With a whoosh, Xie Baochai appeared atop a snow-capped mountain in the southern suburbs of Kyoto, where she was greeted by curious stares from Zheng Ya and Daiyu: "A distinguished guest has arrived?"
"I apologize for disturbing your enjoyment. This incomplete talisman is my way of making amends. I hope you will accept it with a smile." Xie Baochai bowed gracefully and then took out a tattered talisman and handed it over.
The incomplete talisman flew through the air and landed in front of Zheng Ya, but Daiyu frowned and caught it in her hand: "Oh, this is truly a blessing from heaven! A beautiful and kind person, giving such a great gift!"
"I apologize for my abruptness, and I hope you won't take offense, elder sister!" Xie Baochai was surprised by her jealous retort, so she decided to play along.
She's a cunning woman who readily takes advantage of others' opportunities and doesn't hold back her sharp retorts!
Daiyu smiled and held the incomplete talisman book behind her back: "Since my sister and I are destined to be together, I, Daiyu, the legitimate daughter of the Earl of Dai, will acknowledge you as my sister?"
"Uh, I am Xie Baochai, the eldest daughter of the Xie Clan Chamber of Commerce. I am here to greet you!" Xie Baochai bowed a second time, not daring to take offense at the two people's scrutinizing attitude as one sitting and the other standing.
Strictly speaking, when someone introduces themselves, they're practically pushing you to your death.
Some people have secrets that cannot be told.
"To inform someone" means either one's own people or the dead.
In just a few words, Xie Baochai was drenched in cold sweat and quite frightened. It was an inauspicious start!
When did Daiyu, the eldest daughter of Earl Dai, become Zheng Ya's capable wife?
Even though the Golden Hairpin Project had elite informants all over the world, they didn't realize that there was someone named Daiyu by Zheng Ya's side.
According to the intelligence provided by his informant, Zheng Yajian lived a normal life with his maid, nothing more.
All other information could not be obtained.
Because if any suspicious person gets within 300 meters of Zheng Ya, it will bring disaster upon them and the communication will be cut off, so they can only be monitored remotely.
Wu Wei has been missing ever since he disappeared from Salt Sea City.
When she reappeared, it was because Wu Wei had kidnapped the retired emperor and had been discovered by spies planted in the palace.
Although Xie Baochai knew that Wu Wei had abducted the Emperor Emeritus and arrived at the snow-covered hillside in the eastern suburbs of the capital, she did not dare to easily make contact with Wu Wei, a person known for his ruthless killing.
Comparatively speaking, Xie Baochai felt more secure dealing with someone like Zheng Ya who lived an ordinary life, but she was greatly disappointed and ended up in a desperate situation.
Daiyu was taken aback, exchanged a glance with Zheng Ya, and then both looked on with curiosity: "Haha, interesting, really interesting!"
It would be a miracle if it wasn't interesting!
After all, the eldest daughter of the supposedly extinct Xie family is still alive and possesses the Golden Light Escape Technique. It wouldn't be so simple if she came to deliver such a generous gift.
It should be noted that there are virtually no copies of the incomplete talisman manuals in the imperial palace of the Great Li Dynasty, making them invaluable.
This gift is clearly designed to please him.
It was probably during this time that Zheng Ya ordered the supernatural ability group to search the world for minerals and secret manuals, which aroused suspicion. Xie Baochai's arrival proved everything.
That makes it even more interesting!
Xie Baochai smiled awkwardly: "To tell you the truth, back then, powerful nobles of the dynasty broke the rules and joined forces to help the crown prince force the emperor to abdicate, but the attempt failed, which implicated the Xie family, the imperial merchants."
After Emperor Chengping ascended the throne, he issued an edict stripping the Xie family of their official positions as imperial merchants, demoting them to mere merchants, and barring them from ever being employed again.
Prince Rong was ordered to investigate and confiscate the Xie family's imperial merchant property. He secretly plotted to murder my father and then used coercive tactics to force the Xie family to serve him.
The Xie Clan Chamber of Commerce operates covertly throughout the Great Li Dynasty.
Now, Prince Rong is preparing to abandon the Xie family, forcing his younger sister to presumptuously come seeking protection..."
"Oh dear, little sister, the mountain winds on this snowy mountain come in gusts. Don't get cold. Come over and warm yourself by the fire. Have some hot pot to warm your body. Don't get cold, or it will be my fault." Daiyu invited people to warm themselves by the fire and eat hot pot, but didn't offer them bowls and chopsticks.
Zheng Ya pretended not to know anything, busy making fish head hotpot, and also grilling bamboo rice on the barbecue grill, enjoying himself.
Xie Baochai gracefully stepped onto the large blue stone, and sat down discreetly beside Daiyu, saying with a smile, "Sister, you have been so kind to invite me, I dare not refuse, thank you!"
In crucial moments, having thick skin is still the most effective thing to do.
No bowls or chopsticks? No problem. Xie Baochai simply used her magic to lift her hand and grab a piece of fragrant fish from the boiling hot pot. She then blew on it to cool it down before eating it elegantly.
A person who won't act unless they see a benefit, and who won't release their hawk until they've suffered a loss?
Daiyu immediately understood and took out a bottle of fruit wine, saying with a smile, "Sister, eat slowly. Although eating hot pot is unique in the world, if you eat too fast and get choked or bite your tongue, it will be my fault."
"Come, try the world's number one fruit wine, and see if it suits your taste?"
"It's delicious. Uh, this... this wine, sister, you won't drink it, will you?" Xie Baochai understood what she meant by offering a unique delicacy and wine to someone.
This is clearly an implication that unique gourmet food and wine are very valuable.
The key is that money can't buy it; you have to exchange it for solid, honest information and secrets.
How could anyone dare to eat or drink this?
The thing is, what they said wasn't wrong; hot pot is indeed unique in the world, so delicious that Xie Baochai bit her tongue three times.
If it weren't for the support of Qi Refining Level 11 and his high physical strength, he would have bitten off his own tongue long ago!
How could I dare drink such fine wine!
It just goes to show that there's no such thing as a good banquet!
Daiyu smiled and took out three cups to pour wine: "This is fruit wine brewed by Zheng Ya, a master of supernatural abilities, using spiritual herbs and fruits."
The key is to cultivate spiritual fruits and medicinal herbs into a quality that lasts for ten thousand years, and then harvest and brew it into wine.
Smell it, does it smell good?
"It smells so good, just smelling it makes one's cultivation level increase slightly, uh..." Xie Baochai echoed her words, then realized it was too late to shut up.
That's so embarrassing.
Zheng Ya pretended not to see it, but Daiyu stared at her rosy cheeks and laughed, "Oh my, the ancients said that you can recognize a woman by her fragrance, and it's really true!"
Look at my little sister's bright red peach, her almond-shaped eyes blushing shyly, even her double eyelids and willow-leaf eyebrows are radiating this beauty..."
"Oh, sister, please stop talking. I'll just drink it, thank you!" Xie Baochai knew perfectly well that she was trying to sell food and wine and win people over!
After all, it's reassuring to use something that's right under your nose.
This was a timely delivery of food, and Xie Baochai, faced with such delicious food and wine, didn't feel any loss or discomfort whatsoever.
Instead, it felt like finding a kindred spirit, and we enjoyed the delicious food and wine.
No wonder Zheng Ya lived an ordinary life.
Why bother being a deity or cultivator when you can eat and drink such delicious food and wine all day long?
Seeing her relax and start eating and drinking, Daiyu smiled and secretly sent a telepathic message to Zheng Ya: "How about it? Did you win her over?"
"Hmm, you're really something!" Zheng Ya had to admit that Daiyu's success in winning over Xie Baochai was no accident; she really had a knack for it.
Zheng Ya would never be able to learn that!
I'm even a bit socially anxious, I feel ashamed of myself!
On the other hand, Wu Wei's interrogation of the retired emperor was ineffective. The retired emperor was very open and honest, revealing the secrets of the imperial seal, but Wu Wei found it hard to believe and couldn't accept it: "Are you kidding me?"
"Do you think I need to lie to you?" The retired emperor huddled in the snow, shivering, but he couldn't elicit even a shred of sympathy from Wu Wei, and his heart sank lower and lower.
The evil spirit Wu Wei was losing patience: "Stop talking nonsense and say something practical, or I'll make you wish you were dead?"
"I think you need to know the whereabouts of the seal, at least not now!" The Emperor Emeritus saw her turn her head and give him a murderous look, and his heart skipped a beat. He broke out in a cold sweat and changed his strategy.
Wu smiled and asked, "Speak?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com