Chapter 10 010

This behavior is no different from confessing without asking.

Shi Qingruo raised his head and said, "But if I remember correctly, the dishes and snacks in this wedding banquet were all prepared by the imperial chefs who retired from the palace. Even if not everything is as good as the mandarin duck five-treasure sashimi, it is a famous product in the palace and is several times better than other places. If this is not to your taste, I'm afraid there is nothing in the city of Bianjing that can eat it."

The little beggar on the beam nodded in understanding: "So that's how it is. No wonder it is much better than those restaurants."

As soon as she said this, she realized that something was wrong. She immediately met Shi Qingruo's playful gaze. Her face covered with mud and dust secretly blushed. She quickly changed the subject: "It's just that the guards here are really not good. No matter how good the things are, they will be stolen."

This is true for things and people.

The little beggar glanced at the guards who rushed in half a step late and shook his head secretly.

Ever since arriving in Bianjing yesterday, she'd heard that the new wife of the Misty Heaven Alliance was a rare beauty. Unfortunately, she didn't possess any martial arts skills, and after marrying Guan Qi, she likely wouldn't venture out.

Having previously lived on an island, she'd barely witnessed the excitement of the Central Plains, so why wouldn't she join in the fun?

Upon actually meeting her, she realized that while some rumors in the martial arts world were untrue, this one couldn't be more true.

Seeing the other woman's gaze no longer wary, but instead a gentle smile, she stared even more intently.

Suddenly, Shi Qingruo said, "While the Misty Heaven Alliance's defenses aren't as strong as those of the other two, they're not as weak as you claim. To arrive here quietly, they must have entered from the corner of the Five Elements formation. Since you possess such skill, the Misty Heaven Alliance will welcome you with open arms. There's no need to be such a stalker."

She beckoned, "Come down and talk. I don't like looking up at people."

The beggar, disguised as a man, was shorter than Sikong Zhaixing, so there was no need to hang upside down from the beam like him. But this place was cramped, and it wasn't a place to stay for long.

She also waved her hand, causing the guards, swords drawn, to step back.

It wasn't that she wasn't wary of this beggar who had appeared out of nowhere—after all, during the previous wedding escort, Grandma Douzi of the Six and a Half Hall had proven with her own actions that in the martial arts world, even an old woman shouldn't be underestimated.

Rather, although she had never encountered him before, she could vaguely guess his identity.

He certainly wasn't a dangerous person.

At least, he was much safer than Wang Xiaoshi and Bai Choufei, whom she had met earlier.

The little beggar didn't show any fear, immediately tumbling down from the beam and landing lightly on the ground, continuing to observe Shi Qingruo's actions with curiosity.

Shi Qingruo asked, "I'm about to have lunch brought out. Can someone get you another bowl and chopsticks?"

The little beggar's eyes widened in surprise, then she heard Shi Qingruo's order without waiting for her response, a remark that wasn't just a polite one.

Du Zhongzi

saw someone bring a basin of water,

and she instinctively put her hands down to wash them. Although her face was still covered in a layer of mud that obscured her features, as she sat across from Shi Qingruo, her hands, placed on the table, were white and delicate, a stark contrast to her current expression.

If she still considered herself an ordinary beggar at this point, she would be treating everyone else as fools.

The "little beggar" glanced over her hands, a beat too late to look up. She was met with the smiling eyes of her master, Qing Ruo, and was startled.

Oh no! Could this be the legendary beauty trap?

She immediately wanted to redeem herself, so she commented on the dishes served on the table, "Since we've invited the imperial chef, the appetizers should follow the rules. Even if they don't follow the four dried and four fresh dishes, or the two salty and four sweet dishes, they should be made with seasonal preserves. They can't just be random. As for the main course, with the spring chill still lingering, I think hot dishes like chicken tongue soup and fried beef tendon with mandarin ducks would be best."

"As for the drinks..." She glanced at the sake poured into the glass in front of her and said cheerfully, "Sanbai Fenjiu is common, but it doesn't go well with meat. It should be changed."

She spoke so smoothly that her tone was clearly critical, but it sounded endearing, leaving no doubt that she had tasted these things herself.

Zhu Xiaoyao had intended to step forward and explain the man's origins, but Shi Qingruo made a subtle gesture and replied calmly, "But you just said the wrong word."

"Huh?"

"Let me tell you, the chefs here are hired, not invited as you implied. In other words, in a troubled place like the Misty Heaven Alliance, no ordinary chef would risk their lives. Since they weren't given any reason when they were hired, then the dishes they prepare are entirely up to their mood."

The "little beggar" paused.

What do you mean by invited? If Shi Qingruo really meant it, they could just say they were kidnapped.

She blurted out, "Then how dare you eat his food?"

That was too bold!

It was easy for a chef to manipulate the food he was selling.

She herself enjoyed delving into food, so how could she not understand this?

However, before her, the person who had revealed the truth had casually taken chopsticks from the side and picked up the shredded rabbit in front of him, saying casually, "Why not? The Misty Heaven Alliance is full of experts in using medicine, so whether or not there's poison is obvious. So you don't have to worry about the food being poisoned—"

"If you're really hungry, then fill your stomach first."

The "little beggar" blinked, unsure of Shi Qingruo's intentions.

From the outside, this Saint Lord's wife, who lived in a place protected by a formation, looked only seven or eight years older than her, but she couldn't fathom her true temperament.

Her father, a well-known figure in the martial arts world, nicknamed "Eastern Evil," supposedly didn't follow common sense. However, ever since she began her journey into the martial arts world, she'd encountered only those who didn't follow the rules, and she couldn't tell which was more sinister. Yet, for some reason, she found Shi Qingruo increasingly pleasing to her.

Perhaps, if she were Guan Qi, seeing such a girl, she would keep her at all costs.

Bah, bah, bah, how could she think so!

"Being distracted while eating is not a good thing, what are you thinking about?"

The "little beggar" suddenly came back to his senses, thinking to himself that the rabbit meat that should have been served with chrysanthemum petals was replaced with spring plums due to the season, which also had a unique flavor, and replied: "I was wondering why you let me sit at the table."

Shi Qingruo replied: "What's so difficult to explain? A girl has to dress up as a beggar when traveling around the world. Who knows if she has encountered some trouble. You have no murderous intentions or threats to me, so just treat me as a guest."

She thought for a while and said: "You don't have to ask me how I can tell that you are a girl. I know a friend who is very good at disguising himself. As for disguise, your ability of smearing dust on your face is far from enough."

The "little beggar" tried hard to suppress the warmth she felt after hearing the first half of the sentence, muttering, "...I didn't think this outfit could deceive people. It's just that some fools can't see through it and keep calling me Brother Huang. My father's disguise skills have always been superb. Although I haven't mastered the essence, I am more than just a little disguise."

Her voice was low, but the room was quiet, and Shi Qingruo's hearing was not bad, so she heard it clearly.

Shi Qingruo's eyes flickered slightly, and she was more than sure that her guess about the identity of the visitor was not wrong.

However, she did not open her mouth to reveal her identity, but only asked, "Then I wonder who your father is?"

This question would have been easy to answer if it had been asked by someone else, but it happened to stump the "little beggar".

She puffed out her cheeks. "Don't worry about who he is. I ran away from home at night, and he didn't look for me. He must have abandoned me. Just remember who I am. My last name is Huang, and my given name is Rong."

Shi Qingruo chuckled, feeling the first half of her words were childish. But then she thought about the young girl before her, and how she had lived on the island with her father for many years. Her temper was not surprising.

"So it's Miss Huang. Since you put it that way, I won't ask you about the conflict between you and your father."

"Don't call me Miss Huang, it's so strange. Just call me Rong'er." Huang Rong, now that she had given her name and Shi Qingruo's uninquiring words, felt much more at ease than before. Perhaps it was precisely because she was less tense that

the unicorn

finally took in Shi Qingruo's expression.

She also noticed that there was a small mole on the nose of the beauty in front of her, but there was no flaw at all. On the contrary, her smiling face showed a bit of fresh charm.

When she thought that such a beauty seemed to be kidnapped by the madman in the rumor, and perhaps she was suffering from the same disease as the cook, she felt a little blocked in her heart.

Just then, Shi Qingruo paused for a moment before continuing, "You said you ran away from home. Do you have a place to stay now? If not, you can find a place to stay within the Misty Heaven Alliance."

Seeing Huang Rong raise her eyes in surprise, Shi Qingruo replied calmly, "Don't blame me for being blunt. First, I'm very pleased with your good manners. Second, I just recruited two new members to the alliance today, but I still feel they're not enough. I see you have a foundation in Five Elements formations, and your Qing Gong skills surpass those of ordinary martial artists, so I'd like to try recruiting a few more."

She added with a hint of anticipation, "What do you think?"

It's no wonder Shi Qingruo was so excited.

During her third round of the game, her secluded life abroad led her to interact with Peach Blossom Island, unlocking the characters of Huang Rong and her father, Huang Yaoshi, the East Evil.

Regardless of who Huang Yaoshi was, Shi Qingruo was more concerned with Huang Rong.

This girl possessed a quirky personality, adept at adapting, and possessed a remarkable talent for martial arts and mastery of the Qi Men Dun Jia.

She would be a delightful friend, and if she could be recruited, she would be a truly exceptional subordinate. She hadn't anticipated the situation she'd find herself in. Huang Rong's curiosity about the wedding banquet had given them the opportunity to meet, but that didn't stop her from becoming deeply interested in recruiting her.

Even after posing the question, she appeared composed, yet she was constantly monitoring the changes in Huang Rong's face.

She also noticed that the dark ash on her face couldn't mask the sudden relief Huang Rong felt, as if a major concern had been resolved.

Huang Rong reasoned that Shi Qingruo's few words were proof enough that her earlier concerns were unfounded.

Someone with the power to recruit members couldn't simply be a prey to others' hands.

But the invitation itself…

She quickly replied, "I'd love to accept your invitation, sister, but I have something important to attend to right now, so I can't stay here. Forgive me for not accepting your kindness."

"Something important?" This time, it was Shi Qingruo's turn to be curious.

Huang Rong lowered her voice and whispered, "Sister, we hit it off immediately. Since this matter may be related to you, it's okay to tell you."

"Dressing up like this while I'm away has saved me a lot of trouble, but it's also met with a lot of cold stares. So far, only two people have treated me graciously: sister, and the other, a goofball from the outskirts of the Great Wall."

At this point, she paused.

Indeed, if this person hadn't been kind to her, she wouldn't have needed to say so much to Shi Qingruo, whom she had just met for the first time.

But she always had a clear distinction between what she loved and hated. Since she felt that this person was not only a beautiful woman, but also a kind person, how could she not say a few words?

"He didn't know who he was looking for, so he went south to Jiaxing and then north to Bianjing. However, he met a few old enemies here and almost got tricked by them. Fortunately, a Taoist priest came to his aid and saved him from any real harm. But it was this Taoist priest who was tricked by a traitor yesterday and was poisoned. So I wanted to help him and took that idiot to steal the antidote." "

It sounds like a big deal indeed." Shi Qingruo nodded, "But what does this have to do with me?"

Huang Rong answered seriously, "Sister, you don't know that the person who had a grudge against that idiot and the Taoist priest was a guest official invited by the Marquis of Shentong's Mansion. I don't know why this young Marquis Fang, who has a father known as a great hero, would associate with those weirdos. But I know one thing."

She frowned as she spoke, "I was eavesdropping and heard them talking about the assassination before your sister's wedding. It was said that the assassination was led by some prime minister, with the help of the Liufenban Hall and the Marquis of Shentong's Mansion, but was unexpectedly interrupted by the Merciless Chief Constable, and a lot of people were killed." "

It is said that the young Marquis Fang was furious about his previous failure. He felt that the Eight Great Sword Kings were just people who were seeking fame and reputation. They would fail when doing their job. It just so happened that this group of new guests arrived one after another, and perhaps they would plan some evil deeds again."

"I plan to break into the Marquis of Shentong's mansion tonight. If I can still hear something, that'll be great. But if not..."

She glanced at Shi Qingruo with a hint of worry. "Sister—"

"Be very careful."

...

Be very... careful?

Shi Qingruo watched Huang Rong disappear after lunch, quickly assessing this sudden news.

An urgent letter was quickly delivered to the inn in Bianjing City.

Lu Xiaofeng saw Sikong Zhaixing open the letter with extraordinary solemnity, and he felt something was wrong.

He didn't even need to ask who sent it. He just asked, "What does the letter say?" Sikong

Zhaixing made no effort to hide it from Lu Xiaofeng. "She said that someone is going to burglarize the Marquis of Shentong's mansion tonight and wants to hire me to take advantage of the chaos."

Lu Xiaofeng, who had been leaning against the window with his wine jug, suddenly sat up at this. "...Hire?"

What kind of hire?

Based on his understanding of Sikong Zhaixing, if that Miss Master... no, it should be said that Madam Master asked for something, Sikong Zhaixing would be willing to do it even if she didn't ask for any reward.

Wasn't it the same situation when he went to the Six Gates to ask Chief Constable Wuqing to interfere in the wedding?

Not to mention, from his brief meeting with Shi Qingruo, he could tell that this woman who had no martial arts skills seemed to have been dragged into the chaos, but in fact, she had resolved all the troubles that came her way.

Even if she had married someone else, Sikong Zhaixing might not be without hope.

This little bit of hope was enough to make people fight to the death.

Just as he thought of this, he heard Sikong Zhaixing reply: "Of course it's for hiring. Miss Shi said..."

He lowered his voice slightly: "What she did before was unintentional and affectionate, which was unfair to me. Now it's better to handle things impartially. Whether or not to accept this deal depends entirely on my opinion."

Lu Xiaofeng's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

It's bad.

If it weren't for this sentence, he might still have a chance to persuade Sikong Zhaixing.

But with this sentence, even if the Shentong Hou Mansion was a sea of fire and swords, there would be people willing to take a chance!