," Lin Wanrong corrected, shaking his head. "He wishes for me to give it back to Yujia. This dagger reaches its greatest potential only when it's in Yujia's hands."

"What potential?" she asked urgently.

Lin Wanrong sighed softly, "Everyone on the plains knows that this golden blade is a token of love from Yujia to her beloved. By doing this, Lu Dongzan is signaling that the blade hasn't been given away, which means the most beautiful cotton flower on the plains hasn't yet found her love."

As the implications of his words began to materialize, Ning Yuxi looked stunned. "Are you saying that all of this—everything—is a game that Lu Dongzan and Yujia have been playing?"

Holding her hand tightly, Lin Wanrong spoke softly, "From the moment that Yueya’er fell into my hands, I had an odd intuition, as if I'd walked into a deep trap. After conquering Bayanhot, how could Yujia so conveniently appear before us? And how could she be so easily captured by us? The steadfastness on the snow mountain, the life-and-death moments in the desert, the sudden onset of youthful yearning, and the oblivious Tursun—so many unexplained things! Alas, I truly hate playing these games."

Staring at the wistful expression on his face, Ning Yuxi found herself at a loss for words to describe her astonishment. All the scattered doubts she had were now connected by Lin Wanrong, forming an unbelievable conclusion. If his speculations were correct, the mastermind behind this ruse was not only intelligent, educated, and brave but also someone of profound character. This person must have devoted considerable effort to studying Lin Wanrong's habits, traits, and even weaknesses.

"But why would she set her sights on you?" the Fairy murmured to herself.

Lin Wanrong grinned and shook his head. "Who knows? Maybe it's because I'm particularly good-looking."

Ning Yuxi didn't need him to answer; she already had a vague understanding. Lin San, the man before her, was now a towering figure in the Empire. He had eradicated the White Lotus cult, eliminated Prince Cheng, and was unmatched in the world of politics. His popularity among the people had also reached its peak. Even Lu Dongzan, the National Tutor of the Turks, acknowledged his power. Considering that the Emperor had no male heir, Lin San could potentially ascend to the highest echelons of imperial power if he wished.

Choosing such a target to conquer was not only extremely challenging but, more importantly, if successful, the blow to the Emperor and the nation's morale would be devastating. It could be said that conquering Lin San was essential to conquering the Empire.

Ning Yuxi shook her head in resignation and sighed softly, "How could a woman possess such unfathomable strategic depth?"

Lin Wanrong gave a wry smile. "That's a question only Yujia could answer."

The Fairy suddenly huffed, "You knew all along that Yujia had ulterior motives. The protection in the desert, the clothes in the snow mountains—those were all just tactics you employed, right? You're so deceptive, making people fall for your tricks without them even realizing it. Poor Yujia."

"Hey, Fairy Sister," Lin Wanrong nearly leaped up, "Could you please have a sense of right and wrong? Don't forget, the one being played here is not Yujia; it's me!"

Ning Yuxi couldn't help but laugh and get annoyed at the same time. "Your actions in the desert and snow mountains made her cry multiple times. Are you saying she's the one playing you? I think you're the one deceiving her."

"Absolutely not!" Lin Wanrong shook his head earnestly. "Given my well-known upright character, how could I engage in such underhanded activities? My principle is simple. I treat Yujia the way she treats me; I don't take advantage of her, but I also don't let myself be taken advantage of."

‘Ah, makes sense. Yujia deceives you, and you deceive her. A truly fair game.’ Ning Yuxi sighed deeply. "When you once told Yujia that this was a dangerous game, I didn't entirely believe it. Now I understand. While that Turkic woman is cunning, you're even more so."

"Cunning is just a facade I put on when dealing with performers like Yujia," Lin Wanrong took her small hand and said with resignation, "The sincere heart hidden beneath this exterior can only be felt by a genuine woman like you, Sister. That's the pinnacle of mutual affection."

This thief could really speak words as sweet as honey without even thinking. Ning Yuxi's cheeks reddened slightly as she shook her head. "You always know just what to say to charm me. While Yujia may have ulterior motives, there's one thing I think you haven't fully understood—Is she really just acting?"

Lin Wanrong blinked rapidly, "Wha—What do you mean?"

"Playing dumb again?" Ning Yuxi gave him a sidelong glance with a small smile. "Even the most cunning woman can't fake her eyes or her heartbeat. I could feel the determination in her heart when she was risking her life to guard the water pouch in the desert. If this is also an act, then she's already so immersed in her role that she can't distinguish reality from the act. For her, there's no longer any difference between life and play."

Fairy Ning spoke with deep emotion, sighing softly as if her sympathy for Yujia had grown.

Lin Wanrong opened his mouth wide in surprise and offered a sheepish grin. "Ah, Fairy Sister, your analysis is too profound for me to grasp. Let's discuss something else!"

Fairy Ning gave him a skeptical glance and sighed, "If you want to play dumb, there's nothing I can do. But I can't entirely blame you. After all, it was that Turkic woman who deceived people first. And she's a foreigner, to boot."

Lin Wanrong nodded earnestly. Regardless of the final outcome, Yujia's initial fall into his hands was certainly not innocent; there was no question about that. But during the execution of her plan, unexpected events had occurred, even ones she had not anticipated, leaving her somewhat at a loss. As for how things would ultimately unfold, only Heaven knew.

‘Ah, the troubles of being an exceptional man,’ he mused, shaking his head with a sigh. His expression shifted between joy and concern, making him look rather peculiar. ‘First, I had to deal with Jang Geum, and now there's Yujia. Who have I offended?’

Noticing his silence, Fairy Ning suddenly smiled. "Thief, the Turkic Royal Court is almost upon us. What's your plan?"

"I'm still considering," Lin Wanrong furrowed his brows. "We're outnumbered, and it's a siege battle, with Tursun overseeing it all. It's going to be a difficult fight."

"It might be difficult," Fairy Ning responded lightly, "but haven't you already thought of a plan? The upcoming sheep-snatching competition is a good opportunity."

"You agree with my idea?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed in surprise. But then he shook his head, "It still won't work. According to Tursun, the highlight of the sheep-snatching competition will likely focus on Yujia. But since Yueya'er is in our hands, she won't appear. This Right Prince probably won't participate either. As for whether the Turkic Khan will show up, that's another question."

"Is that your only concern?" Fairy Ning gave a charming smile, "Then you can rest easy. I promise you, Yujia will definitely appear before the Right Prince!"

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