"Father, which shopkeeper is so generous as to give you such a valuable gift?" Ruan Fang asked, both excited and curious.

"It was given to me by Manager Bai. It was the first time I had met him. Manager Shi had introduced us. I don't know him well. Why would he give me such an expensive gift?"

Ruan Zhenggang was also very puzzled.

Zhao Xian remembered something and asked:

"Is it that businessman who calls himself Bai Shina, who also said that he doesn't understand business and that his business is getting worse and worse?"

"Yes, it's this Manager Bai. He gave me such an expensive gift on our first meeting. Doesn't he know the value of this jade ruyi?"

“This Manager Bai seems very shrewd. How could he not know the value of this jade ruyi? He can give you anything worth ten thousand taels of silver. It shows how wealthy he is,” Zhao Xian analyzed.

Ruan Fang thought for a moment and then said:

“Father, if this Manager Bai isn’t stupid, then why would he give you such a valuable item? He’s just a merchant.”

Given Father's current situation, no matter how much we help him, it's unlikely he'll earn ten thousand taels of silver in business. Since he's doing this, he must have ulterior motives.

Ruan Fang's words reminded Zhao Xian of something important, and he suddenly asked:

"When Manager Bai gave you the gift, did he say anything? Since he gave you such an expensive gift, did he give you any hints?"

"He handed the gift to the receptionist and asked him to tell me that he would be doing business with me in the future and hoped that I would take good care of him. That was all," Ruan Zhenggang said.

After thinking for a while, Zhao Xian began to have a bold guess: Could it be him?

"Manager Ruan, when you were toasting these guests just now, did you notice anything he did at the table?"

"There were too many guests, so I didn't notice him. But he came up to me and toasted me, which is normal. I didn't find anything special about him."

Zhao Xiangang was about to remind Ruan Zhenggang of something when Ruan Zhenggang suddenly added, "He's left-handed. I saw it when he was picking up food, but that's normal. There are quite a few left-handed people around us."

Zhao Xian's heart skipped a beat. This basically confirmed his judgment: this Bai Shina was indeed Na Shibai, and this guy was definitely after him.

But he didn't come directly to me. Instead, he used Ruan Zhenggang as a starting point to make contact with me. It seems he's planning something big.

This guy has come knocking on my door. What should I do? How should I respond?

Seeing that Zhao Xian did not speak, Ruan Zhenggang spoke up:

"Sir, what do you think we should do about this? Should we return the jade ruyi to him?"

"You certainly can't accept this jade ruyi. You should return it to him immediately. His relationship with you couldn't possibly be just about doing business. He must have some ulterior motive. You absolutely cannot befriend this person."

Since he gave you a jade ruyi worth ten thousand taels of silver, what he wants from you will definitely exceed that value. What will you give him then?

Zhao Xian's words surprised Ruan Zhenggang. He didn't know what Manager Bai wanted to do. The best thing to do at the moment was to return the jade ruyi to him and have nothing to do with him anymore.

"Yes, sir, I know what to do. I'll just send someone to return the jade ruyi to him now."

“Even if you return the jade ruyi to him, he will not stop associating with you. You can continue to associate with Bai Shina normally. You must discuss anything with me, and I will help you make the decision.”

"Okay, I understand."

After returning home, Zhao Xian began to consider the matter of Nashibai. When he was still in Yuanxi, Prefect Jin had told him about it.

A barbarian named Nasbai infiltrated the Central Plains. His specific purpose for infiltrating the Central Plains is currently unknown, but it is possible that he wanted to obtain the method of making crossbows.

If that's the case, then he's after me. But why did he seek out Ruan Zhenggang first? What does he want Ruan Zhenggang to do for him?

It seems things are not so simple. The destruction of Xiao Taiyuan's power is a blow to the foreign kingdoms. Nashibai is certainly aware of this, so his plan to enter the Central Plains may have been adjusted.

I must not alert them at the moment. Nashbai is probably feeling good about himself and doesn't know that his identity has been exposed.

I must remain calm and play the long game to see what he's really up to.

The imperial decree will arrive in the next couple of days, and the eldest prince will come to Narcissus Village and stay there for a few days.

That Nashbai has some martial arts skills. If he knows this information, he might take action, and then the eldest prince will be in danger.

Whether this matter should be reported to the government, and whether this Bai Shi Na is actually Na Shi Bai, is just my own speculation, and I am not entirely sure yet.

But one thing is certain: this Nashbai is no ordinary person. If the capture fails and he escapes, it will be very difficult to catch him again.

Just as Zhao Xian was frowning in worry, Ruan Zhenggang came over and told Zhao Xian that Bai Shina had returned to Song County and that he planned to send someone to Song County the next day to return the jade ruyi to him.

Zhao Xian was immediately relieved. Since Na Shibai had returned to Song County, he shouldn't be coming over in the next few days, so the eldest prince was not in any danger.

"That's good. When we send someone to Song County tomorrow, we can also find out about this person and see what kind of business he's currently in."

“Yes, I understand, Registrar.” Ruan Zhenggang said.

These past two days, Zhao Xian has been thinking about Na Shibai's matter. This man is cunning and shrewd. His choice of Song County as his base in the Central Plains is indeed very clever.

Song County was under the jurisdiction of Qing'an Prefecture. Due to its location in a mountainous area, the economy was not very developed, and the government neglected its management.

Songxian County is only a day's journey from Shuixian Village, which is very close. Therefore, it should be the best choice for Nashi Baiwo to stay in Songxian County.

Having tried to lure Na Baishi into a trap in Narcissus Village, it seems I've become somewhat passive. It appears necessary to report this matter to the authorities.

Just as I was thinking about this, a soldier suddenly came to report that a large troop of people had entered the village, with Magistrate Cao leading the way. It must be an imperial edict from the court.

Zhao Xian dared not delay and hurriedly went out to greet him.

At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums grew louder as they approached, and soon they reached Zhao Xian's doorstep.

The village of Narcissus is different now than before; it's very popular, and people can tell from this scene that an imperial edict has arrived.

The imperial edict came to Narcissus Village last time, but many people didn't get to see it. This time, we must not miss the opportunity.

The news spread quickly, and soon everyone in the village knew about it and rushed over.

Magistrate Cao led the way, full of vigor. The imperial envoy had arrived in Zhengyang County, and as the magistrate, he was quite honored.