Chapter Fifty-Nine: A Splendid Performance

The arrogant son of the Minister of Revenue, full of confidence thanks to Jiang Chen’s prior arrangements, strode straight into the private room on the second floor of the Drunken Immortal Tavern. Just yesterday, Jiang Chen had intercepted Tang Yong on his way to Ziyang City and handed him a handwritten letter from Lin Rou. The recipient of this letter was none other than Shi Guangjun.

“Miss Lin, I, Shi, have arrived on time for our appointment.”

“You are indeed punctual, sir. Please, sit and drink with me.”

In the private room, Lin Rou had changed back into her luxurious attire that day. Under the flickering candlelight, her elegance and charm seemed only further enhanced.

Delighted, Shi Guangjun took the cup she filled for him and drained it in one go.

“Miss, is there a special reason you invited me here?”

Lin Rou replied, “Though we are engaged, I know little about you, and you about me. I’ve been thinking that perhaps we should spend more time together in private, so that we might become better acquainted.”

“Whenever we meet, there are always irrelevant people around, which is rather inconvenient, don’t you think?”

Shi Guangjun nodded. “Indeed, you are most thoughtful. Tonight, I will drink with you to our hearts’ content.”

The atmosphere seemed pleasant enough. In the adjacent room, Jiang Chen sat, able to observe every movement of Lin Rou and Shi Guangjun through a large screen before him.

He had to admit, the clever design of these adjoining rooms truly shone at times like this.

As the wine flowed and the dishes were sampled next door, a graceful figure quietly entered Jiang Chen’s room, bringing with her a waft of intoxicating fragrance, like a butterfly flitting into the space.

“Young Master Jiang, is it time to begin? I can hardly wait!”

Her coquettish tone could easily send shivers down one’s spine. Dressed in resplendent finery and exuding sultry allure, it was little wonder Lin Yuanzhou and Lin Lidong had fought so fiercely over her.

Standing before Jiang Chen was the renowned widow, Qiao Jiaojiao, whose beauty had made her famous throughout Guanshan Town.

“Hush. Just follow my lead.”

Jiang Chen continued to keep an eye on the situation in the next room. By now, Shi Guangjun, already tipsy, was letting his true nature show.

“Miss, it’s getting late. I think we should retire for the night. But don’t worry, I, Shi Guangjun, am a gentleman and would never act improperly!”

Yet, for all his talk, his wandering hands betrayed him. Lin Rou’s face darkened, barely restraining herself from slapping him then and there. Jiang Chen knew that if things went on much longer, this young lady’s temper would certainly explode.

So, he whispered to Qiao Jiaojiao, “It’s your cue to enter.”

“You said that by tomorrow morning, he’ll give me a large sum of silver. You must keep your word!”

Jiang Chen assured her, “Don’t worry, he wouldn’t dare refuse. As long as you do as I say, you’ll earn a fortune.”

Qiao Jiaojiao then happily slipped into the next room, swapping places with Lin Rou. In his drunken stupor, Shi Guangjun couldn’t tell he was now facing someone entirely different.

A whole jar of doctored Jiangyuebai would be enough to fell an elephant, let alone a man. Jiang Chen had been worried Shi Guangjun would pass out too quickly, which was why he’d timed Qiao Jiaojiao’s entry as he did.

“That scoundrel dared touch my hand! I almost drew my blade and chopped his filthy hand off!” Lin Rou fumed, cursing Shi Guangjun roundly.

Jiang Chen said, “If we want to solve this problem once and for all, a small sacrifice is necessary. All we need to do now is wait until morning.”

“Is the person you found reliable?”

“You’ve heard the saying, ‘A fly doesn’t land on an uncracked egg,’ haven’t you? If an unfaithful woman is a cracked egg, then Qiao Jiaojiao is a hornet’s nest!”

When Jiang Chen decided to set a trap for Shi Guangjun, Qiao Jiaojiao was the first person who came to mind. She was naturally inclined toward such things and greedy for money, which was why she played both sides between Lin Yuanzhou and Lin Lidong.

Jiang Chen paid her eighty taels of silver to act her part in this drama. Afterward, Shi Guangjun would have to reward her as well. For her, it was a highly profitable scheme.

That night, Jiang Chen and Lin Rou each stayed in a guest room at the tavern, awaiting the dawn when the play would unfold.

Hearing that his daughter had appeared in Guanshan Town, Lin Xuesong, the wealthy merchant from Ziyang City, was so excited he couldn’t sleep a wink. If not for his considerable girth preventing him from riding a horse, he would have rushed to Guanshan Town to see Lin Rou immediately.

By the time he finally arrived the next morning, the steward had, after much effort, discovered that the young lady was staying at the Drunken Immortal Tavern. Hurriedly, he fetched his master and led the party to the inn.

A piercing shriek rang out.

“You… Who are you? Oh, how pitiful I am, to be defiled by a villain like you!”

At that sharp cry, Jiang Chen knew the show had begun. He and Lin Rou stepped out of their room and leaned on the second-floor railing.

In the room where Shi Guangjun had stayed the night before, the scene Jiang Chen had orchestrated was in full swing. Qiao Jiaojiao’s task was to make as much of a scene as possible, drawing as much attention as she could to Shi Guangjun’s presence.

“You certainly are devious, but how can you be sure my father will run into them at just the right time?” Lin Rou was quite pleased with Jiang Chen’s plan, though a hint of worry remained.

“Don’t worry—the steward is leading your father here right now. I’ve calculated every step. Shi Guangjun won’t have any chance to defend himself!”

Just as Jiang Chen predicted, the steward appeared with Lin Xuesong’s portly figure at the entrance. He immediately noticed the commotion from the second floor.

“I don’t know you. How did you get in here?”

“The person with me last night was clearly the young lady of the Lin family. How could it be you?”

Hungover and confused, Shi Guangjun was dumbfounded by the strange woman sharing his bed. He clearly remembered spending the night with Lin Rou—how had it turned into someone else?

Panicking, he stumbled out, intent on leaving the inn, only to bump straight into Lin Xuesong.

Lin Xuesong’s expression was one of astonishment. His gaze passed over Shi Guangjun’s disheveled appearance to the open room above, where a beautiful, coquettish woman was fluttering her eyelashes.

“You…”

Their eyes met. At this moment, Lin Rou couldn’t help but clap Jiang Chen on the shoulder in excitement. “Now Shi Guangjun will never dare mention marriage again!”