The Ink Jade Pearl

Chapter 107: The Ink Jade Pearl

Han Li, naturally, was unaware of the conversation between the blue-clothed man and the yellow-robed man. He was still congratulating himself on his narrow escape. While he was somewhat irked by the blue-clothed man's blatant disregard for him, he was keenly aware of the vast disparity in their power. The overwhelming sensation of having dodged a calamity made him feel light and relaxed all over.

This interruption by the blue-clothed man had shattered Han Li's mental calm, and his previously peaceful state of mind was gone. He sighed, stood up, and prepared to settle his bill and leave the restaurant.

It was then that a faint, distant sound of horse hooves drifted in from the street outside the building. The sound grew from far to near, becoming clearer and clearer.

Han Li’s spirits lifted. He sat back down and turned his gaze back towards the street.

According to Sun Er Gou’s intelligence, these hoofbeats should belong to the eldest daughter of the Mo estate, Mo Yuzhu, returning from outside the city.

He had heard that this precious daughter of the Mo family had never cared for needlework as a child, only preferring to train with weapons and practice martial arts. She had learned considerable skills from the experts of the Startled Serpent Society.

What was most astonishing was that this Miss Mo had an intense passion for hunting, an activity generally reserved for men. Every few days, she would ride her horse into the woods outside the city for a thorough outing. This, of course, led many young master pursuing her to follow suit daily, riding their own steeds and hoping to get a head start and win her favor.

Naturally, since the arrival of that Young Master Wu, he too had joined this activity.

After hearing these reports, Han Li had grown very curious about this Miss Mo Yuzhu. A young lady with such a unique personality was a rare sight, and he hoped she would not disappoint him.

Now, a dozen or so people riding various fine horses galloped from one end of the street. The two at the lead were a man and a woman. The man was a handsome young man with distinct eyebrows and bright eyes, and a slender, well-proportioned figure. The woman wore a fiery red hunting outfit and a purple cloak over her head, making it impossible to see her beautiful face.

In the blink of an eye, the riders passed the front of the Jiaxing Restaurant and swept past Han Li’s view, finally stopping in front of the Mo estate gates.

One of the burly men in dark clothing who had been standing guard on either side of the gate immediately stepped forward. His face was covered in pockmarks. He respectfully addressed the leading pair:

“Miss, Young Master Wu, you’ve returned. How was the hunt today?”

“Not bad! Take the horses, Tang Er, and have these game dressed out.” The woman in the hunting outfit said crisply, reaching up to remove her cloak, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face. She then lightly leaped down from her horse.

“Yes, Miss!” The man called Tang Er seemed to not dare to look at her beauty for long, quickly taking the reins and leading the horses towards the side gate of the estate.

Although he was some distance from the Mo estate’s main entrance, Han Li on the upper floor could still see about seventy or eighty percent of the woman’s face from an angle. He couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath. Her crystal-clear, snow-like skin, her straight, delicate nose, her dark, bright eyes, her red, alluring cherry lips... To call her a beauty whose face could make the fish sink and the wild geese fall was the only fitting description.

“So this is Mo Yuzhu! No wonder she can make the entire batch of young masters of Jiayuan City go mad for her. Nation-toppling beauty is the perfect description for her.” Han Li thought to himself.

The handsome young man, along with the men and women behind him, also dismounted. Some of them also took the horses away.

The young man walked up to Mo Yuzhu with a smile and whispered a few words to her, which caused Miss Mo’s face to flush deeply. She lightly punched his shoulder a couple of times, then shyly shot him a few glances. After stomping her delicate foot, she trotted into the main gate. The young man chuckled heartily and strode in after her with an elegant air.

“So this is Wu Jianming? Quite the charmer, and he’s decent-looking too,” Han Li thought sourly. He was very self-aware and knew that when it came to looks, he probably couldn’t catch up to the other man even if he rode a horse.

“And it seems that Mo Yuzhu and this Young Master Wu get along quite well. Their feelings seem deep,” he frowned, realizing this situation might not be as easy to handle as he had initially thought.

“Regardless, I have to get my hands on that Warm Yang Jade. And quickly. The Yin poison in my body is no trifling matter; it could erupt at any time,” Han Li mused, looking somewhat worried.

After taking one last, deep look at the Mo estate, he called for the waiter, settled his bill, and left the restaurant, returning to his inn.

After a period of careful consideration in his room, Han Li decided to adopt the most direct and effective method. He would go straight to the point.

He planned to stealthily visit the Madam Yan, who was in charge of the Startled Serpent Society, that very night. Using the token Doctor Mo had left for him, he would directly expose the impostor and gain the trust of the Mo family. As for how to acquire the jade, he would have to play it by ear.

With the decision made, Han Li stopped hesitating. He honestly stayed in his room, shutting his eyes to conserve his energy and prepare for the night’s operation.

During this time, however, the stunning face of Mo Yuzhu kept floating into his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to completely dispel the image.

“Could I have… taken a liking to this woman?” Han Li thought uncomfortably.

He then tried to comfort himself: “Being attracted to such a beautiful woman is only natural. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s love.”

Being a man with one foot already on the path of cultivation, though completely inexperienced in matters of romance between men and women, he still subconsciously avoided such entanglements.

When the third watch of the night arrived, Han Li changed into a set of pitch-black clothes and quietly slipped out of the inn.

He lightly drifted over the rooftops of the other houses, avoiding the night watchmen without any trouble, until he reached the outer wall of the Mo estate.

After circling the compound once, he gave a soft chuckle, transformed into a wisp of smoke, and slipped into the Mo estate’s rear courtyard right under the noses of several guards, none of whom noticed anything unusual.