Chapter 30: The Talkative Little Girl

This Hengdao Inn looks small, but after entering the gate, it seems to hold a world of its own; passing through the main door and circling the screen, one sees neither the Jianghu folk drinking and eating meat nor a bustling main hall, only two large doors blocking the center.

They look much the same, but when Chen Ye reached out to touch them, he felt something was wrong.

The left door is wooden and opens with a light push, while the right is a bronze door, seemingly held shut by a mechanism; pushing it open would likely require a force of a thousand jin.

"Interesting, they start sorting the Jianghu folk into ranks right from the entrance?"

Chen Ye felt the innkeeper was a fascinating person: if you have the ability, pass through the bronze door; if not, take the wooden one. Presumably, the hospitality behind the different doors differs as well.

Chen Ye could certainly push open this bronze door, but he had come to find someone; who knew whether the Tian Character Room Four was on the left or the right.

Footsteps suddenly sounded from behind; Chen Ye instinctively shifted his stance to avoid having his back to the newcomer.

Only then did a young girl's voice come from behind: "Little Daoist, do you want to enter this bronze door but can't push it open? Shall I help you? The door-opening fee is only ten taels."

Chen Ye turned around and saw a short young girl in black clothes; her head didn't even reach his shoulder. She wore a black night-raid outfit with a cloth covering her face, as if afraid others wouldn't know she was a flying thief.

The two locked eyes; the masked girl's eyes widened, and she said in surprise: "Great waters washed over the Dragon King's temple; Young Master has already arrived."

Chen Ye's gaze sharpened as he spoke: "Miss, you must have mistaken me; we have never met before."

But the little girl said: "No, no, Tian Character Room Four, correct? Indeed, Young Master and I have never met, but I have long heard of your great name. I previously thought the rumors were exaggerated, but seeing you today, I realize that hearing a name is not as good as seeing the person."

Chen Ye asked calmly: "Is Miss also one of the people in Tian Character Room Four?"

The little girl waved her hands and said: "Not quite; I only arrived today myself. I heard Young Master is widely recruiting heroes and valiant men to save those children who were kidnapped. Although I don't have much ability, I also want to join in the fun. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself."

The little girl cleared her throat and introduced herself solemnly: "This young lady's surname is Lan, my given name is Shi; Lan as in 'the indigo comes from the blue,' and Shi as in 'the stone from another hill.' Jianghu friends flatter me, calling me Little Wonder Hand."

As she spoke, this little girl extended a pair of hands like tender scallions; her fingers were long and nimble. Then, right before Chen Ye's eyes, she took out two iron wires, manipulated the bronze door, and opened this thousand-jin bronze door.

Lan Shi said to Chen Ye with considerable pride: "See, my skill isn't bad, is it?"

Having said that, she was about to walk through the bronze door together with Chen Ye.

Chen Ye looked at this overly familiar little girl and felt something was rather strange. The information she revealed in her words was far too much; Tian Character Room Four did not seem to be the residence of a single person, but at least a large group, and they were all recruited together.

Moreover, their purpose was actually those boys and girls?

Although Chen Ye had long heard that some Jianghu folk were dissatisfied with the Cui Xian matter, how could heroes saving children beat the tea house Shopkeeper and the assistants to serious injury over a few arguments?

With so many complicated matters, Chen Ye could not immediately determine the truth.

However, since this little girl was so talkative, he might as well dig more intelligence from her mouth.

Looking at the opened bronze door, Chen Ye asked: "Miss, you opened this door; are you not afraid I will follow you inside and break the inn's rules?"

This was clearly a test used by Hengdao Inn to screen guests; Chen Ye originally could have pushed it open, but now following Lan Shi inside would mean taking advantage of someone else.

But Lan Shi said: "Mixing in the Jianghu isn't just about fighting and killing; one must consider connections. If you have a friend willing to lead you through the door, isn't that your ability as well? Besides, Young Master, haven't you already entered the bronze door before?"

One can explain it like that; this Jianghu actually values human feelings and worldly wisdom quite a bit.

Chen Ye followed this little girl into the bronze door; Lan Shi was like a cheerful little bird, walking with skips and jumps.

Chen Ye simply asked: "Miss Lan, we are meeting for the first time; how could you recognize me?"

Lan Shi laughed: "How could I possibly mistake you? Young Master's face is so stunning it could topple nations and cities; there is no second one in the world. To speak honestly, before seeing Young Master, I thought those praises were exaggerated; what 'seeing Young Master ruins one's whole life'? How could such exaggeration exist in this world?

"Even among those famous courtesans renowned throughout the world, I have seen many; every one of them boasted of being a peerless beauty, saying that even the Emperor would marry them and make them Empress, but seeing them in person, they were merely dignified and possessed some talents. We are all human; no matter how beautiful one looks, it is hard to make everyone lose their souls.

"But Young Master is different; I looked at you once and almost fell in. Hehe, luckily I am young and haven't reached the age of thinking about men yet."

Chen Ye originally wanted to know whom this little girl had mistaken him for, but she rambled on about a bunch of nonsense and simply didn't hit the point.

But her words were indeed dense; as she walked alongside Chen Ye, her mouth never stopped.

"Young Master has truly been in the spotlight recently; I heard many heroes of the Green Forest have come to join him to discuss grand plans with Young Master. There are Bone-Crushing Mad Bandit, Black Mountain Viper Fiend, and Nine-Fingered Skin-Flaying Ghost... all are famous figures."

Is that right?

Chen Ye was confused; these names sounded like they didn't belong to good people, yet they all came to save children?

What grand plan are they discussing? Rebellion, is it?

Chen Ye was utterly speechless, but before he could ask for clarity, this little girl shifted to another topic.

Sometimes she complained that even a cup of tea at Hengdao Inn was ridiculously expensive; sometimes she sighed that there were too many wealthy dog-masters in Cui Xian to count; and she kept boasting about her lightness skill, saying she could visit several households in one night, robbing the rich to help the poor every day.

From her tone, she was quite proud of her skill of walking on eaves and running on walls.

Chen Ye couldn't interject, so he could only maintain a polite smile and listen carefully.

The two walked forward, and before long they arrived at a bustling main hall. This finally looked somewhat like an inn; over a dozen tables were filled with Jianghu folk of various appearances.

Some were drinking, some gambling, shouting and haggling, creating a lively scene.

Chen Ye glanced around, trying to find that "Young Master." According to Lan Shi's account, this mastermind behind the scenes should also be a handsome and dashing man.

But among the Wu Lin practitioners present, not to say they were all misfits, the best-looking could only be described as having well-proportioned features. However, those female knights were all quite good-looking, at least of average beauty; none were ugly.

Could it be that Young Master is not here?

Before Chen Ye could speak and ask, the sound of a wine cup smashing on the ground came from the side.

This was not a signal to summon axe-wielding soldiers by smashing a cup; rather, it was a graceful female knight who, upon seeing Chen Ye's face, accidentally dropped her wine cup.

By the time Chen Ye looked over, this female knight still had a dazed gaze until Lan Shi actively walked over to greet her: "Sister Fu Ying, why are you here too?"

Lan Shi's voice brought this female knight back to her senses; she grabbed Lan Shi's arm and said excitedly: "Little Stone! Who is this young hero?!"

Lan Shi was quite proud and said loudly: "Sister Fu Ying, look at this face of an unparalleled handsome man; do I even need to introduce him? Of course, it is the Number One Handsome Man of the Jianghu, Young Master Jiang Shiyue!"

Chen Ye shook his head with a bitter smile; the title "Number One Handsome Man of the Jianghu," and people actually recognize it; wouldn't they feel ashamed?

However, he had finally figured out the identity of the mastermind behind Tian Character Room Four.

Lan Shi's shout made many people turn their heads; most of them froze in place upon seeing Chen Ye's face.

The filter effect brought by the Spirit Qi Bone-Refining was too exaggerated; upon first meeting, it could indeed shock ordinary people.

However, there were also those with drunken, hazy eyes who couldn't see Chen Ye's appearance clearly; hearing only Lan Shi's phrase "Number One Handsome Man of the Jianghu," they immediately shouted: "Which shameless, vulgar scum dares to impersonate the name of my Young Master?"

Chen Ye turned to look; the one so impolite was a scar-faced drunkard, with a scar extending from his left ear to his chin, appearing ferocious and ugly.

Lan Shi said in surprise: "He... isn't he Bone-Crushing Mad Bandit? I heard he most likes to snap other people's leg bones. Young Master, isn't he a hero coming to join you?"

"Snap other people's leg bones, huh? Looks like I found the right person." Chen Ye inserted the Ten Thousand Souls Banner in his hand into the ground and said to this Bone-Crushing Mad Bandit: "Did you break the leg of that assistant from the Hundred Leaves Tea House?"