Mojing, the city that never sleeps

With a creak, the small door was pushed open.

Ding Can held Xia Jialian's arm with one hand and leaned half of his body towards him, having already entered the role in advance.

Her other hand, which was placed under the veil, was also fanning slowly. She looked very tired from climbing up and her breath was uneven.

His eyes kept moving, carefully looking at the surrounding scene.

"Sir, is this the place?" She asked in a low voice, with a hint of undisguised panic in her tone.

Xia Jialian patted the back of her hand and said, "I've asked around. We must have found the right place. Don't be afraid."

This room was not as secluded as she had imagined. The door looked a little small, and it was not even completely closed, but connected to the terrace.

There was a guard in shorts on each side of the door. After the two people stepped over the threshold, they closed the door.

Directly in front of him was a folding screen with a landscape painting on it. It was so thin that one could see a human figure behind it.

There was a woman sitting there with a guqin in front of her, but she was not playing it.

After seeing the two people come in, he did not take the initiative to speak.

Xia Jialian raised his eyes and said, "Excuse me, are you Qin Niang? My wife and I came here to buy some hibiscus slices. The price is negotiable."

"How did you know this place?"

Qin Niang's voice was so alluring that even before I saw her face, just hearing her voice made my whole spine go numb.

When chatting with such people, you will always let down your psychological defenses first.

Xia Jialian brought out the words he had prepared long ago: "We are from out of town. My wife's uncle got hibiscus slices. I heard that the quality of the local ones in Mojing is the best, so we came to ask for it."

Ding Can sobbed at the right time: "It's all my uncle's fault. He's old and his mind is confused. He actually learned to smoke this kind of stuff from others."

She leaned towards Xia Jialian again, soft and boneless, and continued, "He heard it from someone, saying that he was tired of the ones he had before and wanted to try the better quality ones here."

The hibiscus slices sold and transported outside are indeed different from those circulating in the city. This is a fact, and Qin Niang has no doubt about it.

"How much are you going to take?"

Xia Jialian replied, "To be honest, we've come a long way, so it would be great if we could bring more back."

Ding Can pushed him and lowered his voice.

"Three to five months will be enough. My uncle has no children, so the family fortune he leaves behind will be handed over to me. With the way he's in now, he might die after a few more puffs."

She pretended to whisper, but there were only a few people here and the space was quiet, so every word she said reached Qin Niang's ears.

"This lady is truly a person of character."

Ding Can then pretended to be discovered, raised his hand to cover his mouth, and said nonchalantly: "I heard it, so I heard it. Anyway, you don't know who I am."

"Come in, have some tea."

The two of them looked at each other, then walked around behind the screen and finally saw the true face of the lady playing the zither.

She was about thirty years old, wearing a saturated purple dress, which not only made her look elegant but also made her skin look as white as snow.

I only saw her outline just now, but now I noticed that she didn't wear her hair up in a pin. Her long, soft, black hair fell down like a waterfall, landing on her swan-like neck.

She has no hairstyle, but her makeup is very careful, with just the right amount of powder and light purple eyeshadow falling on the corners of her eyes.

The slender willow-shaped eyebrows are slightly raised at the end along the curved arc, and continue to extend, outlining a purple butterfly spreading its wings and ready to fly.

The mouth is only painted bright red in the center of the lips.

She had a straight back and excellent posture. When she poured tea, her slender fingertips were bent into a perfect angle. Her every frown and smile was full of charm.

Even Ding Can, a girl, couldn't help but be attracted by such a sister.

She continued to maintain her persona, stretched out a few fingers, and pinched Xia Jialian's arm: "You are not allowed to look!"

"I don't have time for such thoughts. Please sit down."

Xia Jialian half bent down and sat down on the long bench first, and Ding Can followed suit.

In front of the zither girl was actually a tea table. In the middle, there was a guqin. However, the string at the very edge was broken and could not be played.

The bench was a little cold. Ding Can shifted impatiently and said coquettishly, "What kind of tea are you drinking? Why don't we just buy it and leave quickly?"

"We came here for our uncle. Since we're going to stock up, we have to ask about the current market price."

Xia Jialian thanked Qin Niang for the new tea and handed it to Ding Can with both hands.

She took the teacup, snorted, and used her temper as an excuse not to drink the tea: "Okay, okay, then you guys chat faster, I'm still looking forward to going to Zhaoxia Tower, I heard it's beautiful there."

Xia Jialian lowered her eyes. "I do want to stock up on some hibiscus slices. After all, my uncle has a lot of good friends who share his knowledge of the same trade. When they see a new product, they'll probably want to try it. And since my uncle is a very proud person, I'm afraid they'll all be gone soon."

Qin Niang put on a proper smile and did not respond immediately. Instead, she put the half-filled teacup to her lips, took a sip, and then placed it on the table slowly, making a very light tapping sound.

Opposite her, Ding Can seemed to have no interest in the conversation at all, and had lowered his head and was playing with his fingers.

It's like a young lady raised in a wealthy family who has little knowledge and who, after getting married, becomes dependent on her husband and becomes a dodder that he carries with him.

"From what you said just now, you must be quite wealthy. I think the amount you need for just a few months is not enough to make you come to visit in person."

Xia Jialian straightened his expression. "I really can't hide it from Qin Niang. I'm wondering if I can be the person in charge and introduce high-quality Furong slices to my hometown."

"It's just..." He paused, pointing out his attitude, "I'm not asking for anything, I'm here to discuss cooperation."

Qin Niang's eyes darkened. She really needed such a distributor now.

Originally, given that her boss controlled the Mojing Furong film, he never took those who came to seek cooperation seriously.

But this morning, the Lord sent a message that the trading of Hibiscus slices in the city might have to be suspended for the time being, and only the Ghost Market remains normal.

An external detective had disappeared, and he was worried that someone from the imperial court would come looking for him and expose his tracks.

Just like this, business will be affected.

Qin Niang hopes to be able to share her master's worries in the current difficult situation.

Even if she can only help a little bit, she will feel very satisfied.

That's why she is willing to stay in this dark ghost market all year round. When she thinks that this task is assigned to her by her master, Qin Niang feels particularly honored.

The newly developed Furong tablets will soon be shipped out of the factory, and the person in front of me is a new opportunity.

"Of course, to show my sincerity, I can tell you a piece of good news first."

Xia Jialian became interested: "Oh? How do you know? Is this news good for me?"

Qin Niang said slowly, "Young Master, when you came here, you knew that the hibiscus slices from Mojing were of higher purity. This is certainly true, but in the near future, we will produce a batch of fine products with even higher purity, which will be a step above the ones currently circulating in the city."

Xia Jialian pointedly said, "But we are already on the top floor."

Qin Niang raised her arm slightly, covered her lips with her wide sleeve, and said slowly: "Then it is Louwailou."

Ding Can exclaimed, finally listening attentively to what they were saying, but his tone was filled with confusion: "What are you talking about? Isn't this the highest place?"

Qin Niang sneered in her heart, what a stupid pendant indeed.

"My lady, you are right. We were just joking." Xia Jialian raised his teacup and gestured to Qin Niang, then drank it all in one gulp.

The process of exporting goods was basically the same. Relying on his previous experience, he talked to Qin Niang and actually fooled her.

"Since you are so confident about the future cooperation, I will say a few good words for you in front of the master today." Qin Niang agreed in her heart, but after all, she could not make the decision on her own and needed to ask the master for permission.

"I wonder if I can see the exquisite Hibiscus slices. Although I have never touched them, I do know something about them."

Qin Niang lowered her eyes and said, "It's still too early. I can send someone to let you know where the young master is staying in the city when I have news."

"Since we are here in disguise today, we do not want to reveal our identities. I will come again early tomorrow morning. If I see the person behind you, I will tell them my home address."

Both sides were hiding something, and Qin Niang would not ask any further questions.

After all, it is better to be cautious about the Hibiscus slice business. If you really want to finalize it with great fanfare, she will feel that you cannot trust her.

"Then it's a deal."

Xia Jialian stood up and said, "It's getting late. My wife is anxious to see the sacred tree."

"Goodbye, young master." Qin Niang tilted her head slightly, pretending to see the guest off, and her shiny long hair on the side of her shoulders fell down a little, making her look very charming.

Ding Can took Xia Jialian's arm and they walked out hand in hand. Only when they heard the sound of the wooden door closing did they relax.

"Follow Qin Niang later. Finding a partner is more important. She will definitely talk to Zhang Gusheng herself."

Xia Jialian nodded: "If everything goes well, maybe we can even find the location of the drug factory."

There was no one at the door. Gao Wenwen and the others had already gone to wait outside Ji Le Fang.

The two walked down the stairs, and after passing two floors, they noticed several gazes coming from the dark, from those who came to have fun.

"Sure enough, they sent out spies."

I knew that Qin Niang would not trust them so much, and she would definitely ask someone to follow her.

They must have issued the order as soon as they walked out of this door.

Now all we have to do is get rid of him.

Following them from behind the stairs would be too obvious. Ding Can discovered that there were several people who would appear on the middle floor every time they went down two floors.

I guess there must be some unknown secret passages in this Paradise.

The Ghost Market is quiet. To be able to build such a huge building like Paradise Square here, one must have some special skills.

Qin Niang has exclusive access to the top floor, and her position there cannot be underestimated.

Perhaps, that Zhang Gusheng has a close connection with the Ghost Market.

The two walked out of the gate of Jilefang. Ding Can saw Shi Yan and Gao Wenwen hiding in the dark and greeted them.

In Gao Wenwen's palm, there was a tiny sparrow, squeezed between his fingers, looking around curiously, but it was very well-behaved and didn't make any sound.

This is the item he just exchanged from the system, called Queqiao.