Qiu Lingling was delighted to hear him praise her, and her liking for him increased even more: "I know, your name is Hua Yunfeng."
Hua Yunfeng hadn't forgotten the important matter: "Why did you steal my token?"
Mentioning this, Qiu Lingling felt a little guilty: "It wasn't that I wanted it, it was that Master wanted to take your token back to play with for a few days." As she spoke, she picked up the token and handed it to him, trying to appease him: "Look, it's not broken."
"May I ask who your esteemed master is?"
"My master's name is Jin Yue."
Confirming his suspicions, Hua Yunfeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Since she was able to appear in Jin Garden back then, she must have had an unusual relationship with Jin Huanlai. It turned out that the two of them were disciples of the old sect leader.
The guardian token is no small matter. If there is no malice, then everything is fine. He also knows what he shouldn't ask, so he gently scolded, "If the old sect leader wants the token, he can just say so. Sister, you shouldn't have lied to me."
Qiu Lingling didn't notice the change in address: "I didn't lie to you."
Hua Yunfeng laughed: "Why pretend to be the cult leader?"
“I didn’t impersonate him, you just mistook me for him,” Qiu Lingling said, her hands behind her back, still unconvinced. “I’m returning your things, I’m going back now.”
Hua Yunfeng raised an eyebrow and leaned down at her: "Little sister, you've got me scolded by the sect leader, and you're just going to let it go like this?"
Qiu Lingling hesitated: "Don't be angry, I'll ask him not to scold you, okay?"
“Oh no, I’m angry,” Hua Yunfeng said, taking the little hand in an ambiguous tone. “But if you spend more time with me, my little sister, maybe things will be alright.”
“No, I can’t,” Qiu Lingling shook her head. “I have to go back to the valley now, otherwise Master will scold me. I’ll come and keep you company when I have time.”
"really?"
"real."
"Brother Hua, you need to leave something behind to put your mind at ease." Hua Yunfeng suppressed a laugh, raised his hand, and held out a pretty little coral earring.
Qiu Lingling touched her ears and found that she was indeed missing an earring. She had stolen it from the Ping An Escort Agency during her first mission and almost got caught, but luckily Jin Huanlai was there.
What do you need it for?
"Seeing this object reminds me of my sister. If my sister doesn't come, I will look at it every day and miss her, as if I can see her face."
Qiu Lingling nodded, tilted her head, and looked at him strangely. Just as Hua Yunfeng revealed his charming smile, she suddenly asked a question that almost made him vomit blood: "Why do you miss me?"
Even with his countless conquests of women, Hua Yunfeng found it hard to believe. How could there be such an unromantic girl? Deeply shocked, he gracefully suppressed his stiff smile, scrutinized her closely, and asked suspiciously, "How old are you?"
Qiu Lingling told the truth: "Sixteen years old."
She was indeed the figure of a sixteen-year-old, but how could a sixteen-year-old girl not understand matters of the heart? Hua Yunfeng patted the jade flute in his hand; the scent of this flower seemed quite unique.
"If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to me." He tossed the earring back to her.
"Okay, I'm off!" she said happily.
.
The most luxurious inn in the city, with bustling streets below, a constant stream of cars and pedestrians, shops on both sides open, countless vendors, wine flags and plaques reflecting each other, showcasing the prosperity and wealth of Jiangnan.
Two people were sitting by the window in the upstairs room.
One of them was an elderly man in his fifties, dressed in fine clothes, but he only sat at an angle, his expression respectful and cautious. At this moment, he hesitated: "Young master, do you really want to do this?"
“That’s right. I’ve already spoken to Master Lu, and he’s willing to help.” The one who answered was a young man in his twenties. He had clear eyebrows, a pair of peach blossom eyes that seemed to be smiling but not smiling, a slightly downturned nose, a face as handsome as jade, and a very beautiful appearance. His brocade robe had long sleeves that almost reached the ground.
"But the Cui family has always been on good terms with us. It would be better if they didn't help us now, but this is kicking us when we're down..."
The young master didn't care: "Since Old Master Cui passed away, Cui Youyuan has almost ruined the Cui family's tea business. It's only a matter of time before they decline. It would be best if the Yi family took over." At this point, he smiled again: "Since we have a relationship, the Yi family should help if they can. Temporary help is fine, but no one can help for a lifetime. Uncle Tie, don't you understand this?"
The old man hesitated: "What if he holds a grudge against us for not helping, and the Cui family's tea ends up in someone else's hands?"
The young master said decisively, "Give him 20% of the profits every year. Don't worry, in another month, Cui Youyuan will definitely not be able to hold on. At that time, we will make him hand over the Cui family's tea business. No one but us would offer such a condition, allowing him to profit for nothing. When he is driven to desperation, he will be grateful."
The old man nodded with relief: "In the past two years, our business has spread all over the world, except for the tea industry. Back when the Jiang family was around, our business was hard to establish itself in Jiangnan. Now that the Jiang family is in trouble, and these people are running their businesses in a mess, it would be good to take this opportunity to acquire some of them."
"I'll trouble Uncle Tie to go and make the preparations," the young master said with a smile as he picked up his tea and changed the subject. "My father mentioned the other day that you are not in good health. Two months ago, some century-old ginseng was sent from Changbai Mountain, and he specifically asked me to bring a few good ones to Uncle Tie."
The old man hurriedly stood up: "Thank you for your concern, sir. Young master, please convey my regards to him upon your return. How could I possibly accept such treatment again..."
The young master interrupted him with a smile: "Uncle Tie, please don't refuse such a small gift. I have a lot of business to attend to during my trip to Jiangnan. I won't be back for a year or two, and I will have to trouble you in the future." After saying that, he turned to the tall, thin servant by the door and instructed him: "Liu Bai, have two people deliver those ginseng roots to Uncle Tie's residence."
The servant named Liu Bai agreed and went to give the instructions.
When the old man saw him serving tea, he smiled and said a few more words before taking his leave.
Before long, Liu Bai returned: "The villa has been cleaned up. Would you like to move there, young master?"
The smile in Peach Blossom's eyes faded, and the young master thought for a moment: "Tell them to move over first. You prepare the carriage and horses, and come with me to the Lu residence."
.
Several horses were parked downstairs at the inn, along with a magnificent carriage with red wheels and a canopy. The carriage was pulled by two tall, snow-white steeds whose glossy coats shone in the sunlight, smooth as silk.
Although the Jiangnan region is a wealthy place with many wealthy families, it is extremely rare to see such a magnificent horse used to pull a carriage. This attracted the attention of passersby. After learning who the carriage belonged to, their surprise turned into understanding and envy. Many girls in the pavilion had already secretly opened their windows.
The saying "Jiang in the South, Yi in the North" has been circulating in the martial arts world for countless years. The Jiang family in the south and the Yi family in the north were both top-tier martial arts families and wealthy households. However, fate is unpredictable. A few years ago, the Jiang family was wiped out because of a "rare treasure," leaving only the useless Jiang Xiaohu. The Yi family, on the other hand, is different. Not only is it wealthy and powerful, but it is also said that when the founding emperor was conquering the country, Yi Nanshan, the ancestor of the Yi family, provided substantial financial assistance. Therefore, they have an inextricable relationship with the imperial court. Now, the eldest son of the Yi family has become a scholar and a minister in the court. Since the Jiang family's downfall, the Yi family has taken the opportunity to expand its business to the south of the Yangtze River, getting involved in many industries, and has become known as the richest family in the martial arts world.
However, these were all expected and nothing surprising. What truly caused a sensation was that a year ago, the Yi family produced a remarkable third young master, Yi Qinghan, who was exceptionally talented and gentle in character. He once defeated the top martial arts master in the imperial palace within a hundred moves. It is said that his palm technique was so exquisite that it was enough to rank him among the top three in the martial arts world.
The owner of this carriage was none other than the Third Young Master, Yi Qinghan.
Before long, five or six well-dressed servants emerged from the inn, their eyes gleaming with a hint of shrewdness, and lined up on the left and right sides.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the young master finally came out from inside the door.
He wore a brocade robe with wide sleeves, and a belt with gold trim. Countless small pearls were arranged in patterns, with a piece of crystal-clear and precious purple jade embedded in the center, which reflected a beautiful light in the sunlight. A five-colored silk sash was tied around his waist, with an emerald green pendant hanging from it.
The servant stepped forward and placed a wooden footstool next to the carriage.
The young master seemed not to notice, and as he slowly walked down the steps, he spoke to Liu Bai beside him, his handsome face smiling and his demeanor dignified.
A right foot, clad in a gold-threaded and silver-satin boot, stepped onto the wooden footstool.
Just as he was about to lift his other foot, a boy in black suddenly rushed out from the side, as if he had been pushed by someone, and clumsily bumped into his arms.
.
"Where did this brat come from!" The servant next to him immediately scolded and came over to pull him away.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." The boy in black kept apologizing with his head down. He probably knew that there were many of them, so he didn't dare to run too fast. He just smiled and moved back.
The young master frowned, withdrew his right foot from the wooden step, and looked down to examine the boy. He saw that although the boy was small, he was handsome with clear features and his skin was smooth and tender, unlike the fair skin of men. His big eyes darted around twice before falling back down, revealing a cleverness in them.
Seeing that he was about to slip away, the young master chuckled and suddenly grabbed his right hand.
"Ouch!" The boy in black cried out in pain, his fingers parted, revealing a piece of crystal-clear purple jade in his palm.
Sometime later, the exquisite purple jade on the young master's belt had disappeared.
"So he was a thief!"
"He's so young and already a thief, send him to the authorities!"
"..." Passersby gathered around in twos and threes, pointing and whispering with disdain.
The young master seemed somewhat surprised. He didn't say anything, but looked at the slender little hand and then looked him up and down. He seemed to be thinking about something, and a smile gradually appeared on his lips. He also loosened his grip on her hand.
Even so, the boy in black still couldn't break free. He rolled his eyes, put on a pitiful look, and pleaded with a pale face: "I...I didn't mean to. I owe a lot of money to others, and my younger brother is sick...Please have mercy on me, this is the first time, I will never do it again..." He grabbed his long sleeve and started crying.
Seeing how pitiful he sounded, the surrounding criticism subsided, and many people showed expressions of sympathy.
The young master released him, then pursed his lips and remained silent.
Seeing that he didn't intend to pursue the matter further, the young man in black immediately wiped his eyes, winked and smiled, "Young master is such a kind person, thank you, here's the jade back."
After saying that, he took the young master's hand, placed the purple jade in his palm, thanked him again, and ran away. Almost no one noticed the cunning glint in his big eyes.
Looking at the jade in his hand, the smile in his peach blossom eyes deepened, unfathomable. The young master leisurely got into his carriage and drove away.
The boy knew he was wrong and was able to correct his mistake. He returned everything, so there was nothing to hold a grudge against him. The people around him gradually dispersed, all of them full of admiration. This kind of thing was originally expected. The Yi family was the richest family in the martial arts world. They wouldn't care about a mere piece of purple jade and make things difficult for a child.
.
At the entrance of Jin Garden, a swallow gently landed; it was the same young man in black from before.
"That scared me to death!" (Wiping forehead)
The young man in black was none other than Qiu Lingling. She had been feeling rather bored in the valley recently, so she slipped out to find Jin Huanlai. However, Jin Huanlai had not returned from his business, so she took it upon herself to go to the city to play. There, she saw people talking about Young Master Yi. Qiu Lingling had never heard of the martial arts world since she was a child, and later she had practiced martial arts in the Retreat Valley. Occasionally, when Jin Yue assigned her a task, Jin Huanlai would accompany and supervise her. He would come and go in a hurry, so she had never heard of these stories of the martial arts world. She found it interesting and went to see what was going on, which led to this incident.
She proudly raised her hand, holding a beautiful jade pendant in her palm.
The color is pure, emerald green, and the whole body is as transparent as glass, without a trace of impurity. Two lifelike dragons are carved on the edge, which are exquisite and ingenious, forming the image of two dragons vying for a pearl. There are cloud patterns on both sides. The front has the character "易" in the center, while the back has the character "寒".
This item is actually called the Jadeite Azure Dragon Pendant, and it's the personal accessory of Young Master Yi. An expert could immediately tell that such a piece, in terms of quality and craftsmanship, would be extremely rare, and only the incredibly wealthy Yi family could possess such an item. Of course, Qiu Lingling was unaware of this; she was simply delighted. The Thousand Hands Token was also inlaid with many gemstones, each supposedly unique in the world, and it also contained top-quality jadeite. However, upon seeing it today, she realized that its color and size were inferior to this piece.
Qiu Lingling herself knew that she had just been in great danger. Although the purple jade was precious, it was nothing to the richest man in the martial arts world. Therefore, Yi Qinghan did not pursue the matter. If he had known that the real target was this rare jade, he would have definitely been sent to the government today.
After tidying her hair and clothes, she hurriedly ran into the garden, shouting, "Gold back! Gold back!"
The mute servant shook his head.
Seeing that Jin had not returned, Qiu Lingling was a little disappointed. After thinking for a moment, she put the jade pendant back into her bosom and prepared to leave the garden to find another person.
The cult leader is a good man
Large families like the Yi family own villas in almost every region, with several in Jiangnan alone. The vermilion gate, the gold-lacquered plaque, the high steps, and the wide stone steps exude grandeur. Two white marble lions stand on the left and right, one male and one female. The male lion is holding an embroidered ball, while the female lion is gently stroking her cub. The carvings are typical of the Jiangnan style, exquisite, graceful, and lively.
There were many boxes and miscellaneous items piled up in front of the steps, and a dozen or twenty servants were going in and out one after another, carrying things inside.
Under the bright sun, a magnificent carriage slowly approached, pulled by two rare snow-white steeds. The coachman's attire was several levels higher than that of an ordinary coachman, and several servants on horseback followed behind.
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
The busy servants immediately quieted down and stood at their sides with their hands at their sides. The gatekeeper hurriedly brought over a wooden step and placed it there. Then the coachman bowed and lifted the carriage curtain. The young master lightly brushed his clothes and stepped out of the carriage.
Liu Bai and the others dismounted and followed the young master up the steps into the gate.
Inside the gate, winding corridors, artificial hills, hidden fish in the pond, and lush vegetation created a beautiful and spacious garden-style residence. Upon reaching the main hall, everyone else automatically withdrew, leaving only the young master and Liu Bai. They walked around the hall and continued on their way.
"The master specifically instructed us to come quietly this time, as it is a highly confidential matter. We should not be so conspicuous..."
“We’re here to discuss business,” the young master interrupted him. “Do you think the Yi family can sneak into Jiangnan without arousing suspicion?”
Liu Bai laughed: "Your subordinate is dull-witted."
The young master said, "Be sure to be careful. Can you trust the people you send?"
Liu Bai said, "Young master, rest assured, even if something happens, no one will suspect our Yi family."