Chapter 69 If he really wanted to see you, why wouldn't he...?
Zheng Ru changed into her usual clothes and listened to the increasingly intense pushing and shoving outside.
"If your boss doesn't come out soon, I'll have your Yu'an Building torn down."
"How can you be like this? Do you think you can just tear down Yu'an Tower like that?"
The man in black said, "I'm just giving you a heads-up."
Zheng Ruo came out of another room and saw that the masked man was indeed still in the room where she had disappeared, looking for a clue.
What do you want to do?
The masked man removed his mask, his once magnificent robes suddenly transforming into a tight-fitting outfit, and even the short sword in his hand changed. Zheng Ruo looked at the familiar short sword, crossed her arms, and said to him, "Young Master Xue... after all these years, you want to tear down my Jade Peace Tower as soon as we meet?"
Zheng Ruo gestured for everyone else in the room to leave, and after closing the door, Xue Wenxiang got straight to the point with her.
"If I didn't know that you were the owner of Yu'an Tower, I wouldn't have bothered talking for so long."
"You brat, if Wuming were in your Jade Peace Pavilion, you wouldn't be completely unaware, would you? Where did the man who was with him go?"
Zheng Ruo hadn't forgotten the times he'd scared her. Besides, Anxianglou was a dangerous business with many enemies, and it wouldn't do Xu Cangyu any good to get involved with him now.
"If she is nameless and elusive, how would I know who she brings with her?"
"You brat, you're quite the player when it comes to playing games with me," he said, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. His eyes and brows were sharp as unsheathed swords, carrying a more bloodthirsty and menacing air than they had five years ago. Though handsome, he was undeniably intimidating.
"When it comes to spatial mechanisms, even the No-Door can't compare to the Dark Fragrance Pavilion."
"Anxiang Tower excels at pursuit; how could two wounded people escape right under my nose?"
He stated definitively, "The person is right here."
Zheng Ruo scoffed, "Don't try to scare me with your Anxiang Pavilion. I don't know where the person is. If Young Master Xue really wants to punish me... then I can only call my master over."
Xue Wenxiang was so angry he almost choked. What could he do to Zheng Ruo? She wouldn't listen to reason, and he couldn't force her to listen like he was interrogating a prisoner.
That brat tried to intimidate him with Wen Qianchu, but he wasn't afraid of Wen Qianchu at all.
His fingers, which were tapping the table, grew increasingly agitated. He clenched them into a fist, his knuckles cracking.
"The Dark Fragrance Blade Technique cannot be learned by anyone other than disciples of our sect. And that sword in his hand, don't you know whose sword it is?"
Xue Wenxiang pressed on, "Don't lie to me, who is he?"
If it were a young girl from five years ago, she would have been unable to withstand such interrogation. But things have changed. Zheng Ruo is no longer a young girl with no cultivation or background. Even if she is afraid, she has some confidence now.
"If he wants to see you, he will."
Her sturdy back stiffened, and Xue Wenxiang's expression visibly hardened. "What do you mean? He doesn't want to see me?"
Zheng Ru shrugged: "If he really wanted to see you, why isn't he coming out now?"
Xue Wenxiang's expression was grim and terrifying. He abruptly stood up, walked to the room, and stood motionless in front of the desk against the wall. Zheng Ruo's heart leaped into his throat. Had he discovered that the desk held the key to spatial magic?
After a long stalemate, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy, making it hard to breathe. Zheng Ruo's palms were damp with cold sweat, but she saw him walk away without looking back, knife in hand.
Zheng Ruo watched that figure disappear step by step into Yu'an Tower, as if still in a dream. The Dark Fragrance Tower was a place of bloodshed and turmoil; Young Master Xue, having been humiliated, had simply left without a word.
"Junior sister."
Qi Wanyan leaned against the wall as she came over, her face pale. "It seems I need to go back to my sect to recuperate for a while."
Zheng Ruo felt extremely guilty, "I'm sorry, senior sister, I..."
Qi Wanyan interrupted her, "You don't need to blame yourself. Qiushui Sect has always had a grudge against Qu Wumen. It's not your fault. It's just that you need to be extra careful while I'm away."
"Understood, Senior Sister."
*
Moving the mechanism, they entered the inner room. Xu Zangyu had already finished his meditation. Zheng Ruo gave him a bottle of pills, saying, "This is a Youth-Changing Pill. Yu'an Tower has many spies, so be careful."
After changing her appearance, Xu Zangyu went out with her.
"You must have heard what I just said, Young Master Xue. Will you see him or not?"
What the hell? Seeing you again won't be as simple as being pinned to a chair.
That man was as tall as a mountain and looked like a bear. What did he do to offend him?
"...Let's talk about it later." He added in his mind that it was best not to see each other again.
Zheng Ruo opened the window. Downstairs, there was a lot of noise. Only a few people were there for a meal; most of them had ulterior motives.
"I heard that the owner of Yu'an Tower is a woman. There have been people coming to cause trouble every few days. I'm afraid she won't be able to keep her business here."
"What does a woman know about running a business? I heard that Yu'anlou is about to go bankrupt."
"The people of Yu'an are really something. They don't know what's good for them, and they occupy such a good piece of land but they're unwilling to sell even when others offer high prices."
“How could it be sold so easily? There are ancient imperial tombs and gold mines in the mountains of Yu’an. Although it’s all just a rumor, I think they’ve probably been hidden away.”
Zheng Ruo was already used to these rumors, and only explained when she saw the worry in Xu Zangyu's eyes:
"Many sects want to take Yu'an for themselves, not only because of its abundant spiritual energy, but also because of the wealth of the imperial tombs."
“If it weren’t for the fact that the other major sects were watching them, those people would have slaughtered Yu’an long ago.”
“I know this can’t go on, but I just can’t accept it. Why should the place we’re holding onto be driven away by others?”
Xu Zangyu: "What are your plans?"
Zheng Ruo: "I plan to establish a business based in Yu'an. Yu'an can't rely on the protection of other sects forever. One day, the people of Yu'an will have to stand up for themselves."
"Little girl, I wasn't wrong about you." Xu Cangyu's eyes were full of admiration. "So, what's your problem now?"
Zheng Ruo honestly replied, "I'm short of money."
"Brother Xu, come with me." Zheng Ruo led him to a mountain spring behind the mountain, which was sealed by a barrier. She pointed to the spring and said, "Brother Xu, why don't you give it a try?"
The spring water was thinner than a little finger, and a jade gourd held it at the bottom. Xu Zangyu picked it up and took a sip, somewhat surprised. "It's a spiritual spring. It's a pity it's a bit small."
Zheng Ruo: "This is also why I am unwilling to give up even an inch of Yu'an."
With a slight movement of her fingers, Zheng Ruo saw the jade gourd fly into her hand. "I am able to cultivate because of this spiritual spring. If I can cultivate, why can't others?"
As the two walked out of the mountain, Zheng Qian appeared. Zheng Ruo handed him the spiritual spring water to take down and distribute. Before leaving, he glanced at the people around Zheng Ruo several times.
It's strange that his old eyesight is failing, and he actually thought he saw an old friend.
After walking a few steps, he couldn't help but turn back: "You should go back soon, it's going to rain soon."
Xu Zangyu's eyes welled up slightly, and he opened his mouth, letting out a muffled "hmm."
"Aruo, don't look so worried. I'll figure out how to solve the money problem."
Zheng Ruo suddenly felt relieved. She finally realized how much pressure Xu Zangyu had been under to protect Yu'an. It's easy for one person to take care of themselves, but it's difficult for one person to shield others from the storms of life.
"Your body..."
"Don't worry, your brother Xu is very capable," Xu Cangyu patted her head as he always did. "We're a family that's been through thick and thin together, aren't we? Five years have passed, and the little girl doesn't smile much anymore. She's really grown up."
A warm feeling filled her heart, and Zheng Ruo couldn't hide her smile. Thankfully, Xu Zangyu was alright.
The two chatted and laughed all the way when suddenly a man blocked Zheng Ruo's way.
"Miss Zheng, what a coincidence."
Zheng Ruo suppressed her smile and stared at the unfamiliar man in front of her: "Who are you?"
The man had a dignified appearance, wore several gemstone rings on his hands, and his dazzling robes exuded wealth and luxury. His belt was inlaid with either gemstones or gold.
"I am Zhou Lang. I have long heard that Miss Zheng is intelligent and kind-hearted, and today I have seen that to my heart's content."
"I wonder if Miss Zheng would do me the honor of making friends?"
It's not polite to refuse someone who's smiling, so Zheng Ruo declined, saying, "I still have things to take care of at Yu'an Tower. I'll definitely entertain Brother Zhou when he visits Yu'an Tower in the future."
The two were about to leave when he stopped them again. If Xu Zangyu hadn't reached out to stop him, this man would have bumped into Zheng Ruo.
"I think Brother Zhou's words have a hidden meaning. If you have something to say, please speak frankly."
The man stumbled as he was pushed, his smiling face turning ugly, but he managed to maintain his composure and not explode on the spot.
"Why are you interrupting when I'm talking to Miss Zheng?"
Zheng Ruo had no intention of listening to what the man had to say, and pulled Xu Zangyu away.
The man's expression changed when he saw them holding hands. "Miss Zheng, wait a moment."
"I've heard that Miss Zheng's Yu'an Tower is currently experiencing financial difficulties. I'm interested in collaborating with Miss Zheng. I wonder if Miss Zheng would be willing to discuss this now?"
The man kept turning the large gold and gemstone ring on his hand, looking confident and in control.
He handed over an expensive hairpin, saying, "This is a gift for you, young lady, to express my feelings."
Zheng Ruo naturally refused to take it, but Xu Cangyu smiled and took it, saying, "What a beautiful hairpin. It's a pity that Miss Zheng's business is already taken. I'll take it first."
"you?"
A hint of disdain flashed in the man's eyes. To him, the young man in front of him was nothing but a poor, wretched boy. What use was such a person except for having a woman support him with his looks?
Zhou Lang did not get angry like a young boy, but instead acted like a mature and composed man. "Even if the deal falls through, we can still be on good terms. If Miss Zheng is interested, she can contact me before the caravan departs next month."
"He does have some patience," Xu Cangyu raised an eyebrow in surprise, calling out to the man's departing figure, "Brother Zhou, you've left your hairpin behind."
"If Miss Zheng does not like it, then it is useless and you may do with it as you see fit."
"At the age of twenty, you have achieved success in your career and behaved appropriately. Not bad at all."
They're about the same age, so how can people be so different?
This is how a normal person should behave, unlike that young master Xue, who used knives and guns to pin someone to the table the first time they met.
Just thinking about it made Xu Zangyu feel a non-existent ache in his shoulders.
"Not bad my ass!"
Zheng Ruo heard the satisfaction in his words and really thought he was going to tie this damned red thread. She snatched the hairpin and was about to smash it when she was stopped.
"Don't give it to me, I like it very much."
Zheng Ruo looked at him with a complicated expression: "Don't tell me that a grown man like you would wear a beaded flower in his hair."
Xu Cangyu held the hairpin, removed the round and lustrous pearl inlaid on it, and pinched it with his fingers. The pearl shattered, and the black Gu worm hidden inside was also crushed to death by him.
Zheng Ruo suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. "How did you know there was something like that in the hairpin?"
"One should always be wary of others. The Yu'an Tower just had an accident, and yet kind people have already offered their help. There's no such thing as a free lunch."
Xu Zangyu checked again and was relieved to find that there was nothing else.
He led Zheng Ruo to the alley entrance and stealthily followed them, discovering that the man had entered a carriage in a corner.
To avoid being discovered, the two kept a great distance apart, so that they could not hear each other at all. However, Zheng Ruo noticed that Xu Zangyu was listening intently.
"...Can you hear what's going on inside the carriage?"
It's difficult to even see clearly from this distance, and it's a bustling city area, so who could hear the sounds coming from inside the carriage?
[Elder, I've already laid the bait, but unfortunately, that woman isn't taking it. She's with a pretty boy by her side; he's probably been bewitching her.]
[You handle this person yourself; don't let him delay our plans. The Jade An Autumn Water Sect must be captured.]
[As long as they don't lose the hairpin, they won't escape the elder's curse. Elder, please rest assured, I will definitely avenge you for the humiliation you suffered today.]
After listening, Xu Zangyu nodded to Zheng Ruo, "It was the masked man who made the move today. He really is from the Qiushui Sect. They really can't forget about Yu'an."
Zheng Ruo: "No wonder... Brother Xu, you haven't broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, have you? Your divine sense is so powerful."
Xu Zangyu smiled without denying it, nor did he mention that he had already reached the Nascent Soul stage and that his spiritual sense was far beyond that of the Golden Core stage.
"Brother Xu, are you staying in Yu'an for a few days? Or are you returning to Tianyi Sect?"
"Let's stay in Yu'an for a few days. The people from Qiushui Sect might make a move in the next few days."
Xu Zangyu originally just came down the mountain for a stroll, but recalling the past, he really couldn't maintain the same composure as when he came down the mountain.
Xiao Mingxin has been in seclusion for the past few days, and there's nothing to do when he returns. He'll deal with the matter in Yu'an first.
Zheng Ruo: "Brother Xu, what are you planning to do? Is there anything I can help you with?"
Xu Zangyu smiled and said, "Of course we need the help of an unknown hero. We'll also have to trouble you to write a Yu'an Gazette so that people with aspirations can come and contribute money."
Zheng Ruo was stunned: "...Do you think I'm a god who can make people send me money with a flick of a finger?"
"Don't worry, there are plenty of people willing."
Xu Zangyu laid out the entire plan, leaving Zheng Ru speechless with astonishment, yet her heart was filled with excitement. "I'll go back and write it down right away."
Xu Zangyu wasn't idle either. He went to the blacksmith shop where he had forged the dragon head before and placed a large handful of gold and copper coins on the table.
"I'd like to do a business deal with you two. I wonder if you two are capable of making fake gold."
The blacksmith, knowing a big business opportunity had come his way, said, "It's easy to spot the flaws when casting in bronze, but gilding can make it look genuine, though it's more expensive."
“It’s alright to spend money.” Xu Zangyu pulled out another handful of gold and copper coins. “Just name your price.”
The blacksmith touched the gold and copper coins, feeling a strange familiarity; these weren't the coins he had made for that young man.
"You are... that young man from back then?"
Xu Zangyu did not deny it, and the blacksmith immediately understood that he had used magic to change his appearance.
"So it's you. Thanks to your money back then, our little shop was saved. Please feel free to ask if you need anything. We absolutely cannot take this gold again."
"Boss, please accept it. I need a lot of fake gold, the more the better."
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