Jiang Mingxi had barely walked out when her heart suddenly sank—she had forgotten the Dragon Bone!
She slammed her fist hard against the trunk of a tree, the burning pain shooting straight to her core, yet it was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing her seething anger.
She cursed under her breath, squeezing out a few foul words through clenched teeth.
How ridiculous.
In her previous life, had she not suffered enough days of being despised and spat on, treated like a dog, beaten until she was covered in wounds?
Compared to those times, the Xiao Family Steward’s meanness today was practically “refined.”
Yet it was precisely this “refined” cold sarcasm that made her so furious she lost her head, even forgetting the Dragon Bone she had gone through so much trouble to obtain!
Jiang Mingxi tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a hint of bitter self-mockery.
In the end… she had grown conceited.
After being trampled for so long in her previous life, being flattered a few times as “Young Master Jiang” and “Mr. Jiang” in this one had really made her think she was somebody.
…Someone like her, a lowlife with a cheap fate, actually dared to hope for a shred of dignity.
So, just a single contemptuous look and a few dismissive words from the Xiao Mansion Steward instantly dragged her back to the torments of her past life.
Swept up by those old emotions, she had acted so irrationally.
What’s done is done; there’s no use regretting it now.
The only thing Jiang Mingxi could feel relieved about was that she had only taken a few pieces of the Dragon Bone as a test, and the rest was still on her. So overall, the loss this time was not too great.
Still, counting the money she’d spent upfront on her outfit and the time and energy wasted, Jiang Mingxi still felt a pang of pain.
Jiang Mingxi quietly made a mental note against Young Master Xiao.
If the servant was this snobbish, the master must be even worse— a bootlicker who trampled the low and flattered the high. The newspaper even praised him as pure and upright, what nonsense!
She gritted her teeth and vowed to herself: if there ever came a day, she would pay them back a hundredfold.
But for now, the most urgent thing was to figure out how to leave the city.
Since the Young Master Xiao route had failed, she needed to find another way.
Naturally, Jiang Mingxi thought of the Changchun Society.
The Changchun Society of Langling City had been operating locally for nearly a hundred years.
Back in the Qing Dynasty, they had deep ties with the anti-Qing Bailian Sect. If she could gain their help…
Jiang Mingxi began to ponder what leverage she had to sway the local Changchun Society.
Old Huangtou’s Inheritance? That was her lifeline for surviving and starting anew after leaving the city; unless she was truly desperate, she could never reveal it.
Unable to come up with anything, Jiang Mingxi decided to first pay her respects to the local High President and play it by ear.
She had already made arrangements with the inn’s Huoji to visit the High President today.
At this moment, she couldn’t help but be glad that she never put all her eggs in one basket.
When Jiang Mingxi returned to the inn, the Huoji visibly let out a sigh of relief. “Young Master Jiang, you’re finally back. I was getting anxious waiting.”
Jiang Mingxi gave an apologetic smile. “I was planning to pay my respects to the High President, so I specially changed into a new outfit.”
Her tone was natural, as if it really was just for appearances.
The Huoji couldn’t help but click his tongue in his heart.
The clothes he wore yesterday were already impressive, and today he’d bought an even grander set— he looked just like a dashing young noble from a calendar poster.
No wonder they called him the Yanweizi of the palm—the way he carried himself was flawless, truly a person of distinction.
But… dressing like this for a banquet was one thing, but for paying respects? The Huoji’s heart skipped a beat—this wasn’t proper etiquette!
This Young Master Jiang was a seasoned hand; how could he make such a taboo mistake?
Remembering the Innkeeper’s earlier instructions, the Huoji swallowed the words that were about to slip out and forced an even more attentive smile. “If you’re ready, shall we head out now?”
Jiang Mingxi’s gaze swept past the doorway, as if keeping an eye out for something, then shook her head. “Thank you for your trouble, but I have some other matters to attend to first. I’ll come down shortly!”
With that, she turned and went upstairs.
Watching that upright yet slightly hurried figure disappear around the staircase, the Huoji pursed his lips, muttering to himself, “So troublesome! Dragging your feet like this just to pay respects—the sun’s already high in the sky, does she expect the High President to wait around all day?”
Just as he was grumbling, a rush of heavy footsteps approached from afar, thudding heavily on the flagstones in front of the inn.
The footsteps were scattered yet forceful—clearly, there were quite a few people.
“Sorry, we’re full today…” The Huoji leaned lazily against the counter, barely lifting his eyelids, dragging out his words in perfunctory response.
He had barely finished half his sentence when he suddenly looked up, saw who it was, and nearly jumped out of his skin.
He sprang up from behind the counter, bowing so low his waist was bent like a shrimp:
“Hu… Master Hu! May you be well, sir!” The Huoji’s face instantly filled with flattery as he quickly darted out from behind the counter. “Oh my, what wind brings you here today? Please, have a seat, I’ll brew you some fine tea right away!”
The Huoji was secretly shocked.
It was always the awe-inspiring Master Hu, but now his face was actually bruised, with a huge swelling on his forehead— it looked… it looked like he’d been kowtowing.
He thought to himself, in this county, the only one who could make Master Hu kowtow was the County Magistrate.
“That won’t be necessary.” Hu Dequan’s fat face was cold and stern, his small, sharp eyes swept through the inn like searchlights, his voice icy. “Where’s your Innkeeper?”
The Huoji felt a jolt in his heart and replied with utmost caution, “The Innkeeper… the Innkeeper went out on business! I’ll send someone to fetch him back right away?”
“Hmph, no need.”
Hu Dequan withdrew his gaze, fixing it on the Huoji with a scrutinizing look, and spoke slowly, “Asking you is the same. Recently… has your inn taken in any strangers of unknown origin or suspicious behavior?”
The Huoji’s heart clenched, and he immediately thought of the Young Master Jiang who had checked in the night before— an out-of-town accent, mysterious behavior, wasn’t that exactly “of unknown origin”?
But the silver dollar reward was still warm in his pocket. He braced himself and put on an extra-innocent face. “Master Hu, what are you saying! We’re honest businessmen, a proper inn— how could we possibly take in any shady or rootless people?”
Hu Dequan let out a cold snort through his nose, his fat cheeks jiggling, his eyes flashing with a murderous glare that sent a cold sweat down the Huoji’s back.
“Don’t try to play dumb with me!”
Hu Dequan suddenly raised his voice, spit flying almost onto the Huoji’s face. “I know exactly what kind of monsters and demons you harbor here! Usually I turn a blind eye— consider it saving your face! But now that Zhang Laoye has died an unjust death, until the murderer is caught, this matter is far from over!”
He suddenly waved his hand, his voice like a chopping blade:
“Search the place!”
Before the words had even faded, the dozen or so thuggish soldiers behind him surged in like a pack of wolves!