Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Jue's face darkened even more. He immediately pretended to snatch back the money bag he had just given. How could the shopkeeper be a match for him? The shopkeeper could only hold the money bag tightly and said, "Don't worry! I'll definitely get everything you need ready before tomorrow night!"
Only then did Xuan Yuan Jue's expression soften a bit. He stared coldly at the shopkeeper and said, "I hope you'll keep your word. You'll get more money when it's done. But if anything goes wrong, or if you leak our information and tip off our enemies..."
Xuan Yuan Jue's face suddenly turned cold and ruthless, looking like a Shura from hell. He suddenly leaned close to the shopkeeper and threatened menacingly, "Then you might bid farewell to your favorite business and money for the rest of your life."
A bead of sweat dripped down. The pressure Xuan Yuan Jue exerted was too great. The shopkeeper couldn't help but pat his chest.
Then he refilled everyone's teacups. This time, his attitude was much better, even showing a hint of respect.
"For a businessman like me, those with money are naturally my masters. You can stay here with confidence. I'll immediately gather the things you need and tell you some important things about the Western Yue State."
What the shopkeeper said next was no longer the previous nonsense. It was about the different living and speaking styles in the Western Yue State compared to their own country, which would help Xuan Yuan Jue and his group blend in more naturally.
Xuan Yuan Jue was very satisfied. He thought he had found a decent person. Shen Li was still worried, so she asked Xin Yue, who had been hiding in the dark, to keep an eye on the shopkeeper's every move.
In the evening of the next day, the shopkeeper really got everything they needed ready. Xuan Yuan Jue naturally helped the coachman load all the luggage onto the carriage.
The shopkeeper was a bit puzzled and kindly asked, "It gets cold and dewy at night. Are you really going to set off? It's not convenient to drive a carriage at night."
Xuan Yuan Jue threw another money bag to the shopkeeper and said, "Remember our agreement. Just keep your mouth shut."
At this time, Shen Li had changed into the clothes of the Western Yue State. The patterns on the clothes were a bit elaborate, making her look even more charming. Jiao Yue took Shen Li's hand and said, "Miss, you look so beautiful like this."
Shen Li didn't comment, but she still preferred to dress simply. The climate in the Western Yue State was quite different. The wind was extremely strong at night, and everyone in the carriage covered themselves with quilts.
With the fake identities provided by the shopkeeper, the group smoothly entered the city and found an inn to settle down.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" There was a knock on the door. When the door opened, Xuan Yuan Jue stood there upright. He said, "I have something to discuss. May I come in?"
Shen Li didn't say a word but didn't close the door either. So Xuan Yuan Jue walked in. To avoid attracting attention, they all lived in ordinary rooms. There wasn't even an extra chair in Shen Li's room.
Shen Li looked at Xuan Yuan Jue apologetically and said, "Sorry, the room is shabby. We can only talk standing up. What... do you want to talk to me about?"
Xuan Yuan Jue didn't seem to mind at all. He sat on the special cushion of the Western Yue State, which was actually quite comfortable. He smiled and said, "I just want to ask about your next plan. So I can figure out how to help you."
Shen Li was stunned. She had had too many doubts along the way, but she hadn't asked because there were always people around.
She stared into Xuan Yuan Jue's eyes and said, "Why do you want to help me? What's in it for you? I don't think there's anything on me worth your time and effort."
Xuan Yuan Jue shook his head and laughed brightly. He said, "Little one, you shouldn't underestimate yourself! I have my own reasons for what I do. You don't need to doubt my help for now."
Xuan Yuan Jue was sure that Shen Li would trust him. If she didn't trust him, she wouldn't have let him get on the carriage in the first place. There was a flash of hesitation in Shen Li's eyes, but soon she stopped thinking about it.
She took out a land deed from her hand, which was obviously a copied one.
"What's your relationship with that shopkeeper? Why was your land deed with him? It's obvious that you transferred that land to him. And how did you know that an ordinary shopkeeper could forge identities for us?"
Shen Li suddenly raised all these questions, which also stunned Xuan Yuan Jue. He advised Shen Li to calm down and told her that he would explain them one by one.
He held up a finger and said, "First, yes, that land deed was a reward for him. Second, I knew this shopkeeper before. I went to the Western Yue State to find him. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would think too much. That's all."
Shen Li lowered her head. She had asked Xin Yue to find these clues. Indeed, there was nothing else suspicious. She suddenly lit a candle and burned the copied land deed in the flame.
Xuan Yuan Jue smiled and leaned in front of Shen Li. He said, "Now you can trust me. Can you tell us where we're going next?"
Shen Li nodded and said, "We're going to Heishui Village near the town. You should know that I'm here to find someone, right?"
Although Shen Li was curious about how Xuan Yuan Jue knew this, she thought that his information was always more well - informed than hers, so she decided not to ask anymore.
Xuan Yuan Jue thought for a while. He suddenly opened the window and pointed to the mountain in the distance. He said, "Crossing that mountain is Heishui Village. But recently, that village has become very strange..."
Shen Li frowned and asked, "What's going on in the village?"
"I just heard about it while having tea. The villagers have either run outside or... moved deep into the mountains. It's not easy to find someone who has always lived in the village."
Xuan Yuan Jue didn't seem to be lying, which made Shen Li even more confused. She was sure that her parents wouldn't have done such things. They wouldn't harm so many innocent people just to hide their identities.
Xuan Yuan Jue patted Shen Li's shoulder comfortingly and said, "Don't think too much. Let's go downstairs for dinner and taste the delicious food of the Western Yue State. We'll know what's going on when we get to Heishui Village."
Shen Li unconsciously touched her stomach and realized that she was really hungry. She had been thinking about things since she came to the inn and hadn't eaten anything. So she nodded and followed Xuan Yuan Jue downstairs to the first floor of the inn.
As soon as they came down, Jiao Yue waved to them enthusiastically. She ran over while shouting, "Miss, come quickly. I've ordered a lot of delicious food. I'm so full I can't eat anymore."
Shen Li nodded slightly. She noticed that someone seemed to be staring at her in the dark, but the gaze soon shifted. She frowned imperceptibly.
At the dinner table, Shen Li was a bit stunned to see Jiao Yue gobbling up the food as if she wanted to eat the plates too.
Xuan Yuan Jue picked up a small piece of food with his chopsticks and then stopped eating.
"Jiao Yue, I never thought you could eat so much. We might as well give this whole table of food to you. No, it doesn't seem enough. I'll order two more dishes for you."