Chương 22: Fengcheng, Jiang Qing'er

Xiao Yao and Putao entered the inn one after the other, paid for their rooms at the counter, booked two rooms, and were led to their rooms by the waiter.

"By the way! When is the registration period for Canaan Academy?"

"Sir! You've come at the perfect time. The reporting period starts tomorrow and will last for ten days! There are daily routes from the city's post station, and it only takes two days to get there."

Which is the largest auction house in town?

"The largest one is the Xiao Clan Auction House, and even this inn is a property of the Xiao Clan."

"Okay, thank you!"

Having gotten the answer he wanted, he was about to push open the door and enter.

Just then!

The door opposite his room suddenly opened with a "bang".

Accompanied by angry shouts, a pretty girl with long, flowing hair was forcibly pushed out of the room.

"Get out of here! We've been very lenient with you, letting you stay here for so long for nothing. Stop making trouble!" A middle-aged man's angry voice followed.

The girl looked helpless and pleaded with the boss, "Boss, please let me have a few more days. I will definitely find a way to pay back the rent. Please, for the sake of my ancestors' friendship with Emperor Yan, let me have a few more days."

"It's because of your so-called 'connection' that I got a good scolding. Some Tom, Dick, and Harry are trying to claim we're related."

"No discussion. If you disturb my other guests, don't blame me for being impolite."

The boss got even angrier when he heard what the girl said and once again told her to leave.

"Please, I'll find a way to pay you back after I enroll in Canaan College. My cousin is a student there," the girl pleaded again, almost bursting into tears.

"Stop talking nonsense! Let's go!" The boss didn't want to waste any more words with her, so he grabbed her arm and dragged her outside.

This scene, however, piqued Xiao Yao's curiosity: "A one-star Dou Zhe? Has a connection with Emperor Yan?"

He immediately stopped her, saying, "Wait! How much rent does she owe?"

"Sir! What's going on?" The shopkeeper was also taken aback.

"Answer me!" Xiao Yao didn't want to waste any more words and asked again.

"Consider yourself lucky... This customer owes a total of fifty gold coins for ten days' rent!" Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper glanced at the little maid beside Xiao Yao and, considering the situation, immediately understood that some dissolute young master must have taken a liking to her.

"Give him the grapes!" Xiao Yao ordered directly.

"Oh!" Although Grape didn't know why Xiao Yao was helping her, she obediently took out one hundred gold coins from her pocket and paid the boss. By this time, they had basically spent all their gold coins.

After taking the money, the shopkeeper also put away his fierce expression and whispered to Xiao Yao, "Sir, she's a swindler. Don't be fooled by her pitiful appearance; she's very cunning. Don't fall for her tricks."

"I don't need you to remind me," Xiao Yao said indifferently before pushing open the door and entering the room.

Seeing Xiao Yao's appearance, the boss said nothing more and left with his employees.

Grape and the girl also entered Xiao Yao's room one after the other.

"You said your ancestors had a relationship with Emperor Yan? Who were your ancestors?" Xiao Yao asked first.

In response to Xiao Yao's question, the girl quickly replied, "My ancestor was named Ling'er! I heard from my ancestors that they knew Emperor Yan, Xiao Yan."

"Oh? Ling'er? You're from Qingshan Town? What's your name?"

"My name is Jiang Qing'er, and I live in Qingshan Town! How did you know?" The girl was somewhat surprised.

"It's alright, you can go now!"

Xiao Yao was slightly lost in thought, finally remembering that insignificant little character. He was somewhat disappointed after getting the answer, thinking that he would encounter some more important character, but he didn't expect it to be her!

"Um... could you... lend me some more money? I'll pay you back double when I get to Canaan Academy," the girl said slowly and timidly.

She wasn't sure if the generous young man in front of her would agree, and even she herself felt that the request was a bit excessive.

Seeing that he remained silent, the girl hesitated for a moment before taking out a jade bottle from her bosom and holding it in her palm.

"I have five Qi-restoring pills here. I can leave them with you as collateral, and I'll pay you back once I've raised enough money."

Xiao Yao also came to his senses at this moment, and couldn't help but frown: "Aren't you rich? Qi-restoring pills are worth at least several thousand gold coins, and you have five of them, which is at least ten thousand gold coins."

"This... this was passed down from our ancestors, and there's an ancestral rule that it can't be sold..." the girl explained, looking quite troubled.

"This? I never thought that the Qi-restoring pill would end up in her hands and have been passed down for thousands of years... What a devoted woman..." Xiao Yao was speechless, not knowing how to evaluate the willful girl from Qingshan Town in the original story.

He could only instruct Grape, "Grape! Give her fifty gold coins!" and then ignored him.

"Here you go, Sister Qing'er! You don't need to return it, he has a lot of money!" Grape readily took out five more gold coins and handed them to Qing'er.

"Thank you! I will pay you back as soon as possible!" Qing'er took the money and left the room. She was not angry because Xiao Yao ignored her. On the contrary, she was very grateful to the boy.

Xiao Yao was helpless in the face of Grape's words, "You don't need to pay it back, he has a lot of money."

Without even taking a break, he said something to Grape and got up to go to the Xiao Family Auction House in the city.

"Why aren't you leaving yet? Go back to your room! I'm going out for a bit. Wait for me at the hotel. Order something to eat if you get hungry."

"Are you trying to abandon me? Don't you dare leave!"

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm on business. Do you want to go hungry tomorrow? We're all out of money. How many gold coins do you have left?"

"I want to go too!"

"You're too conspicuous; it wouldn't be convenient for you to go. Don't worry, I won't abandon you for now."

"snort!"

"Be good, wait for me to come back! I'll buy you some delicious fruit!"

"Alright! I'll wait in your room and I won't go anywhere else."

"Fine, fine! Whatever you want!"

Xiao Yao rubbed his forehead and went out the door. He was also having a headache over this little girl. At the same time, he began to plan what kind of family he should find to entrust the grapes to.

"Hmph! Don't even think about leaving me behind, you can't shake me off!" Grape muttered angrily to the empty doorway before ignoring everything else and starting to savor the delicious food and novel toys she had just bought in town.

After leaving the house, Xiao Yao changed into a black robe in a secluded corner, covering his entire body except for his eyes.

His gaze fell upon the very conspicuous building in the city center.

Soon the building standing in the center of Fengcheng came into view.

Xiao Family Auction House!

Before he could even enter, a waiter with the character "Xiao" embroidered on his chest came out to greet him.

"Sir, would you like to sell your items or participate in the auction?" the shop assistant asked as he led the way inside.

"Sell!" Xiao Yan said in a low, deep voice.

"Sir, this way please. Please follow me to the appraisal room. Our Xiao Clan's appraisers are among the best in the region, and their strength has even reached the Dou Wang level!"

"A Battle King? Wow, that's quite a generous gesture! A Battle King level expert is actually being used as an appraiser!" he exclaimed inwardly.

Not far away, led by the waiter, we arrived at a room with excellent privacy. There were no windows, but it was not dark, as it was illuminated by the jewels and lamps throughout the room!

A long table with intersecting lines was placed in the center of the room, separating the buyer and seller.

"Please place the items you wish to sell on the appraisal table."