Chapter 60: Indeed, There Is Something to It

When entering Jindu, it was already the middle of the night.

Passing through the heavily guarded city gates, the wide Imperial Street was brightly lit, and Imperial Guards in gleaming armor patrolled past from time to time.

"Eldest Miss." Zhao Mama had received word in advance and had been waiting for a long time; seeing Cheng Xi, she immediately went up to greet her.

Cheng Xi leaped down from the carriage and turned back to wave goodbye to Li Zhi'an.

Li Zhi'an watched her back as she left with Zhao Mama in a very carefree manner, pursed his lips, and only then let the coachman continue forward.

The coachman hunched his head, not daring to say a word, feeling that the Master of the Division was in a bad mood right now.

Early the next morning, Cheng Xi woke up, and the moment she opened her eyes, she saw Baohua sitting at the head of her bed.

She reached out to pick it up and got up with a smile.

Baohua leaped onto Cheng Xi's shoulder and sat down; Cheng Xi carried it like that while she washed up, and when she sat down for breakfast, seeing Mulan and the others with red eyes, she said, "What are you crying for? Didn't I come back just fine?"

"Eldest Miss is blessed with longevity and will surely turn danger into safety," Mulan said immediately.

Just after breakfast, the Empress Dowager's rewards arrived; over a dozen people carried boxes through the door, filling the entire courtyard. Gold, silver, and jade ornaments dazzled the eyes, and among them was a box of Talisman Beads, the quality slightly better than the box Yan Yu had given her.

Cheng Xi didn't have much interest in gold and silver; she held that box of Talisman Beads and looked at it for a long time. She tried to absorb one, but the Fire Phoenix within her body remained completely motionless.

Cheng Xi gave the remaining Talisman Beads to Baohua, and Baohua ran off holding them in its arms like a treasure.

Cheng Xi was instantly amused, and she had Mulan take out the box from Yan Yu and gave that to it as well.

This kind of Talisman Bead was already useless to her, but it was fine for Baohua to use for nourishment.

It wasn't just Cheng Xi; Mulan and the others all laughed as well.

Jinxiang said from the side, "Eldest Miss, you haven't been here these past few days, and Baohua sat at the door every day; its wooden neck was about to grow long."

Cheng Xi's gaze gradually softened; what she raised herself was indeed not bad.

The Empress Dowager's rewards were like a signal, followed closely by the stewards of the Yan Family, the Yunping Marquis Mansion, the Fang Family... everyone Cheng Xi had saved that day sent people to deliver calling cards.

Cheng Xi felt so annoyed; she didn't like trouble at all, so she refused them all.

It wasn't purely to save them that day, but rather that she had sensed an unusual aura and just happened to be there.

Although they couldn't see her, the gifts still had to be delivered, but they couldn't find Cheng Xi at all.

Cheng Xi had gone into seclusion.

Last time in Yunchuan, she had only roughly combed through the Spirit Essence of the axe; at that time, with Li Zhi'an there, she hadn't made any major moves.

Now that she was back in Jindu, she naturally had to properly comb through it again.

After Li Zhi'an finished his work and came to see her, he discovered he couldn't see her; Cheng Xi had actually gone into seclusion.

Li Zhi'an had come to deliver an invitation to her.

When Cheng Xi came out of seclusion, Mulan presented the invitation.

Cheng Xi looked at the invitation and was, for a moment, unable to laugh or cry.

Talisman Beads appearing in Ghost Street—this news had attracted the attention of the noble families of Jindu.

Although Cheng Xi couldn't use low-grade Talisman Beads, for those who had just awakened their talent, they were still highly coveted treasures.

And... the place selling them was actually Lao Wutou's shop!

Lao Wutou really did have some tricks up his sleeve.

Cheng Xi had Zhao Kang make a trip to the Tongtian Division and asked him to pass a message to Jiang Boyu, requesting him to relay to Li Zhi'an that she didn't need Talisman Beads right now.

Jiang Boyu looked confused; what was the Eldest Miss up to, not needing Talisman Beads?

Which person who had awakened their talent didn't need Talisman Beads?

Could it be that the Eldest Miss didn't know what Talisman Beads were used for?

Although he was suspicious, Jiang Boyu still went to report the matter to the Master of the Division.

Li Zhi'an just nodded lightly; seeing the Master of the Division's unsurprised expression, Jiang Boyu found it even stranger.

"Master of the Division, I was thinking, could it be that the Eldest Miss doesn't know the use of Talisman Beads? Otherwise, should I go and tell her?" Jiang Boyu said hurriedly; this invitation wasn't easy to get, and those people in Ghost Street were hard to deal with.

"No need. If she says she doesn't need them, then she doesn't need them."

Jiang Boyu:...

The Master of the Division's tone sounded like he knew something, but he didn't dare to ask.

Although Cheng Xi didn't go to Ghost Street, Yan Shengyu had snatched two boxes of Talisman Beads and specifically sent one box to Cheng Xi.

"You didn't see it; it was simply crazy last night. Silver seemed worthless, and those without some family wealth didn't dare to crowd forward," Yan Shengyu said with a sigh.

Cheng Xi asked curiously, "How much silver did you bring?"

Yan Shengyu gestured a number.

"Twenty thousand taels?"

"Two hundred thousand!"

Cheng Xi:...

Truly rich!

Seeing Cheng Xi's expression, Yan Shengyu was amused and gave one of the boxes to Cheng Xi, "A thank-you gift."

Cheng Xi pushed it back, looked at Yan Shengyu, and said, "I have no use for it; you use it yourself."

"A box of Talisman Beads isn't as precious as my life," Yan Shengyu thought Cheng Xi didn't want it because she thought it was expensive.

Cheng Xi said seriously, "I really have no use for it."

Yan Shengyu didn't believe her.

Cheng Xi thought for a moment and called out, "Baohua!"

Who was Baohua?

Yan Shengyu was just wondering when she saw a little wooden person hopping over, and her mouth fell open in surprise.

"This... this is?"

Cheng Xi reached out and poked Baohua, who had jumped onto the table, "I raised her, a Wooden Figurine."

"Can she understand human speech?" Yan Shengyu looked at Baohua with a curious face, and Baohua also tilted her head to stare at her.

Even though her eyes were just two lines, Yan Shengyu felt as if she could truly see her.

"A whole group of people at home teases her every day, she understands," Cheng Xi laughed.

Yan Shengyu looked at Baohua, "Huahua, nod your head."

Baohua did not move, but her little head turned toward the box containing the Talisman Beads.

Yan Shengyu looked incredulous; she opened the box and took out a Talisman Bead for her, and Baohua immediately reached out to take it, then nodded her head heavily.

"That is truly miraculous," Yan Shengyu looked at Cheng Xi, "She is just too cute, what does she need Talisman Beads for?"

"To eat," Cheng Xi explained, "Baohua has spirituality but needs to be nurtured. I have no use for the Talisman Beads, but she can use them. The ones your brother sent before, and the ones the Empress Dowager gave, all went into her stomach."

Speaking of this, Cheng Xi looked at Baohua suspiciously, "Did you grow taller?"

Baohua proudly stretched out her arms and gestured with three fingers, meaning she had grown three fingers taller.

Yan Shengyu was even more shocked; she could actually grow taller!

She immediately placed the box in front of Baohua, "Then this box is for our Huahua, eat up so you can grow tall!"

Baohua immediately reached out and hugged the box, fearing that Cheng Xi would refuse.

Cheng Xi:...

It really is getting hard to manage things that have become sentient!

This is worth one hundred thousand taels of silver!

Yan Shengyu looked at Baohua, "Can I give you a hug? You are just too cute."

Baohua jumped onto Yan Shengyu's shoulder in an instant; a hug was not possible, but she could sit on a shoulder.

Cheng Xi glanced at Baohua, feeling that this child's skill points might have been misallocated.

Sensing Cheng Xi's slightly unkind gaze, Baohua turned her body slightly, pretending not to see it.

Cheng Xi was so angry that she laughed.