Yuanwei first opened a hidden compartment with practiced ease and packed all the gold and silver jewelry and banknotes inside into a bundle.
She turned and thrust it into Yun Manman's arms.
"What are you giving this to me for?"
Yuanwei looked at Yun Manman earnestly, her tone worried and tentative.
"Master, I have five thousand taels of silver here in total. It's enough for you to spend for a while. I'll find ways to earn more silver, so please don't become an assassin. It's truly too dangerous."
Yun Manman made no attempt to hide the shock on her face. Where had she picked up such a foolish girl?
"Keep it. I'm not short of silver. Get your things together. I'm going out for a bit."
With that, Yun Manman ignored Yuanwei's reaction, pulled open the door, and vanished through the doorway.
Yun Manman leaped onto the rooftop and surveyed the area. Only after fixing her sights on a courtyard did she head toward it.
"Stay sharp. The things inside won't be moved until tomorrow. Keep your spirits up. Nothing can go wrong."
"Yes, Chief."
Yun Manman narrowed her eyes slightly. Once the man had left, the silver needles in her hand shot out, and all four guards fell to the ground at once.
She sensed no other signs of life nearby.
Walking to the door, she examined the lock on it and narrowed her eyes slightly. It was a mechanism lock.
Opening or prying it apart now would immediately trigger the mechanism and alert the entire courtyard.
"Hmph. Then I won't open it. I'll just melt it."
She gathered true qi in her hand and melted the lock away before pushing open the door and entering.
"Very nice. The storehouses in Wuliang County's county town have never disappointed me."
Looking at the gold, silver, jewels, and fine silks, Yun Manman swept everything into her space.
After coming out, she tossed the four guards inside, then flew toward the front courtyard.
Passing a room, she recalled Yuanwei saying earlier that it belonged to the madam. The madam ought to be dripping with wealth. Surely giving her a little assistance wasn't too much to ask?
The room was spacious inside, its decorations dazzlingly lavish.
"These jewels are practically blinding me. Taking them."
"Are these new clothes made of pure silk? You really fucking know how to enjoy yourself. Taking them!"
"You thought I wouldn't find the gold and secret letters just because you hid them in a hidden compartment? Hmph. Taking them!"
Yun Manman swept through the madam's room, taking, taking, taking!
Radiant and delighted, she, Yun Manman, was the biggest winner of this trip to the county town.
"Yuanwei, wait here. I'll go burn down your room. From now on, there will only be Yuanwei in this world."
Tears instantly welled in Yuanwei's eyes, and she dropped to her knees.
She watched Yun Manman leap away to set the brightly lit pavilion ablaze.
After returning to the inn,
Yun Manman booked two superior rooms and looked at Yuanwei, who seemed to have something on the tip of her tongue.
"Yuanwei, I'll let you ask me three questions. After that, remember to talk less and do more."
Yuanwei's eyes immediately seemed to fill with stars. She looked at Yun Manman, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.
"Master, you're truly my god. Where are we going next? What are we going to do?"
"Yuanwei, I told you I'm just a farm girl who works the fields. Naturally, we're going back to the village tomorrow to keep farming."
Yuanwei opened her mouth, unsure what to ask next. Her master's personality really was as blunt as could be.
If her master hadn't been so powerful, wouldn't that tone of hers at the Ten Cold Gate today probably have gotten her beaten to death?
"Master, let me keep the other two questions on credit. I'll ask them later when I think of something."
Her master's circumstances truly defied comprehension. She had too many questions to sort out just then, so she might as well not ask and slowly learn for herself.
Yun Manman thought back over the day's events. The arrangement with the Ten Cold Gate had been finalized: she would work with them, taking outside commissions for one year.
That way, Guagua's points were guaranteed.
In a year, she would presumably have a force of her own and wouldn't need to worry about the Ten Cold Gate causing trouble for her.
The next day.
The two were eating in the main hall, listening to everyone discussing the fire at the Flower-Filled House, yet no one ever mentioned what had happened at Master Wang's residence.
Yun Manman was a little displeased. It seemed she wouldn't get to hear any delightful rumors.
Just then, the waiter's disgusted voice rang out.
"Go on, get out. This isn't a place for the likes of you. You can't afford the consequences if you disturb our honored guests."
Yun Manman followed the waiter's gaze.
Two children, thin as sticks, knelt at the entrance. Their innocent eyes were full of tears as they repeatedly kowtowed. Yun Manman's gaze paused slightly.
Noticing where her master was looking, Yuanwei glanced at the entrance. There was no one there besides two little beggars, so she couldn't help asking curiously,
"Master, is something wrong?"
A little worried that someone had discovered her, she couldn't help touching her face.
Her master had given her something that morning. After she used it, her appearance had changed considerably from before. Surely no one should recognize her.
Yun Manman swallowed the bun in her mouth.
She picked up the two buns on the plate and walked toward the little beggars.
Yuanwei hurriedly paid the bill and ran out after her.
"How old are you? How many other companions do you have? Tell me, and you can have buns!"
The two little boys looked up in a daze.
They froze at the sight of Yun Manman's face, then stared at the buns in her hands and swallowed.
The slightly older boy spoke timidly. "Fairy Sister, if we tell you, can we really have buns?"
Seeing Yun Manman nod, the boy spoke hesitantly, his gaze fixed on the buns as though they might sprout wings and fly away.
"We're twelve. Lots of us have nothing to eat, and Brother Tongtong is sick too. We're all going to starve to death. Boohoo..."
Yun Manman didn't know how to comfort children either, so she simply stuffed the buns into their grimy hands.
Her gaze swept over the surroundings before settling on the two children. Her voice was light, yet reassuring.
"Take me to have a look. If he isn't too sick, I might be able to save him. I'll bring them buns too. Don't worry. You won't starve to death!"
The two sobbing children stopped crying and looked at Yun Manman with tear-filled eyes, their gazes hopeful and tentative.
"Fairy Sister, really? Can you really save Brother Tongtong? Then let's hurry. Daya said Brother Tongtong is about to die. If we're late, we won't make it in time for his last breath."
Yun Manman turned to Yuanwei and instructed, "Go buy another sixty buns. We'll go take a look."
Yuanwei asked nothing. Whatever her master wanted to do was right, whether it was right or wrong. Her master was a kindhearted person.
"You two lead the way. We can walk a little faster."
The slightly younger boy stepped forward and looked at Yun Manman, his little eyes full of seriousness.
"Fairy Sister, I know the way. I can take you there. Junjun still has to stay and keep begging, or we won't have anything to eat tomorrow."
...Clearly, he was very devoted to the work of begging!
"There's no need. Both of you take me there. I'll buy your buns for the next few days."
The two boys exchanged a glance, then quickly turned and hurried toward the city gate.
Yun Manman watched them leave through the gate and head with practiced ease toward the woods outside the city, as though they often traveled back and forth.
"Where did you get the copper coins to enter the city?"
At Yun Manman's question, the two boys glanced at her uneasily, then hurriedly lowered their heads, their voices a little quiet.
"There's a little dog hole over by the city wall. Grown-ups can't crawl through, but us children can. We've been crawling through it for a year. We've even worn the opening smooth."
She shouldn't have asked that extra question!
Yuanwei pressed her lips together at her master's speechless expression, holding herself back from snickering.