Chapter 54: Teasing the Little Beauty

When Wei Wuji awoke in a daze, night had already fallen.

“Damn it! My head hurts!” He struggled to sit up, sitting on the bed and rubbing his forehead.

At that moment, the door creaked open, and someone dressed in green entered from outside.

A woman—it was a woman, and she must have been the same one who had helped him to bed earlier.

Wei Wuji looked carefully and recognized her as the little maid he had seen during the day.

Master Gu certainly has an eye for things, Wei Wuji thought to himself. He realized that his open staring earlier had not gone unnoticed.

As the timid maid approached him, Wei Wuji found himself studying the girl.

Upon closer inspection, she was no more than fifteen or sixteen, with delicate features—back in his own time, she would have been the belle of her class.

Yet, in the prime of her youth, she was reduced to being a servant, at the beck and call of others.

Before Wei Wuji could dwell further on this, the maid knelt slowly beside him, her voice trembling, “This servant will help the general change.”

Seeing her demure manner, Wei Wuji’s heart skipped a beat.

In his previous life, he had just graduated from university and had never even had a girlfriend, let alone experienced such an alluring scene.

“To serve… well, come then!” Wei Wuji stared unabashedly at the little maid. After days of being surrounded by nothing but men, he was nearly sick of it.

Though the maid was frightened and dared not meet his gaze, her hands were deft as she worked.

Wei Wuji watched, finding the process unexpectedly enjoyable.

“General, allow this servant to help you with your shoes!” Her crisp voice sent another ripple through his heart.

Looking at the lovely girl before him, Wei Wuji smiled and asked, “What’s your name, young lady?”

Being questioned, the maid bowed her head even lower.

After a long pause, she quietly replied, “General, this servant’s humble name is Huan’er.”

“Huan’er? That’s a fine name!” Wei Wuji replied with a warm smile. At this moment, every woman’s name sounded beautiful to him.

And just like that, Huan’er had finished helping him with his shoes.

“This servant will help the general dress,” she said softly.

“A bed of gentleness is a hero’s grave—the ancients did not deceive me,” Wei Wuji thought, feeling as if he were drifting in a dream.

Still, he had no intention of refusing such comforts. If one cannot enjoy life, how is he any different from a salted fish?

Standing up, Wei Wuji outstretched his limbs, closing his eyes to await Huan’er’s attentions.

Once his outer garments were on, it was time for the heavy armor. Huan’er struggled to lift it, and helping him don it was even harder.

“Never mind, I won’t wear that,” Wei Wuji adjusted his clothes and said to her.

That thing was uncomfortable to wear, and besides, he wasn’t headed to battle right now—what was the point?

Dressed in a simple black robe, Wei Wuji strode for the door.

At the threshold, he called back into the room, “Huan’er, aren’t you coming with me?”

“Ah!” Huan’er, who was tidying things inside, rushed out in a panic. Master Gu had warned her to obey every order, or else she’d have her legs broken.

Ahead, seeing Huan’er emerge, Wei Wuji asked, “Where should we go now?”

Huan’er quickly replied, “General, you haven’t had supper yet! Allow this servant to lead the way!”

Hearing this, Wei Wuji touched his stomach and realized he was indeed hungry.

He’d intended to eat well at lunch, but ended up drinking so much that he hadn’t eaten at all.

“Very well! Lead the way,” Wei Wuji said.

Huan’er moved to the front, guiding him out.

Along the way, the guards saluted Wei Wuji respectfully as he passed.

The Gu family’s residence was neither large nor small; after only a few turns, Wei Wuji found himself once more at the spot where he had drunk at noon.

Now, the tables in the courtyard had all been cleared, leaving the space empty.

Only the main hall was lively, with several of Gu’s servants bustling about.

As soon as Wei Wuji arrived, the guards at the door knelt, “Greetings, young master!”

Wei Wuji nodded with an air of nonchalance and proceeded into the hall.

Seeing his entrance, everyone inside dropped what they were doing and fell to their knees, calling out in terror, “Greetings, general!”

Huan’er, leading the way, was suddenly at a loss—neither standing nor kneeling seemed right.

“Rise, all of you,” Wei Wuji waved his hand.

Taking his seat, a few people entered carrying trays, placing them one by one before him before retreating respectfully to the side.

“Forgive me if my hospitality is lacking, young master,” came Gu Mu’s voice from outside just as Wei Wuji was about to eat.

Entering the hall, Gu Mu bowed deeply, “I beg the young master’s pardon!”

“Rise, Manager Gu,” Wei Wuji replied without looking up, continuing to pick at the dishes.

“If you need anything else, young master, I will see to it at once!” Gu Mu said with a broad smile after rising.

“That won’t be necessary,” Wei Wuji said leisurely, quite content for the moment.

So he ate, attended by a host of silent servants.

After a few bites, however, he began to feel ill at ease—being watched while eating was hardly enjoyable.

“All of you may go,” he said in a deep voice, gesturing at the people below.

Gu Mu dared not object in the slightest. The moment Wei Wuji issued the order, he responded repeatedly, bowing and saying, “Please enjoy your meal, young master!”

He beckoned for the servants to leave as well, and all those who had been holding their breath finally relaxed.

“Huan’er, you stay.”

As everyone was leaving, Wei Wuji called Huan’er back.

He thought it best to have a young woman beside him for company—it would please the eye and whet the appetite, he mused.

“Master…” Huan’er looked to Gu Mu for guidance.

Gu Mu smiled, “The young master favors you—go quickly now…”

“Young master, we will take our leave. If you require anything, just call and we’ll come at once.”

With that, Gu Mu led the servants away.

Only a man and a woman remained in the hall, and the atmosphere instantly grew more intimate.

“Huan’er, come here,” Wei Wuji called with a mischievous smile, beckoning her over.

She dared not defy him, shuffling over to crouch beside his table.

“Come, sit closer,” Wei Wuji said gently, dropping his smile.

Huan’er’s heart pounded wildly, and she bowed her head even lower—how could she not understand what he meant?

She had been a maid for years and seen many such situations, but never expected her turn would come today.

Seeing her hesitate, Wei Wuji reached out and slowly drew her closer.

“Just like this, sit beside me,” he said with a smile, utterly shameless.

But that was all—he wasn’t so brazen as to go further. There was nothing wrong with sharing a meal together.

And so, Wei Wuji’s next act was to have the little beauty dine with him, sharing a ceremonial cup.

Decadence!

Meanwhile, in a secluded room on the other side of the Gu residence, two men and a woman were deep in discussion.

A curtain obscured their faces, but their voices could be heard.

A deep voice said, “Yuyan, isn’t what you’re doing a bit too risky?”

The woman replied, “Father, we have no way out now.”

Another man added, “Father, if we succeed, the downfall of Wei is close at hand!”

After a long pause, the deep voice spoke again, “Does it really matter whether this land belongs to the State of Chen or the State of Wei?”

The other two fell silent, and the room was quiet for a long while.

At last, the deep voice asked, “Have you found out where this young man comes from?”

“Not yet… but he seems just a useless drunkard to me,” the woman scoffed.

“Exactly!” the younger man agreed. “He’s only been here half a day, and already he’s after Huan’er. A man so lustful can’t be capable of much!”

Hearing their judgments, the older man sighed.

He did not think their conclusions were accurate; after all, he had seen firsthand the soldiers' reverence for Wei Wuji, and witnessed his bearing in the hall at noon.

If such a man were truly useless, then he and the two thousand soldiers must all be blind.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of pessimism about their mission.