Chapter 4 – When Men Flirt, Women Don’t Stand a Chance

As the others turned toward the gate, Captain Liu walked in with Mu Nanjin.

Instantly, Deng Xingchao and his subordinates fell silent, retreating into the shadows as if trying to erase their presence.

Tang Jingrui frowned. “What are you doing here?”

Mu Nanjin replied irritably, “Didn’t you say I was supposed to come and observe?”

“I was the one who summoned her,” Kan Chaoyan said sternly. “From now on, without my command, no one is to speak.”

Tang Jingrui and his men—Vice Colonel Zhao and Vice Colonel Lu—obediently stepped aside. They couldn’t help but notice that even Deng Xingchao and his men were standing quietly in the corner.

It was the first time they’d ever seen the Right Deputy Commander behave so docilely.

【Kan Chaoyan really lives up to his reputation as a Grade Nine martial master. One order from him, and Deng Xingchao doesn’t even dare breathe. How domineering!】

Tang Jingrui: “!!!”

Vice Colonel Zhao and Vice Colonel Lu gaped at her in disbelief.

Half a month apart, and she hadn’t grown any taller—but her courage certainly had! She actually dared to say something like that in front of Deng Xingchao? Was she tired of living?

Strangely enough, Deng Xingchao didn’t flare up. Could it be that he really was that timid?

In truth, Deng Xingchao’s teeth were grinding in fury. It wasn’t Kan Chaoyan he feared—it was that Mu Nanjin might start talking and accidentally expose his secrets.

Kan Chaoyan cleared his throat lightly.

【Stop coughing already and just start interrogating him. The sooner you finish, the sooner I can go home and catch up on sleep.】

Tang Jingrui, Vice Colonel Zhao, and Vice Colonel Lu: “……!!”

Kan Chaoyan turned to the prisoner. “Gong Xiurong.”

A soft, lazy laugh drifted from inside the cell. The man’s voice was deep and languid, like a feather tickling the heart—tempting and impossible to ignore.

“So,” he drawled, “have you decided how you’re going to pry open my mouth?”

Mu Nanjin finally noticed the prisoner—a man even more breathtaking than the National Preceptor. His crimson robes seemed to cast a glow over the dim cell, transforming the cold, dank space into a cage spun of gold.

If the National Preceptor was a snow lotus blooming high upon a sacred peak, this red-robed man was a nine-tailed fox born of starlight and sin.

【Wow, wow, wow—another gorgeous man! He’s so beautiful I can’t even find the words. Compared to him, Tang Jingrui’s looks are practically invisible. What a feast for the eyes! First Feng Sinan, and now… uh… what did Kan Chaoyan call him again? Gong Xiurong?】

“……”

Tang Jingrui’s expression tightened. Mu Nanjin’s face remained utterly composed, her lips unmoving—yet he could clearly hear her voice in his head.

Was he hallucinating?

【Who is this Gong Xiurong? How could someone this stunning end up locked in a Jinyiwei dungeon? What crime did he commit? Don’t tell me he cuckolded the Emperor? With a face like that, it’s possible! I bet the entire harem would die just to cheat with him, hahaha!】

“……”

Everyone silently thanked the heavens the Emperor wasn’t present—otherwise, he’d probably have died of rage on the spot.

Mu Nanjin opened her system panel.

【Let’s see… Gong Xiurong… ah, found it!】

Kan Chaoyan’s lips curved into a cold smile. “You’re wrong. We don’t need to force a confession to know your true identity.”

“Oh?” Gong Xiurong leaned lazily against the straw pile, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. “Then by all means, surprise me.”

【Gong Xiurong—top courtesan of Xiaoqing Tower in the capital. My heavens, he’s the number one male escort! What a waste of beauty! Thankfully he sells art, not his body—but still, what a tragedy. If only he’d been arrested after I had the chance to visit Xiaoqing Tower… To think I never got to sleep with him—what injustice!】

Kan Chaoyan and Captain Liu both darkened visibly.

Mu Nanjin patted her empty coin pouch.

【Oh well. With my measly two taels of monthly pay, I couldn’t afford him anyway. But why would the Jinyiwei arrest a male escort? For fraud? …Oh, wait—he’s suspected of being a foreign spy. What a mistake! He’s actually the third prince of Dongzhao Kingdom, son of the Dongzhao Emperor and the Holy Maiden of Beihan Kingdom. He came to Great Qian to escape royal strife and opened a male brothel just to gather information!】

Kan Chaoyan and the others collectively drew a sharp breath.

Any nation deemed an ancient kingdom was immensely powerful—its military, resources, and lineage far exceeding Great Qian’s. Crushing their small empire would be as easy as squashing an ant. Fortunately, those ancient nations were distant and uninterested in minor lands like theirs.

【Whoa, whoa, whoa—the pretty little courtesan is actually a martial grandmaster! That means even Kan Chaoyan isn’t his match. The dungeon can’t hold him at all! He let the Jinyiwei catch him on purpose, just to throw his family off his trail. Brutal!】

As her thoughts echoed in the air, the entire group froze.

Gong Xiurong’s eyes narrowed. He quickly noticed that everyone—except the newly arrived girl—was now looking at him with faint traces of fear.

【Crap.】

Mu Nanjin swore under her breath.

【Damn!】

Captain Liu’s heart leapt into his throat. He instinctively reached for the blade at his waist.

【It’s already half an hour past official work hours and we’re still here? Don’t they know overtime requires extra pay? No pay, no overtime! I refuse!】

Everyone: “……”

Captain Liu shot her a glare.

For a moment, he’d actually thought Gong Xiurong was about to attack—and nearly drew his sword.

Mu Nanjin blinked, utterly confused.

【Weren’t we supposed to be interrogating the prisoner? Why did it stop after two sentences? Just staring like that—what’s the point? Come on, Old Kan, you can’t possibly expect me to learn anything from this.】

Kan Chaoyan coughed softly. “That’s enough for today. We’ll continue next time. Bring the girl again.”

“Yes, sir.” Captain Liu turned to Mu Nanjin. “Mu Nanjin, let’s go.”

Delighted at the thought of finally going home to sleep, Mu Nanjin strode toward the exit—but then doubled back. She fished a steamed bun from her sleeve and tossed it into the cell, flashing Gong Xiurong a playful wink.

“Here, eat this. It’s not much, but it’ll fill your stomach.”

【Remember my face, okay? When I visit Xiaoqing Tower someday, don’t charge me—consider it payment for the bun. Hehe, I’m such a visionary!】

Everyone: “……”

Gong Xiurong looked at the bun—smudged with fingerprints—then smiled faintly. Biting off a small piece, he said lightly, “Thanks.”

【Ah, men really can out-flirt women any day.】

Beaming with satisfaction, Mu Nanjin skipped away.

Once the door closed, the dungeon returned to silence.

Kan Chaoyan poured Gong Xiurong a cup of water.

The man didn’t take it. “Can’t get a confession, so you’re trying to drug me instead?”

“The Third Prince need not worry,” Kan Chaoyan replied evenly. “There’s no drug in the water.”

Gong Xiurong’s face stiffened ever so slightly—just enough for Kan Chaoyan to notice.

Kan Chaoyan set the cup aside. “Release Master Xiurong.”

“Yes, sir.” Vice Colonel Mo opened the cell door.

Gong Xiurong swallowed the last bite of bun. “How did you discover my identity? Not half a cup of tea ago, you were all clueless.”

“Either you’d prepared this long ago,” he said coolly, “or you’ve got some secret trick up your sleeve.”

Tang Jingrui frowned. Mu Nanjin had said so much about the man—how could Gong Xiurong not have heard any of it?

Kan Chaoyan’s tone was curt. “No comment.”

He led Tang Jingrui and the others out.

Deng Xingchao, worried that Gong Xiurong might come after him, hurried to follow.

Once they emerged from the dungeon, Tang Jingrui asked urgently, “Deputy Commander, we’re just letting Gong Xiurong go?”

Kan Chaoyan replied, “We cannot meddle in the affairs of ancient kingdoms. What happened today—pretend it never did. As far as we’re concerned, we don’t know who Gong Xiurong is.”

Deng Xingchao offered no objection.

“Ancient kingdom?” Tang Jingrui muttered, recalling what Mu Nanjin had said earlier. “Back in the cell, when Mu Nanjin—”

Kan Chaoyan patted his shoulder. “I know what you’re wondering. If you need answers, ask Captain Liu.”

Tang Jingrui: “……”