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The next morning—
Ye Wen arrived early with a group to visit Pietro, but now he found himself awkwardly fidgeting at the entrance of the city lord's residence.
Why is this woman, Qian Renxue, blocking my way so early in the morning? Ye Wen screamed inwardly.
Qian Renxue was also somewhat stunned. She had only come to conduct a routine follow-up on Pietro's work and hadn't expected to run into Ye Wen again.
However, a pleasant smile soon spread across her lips.
"We truly have a peculiar connection, little brother. Are you here to visit Lord Pietro as well?"
"Yes, yes," Ye Wen replied awkwardly.
Ye Wen inwardly cursed. He was completely cornered—running away wouldn't help. If Qian Renxue simply asked Pietro about him, she'd immediately uncover his identity.
But after reflecting on his life, Ye Wen realized he hadn't done anything wrong. So why should he be afraid? Quickly regaining his composure, he said:
"I never imagined that coming to handle a trivial matter would lead me to encounter His Highness the Crown Prince. It seems my luck today is quite good." Ye Wen feigned flattery with practiced ease.
Such noble politicking was second nature to Qian Renxue, and she quickly engaged in mutual flattery with Ye Wen.
Meanwhile, Ye Wen's entourage initially froze in shock before swiftly realizing Qian Renxue's identity. They inwardly praised their young master for his capabilities—not only had he expanded his business to another province, but he had also formed ties with the Crown Prince. Clearly, they needed to shower him with even more respect upon returning home.
And so, with everyone harboring their own hidden agendas, the group entered the city lord's residence.
When Pietro saw that Ye Wen had connections with the Crown Prince, any thoughts of squeezing more benefits from him vanished instantly. To secure his future comfort—or whatever other motives he might have—Pietro decided to adopt a humble stance toward this "wise" future emperor.
Encountering the same stranger twice in such a short span was a novel experience for Qian Renxue. Thus, instead of rushing through official business with Pietro, she listened with great interest.
Though the medicines Ye Wen sold were rudimentary and only saved ordinary impoverished commoners, the prices—measured in copper soul coins—left Qian Renxue, who had lived a life of luxury since childhood, genuinely astounded.
"So, such a small amount of money can save a life. This is truly a new perspective," Qian Renxue mused.
As Pietro observed Xue Qinghe's increasingly warm demeanor, he became convinced that his decision to generously negotiate with Ye Wen had earned the Crown Prince's "favor."
In the end, Ye Wen's exploratory business venture yielded nearly all the profits due to Pietro's overly generous concessions, along with full support from his channels. It was an overwhelming victory—like Qin Shi Huang eating Sichuan peppercorns, utterly triumphant!
With his sharp intellect, Ye Wen could see that Pietro's constant glances between him and Qian Renxue revealed ulterior motives, and he guessed the fat man's inner corruption.
However, Ye Wen didn't call him out. If someone wanted to give things away freely—and even imagine it themselves—then refusing would make him a fool. Even if Pietro regretted it later, it wouldn't be Ye Wen's problem.
With his business concluded, Ye Wen politely excused himself. He also thought this would be a perfect opportunity to slip away and avoid being entangled further by Qian Renxue.
But how could Qian Renxue, with her possessive nature, let someone she had taken an interest in escape so easily?
Thus, just as Ye Wen stepped out of the city lord's residence, a burly middle-aged man blocked his path.
"Boy, wait here for a moment. My young master has something to discuss with you."
Seeing the man's faintly mocking smile, a bead of cold sweat trickled down Ye Wen's forehead. If his guess was correct, this man was likely one of the two Title Douluo secretly protecting Qian Renxue.
After all, an ordinary subordinate wouldn't dare display such audacity toward him.
But even if he was wrong, it didn't matter. Whether it was Xue Qinghe or Qian Renxue, given their noble status, how could a commoner like Ye Wen, without even a title, dare resist?
After enduring what felt like an eternity, Qian Renxue emerged from the city lord's residence with her ever-present spring-like smile and nodded lightly at Ye Wen.
"Come, little brother. Let's find a place to talk properly."
A strained smile hung on Ye Wen's lips. "Alright."
But internally, Ye Wen was screaming frantically: Save me! How am I supposed to stay calm in front of someone I barely escaped from yesterday?!
Though Pietro had promised to address corruption issues yesterday, how much progress could realistically be made in just one day?
Thus, Qian Renxue's visit today was mostly for show. However, Ye Wen's appearance was an unexpected delight, making her feel as though a pure white lotus had bloomed amidst the filth of the Tian Dou Empire.
Though the three beauties of the Spirit Hall were somewhat love-struck, Qian Renxue was the clearest-headed among them. In the original story, even when Tang San refused to submit to her, Qian Renxue acted decisively—killing when necessary. If not for the Reaper God violating divine rules behind the scenes, it's uncertain whether the two empires of the Douluo continent would have survived a millennium later.
From a young age, Qian Renxue had been deeply influenced by the teachings of the Angel God and the Spirit Hall, instilling in her a genuine desire to alleviate the suffering of the common people.
Upon learning about Ye Wen's endeavors, she realized his efforts fell within her blind spot of knowledge, yet they were undeniably righteous acts that improved the lives of the lower classes in the Douluo continent.
Granted, there was a hint of merchant-like behavior, but the flaws didn't overshadow the merits.
Moreover, earning money wasn't shameful. After pretending to be the Crown Prince of the Tian Dou Empire for so many years, Qian Renxue understood the importance of wealth—she wasn't some stubborn fool.
Thus, Qian Renxue felt a spark of interest.
But it wasn't romantic interest.
Though Ye Wen had absorbed two soul rings in succession, making him appear like a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy, Qian Renxue could see through him—he was just a ten-year-old child.
Even at her age of twenty-something, if Qian Renxue wanted to pursue romance, she wouldn't choose someone like Ye Wen—it would be far too beastly.
What moved Qian Renxue was the prospect of finding someone she could collaborate with for great undertakings.
At this point, Qian Renxue still didn't know that Bibi Dong's ultimate goal in overthrowing the two empires was to destroy the Spirit Hall.
She assumed that the throne of the future Spirit Empire would naturally belong to her, so she had already begun seeking capable ministers and generals.
However, being away from the Spirit Hall for so long and surrounded by corrupt nobles of the Tian Dou Empire, she hadn't entertained such thoughts until now.
But with Ye Wen's appearance, Qian Renxue began to form ideas.
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