Chapter 410: Finding You a Few Husbands to Serve You Together

Qi Peiyao said, "Let me tell you, you have to push a man until he’s desperate. Only then will he tell you the truth, only then will he truly take you seriously."

Ji Qingwu understood, yet she didn’t fully understand.

Qi Peiyao talked so much her mouth went dry.

She picked up the teapot keeping warm on the stove and poured a cup of water, then poured one for Ji Qingwu as well.

Ji Qingwu moved to get up and take it. She couldn’t possibly let the pregnant lady of Black Wind Village pour tea for her.

Qi Peiyao motioned with her chin. "Sit down. We don’t have as many rules here as they do in Lin’an. As long as we hit it off, we’re friends."

’Friends who hit it off...’

Ji Qingwu said, "...I don’t think I’ve said more than a few words."

Qi Peiyao’s eyebrows shot up as she glared. "I haven’t even complained that you’re ugly, so you can’t complain that I talk too much."

Ji Qingwu couldn’t stand her repeatedly calling her disguise ugly.

She frowned and retorted, "How is it ugly? This is a perfectly smooth and unadorned look."

It was an appearance she had carefully crafted to quickly blend into a crowd.

Qi Peiyao burst out laughing.

"You look much more alive now that you’re showing some expression."

She leaned closer, seemingly sniffing Ji Qingwu.

"You’ve gone from a sesame flatbread to a stuffed pastry. It really makes one want to have a taste."

Ji Qingwu scooted her chair back, uncomfortable with her being so close.

"What’s all this about flatbreads and pastries? Madam, you must be truly hungry."

Qi Peiyao thought she wasn’t good-looking, but she smelled nice and was interesting. She suddenly asked, "I heard your man is locked in the dungeon. Is he older or younger than you?"

Ji Qingwu said, "Older than me."

Qi Peiyao sighed. "What a pity."

Ji Qingwu asked, "What’s a pity?"

Qi Peiyao winked at her. "A pity you’ve never tried a younger one."

Ji Qingwu didn’t think it was a pity in the least; she could already barely handle the one she had.

Qi Peiyao stroked her chin. "Why don’t you stay here? I can help you find a few you like and let you enjoy the pleasure of having several men."

Ji Qingwu found both parts of that suggestion completely unacceptable.

Ji Qingwu’s eyes went wide as saucers.

’Not only would I fail to escape this bandits’ den, but I’d end up with several more men by my side...’

She couldn’t even bear to imagine such a scene. She gave a firm and righteous refusal.

"Absolutely not."

’This "bliss" is a death warrant, one I can’t afford to accept.’

Qi Peiyao really wanted her to stay and proposed, "Why don’t we give it a try?"

Ji Qingwu shook her head.

Qi Peiyao said, "I have the authority to let your man go. If he leaves on his own without you, then you can just pretend you never had him as a husband."

Ji Qingwu said with conviction, "He won’t leave me behind."

Si Hai was her personal Hidden Guard. She had that much confidence in him.

Seeing her so certain, Qi Peiyao’s gaze shifted. "And if he insists on waiting to leave with you, no matter what..."

Ji Qingwu cut in, "Then you’ll let both of us go?"

Qi Peiyao said, "Then that would prove his feelings for you are genuine."

"In the future, he can serve you alongside the few other husbands I’ll find for you. How about it?"

Ji Qingwu said, "Not a good idea."

’If Zhao Mingyan were to find out, forget the future—this whole village would be razed to the ground immediately.’

Qi Peiyao didn’t try to persuade her further. She shouted, "Hu Si!"

The little bandit scurried in again. "Ma’am, the noodles are almost ready, don’t you worry."

Qi Peiyao said, "Go bring her man out of the dungeon."

The little bandit said, "This... What are you planning to do? Shouldn’t we check with the chief first?"

Qi Peiyao said with displeasure, "I’m just having you bring someone over. What are you dawdling for? All this chatter is giving me a stomachache. Go on, get moving."

The little bandit didn’t dare say another word, turned, and dashed off.

Ji Qingwu said, "Madam, it’s useless even if you bring him here. Everyone lives by their own principles."

Qi Peiyao said, "I won’t force you. I just want to help you test whether this man’s love for you is genuine."

Ji Qingwu was taken aback.

’He’s not the real deal; he’ll never pass this test. If she finds out something is wrong, we’ll be in even more danger.’

While waiting for the little bandit to bring Si Hai, Ji Qingwu was silent, her brow furrowed with worry.

Qi Peiyao said, "There’s no use in being nervous. In a moment, I’ll ask the questions and he’ll answer. You stay quiet."

Si Hai was brought into the room, his hands bound behind his back with thick rope. When he saw Ji Qingwu sitting unharmed on a wooden stool, he felt a wave of relief.

Seeing him, Ji Qingwu also breathed a sigh of relief.

’For a Hidden Guard, tied hands are easy to escape. It’s hardly a restraint.’

Qi Peiyao observed his expression. Seeing that the worry on his face was genuine, she asked, "So you’re her man?"

Si Hai nodded.

Qi Peiyao looked at Ji Qingwu and said, "You’re lying!"

Confusion flickered in Si Hai’s eyes. ’Did I blow our cover just by nodding?’

Ji Qingwu remained relatively calm, as she had already mentally rehearsed a plan for what to do if they were discovered.

She said calmly, "What makes you say that?"

Qi Peiyao snorted. "Look at him. How could he possibly be older than you? He still has baby fat on his cheeks. He’s clearly only seventeen or eighteen, yet you told me your husband was older."

Ji Qingwu hadn’t expected this kind of confrontation.

The look in her eyes shifted slightly. She realized she couldn’t answer this woman with conventional logic; she had to adopt Qi Peiyao’s own unusual way of thinking.

Ji Qingwu said with a look of displeasure, "I said that because I was afraid you’d take a fancy to him. My Jiang Hai is quite fair-skinned, you know."

Qi Peiyao easily accepted her explanation, as she also believed her own man was the best.

Immediately after, Qi Peiyao’s gaze swept up and down Si Hai’s body, as if she were stripping him bare with her eyes.

Si Hai had never encountered such a roguish woman before. Even though she was pregnant, he felt his skin crawl.

Si Hai looked beseechingly at Ji Qingwu.

Ji Qingwu shot to her feet. The wooden chair scraped against the stone floor with a SCREECH.

She stepped between the two of them, blocking Qi Peiyao’s view.

"Why do you keep staring at my husband? Even if he is handsome, you’ve stared long enough."

Qi Peiyao narrowed her eyes. "He’s not your husband."

Ji Qingwu said, "What are you trying to say now, Madam? Do I have to show you our marriage certificate?"

Qi Peiyao asserted, "You can’t possibly have a marriage certificate."

As she spoke, she moved around behind Si Hai and unexpectedly poked him in the lower back.

Ji Qingwu immediately grabbed her hand, frowning. "Madam, what on earth are you doing?"

Qi Peiyao’s eyes moved from Si Hai’s waist to his shoulders.

"He’s still a virgin, but you’ve given birth. Don’t doubt my judgment on this. I’m much better at this than you are."

"So, tell me. Are you two—"

Ji Qingwu’s shoulder lightly bumped Si Hai’s.

Si Hai prepared to slip his hands out of the rope bonds, while Ji Qingwu clutched the knockout powder from her sleeve in her palm.

Qi Peiyao didn’t notice these subtle movements. She suddenly leaned close to Ji Qingwu’s ear.