Chapter 44: Meeting the New City Lord

Over the next few days, Ruan Xing began working overtime to refine Medicine Liquid and Talismans. Every day, apart from the time spent sleeping and eating, she locked herself in the courtyard; she didn't even have time to see Ruan Tao when Hu San brought her over.

She merely took a moment to instruct Hu San, telling him to personally teach Ruan Tao the techniques for External Strength and Internal Strength, as well as how to use the medicinal baths and Medicine Liquid, striving for Ruan Tao to reach the entry level within half a month. If she had talent, it was even possible to supply the Medicine Liquid continuously until she reached Small Success.

In addition to several hundred 【Break】 Talismans, she had also harvested over a hundred 【Guard】 Talismans. With the help of the rough tailoring knowledge included in her entry-level weaving skill, she fashioned all these Monkey Skin pieces into vest-like armor. They were secured with thin cords and could be adjusted in size. If her own small frame wore them, they could cover her entire upper body; if someone with Hu San's build wore them, they might only serve as heart protectors. However, that was not a big problem; as long as they could be worn on the body, the 【Guard】 Talisman could provide its protective effect—the only difference was aesthetics and comfort.

There were also over a thousand bottles of Medicine Liquid. Aside from the fifty bottles each for Hu San and Ruan Tao, she had the Housekeeper store the rest in the warehouse, to be rewarded later to those Guans who performed their duties well, or to be retrieved if Hu San and Ruan Tao didn't have enough for their training.

After working hard for these few days, Ruan Xing was just planning to get some good sleep when the Housekeeper came to report, "Gang Leader, Guan Wang requests an audience."

Wang Dongxing? He has business? Ruan Xing found it a bit strange, but still said, "Let him wait for me in the study."

She washed her face to freshen up, and only then did Ruan Xing go to the study, asking straight to the point: "What is the urgent matter you need to see me for? Speak quickly, I'm waiting to go back to sleep."

"It's not that I want to see you, it's him who wants to," Wang Dongxing said with a bitter smile. "Since yesterday, he has been restless, pestering me to see you. I was puzzled myself—when did you two meet? I asked him, but he wouldn't say. I figured there might really be some connection, so I brought him along."

Wang Dongxing pulled a timid little boy from behind him. Perhaps because Ruan Xing's attitude today was too casual and she seemed more approachable, he gave Ruan Xing a somewhat resentful look and said aggrievedly, "You really have forgotten me."

This... Ruan Xing thought for a long time before she remembered, and she laughed sheepishly: "Xu Can, I remember."

She had slipped poison to this kid.

"Today is already the seventh day," Xu Can reminded her.

"Alright, come with me." The various medicines she had previously taken from the Old Man's Cave, except for some she felt necessary to carry with her, were all kept in her room, and the antidote was there too.

Xu Can followed by her side and whispered, "Gang Leader, I am not a useless person. Whatever you wish for me to do for you in the future, I can learn."

His life was in Ruan Xing's hands, but since Ruan Xing had forgotten him so easily, it was hard to say if she would give him the antidote again in the future. He had to demonstrate his value for staying alive.

Ruan Xing glanced at him. She remembered this was a very calm and intelligent child, just too young. She had no use for him to do anything for the time being. Leaving him alive at the time was, first, because she didn't want to waste Simulation attempts to find the secret chamber where Pei Qianhu hid his wealth; second, to give Wang Dongxing an excuse to obtain most of Pei Qianhu's inheritance; and finally, because she felt it was a pity for someone with his potential to just die like that.

"How have you been living at the Wang family?" Ruan Xing suddenly asked. "They swallowed the inheritance that should have belonged to you. Do you hate them?"

Xu Can trembled all over. "Gang Leader, my surname is Xu... not Pei."

This ability to avoid answering directly while shifting the focus was quite suitable for taking the civil service exam. Ruan Xing changed the subject: "Did your uncle ever teach you martial arts?"

"... He never did."

Pei Qianhu had brought him back to be a disciple for the higher-ups. Aside from cultivating his knowledge, upbringing, and brainwashing him with the affection of the family, he naturally wouldn't teach him anything else.

Ruan Xing found the bottle containing the antidote from the shelf and poured out ten pills for him. "Then you should go study. You seem quite sharp-minded; passing the official exam shouldn't be difficult."

Xu Can smiled bitterly. In the current world, people valued literature over martial arts, and passing the official exam was much harder than learning martial arts or joining a gang. But at least Ruan Xing had given him a direction to strive for, and his life was temporarily saved. He respectfully took the pills with both hands. "This subordinate obeys."

In truth, Ruan Xing didn't know what to have this kid do either. Going to study was just a casual move. There were still more than ten years until the plot began. If Xu Can could reach the standard of that Immortal's disciples in ten years, perhaps she could make use of this casual move in the world of Cultivation.

She let Wang Dongxing take the person back, but Wang Dongxing leaned close to Ruan Xing's ear and asked quietly, "Little Sister Ruan, how do you know him? Just tell me, my curiosity is itching like crazy."

"No sense of propriety, call me Gang Leader," Ruan Xing glared at him.

"Yes, yes, Gang Leader~" Wang Dongxing chuckled, then suddenly thought of something and widened his eyes. "Could it be that the destruction of Pei Qianhu's family has something to do with you? Did you do it? No wonder you could tell me a night in advance. You didn't calculate it?! Then can you actually tell fortunes or not?"

The barrage of questions made Ruan Xing's head spin. She was too lazy to answer, only saying, "Believe it and it exists; doubt it and it does not."

"Hey, then I definitely believe you. Also, the other things you calculated were quite accurate... That's not important anyway. Pei Qianhu didn't have a good relationship with anyone, no one will avenge him. Then I'll head back first, this subordinate takes his leave~" Wang Dongxing bowed happily and took Xu Can home.

After seeing them off, Ruan Xing no longer felt sleepy. After pondering for a moment, she decided to be proactive toward the new City Lord.

After quickly running a Simulation, Ruan Xing chose the memory and saw the new City Lord's appearance. She asked the Housekeeper: "Is there anyone in our gang who can draw? Call them to me."

The Housekeeper acknowledged and went to find someone. A moment later, he brought back a scruffy old gentleman. "This is the one who used to draw the wanted posters in our gang..."

Wanted posters? Ruan Xing pondered; that was about right. "Draw it first and let me see. I'll describe, you draw."

The old gentleman unfolded the rice paper and dipped his brush in ink.

"A man in his thirties, his face is relatively square, his eyebrows are very thick, his chin and nose tip are a bit fleshy... No, no, draw this part further inward, his hairline is quite receding..."

Under Ruan Xing's guidance of speaking and gesturing, the old gentleman finally completed the painting.

As expected of someone who drew wanted posters, the character's lines were clear and captured the features of his appearance. Although it lacked artistic value, it was quite similar.

Ruan Xing said with satisfaction, "Not bad. Make several more copies of this and search for him secretly in the city. If you find him, don't alert the other party; send someone to notify me first." "This person... looks somewhat familiar," the Housekeeper hesitated. "Gang Leader, two days ago, information came in reporting that someone was quietly asking about you, Gang Leader. It was this person. But I went to check later; that person wasn't just asking about you, he was also asking about the leaders of several other small gangs in the outer city. It didn't look like intentional spying, so I didn't pay much attention."

"Oh? Do you know where he is now?" Ruan Xing perked up. She hadn't expected this new City Lord to arrive so early; he had already been here for two days and she hadn't known.

"According to the people below, that person has been drinking tea and listening to storytelling at various street tea stalls recently. It's very easy to find. This old servant will send people out to see which street he is on."

Ruan Xing went back to change her clothes. When the Housekeeper returned to report that the person had been found, she leisurely boarded a carriage without the Red Head Gang's markings and set out in a low-key manner.

On Ping'an Street, at a semi-open-air tea stall, seven or eight low, small tables were set up. A few scattered guests sat in the shade covered by mats, drinking herbal tea to rest their feet. An old man was sitting there, spitting as he told the jianghu story of the Red Head Gang eliminating mountain pests for the people, and the disaster caused by the monkeys of Qianling Mountain.

Telling stories and performing here allowed one to drink the shopkeeper's tea for free. If the storytelling was good, guests might tip a coin or two. Most importantly, this was positive publicity for the Red Head Gang. Telling stories all day also allowed one to collect some reward money from the Red Head Gang, so residents who couldn't do heavy labor but had a good way with words often came here to supplement their household income.

The middle-aged man sitting at the edge of the tea stall was listening with great interest when someone suddenly sat down next to him. A crisp girl's voice said, "Uncle, let me share this table."

Street tea stalls like this didn't have so many formalities. He subconsciously said, "Sit wherever you like," before suddenly realizing that the tea stall wasn't full and there were empty tables further inside. Why would someone want to share his table?

He looked over inquisitively, only to be surprised to find that the other party was just a six-year-old girl.

The girl gave him a cute smile, and he smiled back. The defensiveness that had just risen gradually faded. Perhaps this girl just didn't have the money to buy tea but wanted to listen to the story and was too embarrassed to sit at a table alone.

He was just about to ask the shopkeeper to bring another bowl of herbal tea for the girl when he heard the other party say, "With your status, isn't it a bit inappropriate to be drinking tea in a place like this?"

The expression on the man's face slowly turned cold. He said, "Little girl, did you mistake me for someone else?"

Ruan Xing rested her chin on her hand, her elbow propped on the table, and tilted her head. "City Lord, if you want to inquire about any information, you can come and ask our Red Head Gang. As long as you can afford the price, there is no information in Jiangning City that the Red Head Gang cannot find out. Even information about the Gang Leader can be told to you in its entirety."

Seeing that Ruan Xing had already stated his identity with certainty, the man saw no need to hide it anymore. "Indeed, I entered the city alone three days early and was found by you. Your Red Head Gang's information is indeed well-informed."

"However, I am a bit curious. I am not carrying any items or tokens that could indicate my identity, and the document of appointment from the Emperor has not even been issued yet. How are you so sure that it is me?"

Of course, it's because of the Simulator. I saw your face with my own eyes at the City Lord Mansion half a month later.

Ruan Xing smiled mysteriously. "The tricks of the trade cannot be told to you so easily. Why don't you tell me first what information you actually want to know?"

The man had originally come to scout out the various gangs in Jiangning City with the intention of cooperation. There were too many people in the imperial court who held positions without doing their jobs. If he used the City Lord's order, the Patrol Security Division would follow his arrangements, but they would definitely leak information everywhere like a sieve. It would be impossible for him to catch anyone he wanted to catch.

It would be better to seek help from the local power brokers. As long as he promised them benefits they couldn't refuse, and clarified the pros and cons, using both kindness and force, most power brokers would be willing to cooperate for mutual benefit and live in peace.

This was also his experience from serving as an official in other places before.

He looked at the little girl in front of him, not feeling any contempt, but instead treating her with caution. He pondered for a moment and asked, "How about you tell me who you are first, how about that?"

It had only been seven days since the Red Head Gang changed leaders. Apart from that time at the city gate when she saw people off, she hadn't appeared in any public occasions. Therefore, except for a few officials who had met her at the city gate and the internal members of the Red Head Gang, no one knew that the newly changed Gang Leader was a six-year-old girl.

The man had entered the city low-key and hadn't had contact with officials, only inquiring for information among the common people in the city. Naturally, all he heard were some hearsay rumors, and he didn't know her identity.

Without Ruan Xing knowing it, she had already become the most mysterious person in Jiangning City.

"My name is Ruan Xing, the new Gang Leader of the Red Head Gang." Ruan Xing smiled sweetly.

A look of surprise flashed through the man's eyes, though he did not doubt that Ruan Xing was lying to him, and he sighed with emotion: "I never expected there to be a child in this world as intelligent and unworldly as you; to be able to suppress so many adults and become Gang Leader at such a young age. It is a pity you are a girl, otherwise, studying for the imperial examinations and becoming an official would be the true path to the heavens."

He cupped his hands and said: "Gang Leader Ruan, my surname is Sun, and I am the second in my family. You may just call me Sun Erlang. We can discuss the title of City Lord another day; for now, I still need to keep my identity secret while I act."

"Naturally, I, Ruan Xing, am a person of great integrity."

"Is that so? Why is it that what I have heard over these past two days is quite different? Everyone says that the new Gang Leader of the Red Head Gang is a person of cruel temperament, capricious and moody, who will kill an entire family at the slightest disagreement."

"Nonsense! I am such an upright and kind person!" Ruan Xing slammed the table and said angrily: "Who started this rumor? I will kill their entire family!"

She had only been a bit ruthless on the day she became Gang Leader; the rest of the time, she was a gentle and magnanimous good Gang Leader, okay? Sun Erlang fell silent for a moment, skipped over this topic, and laughed: "What I see today is indeed not entirely the same as the rumors, but the status of the Red Head Gang in Jiangning City is something others can hardly shake. Even if you do not participate in these muddy waters, it would have no effect. I do not know why Gang Leader Ruan wants to help me? And what do you want by taking the initiative to approach me?"

"This is simple." Aside from Ruan Mu losing her job because of it, this disturbance had almost no impact on her, but because Hong Xi had not had any news about the Luoqi Pill for such a long time, she was anxious in her heart, which was why she wanted to connect with this new City Lord. "Erlang, you are well-informed in the Capital; have you ever heard of something called the Luoqi Pill?"

"Luoqi Pill?" Sun Erlang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed loudly. "Since Gang Leader Ruan is asking about the Luoqi Pill, then you must already be at the Acquired Realm, right? As far as I know, apart from the secret treasures within the palace, there are no other Post-Heaven Cultivation Techniques in the entire world. How did you, Gang Leader Ruan, obtain a Post-Heaven Cultivation Technique?"

How would she know where Hongtou Daoren got his cultivation technique? Was this technique very mysterious? Hongtou Daoren wasn't even that powerful, yet he was able to get it; she had thought that cultivation techniques weren't that hard to come by.

Wait, could it be that Hongtou Daoren didn't practice it himself, and didn't allow others in the Red Head Gang to reach Internal Strength Consummation, not because he was stingy, but because he knew he could never find the Luoqi Pill? The so-called Acquired Realm was just a pie in the sky he painted for the members of the Red Head Gang. If he let these people reach the Acquired Realm but couldn't provide the Luoqi Pill needed for post-heaven cultivation, then these people would either search everywhere for news of the Luoqi Pill, or they would become dissatisfied and harbor rebellious intentions. Neither of these was a result he wanted to see, so he could only pretend to be stingy to suppress the progress of their cultivation techniques.

At the thought of this possibility, Ruan Xing's back turned cold, and she broke out in a dense layer of cold sweat.

(End of this chapter)