"You two…"
Yao Ranran was just about to tell Jiang Shengxiang and Zhou Shengqian to conquer this land on their own, when a small green blur suddenly darted into her arms.
"Boss! You're back!"
Xiao Rong lifted his head from her embrace, his small face tight with determination as he stubbornly held back his tears.
Yao Ranran rubbed his head gently. "Yes, I'm back."
"Boss, I missed you so much!" Xiao Rong buried his face into her, breathing in the faint fragrance that lingered on her robes. This was the familiar scent he had longed for.
Her slender fingers stroked his hair, then slid down to the collar of his clothes. With one hand she lifted him up by the scruff of his tunic.
"Where did you go last night? Why weren't you at Gu Ling Mountain?"
Caught off guard at being picked up, Xiao Rong pouted at her question, grievance swelling in his chest. "These past few days I've been guarding the spirit plants through the winter, tending to them day and night without rest. Boss, you don't even know how hard it's been for me!"
"Is that so?" Yao Ranran glanced toward Jiang Shengxiang and Zhou Shengqian. Both immediately nodded in agreement.
She quickly set Xiao Rong down, straightening his collar as she explained, "I just thought your clothes looked a little messy, so I wanted to fix them for you…"
"Who would believe such a clumsy excuse?" Jiang Shengxiang and Zhou Shengqian silently grumbled in their hearts.
But Xiao Rong's eyes lit up. "Boss, you're so attentive! I didn't even notice my clothes were crooked!"
"Hehe… well, maybe just a little attentive."
Yao Ranran felt as though she were teasing a child. Then, seeing the two men watching silently from the side, she remembered the real matter at hand.
"Sect Master Zhou, I want your help in acquiring some refining materials."
Zhou Shengqian clapped his hands together, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Fairy Ranran, I've been expecting this request! With the six great factions locked in a stalemate, I already stocked up on a great deal of refining materials for you."
Jiang Shengxiang stroked his beard with a smile. "Sect Master Zhou has always been one to prepare in advance. We knew Fairy was skilled in refining, so naturally we gathered materials before the prices soared or the six factions monopolized them."
Yao Ranran looked at them in mild surprise. "Then these materials…"
"Fairy can rest assured," Zhou Shengqian cut in quickly, his voice eager to show loyalty. "Since Biliu Sect has settled here under your protection, it is only right that we hand over the materials to help Fairy overcome the demon cultivators outside!"
Before she could respond, Jiang Shengxiang added, "Sect Master Zhou nearly emptied Biliu Sect's entire treasury to acquire these. Right now the price of materials in the markets rises every day. Even a low-grade artifact costs thousands of spirit stones!"
Yao Ranran closed her mouth, simply watching the two of them.
At this rate, she didn't even need to ask. They were falling over themselves to explain everything.
"Yes," Jiang Shengxiang continued, "the six great powers are battling fiercely, unwilling to give up their foundations built over ten thousand years. Each pours resources into arming their disciples with the finest artifacts. Yet even the wealthiest among them, Suohong Tower, cannot purchase artifacts above the fifth grade, no matter the price.
But now that Fairy has returned, and with Sect Master Zhou's stockpiled refining materials, this is your chance to make a fortune!"
The two men exchanged words, then fixed their gaze on Yao Ranran, waiting for her response.
She waited a moment, realizing they were done speaking, then nodded. "Yes, I think what you say makes sense."
…That's it?
Jiang Shengxiang and Zhou Shengqian stared at each other in disbelief. They had talked until their mouths were dry, only for Fairy Ranran to settle it with one single line!
"Earn spirit stones? Boss, spirit stones are our favorite thing!" Xiao Rong had been slow to follow their discussion, but now his eyes gleamed as the meaning sank in.
The three adults stared at his belated excitement, then weakly echoed his cheer.
…
Central Continent, Yiyu Peak.
Clatter!
A wooden basin fell from Zhou Lili's hands, spilling flour across the ground. She stood frozen in shock at the man before her.
"What's wrong—ah! Elder Shen, why are you here?!" Tang Xiangyin's mouth hung open, her expression as if she had seen something terrifying.
Shen Yuefu brushed his sleeve lightly, scattering the flour the winter wind had carried toward him. His expression was cold. "The thief has been caught. I have matters to discuss with Yao Ranran."
With that, he stepped forward.
Tang Xiangyin and Zhou Lili both panicked and moved to block him. "Fairy Ranran isn't inside. Sh-she, she went out!"
"Where to?"
"We don't know! Fairy didn't tell us!" They shook their heads quickly.
Shen Yuefu's brow furrowed slightly, his gaze icy. "When she returns, tell her to come see me."
"O-okay…" Tang Xiangyin started to agree, but Zhou Lili cut her off hastily.
"Elder Shen, what matter do you need with Fairy? You could tell us, and we can pass it on." She forced a smile.
His eyes flicked coldly toward Yao Ranran's closed room door. "Can you make decisions for her?"
"T-this… we can at least deliver the message!"
"Then tell her this: the thief was caught, but he self-immolated. The stolen spirit materials were burned to ashes with his corpse."
"What?!" Both women widened their eyes in shock.
This was a devastating loss.
"A perfectly good—no, a despicable thief—why would he kill himself?! If he wanted to die, fine, but why drag Fairy's materials with him into the grave?
Has he ever looked in a mirror? With a worthless life like his, how could he dare take so many treasures with him to destruction?!"
Zhou Lili planted her fists on her hips, cursing furiously toward the sky.
Shen Yuefu's gaze lingered on their angry faces, cold and indifferent.
As expected, the people around Yao Ranran were all… unusual.
A gust of cold wind swept through. Zhou Lili's lips trembled, and Tang Xiangyin quickly pulled her back. "Physician Zhou, stop cursing. Elder Shen is already gone."
Zhou Lili's voice cut off sharply. She looked back, and the snow where Shen Yuefu had stood was already empty, not even a single footprint left behind.
"He's gone… why does my heart feel so hollow!" Zhou Lili crouched down, clutching her chest with an exaggerated expression of pain.
Tang Xiangyin asked worriedly, "Physician Zhou, what's wrong? Do you need me to do something?"
Zhou Lili shook her head. "There's nothing you can do. He's stolen my heart. Can you steal it back for me?"
Tang Xiangyin fell back into the snow in shock. "E-Elder Shen is a heart thief!"
…
Yao Ranran looked at the piles of refining materials stacked high before her, and her opinion of Zhou Shengqian shifted completely.
Back then, she had taken him in by chance. Who would have thought it would bring such an unexpected reward?
With mountains of materials, her mother would never need to worry about her cultivation again!
===
If you have been reading my historical translations, you probably know I keep a private glossary of ancient China terms in Google Docs. I usually share the link in the chapter comments. I realized some of you read on the app, and copying links there can be a hassle (´･ᴗ･`).
So I am officially uploading the glossary here on Webnovel under The Imperial Handbook: A Practical Guide to Ancient Chinese Society. This will make it easier to access, and I can keep updating it whenever I meet a useful term, office, rank, or cultural note. Whether you are new to history novels or want deeper context, I hope it makes your reading smoother and more fun. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
If it helps, please add the handbook to your Library and give it a read. While you are there, feel free to add the rest of my handbook series as well:
• The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and BeyondIn short: for all things Cultivation, Realms, and Daoist magic.
• The Imperial Handbook: A Practical Guide to Ancient Chinese SocietyIn short: for historical topics, courts, bureaucracy, and daily life in the past.
• The Webnovel Handbook: A Guide to Slang, Tropes, and Inside JokesIn short: for community slang, inside jokes, and fun tropes. The cover is ready, chapters will follow soon.
The Xianxia Handbook and the Imperial Handbook have passed vetting and are visible on my profile. Thank you for the support and happy reading!