The moment she spoke, Lan Qiaoyan was taken aback.
What kind of fate was this? Despite all her precautions, that pesky kid still managed to get involved with her daughter! Running into him here, was this some sort of celestial prank or what?
Hearing that the boy refused to join Bowang Pavilion and insisted on venturing out on his own, she let out a breath of relief mixed with amusement.
Her worries seemed unnecessary after all, he truly dropped the pretense once he left the Exile Lands.
If he did fancy her daughter, this opportunity would certainly not be missed—his clingy nature and cunning methods would surely cause her concern.
Knowing it was only a facade, a pang of indignation hit her.
Was her daughter not good enough? That rotten boy couldn’t even pretend?
Miao Yilan sighed, “I've become an accomplice. I shouldn’t have lent him that money. Without it, he couldn’t have pulled off such a stunt.”
Lan Qiaoyan burst into laughter, her daughter turned to her with puzzled eyes.
Holding her daughter’s hand, she gently patted it while chuckling, “Lanlan, do you really think even without your money, he wouldn’t have managed to sell that top courtesan?”
Miao Yilan questioned, “Four thousand gold is no small amount. He’s new here. Strangers wouldn’t lend him such a large sum easily.”
Lan Qiaoyan shook her head, “Lanlan, you underestimate Shi Chun. Do you think his exploits in Eastern Nine Plains were all luck? At that time, the key to success wasn’t the four thousand gold you lent, but the plan he devised. As long as the plan was profitable, he would naturally find someone to invest. For someone like him, this is no challenge at all. Your involvement was purely coincidental; he must have already been thinking about how to gather funds even before your intervention.”
“Even without your appearance in the picture, he would've found a way to halt the situation, buying himself the time to gather money. Once he had that idea during the event, it was no longer under anyone else's control. This Big Boss of Eastern Nine Plains is daring and decisive, always keeping the situation in his hands to achieve his goals. Lanlan, in terms of surviving against all odds, not even ten of you put together could compare.”
“So don’t feel guilty. Whether you loaned him money or not wouldn’t have changed the outcome. Whether what he did was right or wrong, consider their previous living environment. Their moral standards were already low. They’ve just stepped out of that world. Give them time; they’ll eventually put on the chains of universal morality.”
“What truly surprises me is how that kid didn’t care for Bowang Pavilion at all. His ambition runs deep. Why would he care about which patron a courtesan belongs to? Lanlan, we’ve already been kind enough to him. Whatever fortune or misfortune befalls him, it’s his responsibility, not ours…”
Throughout her calming words to her daughter, not once did she mention worrying about the money being returned.
This small sum was insignificant compared to being willing to lend a helping hand.
Back in the storeroom, Old Dong let out a significant sigh of relief.
Trailing behind, Big Stone murmured, “I thought you’d tell them about the slave contract being in our hands.”
Shi Chun isn’t planning to come back, at least not anytime soon.
To honor his promise of repaying in three days, he left Xiang Lan’er’s slave contract with them.
If someone came to deliver money, they’d hand over the contract.
Of the funds received, five thousand gold was designated for Miao Yilan—not just four thousand, but five.
Though Miao Yilan refused interest out of kindness, Shi Chun was not one to leave matters unresolved.
Though she might overlook certain aspects of him, his heart remained sincere.
The remainder belonged to Big Stone and Old Dong.
Old Dong murmured back, “As if we could. Without that contract, we’d lose a considerable fortune.”
Though he said that, he nearly confessed before.
It was Miao Yilan’s intervention that stopped the transaction, which could’ve led to a significant monetary loss.
Neither of the two felt guilty for betraying the Big Boss.
That one could expect Miao Yilan to rely on their moral standards...
The sky vast and endless, the primeval forests stretched out infinitely.
One mountain higher than the next, with low valleys everywhere.
The scenery was painted with hues of red, yellow, white, and purple, with thundering waterfalls and countless babbling brooks.
The group of four soared over treetops, startling birds and beasts along the way.
Wu Jinliang’s large saber rested on Bian Weikang’s shoulder, the latter willingly lending a hand.
Wu Jinliang and Shi Chun’s cultivation levels were low, carrying the large saber would slow them even more.
There were faster, more convenient ways to travel in the cultivation world—using treasures or spiritual birds, but such things were not accessible to everyone.
Most had to rely on their legs.
Their troupe traveled far away from Sky-Illuminating City.
Ahead, a piece of cloth tied with two knots caught the attention of Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang.
They exchanged a knowing look.
This was the signal arranged with Cen Futong.
Follow the group and mark their readiness by leaving this signal.
With the two slow pace stragglers in the group, Cen Futong had enough time to set this up.
Seeing the signal, Wu Jinliang suddenly shouted towards the couple in front, “We've come far, aren't you getting tired?”
Bian Weikang glanced back, about to respond, when Xiang Lan'er by his side thoughtfully suggested, “Sir, our benefactors might be tired, let's take a rest.”
Already needing a break? Bian Weikang thought they hadn’t traveled long.
Nevertheless, hearing her suggestion, he stopped on a treetop, answering, “Alright, let’s rest for a bit then.”
Considering his higher cultivation level, he might have overlooked the discomfort of those with lower levels.
To ease Xiang Lan’er’s journey, he wanted to hold her hand for support, but she declined, reasoning that with the benefactors around, it wouldn’t be proper to favor one over the other.
Gradually, everyone landed on the ground, finding a rocky patch to stop and rest.
After an exchange, Shi Chun scanned the surroundings, just about to find an excuse to distract Bian Weikang when unexpectedly Xiang Lan'er spoke, “Having been in pavilions for so long, I haven’t tasted the wild fruits of the mountains for years. Would the two of you like some? I’ll fetch some.”
Delighted, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang were about to agree, but Bian Weikang quickly stood up, “Lan’er, I’m not tired. Rest here, I’ll go find some.”
Quite protective of her, unwilling for her to be burdened at all.
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang exchanged glances, managing with politeness, “Then we’ll trouble you.”
Xiang Lan'er also softly responded, “Thank you, my lord.”
With that, Bian Weikang dashed into the forest to search.
The scene grew quiet; Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang exchanged a different kind of look.
On the mossy ground, leaves rustled under Xiang Lan’er’s steps.
She paced slowly, revealing a white arm as she lifted her cloak’s hood, revealing a face as radiant as the moon.
Almost simultaneously, Shi Chun raised his hand, pulling out the hairpin in his bun, letting his long hair fall loose onto his shoulders.
This was the pre-agreed signal with Cen Futong to begin.
Soon, several figures zipped through the forest, heading straight toward them.
Four masked men in fine robes landed neatly in front of Xiang Lan'er.
Upon seeing this, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang’s faces twisted into a mischievous grin, but it was short-lived, as something felt amiss.
The masked appearance didn’t cause Xiang Lan’er any panic.
Not only did she remain calm, she even gracefully turned, facing Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang, her expression losing its initial charm, replaced by a cold visage, eyes showing contempt.
In this moment, her demeanor was a stark contrast—a high and aloof aura radiated.
The masked men stood aligned behind her, clearly under her command.
The two quickly realized they fell into a trap.
Wu Jinliang swung his large saber ready to fight, while Shi Chun swiftly drew his sword from behind.
However, the masked men reacted with blinding speed, striking Xiang Lan’er, sealing her acupuncture points.
“What?” Wu Jinliang’s eyes nearly popped out, uttering a guttural sound of disbelief.
Even Shi Chun was bewildered.
The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
Even Xiang Lan’er seemed just as stunned, clearly not understanding the situation.
One masked man stepped up to Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang, revealing his face—it was Cen Futong.
He lowered the weapons in their hands, “It’s me, stop acting. It's settled.”
Turning to the collapsed Xiang Lan’er, cradled by one of his comrades, “What’s with this woman, so calm during a robbery, even exposing her back to the thieves. Is this what training at Graceful Cloud Pavilion does? Almost threw us off. The brothers have never seen something like this. Brother Chun, had I known she was this easy to capture, I wouldn’t have needed help, I could've done it alone.”
Finally understanding her “benefactor” Shi Chun arranged for her capture, Xiang Lan’er now realized why.
To be seized for what? It wasn’t difficult to guess, likely something to do with her beauty.
The man holding her jested, “This woman acts all high and mighty, doesn’t entertain just any guest, claiming to sell art, not herself. Today, I must experience this so-called treasure.”
The lewd remark brought chuckles from the other masked men, while Xiang Lan'er’s eyes flashed deadly intent.
Cen Futong urgently warned, “Stop that nonsense, she’s not yours to touch. Don’t you dare.”
Was he kidding? She was meant as a gift for Master Lü, any defilement now would be difficult to explain.
Even before his words landed, Shi Chun swiftly moved in, seizing Xiang Lan’er, pressing his sword against her neck, eyes sharp with vigilance all around.