24 - Crazy! Criticizing the Prime Minister for Being a Servant

**Chapter 17: Love from a Wealthy Patron** There was no need to scrutinize the second file; it already confirmed that this person was definitely suspicious. Ning Songwu swallowed nervously, picked up the other file, and saw content she was familiar with. A farmer’s daughter from a well-off family, whose father had died early. Her mother intended to marry her off, but she was unwilling and ran away, eventually entering the immortal mountains to pursue cultivation and immortality. "I think there's something wrong with both of these files." The young girl pressed down on the table, trying to calm herself. "Leaving aside why there are two files, the day she came up the mountain, she wore luxurious clothes. She couldn't have been someone fleeing for their life." "Moreover, her behavior is neither dignified nor appropriate for someone her age, combined with an inexplicable bloodlust and killing intent that doesn’t fit her background..." [If it weren't for the later plot developments which showed that she and the Demon Lord were meeting for the first time, I would suspect she was a spy sent by the Demon Lord.] [But why would a spy come here? Shouldn’t they target bigger sects like... the Tiancheng Immortal Sect, the greatest sect of all? Wouldn’t that be more worthwhile than our place?] This little girl, Shangyun Sect isn't exactly a minor sect, is it? As for the Tiancheng Immortal Sect, if our Shangyun Sect already has a leak, then they must have even more to worry about. More vigilance is required there. But that's none of our concern. Elder Ran calmly tapped on the table, speaking slowly, "It's indeed strange that two different backgrounds were found." "All major sects conduct covert background checks on disciples after recruiting them. It doesn’t take long, so they initially discovered the background of the rich farmer.” Her finger paused before she continued. "Subsequently, I had someone make further discreet inquiries, not an investigation per se, which revealed the rich merchant background." The woman propped her chin on her hand. Her white hair was loosely tied at the back with a wooden hairpin, resting on her shoulders. As she spoke, her hair swayed slightly with her words and laughter, bringing an indescribably whimsical charm to her next words. "Pupil, what do you think we would find if we investigate her again?" "Do you think she knows about our multiple inquiries?" "Who do you think she really serves?" she asked while twirling a strand of silver hair around her finger. The woman smiled softly as she looked at her hair. To Ning Songwu, that smile made her heart race uncontrollably. [This woman is a seductress...] Ning Songwu tightly clutched the fabric over her knees, took a few deep breaths, and replied calmly, "I think she’s not from any of the cultivation sects." "Because there's no need for that, right?" * "This is your mistake, not mine." Lin Yuxue held a black jade pendant, gritting her teeth, her voice tinged with anger. "Since it's your mistake, why are you withholding my pills?" "......" "Enough. We still can't be sure who the other group is; at best, they are merely suspects..." "......" "But without the suppressant, I'll be exposed immediately." After a long while, a cold female voice came from the jade pendant, replacing the previous speaker. Her voice was icy and suppressed Lin Yuxue into silence the moment she spoke. The woman’s tone was indifferent, "The pills will be placed in a suitable location. Don’t touch anything you shouldn't. Also, don't forget what you promised me." "The Ice Snow Luminous Heart should be easy to find, right?" The woman abruptly cut off the connection, leaving Lin Yuxue biting the pendant in frustration. The Ice Snow Luminous Heart, it should be within Ning Songwu's body, yet why can't she find it? Could it be that another person on this mountain has a heavenly grade ice spiritual root? Her thoughts were a chaotic mess, and the fire spiritual root within her fiercely tormented her dantian. The last pill in the bottle, meant to suppress her bloodline, shimmered enticingly, coaxing her to take it. This pill is both poison and cure. Since the day she began needing it, today’s outcome had been inevitable. But… Such a significant mistake likely brought her plenty of suspicion and trouble. How could she draw close to Ran Fanyin, and suppress this uncontrollable fire? Must she rely on this pill for her whole life?! Ning Songwu, Ning Songwu, all the variables stem from this person. The burning in her dantian turned into stabbing pain, urging her to swallow this last pill. * Ning Songwu merged her recent thoughts about Lin Yuxue with some elements from the original narrative and slowly explained it all to Ran Fanyin. The woman didn't interrupt her once, her phoenix eyes filled with appreciation and encouragement, silently urging her to continue. The long-standing tension and unease in her heart were gently soothed by this kind gaze, instilling her with newfound courage and guiding her to express her final thought: "Lin Yuxue must have some unknown backing, possibly not just the demon clan." She had arrived at a conclusion vastly different from the original narrative, yet the subtitles in her mind remained eerily calm, and the world showed no signs of disturbance. For someone living within a book, is this even reasonable? —Hey, your naive, romance-obsessed female protagonist is about to be rethought as a villain by me! In the novels she read, deviating from the plot often resulted in divine retribution. Why was her situation so tranquil? Her tumultuous thoughts were agitated further by the woman’s amused expression. Blushing, she rubbed her face and took a deep breath. "That’s all my thoughts, Master." [If only the teachers I had before were as kind as Master...] [Master is truly wonderful; I like her so much…] Ran Fanyin gathered her thoughts, lightly coughed twice, "Indeed, the elders think similarly, choosing to bide their time. But don’t worry, we won’t let her run amok, so you don’t need to be scared." Ning Songwu pressed her thin lips together, her lashes quivering, and nodded, "Okay." [So, everything Master did today was to reassure me?] [I like Master even more now...] Ran Fanyin’s eyes curved in a smile. Could such simple gestures elicit such fondness from this child’s heart? She tapped the table again, "You’re likely concerned about the rest as well. Look into them, and then..." "Let’s talk about you." Ning Songwu instantly froze, unable to react. Seeing her straighten her back and grip her fingers tightly once relaxed, Ran Fanyin internally chuckled. Teasing this child really is fun. Her happy smile softened her voice, teasing, "What's the matter? Are you scared?" "I grew up in the outer sect; there's nothing to fear," Ning Songwu, feeling somewhat guilty, stubbornly maintained her composure. Elder Ran was noncommittal, "It's rare to see an orphan growing up in the outer sect so wise." [In the original work, Ning Songwu was indeed very intelligent, even if her presence was brief. After her departure, the plot would occasionally mention her, depicting her as astute and perceptive. Her biggest flaw was her reticence.] [I just happen to know more and have a few more years of experience, which makes me seem smarter. I’m probably far from matching the original Ning’s prowess, sigh.] Reflecting on this, her expression once again resembled a wounded little animal, stirring Ran Fanyin's urge to ruffle her head. Yet, recalling the girl’s admiring words, she restrained herself. The child is still young; she can't understand what her feelings mean yet. Ning Songwu finally spoke in a low voice, "Frequenting the streets and alleys, you learn more and become a bit smarter, just cunning; it’s nothing praiseworthy." She lowered her eyes, a hint of red tinging her gaze. Elder Ran: So pitiful, so aggrieved, I really want to ruffle my disciple's bright little head. Unable to ruffle her head, Elder Ran restrained her hands with difficulty and, after some hesitation, extracted a bundle of banknotes from her storage ring, handing them to Ning Songwu. Ning Songwu, suddenly receiving such a fortune: ...? [Is Master planning to sponsor me?] [How many zeros are there... ten hundred thousand... oh!] Ran Fanyin felt her mind nearly pierced by that internal scream. Instinctively covering her ears, she was relieved that Ning Songwu, preoccupied with counting money, didn't notice anything amiss. Carefully counting twice, arranging the notes neatly, Ning Songwu tried to return them to Ran Fanyin, seriously saying, "Master, this is too much. I feel undeserving of it." It must be nearly a million taels. She knew Ran Fanyin was wealthy but didn't realize just how much. It felt like scattering water to her, without a care. "No need to feel guilty." The woman lightly furrowed her brows and pushed the money back, "It's been half a year, and I haven't given you any allowance. The sect allowance has been coming to me directly." Pausing, she added, "In a few days, there will be an auction at the marketplace below the mountain. You might want to check it out; money will be necessary. Take it. If it's not enough, tell me." [Master and I are on the same page, great.] [But I intended to borrow a small amount; this seems too much to repay merely from allowances.] Elder Ran timely interjected, “Between us, no need to talk about borrowing. Since I've given you this money, just take it without burden.” “I don’t lack this.” In both her past and current life, Ning Songwu had always been poor, owning little more than bare walls and a door. Blinking her eyes, she pressed the banknotes to her chest, cherishing them like precious treasure. Her master couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. And she would tease her over this for decades to come. * The wealthy woman’s words truly carry a lethal power and aura. * Surrounding Shangyun Sect are several towns built along the mountains. Moving from the innermost to the outermost are the outer sect quarters and various marketplaces. The outer sect is situated here rather than on the mountain to provide working and learning opportunities for the disciples, thus supporting many unfortunate individuals like Ning Songwu. Typically, when they come down the mountain for food and entertainment, they hover around the outer sect area. Among the outer sect disciples clad in moon-white robes, the inner sect disciples' light purple robes and the colorful personal attire of the elders' disciples stand out, yet they don’t draw too much focus or attention. Walking further out, there are four towns primarily inhabited by ordinary people, and the auction house they were heading to was located in the outermost town, Shen Shui Town. Ning Songwu’s current evaluation of the auction house could be summed up in one word: distant! For them, three novice disciples not yet skilled in cloud-stepping or sword flight, walking from the mountain down to Shen Shui Town took over an hour, by which time their legs were sore and weary. Entering the town, they could see a long queue of people waiting in front of a shop in the distance. There were even shop assistants along the roadside appeasing the crowd, indicating the location of the auction house. Seeing them approaching from the direction of the immortal mountain, a young man hurriedly came up to meet them. This site has no pop-up ads, permanent domain.