Jiang Moran and Ning Qingzhu’s tour of the city was no longer aimless. The old man in green robes guided them to see its history, taste its everyday life, and savor its local customs.
It was deeper and far more insightful than before, feeling much more like the true Linchuan City.
“Linchuan City has had four city lords, giving this city a history of over three hundred years. If we speak of the most meaningful place here, it is none other than that three-hundred-year-old ginkgo tree.”
“Three hundred years old?”
“Indeed. That ginkgo tree was planted by the first city lord himself. Every autumn, when the entire city is painted in gold, many scholars and poets come here specifically to catch a glimpse of its glory.”
As he spoke, they caught sight of the massive ginkgo tree. It towered a head taller than the surrounding buildings, its golden leaves swaying in the wind, adding an extra layer of charm to the ancient city.
Many people stopped to admire it—passing tourists as well as scholars who had made a special trip.
Only when seeing the ginkgo tree up close did one notice that its branches were densely hung with red silk ribbons. Amidst the golden glow, a red ribbon would occasionally flutter in the breeze, presenting a truly magnificent sight.
A gust of autumn wind swept past, scattering golden specks beneath the blue sky and drawing gasps of admiration from the onlookers.
Ning Qingzhu gazed at it spellbound. From that moment on, this exquisitely beautiful scene was deeply etched into her mind, never to be forgotten.
Framed by the golden canopy filling the sky, her delicate face took on an ethereal aura, like a figure stepping out of a painting, or an immortal beyond the mortal world...
It so happened that a man spotted this scene. A single glance left him mesmerized, but as he stared, a sense of familiarity crept over him, as if he had seen her somewhere before...
Frowning, he searched his memory furiously. A moment later, his eyes widened in shock!
The young girl's face... was identical to the one he had seen on the wanted poster near the city gate!
The face on the poster overlaid with the young girl's face in his mind, bearing an uncanny eight-out-of-ten resemblance!
Suppressing the horror in his heart, while everyone was still immersed in the beautiful scenery, he quietly slipped away and headed toward Linchuan City's Patrol Bureau...
No one noticed this, including Jiang Moran, who was still admiring the view—or perhaps, having been invincible for so long, he simply didn't care.
The green-robed old man looked at the fluttering red ribbons with a gentle smile and spoke slowly:
“Every red ribbon on those branches was tied by a different person, each bearing a different meaning. Lovers tie them for affection, families for peace and health, friends for deep bonds...”
Hearing this, Ning Qingzhu's eyes flickered, her gaze instinctively drifting toward a bare branch devoid of red ribbons.
The green-robed old man caught this subtle reaction. Without dropping his smile, he reached into his robes and pulled out a brand-new red ribbon.
“To come to this century-old ginkgo tree and not tie a red ribbon with one's own hands would truly be a regret.”
“I bought a red ribbon on the way here, thinking you two might find a use for it.”
Jiang Moran took the red ribbon, looking at the old man with a hint of added appreciation.
He sure knows how to handle things.
This silver was well spent.
The red ribbon was passed into Ning Qingzhu's hands. He patted the young girl's head and said, “I'm not interested in this sort of thing. You go tie it.”
The silk ribbon felt fine and smooth in her palm, extremely light, carrying almost no weight at all.
The young girl's thoughts were light as well.
She walked beneath the tree, stood on tiptoe, and tied it securely to a branch. The end of the red ribbon fluttered in the wind, blending into the sea of red covering the tree.
Jiang Moran didn't wonder what wish she had made.
After all, a young girl's mind...
...was the hardest thing to guess.
Meanwhile, the man jogged all the way to the entrance of the Patrol Bureau. His sneaky behavior successfully caught the attention of the guards.
A guard shouted loudly at him, “Hey! What are you doing here?”
The man froze instantly. Before his brain could process what was happening, his body instinctively turned and fled.
This abnormal behavior immediately put the guards on high alert.
Given the gap in physical fitness, the man was quickly caught by the guard and dragged into the Patrol Bureau.
Thud!
The man was slammed heavily onto the ground, letting out a wail of pain, unable to catch his breath for a long time.
The guard snorted coldly. Seeing this, the surrounding constables who had been slacking off gathered around, some with hostile glares, others just enjoying the show.
“Speak!” the guard barked coldly. “Slinking around at the gate—what on earth are you up to?”
Terrified, the man shivered violently and begged repeatedly, “Spare me, sir! Spare me, sir! I came to report something!”
Under the overwhelming pressure from the surrounding constables, the man tremblingly explained his intention.
Upon hearing his words, the constables exchanged looks of utter shock, unable to believe that the wanted criminals from Fengdu had actually come to Linchuan City!
After all, those two were the ones who had assassinated the Young Prince, kicked Ghost Hand Zhu Can to death like a stray dog on the street at the Heavenly Pavilion auction, and ultimately escaped unscathed despite a city-wide lockdown led by the Left Wing Commander!
They hadn't even caught a glimpse of the man's face, leaving behind only the young girl's portrait and a city in complete shock.
One of the guards couldn't help asking, “If that's the case, why did you turn and run when you reached the entrance?”
At this question, the man fell silent, causing everyone's eyes to narrow sharp as knives!
Under their intense glares, the man slowly said:
“I reached the entrance... and then you shouted at me and scared me.”
...What the actual hell!!
Inside the office, the Patrol Chief was reviewing case files when he suddenly frowned and looked toward the main door. Raucous noise and wails echoed continuously from outside.
“Someone, come here,” the Patrol Chief called out in a deep voice.
The door opened immediately, and a bailiff standing outside pushed it open and stepped in.
“What is going on outside?”
“Sir, they're beating someone up outside.”
“What!” The Patrol Chief frowned deeply and stood up immediately. “Who are they beating?”
The bailiff replied truthfully, “Just a commoner, sir. The main doors are closed.”
“Then it's fine.”
The Patrol Chief sat back down in his chair, waving a hand dismissively. “Go on out and close the door.”
However, before the bailiff could make a move, a constable rushed in from outside and reported urgently to the Patrol Chief:
“Sir, this is bad! The wanted criminals from Fengdu have appeared in Linchuan City!”
This time, the Patrol Chief could no longer sit still. He nearly jumped out of his skin. The murderers who had killed the Young Prince had actually shown up on his turf! These weren't just wanted criminals—this was a star of calamity descending upon Linchuan City!
“Quick, quick, quick! Gather all available men immediately!”
...
“Ah-choo!”
Who's thinking of me...?
Jiang Moran rubbed his nose, entirely unaware that his presence had already been exposed. He attributed the sneeze to the cold wind of Linchuan City.
“Old Chen! Old Chen!” A voice shouted from a distance. The green-robed old man halted his steps and looked in the direction of the voice.
In the golden afterglow of the setting sun, an old fellow came limping over, his face beaming with a proud smile.
“Old Chen! I just saw that the restaurant on the west side is hiring helpers! They happen to be short two men. Are you coming or not?”
The green-robed old man froze slightly, his back slumping involuntarily. At this moment, he returned once again to being that little old man who had just been kicked out of the teahouse, all the glory of the morning vanishing without a trace.
The massive contrast left him momentarily dazed...
Jiang Moran stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and smiled. “You did very well this morning. You earned this silver ingot. Now that the sun is setting, your task is complete.”
The green-robed old man listened in silence, opening his mouth slightly...
However, the two had already turned and walked away. The young girl glanced back. Under the setting sun's afterglow, his figure looked old and lonely...
The waning sun splashed its light freely, hiding his expression deep in shadow.
“Old...”
“Old Jiang, I'm not going.”
The old fellow's outstretched hand froze, his face filled with shock and confusion.
The green-robed old man did not explain. His shadow cast upon the ground was no longer hunched as he broke into a run toward the two figures ahead.
“Young Master!”
He was unwilling. He didn't want to go back to being a restaurant helper or an accountant. The compromises he had made to survive, the spine that had been bent countlessly, had been fully restored during this single morning.
He didn't need money. He didn't need status. All he wanted was a place that recognized his worth!
These green robes—he could no longer take them off.
The figures of the two ahead shrank in his vision, growing smaller and smaller, until they merged into the memory of two young children.
“Sir, I don't think studying books is of any use...”
“Yeah! This knowledge feels useless. My mother says farming is better.”
The old man stroked his beard as he looked at them. The two children still bore youthful innocence and the confusion typical of their age on their faces.
“Reading books alone is not enough. You must also travel widely and observe deeply—see all phenomenon of the world, see the hardships of the common people, and continually enrich your knowledge. One day, you will find a use for it.”
The two children listened spellbound, nodding repeatedly.
“Sir is right!”
“...”
Snapping back to reality, the old man found himself standing right in front of Jiang Moran, who was looking at him calmly, waiting for him to speak.
“Young Master...”
“Please allow this old servant... to follow you!”
With those words, he straightened his body, anxiously awaiting the reply with a racing heart.
Ning Qingzhu turned her head to look at Jiang Moran, whose expression remained calm and unreadable.
“I don't need an old servant,” a cold voice sounded from his mouth, causing the old man's body to tremble slightly, a wave of bitterness surging in his heart that would not subside for a long time.
He said nothing more and prepared to leave in silence. But just as he was about to turn around—
—the next voice caused his heart to quiver violently.
“...But I do lack a manager.”
The old man raised his head in disbelief, only to see Jiang Moran looking at him, a subtle smile curving up his usually calm face.
“Are you... willing?”
...
“Haha, Shopkeeper! Bring a dish of side food and some wine!”
“Aiya, Old Jiang, back to drink with your pal again? Two bowls of Strong Grain Wine today as usual?”
“Hehehe, just one bowl today. I won't stay long—I'll leave as soon as I drink it.”
Soon, a bowl of Strong Grain Wine went down his throat, warming the old fellow's body considerably. He smacked his lips, set down his porcelain bowl, and stood up to leave.
His coarse cloth clothes were patched over and over, covered in mends, completely unable to shield him from the cold autumn night wind.
Holding a rag, the shopkeeper wiped the porcelain bowl and watched his departing back, shaking his head helplessly.
“Looks like I'll be selling one less cup of wine from now on.”
Rate on N.U.
