Chapter Thirteen: Deceiving the Qiao Sisters—Are Both My Friends Meant to Marry?

After a long while,

Within the Chu residence, in a side hall.

The two sisters, Grace and Lily, waited quietly. Grace was anxious, her hands folded at her lower abdomen; though reserved, she still exhibited the poise of a lady from a noble house. Beside her, Lily’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Sister, what is this thing? Sitting on it feels so comfortable,” Lily asked, swinging her calves from the high-legged chair, her innocence shining through, the stiffness of etiquette falling away just a bit.

Grace shot her a sharp glance.

Truth be told, Grace herself didn’t know what the object was, but it was indeed comfortable—at the very least, her legs didn’t go numb, and she could lean back and relax.

Lily shrank her neck in, yet her gaze drifted about—the things in this household were strange and unfamiliar to her. There wasn’t even a proper table, but rather these high-legged pieces of furniture; it was all quite odd.

At that moment, Chu Feng strode in.

The moment he entered the side hall, Chu Feng’s heart skipped a beat.

A subtle fragrance lingered in the air, but more striking were the two women before him—stunning beyond compare, every gesture and smile enough to take one’s breath away. No wonder the chronicles claimed they possessed beauty that could topple a nation.

“Greetings, Master Chu,” the two women rose and paid their respects.

Chu Feng swallowed hard. Good heavens, he’d been reckless. He’d thought himself wholly devoted to his ambitions, but in the presence of Grace and Lily, his resolve wavered.

So it’s true what the ancients said: even heroes falter before beauty.

If you can resist such allure, perhaps the beauty isn’t quite so beautiful, or perhaps the hero isn’t quite so heroic. Grace and Lily, even with light makeup, could outshine any modern celebrity.

By modern standards,

Grace was tall and elegant, Lily petite and delicate—

One a regal lady, the other a sweet ingenue.

Sisters like these, if they delivered takeout in the present day, wouldn’t they earn a small fortune each time?

Perhaps even more.

Definitely beyond what most could afford!

And now, they were here in his house, and he’d made no preparations. Wasn’t this rather careless?

“Ahem, ladies, there’s no need to stand on ceremony,” Chu Feng said, taking his seat with a flourish. “May I ask what brings you both to my humble home?”

“To be frank, Master Chu, our father was taken captive by Lu Bu some days ago. We went to seek an audience with Lord Yuan, but were turned away. Instead, he sent word that we might seek your counsel for a way to save our father,” Grace replied, her face filled with worry.

“Yuan Shu? How does he know me?” Chu Feng muttered, then realization dawned, “Ah, it must be my father—he mentioned you two to me before!”

Yes, that must be it.

His own father—truly considerate. When he grew old, Chu Feng vowed he’d be a filial son in return.

But more than that, this confirmed that his father approved of his rebellious ambitions. When Chu Feng said fighting Lu Bu would mean certain defeat, his father hadn’t told Yuan Shu that.

And when he’d mentioned his admiration for Grace and Lily—

Look at that, now arrangements had been made.

“So, what is it you wish to know, or what help do you seek from me?” Chu Feng asked gravely.

“We beg you, Master Chu, to show us a path—to tell us how we might save our father!” Grace stood again, her exquisite face tinged with a pitiful helplessness.

“Though I understand the Five Elements, am versed in Eight Trigrams, and grasp the mysteries of yin and yang, to be honest, peering into destiny comes at the cost of one’s lifespan. Though I appear young, in truth—” Chu Feng sighed, feigning sorrow. “In truth, my days are already numbered!”

Uncle Li: “???”

Uncle Li was utterly dumbfounded, inwardly cursing.

“This…” Grace was at a loss, but the thought of her father imprisoned in Xuzhou made her desperate. She rose and pleaded, “Please, Master Chu, save my father.”

Lily followed suit.

Chu Feng hurried forward, helping each of the sisters up, his hands brushing their arms—soft as silk, a faint fragrance rising, a scent that sent his senses reeling.

“Well, then, seeing how deeply you care for your father, I’ll make an exception this time,” Chu Feng said with a long-suffering sigh, his tone laced with feigned reluctance.

“Thank you, Master Chu! My sister and I shall be indebted to you for life, even if we must toil as oxen or horses to repay your kindness!” Grace’s gratitude was palpable.

Chu Feng pursed his lips.

Toil as oxen or horses? Those animals are meant to be ridden! Perhaps… you could both braid your hair into horns, and I could hold the braids as reins?

Moreover, with two “horses” at once, wouldn’t that mean covering a thousand miles a day? The thought alone was exhilarating!

“Ahem, Uncle Li, fetch my divination tools!” Chu Feng said, adopting a solemn air.

Uncle Li: “???”

His mouth twitched as he shot Chu Feng a bewildered look, as if to say, “Young master, where on earth am I supposed to find such things?”

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go!” Chu Feng insisted.

Uncle Li pressed his lips together and bowed himself out. Where was he supposed to find such nonsense on short notice?

Chu Feng closed his eyes, composing himself. One word: act.

Grace and Lily sat in rigid silence, anxiety written across their faces.

After some time, Uncle Li returned.

Chu Feng cracked an eye open and nearly jumped—Uncle Li was holding a turtle shell, and not just any shell, but a living turtle, limbs withdrawn in fright.

“Master, the divination tool,” Uncle Li announced.

Grace and Lily were equally baffled but said nothing.

“Ahem.” Chu Feng took it nonchalantly, though inwardly he was cursing.

He made a show of calculating, pinching his fingers thoughtfully, then announced, “Ladies, your father is in no grave danger. I have performed the ritual; in a few days, he will return to you safely.”

“Truly?” Grace and Lily’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“Of course!” Chu Feng smiled warmly, but his gaze soon became grave as he stared at the turtle. “Wait—no, your father still faces one calamity. I fear he doesn’t have much time left!”

“One calamity?” The sisters’ panic was immediate.

“We beg you, Master Chu, tell us how to avert it!”

“This… To speak further would be to tamper with fate,” Chu Feng hesitated theatrically. “But your father’s danger lies in war. To avert it, the solution depends on you two.”

“On us?” Grace was startled. “Please, Master Chu, enlighten us.”

“Your father’s trouble stems from conflict. To avoid it, you must counter it with joy—by marrying, you can dispel the disaster,” Chu Feng intoned, solemnly spinning his web of lies.

“Marriage?” Grace and Lily exchanged glances.

“Thank you for your counsel, Master Chu. May I ask, when will our father return, and when must we marry?” Grace inquired, her mind already made up to accept such a fate.

“Fate cannot be revealed,” Chu Feng said. “I cannot say when he’ll return, and as for the marriage, it will depend on Yuan Shu’s orders.”

“However, this marriage cannot be entered into lightly. Last night, I observed the heavens and saw the fourth Star of the Purple Tenuity rise. This young man, still in his youth, already bears the aura of an emperor.”

“To avoid disaster, you must find this man and marry him—only then can you save your father,” Chu Feng said, eyes narrowed, inventing freely.

“Both of us must marry him?” Grace seemed to seize on the crucial point.

“Misfortune can turn to blessing, blessing to misfortune,” Chu Feng replied shamelessly. “If only one marries, disaster is averted; if both do, your family will be ennobled for generations. The choice is yours.”

“This…” Grace hesitated, not entirely convinced. She asked, “Even if my sister and I agree, how are we to find this man?”

“Ah, fate will not be revealed!” Chu Feng sighed, feigning mystery. “If destiny wills it, you will meet him. If fate is against you, even searching the entire Han Empire will not avail you.”

Grace fell silent, thinking it over, then presented a fine jade as thanks before leaving with Lily.

As he watched the sisters’ graceful, slender figures depart, Chu Feng clicked his tongue. Truly intoxicating—no doubt, they would return before long.

Outside the manor,

Lily asked anxiously, “Sister, do you think the master’s words can be believed? Will Father really return?”

Grace glanced back, doubts swirling in her heart, but at last could only sigh, “I don’t know either. Let’s go.”