ATMIWPT Chapter 2 So Skilled at Deception

It wasn’t long before Fu Hanzhou emerged from the water, holding Qin Muyao tightly in his arms, as though afraid she might vanish into thin air.  

“Look, it’s His Highness, the Crown Prince!”  

“Thank goodness, His Highness is safe…”  

“Wait, the woman in his arms… who is she?”  

The guards and attendants collectively let out a sigh of relief. If anything had happened to the Crown Prince, their heads would’ve been on the chopping block.  

Fu Hanzhou carried Qin Muyao into a nearby wooden hut, his demeanor cold and unyielding as he forbade anyone from coming near.  

Moments later, Eunuch Li summoned a few maids to enter the room and help Qin Muyao change into dry clothes.  

Fu Hanzhou stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his sharp gaze fixed on a painting that rested on a nearby table. He murmured to himself, “A mermaid? Qin Muyao?”  

The scroll before him revealed an image of a woman who looked exactly like the one he had just rescued. However, there was one significant detail—it wasn’t just any painting; it was a wanted poster.  

The woman depicted in the scroll was none other than Qin Muyao, the missing eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyi.  

Fu Hanzhou’s fingers absentmindedly traced the jade pendant in his hand, his eyes narrowing as a clever plan began to form in his mind.  

…  

At the Crown Prince’s Residence. 

Qin Muyao was nestled comfortably on a soft, plush bed, sleeping soundly. But the faint sound of whispers nearby disrupted her peace.  

“Yaoyao… Yaoyao…”  

The soft, wheezing voice of Xiao Ba the turtle grew more insistent as it called her name. It flapped its little fins and lightly smacked her face in an attempt to wake her.  

“Stop it, Xiao Ba! Don’t bother me!” Qin Muyao grumbled, annoyed.  

Despite her reluctance, the persistent little turtle eventually succeeded in rousing her from her slumber.  

Xiao Ba looked up at her pitifully, panting as it whined, “Yaoyao, it’s so hot here… This poor turtle is drying out!”  

In truth, Xiao Ba wasn’t as weak as it claimed. However, the toll of helping Qin Muyao escape had drained much of its energy, leaving it unable to stay out of the water for long.  

Qin Muyao immediately snapped to attention. She scrambled out of bed and scanned the room. Spotting a large fish tank nearby, she grabbed Xiao Ba and tossed it straight into it without a second thought.

Xiao Ba grumbled from the fish tank, its voice laced with indignation. “Qin Muyao, could you not be a little gentler?”  

Qin Muyao stretched lazily, covering a yawn with her hand. “Nope, I can’t! Xiao Ba, where are we anyway?”  

Xiao Ba paddled around the fish tank, taking its time to recover. After a moment, it finally answered, “This is the Crown Prince’s residence.”  

Qin Muyao raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. But when her gaze fell on her legs, her expression transformed into one of pure joy. “Oh my goodness! My legs are back! I’m human again! This is incredible!”  

Just as she was about to ask how her fish tail had turned back into long, slender legs, an urgent voice interrupted her thoughts.  

A noble lady burst into the room, her face a mix of panic and relief. She rushed to Qin Muyao’s side, grasping her hand tightly before pulling her into an emotional embrace. Tears streamed down her face as she cried softly, “Muyao, my precious child! Mother has finally found you!”  

Qin Muyao: ?????

The hug was so tight that she felt as though her breath was being squeezed out of her. Struggling, she finally managed to say, “Um, excuse me, could you calm down a little…”  

Madam Qin, Wen Shuyun, loosened her grip just enough to look into Qin Muyao’s face. Taking her hand again, she spoke with resolve, “Yaoyao, let’s go. We’ll talk at home.”  

Qin Muyao pulled herself free from Madam Qin’s grasp, looking rather puzzled as she said, “Madam, have you mistaken me for someone else? I’m not your daughter. I’m a mer— an orphan with no father or mother…”  

Oops, she almost let it slip…  

Madam Qin’s body stiffened slightly, her face filled with disbelief as she asked in return, “Yaoyao, what’s wrong with you? How can you not remember your mother? Wuwuwu…”  

Qin Muyao was at a complete loss, utterly overwhelmed by the noble lady’s raw emotion. It was clear the woman truly believed she was her daughter—but how could that be?  

Just as Qin Muyao was about to speak, a deep, commanding voice rang out from in front of her.  

“Aunt Yun, please don’t worry. Yaoyao has lost her memory, which is why she doesn’t recognize you.”  

Qin Muyao’s heart skipped a beat as a familiar sandalwood scent drifted to her nose. Looking up, her gaze locked onto Fu Hanzhou’s cold, piercing eyes.  

Wait—what did he mean she had lost her memory?

And since when was forced amnesia even a thing?!  

With just a few words, Fu Hanzhou managed to calm Wen Shuyun’s emotional turmoil, convincing her that Qin Muyao’s supposed amnesia was real.

Madam Qin cast one last, lingering look at Qin Muyao, her face filled with reluctance. “Yaoyao, stay here and recover under His Highness’ care. Once I’ve dealt with matters at the residence, I’ll come to take you home,” she said gently.  

After repeating her instructions a few more times, Madam Qin finally left.  

Qin Muyao blinked her bright, dewy apricot eyes and teased, “I never expected His Highness the Crown Prince to be so skilled at deception. I’m truly ashamed of my own inferiority!”  

Fu Hanzhou adjusted his posture lazily, stretching out his long legs and resting his chin on one hand, a picture of casual elegance. “What’s your name?” he asked without looking at her directly.  

“Qin Muyao,” she answered, raising her chin slightly in defiance.  

A trace of satisfaction flickered across Fu Hanzhou’s eyes. He leaned back slightly, his tone measured. “How coincidental.”  

Qin Muyao: ????

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Was this scoundrel plotting something shady?

What did he mean by “coincidence”?

In that instant, Qin Muyao’s mind conjured up an entire stand-in romance scenario.

A glint of greed flashed in her eyes as she asked, “You’re not planning to use me as someone else’s stand-in, are you? Being a stand-in? Sure. Just wait while I draft up a pricing chart. First things first—performance only, no physical transactions. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Oh, how thrilling! She’d always been enthralled by old-school romance novels about stand-ins, and now she had the chance to live it herself—while making money! How could she lose?  

Fu Hanzhou: “…”  

Was the mermaid clan’s brain truly constructed differently from a human’s? What else could explain this absurd train of thought?  

Fu Hanzhou lowered his gaze, concealing the depth in his eyes, and walked toward Qin Muyao at an unhurried pace. His lips parted slightly as he said, “Qin Muyao, I need you to do me a favor—pretend to be the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyi’s residence, ‘Qin Muyao.’ 

You share her appearance, even down to the identical scars on your body. 

If I hadn’t personally fished you out of the water, I might’ve believed you were her.

I want you to assume her identity, infiltrate the Marquis of Zhongyi’s residence, and uncover the truth behind her disappearance.”

For a moment, Qin Muyao felt a pang of disappointment. So it wasn’t a clichéd stand-in romance after all. Still, she didn’t agree immediately. Instead, she crossed her arms and shot him a shrewd look. “And why, pray tell, should I help you?”

Fu Hanzhou tilted his chin ever so slightly, his dark eyes narrowing as he spoke with quiet authority. “Because I saved you. Because I pulled you out of the water. Because your entire being—down to the last scale—is now mine.”  

Qin Muyao’s expression remained blank as she responded flatly, “…I refuse.”  

Fu Hanzhou lifted her chin, speaking unhurriedly, “I’m informing you of what will happen, not seeking your consent.”  

A chill flashed through Qin Muyao’s eyes. Without hesitation, she grabbed the dagger resting nearby and pressed its blade against his throat in one fluid motion. Her voice mirrored his calm resolve, “Your Highness, I already said I refuse. I’m rejecting you, not waiting for your notice.”  

Tch, did he really think she was that easy to bully?

Ding-ling-ling~  

The sound struck Qin Muyao like a hammer to her skull. Pain exploded in her head, and she stumbled backward, clutching at her temples. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she sank to the ground.  

“It… hurts…” she gasped, her voice trembling as she doubled over in agony.  

Fu Hanzhou’s tone and expression were laced with amusement, carrying a hint of danger as he coaxed and pressured her at the same time. “Qin Muyao, if you help me, I’ll lift the curse that binds you.  

Think about it—this isn’t such a bad deal, is it? You won’t be at a loss.”  

In truth, Fu Hanzhou had considered using one of his shadow guards to impersonate the missing daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyi. But no matter how skilled they were, their facade would crumble under the scrutiny of an expert.  

Just as he was at his wit’s end and about to visit Pingyang County for a change of pace, he unexpectedly made a surprising discovery.

——