Meanwhile, the plump auntie standing to the side hadn't closed her mouth since she entered the room.
Although she knew Xu Jinhuan was skilled in martial arts, she did not expect the child to be so meticulous. In just a few days, he had figured out the owner of the hidden hands by peeling back the layers of the clues.
Although Aunt Bai Pang was a woman, merchant families didn't have as many rules as official families. She had been managing accounts with her parents since she was a child and had seen all sorts of people. In terms of interpersonal skills, she was even slightly better than her husband.
Aunt Bai Pang pondered for a moment, a determined glint in her eyes, and she gently pinched her husband.
"Hiss, my wife, I've been behaving quite well lately, I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"
The chubby man looked at his wife with a bewildered expression, wondering what he had done wrong to upset her.
The plump aunt rolled her eyes at her husband helplessly before whispering a few words in his ear.
The chubby man looked even more bewildered after hearing this. "Really? But she's just a little girl."
The plump aunt poked her husband's fat belly, asking him a question as she did so.
"You're not young, but can you fight a bandit leader? Can you find out about the Wu family? Can you detect anything amiss with Xiang Linsheng and his group? Are you not afraid of Deyilou?"
The chubby man shook his head faster and faster, almost like a rattle drum.
He replied in a muffled voice, "No."
The plump auntie then proudly raised her head, "Then why don't you do as I say and go support my Jinhuan?"
The chubby man looked speechlessly at his wife's proud demeanor, muttering, "It's always 'Your Jinhuan, Your Jinhuan,' you've never praised my Mingren and Mingli like that."
The plump auntie laughed and scolded, "Go away, you're finding fault with this too? Whenever they do something worthy of my praise, I've always praised them. Hurry up and get on with your business, I'll praise you too when you're done."
Therefore, while everyone was still discussing among themselves, the chubby man walked up to Xu Jinhuan, bowed respectfully to him, and finally knelt on one knee.
“Miss Xu, as long as you can lead my family safely to the north, I, Xu Qibo, am willing to obey your orders and follow your lead from now on. If I betray you, may I be struck by lightning!”
The chubby man, Xu Qibo, had completely changed his honest and simple image in front of the chubby aunt. Now, he stared intently at Xu Jinhuan with a sincere and determined expression.
Xu Jinhuan was surprised that the first to make a choice was Aunt Bai Pang's family. She turned her head and saw Aunt Bai Pang's big smile and the encouraging look in her eyes.
Xu Jinhuan nodded to the plump aunt and then went over to help Xu Qibo up.
“Uncle Xu, I have felt your and Aunt’s sincerity. As long as I, Xu Jinhuan, am still here, I will not let you take any risks on the road to exile.”
Xu Qibo smiled and said, "Okay, with you saying that, I, Old Xu, feel at ease!"
Because of Xu Qibo's actions, many families have also made their own choices.
"Miss Xu, my family is willing to follow your orders!"
“My family is willing too. If it weren’t for Miss Xu, my daughters who are of marriageable age would definitely have been sent to a brothel.”
"Yes, Miss Xu has saved us many times along the way, it's time to repay her."
For every person with a positive attitude, there is someone with a negative attitude. Many people, despite receiving Xu Jinhuan's kindness, have not made a choice and remain in a wait-and-see state.
Xu Jinhuan didn't urge them. She was trying to win people over so that they would be more obedient and cause her less trouble.
Moreover, even if they are unwilling now, they will basically change their minds after she finishes her final message.
"Alright, everyone quiet down, I'm about to tell you who's really behind this."
The crowd, who had been whispering amongst themselves, immediately fell silent upon hearing this and waited quietly for Xu Jinhuan to speak.
"According to our investigation, Lin Sheng is a member of the Eastern Palace, and the mission to Deyilou was also issued by that person from the Eastern Palace."
Xu Jinhuan's message rang in everyone's ears like a muffled thunderclap. Everyone present rubbed their ears in unison, trying to prove that they had just misheard.
After a long while, someone asked tremblingly, "Miss Xu, is it really that person?"
Xu Jinhuan nodded again in front of everyone.
The room erupted in chaos, with everyone discussing it loudly, and some even resorting to cursing.
"Is there something wrong with that guy? We have no grudges against each other, so why is he targeting us?"
"That's right. We're honest and upright officials, and we barely exchange five words with him a year, and those are all just greetings. What have we done to deserve this?"
"Logically speaking, even if that person wanted to mess with someone, they should have messed with those still in the capital, not chased after us exiles to beat us up, right?"
Everyone was truly puzzled, so Xu Qibo took the lead and bowed, asking, "Miss Xu, do you know the reason?"
Xu Jinhuan sighed and explained, "The Crown Prince does not have any grudge against us, but he does have a grudge against the Wu family who are eyeing us. He originally planned to use a 'mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind' strategy."
Once we were nearly wiped out by the bandits, we planned to return to the capital with the evidence to appeal to the emperor, but I unexpectedly intervened, causing his plan to be shelved.
None of them were stupid; after Xu Jinhuan said just a few words, they quickly understood the general situation.
"It's like we're fish on a chopping board, and everyone wants to cut us."
"These powerful people really know how to play this game within a game. If it weren't for Miss Xu, even if we managed to escape the bandits, we wouldn't have escaped the Crown Prince's trap!"
"The Crown Prince has always been arrogant and domineering. If we make him suffer this time, he will definitely not let it go. What should we do?"
After discussing for a while, several more families chose to seek refuge with Xu Jinhuan.
Xu Jinhuan revealed a confident smile and continued, "Everyone guessed correctly, the Crown Prince will not let this go. This time he will send a team of Imperial Guards to attack us."
However, we're not pushovers. The rain is getting heavier, and the mountain path is difficult to traverse. But we have a large group, so we have the advantage of favorable weather, location, and support!
Everyone shuddered at the mention of the Imperial Guards' arrival; they were an army directly under the royal family, and it was said that each of them was a master.
After Xu Jinhuan finished his analysis, everyone's initial unease gradually subsided. Although they didn't say it outright, they had genuinely begun to believe in Xu Jinhuan.
"Everyone should know why we moved from the dilapidated temple to the mountain. Now, with the Wu family and the Crown Prince as our two enemies, trouble might break out on the mountain at any time."
Therefore, in order to maintain harmony during this period, I need to establish some rules. Anyone who violates these rules will face severe consequences, ranging from serious injury to death.
Xu Jinhuan is now preparing to establish rules for these people and take this opportunity to weed out those who are disobedient. Although she is doing this to complete her mission, she is not going to save just anyone.
Rather than letting some people nitpick, it's better for her to die sooner, which would save her a lot of trouble.
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