Chapter 095: Beauty Delivered to His Doorstep

“Elder Sister, we are only women. How could we possibly save them?” Dong Wan'er did not believe for a moment that they could change anything by their own strength.

Fu Shou said with unwavering resolve, “Yes, by ourselves we can accomplish nothing at all. But if Cao Peng is willing to help us, then it can be done.”

In this age, women were nothing more than attachments to men. Beautiful women, without a formidable man to protect them, could only become merchandise, their fate beyond their own control.

Yet that very fact also gave them value. Fu Shou had already understood this, which was why she was willing to return and try.

Dong Wan'er was the same. Since Fu Shou was willing to go back, so was she.

Thus, the two of them returned once more to Cao Peng’s residence, which made him somewhat puzzled.

He had thought the woman he had let go was gone for good, and the thought had even made his heart ache a little. But now it seemed that fate was impossible to predict.

“I told you to leave. Why have you come back?”

Though Cao Peng had many doubts, he acted as if he did not care in the least.

He merely lifted his eyes to glance at Fu Shou and Dong Wan'er before lowering his head again to read the proposal for the Brocade Guard system drafted by Chen Qun.

Fu Shou bit her red lip lightly and said in a pitiable voice, “This commoner is grateful for the general’s kindness and should not ask for anything more. But seeing that our clansmen are all being dragged into this, I cannot bear it. So I came to beg the general to spare the innocent members of the Fu and Dong clans.”

Cao Peng sneered inwardly.

This woman was quite bold, to dare come here and ask for such a thing.

One must know that by now, because of the cases involving Dong Cheng and Fu Wan, heads had already fallen like rain.

Even the so-called upright scholars in court, led by Kong Hai of the north, were no longer as outspoken as before; they had obediently sealed their mouths shut, all because they feared being implicated.

And yet this woman had actually dared to come of her own accord.

Still, she was clever enough to know that asking him at least gave her a sliver of hope.

Cao Peng arched a brow and said, “Heh. When an avalanche begins, no snowflake is innocent. The clansmen of the Fu and Dong families have long enjoyed Dong Cheng and Fu Wan’s protection. Naturally, they must now bear the bitter consequences together with them. That is perfectly reasonable.”

“Besides, why should I help you? Do you not know that Fu Wan and Dong Cheng were always opposing me before? If the one who had failed this time were me, do you think they would have spared me?”

Fu Shou was a clever woman, and she understood every word Cao Peng said. Thus, after only a few sentences, she was left speechless.

As for Dong Wan'er, she was nothing but an innocent little fool.

Listening to Cao Peng, tears were already gathering in her eyes.

Her fair little hands clutched at her skirt, looking utterly at a loss.

Cao Peng saw that he had pressed them enough, and changed his tone.

“However, since you have come to me, let me ask you this: if I help you save some of your clansmen, what will I gain in return?”

With that, Cao Peng stared straight at the two women, until their faces grew redder and redder under his gaze.

Fu Shou’s voice trembled as she said, “So long as the general is willing to help us, we can do anything for you!”

Dong Wan'er, teary-eyed at her side, also pleaded, “Please, general, have mercy on us!”

But Cao Peng remained unmoved by their pitiful appearance.

By now, the dark and domineering side of him had grown stronger and stronger. How could he soften simply because two reasonably attractive women begged him a little and acted coy?

So he looked at them with great interest and said, “I do not understand what you mean. Anything? What exactly counts as anything?”

If Cao Cao were here, he would surely curse Cao Peng for his shamelessness. This was nothing less than taking advantage of others in their hour of distress.

Fu Shou seemed to understand. She rose to her feet.

In the bloom of womanhood, she was tall and graceful, with an air of detached elegance.

She extended her hand and slowly loosened the outer robe from her body, revealing the snow-white dress beneath.

Then, gritting her teeth, she undid the fastenings of her skirt as well. Her undergarments and a large expanse of pale skin were exposed before Cao Peng’s eyes.

Looking at her again, her delicate face was already covered in a flush of crimson, making her all the more lovely.

Cao Peng would not lose composure over such a thing.

He only smiled faintly, saying nothing, his gaze calm as still water.

Since crossing into this world, he had already seen true peerless beauty. Such a sight was not enough to bring him down.

Still, he was curious to see how far Fu Shou would go, whether she would truly offer herself to him.

More than anything, though, he felt amusement and a perverse delight in toying with them.

So he stood up.

The beauty bit her lip hard. Seeing Cao Peng come toward her, she could not help but retreat a step.

But Cao Peng merely turned to Dong Wan'er with a faint smile.

“And you? Have you also come to the same understanding as your elder sister?”

At that, Dong Wan'er’s pearly teeth gently worried her red lip, her shy expression that of a half-ripe apple.

Cao Peng narrowed his eyes slightly and stepped forward.

Dong Wan'er instinctively wanted to back away, but she did not dare.

Afraid to meet his gaze, she could only close her watery eyes and let Cao Peng hook a finger under her pointed chin.

Forced to lift her face, her pretty features took on a look of grim resolve, as if she were prepared to die.

So close beside her, Cao Peng could even hear her heart pounding wildly.

Fu Shou could not bear it. She moved in front of Dong Wan'er.

As if she had made up her mind, she took Cao Peng’s hands in hers.

Looking at Fu Shou before him, with every delicate curve fully revealed, Cao Peng could feel her sincerity.

These two women had dared to come here today, and that alone showed it.

They were prepared to accept anything Cao Peng might do to them.

But Cao Peng was not going to grant them their wish so easily.

He gave a cold laugh.

“You do not think that merely having faces like this is enough to make me help you, do you?”

“I have already seen women of your sort by the countless.”

Cao Peng sat back down in his chair and looked at the two of them with a smile that was not quite a smile.

The atmosphere from moments ago vanished without a trace.

It was as though he had dumped a bucket of ice water over them.

The two women were thrown into panic.

“Your prized beauty means nothing to me. Go back the way you came!”

Fu Shou panicked and hurriedly fell to her knees, sobbing as she pleaded once more, “No, please, General, give us a chance. We are willing to serve you like oxen and horses…”

Seeing Fu Shou kneeling before him, Cao Peng felt a strange sense of conquest.

This was the empress, after all...

“Heh. If you want to please me, you are still far from it. But if you are willing to learn obediently, I can still take you in.”

Since Cao Peng had said as much, Fu Shou understood that there was at last some hope.

Seizing the opportunity, she said, “We two are willing to serve the general without complaint or regret. Should we break this oath, may heaven strike us with thunder!”

Cao Peng nodded in satisfaction.

“Good. Since you are already here, tidy your clothes at once and follow my men outside the city to wait.”