Zuoqiu Ming led the group into the main hall and began introducing them to Nian Jiaojiao and the others.
“This is Miss Wushuang, skilled in the zither.”
Then, she introduced Wushuang to the others:
“This is my old friend Qiu Hezi, and these few are the younger generation from her household.”
Wushuang rose and bowed to Qiu Hezi.
“Senior, are you the Qiu Hezi from the miscellaneous studies school?”
Qiu Hezi smiled.
“I dare not accept the title of senior. Miss Wushuang, your reputation precedes you. You are a genius zither cultivator from Qingzhou. We can address each other as equals.”
After a brief acquaintance, both parties took their seats.
Zuoqiu Ming glanced at those present and breathed a sigh of relief.
“With the assistance of experts in calligraphy and the zither, I can finally be a little more at ease.”
At this point, Qiu Hezi looked at Nian Jiaojiao and the others.
“You don’t know what this is about yet, do you? I’ll explain…”
“I’ll tell them,” Zuoqiu Ming interrupted Qiu Hezi.
She glanced at Qiu Hezi and smiled.
“It will be clearer if I explain.”
Nian Jiaojiao chuckled to herself.
It was evident that as Qiu Hezi’s friend, Zuoqiu Ming knew her friend’s explaining abilities all too well.
Zuoqiu Ming continued.
“Recently, a peeping tom has appeared in our area. Alas… it’s been two months, and the culprit still hasn’t been apprehended. Although Shazhou has its talented individuals, none can deal with this person.”
Nian Jiaojiao asked curiously.
“Are peeping toms so powerful now?”
Zuoqiu Ming nodded, her face etched with distress.
“That culprit is also a cultivator.”
Her junior sister also asked.
“A cultivator? Are you joking? Cultivators are so rare. If she’s already a cultivator, why doesn’t she do something else instead of being a peeping tom?!”
Zuoqiu Ming said.
“Who can say? This person has been targeting virtuous men and women, and so far, the purity of twenty men has been violated by her!”
The junior sister retorted indignantly.
“This is truly a disgrace to us cultivators!”
Nian Jiaojiao frowned and asked.
“Since Miss Wushuang is at your residence, does that mean the peeping tom has targeted one of your young masters? May I ask why you have this judgment?”
Zuoqiu Ming explained.
“Because the perpetrator will leave a desert rose at the doorstep of the house they intend to harm. In fact, after the third incident, everyone recognized this pattern, but even so, we are unable to do anything about it.”
Qiu Shu appeared somewhat surprised.
“A desert rose? She uses such a precious item to notify others in advance that she’s about to commit such a vile act?”
Desert Rose: A specialty of Shazhou, it grows in the desert without branches, only flowers. The flowers are fiery red, resembling burning flames, and their petals are similar to lotus flowers. They are very rare and are a sacred medicine for nourishing yin and strengthening yang. (PS: A desert rose can bring new life to someone who has been impotent for life. You deserve it.)
Zuoqiu Ming felt angry at this thought.
Many opportunistic individuals had their eyes on these rare desert roses. Several times, they had taken the desert roses from the doorsteps of houses about to be targeted, causing considerable trouble for everyone.
“What are your plans now?” Qiu Hezi cut to the chase.
Miss Wushuang, who had remained silent, finally spoke.
“That scoundrel is very cunning. Although she gives advance notice, she doesn’t specify a time. It’s only been two days since Aunt Zuoqiu received the desert rose, but the perpetrator has yet to appear.”
Qiu Shu felt anxious.
The peeping tom could afford to wait, but they couldn’t!
They had important matters to attend to!
Nian Jiaojiao frowned and asked.
“Is there any way to make the perpetrator act? We are exposed while the enemy is hidden; we are too passive.”
With that, she asked Zuoqiu Ming.
“Do you know which young master of your household the perpetrator is targeting?”
Zuoqiu Ming had already made a guess.
“It should be Qing’er. The peeping tom’s taste is quite consistent.”
Nian Jiaojiao raised an eyebrow.
“Could Young Master Qing’er come out for a moment?”
Zuoqiu Ming said without hesitation.
“Of course.”
After speaking, she instructed a servant to summon the young master named Qing’er to the main hall.
Shortly after, a man dressed in exotic fashion entered.
Nian Jiaojiao observed him.
Although his attire was similar to the men on the street, it was simply more refined. However, his appearance was not typical of the men in Shazhou.
Instead, he looked like the gentle and petite men from Qingzhou.
Thus, after a moment of contemplation, Nian Jiaojiao said.
“You say, if a man more in line with the peeping tom’s aesthetic appeared, and this man had no one protecting him, what would you do if you were this peeping tom?”
The peeping tom’s delayed appearance was likely due to the cultivators present at Zuoqiu Manor.
Now, with more protectors being added, the peeping tom would naturally be wary.
However, dragging this on was not a solution.
After all, they couldn't stay at Zuoqiu Manor forever.
Nian Jiaojiao’s question made everyone’s eyes light up, as if a new path had opened.
Junior Sister: “That’s right, we can use a decoy!”
Zuoqiu Ming: “Then we’ll need to find someone to play that role.”
Qiu Hezi: “Where will we find a young master more handsome than your son? Besides, it’s not good to put other young masters in danger.”
The train of thought seemed to have reached another impasse.
Nian Jiaojiao smiled mysteriously.
“Isn’t that simple? We can find a woman to impersonate a man.
Think about it, since it’s a woman, there’s no fear of the peeping tom ruining her reputation.
However, the woman we find must be beautiful, otherwise, the scoundrel won’t be interested.
It would also be best if she had some martial arts skills, so she would have a certain ability to protect herself.”
As Nian Jiaojiao spoke, she felt something was amiss because everyone’s eyes were growing brighter and were focused on her.
Nian Jiaojiao: ???
She quickly realized.
As the one who proposed the idea, she was expected to be on the front lines?
So, Nian Jiaojiao said indignantly.
“I’m not the only one who fits the criteria here. Aren’t she and she also suitable?”
Nian Jiaojiao pointed at her junior sister and Wushuang.
The junior sister, upon being pointed at, repeatedly shook her head.
“Impersonating a man? I can’t! I can’t!”
Wushuang also frowned, clearly very resistant to impersonating a man.
Nian Jiaojiao pointed to the head of the Qiu family, Qiu Hezi, and Zuoqiu Ming.
“The three elders do not meet the requirements. If we use disguise, the peeping tom is also a cultivator, and I fear she might have ways to see through the deception.
Among the three of us, I should be eliminated first.”
Hearing Nian Jiaojiao’s words, the junior sister and Wushuang looked at her with confusion.
Nian Jiaojiao’s lips curved into a smile.
“Alas, when I look down, I can never see my entire instep.”
As she spoke, she stood up and demonstrated a downward glance in front of everyone.
Well… upright…
Blocking…
Then, the others looked towards the junior sister and Wushuang.
The junior sister was smaller, and dressing her up would only make people think of a man with well-developed chest muscles.
This would be more enticing.
As for Wushuang…
A flat expanse.