Volume One, Chapter 8: The Arrival of the Princess

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Soon, Shen Ji arrived at the inn’s entrance.

A carriage blocked the way.

Around it stood a dozen or so guards dressed in sturdy armor, their faces grim as they glared at the county soldiers trying to block them.

At the forefront was a guard wielding a sword.

The guard, sword in hand, had a piercing gaze.

One had to admit, the people inside this carriage certainly carried an air of high status!

But Shen Ji had over a hundred guards around him!

Judging by that standard, his own status should be even higher, right?

"Are you the Marquis of Ningyuan, Shen Ji?" the sword-wielding guard fixed him with a sharp look.

Hmm?

That voice was clearly feminine!

A woman disguised as a man?

Shen Ji instinctively glanced at the guard’s chest and saw it noticeably curved.

Damn!

She really was a woman in men’s clothing!

That was rather unprofessional.

At least she could have wrapped her chest and disguised her voice better!

Sensing Shen Ji’s gaze, Qiu Yi’s eyes sharpened even more. "Where are your eyes looking?"

"Don’t be so hostile. I just want to confirm if you’re really a woman in disguise," Shen Ji withdrew his gaze. "Miss, I’ve already booked this inn. If you want to stay here, you’ll have to find another place."

Such a tomboy!

He thought he might have feelings for her?

Qiu Yi shook her head. "My mistress insists she must stay here today."

"Your mistress is a bit overbearing," Shen Ji smiled at Qiu Yi. "But haven’t you heard? I’m also one of the strongest in Qingzhou."

Qingzhou… one of the strongest?

Qiu Yi’s expression twitched slightly.

Was he sure he wasn’t a total loser in Qingzhou?

If not for his title as a minor marquis, who was he to claim to be the strongest in Qingzhou?

"Qiu Yi, invite him over," came a clear voice from inside the carriage.

Another woman?

Shen Ji looked up at the carriage.

Were these women just bored?

Why did they have to crowd here?

Were they not afraid of the hundred or so men around, hungry like wolves?

Following Ning Shu’s command, Qiu Yi stepped back half a pace and gestured politely, "Young Marquis, please."

Shen Ji was secretly curious.

He wanted to see just how much bluff these women could pull off.

He strode quickly to the carriage and was about to pull aside the side curtain to look inside when a fair hand reached out, holding a golden plaque.

"As if the Emperor himself has arrived!"

An imperial golden token!

Damn!

No wonder she was acting so arrogantly—she really had a prestigious background!

Alright then!

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He retracted his previous words.

This woman was indeed more impressive than him!

Even without a single guard, just holding that token, her status was undeniable.

Normally, when someone displays such a token, one should salute with great respect.

However, since she did not reveal it openly, she probably didn’t want to expose her identity.

"Young Marquis, may we stay here?" came a teasing voice from inside as the golden token was withdrawn.

Damn!

He had hit a brick wall!

Good thing he hadn’t blindly confronted them like some reckless villain.

"Of course you can stay! You stay, and we’ll leave immediately!"

Following the principle of avoiding trouble, Shen Ji decided to move elsewhere.

It was better not to provoke someone who piled on so many buffs from the start.

Once he built up his own power, he could try to challenge such people and maybe even snatch their golden token to do some business!

"That won’t do. You must stay here too!" The woman’s voice came again from the carriage. "I also want to see how the Young Marquis plans to investigate the missing relief silver!"

"…"

Shen Ji hesitated slightly.

So she was here as a supervisor?

At this moment, the side curtain of the carriage was pulled back, and Ning Shu, also a woman disguised as a man, stepped down.

But anyone paying a little attention could tell she was female.

"Let’s go inside and talk," Ning Shu glanced sideways at Shen Ji, then walked toward the inn under the guards’ protection. Seeing Chen Liuqi, she said, "Captain Chen, come join us!"

"Yes!" Chen Liuqi responded promptly.

Chi Chi was about to follow but Shen Ji gave her a subtle look.

She understood and stopped immediately.

Soon, they arrived at a private room in the inn.

Ning Shu sat down and looked at Shen Ji and Chen Liuqi. "My name is Ning Shu; some call me the Jade Yao…"

"Your Highness, Princess!" Chen Liuqi’s complexion changed drastically as he bowed quickly.

Shen Ji was also taken aback and bowed respectfully.

The Seventh Princess of Da Ning, Ning Shu!

Known by the title Jade Yao Princess!

Rumor had it she was the Emperor’s most favored princess!

No wonder she carried an imperial golden token!

She wasn’t really here just to investigate the case of the stolen disaster relief silver, was she?

Ning Shu raised her eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips as she stared at Shen Ji. "I heard the Young Marquis uncovered the imperial edict?"

Shen Ji forced a dry laugh. "Princess, please just call me Shen Ji..."

"I wouldn’t dare," Ning Shu shook her head lightly and said in a neutral tone, "The Young Marquis is the strongest in Qingzhou. If you anger him, I’m afraid even I can’t handle the consequences."

"I was only joking," Shen Ji chuckled awkwardly, cursing inwardly.

She kept saying "I wouldn’t dare" and "this princess," clearly using her status to intimidate!

Damn it!

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This father and daughter—one wants to belittle me as a commoner, the other comes here putting on airs.

None of them are good!

Of course, neither am I!

"A joke?" Ning Shu raised an eyebrow. "You uncovered the imperial edict, yet instead of helping the ruler shoulder his burdens, you use your temporary authority to extort and live a life of indulgence! That’s quite a joke!"

Shen Ji’s eyelids twitched.

Was she here to defend the Song family?

Damn!

Couldn’t she tell right from wrong?

If he told her the Song family was in cahoots with the silver thieves, she probably wouldn’t believe it.

She might even think he was framing them out of revenge!

After all, compared to the Song family, his reputation was much worse.

Damn!

This was going to be troublesome.

"Princess, you misunderstand," Shen Ji shook his head. "I just want to see if the Song family’s silver is the same as the stolen relief silver. I haven’t touched a single coin. Once the investigation is clear, I’ll return everything to the Song family."

"Is that so?" Ning Shu looked at Chen Liuqi.

"Yes!" Chen Liuqi nodded. "The Young Marquis hasn’t touched any of it. But if the Princess had arrived just a moment later, I’m afraid that silver would have already ended up in the brothel…"

Shen Ji’s pupils suddenly constricted.

Chen Liuqi!

You dare to betray me?

Damn it, was I surrounded by enemies everywhere?

Well, except Chi Chi!

But if this bastard wanted to use this to frame me, he was dreaming!

Meeting Shen Ji’s gaze, Chen Liuqi showed no guilt.

Even if Shen Ji played along and pretended to investigate, Chen Liuqi said nothing.

After all, Shen Ji didn’t have many days left to live—what could he say?

But Shen Ji wasn’t even pretending!

He wanted to take them to the brothel?

Though they all worked under Shen Ji, Chen Liuqi worried about being implicated by Shen Ji’s antics.

"Brothel?" Ning Shu’s face flickered with anger, then she stared at Shen Ji with a playful look. "So, Captain Chen means the Young Marquis really plans to investigate the missing relief silver by going to the brothel?"

"Exactly," Shen Ji nodded seriously.

"Is that so?" Ning Shu raised an elegant brow. "Forgive my ignorance, but how does the Young Marquis intend to investigate the theft of relief silver in a brothel?"

"Does the Young Marquis really think the thieves would be foolish enough to spend the relief silver in a brothel?"

"Or do you think this princess is a fool?"

By the end, Ning Shu’s tone had turned icy cold…