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24: Deal

As they exited the northern territory, Qiu Xing gazed at her master with admiration. After a while, she seemed to remember something.

"Young master, you promised to play matchmaker is part of the agreement, but will you succeed?"

"How could I not? Brother Du already has feelings for Aman, so I'll merely just be fanning the flames."

"But..."

"But what?"

Qiu Xing stopped in her steps, her expression serious. "My lady, you really don't feel anything towards young master Du at all?

Ye Yin paused at being addressed as "my lady" for a moment. Those four girls must have been secretly gossipping about this. He straightened and looked Qiu Xing in the eye.

"Qiu Xing, listen up, because I'm only saying this once. In this lifetime, Du Luo will only be my friend!"

Ye Yin gazed into the distance, his voice low. "He is not a good man."

"Huh?" Qiu Xing's mouth was wide open. Ye Yin laughed, serious as he said, "Du Luo is not a good man for women. He can become your most faithful friend, but he will never become a good husband. He is a lone wolf at birth. To him, his friend's lives are first and his is second, third is wine, and then women is at best ranked fourth. The woman who marries him will definitely suffer, because he is not the kind of man who will take care of his family. To him, women are like clothes, disposable."

"What?! Young master Du is a really good person though!"

"Yes, he is a good person, he is loyal to his friends to a fault, but if you fell for him, you would not feel this way. Alas, the heavens made him so. No one can change him. Aman will definitely suffer."

"B-but you're trying to help them get together? Won't Chief Aman..."

"You pity her?" Ye Yin smiled. "She does not need your pity. Who told her to fall for brother Du? This is her own choice. Whether the future be bitter or sweet, she will have to endure it. Whoever loves the other more loses. They will suffer more. But I think as long as Aman can be with Du Luo, she will endure hardships gladly!"

After a while, Qiu Xing thought of something else.

"Right, young master, when did young master Du contact you? How come I didn't know?"

"Who told you brother Du contacted me?"

"Didn't you tell Chief Aman..." Seeing Ye Yin smiling wryly at her, Xiu Qing paused. She muttered, "Young master, did you lie to Chief Aman?"

"Who said I lied?" Ye Yin rolled his eyes. "Don't you think brother Du would definitely come to help me if he knew I was going to attack Zhi (郅) city?"

Xiu Qing nodded repeatedly. "Of course!"

"Then I didn't lie! Brother Du would definitely come to help me. But, he has to first find me, which is somewhat difficult. In his last letter, it said he would take a few months until he would reach Dongling. It will take an even longer time to find me. By then, I should have already have Zhi (郅) city in the palm of my hands.

Ye Yin had a sly smile. "I told Aman if brother Du knew I was going to attack Zhi (郅) city, he would definitely come to help me, but I didn't say he would be able to make it. Because Aman was flustered, she didn't notice, so I didn't trick her. I just didn't mention a few things."

What, clearly you're trying to trick Chief Aman. Also... young master, you sure are crafty, Qiu Xing thought to herself. As they continued on their way back to Wutian, Qiu Xing sympathized with Aman. When she talked with the young master, she would have to be more alert. Poor Aman, with merely a few sentences, she was tricked into lending a couple thousand troops! Young master sure was cunning!