The assembled officials abruptly lowered their heads to look at the vendor opposite them, their expressions complicated.
Did rebels these days... actually have to come out and earn this hard-earned pittance themselves?!
If things had come to this, why even bother being rebels?!
Even Gu Ruizhou, who had only just arrived, stood stunned for a long moment, his expression complicated, unsure which revelation shocked him more.
Startled, anxious, and meaningful looks all turned toward Gu Ruizhou at once. He immediately realized that the little girl must not have spoken aloud just now.
Just like now-
[What's wrong with Uncle Gu?]
The little girl's lips were tightly pressed together, her gaze worried and faintly urgent. [The rebels' accomplices are already looking over. Won't this make them suspicious?]
Though these people most likely would never leap to such an outrageous conclusion...
What if they did?
What if they were so cautious that even the slightest rustle of wind through the grass would send them moving house overnight?!
Jiang Yingcheng kept twisting her short, chubby fingers, her little face full of conflict. She looked up at her Uncle Gu and dropped him a hint. "Uncle Qi, are you feeling unwell?"
Gu Ruizhou's scalp prickled. It took almost every ounce of strength he had to suppress the urge to look back.
Once he recovered, a bold scheme suddenly sprang to mind. "N-no, but you've only just come in and already bought so much. How will you keep browsing later?!"
-This was a golden opportunity to gather the rebels' accomplices quickly!
His fingers trembled slightly with excitement.
Having been stationed here for years, his greatest wish was to root out every rebel gathered here. First, it would secure peace for the people of Great Rui. Second...
It would also count as a small measure of