Xu Wuchang

Jiang Qiaoqiao was Jiang Yun's one untouchable weakness.

Although Jiang Yun hadn't been in this world for long, in that short time, he had truly felt what it was like to have family.

In his previous life, he had been brought back to a Daoist Temple. The elders and his fellow disciples had treated him wonderfully.

But that feeling was different from the warmth of family.

In any case, he would never let anything happen to Jiang Qiaoqiao.

The search of Xia Lingxian's estate would take a while longer. Qian Bochou's order was that not a single copper coin should be left behind.

If Jiang Yun had learned about this before, he might have been interested in following Qian Bochou and grabbing a handful from the boxes stuffed with treasures.

But now, he bid Qian Bochou farewell and hurried straight to the inn where Xu Suwen was staying.

The inn was called Nanmanju Inn. It was expensive and stood beside the Nanzhou Prefectural Office; it wasn't somewhere an ordinary wealthy merchant could afford to stay.

Nanmanju Inn mainly served the Nanzhou Prefectural Office, receiving officials and important figures from all over.

Xu Suwen had recovered somewhat. Her room was the finest Heavenly-Class room in the entire inn.

All the furniture inside was made of ironwood, and the carvings were exquisitely crafted.

Xu Suwen was pondering a question: should she kill Jiang Yun?

Dressed in plain white clothes, she sat beside the table. A steel saber rested nearby.

After all, she was a woman, and that fellow had dressed her in the dark. If she didn't kill him...

But Jiang Yun's eyes had indeed been clean and pure, nothing like those of a lecher.

And Jiang Yun didn't seem to have any other designs on her.

Just as Xu Suwen was growing restless, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Jiang Yun's voice came from outside.

"Miss Xu, are you there?"

Xu Suwen hurried to her feet, grabbed the coat hanging nearby, and put it on before answering, "Come in."

After Jiang Yun sat down across the table from her,

Xu Suwen's gaze kept shifting between the steel saber at her feet and Jiang Yun.

She took a deep breath. Qian Bochou had interrupted them earlier, so they hadn't been able to talk things through. Now that they were alone, she had to clear this up.

"What do you think of what happened today?" Xu Suwen asked gravely.

"Scum."

"At least you have a conscience. You know you're scum."

"Huh?" Jiang Yun froze. He'd thought Xu Suwen was asking about Xia Lingxian.

He hurriedly explained, "I meant Xia Lingxian. That bastard really did collude with evil practitioners."

Jiang Yun told her everything about Xia Lingxian.

Xu Suwen didn't look particularly surprised. Instead, she poured herself a cup of hot water and said, "Though this is an unusual case, the Imperial Guards have seen plenty of people even more inhuman than him."

"But fortunately, the current Prefect is the only one who knows the purpose of my visit."

As she said this, Xu Suwen relaxed a little. As long as it didn't interfere with the real purpose of her visit, that was all that mattered.

"I have a favor to ask," Jiang Yun said, forcing a smile and wearing a pleading look.

His Magic Power was weak, and he didn't know how powerful that group of evil practitioners was.

Even if he judged them by Ghost Granny's strength, there might be several of them.

He couldn't handle them alone.

He had to find an expert to guard his home as soon as possible, preferably someone who could stay there and protect Jiang Qiaoqiao.

So he had no choice but to ask Xu Suwen. He didn't know any other experts.

"If it's a favor you're reluctant to ask, then don't," Xu Suwen said indifferently.

That sounded familiar.

Jiang Yun coughed and forced a smile. "Miss Xu, those evil practitioners are targeting me. I'm afraid something might happen to Qiaoqiao, so I was hoping you could—"

"What does that have to do with me?" Xu Suwen picked up her cup and took a sip. "I helped you get rid of Peng San, and you helped me find out who was hiding a monster in the Prefectural Office."

"We're even."

Jiang Yun nodded when he heard this. He understood that she was telling the truth, so he clasped his hands and said, "Then I won't bother you any longer, Miss Xu."

Seeing this, Xu Suwen cursed the fool inwardly. She was negotiating terms with him!

Didn't he know how to bargain?

She hadn't even said she wouldn't help him.

And now he was just getting up to leave?

When Jiang Yun reached the door,

Xu Suwen was just about to call him back.

Suddenly, the door was shoved open with a bang, smashing into Jiang Yun's nose and making him stagger back several steps.

"Who's there?" Jiang Yun looked up.

To his surprise, a handsome young man about the same age as him and Xu Suwen stood before him.

The young man wore scholar's robes and a costly jade pendant at his waist. He was clearly someone of no ordinary standing.

When Xu Suwen saw him, her brow furrowed tightly.

"Ow, that hurt like hell." Jiang Yun rubbed his nose. "Who are you?"

The young man looked at Xu Suwen, then said, "I am Xu Wuchang."

"Xu Wuchang?" Jiang Yun frowned. It seemed he knew Xu Suwen.

"Farewell." Jiang Yun clasped his hands and was about to leave.

Unexpectedly, the young man reached out to stop him and said cryptically, "Jiang Yun, I've heard of you. Do you think you're worthy of Miss Xu?"

"Do you know how many people in the capital are pursuing her?"

"You're nuts."

Jiang Yun gave him a withering look and strode away.

Watching Jiang Yun's retreating figure, the young man let a faint smile curl his lips. Suddenly, someone grabbed him by the ear and dragged him into the room.

"Ow, ow, that hurts! Sis, what are you doing?"

Xu Suwen glared at him furiously. "Xu Xiaogang, what are you up to? You even gave yourself a new name. You think you're so clever now, huh? Do Mother and Father know?"

Xu Xiaogang rubbed his ear, looking aggrieved. "How many experts in the capital are named Xiaogang? I just picked something that sounded better."

Xu Suwen scolded him, "Are you an expert? Besides, your parents gave you your name. Changing it like this is utterly unfilial."

"Our parents are biased. They gave you such a lovely name, so of course you don't care. If they'd named you Xu Xiaohua, you'd be in a panic too," Xu Xiaogang said plaintively.

"You still dare to talk back?" Xu Suwen kicked him hard in the butt. "And what was that you said to Jiang Yun just now? What were you trying to do?"

"Sis, I was just testing whether your future husband was sincere about you. You know what our family's like. What if he's a rat who's only after wealth and status? He might back off once he realizes how difficult things are. Besides, isn't that how it always goes in the plays...?"

"What makes him your brother-in-law?" Xu Suwen glared viciously at Xu Xiaogang.

"Intuition."

"Ow, Sis, stop hitting me! Stop!"

"If you didn't have any feelings for him and really hated him, you'd be happy that I scared him off."

"The fact that you're angry with me now proves I was right!"

At that, Xu Suwen paused. She glared at Xu Xiaogang, then decided it wasn't worth arguing with him about.

She sat down at the table, took a sip of water, and said gravely, "How's the matter I asked you to investigate?"

Xu Xiaogang hurriedly took out a copied register and handed it to her. "I checked. Jiang Yun isn't on the list of Daoists in the capital."

"And as for the lightning you described, which appeared when he wrote a spell on his hand and struck with his palm, none of the Daoist Temples in the capital seem to have that kind of Daoist Art either."

"Could there be something shady about this guy's background?"

Xu Suwen thoughtfully took the register. After considering it for a moment, she stood and gathered her clothes. "Don't concern yourself with it. Hurry back to the capital. It's dangerous out here."

"I'm not leaving. The higher-ups ordered me to assist you with the case." Xu Xiaogang hurriedly took out an order and handed it to her.

She took it and looked it over. It was genuine.

"Then stay here and behave. Without my permission, you're not going anywhere." Xu Suwen shot him a glare. "Understood?"

Xu Xiaogang nodded repeatedly. Only then did Xu Suwen finish gathering her clothes and prepare to leave.

"Where are you going, Sis?"

"To stay at Jiang Yun's house for a few days."

The door slammed shut.

Xu Xiaogang rubbed his butt and muttered, "And she dares say she doesn't have feelings for Jiang Yun. All talk, no action."

"Hmph. If you won't let me call him that, I'll do it anyway!"

"Xu Wuchang, huh?"