Cheng Mo laughed awkwardly and said: “Miss Jiang, Cheng Mo is not here this time to participate in the competition.”
Jiang Wanrou fell silent for a moment and her tone was a lot colder when she spoke again: “Is Leader Cheng just here to join in the fun or to watch me be a fool?”
Cheng Mo replied: “Miss Jiang, you’ve misunderstood. There are two reasons why Cheng Mo is here, the first being that I was worried that Hui Ji would appear and disrupt you from finding a husband, the second is that I had a few questions that I wanted to ask you.”
Jiang Wanrou asked: “What is it?”
Cheng Mo took a deep breath before questioning: “Miss, could I please ask, what is the grudge between Hui Ji and the four major families in the south of the Yangtze river?”
Jiang Wanrou suddenly sneered: “Is Leader Cheng kidding? Hui Ji and I, Jiang Wanrou, are naturally enemies because he murdered my father ten years ago.”
Cheng Mo pressed further: “Miss Jiang, you know that that is not what I meant. What I want to ask is, why did Hui Ji murder your father ten years ago?”
Jiang Wanrou did not reply immediately, instead she asked: “Why is Leader Cheng asking about this? Have you heard any rumours?”
“Rumours?” Cheng Mo was taken aback at her question, but he recalled the rumours about the treasure of the Jianghu that Xue Tinghua mentioned and blurted out: “White jade glazed bead?”
Jiang Wanrou softened her tone: “As expected, Leader Cheng has also heard of the white jade glazed bead. When Hui Ji murdered my father, it was because he wanted to steal the white jade glazed bead.”
Cheng Mo looked at Jiang Wanrou through the gauze curtains, unsure whether what Jiang Wanrou said was true or false, but he did not completely believe her. Jiang Wanrou continued: “The white jade glazed bead records the secret of the greatest treasure in the Central Plains.”
Cheng Mo frowned slightly, he did not understand why Jiang Wanrou was telling him this, so he did not answer. Jiang Wanrou said softly: “Does Leader Cheng want to ask if the white jade glazed bead is still in the Jiang family’s possession?”
At this point, Cheng Mo could only follow her prompting: “Is it still in the Jiang family’s possession?”
Jiang Wanrou chuckled: “Of course. Otherwise, how else would the Jiang family have the ability to hand the invitation to Leader Cheng and invite you to participate in the competition for my hand in marriage? Wanrou’s future husband would become the owner of the white jade glazed bead and will become the owner of the treasures of the Jianghu.”
Cheng Mo listened to Jiang Wanrou’s answer and felt that she wanted to use the treasure to lure him to her side. He exhaled softly and said: “I’m afraid that he would have to kill Hui Ji for Miss Jiang, right?”
Jiang Wanrou replied: “If the white jade glazed bead is with you, even if you don’t look for Hui Ji, he will voluntarily come to you.”
Cheng Mo shook his head and said: “Miss Jiang is a little cruel.”
Jiang Wanrou raised her head and looked at him: “What do you mean by that, Leader Cheng?”
Cheng Mo sighed: “To you, your future husband is just a tool to deal with Hui Ji.”
Jiang Wanrou raised her voice slightly: “If he really loved me, why wouldn’t he be willing to help avenge my father for me?”
Cheng Mo originally wanted to ask, But do you really love him? But he felt that it was unnecessary, so he shook his head and stood up: “Cheng Mo will take his leave.”
Jiang Wanrou said calmly: “I’ll call for someone to send you back.”
Cheng Mo replied: “Thank you.”
He got onto a carriage and by the time he returned to the Jiang family’s estate, lunch had already been served. Cheng Mo walked into the dining hall and saw that everyone present was already halfway through their meal. Xue Tinghua, Yu Xiaoshan and Ling Xiaolu were seated together at the same table. When Ling Xiaolu saw Cheng Mo, he quickly stood up and waved: “Leader Cheng, come over and sit.”
Cheng Mo smiled and shook his head at him, before heading straight to the other corner, to the table where Hui Ji was seated. Hui Ji’s table was deserted, there were only four people there. Sitting opposite Hui Ji were Qing Fangchuan and the two children following him. Ma Sheng, the young leader of the Huangshama Gang, had been withdrawn since he was a child because of his appearance. He never took off his bamboo hat, even if he met someone who wanted to look at his face, he would not allow them to. Hui Ji was now borrowing his identity, which made it convenient for him to hide from others.
Ma Sheng’s appearance was unknown in the Jianghu, and when Hui Ji became famous in the Jianghu that year for the massacre, everyone present were still teenagers and few people had seen him in person. He lowered the rim of his bamboo hat and did not speak to anyone, hardly anyone would figure out his identity. Cheng Mo walked to this table and sat down, attracting a lot of attention. However, they were all very cautious in their discussions and did not dare to let Cheng Mo hear them. Qing Fangchuan raised his head to glance over at him, before he lowered his gaze and let the child feed him. Hui Ji on the other hand, turned a blind eye to Cheng Mo. Cheng Mo did not dare to say Hui Ji’s name, he was afraid that someone would overhear him. Instead, he picked up a pair of chopsticks on the table and picked up some jade green vegetables, placing them into Hui Ji’s bowl. Hui Ji’s movements finally paused and Cheng Mo said: “I met the Jiang family’s Miss today.”
Hui Ji picked up the vegetables that Cheng Mo put in his bowl and ate them. He had many habits that he developed when he was younger and he could not easily change them even after many years, such as his upright posture when seated, his elegant movements when picking up food, and his silent and slow chewing when eating.
Cheng Mo laughed awkwardly and said: “Miss Jiang, Cheng Mo is not here this time to participate in the competition.”
Jiang Wanrou fell silent for a moment and her tone was a lot colder when she spoke again: “Is Leader Cheng just here to join in the fun or to watch me be a fool?”
Cheng Mo replied: “Miss Jiang, you’ve misunderstood. There are two reasons why Cheng Mo is here, the first being that I was worried that Hui Ji would appear and disrupt you from finding a husband, the second is that I had a few questions that I wanted to ask you.”
Jiang Wanrou asked: “What is it?”
Cheng Mo took a deep breath before questioning: “Miss, could I please ask, what is the grudge between Hui Ji and the four major families in the south of the Yangtze river?”
Jiang Wanrou suddenly sneered: “Is Leader Cheng kidding? Hui Ji and I, Jiang Wanrou, are naturally enemies because he murdered my father ten years ago.”
Cheng Mo pressed further: “Miss Jiang, you know that that is not what I meant. What I want to ask is, why did Hui Ji murder your father ten years ago?”
Jiang Wanrou did not reply immediately, instead she asked: “Why is Leader Cheng asking about this? Have you heard any rumours?”
“Rumours?” Cheng Mo was taken aback at her question, but he recalled the rumours about the treasure of the Jianghu that Xue Tinghua mentioned and blurted out: “White jade glazed bead?”
Jiang Wanrou softened her tone: “As expected, Leader Cheng has also heard of the white jade glazed bead. When Hui Ji murdered my father, it was because he wanted to steal the white jade glazed bead.”
Cheng Mo looked at Jiang Wanrou through the gauze curtains, unsure whether what Jiang Wanrou said was true or false, but he did not completely believe her. Jiang Wanrou continued: “The white jade glazed bead records the secret of the greatest treasure in the Central Plains.”
Cheng Mo frowned slightly, he did not understand why Jiang Wanrou was telling him this, so he did not answer. Jiang Wanrou said softly: “Does Leader Cheng want to ask if the white jade glazed bead is still in the Jiang family’s possession?”
At this point, Cheng Mo could only follow her prompting: “Is it still in the Jiang family’s possession?”
Jiang Wanrou chuckled: “Of course. Otherwise, how else would the Jiang family have the ability to hand the invitation to Leader Cheng and invite you to participate in the competition for my hand in marriage? Wanrou’s future husband would become the owner of the white jade glazed bead and will become the owner of the treasures of the Jianghu.”
Cheng Mo listened to Jiang Wanrou’s answer and felt that she wanted to use the treasure to lure him to her side. He exhaled softly and said: “I’m afraid that he would have to kill Hui Ji for Miss Jiang, right?”
Jiang Wanrou replied: “If the white jade glazed bead is with you, even if you don’t look for Hui Ji, he will voluntarily come to you.”
Cheng Mo shook his head and said: “Miss Jiang is a little cruel.”
Jiang Wanrou raised her head and looked at him: “What do you mean by that, Leader Cheng?”
Cheng Mo sighed: “To you, your future husband is just a tool to deal with Hui Ji.”
Jiang Wanrou raised her voice slightly: “If he really loved me, why wouldn’t he be willing to help avenge my father for me?”
Cheng Mo originally wanted to ask, But do you really love him? But he felt that it was unnecessary, so he shook his head and stood up: “Cheng Mo will take his leave.”
Jiang Wanrou said calmly: “I’ll call for someone to send you back.”
Cheng Mo replied: “Thank you.”
He got onto a carriage and by the time he returned to the Jiang family’s estate, lunch had already been served. Cheng Mo walked into the dining hall and saw that everyone present was already halfway through their meal. Xue Tinghua, Yu Xiaoshan and Ling Xiaolu were seated together at the same table. When Ling Xiaolu saw Cheng Mo, he quickly stood up and waved: “Leader Cheng, come over and sit.”
Cheng Mo smiled and shook his head at him, before heading straight to the other corner, to the table where Hui Ji was seated. Hui Ji’s table was deserted, there were only four people there. Sitting opposite Hui Ji were Qing Fangchuan and the two children following him. Ma Sheng, the young leader of the Huangshama Gang, had been withdrawn since he was a child because of his appearance. He never took off his bamboo hat, even if he met someone who wanted to look at his face, he would not allow them to. Hui Ji was now borrowing his identity, which made it convenient for him to hide from others.
Ma Sheng’s appearance was unknown in the Jianghu, and when Hui Ji became famous in the Jianghu that year for the massacre, everyone present were still teenagers and few people had seen him in person. He lowered the rim of his bamboo hat and did not speak to anyone, hardly anyone would figure out his identity. Cheng Mo walked to this table and sat down, attracting a lot of attention. However, they were all very cautious in their discussions and did not dare to let Cheng Mo hear them. Qing Fangchuan raised his head to glance over at him, before he lowered his gaze and let the child feed him. Hui Ji on the other hand, turned a blind eye to Cheng Mo. Cheng Mo did not dare to say Hui Ji’s name, he was afraid that someone would overhear him. Instead, he picked up a pair of chopsticks on the table and picked up some jade green vegetables, placing them into Hui Ji’s bowl. Hui Ji’s movements finally paused and Cheng Mo said: “I met the Jiang family’s Miss today.”
Hui Ji picked up the vegetables that Cheng Mo put in his bowl and ate them. He had many habits that he developed when he was younger and he could not easily change them even after many years, such as his upright posture when seated, his elegant movements when picking up food, and his silent and slow chewing when eating.
