The Idle Man of Zhenguan Intercepts Wu Zetian at the Start

Gu Nianqiu's eyes were unfocused. When Adele called out to her, she actually stood up and walked forward. Pei Xiangnan covered his mouth and nose with one hand and reached out to pull Gu Nianqiu, but found that his hands and feet were weak and he was almost powerless. Even if he wanted to run away at this moment, he had no strength left.

Adele gazed admiringly at Pei Xiangnan, stepped forward, her deep blue eyes staring into his like an abyss. Her slender fingers lightly traced his cheek, and she let out a soft laugh, her tone flippant:

"What a handsome young man! Come with me. I can't bear to let you die here."

Despite Pei Xiangnan's efforts to stay conscious, even biting his tongue until it bled, he still felt a dizzying sensation and his consciousness gradually became hazy. He didn't know how much time had passed before he slowly regained his senses.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark, secret room with several mangled, bloody corpses hanging in mid-air. Charcoal was burning beneath the corpses, radiating intense heat as if trying to dry them out.

Pei Xiangnan stood up and looked around, still feeling utterly drained. Fortunately, Gu Nianqiu was beside him, though still fast asleep. Ge Shu'er had also woken up, looking around in terror before finally fixing her gaze on Pei Xiangnan:

"Are you from the Dali Temple?"

Pei Xiangnan nodded coldly:

"Who is this Shi Kangzhi, and where is he? And who is this Adele?"

Goshu'er gave a bitter smile: "What's the use of telling you? Do you think you still have a chance to get out?"

Just as Pei Xiangnan was about to press further, Adele giggled and entered the secret room:

"My lord has woken up." She glanced at Geshu'er. "He will naturally go out, but you can tell him that, because he is already Xianniang's person."

Pei Xiangnan sneered, "I never imagined there were such monsters as you in Chang'an. You think you can collude with me, Pei Xiangnan? You're dreaming!"

Adele looked dejected, turned and pressed her body tightly against Pei Xiangnan, her red lips close to his ear, her breath sweet and her voice plaintive:

"I admire a fine man like you. In the fifth year of the Zhenguan era, you joined the Dali Temple as a Sizhi (a high-ranking official). You worked diligently and solved countless cases. After returning to Xinchangfang, you are a good man and father who loves his wife and children dearly. I really envy you."

Upon hearing this, Pei Xiangnan felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He pushed Adele away with all his might and shouted hysterically:

"I, Pei Xiangnan, am in this position, and I must take responsibility for my actions. Since I have fallen into your hands, you may kill me or torture me as you please, but please do not harm my wife and children... Please... please spare them..." He pleaded at the end.

Adele let out a string of silvery laughter, clutching her chest with her hand and frowning slightly: "My lord, you've hurt me. Now that you belong to the Fairy Maiden, your wife and children are naturally unharmed. There's no need to worry."

Pei Xiangnan finally breathed a sigh of relief. But when he thought of his three-year-old son and his wife who prepared meals for him every day, he felt a pang of pain in his heart. However, judging from Adele's cunning and vicious behavior, he feared that things would not end well if he fell into her hands.

At this moment, the remaining few people also slowly woke up. The Hu people in the camel caravan, who were used to fighting and killing, couldn't help but tremble when they saw such a horrific scene. The corpses hanging there, roasted over charcoal, were all wounded by sharp axes. Almost none of them were intact. Their blood had been drained, and the corpses, which should have been pale, had been roasted to a light yellowish-brown.

Seeing Pei Xiangnan standing there blankly, looking completely lost, while Adele had a rosy complexion and, despite the group of corpses hanging behind her, seemed like a carefree young girl strolling through a flower garden, creating an eerily strange atmosphere, Gu Nianqiu couldn't help but stammer:

"What kind of place is this? We are from the Dali Temple. If you dare to harm us, the Jinwu Guard will raze this place to the ground in less than a day."

Adele glanced at Gu Nianqiu, turned her back to the group, and walked towards the corpses:

"Of course I'm scared, so I've prepared these six heads and a witness from the caravan for you. That person only knows that Geshu'er is riding his horse and committing murder, but he doesn't know that you have already followed the Fairy Maiden. After you go back, continue to be your stewards, but if the Fairy Maiden has any tasks, just carry them out immediately."

Gu Nianqiu noticed that Adele seemed somewhat wary upon hearing the words of the Dali Temple, and her tone became much more forceful:

"You're dreaming. How could I, Gu Nianqiu, associate with such evil people?"

Adele chuckled, "Those six could have participated in a wonderful battle. Even if they died, they could be made into high-quality pigments for sale. If Tang Dynasty painters couldn't use our pigments, even the best skills would lack a lot of charm."

After saying that, he turned around, clasped his hands together, and placed them on his chest:

"So, you have to kill Geshu'er and drag their corpses out... As for how to explain it to the Dali Temple, that's your own business..."

Adele's words shocked everyone present, especially since they had made the most of the corpses. Apparently, after drying them, the corpses were ground into powder and made into pigments for sale.

Adele smiled sweetly, took out two small white pills from her chest, and held them out in front of Pei Xiangnan and the other person:

"After eating it, you will experience the joy of immortals. However, if you do not eat it for a day, it will be as if a hundred insects are gnawing at your heart, and you will feel worse than dead."

Gu Nianqiu sneered: "Trying to control us with drugs? That's wishful thinking."

Goshuer and the others wanted to resist, but they were powerless to do so. This feeling of being slaughtered was more terrifying than actual death, and they couldn't help but plead:

"We are willing to take this medicine and swear to serve the Fairy Maiden to the death."

Adele blinked her big eyes and said gently, "This is a precious item, priceless. If you don't want to eat it, you can just find another place for your family reunion."

Worried about his wife and children's safety, Pei Xiangnan steeled his heart, picked up a pill, and swallowed it. Gu Nianqiu's eyes widened: "You..."

Adele leaned close to Pei Xiangnan: "My lord, once you've taken the pill, we're family. I'm at your service anytime..."

Gu Nianqiu gritted her teeth and also picked up the last pill and put it in her mouth.

The moment the medicine entered their throats, the oppression and fear on Pei Xiangnan and the other man vanished in an instant, replaced by an indescribable excitement. Their entire bodies felt as if they were floating on clouds, as if all their desires would be fulfilled immediately. Adele watched the two men with their eyes slightly closed, mouths agape, and uncontrollably gesturing wildly. She smiled and slipped aside. It took about half an incense stick's time for the two men to return to normal.

Adele lifted her skirt and twirled around, giggling sweetly.

"The case of the horse-riding murder was solved in a single day by the two gentlemen. Their future is limitless. From now on, you will need to go to Jibaozhai in the East Market every three days to get medicine. If you miss me, you can also come here to find me."

Pei Xiangnan and the other man were still immersed in what had just happened. It seemed that all their ideals, fighting spirit, and morality had collapsed in an instant. Although they did not experience the pain that Adele had described, they were already looking forward to taking the pills again.

Adele smiled and handed the two of them a short knife:

"It's getting late, you two should get started."