This display was practically a voluntary confession.
Shi Qingruo looked up and said, "But if I recall correctly, the dishes and pastries for this wedding banquet were prepared by retired imperial chefs from the palace. Even if not every dish is as exquisite as the famed 'Mandarin Duck Five-Treasure Slices,' they are still several times better than what you'd find elsewhere. If even these can't satisfy your taste, then I doubt there’s anything in Bianjing City that would."
The little beggar perched on the beam nodded in understanding. "Ah, so that’s why. No wonder they’re far superior to those from the restaurants I’ve tried."
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake. She immediately met Shi Qingruo’s amused gaze, her dirt-smeared face flushing faintly beneath the grime. Hurriedly, she changed the subject: "But your security here is truly lacking. Even the finest things will be stolen if left unguarded."
The same goes for people.
The little beggar glanced at the guards who had rushed in a step too late and shook her head inwardly.
Ever since arriving in Bianjing the day before, she had heard that the new wife of the Mystic Sky Alliance was a rare beauty of their time. Unfortunately, she had no martial skills, and after marrying Guan Qi, it was unlikely she would venture out often.
Having lived on an island before, she had little exposure to the novelties of the Central Plains—how could she resist coming to see such a spectacle for herself?
But the moment she laid eyes on Shi Qingruo, she realized that while some rumors in the martial world were unreliable, this one was undeniably true.
Seeing the other woman’s calm, untroubled gaze and the faint smile that graced her lips, the little beggar found herself staring, utterly entranced.
Suddenly, Shi Qingruo spoke: "Though the defenses of the Mystic Sky Alliance may not match those of the other two major factions, they are hardly as weak as you claim. To reach this place unnoticed, one must have entered through the corner where the Five-Element Formation is laid. With skills like yours, our alliance would naturally welcome you with open arms—there’s no need to lurk like a thief on the beams."
She beckoned lightly. "Come down and speak properly. I dislike looking up at others."
This beggar, disguised as a boy, was shorter than Sikong Zhaixing, so she didn’t need to hang upside-down from the beam like him. Still, the space was cramped and hardly a comfortable perch.
Shi Qingruo also gestured for the sword-wielding guards to step back.
It wasn’t that she had no wariness toward this suddenly appearing beggar—after all, during the bridal procession, Granny Douzi of the Six and a Half Halls had proven that in the martial world, even an old woman could not be underestimated.
Rather, though she had never dealt with this person before, she could vaguely guess her identity.
And that identity was hardly a dangerous one.
At the very least, she was far less of a threat than Wang Xiaoshi or Bai Choufei, whom she had met earlier.
The little beggar showed no fear either. She promptly flipped down from the beam, landing lightly on the ground, and continued studying Shi Qingruo with curious eyes.
Shi Qingruo asked, "I was just about to have lunch served. Shall I have them set an extra place for you?"
The little beggar widened her eyes in surprise, but before she could respond, Shi Qingruo had already given the order—clearly not just a polite gesture.
When someone brought over a basin of water, the little beggar instinctively dipped her hands in to wash them.
Though her face remained smeared with grime, the hands she placed on the table were now fair and delicate, a stark contrast to her disheveled appearance.
At this point, if she still tried to pass herself off as an ordinary beggar, she’d be treating everyone else as fools.
The "little beggar" glanced at her hands, hesitated for a moment, then looked up—only to meet Shi Qingruo’s smiling eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.
Oh no! Could this be the famed "beauty trap" often spoken of in the martial world?
Eager to regain some footing, she began critiquing the dishes being served: "Since imperial chefs were employed, the appetizers should follow proper etiquette. Even if not arranged as 'Four Dried, Four Fresh, Two Salty, Four Sweet,' they should at least feature seasonal fruits and preserves, not just a haphazard assortment. As for the main dishes—with the lingering spring chill, something warming like Chicken Tongue Soup and Fried Ox-Tendon with Mandarin Duck would be fitting."
"And as for the wine..." She glanced at the clear liquor poured into her cup and remarked cheerfully, "Three-White Fen Wine is common, but it doesn’t pair well with meat. It ought to be swapped for something else."
Her words flowed effortlessly. Though her tone was critical, there was an undeniable charm to it—enough to make one believe she had indeed sampled such delicacies before.
Zhu Xiaoyao considered stepping forward to reveal the girl’s identity, but Shi Qingruo subtly gestured for her to hold back. Calmly, Shi Qingruo replied, "But you made one mistake just now."
"Huh?"
"I told you the chefs here were 'found,' not 'invited' as you put it. To put it plainly—a place like the Mystic Sky Alliance is too troublesome for any ordinary chef to willingly step into. Since we didn’t bother with courtesy when bringing them here, the dishes they prepare are entirely up to their mood."
The "little beggar" froze.
"Invited"? If Shi Qingruo’s words were to be believed, it was practically abduction!
She blurted out, "And you dare eat what they cook?"
How utterly reckless!
A chef had complete control over what went into the food—tampering with it would be child’s play.
As someone who loved experimenting with food herself, she knew this all too well.
Yet the woman across from her merely picked up her chopsticks with indifference, plucked a strand of shredded rabbit from the plate, and replied casually, "Why not? The Mystic Sky Alliance has no shortage of experts in poisons. Whether something is tainted is easily determined. So you needn’t worry about the food being poisoned—"
"If you’re truly hungry, eat your fill first."
The "little beggar" blinked, utterly baffled by Shi Qingruo’s intentions.
Judging by appearances, this wife of the alliance’s leader, sheltered within a heavily guarded formation, was only seven or eight years her senior. Yet she couldn’t begin to decipher the woman’s temperament.
Her own father, a renowned figure in the martial world, bore the moniker "Eastern Heretic" for his unorthodox ways. Yet ever since she began wandering the jianghu, she had encountered nothing but people who defied convention. It was hard to say who was truly more eccentric.
Strangely, though, she found herself liking Shi Qingruo more and more.
Perhaps, if she were Guan Qi, she too would go to any lengths to keep such a woman by her side.
Bah! What nonsense was she thinking?!
"Distractions during a meal are ill-advised. What’s on your mind?"
The "little beggar" snapped back to attention. While musing that the shredded rabbit—traditionally paired with chrysanthemum petals—had been served with plum blossoms instead due to the season, creating a unique flavor, she replied, "I was wondering why you let me join you at the table."
Shi Qingruo replied, "What's so hard to explain? A young lady traveling the martial world disguised as a beggar—who knows if she’s run into some trouble? Since you meant me no harm or threat, I simply treated you as a guest."
After a moment's thought, she added, "And you needn’t ask how I saw through your disguise. I have a friend who’s quite skilled in disguise arts. Compared to their mastery, smearing a little dirt on your face is child’s play."
The "little beggar" suppressed the warmth she felt at the first half of those words and muttered under her breath, "...I never thought this disguise would fool anyone. Only a few dullards couldn’t tell, calling me 'Brother Huang' this and that. My father’s disguise techniques are renowned. Though I haven’t mastered their essence, I’m not limited to just this crude trick."
Her voice was low, but the room was quiet, and Shi Qingruo’s hearing was sharp—she caught every word.
A flicker passed through Shi Qingruo’s eyes, further confirming her guess about the girl’s identity.
Yet she didn’t reveal it outright, instead asking, "Then may I ask who your esteemed father is?"
For most, this would be an easy question, but it stumped the "little beggar."
She puffed her cheeks. "Never mind who he is. He didn’t even come looking for me when I snuck out at night—he must have abandoned me. Just remember who I am. My surname is Huang, and my given name is Rong."
Shi Qingruo couldn’t help but laugh at the childishness in her words, though considering the girl’s youth and her upbringing on a remote island with her father, such temperament wasn’t surprising.
"So it’s Miss Huang. Since you’ve said so, I won’t pry into your conflict with your father."
"Don’t call me 'Miss Huang'—it sounds strange. Just call me Rong'er." Now that she’d revealed her name and heard Shi Qingruo’s tactful restraint, Huang Rong seemed much more at ease.
Perhaps it was this relaxation that finally allowed her to take a proper look at Shi Qingruo’s expression.
Only then did she notice the small mole beside the beauty’s nose—far from marring her flawless features, it added a lively charm to her smiling face.
The thought that such a beauty had supposedly been abducted by that madman, perhaps sharing the same plight as the cook, made Huang Rong’s chest tighten.
Just then, Shi Qingruo mused aloud, "You said you ran away from home. Do you have a place to stay? If not, the Mighty Heaven Alliance can spare a room."
Seeing Huang Rong’s startled look, Shi Qingruo explained plainly, "Don’t mind my bluntness. First, I find your manner quite refined and likable. Second, I’ve just recruited two new members today, but it’s still not enough. Noticing your foundation in Five Elements formations and your superior lightness skill, I’d like to extend an invitation."
She added with hopeful emphasis, "What do you say?"
It was no wonder Shi Qingruo felt this way.
In her third playthrough of the strategy game, her seclusion overseas had led to interactions with the Peach Blossom Island, unlocking Huang Rong and her father, the Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi.
Leaving aside Huang Yaoshi’s reputation, Shi Qingruo was more interested in Huang Rong herself.
The girl was clever, adaptable, and possessed extraordinary martial talent and mastery of esoteric arts. She’d make a fascinating friend—or an exceptional subordinate, if recruited.
She hadn’t expected their meeting to happen like this, sparked by Huang Rong’s curiosity about the wedding banquet, but it didn’t dampen her enthusiasm for recruitment.
After posing the question, she maintained a calm facade while closely observing Huang Rong’s reaction.
She immediately noticed the relief that flashed across Huang Rong’s face, undimmed by the smudges of dirt.
Huang Rong pondered silently. Shi Qingruo’s few words had dispelled some of her earlier worries.
Someone with the authority to recruit members couldn’t possibly be a helpless victim.
But the offer itself...
She quickly replied, "I’d love to accept, Sister, but I have urgent business and can’t stay here. I must decline your kindness."
"Urgent business?" Now it was Shi Qingruo’s turn to be curious.
Huang Rong lowered her voice. "Since we’ve hit it off, and this might concern you, I’ll share it."
"Wandering in this disguise has spared me trouble but also earned me scorn. Only two people have treated me kindly—you, and a blockhead from beyond the Great Wall."
Here, she paused briefly.
Indeed, she wouldn’t have confided so much in a stranger if not for Shi Qingruo’s kindness.
But she was never one to hide her feelings. Finding Shi Qingruo both beautiful and good-hearted, how could she hold back?
"He was searching for someone, heading south to Jiaxing, then north to Bianjing, where old enemies nearly ambushed him. Luckily, a Taoist priest intervened, saving him. But yesterday, that priest fell to a villain’s poison. I plan to help the blockhead steal the antidote."
"That does sound urgent," Shi Qingruo nodded. "But how does it concern me?"
Huang Rong answered seriously, "Sister, you may not know, but the ones targeting them are guest advisors hired by the Divine Might Marquis Estate. I can’t fathom why Young Marquis Fang, son of the so-called 'Great Hero,' associates with such vile folk. But I overheard something."
She frowned. "They mentioned the assassination attempt before your wedding. They said it was orchestrated by some 'Chancellor,' with the Six-and-a-Half Hall and the Marquis Estate providing manpower. But Chief Constable Wuqing thwarted it, costing them dearly."
"Rumor has it Young Marquis Fang was furious at the failure, calling the so-called 'Eight Blade Kings' overrated incompetents. Now that new guest advisors have arrived, they might be plotting fresh schemes."
"Tonight, I plan to infiltrate the Marquis Estate. If I learn more, all the better. If not..."
She glanced worriedly at Shi Qingruo. "Please, Sister—"
"Be very careful."
...
"Be very careful," huh?
As Shi Qingruo watched Huang Rong’s figure vanish after lunch, she swiftly weighed the implications of this unexpected revelation.
An urgent letter was swiftly delivered to an inn within the capital city of Bianjing.
Lu Xiaofeng watched as Sikong Zhaixing opened the letter with unusual solemnity, and a sense of foreboding crept over him.
He didn’t even need to ask who had sent it. Instead, he cut straight to the point: "What does it say?"
Sikong Zhaixing had no intention of hiding the contents from Lu Xiaofeng. "She says that tonight, someone plans to break into the residence of the Marquis of Divine Talent. She wants to hire me to steal something amid the chaos."
Lu Xiaofeng, who had been lazily leaning against the windowsill with a wine jug in hand, suddenly sat upright. "...Hire?"
Since when did this require payment?
Knowing Sikong Zhaixing as well as he did, Lu Xiaofeng was certain that if Shi Qingruo—no, now she should be addressed as Lady Shi—asked for help, Sikong Zhaixing would do it without demanding any reward.
Hadn’t it been the same when he’d gone to the Six Gates to involve Chief Constable Wuqing in the wedding affair?
Moreover, even from his brief encounter with Shi Qingruo, Lu Xiaofeng could tell that this seemingly defenseless woman, though caught in the midst of turmoil, had a way of quietly dissolving every trouble that came her way.
Even if she was now married to another, Sikong Zhaixing might still hold onto hope.
And that sliver of hope was enough to drive a man to risk life and limb.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Sikong Zhaixing replied, "Of course it’s a hire. Lady Shi said..."
His voice lowered slightly. "She admitted that what she did before was using indifference to exploit affection, and she feels she has wronged me. Now, she insists on keeping things strictly professional. Whether I take the job or not is entirely up to me."
Lu Xiaofeng’s heart sank.
This was bad.
Had those words not been spoken, he might still have had a chance to dissuade Sikong Zhaixing.
But with that line—"using indifference to exploit affection"—even if the Marquis’s residence were a mountain of blades or a sea of flames, someone would still be willing to charge straight in!
