Finest Servant Chapter 542 (Patreon)

Chapter 542 Dancing on the Edge of a Blade

The blade was swift and fierce, its glint like a meteor streaking through the sky, aimed straight at Yujia's face.

In a moment of urgent alarm, the Turkic girl let out an angered cry. However, her face showed not a trace of fear. Her golden curved blade moved as fast as lightning, thrusting towards Lin Wanrong's lower abdomen.

Neither of them spoke. They both came at each other mercilessly. The carriage's interior was incredibly cramped, making it difficult to maneuver. Even if Lin Wanrong's strike could kill Yujia, he would inevitably be wounded by her thrust in return.

The gleaming steel blade was held against the Turkic girl's fair, delicate neck. Though Yujia was a woman, her resilience surpassed that of many men. Her eyes widened in defiance, the golden blade in her hand merely inches away from Lin Wanrong's abdomen. One move from either would lead to mutual destruction. For a moment, the carriage fell silent. Yujia clenched her teeth and glared at him, her eyes icy cold.

Lin Wanrong took in the sight before him: the Turkic girl's small, flushed mouth was gasping for air; her robe was half-unraveled, revealing a glimpse of her soft, creamy bosom, as pure and radiant as lard-white jade. Beside her lay a brand-new golden silk dress.

Holding her blade in one hand, her other hand clenched the waistband of her silk skirt. Anger filled her eyes, yet there was a trace of embarrassment.

"What are you doing?!" Yujia was indignant, gripping the ribbon on her dress so tightly she seemed to forget about the blade pressed against her neck. Her slender neck tilted slightly forward, the steel blade not budging an inch. A thin line formed on her fair, delicate neck, a hint of blood emerging.

It turned out the girl was changing her clothes. Lin Wanrong couldn't help but chuckle. He looked a few times at Yujia's chest and said with a ferocious expression, "What am I doing? Can't you see—" he shook his steel blade menacingly, "—I'm here to kill!"

"A wolf bares its claws because that's its last weapon. If you're going to kill, then kill. If I even so much as furrow my brows, then I am not Yujia, daughter of the steppes." The Turkic girl snorted disdainfully through her nose, gave him a few contemptuous glances, and slowly closed her eyes, her face calm as ever.

Every Turkic proverb Yujia cited had something to do with wolves, leaving Lin Wanrong both amused and exasperated. Shaking his head, he chuckled, "You should know that I'm too soft-hearted to be a wolf. You, on the other hand, could roar louder than a she-wolf in heat on the steppes. You should be called the Wolf Queen; that title might just suit your status."

The Turkic girl's light blue eyes, deep as the ocean, watched him for a few moments. "In a pack of wolves on the steppes, no one ever knows who the leader is. Because by the time you find out, you're already buried within them."

This girl really did understand the nature of wolves. Lin Wanrong waved his hand dismissively and laughed, "Aside from having some knowledge about lecherous wolves, I don't know much else. However, there is one thing I am really curious about—Little Yueya'er, how did you manage to attract those Turkic horsemen?"

The Turkic young woman hesitated for a moment, then burst into laughter, gripping the carriage window as her body shook uncontrollably. Her laughter intensified until she could no longer hold the golden knife in her hand steady. Finally, she bent over, holding her stomach, laughing so hard that her cheeks turned red. Her melodious laughter carried far across the plains.

‘Is she under the influence of some laughter-inducing potion?’ Lin Wanrong felt chills run down his spine. He quickly brandished his saber. "Stop laughing, or I'll kill someone."

"I would laugh even if you killed someone," the Turkic young woman responded, as if she had just encountered the most amusing thing in the world. She completely disregarded his threat, her laughter scattering across the plains.

"Uh-oh," Old Gao and Old Hu exchanged a worried glance. If this young woman laughed, it would surely have a detrimental effect on General Lin. It seemed like an unwritten rule.

The young woman, Yujia, finally managed to stifle her laughter, though her eyebrows still remained tinged with a shade of red. "General Lin, or should I say, San Ge Shi—Wo Lao Gong, you should know that you look a hundred, a thousand times better when you're clumsy than when you're trying to be clever."

Lin Wanrong was both amused and exasperated. "Really? I thought I was already at my most handsome. I didn't realize I could be even more so. Thank you for enlightening me."

"Never met anyone so shameless," Yujia muttered under her breath. "Since you said I led my people here, may I ask how? I'm all alone, confined to this carriage, under constant watch. How could I possibly inform my people?"

Lin Wanrong had also been pondering this. Sprinkle some sort of signaling substance? Impossible—soldiers were keeping a close eye on her. Even if she were to drop a needle, someone would notice. Blow a whistle to signal? That was ludicrous; if the tribesmen could hear the sound, he would have been dead by now. "I have no idea," he finally admitted, "So, how did you do it?"

"I did—what? Signal? Never!" Caught off guard, Yujia's face flushed with indignation.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Whether you signaled or not doesn't matter. Sooner or later, I'd be discovered on the plains. Whether you bring twenty thousand or two hundred thousand, it makes no difference to me. Besides, your people are still more than sixty miles away. I have ample time to make my moves. I can fight or retreat at will; they won't have an easy time with me."

His words rang true. Guerrilla warfare was the name of the game on the plains; not being discovered was an impossibility.

Yujia snorted, "You're cunning, disguising advance as retreat. But as you said, being discovered is inevitable. Why would I risk my life and the lives of my hundreds of tribesmen to send a needless signal? Do you think I'm as foolish as you?"

"It seems like you have a point," Lin Wanrong chuckled and nodded. "So you're saying it wasn't you who tipped them off? Then who could it be?"

Yujia's expression was icy. "Must I repeat myself? I am not as despicable as you. The god of the plains can bear witness for me. Don't overestimate yourself; heroes are born every day in my tribe. Seeing through your petty schemes is as easy as flipping a hand! Do we even need someone to leak information?"

Yujia invoked the god of the plains, evidently dismissing any inclination towards deceit. A lightbulb went off in Lin Wanrong's head, and he suddenly realized, "Ah, I understand now. They never actually discovered us."

A flicker of surprise flashed in the eyes of the Turkic young woman. "How do you know?"

"It's simple," Lin Wanrong grinned. "I released two of your tribespeople and deliberately sent them back with false information. The twenty thousand Turkic cavalry, upon hearing the news, would've easily considered the possibility of a diversion. After all, they still have forty thousand troops at Wuyuan waiting. They can confidently proceed in the opposite direction to probe our actual location. No need for spies; it's pure strategy. I enjoy watching such tactics play out. Thanks to you, Miss Yujia, for the reminder. I never thought there'd be such talent among the Turkic people."

Yujia snorted, "All these are merely your speculations. What's there to be proud of? If you're so confident, stay here and let's see who the true warrior is."

Lin Wanrong waved his hand and smiled, "Once we enter the plains, we're dancing on a blade's edge. As a warrior, I'd rather perform an enticing dance. There are always some Turkic folks who'd appreciate it; I don't mind. As for my words being mere speculations, you know better, Miss Yujia. There's a glaring flaw in this whole scenario, one that you haven't noticed."

Yujia's cheeks flushed at his audacity, but his confidence was so overwhelming that she couldn't help but be surprised. "A glaring flaw? What flaw?"

"The glaring flaw, my dear, is you," Lin Wanrong's eyes narrowed into slits, his grin lascivious.

Yujia hummed dismissively, "Nonsense, what flaw could I have?"

Lin Wanrong nodded and smiled, "Miss Yueya'er, even though I don't know your background, one thing is certain. Someone as beautiful and intelligent as you must hold a significant position among the Turkic people. Am I right?"

Yujia snorted through her nostrils, neither confirming nor denying.

"Having captured such an esteemed individual, I deliberately sent two of your tribespeople to relay the message. These twenty thousand Turkic cavalry would not dare risk your life, even if they doubt our real location. At worst, they would split their forces. Some would pursue us at Wuyuan to protect the precious Miss Yujia, while others would scout the direction they suspect. Not even tenfold courage would make them deploy all their troops toward an uncertain location—see, there's the flaw! I'll bet that after they've gone a hundred miles without seeing any sign of us, they'll call off the search. Your twenty thousand reinforcements will have no choice but to head to Wuyuan. What do you say, Miss Yujia, care to wager?"

The young Turkic girl's eyes flashed with a sharp glint, her astonishment no longer concealable. Yet, she defiantly snorted, "What do you want to bet?"

Lin Wanrong carefully observed her expression, feeling more confident. He chuckled, "The stakes are simple. If you win, I'll immediately release ten of your tribespeople."

Yujia cast him a cautious glance and snorted, "You want to use my people for your theatrics again? And what if I lose—"

"If you lose—" Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, his eyes roving over her body, glowing with a lecherous light. Yujia hastily covered her chest with her clothes, her golden knife held tightly against her bosom. She shouted, "Vile wolf, you'll never tarnish the honor of a steppe daughter—"

"Hmm, that's a nice little knife, all shiny and golden," Lin Wanrong said with a smile. "If you lose, give me that knife. I could use it to peel fruit or trim my nails—"

"Daydreaming." Yujia interrupted him, disdainfully adding, "The person worthy of receiving this golden knife hasn't been born yet."

Annoyed, Lin Wanrong huffed, "It's just a broken knife. Even if it were made of pearls and agate, I wouldn't care. Fine, new terms: if you lose, you'll have to shout my Turkic name a hundred times in front of everyone. Agree or not—disagree, and I'll kill!"

"Your Turkic name?" Yueya'er considered for a moment and nodded, "San Ge Shi—Wo Lao Gong, what a ridiculous name. Shout it, I shall; I'm not afraid of you."

"Good, it's settled then," Lin Wanrong laughed uproariously, sheathing his saber. "Pardon the intrusion; please continue changing your clothes, little sister."

Yueya'er looked at him, a cold smile on her lips, "What, you're not killing me now?"

Lin Wanrong mysteriously replied, "How could I? You're now my treasure, too precious to be carried even in a palanquin. My five thousand brothers are all counting on you to save their lives."

A cold light flashed in Yujia's eyes. Upon reflection, she realized that today's skirmish had been entirely different from last night's. This bandit had subtly gained the upper hand.

Just as he was about to jump off the wagon, the silent Yujia suddenly spoke, her voice dripping with allure, "Lord Wo Lao Gong, I forgot to tell you, I also enjoy dancing on the edge of a blade."

"Oh, is it an exotic dance?" Lin Wanrong replied without turning back, "We can dance together; I even have a pole—"

Before he could finish, Yujia, now furious, hurled a few dried herbs at him, "Degenerate! Get out—"

Lin Wanrong jumped off the wagon, his back already soaked in sweat. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, contemplating his recent encounter with the Turkic girl. Her meticulous thoughts, accurate judgments, and mastery over human psychology were unlike anything he had ever seen or heard. Thankfully, he had managed to dull her edge this time; otherwise, who knew what she might have done.

"General Lin, what's the news? Did you find out anything?" Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu anxiously galloped up to him, full of urgency. Judging from General Lin's current demeanor, full of exuberance and glowing like spring, it didn't seem he had been frustrated by Yueya'er. Could it be that he had won over Yueya'er? Both Old Hu and Old Gao were puzzled for a moment.

"I've found out half the story," Lin Wanrong chuckled as he briefly described what had happened. Gao Qiu murmured in surprise, "Oh, so she didn't send the message?"

Hu Bugui nodded, "The God of the Plains is held in the highest esteem by the Turks. This woman from the Turkic tribe has a proud and lofty spirit; she would never lie in the name of the Plains God. It seems there must be a mastermind among the Turkic cavalry. General, do you really believe these Turkic people haven't discovered us and are only probing in this direction?"

Lin Wanrong spoke seriously, "If Yueya'er is not the one who sent the message, then these Turkic people would definitely not be able to find us; at most they'd be suspicious. Moreover, judging by the current situation, Yueya'er's status among the Turks must be extremely important. They wouldn't dare to underestimate her. Before they ascertain our exact location, they must go to Wuyuan. As for Yueya'er, hehe, Brother Gao, you were right; she's a big fish."

Eagerly, Gao Qiu asked, "But what kind of fish is she? Brother Lin, have you figured it out yet?"

"I'm still working on it," Lin Wanrong said solemnly. "But don't worry. As the saying goes, 'With enough effort, even iron can be ground into a needle.' Trust me, we'll eventually have a breakthrough."

Old Gao winked and grinned lasciviously, while Hu Bugui, who was relatively more pure-hearted, did not understand their hidden meaning and grunted, "So what should our army do now? Should we stop?"

"No, why should we stop?" Lin Wanrong waved his hands dismissively. "Even if you trust me, you shouldn't trust Yueya'er. She's even more cunning than I am. If she's secretly sent out a message, we'll just be sitting ducks. For safety's sake, let's continue advancing west into the plains, striking deep into the heart of the Turkic lands. We must terrify the Turks. Additionally, keep sending scouts to keep tabs on those twenty thousand Turkic cavalrymen, Brother Hu. We're bound to encounter them sooner or later."

Both Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu simultaneously responded in agreement and set off to make arrangements. The troops sped up their advance to the west, running ever faster as if those twenty thousand Turkic horsemen were right on their heels.

Yueya'er lifted the curtain and watched the chaotic retreat of the Great Hua remnants. The dark-faced bandit rode at the forefront, brandishing his whip and charging forward in a rage.

The Turkic girl hummed through her nose, "Cowardly bandits, do you dare to dance on the edge of a blade?"