Drei Mandarinenten und eineinhalb

Kapitel 28

"What's all the noise about? This isn't a place where a country bumpkin like you can run wild."

The child beside Leng Jie smiled slightly. He glanced at Leng Jie, who was being yelled at, then crossed his arms, adopting a look of anticipation.

Leng Jie was furious. It seemed there were always people who looked down on others, no matter where they were! They were both staying at the same inn, just dressed differently, yet the treatment was worlds apart! If it were before, she might have given them a piece of her mind and left. But today, she was in a bad mood. Now that they had come to her with a punching bag, she might as well take advantage of it. A bright smile appeared on her ordinary face. She innocently asked:

"You're the shopkeeper? This shop doesn't serve country girls?"

The fat shopkeeper, his eyes practically nonexistent, snobbishly scanned Leng Jie and the dirty child beside her, scrutinizing them from head to toe before finally fixing his gaze on the tall, chestnut horse. He suddenly froze, a flicker of surprise and fear appearing in the narrow slits of his eyes. Then, his face broke into a fawning smile, and he bowed and scraped, saying:

"Please don't be so kind, young lady. I was blind and didn't recognize you as a member of the Green Robe Sect. Please forgive me!"

The air around them seemed to freeze at those words. The onlookers who had come to watch the spectacle scattered in all directions. The martial arts practitioners who had been eating in the hall turned their sharp gazes toward Leng Jie outside the door.

Leng Jie had been observing the innkeeper's expression. When his gaze settled on the horse, she knew she had been careless. She had actually brought the stolen goods into the capital. Indeed, the atmosphere was very strange. It seemed that the Green Robe Sect was quite powerful. Looking at the sharp, piercing gazes shooting from inside the inn, she knew the Green Robe Sect was their enemy. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Leng Jie feigned ignorance and asked:

"Innkeeper, what are you talking about, the Green Robe Sect? My brother and I have just arrived in the capital and need a place to stay. How much is a room in your superior room for one night? Also, we found this horse outside the city, and it looks hungry. Do you have any fodder here?"

"If you're not from the Green Robe Sect, what are you doing leading their horses? You made him worry for ages. And she actually dared to pick up a Green Robe Sect horse? She's got a death wish!" The fat shopkeeper's face suddenly turned contemptuous and angry, and he said even more harshly than before:

"Go, go, go! This place is not for a lowly commoner like you. With your looks, I bet you'd be better off sleeping in a woodshed than staying at an inn, or even in a brothel in the free zone."

The waiter, with his pointed face and monkey-like features, quickly joined in the effort to drive away customers, threatening them:

"Hurry up, hurry up, or we'll take you to see the authorities."

Seeing their ever-changing expressions, Leng Jie really wanted to kick them away. But she didn't. Instead, she turned around, took the bundle off the horse, and slapped the horse's rump hard. Startled, the horse galloped away and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye.

The reason he called for the waiter earlier was because it was inconvenient to have the horse with him at the inn, and he wanted the waiter to help him tie it up. He never expected to encounter two such idiotic snobs. Now that they know the horse bears the mark of the Green Robe Sect, they naturally can't keep it.

Leng Jie, pulling the child by the wrist, ignored the astonished stares of the innkeeper, the boy, and the many diners, and swaggered into the inn. She slammed a gleaming wad of gold heavily onto the counter. Turning to the still-stunned, overweight innkeeper, she asked:

"Is it safe to live in?"

A greedy glint immediately appeared in the fat shopkeeper's tiny, almost invisible eyes. He then darted to the counter like a gust of wind, grabbed the gold, and popped it into his mouth, biting it to test its authenticity. Then, nodding and laughing like a hen pecking at food, he said:

"Oh, yes, yes, you can stay as long as you like, Miss!"

A four-legged horse is much faster than a two-legged person. Leng Jie only traveled thirty li in the morning, while the horse carried the two of them for over a hundred li in an afternoon. As the moon quietly peeked out and the stars playfully winked, the two of them finally arrived in the capital.

The somber atmosphere of national mourning seemed to linger, with white paper lanterns flickering everywhere in the streets. A deep, heavy atmosphere permeated the entire city. Leng Jie once again regretted her decision. If she had known that Xuanyuan was going to stage a national mourning to avoid the selection of concubines, she would never have blown herself up. Now, not only was she starving, but she also had to endure this oppressive atmosphere.

"I'm hungry!" The little guy spoke up for the first time since he got on the horse.

A smile flickered across Leng Jie's face as she looked down at the little one in her arms. She said softly:

"Tell your sister your name and where you live first, then your sister will take you to get something to eat."

The little guy turned his head away and bit his lip, remaining silent.

Leng Jie was utterly helpless. For most of the day, the little one had kept his mouth shut, refusing to utter a sound no matter what she asked. It seemed he was determined to cling to her. There was nothing she could do; she was too hungry to walk. She decided to find an inn to stay in first.

At the entrance of Rongsheng Inn, the largest inn in the capital, white paper lanterns were also lit. However, the bustling crowds and numerous guests had significantly reduced the gloom. This was it! Leng Jie reined in her horse and stopped. She dismounted and then carried the child down.

"Waiter, waiter!" Leng Jie stood at the inn's entrance, leading her horse, and called out twice, but no one paid her any attention. Leng Jie raised her voice and shouted:

"Shopkeeper, come out here!"

Immediately, not only did the shopkeeper come out, but he also attracted quite a few curious glances. The fat, chubby shopkeeper, swaying his fleshy frame, walked to the door with a look of disgust and roared in a nasty voice:

"What's all the noise about? This isn't a place where a country bumpkin like you can run wild."

The child beside Leng Jie smiled slightly. He glanced at Leng Jie, who was being yelled at, then crossed his arms, adopting a look of anticipation.

Leng Jie was furious. It seemed there were always people who looked down on others, no matter where they were! They were both staying at the same inn, just dressed differently, yet the treatment was worlds apart! If it were before, she might have given them a piece of her mind and left. But today, she was in a bad mood. Now that they had come to her with a punching bag, she might as well take advantage of it. A bright smile appeared on her ordinary face. She innocently asked:

"You're the shopkeeper? This shop doesn't serve country girls?"

The fat shopkeeper, his eyes practically nonexistent, snobbishly scanned Leng Jie and the dirty child beside her, scrutinizing them from head to toe before finally fixing his gaze on the tall, chestnut horse. He suddenly froze, a flicker of surprise and fear appearing in the narrow slits of his eyes. Then, his face broke into a fawning smile, and he bowed and scraped, saying:

"Please don't be so kind, young lady. I was blind and didn't recognize you as a member of the Green Robe Sect. Please forgive me!"

The air around them seemed to freeze at those words. The onlookers who had come to watch the spectacle scattered in all directions. The martial arts practitioners who had been eating in the hall turned their sharp gazes toward Leng Jie outside the door.

Leng Jie had been observing the innkeeper's expression. When his gaze settled on the horse, she knew she had been careless. She had actually brought the stolen goods into the capital. Indeed, the atmosphere was very strange. It seemed that the Green Robe Sect was quite powerful. Looking at the sharp, piercing gazes shooting from inside the inn, she knew the Green Robe Sect was their enemy. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Leng Jie feigned ignorance and asked:

"Innkeeper, what are you talking about, the Green Robe Sect? My brother and I have just arrived in the capital and need a place to stay. How much is a room in your superior room for one night? Also, we found this horse outside the city, and it looks hungry. Do you have any fodder here?"

"If you're not from the Green Robe Sect, what are you doing leading their horses? You made him worry for ages. And she actually dared to pick up a Green Robe Sect horse? She's got a death wish!" The fat shopkeeper's face suddenly turned contemptuous and angry, and he said even more harshly than before:

"Go, go, go! This place is not for a lowly commoner like you. With your looks, I bet you'd be better off sleeping in a woodshed than staying at an inn, or even in a brothel in the free zone."

The waiter, with his pointed face and monkey-like features, quickly joined in the effort to drive away customers, threatening them:

"Hurry up, hurry up, or we'll take you to see the authorities."

Seeing their ever-changing expressions, Leng Jie really wanted to kick them away. But she didn't. Instead, she turned around, took the bundle off the horse, and slapped the horse's rump hard. Startled, the horse galloped away and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye.

The reason he called for the waiter earlier was because it was inconvenient to have the horse with him at the inn, and he wanted the waiter to help him tie it up. He never expected to encounter two such idiotic snobs. Now that they know the horse bears the mark of the Green Robe Sect, they naturally can't keep it.

Leng Jie, pulling the child by the wrist, ignored the astonished stares of the innkeeper, the boy, and the many diners, and swaggered into the inn. She slammed a gleaming wad of gold heavily onto the counter. Turning to the still-stunned, overweight innkeeper, she asked:

"Is it safe to live in?"

A greedy glint immediately appeared in the fat shopkeeper's tiny, almost invisible eyes. He then darted to the counter like a gust of wind, grabbed the gold, and popped it into his mouth, biting it to test its authenticity. Then, nodding and laughing like a hen pecking at food, he said:

"Oh, yes, yes, you can stay as long as you like, Miss!"

The power of money should not be underestimated! It seems that for some people, it is more important than life itself.

"Two superior rooms, two buckets of hot water. And buy my younger brother two sets of clothes that fit him well," the aloof scholar Qingfeng ordered. It seems that being a person in ancient times, especially in the ancient capital, is really not suitable for being too low-key.

So, once again, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Leng Jie was personally led to the upper room by the innkeeper. This once again left everyone wondering, "Where did this country bumpkin come from? How can she be so rich?"

The software for this supposedly best inn in the capital is truly shameful, but the facilities are quite good. The rooms are spacious and well-ventilated, and the bedding is comfortable and clean.

"You can sleep here." Leng Jie left the little one in the first room with satisfaction. Then she turned and went to the identical room next door. But as soon as she entered, the little guy darted in front of her. Leng Jie asked in surprise:

"You want to sleep here?" Before the child could answer, Leng Jie turned around and prepared to go to another room. It was the same room anyway; there was no need to argue with a child.

But as soon as she entered the room, that guy followed her again. Leng Jie tossed her bundle onto the bed and asked helplessly:

"What exactly do you want? Just say something, okay? I don't have the patience to play hide-and-seek with you."

"I want to fuck you while you sleep," the little guy replied, looking down. A blush unconsciously crept across his face, but it was hidden by the dirty dirt and Leng Jie didn't notice.

“No, you said you didn’t need anyone to take care of you,” Leng Jie refused immediately. It wasn’t that she was heartless, but she really didn’t like sleeping with someone.

The little one lowered his head even further and murmured softly:

I'm scared.

Leng Jie paused for a moment. Perhaps the child had acted too bravely, or perhaps she truly couldn't see any fear in him. In any case, she had unconsciously forgotten that he was just a child. The maternal feelings of sympathy and pity she had felt for him seemed to have vanished completely the moment she witnessed him severing the tendons in the hands and feet of the two men in black.

Hearing him say he was scared made me realize that he was, after all, just a six-year-old child. Even if he were a genius, his young heart still needed the care and protection of adults. Leng Jie sighed inwardly, realizing how soft-hearted she was.

"Alright! Let's sleep together then! But you stay here and wait for the waiter to bring hot water for a bath. I don't want to sleep with that dirty kid."

A hint of surprise flashed in the child's eyes, and he nodded vigorously in agreement.

Leng Jie shook her head, picked up her bundle, and walked to the next room.

From the shopkeeper's actions, Leng Jie had learned what kind of identity was needed to survive in the capital. Now was the time to be high-profile, not low-profile. That transaction with the gold had already demonstrated her extraordinary nature and attracted considerable attention. Therefore, she would use this as a pretext to expand her influence in the capital.

After washing and dressing, she changed into the magnificent dress she had brought from the palace. She then applied a light touch of makeup to her youthful face. Instantly, she transformed into a noble, refined, and captivating young lady. It's said that everyone has a love of beauty, and Leng Jie was no exception. Leng Jie looked at her reflection in the mirror with satisfaction. This was the first time she had dressed herself up as a beautiful woman since arriving here. Always feigning madness and foolishness, she had almost come to believe she was an ugly monster.

Leng Jie decided to immediately launch a heavy attack on those guys who had just laughed at her. She opened the door to the little guy's room and knocked.

"Little one, are you all better now?"

There was no response. Just as Leng Jie was about to knock again, the door suddenly opened from the inside. Leng Jie's hand, which had been knocking, froze in mid-air, her jaw dropping as she stared in disbelief at the child dressed in luxurious silk robes. The child had a fair, rosy face, exquisitely sculpted features, and thick, dark red lips. Good heavens, was this the same dirty, pitiful child from before?

The child inside the door was equally astonished! Was this woman, so beautiful she seemed otherworldly, so indescribable, really the same vulgar and ordinary village girl from before? Although he had known from the beginning that she wasn't an ordinary village girl, he still couldn't accept this transformation.

And so, the two beauties, one tall and one short, stood facing each other with their large eyes meeting.

"Hmm, this outfit is a good choice. The waiters here have the best taste." Leng Jie was the first to come to her senses and praise the outfit.

The child glanced at Leng Jie and retorted, "Yours is very good too!"

"My name is Leng Jie, what's your name?" Leng Jie tried to communicate with the child in front of her who knew her armpits in the same way she would with an adult.

The child simply uttered two syllables, "Shi Yu," before pursing his lips and falling silent again.

Leng Jie's lips curled slightly, a hint of amusement unconsciously flashing in her eyes. So this really worked; she couldn't treat him like a child, she had to show him the same respect as an adult. With this understanding, Leng Jie withdrew her right hand, which had been extended to hold the child's hand. Suppressing a smile, she said seriously:

"Hello Jade, it's a pleasure to meet you. Let's go down for lunch!"

She turned and walked downstairs, a smile immediately spreading across her face. But she had only taken two steps when a rough little hand took her soft one. Leng Jie looked at Xiao Shiyu, who had taken her hand, with surprise, staring blankly into his bright, sparkling eyes for a moment. Then she understood. He was still just a child. Perhaps he had been raised too much like a grown man, which made him so "mature" and like to act like an adult at such a young age.

Leng Jie took his small hand in hers and led him down to the dining room. She didn't notice why such a delicate child's palms were so rough.

When they appeared at the top of the stairs, the people sitting facing the stairs froze, their gazes fixed on the stairwell. Those sitting with their backs to the stairs involuntarily turned to see what was going on. Then, the noisy scene downstairs abruptly ceased. Then, a series of "clink, thud!" sounds of dishes and chopsticks falling to the floor echoed from inside the hall.

"Heavens! Has the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden descended to earth?" Someone suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. Then, exclamations of praise rose and fell, ringing out incessantly.

"So beautiful!"

"Is that a fairy boy next to her? He's so cute!"

"A fairy has descended to earth!"

...

Leng Jie descended the stairs with a serene smile, her demeanor seemingly confirming everyone's suspicions. She was truly an ethereal fairy, untouched by worldly concerns. She casually glanced at the people watching them with various expressions: some genuine admiration, some lustful, some fantasizing, some envious…

The little fairy boy beside her always had a stern and aloof expression, so cool that one would think he must be the little prince who ran away from the King of Hell's family in the underworld.

The fat shopkeeper was now so excited and nervous that he could hardly move. His greedy little eyes were fixed on the fairy descending the escalator, gleaming with lust. What moved him even more, almost to the point of kneeling in worship, was that the fairy actually walked straight towards him. His fat body trembled, and he stammered in his normally fluent shopkeeper's language:

"Welcome, welcome, fairy, fairy has arrived at our little shop..."

Leng Jie suppressed a laugh and interrupted the shopkeeper's stammering, saying sarcastically, "Is this high and mighty person talking to a country bumpkin like me? What, the country bumpkin and lowly person you just despised, you suddenly think of her as a celestial being? Your face-changing speed is truly impressive!"

These words caused an uproar in the entire hall!

Was she the unremarkable village girl from before? Was that fairy child the beggar-like kid from before? Everyone was stunned once again.

"That's right, they are the brother and sister from earlier. The clothes the young master is wearing are ones I just bought!"

"Waiter, bring me all the best dishes in your restaurant. Aren't you supposed to be the best and largest inn and restaurant in the entire capital? If you don't serve me a meal to my liking today, I'll ruin your reputation!" Leng Jie still smiled, speaking threateningly with ease.

The fat shopkeeper, still reeling from the shock, felt a chill creep down his spine, making them shiver involuntarily.

The waiter then hurried off to instruct the kitchen to prepare the food.

It was dinnertime, and all the dozens of tables in the hall were occupied. Leng Jie, pulling Xiao Shiyu along, walked towards a table by the window amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd. There sat a very special person there. Leng Jie had noticed him since their time at the Meijin Inn. Whether she was being ridiculed or praised, he always sat facing the window, leisurely sipping his wine and eating his snacks, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.

"May we sit here?" Leng Jie asked politely.