Dog Official!

It was noon, and Dye Workshop Street was sparsely populated.

Ye Jingtang led his horse back to Double Osmanthus Alley. Along the way, he pondered over how to capture the Wingless Owl. The old alley was very quiet, and he could hear the bird chirping from afar.

He walked to the outside of the courtyard wall and tiptoed to check. There were a few more things in the clean courtyard. The vegetable trellis in the far corner had been rebuilt.

A beautiful young woman in blue with her skirt gathered in front of her legs was squatting in front of the trellis and digging a small hole by the wall with her small hoe.

The young woman had a graceful figure to begin with, and her posture of gathering her skirt and squatting down drew a full moon under her waist.

The fluffy white ‘winged owl’ diligently picked up seeds from the small cloth bag next to the young woman. It jumped to the small hole and put them in. Then it opened its beak and asked for food.

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“What are you planting? Bitter melons?”

Seeing Ye Jingtang return, Luo Ning put down the small hoe and went to the gate of the courtyard to pay attention to the movements at the entrance of the alley. “How was your investigation at the Black Office today?”

The reason why she had such a reaction was because Zhe Yunli wasn’t at home. If she didn’t pay attention to the outside, the moment footsteps sounded, this little thief would definitely pull her into the room.

Ye Jingtang was a little amused. He took out a small stool from the kitchen and sat under the eaves. “It went quite smoothly. I met Qiu Tianhe.”

Luo Ning’s vigilant expression froze slightly, and a suspicious look appeared in her eyes, but she didn’t approach.

But after Ye Jingtang described Qiu Tianhe’s appearance and characteristics, her expression turned to surprise. She went to the eaves and asked, “How did you meet Qiu Tianhe? Why did the Black Office let you go to the dungeon so easily?”

Ye Jingtang placed another small stool beside him. “I’m a good citizen. I have a clean foundation and decent saber skills. It’s reasonable for me to seek help from the officials to experience the heroes of Jianghu. What’s so difficult about it? Come sit down.”

“…”

Luo Ning glanced at the small stools placed together and hesitated for a moment. She walked over, moved the stool a little farther away before sitting down, and got the bird squat in the middle. She asked softly, “How is Qiu Tianhe’s situation?”

“He’s locked up in the second basement floor of Jasper Pavilion. Not to mention the iron lock and fence, he’s also been poisoned by the Soft Bone Fragrance. He probably doesn’t even have the strength to get up. As for rescuing him, don’t even think about it. Sneaking into the dungeon to break someone out of prison is even more difficult than directly assassinating the Prince of Jing. I don’t think anyone in this world can do it.”

A worried expression appeared on Luo Ning’s face. “I naturally know that the chances are not high. But Qiu Tianhe saved Yunli’s life. If we ignore him, Yunli will feel guilty for the rest of her life. Sigh…”

Ye Jingtang smiled. “But it’s not impossible.”

“Huh?” Luo Ning was surprised. “Do you have a way to save him?”

Ye Jingtang nodded but didn’t say it directly. Instead, he sized up Luo Ning. “This is a matter of losing my head. Heroine Luo, since you’ve asked me to help, shouldn’t you be a little sincere?”

?

Luo Ning sat up a little straighter and reached for the soft sword at her waist, her eyes slightly cold. “Ye Jingtang, I see that your nature isn’t bad. That’s why I didn’t kill you because of what happened last time. If you don’t know the severity of the matter, want to take advantage of the situation, and use this as a threat…”

Ye Jingtang shook his head. “I don’t have any improper thoughts. I just want you to answer a few questions.”

“What questions?”

“Heroine Luo, are you married or not?”

Luo Ning’s delicate face turned sullen as she said in a deep voice, “Married! I have been married for many years. Everyone in Jianghu knows about it.”

“But you don’t even know how to hug a man. You don’t even know how to moan. How do you look like you’re married? I feel that you’re still a virgin…”

Crack!

Before he could finish his sentence, a gleaming sword was pointed at his neck.

Luo Ning’s face flushed red from the obscene words. “Married is married. A married couple lies in the word ‘love’. What does it have to do with whether you’ve done that kind of thing? If you say such obscene words again, I will cut off your tongue!”

She hasn’t done it before… It seems she’s indeed a virgin…

Ye Jingtang’s gaze was rather strange. He pushed the sword aside. “Your husband is really wasting heaven’s gift. Is it possible that your husband has been injured and can’t do his best?”

Luo Ning retracted her sword and glared at Ye Jingtang. “It’s none of your business. Do you think everyone is like you, only thinking about women’s bodies and having sex after marriage? Yunli’s master is very polite to me, much more righteous than you. Moreover, he looks better than you, and his martial arts skills are better than yours…”

???

Ye Jingtang really didn’t know where to start ridiculing these ridiculous words. After holding it in for a long time, he only said inexplicably, “What are you comparing me to your man for? Are you trying to anger me on purpose and make me jealous?”

Luo Ning opened her mouth. She felt that there was something wrong with his words, so she changed the topic. “Don’t talk about these things that will ruin our reputation! What method do you have to save Qiu Tianhe?”

Ye Jingtang stopped bickering with Heroine Luo and took out a wanted poster from his bosom. “When I went to the Black Office today, the Prince of Jing took a fancy to me because of my good locks and saber skills. She asked me to find an opportunity to learn Qiu Tianhe’s saber technique and teach it to her. When learning martial arts, one must remember others’ kindness. In order not to make me a treacherous villain, the Prince of Jing can make an exception and let Qiu Tianhe out of the dungeon to retire in the capital. However, the price is that I have to work for the Imperial Court in the future.”

Luo Ning listened quietly and frowned secretly. The Prince of Jing’s condition seemed to be open-minded, but it was actually quite cunning.

She wanted Ye Jingtang to learn saber technique, teach it to her, and then work for the Imperial Court in exchange for the opportunity to let Qiu Tianhe out of the dungeon.

As long as Ye Jingtang complied, Ye Jingtang and Qiu Tianhe would have a relationship.

In order to prevent Ye Jingtang from being implicated, Qiu Tianhe wouldn’t leave the capital for the rest of his life even if he didn’t have any shackles on his body. It was equivalent to being a ‘permanent death row prisoner’.

If Ye Jingtang valued relationships and righteousness, in order to ensure that Qiu Tianhe didn’t go to the guillotine, he could only do his best to work for the Imperial Court.

One condition would tie the two of them up completely. The Prince of Jing didn’t pay any price and even took Qiu Tianhe’s saber technique for nothing…

Luo Ning pondered for a moment and said coldly, “Those dog officials are really treacherous… If you agree, won’t you become a lackey of the Imperial Court?”

Ye Jingtang shrugged slightly. “I am a good citizen. It’s an honor to be valued by the Imperial Court. I will even learn a saber technique for nothing. How can I be called a lackey of the Imperial Court?”

“…”

Luo Ning thought about it and agreed. Ye Jingtang was different from her. He wasn’t a rebel. There didn’t seem to be any harm in accepting this condition, but…

“You are talented, but you will always be below others in your official career. You will only be a low-ranking official at most after working hard for half your life. In Jianghu, with your talent and my connections, I can guarantee that you will rise to the top and become an influential overlord in Jianghu in the future…”

Ye Jingtang looked at Luo Ning, who was trying to get him to join her team, and asked with a smile, “Heroine Luo, do you want to save Qiu Tianhe, or do you want me to follow you in the future?”

I want…

Luo Ning hesitated for a moment before sighing softly. “If you take this step, you will cut off the path of Jianghu. In the future, the Imperial Court will use Qiu Tianhe as a threat to force you not to disobey it. Even if you want to serve the Imperial Court, you and I are strangers. Because of Yunli’s matter, I… I really can’t agree to putting a shackle like Qiu Tianhe on you.”

Ye Jingtang pulled the small stool over and sat closer. “Heroine Luo, if you feel that you will owe me, you can think of a way to compensate me.”

?

Luo Ning’s regretful emotions vanished in an instant. She gripped the hilt of her sword at her waist, and her eyes turned slightly cold. “What do you want?”

“I want to learn martial arts. What do you think, Heroine Luo?”

I thought you wanted me to…

Luo Ning’s expression softened. “If you’re really willing to help Yunli save Hero Qiu, I don’t mind teaching you all my martial arts. But from now on, you’ll be in the Imperial Court, and I’ll be in Jianghu. We will part ways… Sigh~”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but there were too many similar things in Jianghu.

They were once as close as brothers, but because one had loyalty in his heart and the other had chivalry, they had no choice but to face each other with swords and sabers. Their reconciliation could only wait until they were in the netherworld.

This was undoubtedly the saddest thing in Jianghu. No one was wrong, but there was nothing they could do.

Luo Ning used to have such an old friend. They had been like sisters. But ever since she joined the Pacifying Heaven Cult, they had become strangers who never saw each other again.

No matter what she thought of Ye Jingtang, it was fate that they were living under the same roof now. How could she not worry that the two of them would fall into such a heart-wrenching situation in the future?

Ye Jingtang didn’t think too much about it. Seeing that Luo Ning was sentimental, he comforted her. “Rather than leave them to moisten each other with their damp and spittle, it would be far better to let them forget themselves in their native rivers and lakes. Heroine Luo, you will get what you want, and I will have a bright future. Why worry about the future?”

“If one day you and I reunite in another part of Jianghu, you will already be in a high position, and I will still be a rebel…”

“Then, Heroine Luo, I hope that you can take good care of yourself. At that time, if you are as peerless as you are today, I definitely won’t destroy the flower.”

?

Luo Ning’s sorrowful thoughts were completely wiped out by these words.

If you don’t ruthlessly destroy the flower, it means that you’re greedy for my beauty and want to capture me back as a slave and concubine. You might even energetically train and defile me.

To the women of Jianghu, it would be better to die!

Luo Ning’s face darkened as she cursed softly, “Dog official, I won’t let you have your way even if I die.”

Ye Jingtang chuckled and stopped flirting. He signaled toward the wanted poster. “If I want to be appreciated by the Prince of Jing, I have to do a job to prove my abilities first. Heroine Luo, do you have a way to catch the Wingless Owl?”

Luo Ning retracted her cold gaze and carefully sized up the wanted order. “The Wingless Owl… This person is quite famous. His lightness skills are likely not inferior to mine. Without any information, how can we capture him with just a wanted poster?”

Ye Jingtang was also worried about this matter. He thought for a moment and said, “The Wingless Owl stole from the Cutting Cloud Palace to learn lightness skills. But after he succeeded, not only did he not keep a low profile as a thief, but he even spread this matter to form his current reputation. This means that he’s like ordinary Jianghu people. He’s famous and wants others to talk about his achievements.”

Luo Ning understood what he meant. “Since he’s famous, he must care about his reputation. People in Jianghu hate it the most when someone uses their name to swindle others and ruin their reputation. If you do something disreputable, you’ll be risking the reputation of the Wingless Owl. The more unpleasant it is, the better. You’ll then spread the news in Jianghu. Although the Wingless Owl is keeping a low profile in the capital, when he hears that someone is impersonating him and causing trouble, he will definitely be dissatisfied…”

Ye Jingtang nodded. “If I were the Wingless Owl and heard something similar, I would most likely figure out the whole story. Even if I guessed that it was bait from the government, I would still come over to see what the Imperial Court was up to. As long as he moves, I will have a chance to catch him.”

Luo Ning felt that the possibility of this was very high. “You’re quite cunning and treacherous. What are you going to steal to lure the snake out of its hole?”

Ye Jingtang took it as a compliment and shrugged slightly. “The thing I steal must be valuable. Only then will outsiders believe that I’m the Wingless Owl and discuss it, spreading the news. Second, the reputation of the thing I steal must be unpleasant to hear so that the Wingless Owl won’t accept this ‘fame’ and ignore it. It’s best if I can wash away the suspicion of ‘the government setting bait’. I’m also worried. Heroine Luo, do you have any good ideas?”

Luo Ning thought seriously for a long time before saying tentatively, “Hmm… How about the Prince of Jing’s undergarment?”

What?!

Ye Jingtang was stunned.

Stealing the King of Jing’s undergarment could indeed do everything at the same time. The item was priceless, idle people would discuss it, the Wingless Owl would be ashamed to be associated with this deed, and the government would be cleared of suspicion.

But how was he going to get this thing? Wouldn’t he lose his life?

“Are you kidding me? Even the Wingless Owl wouldn’t be able to get this thing. Even if I don’t steal it, the Prince of Jing will still skin me alive if I borrow it in the name of investigating a case… Heroine Luo, are you trying to kill me with a borrowed knife?”

Luo Ning knew that this idea wouldn’t work and frowned. “I’m not a cat burglar. How would I know what to steal? You’re helping the government with a case. The government should prepare this thing for you. You can’t really steal it yourself, right?”

Ye Jingtang smiled. “Actually, the idea of an undergarment is quite good, but I can’t borrow it… I’ll go to the Black Office and ask…”