This Fox Has No Idea How to Be Sweet - Chapter 2

At the foot of White Cloud Mountain, a hundred or so fox soldiers swarmed forward. Dressed in black, her long hair tied high, the escort captain sent her nine-section whip darting out like a snake.

Crack!

Her movements were clean, her strikes ruthless. She cut a magnificent figure.

Xuansheng had never seen a woman like her.

Nearby, the frightened prefect’s daughter crouched behind the carriage with her hands over her head.

Two little foxes spotted her and crept over to seize their chance.

Crack!

The captain reacted at once, spinning around with another ringing lash. “You dirty cheats!”

She sent the little foxes tumbling head over heels.

Watching his soldiers lose from his hiding place, Xuansheng could not help cursing. “Useless, the lot of you!”

He cast a spell, lifted a huge rock from a distance, and hurled it at the captain.

She dodged aside and escaped unharmed with ease. The boulder shattered against the ground, throwing up a blinding cloud of dust.

The fox soldiers coughed and choked. When the dust cleared, Xuansheng had already teleported to the young lady’s side and caught her by the throat.

“Don’t move!” he ordered the captain.

The newcomer looked like a man, but nine long tails trailed behind him. She recognized him at once as a nine-tailed fox spirit. Afraid for the hostage’s safety, she dared not make a rash move. She drew back her whip. “What do you want?”

Terrified, the young lady pleaded in a trembling voice, “Please let me go, my lord! Whatever you want—gold, jewels, wealth, honors—I can give you anything!”

Xuansheng snorted in disdain.

Fine food and fine clothes abounded on White Cloud Mountain. What could he possibly lack?

If he had to name one thing…

“Her.” He pointed at the escort captain. “I want her to stay and be the lady of my mountain stronghold. My wife. The wife of Xuansheng the Nine-Tailed.”

“…What did you say?” The captain frowned.

The servant froze, then began hopping with anxiety. “You’ve got the wrong one! My lord, the prefect’s daughter is the one you’re strangling!”

As if Xuansheng did not know that.

But what was so good about a sheltered young lady? Limp as a rag, afraid of everything. No matter how he looked at her, she could not compare to the captain.

“Be my wife. You’ll have betrothal gifts, a wedding feast, everything,” the fox declared grandly. “Once we’ve shared our wedding bed, I’ll even be able to visit your parents and family in Suzhou.”

The captain stared at him.

Seeing how late it was, the young lady cried, “Miss Zhao, we mustn’t miss the auspicious hour for the sacrifice!”

True enough.

The captain considered for a moment, then tried to reason with the fox. “You are a thousand-year-old nine-tail, king of all foxes. Surely no one could be more reasonable. I’ve accepted a commission to escort this young lady to the altar. I must deliver her safely. I cannot abandon her halfway and break my word. How about this? Let us go now. At noon tomorrow, I’ll come back and keep my promise. Will that do?”

“King of all foxes.” “No one could be more reasonable.”

Xuansheng was delighted. His nine tails swayed gently behind him, but he still refused to give way. “And why should I trust you?”

The captain cupped one fist in her other hand. “I, Zhao Mingyue, always keep my word. My promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold.”

“Not enough.” Xuansheng shook his head.

“…Then what do you want?”

“Come here.” The fox beckoned. “Closer.”

Whip in hand, Zhao Mingyue approached him slowly, her eyes wary.

“What are you afraid of? I’m not going to eat you! A little closer.” He leaned toward the side of her neck and sniffed.

Ah. So that was her scent.

He would remember it.

“All right. Off you go!” Xuansheng released the young lady and pushed her away. Then he told Zhao Mingyue, “Come at noon tomorrow, and I’ll give you ten thousand taels of gold as your betrothal gift. If you don’t, I have ways of finding you. No tricks.”

“How much?” Zhao Mingyue asked, startled.

“…What?”

“How much did you say the betrothal gift was?”

“Ten thousand taels of gold.” Xuansheng was puzzled. “Is that not enough? Or do you think—”

“It’s a deal.” The captain immediately raised her brows and smiled. “Husband.”

“…”