Aoyagi was taken aback for a moment, and then an uncontrollable look of delight spread across her face.
The quality of the string of "dragon pearls" in Li Ying's hand was clearly a hundred times better than the one Aoyagi had secretly stolen that day.
She had been ordered to drive a wedge between Li Ying and Lu Xunguang, a task that was extremely difficult. She had exhausted all her tricks and finally managed to succeed by a fluke. But unexpectedly, in order to show her goodwill, Li Ying had actually taken out a whole string of dragon pearls. It was truly a pleasant surprise!
With great difficulty, she managed to compose herself, carefully took the jade box, and swore to Li Ying with determination.
"Boss Li is truly a heroic woman, able to let go of things so readily. You have my deepest admiration! You can rest assured that even if I were to be shattered into pieces, I will surely report your sincerity to my master in detail!"
She bowed to Li Ying again, then let out a sigh of relief and gracefully turned to leave.
After Aoyagi had gone far away, Li Ying got up, closed the door, looked at A Man, and slowly poured two cups of tea.
"If you have any questions, just ask."
A Man had been holding back for a long time, and now she finally couldn't contain herself.
"Sister, you can't possibly believe what that Aoyagi said, right? At first, when I heard about her identity and experiences, I was really fooled. But whether what she said is true or false, and whether Lu Xunguang is really a fickle person or not, Sister, that Imperial Inspector Lin is a cruel and heartless official. You mustn't act rashly out of anger and make an alliance with a tiger!"
The little girl's face was flushed red, and her fists were clenched tightly. There were already four pale crescent marks on her soft palms.
Seeing her like this, Li Ying felt really sorry for her and finally lowered her voice and said in a deep tone, "A Man, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
There wasn't a trace of anger in her eyes now. Her eyes were clear and full of understanding.
A Man was stunned.
"This Aoyagi came from afar with ill intentions and went to great lengths just to drive a wedge between me and Lu Xunguang. With the green silk red string and the gold-threaded Hundred Happiness Diagram, she went to so much trouble. If I didn't take the bait, I would seem rather ungrateful."
Li Ying said casually, took a sip of tea, and there was even a faint smile in her eyes.
A Man was even more confused when she heard this.
Li Ying pushed the teacup in front of her and said indifferently, "Everyone knows that Lu Xunguang and I have shared life and death experiences. We are deeply in love and trust each other. Moreover, after a long separation, we've reunited and set a wedding date. This should be a time of great affection."
"If at this moment, a charming woman who just popped up out of nowhere could, with just a few words, sow discord between a loving couple and take the place of the other, this 'I've heard you have a change of heart, so I've come to bid farewell' drama would be a bit too far-fetched and hasty."
"From vows of eternal love to mutual dislike, there must be many twists and turns, ups and downs, and changes in feelings in between. Only then can people believe that no matter how passionate love is, it will eventually fade away with the passage of time and mutual suspicion and testing."
"Since ancient times, serving the emperor has been like taming a tiger. That Imperial Inspector Lin has served the emperor for many years. He has committed countless crimes, but he has always remained in power. He must be a very cautious and cunning person."
In the end, he sent Aoyagi here because he was eyeing the conch pearl business. Although Li Ying had already made up her mind to play along and feign surrender, she still had to act out this drama of a lover's betrayal vividly.
As A Man listened to Li Ying's explanation, the confusion on her face finally began to clear up.
"So, the conch pearls you took out today were also fake?"
"Correct."
Li Ying nodded with a smile.
The New Year had long passed, and it had been some time since the Imperial Inspector Lin had received the conch pearl that Aoyagi had stolen. He had been slow to take any action, and Li Ying secretly guessed that he must still have some concerns and hadn't completely fallen into the trap.
Today, she had "severed ties" with Lu Xunguang and even presented a more dazzling string of imperial beads as a "token of allegiance" to the Imperial Inspector Lin.
This old fox who never acted without sufficient gain should finally let down his guard.
The so - called "conch pearls" were carefully dyed by her during the New Year. They were quite exquisite.
When the Imperial Inspector Lin was overjoyed and presented the imperial beads to the emperor, and the beads faded in color, that would be the day when the Imperial Inspector Lin would be charged with the crime of deceiving the emperor and lose his official position.
A Man finally let out a sigh of relief, but then she asked again, "But Sister... That Lu Xunguang clearly... You two haven't been affectionate with each other these days. Even when you meet occasionally, Aoyagi is always there, and you end up arguing. How did you have the opportunity to reach a secret consensus and deceive that Imperial Inspector Lin together?"
"He accepted that red string from Aoyagi and even said harsh words to you. The suspicion in his tone didn't seem to be faked at all! Sister, don't be deceived!"
Li Ying just smiled but didn't answer. Seeing that it was getting late, she put on a cloak and led A Man out of the door.
The two of them went straight to the banyan tree outside the village. It was here that she had fallen in love with Lu Xunguang that day.
Most of the young men and women in the village and those who came to visit would tie red silk with their birth dates written on it to the tree. The gentle evening breeze blew, and the countless silk ribbons fluttered, looking like a torrential rain of red.
On top of the banyan tree, a huge moon was slowly rising.
It was unusually large and hung very low, as if one could touch it just by standing on tiptoe.
Li Ying stared at the full moon in the distance, and her eyes were filled with deep affection.
A Man finally noticed something strange and asked in disbelief, "Sister, that... that moon is... fake?"
Li Ying just smiled but didn't say a word.
She had once mentioned to Lu Xunguang that when spring came, perhaps they could make a strong, dense, and light hot - air balloon with the fine silk used for sails.
By then, there would be a new high - altitude sightseeing activity in the fishing village.
However, this matter involved people's lives, so they couldn't rush it.
Lu Xunguang always took her words to heart.
So, on the day when Aoyagi took action, this bright "artificial moon" had risen above the banyan tree.
They had always been in perfect harmony with each other. Without much communication, they could easily understand what the other was thinking.
He couldn't say much to her, so he could only use this artificial moon to express his deep feelings.
All the accusations and disappointment during the day were fake.
As long as there was this bright moonlight tonight, his love for her would remain unchanged.
A Man pouted and rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine, fine. Sister and Brother - in - law Lu are both smart people. Only I, A Man, have been kept in the dark from beginning to end, and I've been speaking recklessly like a mad dog!"
Li Ying noticed that her ears were red. She must be being stubborn again. In fact, she had already started to blame herself for being so reckless. Li Ying couldn't help but smile.
"A Man, this play went so smoothly and made Aoyagi believe it completely. We actually owe it to you. If you hadn't scolded Lu Xunguang, I really wouldn't have been able to say those heartless words."
"Sister didn't mean to hide it from you. It's just that you're so kind - hearted. If I had told you the plan earlier, I was afraid you would accidentally reveal our secret. It's my fault, A Man. Do you blame me?"
A Man naturally waved her hand indifferently. Then she thought that in a few days, the Imperial Inspector Lin would be at their mercy, and her heart immediately filled with joy.