Shang Jianyao said "Oh" and then:
"Your dad dances pretty well. You can't judge a book by its cover."
He seemed not to have heard what Zhao Yide said.
Seeing that Xue Shiyue and the others didn't comment, Zhao Yide had no choice but to repeat:
"My father has something he wants to ask for your help with. I don't know if you're willing to meet him."
Jiang Baimian's mind raced, and she said with a slightly mischievous tone:
"As the saying goes, a wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall.
"Meeting him is no problem, but not at the Zhao residence. We need to find a place where everyone feels comfortable."
Zhao Yide thought this was reasonable and nodded in agreement:
"Okay."
He was about to suggest a meeting place when Shang Jianyao suddenly patted him on the shoulder:
"Eat first, we'll talk later. It won't taste good if it gets cold."
Zhao Yide slowly turned his head to look at Shang Jianyao, only to see him with a sincere and serious expression.
Withdrawing his gaze, Zhao Yide picked up the small spoon and laboriously tackled the potato and stewed meat over rice.
It almost brought tears to his eyes.
"If you don't like meat, I can help you," Shang Jianyao glanced at him and offered his suggestion at the right time.
Zhao Yide readily replied as if receiving an imperial edict:
"Okay!"
Jiang Baimian quietly curled her lips.
...
After the sun set, in the central square of Wildgrass City.
Zhao Zhengqi, wearing an autumn hat and loose robe, sat on a park bench, enjoying the cool night breeze and watching the surrounding bodyguards diligently and discreetly prevent the city's citizens and ruin hunters from approaching. His expression was slightly wooden.
This was the meeting place Jiang Baimian had chosen.
As she and Shang Jianyao walked towards Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen consciously dispersed, monitoring the surroundings.
Their focus was on the surrounding tall buildings, mainly to prevent being sniped.
As for the square area, most of it was within the range of Shang Jianyao's "Missing Hands" Awakened ability, so it didn't need too much attention.
"The two of you, long time no see," Zhao Zhengqi said with a smile as he saw Xue Shiyue and Zhang Qubing approaching and stood up.
Shang Jianyao opened his arms, making a gesture to hug him.
The chubby Zhao Zhengqi stroked his graying beard, put on a smile, and accepted the warm hug.
"Your dance moves impressed me," Shang Jianyao patted Zhao Zhengqi on the back during the hug.
Zhao Zhengqi quickly withdrew his hand, straightened his body, and sighed with a smile:
"When I was young, everyone's life was very difficult, and we often relied on singing and dancing to adjust our mood."
As he spoke, he reached out and gave Jiang Baimian a perfunctory handshake.
After the four of them sat down, Jiang Baimian cut to the chase and asked:
"Councilor Zhao, I don't know why you wanted to see us?"
Zhao Zhengqi glanced at his eldest son, Zhao Yide, and considered his words:
"Please forgive me for asking presumptuously, where do the few of you plan to go next, what are your arrangements? I can't let my request delay your business."
His attitude was very humble.
Jiang Baimian replied with a smile:
"We plan to try our luck with a few big forces, hoping to have better development."
Zhao Zhengqi revealed an understanding expression:
"Then I would like to ask you to go to First City first, uh, that real city."
"Are you in trouble?" Shang Jianyao asked with concern.
Zhao Zhengqi went along with it and said:
"Our Zhao family has several manors outside First City, on the south bank of the Red River."
Seeing Jiang Baimian's knowing smile, he quickly explained:
"We Ashlanders have an old saying: Don't put all your eggs in one basket."
Jiang Baimian nodded slightly, and Zhao Zhengqi continued:
"Those manors had some problems some time ago and failed to submit last year's income as scheduled, saying it was due to the weather, and production was severely reduced.
"I sent a steward there, and he reported that this was indeed the case. I sent Yide's younger brother there, and he also telegraphed back saying there was nothing unusual.
"I would have believed it, until a friend of mine in First City happened to pass by those manors and found unidentified people entering and leaving.
"I secretly hired a ruin hunter team from First City, and they monitored those manors for a week, confirming that unidentified people often came and went there.
"I hired another ruin hunter team to investigate the manor, but they reported that there were no strangers."
"Sounds very strange," Shang Jianyao thoughtfully stroked his chin.
Zhao Zhengqi looked as if he had found a savior:
"Yes, I'm very worried about my children, and a few confidants. I was thinking about whether to ask the guild's 'Advanced Hunters' to take action, but then Yide told me that you were back.
"In my mind, your strength is stronger than 'Advanced Hunters'."
He remembered that Odick had also become Zhang Qubing's "friend" back then.
Shang Jianyao entered thinking mode, and Jiang Baimian smiled as she looked at Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide, without saying a word.
Zhao Zhengqi gritted his teeth and said:
"I know I'm not very trustworthy in your hearts. I'm willing to be affected by that ability again, to 'become' your friend.
"That way you'll know if I'm lying or not."
This attitude is really impeccable... Just as Jiang Baimian was about to reply, Shang Jianyao suddenly brightened his eyes:
"Can the brother inherit the Zhao family's property?"
"..." Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide were stunned for a moment, then regret welled up in them.
Since that Awakened ability can "make friends," it can definitely also make both parties blood brothers of different mothers or biological father and son with no genetic relationship.
In their imagination, "father" was of course Zhang Qubing, and they could only be "son."
"He's joking," Jiang Baimian smoothed things over. "There's no need to do that. Just give us a promise that we can abandon the mission at any time without paying any price, and that's enough."
"You're willing to take over?" Zhao Yide asked in surprise.
Jiang Baimian replied with a smile:
"That depends on what price you can offer."
Zhao Zhengqi thought for a moment and said:
"I'm not sure what you're interested in. Why don't you name a price? As long as the Zhao family can afford it, there's no problem."
This attitude... Jiang Baimian couldn't help but praise him inwardly.
She still remembered how arrogant and cold Zhao Zhengqi had been in the Noble Council Hall, but now, he had completely lowered his stance, making people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze.
A person actually has two completely different faces.
Those who can gain a certain status and become nobles in the early New Era are not simple... Jiang Baimian was not sure how old Zhao Zhengqi was and had no way of knowing if he had any experience in the Chaos Era, so she could only sigh casually.
After pondering for seven or eight seconds, Jiang Baimian said the answer she had already considered:
"A sum of money, and using the Zhao family's network of influence in First City to help us with a favor."
It was precisely because she valued the intricate connections between the nobles of Wildgrass City and "First City" that she was willing to meet Zhao Zhengqi.
"About how many Aolai? What kind of help do you need to provide?" Zhao Zhengqi asked.
Jiang Baimian smiled:
"I can't say exactly how many Aolai right now, because we haven't figured out how dangerous this matter is. Don't worry, it won't be too much, you can definitely afford it, because if the danger level exceeds our expectations, we will abandon it directly.
"The same goes for that help. In short, it won't put the Zhao family in danger."
It sounds good now, but when the time comes, how can you not listen to us when naming the price... Zhao Yide muttered in his heart.
He truly felt like he was scheming with a tiger.
Zhao Zhengqi recalled everything the Qian Bai Team had done in Wildgrass City and everything he knew, and said thoughtfully:
"No problem."
"Congratulations," Shang Jianyao extended his hand to him.
What does "congratulations" mean? Zhao Zhengqi hesitated and shook his hand.
"If you can often help the refugees, then we can be true friends," Shang Jianyao said truthfully.
To this, Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide could only respond with a smile, daring not to say anything.
"Remember to tell us about the Zhao family's liaison in First City later," Jiang Baimian looked up at the moon hanging in the sky and slowly stood up.
Zhao Zhengqi followed suit, stood up, and extended his right hand:
"We can do it now, happy cooperation."
Shang Jianyao replaced Jiang Baimian, shook his hand, and then said with a smile:
"Since we're having a happy cooperation, why don't we all dance to celebrate?"
Zhao Zhengqi's expression stiffened for a moment, then he laughed:
"Sure, let's go dance at my house."
Shang Jianyao shook his head:
"We'll have to wait a while for that. Let's just do it here."
He pointed to the bustling central square with a sunny smile.
At the same time, he took off his tactical backpack and prepared to take out the small speaker.
Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide imagined the scene of themselves and others dancing in the square, and their expressions became a little ugly.
Jiang Baimian slapped Shang Jianyao's hand away:
"Don't disturb people!"
She turned to Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide and smiled:
"Don't listen to him."
Zhao Zhengqi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly told Jiang Baimian about the Zhao family's liaison in First City.
Then, under Shang Jianyao's disappointed gaze, he took Zhao Yide and hurriedly left the central square under the escort of bodyguards.
The "Old Taskforce" and his party then walked back to South Street in a leisurely manner.
At this time, the lights were on, and the streets were a mixture of light and dark, sometimes dim yellow or gloomy.
Some people huddled in the corners of the streets, wrapped in torn and dirty quilts, brewing sleepiness, while others gathered on the side of the street, sizing up passersby, reaching out to seek relief.
"There are more beggars in the city than before the New Year..." Long Yuehong looked around and exclaimed.
Bai Chen looked ahead and said calmly:
"Most of those who sleep outside in winter are dead."
Long Yuehong thought of those wilderness vagrants outside the city and fell silent. Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao also did not speak and walked forward quietly.
Back on the second floor of "A'Fu Gun Store," Jiang Baimian turned on the radio transceiver to see if Genava or the company would send new telegrams.
Just after eight o'clock, a segment of radio waves suddenly came in.
After receiving the telegram and translating its contents, Jiang Baimian moved her eyebrows and said to Shang Jianyao and the others:
"It's not from Genava, nor from the company."