Don't Provoke the Black Lotus O [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 18

18: The Great Good Person

Jiang Ci was eager to talk to Huang Fu, but the other party was busy with the shop’s affairs, and the few replies she received were mostly words of thanks.

Jiang Ci: “You’re the boss here, right? Those face masks, soaps, and even the glass, are you the one selling them?”

Huang Fu: “Replying to the Marquis, indeed it is this commoner…”

That’s it then!

“Hey, why are you still calling yourself a commoner?” Jiang Ci followed Huang Fu excitedly, tailing her wherever she went. “How long have you been here? What’s your real name? Are you just an ordinary person here? Do you have any hidden identities?”

The first few sentences left Huang Fu utterly confused, but the last one mentioning a “hidden identity” immediately put her on alert.

Is the Marquis of Dingyuan asking this because he has guessed her relationship with the princess?!

This is a secret!

“…No, haha, Huang Fu is just an ordinary commoner, come to the capital to do some small business.”

Jiang Ci shook her head with amusement, thinking she was really deep into her role, “You really are, we’re speaking so softly now, they can’t hear us, no need to pretend.”

Huang Fu was terrified, was Gao Yi testing her?!

“This commoner dares not! Every word this commoner speaks is true!”

This exclamation was a bit loud, causing everyone in the shop to look over.

Xi Lingxue’s gaze was meaningful, Zhang Chengji looked disdainful, Jin Yu beside them had a look as if she had caught them in the act, and the two shop assistants had a gleam of gossip in their eyes.

Jiang Ci awkwardly paused, suddenly realizing this really wasn’t the place to talk. She pretended to calmly straighten her sleeves and whispered, “Well, you go ahead with your work, I’ll come again tomorrow.”

Huang Fu lowered her head, pretending to work, and didn’t dare to reply.

…Coming again tomorrow??

Why does the Marquis of Dingyuan keep testing her?!

Jiang Ci: “One last question, do you have a sister named Huang Rong?”

Huang Fu: “???”

Huang Fu: “This commoner only has one younger sister at home, named Huang Rui. May I ask where the Marquis heard this from?”

Jiang Ci: “It’s nothing, just asking, don’t mind me.”

Huang Fu: “…”

After this brief interaction, Jiang Ci felt that this fellow countryman was really emotionally stable, she wasn’t excited at all. The imagined scene of hugging and crying was absent; it seems she’s a steady and reliable person.

The issue with the general store had been resolved, and Jiang Ci still needed to retrieve Wu Wei’s deed of indenture. After Zhang Chengji left, the three of them boarded the carriage and headed towards the Ningxiang Pavilion.

The atmosphere in the carriage was quite strange.

Xi Lingxue’s face was expressionless, while Jin Yu was glaring fiercely.

Jiang Ci felt something was off; shouldn’t they be happy after dealing with the scum? Why was Little king kong still so hostile towards her…

Jin Yu had initially wanted to praise Gao Yi, as a few words from her had scared the Wang guy out of his wits, which was quite satisfying. But then she remembered how Gao Yi had just harassed Huang Fu, and at the very beginning, she had said something about feeling an instant connection with Huang Fu…

The more Jin Yu thought about it, the more she felt that Gao Yi had ulterior motives, and her words couldn’t help but turn sarcastic, “You’re quite the impressive Marquis, aren’t you?”

Jiang Ci waved her hand with a smile, “Oh, it’s all thanks to my villainous identity, otherwise how could I dare to be so arrogant, hahaha.”

“Hmph, so you know you’re not a good person?” Jin Yu gritted her teeth, “I advise you to behave yourself and not set your sights on Boss Huang!”

Jiang Ci was a bit confused, “What do you mean by setting my sights on Boss Huang…”

Jin Yu: “You don’t even know Boss Huang, why go to such lengths to help her? Dare you say you don’t have other intentions?”

Jiang Ci thought to herself that of course she had intentions, but Little king kong’s understanding was clearly off…

Jiang Ci: “I admit you have a brain, but not much of one. Look, I just moved my lips, the real effort was made by your princess, right? She even invited the divine doctor Zhang, so you should be asking if the princess has designs on Huang Fu.”

Jin Yu was stunned for a moment; what she said seemed to make sense, but something still felt off.

After pondering for a while, Jin Yu finally figured it out, “My princess and Boss Huang are, are… cough, she invited Doctor Zhang for your sake! Otherwise, how could you have argued with that Wang guy!”

“Oh, I see~~ So it’s the princess who has designs on me~”

“You, what nonsense are you spouting!”

“Hahaha, Little king kong, you should eat more walnuts!”

“You’re crazy! Right… you really are crazy…”

“Alright, Jin Yu, you can’t win against her in an argument.” Xi Lingxue suddenly spoke up, “She has another reason for helping Huang Fu.”

Last night, as soon as Gao Yi mentioned those three items, Xi Lingxue had her suspicions. Either she knew Huang Fu, but Huang Fu was tight-lipped and would never talk. That left another possibility, Gao Yi knew that person…?

Jiang Ci: “Hey, Little king kong, learn from your princess, don’t just look at the surface of things.”

Jin Yu rolled her eyes.

Xi Lingxue said, “Shouldn’t you fulfill your promise now and tell me everything you know?”

Jiang Ci smiled, “Of course!”

When she first arrived, she had revealed her true identity, but Xi Lingxue didn’t believe her and thought she was crazy. But now, with Huang Fu, who was from the same world as her, the persuasiveness of two people was much stronger than one.

Even if they were suspected of being lunatics, they couldn’t be lunatics together!

This time, Jiang Ci was full of confidence, she said seriously, “Tomorrow you’ve invited Doctor Zhang, right? Then let’s also call Huang Fu to the mansion. There are some things I don’t want to repeat, so let’s witness the miracle in front of Doctor Zhang!”

Jin Yu: She’s beyond cure…

Xi Lingxue didn’t know what this had to do with Zhang Chengji, he was just here to see a patient. But Zhang Chengji was one of her own, she trusted him.

Xi Lingxue: “Since you’ve decided, then let it be so.”

“Hmph.” Jiang Ci pointed at them mysteriously, smiling, “By tomorrow, you’ll have a sudden realization, that I am actually… a great good person!”

Jin Yu: “…”

Xi Lingxue: “…”

“It’s okay, I’m a very tolerant person.” Jiang Ci continued, “I can tell you in advance, I understand all your misunderstandings and prejudices towards me. I forgive you~~”

The carriage fell into silence.

Jin Yu’s face was expressionless, “Princess, I think I’ll go sit outside.”

Xi Lingxue took a deep breath, lifted the curtain to get some air, “Go ahead.”

…

When they arrived at Ningxiang Pavilion, Wang Shichang had already prepared Wu Wei’s deed of indenture, but the price… He had the accountant calculate it, and just the incense Wu Wei alone concocted brought considerable profits to Ningxiang Pavilion every year.

Now, without the formula for the face masks and having to give up a cash cow, Wang Shichang’s heart was bleeding.

The price for her freedom couldn’t be any less!

Jiang Ci came in happily, in high spirits, “Boss Wang~ Is the deed ready?”

“Ready, ready.” Wang Shichang quickly went up to greet them, “Marquis, Princess, this Wu Wei, her redemption price was originally three thousand taels of gold, as the princess knows… Since the Marquis is not pursuing today’s matters, then Wang will be generous and offer a discount, only two thousand five hundred taels of gold, how about that?”

“How much?” Jin Yu exclaimed, “Why don’t you just rob us?!”

“Ah, young lady.” Wang Shichang said, “This is not Wang making up numbers, I specifically had the accountant calculate it, if you don’t believe me, you can look at our account books, see if Wu Wei is worth that much?”

Jin Yu said, “If Wu Wei is so capable, why do you only pay her ten taels a month?”

Wang Shichang spread his hands, “That’s the market rate, Wang pays more than most.”

This was also a fact, Xi Lingxue frowned, even with five hundred taels less, she still couldn’t come up with that much at once.

Xi Lingxue said, “Boss Wang, can the redemption price be any lower?”

“Really can’t go any lower.” Wang Shichang put on a pained expression, “You’re redeeming the pillar of our Ningxiang Pavilion, any lower and it would be less than the courtesan’s price, what would the people think?”

Xi Lingxue was troubled, what Wang Shichang said made sense. If she pushed the price too low and forcibly redeemed her, she might end up with a reputation for oppressing merchants. That would not be good for her.

A penny can stump a hero, let alone several thousand taels of gold stumping a princess.

Xi Lingxue deeply realized the importance of money, the general store must be expanded, there would be many places to spend money in the future.

She said, “Boss Wang, can you give us a few days?”

Jiang Ci laughed upon hearing this, a few days, really planning to pay?

Indeed, the current Black Lotus was still too naive, easily manipulated by the old fox.

Two thousand five hundred taels of gold… madness!

“Wait, don’t be hasty, my lady.” Jiang Ci looked at Wang Shichang, “You just said we could look at the account books, right? Then bring out all the account books of Ningxiang Pavilion over the years.”