Chapter 13: Turning it over

In a matter of seconds, the attention that had been focused on Chen Ren shifted entirely to the woman who had just arrived. Her attire stood out against the modest crowd— an elegant red robe embroidered with delicate white roses at the hem, accompanied by a necklace and rings that spoke of wealth and status. She moved with a grace that naturally commanded attention, her presence turning heads as she approached and stood in front of Chen Ren’s stall. Anyone with a discerning eye could instantly recognise her as someone of importance. However, the moment the heavy curious eyes fell on her, she spoke, her voice coming out clear and firm— similar to how tall she stood. "What is going on?" The guard took a deep breath, trying to compose himself as he faced the young miss. “It’s like this,” he began, his voice faltering as he gestured toward the stall. “One of these two brothers— locals— came by yesterday and ate at his stall. Not long after, this one started complaining about stomach pains, claiming he was poisoned by the noodles he served. He is saying the food was… spoiled, and that it made him sick. This is his elder brother, telling how this one’s at his deathbed and wants justice against the stall owner who fed his brother bad noodles.” His words came quickly as if to rid himself of the burden of the accusation, but once he finished, Tang Yuqiu merely cast a sharp look at him and asked, her tone measured but piercing, "So, you believe he sold sickly noodles?" The guard hesitated, his confidence wavering under her steady gaze. It wasn’t just Tang Yuqiu and Chen Ren, but even the consumers who surrounded the stall looked at the guard awaiting a reasonable response. "That’s what I’ve heard," he said, his voice faltering. "We need to investigate, and for that, the man must come with us." Her frown deepened as her eyes swept over the gathered crowd, scanning their faces quietly. Her gaze looked sharper than a razor as she dragged it along the people. Even the air felt uncomfortable as a few seconds passed by. After a pause, she turned her attention back to the guard. "If you don’t know," she began, her voice cutting through the tension. "Let me clarify. The noodles he sells are made from rice, a fact anyone here can see from their texture and appearance. The Tang Clan has a direct arrangement with Chen Ren, and I, myself, oversee the transaction and can guarantee that the rice is of high quality without any blemishes on it." “B-but—” She stepped closer, her gaze hardening as she stared the guard down. "I am Tang Yuqiu, daughter of the Tang Clan head, Tang Jihao. If you truly mean to make this accusation, you are not merely questioning Chen Ren but challenging— no, questioning the reputation of the entire Tang household. Is that a risk you are willing to take? Tell me!” The revelation of her identity caused more than a few people to look at her differently. Tang Clan might not be a cultivator clan, but they had deep pockets to hire a lot of them. And everyone in the city knew the kind of reputation they uphold. The guard paled visibly, beads of sweat forming at his temple and around his shaved moustache. He licked his lips and visibly contemplated what she had said. And as the man hesitated, murmurs rippled through the crowd. The two brothers, who had stirred up the commotion, looked ashen— especially the sickly one, who seemed on the verge of collapse. He was holding onto his dear brother, who now looked to want nothing more than to run, hide himself and never look behind. Desperation flickered in the guard’s eyes as he stammered, “N-No, Young Miss Tang, we were only trying to do our job.” Tang Yuqiu, raised an eyebrow, her gaze cold. “Your job, is it? A job that involves creating a public spectacle and tarnishing the reputation of someone not only a cultivator but also a guest of the Tang Clan? Huh! You have guts.” Her voice carried a dangerous edge, and she leaned in slightly. "My father meets the City Lord every year at the Winter Solstice Festival. Perhaps I should mention this little incident to him, let him know about how the guards of this city treat honoured guests of our clan." The guard paled further, his bravado crumbling. He took a step forward and raised one hand in the air. "N-No, young miss, it wasn't my intention to go against the Tang Clan! I—" “But you’re saying that there is something wrong with the noodles. You also sounded pretty adamant about taking Chen Ren to the guardhouse.” “I mean— that’s what—” Before he could finish, the shopkeeper, Jiang Wu who had been accusing Chen Ren interrupted, desperation in his voice. "Wait! It might not be the rice— but what about the vegetables? They could have been bad! I have seen him handing out those vegetable noodles!" Sёarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That statement turned all the attention from the cornered guard towards Jiang Wu. Tang Yuqiu’s eyes narrowed, and she turned her attention to Chen Ren, her voice calm as she pointed at the baskets of fresh vegetables sitting on top of his stall. "The vegetables— aren't they from the Tang Clan manor as well? Isn’t that right, Chen Ren?" Chen Ren quickly nodded, grateful for her support. "Yes, they are, Yuqiu." His eyes briefly met hers, and he flashed a look of silent gratitude. She narrowed her eyes slightly at him for calling her by her first name, but quickly understood his intention as he added. “The man is just unaware of my close relationship with the Tang Clan and how I have no reason to scour bad ingredients when I could get the best ones in the city easily.” The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The guard, seeing the tide turning against him, immediately bowed at Tang Yuqiu. “I’m sorry for what just happened here, Young Miss. It seems like this is all a big misunderstanding! Please allow me to correct my mistakes!” “Go on. I would like to see that.” Tang Yuqiu crossed her arms as every eye moved to the guard. “You!” The guard turned towards the aggressive brother. “It seems the noodles didn’t make your brother sick after all. Now, get out of here unless you want me to arrest you for defamation of an honoured cultivator!” His voice trembled as he addressed the two brothers. The sick brother clung desperately to the taller one, his breath ragged, skin pale and slick with sweat. His hands trembled as he gripped his sibling’s arm, eyes wide with fear. The taller one, his face drained of all colour, cast frantic glances around the marketplace, his composure unravelling. For a moment, the crowd stood frozen, watching as panic took hold of the two. Their movements became jittery, and uncontrolled, as the sick brother let out a strained gasp. Without exchanging a word, they both turned, stumbling over their own feet and bolted. The sick one clenched tighter to the taller, and dragged along as they fled, leaving nothing but murmurs and curious eyes after him. The guard, desperate to escape his own shame, bowed again, this time toward both Tang Yuqiu and Chen Ren, muttering a hasty apology before attempting to slip away. But Chen Ren stepped forward, his hand rising to stop him. "Wait," he said, his voice calm but firm, freezing the guard in place. Chen Ren's eyes gleamed with subtle amusement as he addressed the guard. "Since you're already here, why not check the ingredients at the other stalls as well? I'm sure you might find someone worthy of your attention. After all, it wouldn’t be right to leave empty-handed, would it?" His tone was light, but the underlying message was clear. The guard, catching on to the meaning behind his words, quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, you’re right. I was only here to ensure the stall owners were following the rules anyway." His tone was hurried, eager to deflect from the earlier confrontation. He looked around as if he didn’t know where to begin, his eyes shifting from one stall to another, even looking at the Old Man Tian’s stall, which was right across the road. “Well!” Chen Ren casually gestured toward Jiang Wu and the steamed bun stall behind him. "Why not start with that stall over there?" The guard's eyes widened slightly, realising what Chen Ren was hinting at. "Of course," he replied, as Jiang Wu and his two sons shook from the response. Their eyes and mouth widened at what was about to come. With a final, shallow bow, the guard moved toward the accused stall, leaving the crowd whispering and pointing fingers at the steamed buns. *** The crowd thinned after the commotion ended, yet the stall remained lively. Steam curled upward from the large pot, carrying the scent of savoury broth and freshly cooked noodles. Chen Ren stood beside the stall, watching as Tang Yuqiu elegantly lifted a bowl of vegetable noodles to her lips, her expression unreadable as she took a delicate bite. Her maid stood nearby, eating in silence, the soft clink of their chopsticks the only sound between them. Xiulan effortlessly managed the stall, handing bowls to waiting customers with the same precision one might expect from a master swordsman, her movements swift yet graceful and well-practised. Meanwhile, the Yalan slept lazily on a shaded ledge nearby, undisturbed by the flurry of activity. The scene felt peaceful in a way Chen Ren hadn’t expected after the earlier confrontation. Just as he glanced over at Tang Yuqiu, she tilted her head, her gaze fixed on a distant scene. Following her line of sight, Chen Ren saw Jiang Wu being dragged away by the same guard who moments before tried to arrest him. The shopkeeper’s sons stumbled behind, crying loudly as the crowd murmured, staring at the spectacle of the family being hauled off for selling expired ingredients. It was a sight to behold— justice served in the most public ways. "You know," Tang Yuqiu spoke softly between bites, her eyes never leaving the scene. "They’ll likely be back on the street within a week. Stall owners often have good connections with the guards or others in the market. They’re the first to be disturbed if anything happens after all." Chen Ren smirked slightly, nodding as he wiped his hands on a cloth. "I know. Jiang Wu has ties with the captain of the guard who patrols this area. It's how he managed to pull off this entire setup against me in the first place." He glanced over his shoulder at the crowd still gossiping about the incident. "He’ll definitely return— but his reputation? That's over." Tang Yuqiu raised a brow, curious. "And you’re fine with that? He dared to go frame a cultivator. I thought you'd go straight to killing. Or at least beat them up" Chen Ren nodded. "I could have tried to flip the entire incident back on him earlier, but it would’ve been his word against mine. Even with proof, he could’ve dismissed it as baseless accusations. But now?" He motioned toward him, who was still being dragged through the market. "Now, everyone will know he’s the one who sold faulty food. It’s not just a rumour anymore— it’s fact. Also, I don't want to break any laws of the city. Even if cultivators are hot-headed, any confrontation within the city would get you a trip down the pits, cultivator or not. And it's beneath me to challenge them to a public duel." Tang Yuqiu paused, her lips curling into a faint smile as she took another bite. Chen Ren leaned against the stall, his eyes scanning the bustling market. "Moreover," he said, a hint of calculation in his voice. "I used this whole situation to make my connection to you and the Tang Clan known. Now, none of these people will dare bother me. I don’t want to deal with nonsense like this again." "You’ve got more brains than I expected." "I haven’t put them to proper use in a long time. But when I do, they work just fine." Her eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Planning to use them more often from now on?" "Yeah, that’s the plan," he said, turning to her with an appreciative nod. "And... Thank you for helping me out this time. I couldn’t have pulled this off without you." Yuqiu’s chopsticks froze mid-air as she blinked, taken aback by his sincerity. Her lips parted, but she quickly regained her composure, giving him a short nod. "So, should I consider it a favour?" Chen Ren rubbed the back of his neck, his expression thoughtful. "Sure. Just don’t ask for anything outrageous. I’m already in debt as it is." Yuqiu laughed softly, a sound more genuine than before. "I’m not planning to. But," her tone shifted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It might not be as easy as you think." Chen Ren could only smile wryly, knowing full well that with someone like Tang Yuqiu, favours were rarely ever simple. *** A/N - If you are liking it, please consider following it. It really helps on Rising stars.