Jin Mulan turned toward him. She looked around wearily. Then she leaned in, her lips brushing against his ear, and she gently bit the tip of his ear lobe in a very seductive manner.
Then she whispered, low and deliberate.
But underneath her seductive voice was a deeply rooted sarcasm so strong it felt physical. Unlucky for any men how ever, they were far too distressed by her to really notice.
"Yes husband. I feel so attracted to you just now, I feel like removing all my clothes right here in front of the whole world and let you take me right on this table." She purred softly.
Luo He went utterly still. He knew she would never do such a thing, let alone even kiss him too eagerly in public.
But Jin Mulan knew exactly how he thought, and what men found interesting in women. Plus she knew exactly how to use that weapon with terrifying efficiency.
That's why she was so effective. Not because she expressed how she genuinely feel towards him. She was successful because she knew how to translate what she felt to a language men will easily understand.
Because she had aided Luo He long enough on studying human behaviours now she had also become good in reading people's minds in a way, despite far from what her husband could do.
She pulled back slightly, letting him sit with that wicked thought for a long moment. Seeing how her husbands expression changed in real time. Then she gave him a slow, sly smile and said.
"No, silly. You just lost the last bit of respect I had for you. I thought I had married a scholarly husband just now, but once again I realize I've only married a shameless husband."
That finally broke his frozen expression. A low chuckle escaped him, and the teasing argument began. Wuiet, sharp, and truly like a real married couple.
She replied with unmistakable sarcasm, her voice dropping even lower. "You've completely ruined the golden image I had of you." She said laughing.
Before he could retort, she continued. "I thought I married a harmless fool. Now it seems I married a shameless fool instead. One who shows off at weddings, no less." She said coldly but her presence radiated warmth all over.
"Good !" He said, his voice rougher than before. "That was entirely my plan." She raised an eyebrow, her cheeks blazing red. "You are absolutely unbelievable."
"And yet," Luo He said, his shameless grin returning as he deliberately caught her gaze. "You still haven't let go of my hand. In fact, I believe you're holding it tighter than before. I feel my hand screaming you to let go in real time."
She looked down at their interlocked fingers, then back at him with a glare that promised retribution. Then she released her iron grip slightly, yet she made no effort to pull away completely.
The two continued exchanging quiet jabs in hushed voices beneath the noise of the banquet, each teasing and mocking the other in voices far too soft for anyone nearby to overhear.
To everyone else, they looked exactly like an affectionate married couple enjoying each other's company after a small victory.
What neither of them acknowledged openly was that dozens of eyes were quietly watching them. Already planning their next grand plan of torment.
The reprieve from constant scheming had been deliberate. By befriending the head scholar, Luo He had stripped the remaining scholars of any confidence to challenge him.
Betraying their own masters trust was unthinkable in their rigid hierarchy, so they'd retreated, in humiliation and defeate. For a brief window, the couple could breathe.
But this never lasted long at court. The next challenge arrived with martial bearing and royal arrogance. Prince Zhong of the Wu Kingdom approached their table with the casual grace of a predator.
#Fourth trap: The Martial Challenge.
His eyes fixed on Jin Mulan even as he addressed her husband. He was not among the Wu's most celebrated princes. His reputation, in fact, was deliberately kept in shadow.
But his martial prowess was undeniable, whispered about in fearful tones among those who knew of him. "General Mulan's husband, is it?" He smiled, but there was no warmth in his smile.
His gaze deliberately traveled to the sword at Luo He's side, lingering there with calculated mockery. "Tell me, do you actually know how to wield such a blade?" He asked in a mocking tone.
"Or do you merely carry a blade for appearances?" He asked. Luo He remained composed, his posture impeccable. "Your Highness, I assure you I'm quite capable with a sword."
The prince's laugh was sharp, cutting through nearby conversations. "How remarkable. Even dogs these days seem to know their way around weapons."
He waved his hand dismissively at Jin Mulan, who had begun to rise in protest. "Please, general. Your concern is touching, but unnecessary. After all..."
He turned back to Luo He, his voice dropping to a tone dripping with disdain. "A lowlife keeping house with a warrior? How amusing."
Jin Mulan's eyes flashed dangerously, but Luo He caught her wrist gently beneath the table. Patience, his touch seemed to say. "Is that so?" Luo He replied calmly.
"Then perhaps you'd care to prove your skill. I challenge you to a duel." Prince Zhong amplified his voice with martial energy, letting it carry across the entire banquet hall.
The effect was immediate, conversations ceased, heads turned, and every eye fixed upon them. "Let's see who truly knows how to wield a blade." He said.
It was a calculated move.
Refusal would paint Luo He as a coward in the eyes of hundreds of witnesses. The hall fell silent, waiting. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Everyone knew Prince Zhong was a Grandmaster level martial artist.
And Luo He? He was merely a "pretty husband." The kept man of the famous general Mulan, or so his carefully cultivated reputation suggested.
Years ago, Luo He had personally spread a rumor throughout the Yue kingdom and neighboring domains. If forced to fight a sickly old monkey, Luo He would not possess the strength to strangle it, even though his life depended on it.
The saying had taken root beautifully. It was the kind of humiliation that made people underestimate him, exactly what he wanted. Prince Zhong even quoted it now, his smile predatory.
"Rumor suggests you couldn't strangle a dying monkey, even to save your own life. Yet you claim skill with a sword?" Luo He waved the insult away with a casual light gesture.
"Merely gossip, your Highness. If my life depended on it, I could cleave a monkey in half without difficulty." He said proudly. The prince's laugh was cruel, echoing through the wedding hall.
"We shall see who the true monkey is after our duel." He turned to leave, his armor catching the light like molten silver.
Then, as if a thought had just occurred to him, Luo He spoke.
"Though I cannot fight in these royal robes. They would be ruined." Before Luo He could postpone the battle, one of the Wu princesses stepped forward smoothly.
"Of course not. We've already prepared everything you might need. Training grounds, proper attire, armor." Her words were honey-sweet, but her precision revealed the truth.
This had been orchestrated days in advance. Every detail prepared. Every contingency planned. Except one critical flaw that Luo He had noticed. Within the hour, the wedding had transformed into an arena.
The courtyard had been cleared and restructured with the efficiency of practiced hands. High wooden platforms rose at the cardinal points, draped in silk and cushioned for the noble observers.
Commentators took their positions, their voices already warm with anticipation. Emperors, envoys, lords, and officials filed in like a slow tide, each seeking the best vantage point.
The excitement was palpable, a martial duel at a wedding was rare, spectacular entertaining. Jin Mulan and Luo He were escorted to a private chamber to prepare.
They were separated from the prince by palace protocol. The room was lavishly appointed, with screens of lacquered wood and silk panels blocking the view from the corridor.
Servants had already laid out battle attire on cushioned tables. "They didn't forget anything." Jin Mulan observed, running her fingers along the edge of a reinforced robe. Her eyes were sharp, calculating.
"This was planned meticulously. Which means," "They intended for this to be more than a simple contest." Luo He finished her thought, as he so often did.