Chapter 114: A World Full of Temptation (Second Update)

After all, in Zhuge Jun’s eyes, Fang Xu was one of the few brothers he truly had. Naturally, he did not want to see anything happen to him; as he had said before, "I don't have many friends, but you are one of them." There were truly few people whom Zhuge Jun considered a friend, let alone a brother. Thus, Zhuge Jun did not want to lose such a brother, but on the other hand, he also did not want to see Shangguan Lian get hurt.

However, the likelihood of Shangguan Lian being harmed was very low. Why would Zhuge Jun say that? Naturally, it was because if the old patriarch of the Shangguan family and Shangguan Lian’s elder brothers found out, Shangguan Lian would likely merely be confined to her quarters. Fang Xu, however, would face much greater trouble. After all, if they could not lay a hand on their own little princess, could they not strike at the poor, vulnerable "cabbage" that was Fang Xu? Even though Fang Xu was one of the Nine Ministers—the highest official beneath the Chancellor—what use would that be? If the Shangguan family truly intended to exhaust all their resources to deal with someone, let alone one of the Nine Ministers, even if Fang Xu were the Emperor himself, he would have to think twice.

The background and influence of the Shangguan family, though ranked last among the four great landed aristocratic clans, possessed a military capability that could never be underestimated. This was precisely why, during the wars of the Eight Kingdoms, only Qin Suwen was able to emerge victorious. It was because Qin Suwen had secured two powerful allies: the Zhuge family and the Shangguan family, which allowed him to pacify the realm. Since ancient times, the South had been a fertile land, even dubbed the "Land of Ten Thousand Gold." Whoever occupied the South held the economic lifeline of the nation. The Zhuge family happened to control this, meaning that if one intended to stockpile grain for contingencies, they had to obtain the Zhuge family’s approval. Even the monarchs of the Eight Kingdoms dared not provoke the slightest dissatisfaction from the Zhuge family. By supporting Qin Suwen, the Zhuge family ensured he had no worries regarding military pay or provisions.

Relying solely on the Zhuge family would have been impossible, for at the time, the State of Qin was the weakest of the eight. It had not even attracted the attention of other nations, as the Qin military was understaffed and lacked copper and iron, leaving the soldiers to use weapons scavenged from the battlefield or leftovers from long ago. How could such scrap metal pose a threat to other nations? To the eyes of others, Qin was a spent force, a crossbow at the end of its flight, possessing no potential for danger. Yet, no one expected that this "spent force" would manage to win the support of the Shangguan family. The Shangguan family provided powerful backing in terms of military strength. With the support of both the Zhuge and Shangguan families, Qin Suwen was able to unify the world. This demonstrated the terrifying depth of the Shangguan family’s foundation; after all, without the absolute power to guard one’s wealth, one would merely become a fat sheep in the eyes of others. This was why the Zhuge family chose to align with the Shangguan family—they, too, needed an external protective umbrella.

With such a vast and formidable entity, if they truly intended to act against Fang Xu, he might be left with no power to resist at all. Although Zhuge Jun stood on Fang Xu’s side, even if the Zhuge family intervened, the Shangguan family might not necessarily grant them the courtesy. This was the source of Zhuge Jun’s worry, and he desperately hoped that both Fang Xu and Shangguan Lian would realize these stakes.

Unfortunately, the atmosphere between Shangguan Lian and Fang Xu was growing increasingly strange. Shangguan Lian could not help but tug at her collar, her flushed, ruby lips parting slightly. "Do you not feel that it is a bit hot now?" She leaned closer to Fang Xu, the faint warmth of her breath brushing against his neck.

This sent a slight tickle down Fang Xu’s spine. Just as he was about to say something, he saw the deep crimson flush on Shangguan Lian’s cheeks. He was momentarily at a loss, but he instinctively swallowed hard. The convictions he had held in his heart seemed to be crumbling in silence. Even he began to feel the heat, as if triggered by her words. As Shangguan Lian fanned herself, Fang Xu’s peripheral vision caught sight of her pale pink undergarments.

This visual impact nearly made him faint. He recited the Great Compassion Mantra and the Tathagata Heart Sutra in his mind, praying that he would not do anything he would regret. He remained slightly sober, understanding that he must not make a mistake now, or there would truly be no turning back.

Though Fang Xu felt this way, Shangguan Lian, pressed firmly against his side, felt none of it. She continued to challenge his bottom line, leaving him in a state of turmoil. He realized with a shock that even the Tathagata Heart Sutra was no longer working. He dug his fingernails into his own thighs, trying to force himself to calm down. It was not that he was a saintly gentleman who could remain unmoved, nor was it that he was incapable in certain respects; it was simply that he understood what this would cost. If he acted recklessly, his plans to reorganize the South would be dead on arrival, and that was not something he wanted to see.

Fang Xu finally grasped the true meaning of the saying that the world is full of temptation. Shangguan Lian seemed to have eaten something strange, constantly luring him into error, which left him in a state of agony. Shangguan Lian, looking as radiant as a peach blossom, naturally noticed him digging his nails into his thighs and felt a pang of heartache. She quickly grabbed his hand, her soft fingers trying to soothe him.

Yet, there was no soothing sensation in this; to Fang Xu, it only felt like she was coaxing him to commit a sin. "Does it still hurt?" she asked, looking at him with eyes as alluring as silk. Fang Xu felt his blood boil. Regardless of anything else, he was a man! How could he possibly resist such stimulation? At that thought, he decided that it was not he who was wrong, but this world full of temptation! He was innocent, and he had no choice but to surrender.