Unlike the quiet inn, the gambling house was brightly lit, filled with the excited shouts of gamblers.
Yet behind the tightly closed door on the second floor, all remained quiet.
“Ninth Master, those people don’t look like they came here to gamble…” the manager said in a low voice.
Ninth Master smiled faintly. “What makes you say that?”
The manager was just about to answer when a voice interrupted him.
“That Xu fellow looks like an idiot. Anyone can tell he doesn’t know how to gamble.” The young woman sat opposite Ninth Master, her chin tilted slightly upward.
Ninth Master glanced at the young attendant beside him. The boy was sweating profusely and hurriedly explained, “Ninth Master, Miss insisted on barging in.”
He was only a servant—how could he possibly stop the young lady?
The young woman’s brows shot up as she let out a huff. “I bet those people have come looking for the government silver again.”
“They’re so annoying. If they dare come back next time, I’ll have them tied up and thrown out!”
With the young woman’s arrival, the atmosphere in the private room changed completely.
Ninth Master took a sip of tea, his brows drawing together. “Have you finished the lessons your tutor assigned?”
The moment she heard that, the expression on the young woman’s face changed. “Why do you always bring up such unpleasant things?”
Ninth Master felt a headache coming on. He had traveled the martial world for many years and weathered all kinds of storms, but when it came to disciplining children, he was utterly helpless.
He couldn’t hit her, and he couldn’t bring himself to scold her…
The young woman stroked her teacup, her eyes darting about. Casually, she asked, “Father, will Young Master Xu come back next time? I think he’s rather amusing.”
At the thought of how Xu Ancheng had hurriedly let go of her on the staircase, she couldn’t help laughing.
What an idiot.
Ninth Master frowned, his voice turning stern. “Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
The young woman waved impatiently. “I know.”
Her father was so annoyingly long-winded.
Since they were investigating the government silver, those people would probably return to the gambling house. When they did, she would definitely have a proper chat with them.
The inn’s main hall was deserted. Almost all the attendants had gone downstairs to rest, and the only sound was the buzzing of cicadas in the trees outside.
Several people were secretly discussing something around a corner in the back courtyard.
“Tomorrow?”
“No rush. Everything’s ready…”
“Shh.”
The group quickly dispersed, while Ji Zhaoxi remained hidden in the corner, her brows tightly furrowed.
She had noticed long ago that there was something strange about those people.
The other attendants at the inn all carried the unmistakable air of exhausted workers. They were so tired that their eyes looked glazed over, and during their breaks, they wore sour expressions and ignored everyone.
But these few men had sharp, alert eyes. They rose earlier than the chickens and went to bed later than anyone else. No matter when Ji Zhaoxi and the others returned to the inn, those men were always there.
What was more, they never seemed tired in the slightest. Every day, they were full of energy. Anyone could tell they had undergone special training.
“Did you figure anything out?”
A voice suddenly sounded behind her. Ji Zhaoxi jumped in fright. Instinctively, she raised her sword and struck toward the source of the voice.
Fu Xianyan leaned against the wall and couldn’t help letting out a muffled groan. With the sword pressed against his neck, he knew without looking that the blade had definitely drawn blood.
“Miss Ji…” His voice held a trace of helplessness. “Weren’t you tired?”
Ji Zhaoxi coughed awkwardly and lowered the sword from his neck.
“What are you doing here?”
Fu Xianyan reached up as if to touch his neck, but Ji Zhaoxi instinctively caught his hand.
Fu Xianyan exchanged a look with the visibly guilty Ji Zhaoxi.
Feeling the faint sting in his neck, he was silent for a moment before deciding to examine it with his other hand.
But the instant he lifted that hand, Ji Zhaoxi pressed it down as well.
The two of them stared at each other.
Fu Xianyan was a little surprised. “What is it, Miss Ji? My neck seems to be hurting.”
Ji Zhaoxi looked at the wound on his neck, where blood was still seeping out, and felt even guiltier.
“Well… your neck looks like it’s about to come off…”
In the corner, the hidden guard gazed at the wound on Fu Xianyan’s neck, then at Ji Zhaoxi, who was holding his master at swordpoint. His feelings were incredibly complicated.
His master was so pitiful…
This was the moment to prove his loyalty.
Not long afterward, a faint rustling came from the ground. A fat scorpion slowly crawled toward Ji Zhaoxi.
The hidden guard looked at the scorpion and sighed. If only he hadn’t fed it so much. Now it was so fat that it could barely walk.
Just as the scorpion was about to reach Ji Zhaoxi, Fu Xianyan kicked it away without changing expression.
The poisonous scorpion flipped onto its back. Its legs flailed wildly in the air, and its tail whipped back and forth. After struggling for a long while, it simply gave up and lay there flat on its back.
The guard: …
His master’s heart was far too ruthless! He really kicked it without a second thought!
“Fu Xianyan, why are you getting up in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? You scared me half to death.”
Ji Zhaoxi decided to accuse him before he could accuse her.
“I only attacked because I thought you were an assassin.” Ji Zhaoxi sounded perfectly justified.
Fu Xianyan lowered his eyes and said nothing.
The wound on his neck was still bleeding, and his face was gradually turning pale. Ji Zhaoxi faltered.
“Luckily, I stopped in time. Otherwise, you’d be…”
“Don’t look like that. Does it really hurt?”
“All right, I’m sorry… But I didn’t do it on purpose. You were the one who scared me first.”
Ji Zhaoxi spoke softly. Fu Xianyan leaned against the wall, looking as pitiful as could be.
Ji Zhaoxi hesitantly released his hand. Fu Xianyan touched his neck, and sure enough, his fingers came away covered in blood.
Ji Zhaoxi: …
Seeing Fu Xianyan staring at his palm, Ji Zhaoxi quickly grabbed his hand and stopped him from looking any further.
“It’s fine. It’s only a superficial wound. You won’t die!”
Fu Xianyan looked utterly dejected, as though he had suffered some tremendous injustice.
Ji Zhaoxi began to panic. “I’ll take responsibility. I really didn’t do it on purpose.”
“You really won’t die…”
“All right, why don’t you cut me back? You can slash me too!”
At last, Fu Xianyan raised his eyes. He frowned slightly as he looked at Ji Zhaoxi’s neck, seemingly considering the matter.
Ji Zhaoxi hurriedly covered her neck. “But I’ll fight back.”
Seeing the wary look on Ji Zhaoxi’s face, Fu Xianyan couldn’t help letting out a muffled laugh.
Ji Zhaoxi froze for a moment, then immediately realized she had been tricked.
Ji Zhaoxi: …
Fu Xianyan chuckled. “Miss Ji, you said you’d take responsibility. Then tomorrow, accompany me to the doctor’s.”
When Fu Xianyan returned to the room, he was in an excellent mood.
Xu Ancheng looked at him in surprise as he entered through the door.
“Did something good happen to Young Master Fu?”
But in the next moment, he saw the wound on Fu Xianyan’s neck, and Xu Ancheng’s expression changed.
“Young Master Fu, who hurt you?”
Young Master Fu was far too unlucky. His old injury had yet to heal, and now he had another wound.
Xu Ancheng’s brows drew tightly together. “Was it one of your enemies?”
Fu Xianyan shook his head.
Xu Ancheng’s frown deepened. “Could it have been someone from the gambling house?”
Fu Xianyan let out a soft laugh and denied it again.
Xu Ancheng’s expression turned solemn. “Young Master Fu, don’t be afraid. Tell me what happened. I’ll help you.”
Fu Xianyan was in an excellent mood. “It was someone from the room next door.”
Xu Ancheng froze.
The room next door—that had to be Miss Qin and Miss Ji…
The corner of Xu Ancheng’s mouth twitched. Surely not.
The room was exceptionally quiet as Fu Xianyan calmly tended to the injuries on his own body.
Xu Ancheng paced back and forth with a book in hand, his brows drawn tightly together. He kept glancing at Fu Xianyan, clearly wanting to say something but hesitating.
At last, he could hold back no longer.
“Young Master Fu, please don’t blame Miss Ji. She didn’t do it on purpose… I imagine she was simply too sleepy and mistook you for someone else.”
Xu Ancheng met Fu Xianyan’s gaze and coughed.
“Miss Ji is still young and doesn’t know any better. Young Master Fu, please don’t take it to heart.”
Fu Xianyan let out a laugh. “They’re only superficial injuries. Young Master Xu, rest assured—I won’t hold it against Miss Ji.”
Hearing him say that, Xu Ancheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He glanced once more at Fu Xianyan, who was clearly in an excellent mood, and fell silent for a moment.
It seemed he had been worrying for nothing…
