Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Kissed Her Forehead The bathing area was a bit small, so Gan Qiongying didn’t call everyone down. Instead, she took out another pouch of silver melon seeds and handed it to the four shadow guards, saying, “Those who didn’t come down yesterday also deserve rewards. Who among you is the shadow guard leader? His arrangements were appropriate and reasonable—not exposing everyone while still buying me time.” One of the four immediately knelt forward a step upon hearing this. “It is this servant,” the man replied in a low, hoarse voice that sounded almost broken. He knelt at Gan Qiongying’s feet, pulled down the cloth covering his face, and looked up. A scar ran from the corner of his mouth, connecting to his lips, giving him the appearance of a sinister smile, yet it looked fierce. In truth, he had an innocent face, with slightly downturned eyes that held a hint of simplicity, but the scar at the corner of his mouth completely ruined that impression. Coupled with his robust physique, these two contrasting and complex qualities blended together in a surprisingly harmonious way. Gan Qiongying looked at him and asked, “What’s your name again?” She spoke as if she were a noble with a poor memory, but in reality, Gan Qiongying had never known their names. This was also the first time she had seen the faces of these shadow guards. The shadow guard immediately kowtowed to Gan Qiongying, the sound loud and clear, and replied, “This servant is Ying Yi.” What an utterly unoriginal name. But knowing this one person’s name, Gan Qiongying could guess what the others were called. It was likely just numbers from one to eighteen. So, which number was the one she had sent to Princess Hui’an? Gan Qiongying remained expressionless, nodded, and after a moment’s thought, took out another pouch of silver melon seeds from her sleeve. It was a full pouch, and Gan Qiongying’s heart ached as if it were bleeding. But she still tossed the entire pouch to Ying Yi. “All eighteen of you, don’t follow me today. Find a place to enjoy yourselves.” After saying this, Gan Qiongying saw Ying Yi suddenly look up, his face filled with shock, even staring at her in a way that could be considered rude. Because of the scar at the corner of his mouth, his expression looked somewhat fierce. Gan Qiongying instantly understood—these people had been trained and brainwashed since childhood, and aside from their master, even their own lives held little importance. Gan Qiongying was grateful for their day-and-night protection, and staying by Lihua’s side, she knew that the people Lihua had taken to the tailor shop yesterday wouldn’t leave his vicinity anytime soon. So, at least for today, Gan Qiongying was safe. She wanted to give them a day off, but simply telling them to take a break clearly wouldn’t work. Therefore, Gan Qiongying paused and then imitated Princess Duanrong’s usual tone and demeanor, saying, “Try to gather the one sent to Princess Hui’an… what number was he again?” “Ying Ba,” Ying Yi replied. Gan Qiongying nodded and said, “All eighteen of you gather together and discuss how to better allocate your duties in the future to protect me more thoroughly.” “The arrangement from yesterday was quite reasonable, but make sure that even when you’re not around, the others can immediately make the best decisions, just like you.” Gan Qiongying pretended to be profound. “Do you understand what I mean?” Ying Yi didn’t understand, but this was an order. As long as it was an order, they would follow it, even if it meant risking their lives. So he immediately nodded. “This servant will spare no effort! I guarantee the Princess’s safety!” "Alright, when you all gather to discuss matters, find a tavern, order a table full of fine wine and dishes, and talk while you eat. That will make things more efficient, understand?" Shadow One hesitated for a moment. The eighteen of them, from the day they were trained, had never eaten together. They had always taken turns, and they had never openly appeared together in a crowded place. From the start of their training, they had been like rats living in the shadows, destined to never see the light of day until death. But since this was their master's command, they naturally obeyed without question. Thus, Gan Qiongying successfully sent them off on a break. She herself, following Lihua, stole a half-day of leisure, wandering leisurely through the streets for most of the day before finally boarding the carriage and slowly making her way back to the Princess Manor. In the carriage, the two sat close together, giggling as they recounted the sights and sounds of the market that day. "The owner of the restaurant we ate at for lunch was really witty, just looking at him made you feel cheerful." "He used to be a mountain bandit, specializing in robbing the rich to help the poor." Lihua said, "After traveling far and wide for many years, he was captured, and many commoners prayed for him. He spent a few years in prison, and now he's out running a small business, living quite well with two children." "How do you know everything?" Gan Qiongying looked at Lihua, her eyes filled with reverence for the God of Wealth. This half-day of strolling through the market had given Gan Qiongying a more intuitive understanding of Lihua's abilities. When it came to the ways of the common folk—from the cost of raw materials and production methods to sales, marketing, and even crafting century-old stories for things that had only been invented yesterday—Lihua knew it all like the back of his hand. His thinking was so innovative and lively that Gan Qiongying could hardly keep up with his explanations. And this was despite the fact that Gan Qiongying had witnessed all kinds of promotions and packaging from the 21st century. She thought that even if Lihua were placed in modern society, he would still be a shrewd merchant! He would still make a fortune. He was the epitome of a domineering CEO! "You're really amazing. I've never met anyone who can handle everything so effortlessly and explain it all so clearly." "Isn't this much better than those officials in the court who only know how to study dead books and talk about the people and the world, but actually have no idea how much a bag of rice costs?" Gan Qiongying didn't hold back on the praise. "My husband is able to amass wealth across the land and attract merchants to follow him—he truly is extraordinary." "You're really, really good," Gan Qiongying said. "You don't even know how good you are!" Gan Qiongying spoke with such sincerity that it seemed as if her pupils were about to turn into gold ingots and embed themselves directly onto the God of Wealth's robes. But Lihua felt deeply embarrassed by her praise. He was just a merchant, an occupation looked down upon by anyone in this era with even a hint of status. Yet she praised him so lavishly, and Lihua couldn't quite understand why. He tried to find some falseness in Gan Qiongying's eyes but ultimately failed. Gan Qiongying truly believed he was exceptional. Lihua had never been affirmed or admired like this before. Those who followed him did so only because he could make money for them. Abandoned by his birth parents as a child, he learned business by traveling with merchant caravans, and everyone who approached him did so for profit. It seemed that only Gan Qiongying was different. The long-dormant volcano in Lihua's chest was ignited by the spark in Gan Qiongying's eyes. The sound of its eruption rumbled, deafening. As Lihua gazed at Gan Qiongying, the carriage passed through the bustling streets, the rumbling of its wheels echoing the restless roar of the molten lava surging within his heart. He leaned forward uncontrollably, until he was just a hair's breadth away from Gan Qiongying. Gan Qiongying blinked, unsure of what Lihua intended to do, and instinctively leaned back, only to have Lihua hook a hand behind her neck. This time, Lihua did not retreat. Bravely meeting Gan Qiongying's gaze, he pressed his lips together and leaned in. Then, amid Gan Qiongying's bewildered expression, with utmost restraint and gentleness... he kissed her forehead.