Chapter 5 Seduction of the Master

Chapter 5: Unwanted Advances

The toneless voice was enough to make Yin Rou feel utterly humiliated. To be caught in such disheveled attire, pressed against an unfamiliar man—her shamelessness and disgrace needed no further explanation.

Yin Rou took shallow breaths, enduring the prickling pain from her wounds as she struggled to stand while trying to cover her exposed skin, hastily tugging at her clothes.

In her flustered state, her already weakened body found it even harder to steady itself. Instinctively, she reached out to brace herself against the man’s arm.

A drawn-out exhale sounded above her—a signal hovering between impatience and anger.

Yin Rou realized she had once again crossed a line, but most of her weight was already leaning on him. If she let go now, she would only collapse further.

Completely rattled, she froze in that unnatural posture, not daring to move. Her eyes reddened with distress, her trembling growing worse.

Her shallow, frantic breaths only intensified the scent clinging to her, swirling between them and brushing past Chen Yanqing’s nose.

Beneath the maiden’s delicate fragrance lurked the very thing he despised most—the lecherous stench of his father’s chambers.

Having no patience left, he raised a hand to push her away, but his peripheral vision caught sight of her half-bared shoulder. Without hesitation, he switched to his left hand.

At the same time, Yin Rou steeled herself—even if she fell to the ground, she couldn’t linger like this any longer. Summoning her resolve, she jerked her hand away, leaving her body without support. Gritting her teeth, she tried to shift her weight to one side, only for her waist to press directly into the man’s half-raised palm.

The moment his fingers closed, all Chen Yanqing felt in his grasp was her trembling.

How could Yin Rou have anticipated this? She had meant to pull away, yet instead, she had fallen right into his grasp. The overwhelming, oppressive sensation instantly brought back the terror Fifth Young Master had inflicted upon her.

Her thin summer robe felt like nothing—her damp skin seared beneath the heat of his palm as if it might melt.

Even Chen Yanqing was briefly taken aback by the situation. His brow furrowed as his gaze dropped to where his hand rested, half-covered by the loose gauze of her robe. Beneath it, the subtle silhouette of her slender waist pressed against him.

The arc reflected in his dark eyes stirred only irritation and ice. He lifted his gaze back to her face, studying her with fresh intensity.

"Do you know the fate of those who tempt their superiors?"

The man’s cutting tone, oddly enough, lessened some of the fear in Yin Rou’s heart. As long as he wasn’t like Fifth Young Master, it was bearable.

She lowered her head obediently, her voice trembling. "This maid meant no disrespect. I beg for Young Master’s forgiveness."

"Then if I let go now, can you stand properly?"

Not a question—a threat. Yin Rou clenched her chilled fingers slightly and nodded.

Chen Yanqing noticed the tear clinging to her lash, as if she were using all her strength to keep it from falling. Her breath was held carefully, as though she now understood the gravity of the situation.

He said nothing more, withdrawing his hand and clasping both behind his back.

Yin Rou all but scrambled several steps away, standing stiffly without daring to raise her eyes.

Shu Yan, seeing that his master was finally free from entanglement, exhaled in relief but couldn’t resist chastising her. "Be more careful in the future. You’re lucky it was Third Young Master today—he’s not one to hold grudges."

Yin Rou’s lowered lashes fluttered faintly, surprise flickering in her tear-filled eyes. So this was the man Yu He had spoken of—the one who had summoned a physician for her.

Before she could lift her gaze to look at him, Third Young Master had already swept past her, his footsteps soon receding down the stone path.

---

Chen Yanqing emerged from the long bamboo-lined path and stepped into Huai’an Hall, where Master Chen, Wu Shi, and Chen Yanlin were mid-conversation. The moment he entered, the talk halted.

"Third Young Master, you’ve arrived. We’ve been waiting for you," Wu Shi said with a smile.

Chen Yanlin raised a brow and greeted, "Third Brother."

"Father, Mother, Fifth Brother," Chen Yanqing acknowledged each in order, his demeanor calm as he took his seat to Master Chen’s right.

"Just in time," Master Chen called to Quan Zhong. "Have the kitchen serve the dishes."

Quan Zhong acknowledged and left to relay the order. Soon, servants streamed in with trays of food and wine.

"Third Brother has been away for months. Now that you’re finally back, we brothers must drink a few more rounds," Chen Yanlin said cheerfully, signaling for a servant to pour the wine.

Chen Yanqing’s lips carried a thin smile as he lifted his wine cup. A faint dark smudge on his sleeve caught his eye. Upon closer inspection, he realized the silver-embroidered trim had been darkened in one spot—by blood.

For a moment, he couldn’t recall how it had gotten there. Then the scent of his father’s chambers flashed through his mind—the girl from earlier.

She had grabbed his arm. That must have been when the stain transferred. The fingers holding the cup involuntarily remembered the soft, clammy feel of her skin.

Chen Yanqing’s gaze darkened slightly. He rubbed his fingertips together, brushing off the memory.

Across the table, Chen Yanlin raised his cup. "To Third Brother."

Chen Yanqing lifted his in return, but before the rim touched his lips, he paused mid-air. He set the cup down with a sharp tap against the table.

"How did Fifth Brother come by this ring?"

His eyes fixed on Chen Yanlin’s hand, which also held a wine cup. The smile on his lips faded halfway, his gaze now entirely cold.

Shu Yan, standing a few steps away, discreetly peered over. One glance nearly made him break out in a cold sweat—how could Fifth Young Master be wearing that ring?

The once-harmonious atmosphere instantly turned tense.

Chen Yanlin blinked, as if only just realizing, and glanced at his own hand. "Third Brother means this?"

"Third Brother knows the rules of the merchant guild. While you were away, Father had me oversee things in your stead. One must command respect."

His smile stayed fixed, but Chen Yanqing’s expression had settled into an inscrutable stillness after that initial frown.

Yet this very composure was enough to unsettle those around him.

Shu Yan’s heart was already in his throat. To outsiders, his master might appear polished as jade, always greeting others with a smile, but beneath that surface lay a sharp edge—a veneer of courtesy over a core of steel.

Chen Yanlin’s smile faltered, uncertain how Chen Yanqing would react. Wu Shi cut in first. "Your father only wishes for unity between you brothers."

Chen Yanqing turned his gaze to Master Chen. "Has Father forgotten the origins of the merchant guild?"

Wu Shi, ignored, swallowed her irritation and lowered her eyes, hands clenched on her lap.

Master Chen, however, would not brook questioning by his own son. "The guild belongs to the Chen family. Both you and Chen Yanlin are my sons. Whomever I appoint to lead it shall lead it."

Chen Yanqing pressed his thumb against the ring on his index finger, the pale jade gleaming like ice in his eyes.

Chen Yanlin interjected, "Father’s health has only just improved. You mustn’t agitate yourself. From now on, I will work alongside Third Brother to ensure the Chen family thrives."

Master Chen, having voiced his fury, reined it in and addressed his eldest son. "You are brothers. Your fortunes are tied together. Besides, Yanlin still needs your guidance as his elder brother."

"I see no need for that." Chen Yanqing’s lips curved slightly, his eyes so tranquil it was as if nothing had happened. Slowly, he removed the ring from his finger and placed it on the table.

"If Father believes Fifth Brother is capable, then let him have it."

Everyone knew what that ring signified. For Chen Yanqing to discard it so easily—who wouldn’t be shocked? Master Chen’s face twisted with fury. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Just as Father wishes."

Chen Yanqing said flatly, brushed off his robes, and stood up to leave.

"Stop right there!" Master Chen slammed the table and roared. The servants around them froze, not daring to breathe.

For the young master to defy him openly—no one could fathom Master Chen’s rage.

Chen Yanqing walked steadily, his gaze fixed ahead, showing no intention of stopping.

Shu Yan gasped and hissed, "Young Master!"

As Chen Yanqing's figure was about to disappear into the night, Shu Yan had no choice but to steel himself and chase after him. Behind them, Master Chen's enraged voice thundered.

"Disgraceful! A disrespectful brat!"

Shu Yan’s hair stood on end, but he kept running. Catching up to Chen Yanqing, he asked anxiously, "Does the Young Master really mean to give the Chamber of Commerce to Fifth Young Master?"

Wu Shi wasn’t Master Chen’s first wife or Chen Yanqing’s real mother. She only became mistress after the first wife died.

These two signet rings weren’t just symbols of power over the Chamber of Commerce but also the last mementos left by the late lady to her two sons.

Chen Yanqing had another full-blooded younger brother, Fourth Young Master, who had been lost in childhood and remained missing for years.

This time, Master Chen had given the signet ring to Fifth Young Master. Not only had it provoked Chen Yanqing, but even Shu Yan found it hard to suppress his indignation.

Chen Yanqing’s icy gaze darkened. "If I'm willing to give it, let's see if he has the ability to take it."

*

Yin Rou tossed and turned all night, haunted by nightmares. When dawn finally broke, she felt utterly exhausted. The exhaustion on her face made Yu He gasp, who came to help her rise.

"Miss, you’re so pale—what’s wrong?"

Yin Rou instinctively clenched her fingers. The moment she had fallen asleep the night before, her dreams had been filled with Fifth Young Master's relentless pursuit. No matter how hard she ran, he kept closing in. His gaze was like a snake’s, watching her from the dark, luring her in with a hypnotic whisper: "I can save you."

Yin Rou snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. "I just didn't sleep well."

Yu He frowned and felt her forehead to check for fever and only relaxed when she confirmed there was none.

After helping Yin Rou wash and applying medicine to her wounds, Yu He sat with her as she had breakfast. Then Quan Zhong arrived.

"Young Lady, you're awake," Quan Zhong said with a smile.

Yin Rou set down her soup bowl. "Steward Quan, what brings you here?"

"Master Chen sent me. He wants to see you now."

After yesterday’s chaos, Yin Rou was exhausted. She couldn’t bear to face Master Chen and pleaded softly, "Could Steward Quan allow me to come a little later?"

"Indeed, she barely slept last night and woke up dizzy. She may not be in the best condition to attend to Master Chen," Yu He chimed in.

Quan Zhong hesitated, uneasy. "Master Chen’s in a rage and demanded to see you. I dare not disobey."

Yin Rou clenched her fists, panic flashing in her eyes. Her first thought was—had Master Chen found out about her run-in with Fifth Young Master yesterday?

Though Fifth Young Master had hidden before Sixth Concubine appeared, she wasn’t sure if Sixth Concubine had noticed. What if she’d seen and ratted her out?

Yin Rou went pale, too scared to breathe.

"Then get ready, Young Lady," Quan Zhong pressed.