◎New Store Opening, Tiao’s Origins◎
A signboard was nothing to go out of one’s way for.
The main inn’s signboard had been crafted by the system, so there was no reason the branch couldn’t purchase one from the marketplace.
The fact that all workshops in the city refused orders suggested that someone behind the scenes didn’t want the inn to open. If they proceeded with the opening tomorrow, the culprit would surely reveal themselves.
Lu Jianwei spent a few hundred coins to buy a signboard from the marketplace and instructed Uncle Zhang, “Someone will deliver the signboard tonight. It won’t delay tomorrow’s opening, so don’t worry.”
“I’m useless,” Uncle Zhang muttered, hanging his head in shame and not daring to meet her eyes. “I truly can’t figure out who White Crane Manor might have offended.”
Lu Jianwei chuckled. “I was just teasing you earlier. It might just be ordinary business competition, unrelated to White Crane Manor. Whoever’s behind this will show their hand tomorrow.”
“Boss, if I may ask, should I be here to receive the signboard when it arrives?”
“No need. Even if it comes late, just rest well. Tomorrow will be busy.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, one more thing,” Lu Jianwei called after him. “Don’t forget to feed and water those people in the stable. Dead men can’t be sold… ahem, dead bodies are bad luck. We don’t want any ill omens.”
Uncle Zhang grinned. “Don’t worry, Boss. I’ll make sure they fetch a good… I mean, I won’t let them affect our business.”
This was familiar territory for him.
The night passed in a flash. Uncle Zhang, unsettled by the signboard matter, stayed awake all night, straining his ears for any movement in the inn. Yet, even as dawn broke, he hadn’t heard a single sound.
Had no one come to deliver it, or was the deliverer’s skill far beyond the fifth rank?
From the main store in Fengzhou to this branch in Jiangzhou, he had always suspected that a powerful guardian watched over the inn.
The scene two days ago, where Lu Jianwei effortlessly subdued disciples of the Martial Alliance, and her confident words yesterday, only reinforced his belief.
The sect behind Lu Jianwei was truly unfathomable.
Uncle Zhang rose from his bed and left his room, intending to sweep the courtyard once more before the auspicious hour arrived.
When he pushed open the doors to the main hall, he froze.
On the left corridor of the hall, where the inn’s rules were already posted, a new square signboard now stood beside the wooden plaque that read, “No Brawling in the Inn.”
The words “Eight Directions Inn” were identical to those of the main store.
The signboard had arrived without a trace!
——
Opposite the inn, the medical hall.
The Apprentice Pharmacist yawned as he opened the doors, only to be met with a flash of bright red. He blinked in surprise before dashing to the backyard, shouting, “Medical Hall Owner! Medical Hall Owner! The place across the street is opening today—they’ve already hung up the red banners!”
“Let them open,” the Medical Hall Owner grumbled, rolling over in bed.
The Apprentice Pharmacist persisted, “But didn’t we hear that all the carpenters in town refused their business? How are they opening?”
“Ah, right.” The Medical Hall Owner propped himself up on his elbow, only to yelp in pain when he accidentally tugged his long beard. “Ouch! What misery!”
“Medical Hall Owner, you freshen up first. I’ll go check out front.” The Apprentice Pharmacist scurried away before he could be scolded.
Aside from the medical hall, the neighboring shops were all watching the spectacle unfold.
“Weren’t they unable to get a signboard? How are they opening now?”
“They’re still descendants of Master Yue. Someone must have pulled strings for them.”
“What’s more important—favors or lives?”
“I wonder which bold soul secretly made that signboard for them.”
Among the crowd, a few glanced at the “Eight Directions Inn” signboard above the gate before slipping away in another direction.
Back in the medical hall, the Apprentice Pharmacist and the Medical Hall Owner sat around a low table, sipping porridge while stealing glances at the scene outside.
“Where did they even get that signboard?”
“They’re hanging up firecrackers now.”
“Medical Hall Owner, should we send them a gift?”
The Medical Hall Owner huffed, his beard bristling. “What gift? Look at how much money we have left!”
“Fine, no gift. No need to be so grumpy.”
“Finish your meal and go sort the herbs. There’s nothing worth gawking at.”
“Fine.” The Apprentice Pharmacist turned away, but the sudden crackle of firecrackers drew his attention back.
The Medical Hall Owner snorted. “My ears are ringing.”
“What if no one comes to congratulate them today? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
“With someone suppressing them, this inn won’t last long. What difference does it make whether they get gifts or not?”
“True.”
No sooner had he spoken than a booming voice rang out from across the street.
“The Golden Blade Trading Company presents: a blessed jade qilin, a blessed golden toad, and a blessed jade cabbage—along with one thousand taels of silver! May Boss Lu’s business flourish and wealth overflow!”
The crowd was stunned into silence—Lu Jianwei included.
She hadn’t invited anyone to the opening, nor had she expected any congratulations.
Why had the Golden Blade Trading Company suddenly shown up?
The gift-bearer was a man dressed as a steward.
Beaming with sincerity, he said, “Boss Lu, I’ve been sent by the Young Master to congratulate you on this auspicious occasion.”
Lu Jianwei clasped her hands in acknowledgment. “The Young Master is too kind. Please convey my gratitude for his generosity.”
“You’re too modest, Boss Lu.”
The crowd grew thicker, buzzing around the Eight Directions Inn.
Then another gift arrived.
The onlookers instinctively parted as the bearer approached.
“A woman—she looks familiar.”
“Isn’t that the owner of Green Willow Martial Arts School in the east of the city?”
“You mean the former disciple of Leisurely Cloud Manor, Lady Wei?”
Wei Liu herself carried the gift, smiling as she handed the ornate box to Lu Jianwei, whose surprise was evident.
“Green Willow Martial Arts School congratulates Boss Lu on the grand opening. May the Eight Directions Inn prosper and thrive.”
Lu Jianwei hadn’t expected this at all. She couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you, Lady Wei. Please, come in.”
Wei Liu gave her a playful wink before leading her disciples into the courtyard.
The spectators were dumbfounded.
The Apprentice Pharmacist’s jaw dropped. After a long pause, he stammered, “Medical Hall Owner, did I just hear ‘Boss Lu’? Isn’t the inn’s boss supposed to be Hero Zhang?”
The Medical Hall Owner scoffed. “You were out delivering medicine the other day, so you missed it. Several top-tier martial artists chased this ‘Boss Lu’ to the inn—apparently, they were from the Martial Alliance.”
“The Martial Alliance?!” The Apprentice Pharmacist gasped. “What happened then?”
“Then they got beaten to the ground.” The Medical Hall Owner sighed. “They’re probably tied up in there now.”
The Apprentice Pharmacist couldn’t believe it. “But that’s the Martial Alliance! How dare this Boss Lu provoke them? Aren’t Hero Zhang and Young Master Yue afraid of retaliation?”
“Maybe she’s got powerful backing. Look—the Golden Blade Trading Company sent gifts, and she’s on good terms with a disciple of Leisurely Cloud Manor. She’s not someone we can afford to cross.”
The Apprentice Pharmacist’s heart pounded. “Medical Hall Owner, you don’t need to worry too much. As long as we don’t offend them, we’ll be fine.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Then why are you frowning?”
The Medical Hall Owner stroked his beard. “They’ve angered the Martial Alliance. If the Martial Alliance decides to tear the inn down, do you think they’ll care about collateral damage?”
“No,” the Apprentice Pharmacist admitted.
“Exactly. If the inn gets destroyed, our medical hall might be caught in the crossfire. Losing the hall is one thing, but what if we lose our lives?”
“Should we leave the city and hide? I’ve got a place in the countryside. We can come back after things settle.”
The Medical Hall Owner glared. “And starve out there?”
“If that’s not an option, then what do we do?”
The Medical Hall Owner stroked his beard thoughtfully. “The person who pressured all the carpenters into refusing the inn’s business hasn’t shown up yet. Now that the inn’s opening, do you think they’ll just sit back?”
He sat on a low stool, grinding herbs while his beady eyes darted toward the commotion outside.
Sure enough, an arrogant voice soon shattered the festive atmosphere.
"Who gave you permission to open a shop here?!"
The crowd scattered, retreating several yards away, not daring to utter another word.
Lu Jianwei stood beneath the eaves, her delicate brows and striking eyes, snow-white skin and flower-like beauty, her robes flowing gracefully, a single auspicious-cloud jade hairpin adorning her coiled hair. No one could deny she was a vision of loveliness.
Behind her, Yan Feicang, Zhang Gaozhu, Xue Guanhe, Yue Shu, and Tiao formed a crescent formation, deferring to her as their leader.
Wei Liu and the steward of the Golden Blade Trading Company stood by her side in support.
The newcomer was in his early twenties, with an unremarkable face, dressed in fine silks, a jade pendant hanging from his waist—every inch of him screamed "wealth."
A dozen or so servants followed him, each brandishing clubs, their expressions fierce and menacing.
He pushed through the crowd to the courtyard gate and, upon suddenly catching sight of Lu Jianwei, his vicious glare instantly transformed. His gaze grew sticky, roaming up and down her figure.
"You're the owner of this shop?"
Lu Jianwei maintained her smile. "What can I do for you?"
"What’s a woman doing running a shop? Why not come home with me? I’ll make sure you live in luxury."
The servants behind him burst into laughter, chiming in one after another.
Inside the medical hall, the Apprentice Pharmacist shook his head with a sigh. "It’s Jiang Yaozu. The beautiful owner is in for trouble."
"Didn’t they say she defeated disciples from the Martial Alliance? What’s there to fear from a Jiang Yaozu?" The Medical Hall Owner flicked him on the forehead, annoyed.
The Apprentice Pharmacist retorted, "I didn’t see it with my own eyes! Maybe you were mistaken. How could such a young woman defeat five Martial Alliance disciples? They’re not made of tofu."
The onlookers shared his skepticism.
When the Martial Alliance disciples had arrived two days prior, the fight had ended too quickly. Aside from the medical hall across the street, none of the other shops had gotten a clear look. All they knew was that a few horses and carriages had come and gone—nothing more.
Jiang Yaozu had a notorious appetite for beautiful women. His household was filled with dozens, if not hundreds, of concubines, most of them snatched from unwilling families.
Many in Jiangzhou City had suffered such humiliation, yet none dared speak out.
Before the fall of White Crane Manor, Master Yue’s benevolent rule had kept Jiang Yaozu’s arrogance in check. But with the Yue family gone and Leisurely Cloud Manor no more, the Green Dragon Gang had risen to become the most powerful faction in Jiangzhou.
With the gang’s backing, Jiang Yaozu had grown reckless.
The Jiang family had built their fortune on inns. Now, every inn in Jiangzhou either belonged to them or paid them a share of profits.
For a new shopkeeper to open an inn without so much as a greeting was like plucking hairs from a tiger’s whiskers.
The incident with the signboard had been Jiang Yaozu’s warning.
The bystanders didn’t dare intervene, only whispering among themselves as Jiang’s servants sneered.
Lu Jianwei and her companions, however, had keen hearing and quickly pieced together the situation.
So, the Jiang family monopolized the inn business in Jiangzhou—and now they wanted to teach her a lesson.
"Owner, they’re going too far! Should we teach them a lesson?" Xue Guanhe clenched his fists.
If looks could kill, he’d have already dismembered the lot of them.
Lu Jianwei remained composed. Only when the Jiang family’s jeers died down did she speak, still smiling. "Finished laughing?"
"Beautiful, have you thought it over?" Jiang Yaozu smirked crookedly. "Running a shop means serving others—so tiring. Why not come home with me and enjoy a life of luxury?"
Lu Jianwei turned to Uncle Zhang. "Is the Green Dragon Gang powerful?"
"Their leader is a fifth-rank." Uncle Zhang answered succinctly.
"Oh." Lu Jianwei turned away. "Then what are we waiting for? Test out your new palm technique."
Uncle Zhang smiled. "Rest assured, Owner."
He watched as Lu Jianwei entered the main hall, Yan Feicang and the others following her inside, leaving only himself in the courtyard.
"Steward Zhang," Jiang Yaozu taunted, in no hurry, "you’re not still counting on White Crane Manor’s support, are you?"
Uncle Zhang replied, "I’m no steward now—just a shophand."
"A shophand? Hahahaha! You’ve really fallen low, ‘Shophand Zhang.’ I’m close friends with the Green Dragon Gang’s young master. You think a washed-up fourth-rank warrior can stop me?"
Uncle Zhang’s expression darkened. Slowly, he raised his hands. A fifth-rank palm force surged from his palms like a raging storm, sweeping toward Jiang Yaozu and his servants with the force of a sandstorm.
BOOM—
The palm strike carried a thunderous roar, sending Jiang Yaozu and his men flying through the air.
The crowd craned their necks, watching as the Jiang entourage arced through the sky before crashing to the ground.
The street fell silent.
Uncle Zhang lowered his hands, pleased with the refinement of his technique.
He cupped his hands toward the crowd and announced,
"Good people of Jiangzhou, today marks the opening of the Eight Directions Inn. Due to esteemed guests arriving, we will officially welcome patrons tomorrow. As we’ll be neighbors in this street, I hope for your kind support."
"Ah, M-Master Zhang, you’re too kind. May your business prosper!"
"Master Zhang, the honor is ours. We’ll be counting on your care!"
The crowd hurriedly responded. Only after Zhang Gaozhu returned to the courtyard and shut the gate did they snap out of their daze.
"Where did Young Master Jiang land?"
"Must be over there—go check!"
"Master Zhang just offended the Green Dragon Gang. Are we going to suffer for it?"
"Ah, life just gets harder."
Inside the inn’s main hall, Lu Jianwei took the seat of honor while the others gathered around the table. Xue Guanhe and Yue Shu swiftly served tea and snacks.
Wei Liu said cheerfully, "Sister Lu, ever since I heard you were coming to Jiangzhou to open an inn, I’ve been waiting eagerly. I didn’t visit yesterday because I wanted to surprise you today. You’re not upset, are you?"
"It was certainly a surprise," Lu Jianwei chuckled. "You’ve opened a martial arts school in the city?"
Wei Liu nodded. "I don’t have many talents, just some martial skills, so I started Green Willow Martial Arts School to teach children."
"Showing up today means you’ve slighted the Green Dragon Gang. Aren’t you afraid?"
"With you here, why should I be?" Wei Liu had absolute faith in her. A mere Green Dragon Gang was nothing—Sister Lu didn’t even fear the Black Wind Fort or the Thousand Miles Pavilion.
The Golden Blade Trading Company steward took a sip of tea and interjected, "Owner Lu, I was sent by the Young Master to deliver a gift and a letter for Young Master Wen. Where might he be?"
"Yue Shu, escort this steward to Young Master Wen."
"Yes."
Wen Zhuzhi, due to his mobility issues, hadn’t attended the opening ceremony. When the steward arrived, he was in his room, reading.
"Young Master Wen, this letter is from the Young Master. If you wish to reply, I can deliver it for you."
Wen Zhuzhi accepted it. "Thank you."
The letter was brief—mentioning the opening of Eight Directions Inn and inquiring whether Lu Jianwei truly possessed the White Jade Lingzhi Elixir.
"A'Nai, paper and brush."
A'Nai promptly brought the writing tools.
Wen Zhuzhi penned a reply and handed it to the steward.
"Young Master Wen, I’ll take my leave." The steward carefully stored the letter, then returned to the main hall to bid farewell to Lu Jianwei.
Lu Jianwei instructed Xue Guanhe to see him out.
As the steward passed through the front courtyard, his gaze inadvertently swept toward the stables—where several heads lolled against the wall. His blood ran cold.
The Martial Alliance disciples had indeed been captured, bound in the stables, forced to share quarters with horses.
It was a pitiful sight.
He needed to hurry back to Nanzhou to report this matter to the Young Master.
With the stranger gone, the atmosphere in the hall grew even more cheerful. Having stayed together at the inn and witnessed the events at the Eight Directions Inn, and now sharing the common experience of offending the Green Dragon Gang, they had plenty to talk about.
Most of the conversation was carried by Wei Liu, Uncle Zhang, Yue Shu, and Xue Guanhe, shifting from Jiang Yaozu to the Green Dragon Gang's young master, and then to the gang leader himself.
"So, the highest rank in this Green Dragon Gang is only Level Five, and Jiang Yaozu is just a wealthy merchant attached to the gang. How can he be so arrogant and domineering?" Xue Guanhe, surrounded by skilled martial artists, had his standards set too high.
Wei Liu said, "Jiangzhou has never had any major sects or schools. Before, it was just White Crane Manor and Leisurely Cloud Manor standing side by side. The Green Dragon Gang leader had no chance to rise. Now that they've become the largest gang in Jiangzhou, they're finally venting all the grievances they suffered before. Naturally, their subordinates follow their example."
"That's just too tyrannical," Xue Guanhe shook his head, refilling Lu Jianwei's tea. "The Jiang family lacks virtue."
"Actually, the Jiang family wasn’t always like this," Uncle Zhang remarked. "When the previous head of the Jiang family managed the business, he was very upright. It’s just that his son turned out to be a failure."
Yue Shu quipped, "Seems like even good bamboo can produce bad shoots."
"Not exactly," Uncle Zhang sighed.
"What do you mean?"
Tiao, who had been silent until now, spoke up coldly, "I know him."
Xue Guanhe immediately turned to her. "You know who?"
"Jiang Yaozu," Tiao replied indifferently.
Xue Guanhe guessed, "Did you come to Jiangzhou before with Hu Jiumiang and run into him?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Tiao said, "He’s not Jiang Yunchang’s biological son."
"You know Jiang Yunchang?" Uncle Zhang was surprised, then explained to the others, "Jiang Yunchang is the owner of the Ru Gui Inn."
Lu Jianwei smelled a juicy story and subtly straightened her posture.
"Tiao, you didn’t come to Jiangzhou with us just to repay the money, did you?"
Tiao replied, "No."
"You once said you don’t go by Hu," Xue Guanhe suddenly remembered. "Is it because you remember your original surname?"
Uncle Zhang’s heart skipped a beat as he scrutinized Tiao’s features.
"Earlier, I said it wasn’t a case of good bamboo producing bad shoots. What I meant was, Jiang Yaozu isn’t Jiang Yunchang’s real son. Jiang Yunchang had a daughter who disappeared ten years ago at the age of six."
Lu Jianwei stated firmly, "Tiao, you’re Jiang Yunchang’s daughter."
"Yes," Tiao replied, her expression unreadable, her breathing and heartbeat steady—as if she were merely an outsider recounting a story, showing no joy at finding her family.
Xue Guanhe and Yue Shu both gaped in shock, and even Yan Feicang couldn’t help but glance at her.
To anyone, the situation seemed too bizarre, like something out of a dramatic tale.
Lu Jianwei asked, "So, after losing their daughter, the Jiang family adopted Jiang Yaozu?"
"No," Tiao’s tone remained icy calm. "My mother was injured giving birth to me and could only have one child. Since a daughter couldn’t inherit the family business, my father was persuaded by the clan to adopt his younger brother’s son."
Wei Liu frowned. "Why can’t a daughter inherit the family business?"
"Exactly! Sister Wei even runs her own martial arts school," Xue Guanhe chimed in.
Yue Shu nodded vigorously in agreement.
Lu Jianwei didn’t comment, only asking, "How did you disappear?"
"I was drugged unconscious. When I woke up, I was with Hu Jiumiang. She told me she found me in a mass grave outside Nanzhou City."
"Someone did it on purpose?" Yue Shu couldn’t understand. "What could a little girl like you have done to offend anyone?"
Tiao said, "My mother once told me that even if I couldn’t inherit the family business, half of the family’s wealth would still be my dowry."
"Outrageous!" Wei Liu fumed. "Did they really harm a six-year-old girl just for that?"
"It’s just speculation," Tiao lowered her eyes, fingers tightening around a medicine pouch. "They thought I was too young to understand, so they didn’t bother hiding their words. They said, ‘What does a little girl need with such a big dowry?’"
Lu Jianwei’s expression turned cold. "The truth will be clear once we ask Jiang Yaozu. And just in time—they’re here."
Jiang Yaozu, humiliated and seething with anger, had sought out the Green Dragon Gang’s young master in Jiangzhou’s most popular pleasure house.
The young master, hearing it was such a trivial matter, couldn’t be bothered to act.
Jiang Yaozu then said, "Young Master, the innkeeper is as beautiful as a flower—truly a rare sight."
"Really?" The young master perked up. "How does she compare to the beauty in my arms?"
The woman in his embrace was the top courtesan of the brothel, renowned for her beauty and talents.
Jiang Yaozu didn’t exaggerate. "Even more stunning."
"Then I must see for myself." The young master pushed the woman aside, his shirt hanging open as he strode out of the brothel.
His men had already prepared a fine horse at the entrance.
He mounted and galloped straight for the Eight Directions Inn, with Jiang Yaozu and a crowd of servants close behind.
"Young Master, the young gang leader is a Level Four martial artist. He’ll surely help you get revenge," a servant fawned.
Jiang Yaozu muttered, "Zhang Gaozhu is also Level Four."
"He’s old—how could he compare to the young master’s vigor?"
"Exactly! I heard he’s been stuck at Level Four for decades. He’s no match for the young master."
"And even if they’re evenly matched, we still have the gang leader backing us."
Comforted by his servants’ words, Jiang Yaozu revealed a sinister smile.
Once the Green Dragon Gang tore the inn apart, he would flay Zhang Gaozhu alive. As for that woman, once the young master tired of her, he’d teach her a lesson—make her understand how to be an obedient woman.
The rhythmic clatter of hooves grew louder, shaking the streets.
Shopkeepers and clerks hid inside, peeking through cracks in their windows.
The young master had really come!
The inn was in for disaster—and they might get caught in the crossfire.
The young master reined in his horse outside the inn and shouted, "I am Hong Yingjie of the Green Dragon Gang! Where is the innkeeper?!"
By martial world custom, one announced their name before a fight.
Everyone inside heard him clearly.
All eyes turned to Lu Jianwei, awaiting her orders.
She smiled at Uncle Zhang. "Care to warm up?"
"At your command," Uncle Zhang rose eagerly.
Hong Yingjie waited a few moments, growing impatient. He stretched out a hand to his men behind him.
A silver spear landed in his grip.
The Green Dragon Gang’s young master was famed throughout Jiangzhou for his spear skills.
Twirling the gleaming weapon, he was about to charge the door when the courtyard gate swung open from within.
Before anyone appeared, the oppressive aura of a Level Five martial artist washed over him.
Jiang Yaozu, untrained in martial arts, couldn’t sense Zhang Gaozhu’s level, but Hong Yingjie, a Level Four fighter, immediately realized something was wrong.
"Zhang Gaozhu?" His face twisted in shock. "You actually broke through!"
Zhang Gaozhu raised his hands in a stance.
The power of the "Ripple Palm" lived up to its name—at higher levels, its force resembled towering waves, overwhelming and unstoppable.
Against Jiang Yaozu, he had only used the first move, with less than ten percent of his strength. Facing the fierce Hong Yingjie, Uncle Zhang didn’t hold back.
With eighty percent of his power, the third form of Ripple Palm surged forth like a tsunami, roaring toward his opponent.
Hong Yingjie blocked hastily but was sent flying from his horse by the devastating force, landing heavily on the ground with a dull thud.
Everyone: "..."
That’s it?
