Luring Him to Fall - Chapter 1

The Regent held power over the entire court, and he and my foster father were mortal enemies.

My foster father was a eunuch of the Eastern Depot. He wanted Xie Jingchuan gone so he could dominate the court alone.

I had been born devastatingly beautiful, so Foster Father had originally planned to train me to seduce Xie Jingchuan.

Unfortunately, I was too stupid.

I spent half a year learning a single dance and only just managed to master it—and even then, I danced so badly that Ah-Huang, the Eastern Depot’s watchdog, barked in terror whenever she saw me.

Foster Father picked at his ear. “Dongqing, the Eastern Depot has no room for idlers.”

“I’m setting you free. Go out and make a living for yourself.”

Foster Father was a wicked minister who took bribes and embezzled silver. The Eastern Depot was rich, the food was excellent, and even Ah-Huang was as round as a ball.

I would have to be an idiot to leave such a wonderful place.

Fortunately, I had been born with tremendous strength. After I begged and pleaded, Foster Father finally let me stay and trained me as an assassin.

My fellow assassins always covered their faces, and so did I.

They said that in our line of work, we could never let our victims see us.

Foster Father sent one assassin after another to kill Xie Jingchuan. Every one of them failed.

At last, his gaze fell on me as I gnawed on a chicken leg.

He frowned in disgust and muttered under his breath, “Damn it. She’s going to eat the Eastern Depot into bankruptcy. I might as well send her to her death this time.”

Then he gave me my assignment.

Kill Xie Jingchuan.

I changed into black night clothes, covered my face, and went to the Regent’s residence after dark.

Once I reached the gates, however, I paced back and forth in distress.

What was the first step in killing someone?

I had no idea!

Then I remembered the martial-arts stories I had read. Before killing anyone, the heroes in those books always notified their targets in advance, very politely.

They wrote things like: *I invite you to your death.*

I tore a strip of cloth from my clothes and was about to bite my fingertip to write Xie Jingchuan a letter in blood when a carriage stopped outside the residence.

A handsome man stepped down, dressed in brocade and sable. His face was pale and sickly, but he was breathtakingly elegant. Murderous coldness lay in his eyes, and he carried himself with the imperious air of a man who looked down upon the world.

It was my first time killing anyone. I was a little nervous.

Clutching the hem of my clothes, I asked, “Are you Xie Jingchuan?”

He swept a cold glance over me. “Here to kill me?”

I nodded, then shook my head.

“I’ll come kill you tomorrow. I’m only here to notify you today. Could you wait at home for me tomorrow?”

His guard, Sixteen, burst out laughing.

“Forgive me. You’re so polite that I’m not used to it.”

Sixteen drew his sword and looked to Xie Jingchuan. “Master, shall I kill her?”

I puffed out my cheeks and leaped back.

“Hey! You wicked thing! Where is your sense of honor?”

Xie Jingchuan lowered his eyes and slowly turned the jade thumb ring on his finger.

“Fine. Go. I’ll wait for you tomorrow.”

When I returned to the Eastern Depot alive, Foster Father’s pupils shook with disbelief.

No one sent to assassinate Xie Jingchuan had ever come back.

“Xie Jingchuan didn’t kill you?”

I patted Foster Father on the shoulder. “Give me a chicken leg first, Foster Father. I’ll explain slowly.”

I told him everything between bites.

Foster Father decided I possessed extraordinary talent. He was certain I had a real chance of killing Xie Jingchuan and placed great hopes in me.

The next day, I hurried off excitedly to carry out the assassination.

I knocked politely, but the steward said Xie Jingchuan was out attending a social engagement.

With no other choice, I threw a dart into his door. Attached to it was a note:

*I am coming to assassinate you. Please present yourself for death tomorrow.*

I returned the following day. He was out again.

And the day after that.

And for many, many days after that.

On my tenth attempt, he was finally home.

He sat inside reading. His handsome face was pale as snow with a sickly cast, and every so often, a muffled cough came from the room.

Through the crack in the door, I saw dark red streaks of blood on the silk handkerchief he coughed into.

I drew my dagger and eagerly reached for the door.

Sixteen suddenly blocked my way.

“Miss, I’m truly curious. What do you look like?”

“Is your face as unfortunate as your brain?”

I blinked. I did not understand what he meant.

“Who tries to assassinate someone by throwing a dart over every day to notify him in advance?”

I rolled my eyes in thought and asked seriously, “Then what should I prepare in advance?”

Sixteen was speechless.

Xie Jingchuan chuckled. His clear, cool voice came through the door.

“Come tomorrow in a dancing dress.”

“What for?” I asked.

“Just do as I say.”

After I left, he closed his book, the amusement in his eyes deepening.

“Now I’m curious about her face too. A fool like that only appears once in a century.”

I owned no dancing dress, so I went to a brothel that very night and bought a red one from the madam.

The next day, I arrived as promised.

Strangely, Sixteen was nowhere to be seen.

I pushed open the door and entered.

Xie Jingchuan stood at the window. He turned to look at me.

“Why cover your face and bind your hair when you’re wearing a dancing dress?”

He reached out and pulled the wooden hairpin from my hair. In an instant, my black tresses spilled down over my shoulders.

His fingers moved lower, reaching for my face covering. I stepped back and clapped both hands over the black cloth.

“We assassins can’t let our victims see what we look like.”

He closed the distance between us in one long stride and coaxed softly, “Take it off, and I’ll let you kill me. How does that sound?”

My eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Really.”

I lowered my gaze and slowly removed my mask.