This is also why Chu Jingtang and the others are suspicious that Huang Yingying, who has no money, still insists on seeing the "Death Refusing Incense," thinking it's very suspicious, and why Wu Jinliang directly eliminates this suspicion. It's simply because this old guy indeed has a peculiar obsession in this regard.

Of course, that peculiar obsession is none of his business. At this moment, he idly asks, "How would I know? I've taken the money, so stop talking in riddles, who is it?"

Huang Yingying sneakily covers her mouth and says, "Cousin, the cousin of the second young lady from the library, the one she's about to marry, the one who was shopping with her today."

Even though he had his suspicions beforehand, Wu Jinliang is still somewhat inexplicably surprised after confirmation, "Are you saying that the cousin is marrying the second young lady for the library?"

Huang Yingying asks in return, "Don't you think so?"

Wu Jinliang ponders for a moment, smacks his lips and says, "Dong Wenshu has several children. Just marrying a second young lady out can make the library disappear?"

"Oh, Little Gao, how can someone as smart as you get confused?" Huang Yingying lightly slaps Wu Jinliang's arm, "Just think about why they have no way to handle Dong Wenshu on that end? Simply because there's no way to start. Besides, what does a tax supervisor do? If he wants to meddle with the library, naturally he will use his authority. Think it over, isn't all this clear?

Since they can't find any weakness in Dong Wenshu's family, they can infiltrate by placing someone dirty inside, causing corrupt activities in taxation. Once caught, Dong Wenshu will have no choice but to compromise."

Wu Jinliang thoughtfully says, "So, you're saying, the cousin marrying the second young lady won't leave the library; he'll stay there, otherwise it would be difficult to manipulate."

Huang Yingying laughs and says, "With that lousy library, not much income, tight expenditure, they cloak as filial piety, finding excuses to stay and help has lots. That isn't an issue. But then again, once knowing what they plan to do, countering it becomes simple. Little Gao, at crucial moments, you'll save the day and win the beauty's heart. Tell me, is spending those hundreds worth it or not?"

The last sentence is said while poking Wu Jinliang's heart with a finger, that expression on the face couldn't be prouder.

Wu Jinliang couldn't help but beam with joy at envisioning himself as a hero saving a beauty, but the prideful tone of his counterpart surprised him, suddenly grabbing the poking finger and twisting it.

"Ouch, you grandson tear down the bridge after crossing, it hurts, about to break, release…" Huang Yingying cries out, curling his body.

Wu Jinliang twists his finger and sneers, "Old Huang, your reaction is very quick. How do I feel this isn't your first time trading money for information, poking around everywhere, is it really just out of curiosity?"

Previously, he found this person's curious ways to be overly curious.

"Gah…" Huang Yingying's voice deforming in pain, his eyes twirling around, before dryly laughing, "This isn't important, right? Not important, not important, as long as we both get what we need, I didn't lie to you, don't you agree?"

Wu Jinliang grips down on the finger again.

"Ouch." Huang Yingying shrieks, gasping in pain, "It hurts, hurt, easy on me, you know my circumstances, right, married into the family, working, serving others, no wages, monthly just the meager allowance, how else am I to make ends meet without finding ways to spend? Collecting information, finding those who need it, fair and square, doesn't count as a crime, right?"

He really guessed right, this is exactly his nature, Wu Jinliang laughs, releasing him.

Gaining freedom, Huang Yingying shakes his finger while glaring at Wu Jinliang.

Wu Jinliang throws an arm around his shoulder, "Just joking, don't be mad, you've been paid after all. No wonder you are familiar with matters in this city, heard you've been married into the Bai Family for thirty to forty years, so considering that, you've been doing the information trade for many years, right?"

Speaking of decades of living in the home of one's in-laws, Huang Yingying sighs, "Quite some years, managed the shop business, hearing things from coming and going customers, slowly discovered a truth, seemingly useless information holds extraordinary value to some people. Once I casually reminded a customer, it turned out to be a great help for them, later gifted me ten gold as a reward, since then I've had a revelation, gathering information everywhere, once finding someone who needs it, it's instantly money. Really pushed out of necessity, if my wife ever spared giving me a bit more, I wouldn't need to sneak around, unlucky, pathetic."

Wu Jinliang pats him reassuringly on the back, "Rest assured, with your love for brothels, your wife certainly won't give you spare cash, you should give up on that hope."

Since he seemingly knows lots of information, he wanted to ask about the "Death Refusing Incense," regarding what he knows about that corpse change in Dazhi City years ago, but as he was about to ask, felt it too straightforward and unsuitable, decided to wait for a suitable opportunity to bring it up.

Not comforting like that, Huang Yingying shakes off his arm and walks away briskly.

Wu Jinliang calls out to his back, "Old Huang, you wouldn't sell my information to others, would you?"

Huang Yingying says nothing, just continues on his way.

Wu Jinliang, then, also falls into silence, thinking perhaps after work he should go find Shi Chun.

While deep within the vegetation, a pair of eyes quietly hidden has already targeted Huang Yingying's departing figure.

Not anyone else, but Lao Changtai, who had been dispatched from the Mingshan Sect to this place, he pulled out the Mother-child Talisman to send a message to Shi Chun: Old Huang just met a tall herder on the grassland outside the city.

Of course, it isn't detailed reporting, knowing Shi Chun might not conveniently respond at present, only reporting when finding unique points in incidents to Shi Chun, other routine matters he'd inform merely the results afterwards.

Shi Chun quickly responds with just a word: Hmm.

Evidently meaning acknowledgment.

Lao Changtai, having put away the Mother-child Talisman, quietly followed the departing figure of Huang Yingying.

Wu Jinliang was unaware of Lao Changtai's surveillance on Huang Yingying.

The root of the issue was that Chu Jingtang and the others had clearly expressed their suspicion of Huang Yingying, whereas Wu Jinliang had outright dismissed their doubts.

The crux of the problem was that the Mingshan Sect group called Wu Jinliang 'Boss Wu' merely as a formality, without truly regarding him as their leader. Wu Jinliang had not yet earned widespread respect in front of everyone; at least, his words alone were not enough to command obedience.

Furthermore, Wu Jinliang had never seriously cultivated the prestige of a leader, often frequenting brothels and losing track of time, leaving him untrustworthy.

Being a boss requires a measure of self-discipline, which is essential to maintain respect.

Although the three didn't argue with Wu Jinliang at the time, they reported their suspicions directly to Shi Chun later, leaving it to him to decide.

There was no alternative; they had the financial resources and had the means to contact Shi Chun directly using the Mother-child Talisman.

When the incident occurred, Shi Chun, understanding the situation, knew that since Wu Jinliang dared to dismiss the suspicion against Huang Yingying, he naturally had his reasons. But having led so many brothers in East Nine Plain, Shi Chun understood the importance of encouraging his subordinates' enthusiasm for work, rather than discouraging them.

Moreover, mutual surveillance and plugging leaks was not a bad thing—it was better than having nothing to do. Besides, by their account, it truly seemed suspicious. Therefore, he wouldn't outright quash Chu Jingtang's suspicions, as long as they could handle it themselves. He granted them a certain degree of autonomy, fully allowing them to utilize their individual abilities, thus instilling trust in them.

He believed these people shouldn't be restricted to mere compliance; after all, his own abilities, as Shi Chun, were also limited...

As Huang Yingying weaved through the city, her spirits were high. Passing a lively place, she instinctively touched her money pouch, thinking of the fifty sandalwood gold inside, her smile grew increasingly enigmatic.

She glanced at the sky. It was broad daylight, so she decided to wait until evening.

Bai's Rice Shop came to Dazhi City when the city was first built, making it one of the veteran establishments, having witnessed the city's long history.

When the gleeful Huang Yingying returned, a clerk with a wry smile approached her, whispering, "The lady boss came out. When she saw you weren't around, she got angry and told you to go to her immediately."

Huang Yingying's expression stiffened, and she asked softly, "Didn't you tell her I went to collect debts?"

The clerk replied, "I did, but whether she believes it or not, I don't know."

Huang Yingying wore a difficult expression but still braced herself to go to the granary in the back hall.

In the granary, where bags of rice were piled like mountains, sat a beautifully spirited and voluptuous woman behind a desk. Her skin was white and tender, clad in clothes as white as snow, truly radiant. However, incongruously, she was idly puffing on a cigarette holder, occasionally exhaling clouds of smoke, while her other hand flipped through account books, adjusting the abacus beads.

This was Bai's Rice Shop's owner, Bai Qiru.

To put it realistically, in terms of looks, there were few women in the brothels of Dazhi City who could compare to her.

With such a beauty at home neglected, it was perplexing that Huang Yingying would frequent the brothels, a fact many couldn't comprehend.

Even more baffling was that such a radiant beauty would choose half-old Huang Yingying as her husband; even if she chose him as a consort, his looks were too lacking. People truly couldn't see any qualities of Huang Yingying that Bai Qiru might appreciate.

Nevertheless, that was the reality, and so the neighbors could only gossip behind their backs.

Timidly approaching, Huang Yingying awkwardly smiled in front of the desk, "Madam, I went to collect debts. Is there anything you need?"

Bai Qiru exhaled a puff of smoke, which added an air of mystery to her face behind the smoke, giving Huang Yingying a cold glance, saying nothing, and continued fiddling with the abacus while flipping through the ledger.

Fine, Huang Yingying said no more, stepped back a few steps, then knelt down obediently, looking dejected, just waiting for a scolding.

Just then, a clerk rushed in from outside, ignoring the kneeling scene, excitedly informed Bai Qiru, "Lady boss, a big customer came. They requested a thousand bags of spirit rice to be delivered to the Shielding Slope outside the city before dark. They have already prepaid a seventy percent deposit and said the remaining thirty percent will be paid on delivery."

As he spoke, he placed a money pouch on the desk.

Bai Qiru opened the pouch, poured out a heap of Sandal Gold Flame Energy, counted the sandalwood gold, packed it up, took a puff of smoke, exhaled it long and far, directly aiming the smoke at Huang Yingying's face, "What are you still dawdling for? Hurry up and get a thousand bags of spirit rice loaded and delivered, and bring back the payment without missing a single coin, or I'll break your leg."

Huang Yingying immediately got up, thumped her chest, "Madam, rest assured, I guarantee not a penny will be missing."

Then she promptly went to organize the work.

Soon, two carts drawn by thin-scaled horses were piled high with spirit rice, two clerks drove the carts, and Huang Yingying along with another clerk each sat atop a cart of high bags, personally escorting the two carts of spirit rice out of the city.

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