Desert Rhapsody - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Abal had been leaving early and returning late, and he had long since fixed Huasan’s movements in his sights. Huasan seemed to be one of Lady Fatini’s lovers, though his position was somewhat special, since he lived in her mansion. But he clearly owed Lady Fatini no loyalty. He still visited brothels as usual, still went to underground gambling dens as usual, and by all appearances, he was living very comfortably, without the slightest tension.

He did not even bother much to conceal his whereabouts. Presumably, he trusted that under Lady Fatini’s protection, neither the Blood Eagle Bandit Group nor Fashir’s people would dare enter the city lightly and kill him. Indeed, Taif was strict about searching for bandits, but in this world, wherever there were people, there were loopholes. Even without Jiang Yuan tipping Abal off, it seemed his information had already caught the attention of certain interested parties and been passed out of the city.

Jiang Yuan did not ask what plans Abal had. She was only a law-abiding citizen; the less she knew, the better it was for her. The bad blood between the Blood Eagle Bandit Group and the Emir family was known by practically hundreds, if not thousands. With every elder brother Abal killed, the noose around his neck tightened another loop. For him, finding an escape route was more important than killing. Jiang Yuan was only asked by him, “When are you going to see Lady Fatini?”

Counting the days, it was about time. Since Abal had arrived and she had returned to the city, dragging things out any longer would make Lady Fatini displeased. Jiang Yuan thought about it for ages and still could not figure out how she had fallen from playing procurer to becoming an accomplice in a murder case. But when a person was at someone else’s mercy, she had no choice but to bow her head. She wrote a calling card, sent someone over with gifts, and Lady Fatini very happily agreed to meet.

There was not much Jiang Yuan had to do. She simply set out deliberately early so she could browse the market and see if there was anything else suitable to buy as a gift for Lady Fatini. The mule cart made a circuit, but Abal still had not returned, so she calmly got down and walked around twice more. By the time she finished buying gifts and came back, Abal was already sitting in the cart. Her eyes lit up. He had gone out very early that morning, so she had not seen how he looked. The bandit chief also knew today was a special day and had obediently dressed himself up neatly and beautifully. An exquisite black robe, a soft, supple headscarf, costly weapons and jewelry, perfume sprinkled over his body-although Jiang Yuan was used to that face, when those blue eyes watched her with a faint, ambiguous smile in the dim space inside the cart, he still looked very charming.

That face would definitely please Lady Fatini. Jiang Yuan was very satisfied. Unfortunately, the moment the bandit chief opened his mouth, nothing good came out. “I think someone was following me.”

Jiang Yuan said, “…I am going to cripple you right now and throw you out.”

“You really don’t care about sentiment at all.” Abal’s voice was lazy. “Don’t worry. I shook them off.”

After receiving the order, the coachman cracked his whip and called out again, and the mule slowly pulled the cart forward. Amid the jolting of the road, Abal roughly recounted the process. He had cut off his elder brother’s head, hidden it in a box, and brought it onto the cart. The man’s clothes and valuables had all been stripped off and given to thieves, while the body had been left sprawled in the slums. A headless corpse with no distinguishing features would take two or three days to identify no matter what. In weather this hot, the body would be stinking by then, leaving even fewer clues to trace.

Jiang Yuan was speechless. Not even in her dreams had she imagined Abal would bring that thing onto the cart. She stared at the box Abal was stepping on. Being an accomplice was much more thrilling than she had expected. Lowering her voice, she gnashed her teeth and said, “Do they even need clues? The whole world knows you’re the killer.”

“So what? I only just heard the news, mobilized my subordinates, and came from Nafud.”

The mule cart stopped in front of Lady Fatini’s residence, and this topic was furiously brought to an end. Abal smiled smugly, then lightly flipped himself down from the cart. The setting sun was just sinking westward, stretching his shadow very long. He stood meekly and respectfully by the carriage door, bowed, and called to her,

“Shatumai is here to serve you, Master.”

Lady Fatini seemed to have been delayed by some sudden matter. According to the steward, someone had come to deliver news, and she had an important letter to write. Where no one else could see, Abal raised an eyebrow at Jiang Yuan, mocking her for receiving this sort of treatment in the beautiful woman’s house. But of course, whether the host wrote a letter or not had nothing to do with the guest. They were invited to sit in a side hall. Baitullah came first to entertain them, bringing a group of servants to serve fruit, tea, and pastries, and to arrange the banquet. When she saw Abal, her face truly showed amazement. Jiang Yuan had not lied. The attendant she brought really was extraordinarily handsome.

“I thought you were lying,” she praised. “He really is beautiful!”

Jiang Yuan smiled and flattered her. “How would I dare speak nonsense in front of Lady Fatini?”

Baitullah’s face was full of excitement, her eyes darting about as she kept glancing again and again in Abal’s direction. This rare, handsome man stood silently and meekly behind Jiang Yuan, lacking only one word from Lady Fatini before he could immediately lie down, strip off his clothes, and let her ravage him as she pleased. Delighted, Baitullah said, “When Madam sees him, she will definitely be very happy too. Wait a moment. Madam will be out very soon. But…”

She looked at Jiang Yuan with a sly expression. After holding it in for a long time, she still could not help giggling. All the jewelry hanging from her body, a result of how spoiled she was, jingled and clattered. With no small amount of smugness, she said, “But I think Madam will definitely still like you a lot!”

Who cared what letter Lady Fatini was writing, or whether she liked her or not? Jiang Yuan only wanted to deposit Abal here and then immediately flee this den of devils.

Lady Fatini did come out very quickly. She stood beneath the corridor, still stunningly beautiful, her smiling, soft gaze moving over them one by one. Then it circled Abal once more, her eyes rippling with charm, enough to melt bone and devour the soul. She had clearly dressed up, and today she looked even more radiant than the last time they met. Baitullah said, “Madam, look! This fool really wasn’t lying after all!”
She gave a low laugh and said, “How terribly rude of you, Baitullah. Aren’t you going to come to my side?”

Baitullah skipped over to her. Before this, she had just gotten Jiang Yuan’s permission and had been chattering away with Abal. She was clearly impatient; after ordering the servants to light the lamps, she had driven them all far away. The sky was nearly dark. In a little while, perhaps, she would be tangled up with the newly arrived beauty, hands roaming freely as she indulged herself. Lady Fatini inclined her head to Jiang Yuan. “My apologies. I suddenly had a letter to write. But,” she said with another smile, “the messenger has gone now, and I have nothing else to attend to. Tonight, we can enjoy ourselves properly.”

Jiang Yuan forced herself to say, “Whatever is convenient for you.”

She gestured for Abal to come forward and present himself. Abal rose calmly, offering the gift to their host on Jiang Yuan’s behalf. The moment he opened his mouth, he began reciting poetry, praising Lady Fatini’s beauty and the wealth of her estate, saying it was like a paradise. His flattery made Lady Fatini cover her mouth and laugh. “You never told me this attendant of yours had such a silver tongue. He really is delightful.”

Of course he was. Jiang Yuan had spent a thousand gold coins and swallowed her pride to hire this outside help. How could he not be worth the price? But Lady Fatini showed no intention of accepting the goods. Unhurried, she took a seat in the hall, where a feast had already been laid out before them. With a smile, she gestured to them. “Please, eat.”

As before, she was very interested in the Great Tang, asking question after question over the meal and ranging across all kinds of topics. She praised the porcelain as having become her favorite decorations, saying her friends and guests had all admired those exquisite works of art without end. To be honest, if Jiang Yuan had not been wary, she probably would have been even warmer and more attentive toward such an excellent client. What made her restless was that, just as Baitullah had said, Lady Fatini seemed more interested in her. From beginning to end, Lady Fatini paid little attention to Abal. Instead, Baitullah ran down and sat beside Abal, urging him to drink and repeating her old trick. Lady Fatini tried to call her back, but Baitullah simply refused to listen.

“My lady, I rarely get to see someone this handsome!” She clung to Abal and would not let go. Abal was a practiced flatterer, all honeyed words and little gestures, coaxing her until her face lit up with smiles. Lady Fatini shook her head helplessly and said to Jiang Yuan, “I am truly sorry. I have spoiled her.” Then she added, “It is so warm in here. Shall we go outside for some air? I still have some questions I am simply dying to ask you.”

She rose, and when she passed Jiang Yuan, she paused for a moment. Jiang Yuan tactfully stood and followed her out.

They did not go far, only out of the side hall to rest by the corridor beneath the courtyard. There was no one around; Baitullah had sent everyone away. Lady Fatini called twice, but no one came, leaving her somewhat helpless. The cool breeze carried the scent of palm leaves. Beneath the corridor, a fountain threaded through the yellow stone with a clear, tinkling sound. The beauty’s shadow fell across the flagstones, shapely and captivating. Thick frankincense mingled with fragrant rose oil and wafted toward Jiang Yuan. Here, the people in the hall could not hear her voice. Smiling beside Jiang Yuan’s ear, Lady Fatini said, “Your attendant is truly beautiful, and so perfectly well-mannered. How strange. Someone like him ought to be as widely known as you are. Why have I never heard of him before?”

“He only came to my side recently. Because of a small offense against me, he was willing to become my attendant to make amends,” Jiang Yuan answered calmly.

Lady Fatini laughed softly. “You are always like this, so quick to trust others. You do not even know his background. How can you so casually take someone in as an attendant?” Jiang Yuan was silent for a moment, while waves of shock crashed through her heart. She did not know what Lady Fatini meant by that, but Lady Fatini was already leaning softly against her.

Jiang Yuan sucked in a breath, but forcibly held back the urge to resist. And so Lady Fatini leaned against her shoulder. Before Jiang Yuan could react, the woman’s fingers were already stroking her intimately. Like fragrant blossoms pressing close, before Jiang Yuan could respond, they slipped past her false-bearded chin and touched her neck.

“He is your personal attendant? Aren’t you afraid he might touch you here?”

A giggle came through the fragrance. Lady Fatini said, “But you like this are so adorable, I simply cannot forget you.”

She leaned in, and those bright red lips came with her. Together with that rich, encroaching fragrance, they pressed against Jiang Yuan’s mouth.

Awoooo, but I didn’t finish writing the progress I was supposed to!

The next chapter might be a little longer…

Yes, that’s right, Lady Fatini is bisexual, but she leans more toward women. She saw at first glance that Yuan Yuan was a woman, which was why she became interested in seducing her.

How wonderful. Mixed Tang and Hu blood, dressed as a man, aloof and restrained, and plainly someone who has never had contact with men.

Too delicious. [licks lips]

As for the little maid Baitullah, she leans more toward handsome men, though of course she also doesn’t mind having a go with her lady.

Endlessly charming cheat-code Yuan Yuan-chan is being treated as prey again today.

Thank you to the little angels who threw overlord tickets for me~

Thank you to the little angels who threw [landmines]: Jizi kiko, 1; Yangzhou Crane, 1.

Thank you to the little angels who watered me with nutrient fluid~

Thank you to the little angel who watered me with nutrient fluid: Zhuxing, 10 bottles.

Thank you all so much for your support. I will keep working hard! ^_^