Qi State Spy

People couldn't get by without food.

Back in Ghost Valley, Verdant Green Maiden would hunt a wild boar every few days for Sun Boling and Pang Juan, to make their lives a little better.

The person she had raised had been humiliated by someone else she had raised!

People really were shameless!

"You brat, why won't you listen?"

Verdant Green Maiden supported Sun Boling and scolded him.

Sun Boling didn't say a word. Ever since Verdant Green Maiden had helped him up, he hadn't made a sound. He kept his head bowed, his dirty hair falling over his face, and let her lead him wherever she went.

The eateries on the street didn't dare let the two of them sit down. After Verdant Green Maiden smashed up half a shop, the proprietor finally accepted reality, beaming as he invited them to take a seat.

Verdant Green Maiden immediately produced a large bag of coins.

"Don't go making things up about me later. Take these coins and serve us some good dishes that are easy on the stomach. Use whatever's left to repair your shop."

The proprietor's face, which had looked as if his father had just died, transformed in an instant. He took the coins and thanked Verdant Green Maiden with great delight, then excused himself to prepare the food.

"Tsk—so shameless."

Hong Luan looked at the proprietor's snake-like wiggle with contempt.

Verdant Green Maiden parted Sun Boling's filthy, hopelessly tangled hair. The handsome young man of old now looked like a candle guttering in the wind. His face was caked in a thick layer of grime, his beard a tangled mess. Most glaring of all was the tattoo on his forehead.

The mark left by Ink Punishment.

"M-Master..."

Sun Boling's voice was hoarse.

"Don't call me that!"

Verdant Green Maiden wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I've never seen such a stupid disciple."

At her words, Sun Boling gave a self-mocking smile.

The soldiers Verdant Green Maiden had driven off hurried back to Pang Juan's Mansion and reported what had happened.

When he learned that someone had dared approach Sun Boling, Pang Juan was furious. He shoved the table before him aside and snapped, "Someone actually dared to approach him? Did they come from outside Daliang City?"

"Yes, Grand General!"

The soldiers clutched their hands and feet, their faces twisted in pain as they described what had happened.

Pang Juan was incensed. With his current power in the Wei State, who besides the King of Wei and the Crown Prince dared ignore the laws he had laid down?

And they had even beaten his men!

In a fit of rage, he personally assembled his troops, left his mansion, and headed toward the street.

The proprietor brought out the food, all light soups and bland dishes.

Given Sun Boling's condition, even if they had set a plate of roasted meat before him, he wouldn't have been able to swallow it.

But even after the food was ready, Sun Boling still didn't touch his bowl or chopsticks. Only then did Verdant Green Maiden realize that he couldn't even hold the chopsticks.

The hands that had once commanded armies and advised on military affairs were now covered in cracked skin, their calluses thick and stiff.

"Just pick it up and drink. I'm not going to steal it from you."

Seeing how ill at ease he was, Verdant Green Maiden said this. She turned toward the proprietor and tossed him another bag of coins. "Bring out some roasted meat. That's for me!"

"Yes!"

The proprietor was naturally overjoyed.

Who needed this many coins for roasted meat?

If the concept of a God of Wealth existed yet, the proprietor would surely have cried out: This wasn't some villain—this was the God of Wealth!

When Pang Juan arrived, he saw Verdant Green Maiden and Sun Boling sitting across from each other, each holding and eating a lamb leg.

"Grand General, that's her!"

The man beside him pointed at Verdant Green Maiden.

Pang Juan's expression changed. He immediately drew his sword and cut off the man's hand, shouting, "Insolence!"

The sudden turn of events caught everyone completely off guard. No one knew why Pang Juan had suddenly attacked one of his own. Shouldn't he have immediately ordered his men to arrest Sun Boling and the green-clad woman sitting across from him and throw them in prison?

The man with the severed hand stared blankly. The agony from the stump made him faint on the spot!

Pang Juan tossed aside his sword, dropped to one knee, and bowed. "This disciple pays his respects to Master!"

Master?

Master!

This green-clad woman was Pang Juan's teacher?

The legendary Ghost Valley Master?

But how could Ghost Valley Master be such a young, beautiful girl?

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Verdant Green Maiden remained oblivious to everything around her, focused solely on gnawing at her roasted lamb leg. Pang Juan neither grew angry nor rose to his feet. He simply remained kneeling there. Passersby who saw the Grand General kneeling were even more astonished.

Among them was a genuine Qi State Spy!

When she had finished eating, Verdant Green Maiden wiped her hands and tossed the bones in front of Pang Juan. She stood up, lifted Hong Luan, and let her fly ahead.

"Did you come to arrest me?"

Pang Juan bowed his head even lower and said quietly, "This disciple wouldn't dare."

"I'd say you've got plenty of nerve!"

Verdant Green Maiden gave a soft snort and glanced back at Sun Boling.

Sun Boling was staring intently at Pang Juan. His eyes held neither sorrow nor joy, but beneath their calm surface, hatred surged like storm waves!

More than a year of humiliation had taught him to conceal his true feelings completely.

Unless Verdant Green Maiden had been so skilled at reading people, even she might not have noticed.

Pang Juan opened his mouth. "This disciple..."

Verdant Green Maiden gave a light cough. "Stop! I don't want to hear your nonsense."

Pang Juan's expression became awkward. He gave a dry laugh and said, "Master is as forthright as ever."

"Then let me be even more forthright. I'm taking him with me."

Verdant Green Maiden looked down at Pang Juan.

Pang Juan fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Master has come all this way. Why not stay in Da Liang first..."

"I said I don't want to hear nonsense. Are you deaf?"

Verdant Green Maiden repeated herself, fixing her gaze on Pang Juan.

Pang Juan's expression shifted several times. His hand, hidden in his wide sleeve, clenched and relaxed again and again. Only after a while did he calm himself. He looked up at Verdant Green Maiden and smiled. "Since Master wants to take junior brother away, this disciple naturally agrees!"

"Get a Carriage ready. Don't try anything, or I'll punch you in the head when I get back!"

Verdant Green Maiden said this and waved her fist.

She had once punched straight through a wild boar's skull right in front of Pang Juan and Sun Boling. Pang Juan naturally had no wish to compare his own skull's toughness with that of the boar's, so he repeatedly agreed.

Only after Verdant Green Maiden drove off with Sun Boling did Pang Juan finally let his anger erupt.

"Bastard! Why couldn't he just die? He even had to run into Master! And you, proprietor—why didn't you poison his food?"

The proprietor was so distressed by this disaster from out of nowhere that he nearly wept. He hurriedly knelt to defend himself. "Grand General, I'm innocent!"

When Pang Juan was angry, he didn't care who was in the wrong.

"I say you're definitely a Qi State Spy. Men, seize him!"

"Yes!"

But Hong Luan, flying overhead, flapped her wings and swooped down, pecking Pang Juan right on the head!

Only then did Pang Juan come to his senses. He hurriedly shouted, "Stop!"

The soldiers who had just stepped forward stared at him in confusion. Pang Juan looked up at Hong Luan flying overhead, still shaken, and waved the soldiers away. "Forget it. Let it go!"

"Yes, Grand General."

The soldiers didn't understand, but they didn't dare disobey Pang Juan's order.

Pang Juan took a deep breath, turned, and walked back toward General's Mansion, murmuring over and over, "Sun Bin... Sun Bin... One day, he may become my greatest threat! Master, why do you favor him alone? Does Pang Juan not count as your disciple too?"

After leaving Da Liang, they traveled east.

As they passed a riverbank, Verdant Green Maiden pulled the Carriage to a stop.