Chapter 291: then translation of chapter title

A hazy crimson thread spread from the bead's surface, diffusing in the water like a blood strand; immediately after, orange, yellow, green… all the colors rose to the surface one after another.

The pearl that originally shone with radiant color quickly lost all its hue, turning dull gray-white; even if thrown on the street, no one would bother to pick it up.

Miss Qian's facial color drained away at once, becoming as pale as paper.

"Ah! It really faded!"

"Isn't this just a dyed stone?"

"Pfft—" a young lady laughed outright, "So the Qian family's treasures are all of this sort?"

Madam Zhao sat frozen, her face as still as water.

Tuan Tuan looked at the pearl, sighed, and said, "How come it's fake again!"

"Why do you always use fake things?" She lifted her little face, looked at Miss Qian with pitying eyes, "Last time it was the dress, this time the pearl—how pitiful!"

"You!" Miss Qian trembled with anger; these words were like a dagger piercing her heart.

Madam Zhao's face turned ashen as she rose: "Miss Qian, thank your father for his kindness, but regarding the matter he mentioned to my husband, I think we should just drop it." Having said that, she turned and walked toward the door.

"Madam Zhao! Please wait! It's not like that..." Miss Qian hurried after her to explain.

Madam Zhao didn't even glance at her, striding straight out the gate.

Miss Qian stood at the doorway, completely frozen.

The young ladies exchanged meaningful glances.

"Looks like this wealthy Qian family isn't as glittering on the surface as it seems!"

"Indeed! Giving people such junk and still trying to save face?"

"Miss Qian's life at home must be hard, otherwise how would such things happen to her?"

"Shh... keep it down."

Sharp, sarcastic remarks poured into Miss Qian's ears, one from the left, one from the right.

Miss Qian, overcome with shame and indignation, could no longer stay; she turned, covered her face, and fled.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Tuan Tuan reached out her little hand, scooped up the pearl: "She doesn't want it; I'll pick it up to play!" She wiped off the water and slipped it into her small sachet.

The ladies present paid no heed; it was just a fake item.

Tao E's face showed embarrassment as she took back the teacup.

Xiao Ningxun rubbed Tuan Tuan's little head: "You little rascal."

He walked to the treasure cabinet where sachets were displayed, examined them one by one, and immediately spotted a sachet similar to the one that had changed color that day.

He picked up the sachet, brought it to his nose to sniff, and found its scent very similar to that of the sachet.

He approached Tao E and said, "Shopkeeper, this sachet's embroidery is exquisite, its design elegant—quite nice. I'd like to buy it to give to my mother."

"I just smelled it; the aroma is pure and different from ordinary floral scents. I wonder what ingredients were used to make it?"

Tao E smiled faintly: "Sir, you have a keen eye!"

"The ingredients inside are indeed special; they come from Jiangzhou's largest spice shop, sent by Wenxiang Pavilion. The recipe is their boss's secret, so I don't know it either."

"Their spice formula is unique; the sachets and perfume bags we make from it are highly favored by the ladies of local affluent families."

"I see." Xiao Ningxun nodded and paid the silver.

After leaving the Perfume Pavilion, Xiao Ran eagerly asked Tuan Tuan, "Little one, is that pearl really fake?"

Tuan Tuan held one hand each, hopping along in the middle: "Of course not! I'm going to give it to Second Uncle and Seventh Uncle!"

"That Miss Qian is so nasty; she bullied the fish-selling girl last time, so I got this for her!"

Xiao Ran burst out laughing: "Hahaha! You're really something, little one!"

The three returned to the inn, and Tuan Tuan presented the pearl like an offering to Xiao Er and Lu Qi: "Look! Isn't it pretty? Try it quick! It's said to help with internal injuries!"

The pearl had now regained its dazzling seven‑color radiance; Xiao Er took it with a puzzled expression: "This can heal internal injuries? Where did you get it?"

Xiao Ran, the quickest to speak, vividly recounted what had happened today at the Perfume Pavilion.

Lu Qi laughed heartily: "Our Lord Master is truly formidable!"

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her head and swayed: "Come on, try it! Second Uncle, see if it works."

"All right, let's try." Xiao Er gave Tuan Tuan a gentle glance, sat cross‑legged on the bed, palms loosely joined, and cupped the seven‑colored glazed perfume pearl in his hands.

He closed his eyes, focused, and his inner qi rose from his dantian, flowing along his meridians.

A warm, moist, and gentle surge gushed from the pearl, following the acupoints on his palm, pouring like a breach into his exhausted meridians!

Wherever the warm current passed, the stagnant feeling caused by over‑stirring his internal energy melted away like spring snow under the sun.

In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

The faint white vapor steaming from Xiao Er's body gradually subsided, and the pearl's brilliance in his palm faded as well.

He slowly opened his eyes; his gaze shone bright and clear, with no trace of fatigue.

Tuan Tuan walked to the bedside, eyes wide, gazing at his face: "Second Uncle, are you better? Is the pearl useful?"

Xiao Er's face moved: "Miss, this pearl is indeed a rare holy object for healing wounds. Though not fully recovered, I've regained eighty percent—thank you!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes curved into crescents, dimples deepening: "Great!" She turned to call Lu Qi: "Seventh Uncle! Come quick! Follow Second Uncle's example!"

Lu Qi walked over smiling, took the pearl from Xiao Er's hand, followed the same method; after finishing the healing, his heart was also greatly shaken.

Seeing that both had greatly improved their internal injuries, Xiao Ningxun also felt relieved: "Tuan Tuan, you always manage to surprise your brother."

Xiao Er asked: "Third Young Master, did you find anything out at the Perfume Pavilion today?"

Xiao Ningxun shook his head without answering: "There's no rush; for now, the most important thing for you is to nurse your injuries. Once healed, we can discuss further."

After resting a few days at the inn, Xiao Er and Lu Qi's internal injuries finally healed, and only then did Xiao Ningxun voice his idea.

"The spices inside that sachet clearly contain deadly poison; otherwise those fish wouldn't have died instantly."

"But who would turn deadly poison into spices? That's just too strange."

Xiao Ran said, puzzled, "Aren't we here to find Qixiazi? What does this have to do with spices?"

Xiao Ningxun explained, "Because second brother told me that even the arrowheads on the crossbow bolts are a craft of the Jiangnan side, and Qixiazi never goes anywhere, yet she happened to come to this Jiangzhou Prefecture."

"Thus Jiangzhou is clearly the place where arrowheads are made. The strange incidents that have occurred here are probably all tied to this."

Xiao Ran suddenly realized, "So we now have to verify each of these known clues one by one? Then how long must we keep investigating!"

Xiao Er asked, "Third Young Master, where should we start our investigation?"