C13 Marketplace

Ning Xian'er nodded thoughtfully, but ultimately couldn't refuse Ning Que's request. Together, they headed to the marketplace.

On their previous visit to the market, it had been quite late and sparsely populated. Now, in the midst of peak trading hours, the place was bustling with a surging crowd.

From a distance, Ning Que and Ning Xian'er noticed a large group of people congregated at the market entrance. They had assumed there was some spectacle to witness, but as they drew closer, they realized that Zhuang Hong, the market overseer, was in the thick of it, looking frantic and embroiled in an argument.

"Things seem to be getting out of hand today. We should make our way over quickly," Ning Xian'er remarked, her expression chilling as she eyed the throng and marched ahead with clenched fists.

Ning Que chuckled, observing Zhuang Hong. He hadn't expected him to be so diligent, yet his frustrated demeanor suggested he was at a disadvantage.

"Commander Zhuang, my merchandise was stolen right in the middle of your Ning family's market. You owe me an explanation. Otherwise, who in their right mind would feel safe selling here? Am I right, folks?" The man facing Zhuang Hong was a portly middle-aged man in opulent attire, his round figure bristling with indignation as he jabbed a finger at Zhuang Hong.

His words set off a buzz of conversation among the onlookers, who seemed to be taking his side, swayed by his assertive demeanor.

Emboldened by the crowd's support, he continued, "With such feeble security at the Ning family's marketplace, I might have no choice but to switch to the Hai family's market. They've never had such incidents."

"Xue Tong, hold your tongue. You're well aware of how your goods went missing. Stop trying to slander the Ning family's market. Spout any more lies, and I'll deal with you myself," Zhuang Hong retorted, his frustration evident. Not the most eloquent speaker, he was clearly struggling against his slick-tongued adversary, his face darkening with the threat of imminent action.

"Commander Zhuang, please step aside."

Ning Xian'er arrived just in time to intercept Zhuang Hong. She then cast a cold glance at Xue Tong and demanded, "You claim to have lost your goods in our Ning family's marketplace. Can anyone vouch for that?"

"Absolutely, there were plenty of witnesses in the marketplace who saw my goods being stolen. If you need witnesses, I can bring them to you at any time," Xue Tong replied, trying to maintain his composure despite the intimidating presence of Ning Xian'er.

Zhuang Hong, standing nearby, approached Ning Xian'er and recounted the entire incident in great detail.

"List the items you've lost. The Ning family will reimburse you for all of your losses," she offered.

Upon hearing Zhuang Hong's proposal, Ning Xian'er felt somewhat resigned. Despite the likelihood of underlying complications, the other party seemed to have the upper hand. Failing to resolve the issue amicably could seriously tarnish the Ning family marketplace's reputation.

"Miss Xian'er, this isn't right. He's obviously just causing trouble," Zhuang Hong protested anxiously. As the marketplace overseer, he knew the importance of the Ning family's reputation. However, if they compensated Zhuang Hong now, it could set a precedent for other merchants to follow suit, potentially creating a dilemma for the Ning family's marketplace in the future.

Before he could act, a hand held him back.

"Commander Zhuang, stay calm and follow me," said Ning Que, who had taken hold of him. He gave Zhuang Hong a reassuring smile and led him aside.

"Xue must have some connection with the Hai family. I know of a place you should check out. You might just find the goods Xue claims to have lost."

Ning Que smiled and pointed out a nearby teahouse to Zhuang Hong.

Zhuang Hong looked puzzled, but Ning Que spoke with conviction. After weighing his options and casting a glance at Ning Xian'er among the crowd, Zhuang Hong made up his mind. He summoned a few of his men and headed for the teahouse.

"Master Ling Jing, are you certain that the lost goods are in that teahouse?" Ning Que whispered once Zhuang Hong was out of earshot.

"With a chuckle, Ling Jing responded, "It's not that easy to elude my perception. I hadn't paid any attention to the teahouse initially, but upon my arrival, I detected the presence of an elder from the Hai family and decided to investigate a bit."

Ling Jing's ethereal figure appeared with a flash, gazing at the teahouse with an amused smile.

"Hai Yunqi? No, that won't do. That old fellow is a nine-star Soul Weaver. Sending Zhuang Hong would only tip them off."

Ning Que furrowed his brow, murmuring softly.

"Don't worry. The goods are inside the teahouse. If the Hai family acts on behalf of those goods, wouldn't they be blatantly admitting to the robbery, just to undermine the Ning family's market?"

Ling Jing chuckled, "They wouldn't dare associate themselves with that batch of goods. After all, for an elder of the Hai family to stoop to robbery would be utterly laughable."

Ning Que nodded, conceding the point.

Amidst the crowd, Ning Xian'er had finally received the inventory list from Xue Tong. He theatrically produced a sheet of paper, announcing, "The total value of this batch of goods comes to five hundred high-grade soulstones."

The crowd buzzed with renewed activity, clearly taken aback by the steep price.

Ning Xian'er's delicate brows knit together as she cast a frosty glance at the self-satisfied Xue Tong. She too had not anticipated his audacity in demanding such an exorbitant sum.

Five hundred high-grade soulstones were equivalent to five thousand middle-grade soulstones, or fifty thousand low-grade soulstones—a substantial amount even for the Ning family.

"I'm sorry, but the Ning family will not agree to such a price. You're quite the schemer, delivering the goods to the Hai family and then seeking compensation from us. Has your conscience been devoured by dogs?"

Witnessing Ning Xian'er's troubled expression, Ning Que could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward, confronting Xue Tong.

"You're making baseless accusations! When have I ever been involved with the Hai family? I see—you think five hundred high-grade soulstones is too much to pay, so you're backing out, huh? I should have known the Ning family's market not only lacks capable guards but also lacks integrity!"

Xue Tong's expression shifted subtly, and though he recovered quickly, his reaction did not go unnoticed by Ning Que.

This man was certainly in cahoots with the Hai family.

"We've located your merchandise inside that teahouse, and I've dispatched a search party. However, should the inventory fall short of 500 high-grade soulstones in value, you're well aware of the consequences."

Ning Que's gaze was fixed on Xue Tong as he spoke deliberately, each word heavy with implication. Xue Tong's face contorted with alarm at the mention of the teahouse, betraying his sudden descent into panic.

Soon enough, individuals emerged from the teahouse, with Zhuang Hong leading the way. His earlier anger had vanished, replaced by a beaming smile. The two attendants he had brought along each shouldered a large sack, emblazoned with the conspicuous character 'Xue', as they approached the gathering crowd.

Ning Que stepped forward to meet them, leaning in to whisper to Zhuang Hong, "Did Hai Yunqi try to stop you?"

Zhuang Hong, taken aback, shook his head. "No, once we located the goods, the Hai family members only appeared from next door. They didn't interfere with our removal of the goods, though they looked quite displeased."

He was increasingly baffled by the young master before him. Not only had Ning Que pinpointed the location of the goods with ease, but he also seemed to be aware of the Hai family's presence in the teahouse, and most perplexing of all, he knew of Hai Yunqi's involvement.

Ning Que merely smiled, offering no further explanation. He nodded contentedly and watched as Zhuang Hong laid the package before Xue Tong. At Ning Que's command, the package was opened and its contents tallied. Upon inspection, the supposed treasure trove of goods was nothing more than mundane items, fortunate to be worth a handful of low-grade soulstones at best.

"To think you would attempt to defraud the Ning family, as if we were powerless. Seize him!"

Ning Xian'er could no longer contain her rage. The man had had the audacity to demand the exorbitant sum of five hundred high-grade soulstones, a blatant disregard for her authority as the market's overseer.

"Elder Hai, help me, Elder Hai!"

Xue Tong's earlier arrogance had evaporated, leaving him quivering in fear. He had never imagined that the Ning family would actually recover the goods. In his desperation, he cast aside all decorum and cried out to the figures departing the teahouse for salvation.

The outcry, seemingly insignificant, made everything clear to those who heard it: the Hai family had orchestrated this incident to tarnish the Ning family's market reputation.

The crowd quickly identified the individuals at the teahouse entrance as members of the Hai family, led by none other than Elder Hai Yunqi. His expression was grim, fully aware of the implications of Xue Tong's accusation. With so many witnesses, leaving now would only confirm his guilt in the scheme against the Ning family. Left with no choice, he reined in his displeasure and approached.

"Who are you? I do not recall ever meeting you," Hai Yunqi stated, his gaze icy as he scrutinized Xue Tong. A hint of murderous intent flickered in his eyes, prompting Xue Tong to involuntarily step back.

Yet, the thought of falling into the hands of the Ning family, with no hope of survival, steeled Xue Tong's resolve. He declared loudly, "You instructed me to feign a robbery and sully the Ning family's good name, assuring me you'd cover for any trouble. You even promised the extorted money would be mine. Are you now going to abandon me?"

Ning Que couldn't suppress a chuckle. Hai Yunqi must be seething, having chosen such a spineless informant who spilled the entire plot.

Hai Yunqi's complexion turned a shade of iron. The onlookers weren't fooled; the Ning and Hai families were known adversaries, and it was rare for their members to be seen near each other's markets. With Xue Tong's allegations of theft coinciding with Hai Yunqi's presence at the neighboring teahouse, the truth was as clear as day.

Nonetheless, Hai Yunqi was not about to confess before the gathering. His voice was frosty as he declared, "To defame a member of the Hai family is a capital offense."

No sooner had the words left his lips than he lunged forward, his withered hand lifting as he unleashed a surge of wakan. His palm shot towards Xue Tong's chest. Ning Que moved to intervene, but Zhuang Hong boldly stepped in, channeling his own wakan to absorb the full brunt of Hai Yunqi's attack.

"This individual plotted against the Ning family; it's not for the Hai family to intervene."

Zhuang Hong held his head high, his face brimming with pride. Ning Que watched, somewhat astonished, realizing that Zhuang's abilities were indeed formidable.

Noticing his surprise, Ning Xian'er clarified, "Commander Zhuang is a five-star Soul Weaver. With him here to stand guard, the Patriarch felt reassured enough to entrust me with managing the market."