The beggar slipped into a corner, and before long, a crowd of beggars had gathered in the alley.
The people carrying children took one look at the scene and immediately hurried away with their little ones.
“Help me spread a few messages. I want everyone in the county to know them by the end of today.”
Ji Zhaoxi pulled a silver ingot from her robes and declared boldly, “You’ll all be well rewarded.”
Fu Xianyan, standing beside her, watched her with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Then he placed several more pieces of silver in her hand.
Ji Zhaoxi gave him an approving look. Ever since Fu Xianyan had started following her, he had become better and better at reading the situation.
He had to come home with her.
“Ahem.” Ji Zhaoxi straightened her expression. “Tell them that the silver ingot from Yongchang Bank has already been examined, and it bears the mark of official silver.”
The beggars listened carefully and hurriedly nodded.
Ji Zhaoxi looked at her troops, and a sudden sense of pride welled up inside her.
Was this what her father felt when he led troops into battle? She seemed to understand it a little now.
“That silver will be sent to the prefectural city tomorrow for further examination. Spread that message too.”
After Ji Zhaoxi finished speaking, she eyed them suspiciously. “Did you remember everything?”
The beggar standing at the front thumped his chest. “Leave it to us!”
If they couldn’t even remember two sentences, then all their years of work would have been for nothing.
Ji Zhaoxi still wasn’t reassured. She tested a few of them at random, and only after confirming that they had all remembered did she finally relax.
Watching the beggars scatter like a swarm, Ji Zhaoxi suddenly grew thoughtful.
“Fu Xianyan, why don’t we not go home? Just come with me and make a living here.”
Fu Xianyan hadn’t quite processed what she meant. “Make a living where?”
“Right here. I want to become the Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.” Ji Zhaoxi looked at Fu Xianyan expectantly.
Fu Xianyan stumbled, momentarily at a loss for words.
Ji Zhaoxi gazed at him with anticipation. “Don’t you want to follow me and command the wind and rain? When the time comes, I’ll make you the Deputy Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.”
Fu Xianyan avoided her gaze.
Ji Zhaoxi immediately became displeased and glared at him.
Fu Xianyan hesitated before saying, “Miss Ji, your parents…”
Ji Zhaoxi lifted her chin. “My parents will be proud of me!”
Once she brought her troops back to the General’s residence, her father might even be so happy that he would faint.
He certainly wouldn’t expect his daughter to be even more capable than he was.
Fu Xianyan decisively changed the subject. In a gentle voice, he said, “Miss Ji, it looks like the sesame-cake vendor is about to leave.”
Ji Zhaoxi’s expression changed. “Oh no! We have to hurry and buy two!”
She had already run a long way ahead, while Fu Xianyan followed behind at an unhurried pace.
Watching her energetic figure, the corners of his lips curved up unconsciously.
Sometimes he couldn’t keep up with the plans in her head, but the fact that her plans included him made him very happy.
The Beggars’ Sect was highly efficient. Before long, word had spread throughout the entire county that Yongchang Bank was suspected of embezzling official silver.
“Sir, the official silver wasn’t stolen by that Old Gambler. It seems to have been stolen by someone from the government!”
“Bah! I knew it all along. That silver belonged to the government in the first place. How could the Old Gambler possibly have stolen it?”
The beggars were determined to make sure everyone knew. They grabbed hold of anyone they passed and began talking.
“Madam, they’ve found the person who stole the official silver.”
“What is official silver?”
“It’s the money the emperor gave to ordinary people like us. Someone stole it!”
“What?! Someone even stole money meant for the common people? Which bastard did it? I’ll beat him to death!”
The message spread farther and farther.
“That silver will be sent to the prefect tomorrow. Then they’ll be able to find out who stole it.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
“The county magistrate’s assistant stole our money. He’s about to be arrested!”
“Heaven has eyes!”
Within just a few hours, even the guests at the inn had heard about it, and everyone was discussing the matter.
Sitting on a stool, Qin Qiwu smiled. “We can always count on Miss Ji to get things done.”
Xu Ancheng placed some snacks on the table. “Without Miss Ji, this journey of ours certainly wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”
Fu Xianyan leaned against the wall, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “Miss Ji was quite impressive in the alley today.”
Hearing everyone’s praise, Ji Zhaoxi unexpectedly felt a little embarrassed.
“It was nothing special.”
Fu Xianyan frowned. “That was far more than ‘nothing special.’ Miss Ji, you’re bold and meticulous, and you have an excellent command of people. Not everyone could remain calm in front of so many people.”
Ji Zhaoxi looked at him with bright eyes.
Fu Xianyan met her gaze and nodded earnestly.
Her face reddened slightly. She coughed and said stiffly, “Oh.”
Qin Qiwu burst out laughing at the sight.
The relationship between Miss Ji and Young Master Fu was truly growing closer and closer. They had been arguing constantly before.
As Zhou Cheng listened to them, his heart sank further and further.
He had completely lost the chance to turn back.
But why were these people letting him hear all of this? Weren’t they afraid he would tell someone? Or did they already know that he would never have the chance to speak again?
Qin Qiwu smiled at Zhou Cheng. “Zhou Cheng, you’ll sleep in the room next to ours tonight. If you need anything, just tell us.”
Zhou Cheng nodded awkwardly.
Xu Ancheng said gently, “Zhou Cheng, you don’t need to worry. Since we promised to protect you, we’ll certainly do so.”
Zhou Cheng forced a stiff smile.
Did a promise really mean anything?
The county magistrate’s assistant had promised to give him a share of the official silver, but in the end, he hadn’t given him any.
The person who had assigned him the task had also promised to keep him alive, but now he was practically a dead man walking…
Still, he had no other choice but to trust these people.
Ji Zhaoxi gathered her things and returned to her room. She had grown rather tired from directing the Beggars’ Sect that day, so she needed to get some rest.
Being the Chief of the Beggars’ Sect wasn’t as easy as it looked.
The sword-carrying young woman had already taken on the identity of the Chief of the Beggars’ Sect entirely of her own accord.
Just as Zhou Cheng was preparing to leave, Qin Qiwu suddenly called out to him.
“Zhou Cheng, some old acquaintances may come looking for you over the next few days. Remember to tell us.”
Her eyes curved into a smile. “We’re worried those people might deceive you.”
Zhou Cheng’s heart leaped into his throat, and a cold sweat broke out across his back.
“Yes, my lady.”
Whether he told them or not, these people would certainly find out.
The room fell silent.
Xu Ancheng looked at Qin Qiwu and said softly, “You should go rest, Miss Qin. You’ve worked hard these past few days.”
Miss Qin was a proper young lady who had never traveled far from home before. This time, she had been away for so long, following them around as they hurried from place to place every day. He felt truly guilty about it.
Seeing the guilt in Xu Ancheng’s eyes, Qin Qiwu bit her lip. “Young Master Xu, you don’t need to feel guilty. I was the one who wanted to come.”
She wanted to see the world that Miss Ji and Young Master Xu had seen. She didn’t want to remain shut away in the inner chambers forever.
Xu Ancheng’s eyes reddened slightly. He had so much he wanted to say, but at this moment, he couldn’t get a single word out.
He secretly made up his mind that once they reached the capital, he would immediately go to Miss Qin’s family and ask for her hand in marriage.
No one would be able to stop him. As for any cousins or other supposed matches, they could all get lost.
