Chapter 49: The Temptation of the Secret Treasure

Moreover, the red dress that woman wore was very strange; it looked like a cheongsam from another world, except it had more slits, about six or seven of them. Every time she moved, the hem of the skirt would spread open, revealing her smooth thighs, and one could even see her sheer underwear. In truth, showing one’s thighs was not a big deal since the concept of public morality did not exist in this world, but the constant half-hidden, half-exposed look was clearly intended to seduce people.

Su Tang withdrew his gaze, sat down gently, and then smiled at Wen Xiang, saying, “Come, sit here.”

After Wen Xiang sat beside him, Su Tang reached out and gently put his arm around her waist. He was not doing this to take advantage of Wen Xiang, but to attract Madam Red’s attention. The information stated very clearly that Madam Red had a quirk: she could not stand seeing couples or spouses being affectionate in front of her. Whenever she caught them, she would always find a way to make the man abandon the woman. Once or twice was fine, but after it happened many times and the scandals spread, almost everyone in Shangjing knew about it. Upon seeing Madam Red appear, couples and spouses either hid far away as if they did not know each other, or fled in panic.

Surprisingly, Madam Red had grown to love this game, but she could no longer play it in Shangjing. Those who feared her would avoid her as if she were a snake or a scorpion. Those who ignored her and showed affection without hesitation were definitely people she could not afford to offend. Since she had no more toys, Madam Red began to travel elsewhere for amusement.

There were five or six other people sitting at the same table as Su Tang. They all looked at this “young couple” with strange glances. The Cheng Family claimed to be holding a grand banquet, but in reality, it was just a formality. Inviting someone meant the host remembered them and was giving them face; having a few drinks and finishing the event was enough. Why on earth did someone bring a family member?

Wen Xiang’s face became even redder. She bit her lip slightly, acting shy and timid, playing the part perfectly.

While Su Tang and Wen Xiang were intimately whispering in each other’s ears, Madam Red was staring blankly at the wine cup in front of her. Behind Madam Red, a middle-aged man in tight-fitting clothes and several maidservants were all staring fixedly at Madam Red’s back.

“Xiao Qi, why didn’t you think of a way to stop me?” Madam Red said faintly. “You’ve already noticed, haven’t you?”

“This servant does not dare,” the middle-aged man replied in a hoarse voice.

“You don’t dare? Aren’t you worried that my family will cause trouble for you?”

The middle-aged man fell silent. He was worried, but he had no way to stop her.

“Forget it, pour the wine away.” Madam Red smiled. “I thought I would never fear anything again, but…”

The several maidservants felt as if they had been granted a great pardon. They rushed forward and grabbed the wine cup with quick and urgent movements, as if they were snatching something, or perhaps they feared Madam Red would change her mind again. Then, the maidservant who grabbed the cup turned and ran outside.

The commotion at the head table caught the attention of Tie Canghai and the others, and they all glanced upward.

Then, the head of the Cheng Family stood up and began to speak. He spoke mostly in polite formalities, first introducing Madam Red’s identity and then talking about the Cheng Family’s ambitions. Most people listened respectfully, but Madam Red was feeling drowsy. She yawned, and as her eyes shifted, she happened to see Su Tang and Wen Xiang whispering with their faces pressed close together.

A red flower needs green leaves to stand out. Most of the guests at the second table were wealthy merchants. Second-generation rich kids weren’t qualified to be there; the average age was definitely above forty. Therefore, the young and handsome Nangong Zhenye was exceptionally eye-catching.

“Who is that youth?” Madam Red asked.

The middle-aged man walked out and went straight to the side of the head of the Cheng Family. While the head of the Cheng Family was speaking enthusiastically, the middle-aged man unceremoniously patted him on the shoulder.

The head of the Cheng Family was very displeased and turned his head abruptly. Upon seeing the middle-aged man, he immediately put on a smiling face. “Brother Gu, what is it?”

The middle-aged man whispered a few words, and the head of the Cheng Family’s gaze shifted to Su Tang.

Su Tang, who was immersed in a sweet world, immediately noticed and hurriedly sat up straight. His eyes were somewhat flickering, appearing very nervous.

Wen Xiang was good at acting, but Su Tang was even better, because he possessed experience and techniques that people of this world could not imagine.

Since the other party was already looking, if he continued as before, the signs of intentionality would be too heavy, which would instead arouse suspicion. This was a low-level mistake.

Su Tang’s technique lay in the fact that he used self-hypnosis to temporarily forget his goal and imagine himself as Nangong Zhenye. Anything that should not belong to Nangong Zhenye would absolutely not be revealed.

“This little fellow is quite interesting,” Madam Red smiled.

By this time, the middle-aged man had returned. Hearing Madam Red’s words, he and the maidservants exchanged glances, and joy appeared in their eyes. For two whole days, Madam Red had neither eaten nor slept. She often muttered things that others could not understand, sometimes pitying herself and sometimes laughing wildly, almost becoming a madwoman, which left them both shocked and afraid.

Now that they heard Madam Red had an interest in that young man, it should be a great thing. Perhaps after relaxing a bit, Madam Red would return to her normal state.

“Madam, should I go and call that youth over to serve you?” the middle-aged man whispered.

“You go call him? What’s the fun in that?” Madam Red shook her head with a smile. She did not like using force; she felt a sense of achievement only when attracting someone with her own charm. “Xiao Qi, go to each table and offer a toast for me.”

“Yes, Madam,” the middle-aged man replied.

The merchants present all knew that these people were from the Xia Family, and they each acted terrified. Su Tang and Wen Xiang were no exception. By the time the middle-aged man walked over, Su Tang was no longer that nervous. He returned to his previous behavior and whispered something into Wen Xiang’s ear again. Wen Xiang’s face turned bright red, and she flirtatiously grabbed a travel guide from the table and slapped Su Tang on the head with it.

The middle-aged man had been paying attention to Su Tang. Hearing the commotion behind him, he turned to look and saw a yellowed piece of paper fluttering out from the book.

At the seat behind and to the side of Su Tang sat a Fatty. He was quite helpful and bent over to pick up the paper to return it to Wen Xiang. The middle-aged man suddenly stepped forward and blocked the Fatty’s hand. His eyes quickly scanned the paper; it was clearly a map with many markings, and a few small words were written on the edge: Moyun Ridge.

The middle-aged man turned his body and saw the book lying on the table: Moyun Ridge Travel Guide. He did not speak, but simply nodded to signal the Fatty to return the paper to its owner, and then he went to the next table to offer a toast.

Su Tang breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. Gu Qijue seemed to be tempted. It was understandable; regarding things like secret treasures, people preferred to believe they existed rather than believe they didn’t. At worst, it would just be a wasted trip. But if one missed out due to doubt and the secret treasure turned out to be real, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.