Xie Wan stared at him: "Say what you just said again."

  Ning Da said again, then lay down on the desk like an octopus and said in a resentful tone: "If you want to get to know him so much, if I introduce you two, can you be nicer to me?"

  "Throw it away!"

  Qian Zhuang grabbed his collar and was about to throw him out of the open window.

  Don't you see whose territory this is? You dare to haggle with their girls, aren't you afraid of losing your life!

  Ning Da saw Qian Zhuang several times and thought he was just an ordinary fellow, but unexpectedly he turned out to be a deeply hidden master! Ning himself weighed over 100 kilograms, but Qian Zhuang lifted him up with one hand and held him above his head. This wasn't enough to scare him to death?! At that moment, Ning let out a miserable cry like a slaughtered pig: "Put me down, put me down! I'll agree to introduce you, just spare my life!"

  Qian Zhuang threw him to the ground. His buttocks, which were still sore from the stick injury, took another hit and he cried out in pain.

  Now he has truly experienced Xie Wan's tactics! He is obviously a naive and inexperienced child, but when it comes to being shameless, he is even more shameless than a rogue. When it comes to being despicable, he is even more despicable than a hooligan. When it comes to being ruthless, he is even more ruthless than a tyrant! He has a heart as venomous as a snake and scorpion, but on the surface, he appears to be a gentle and refined young lady, who knows how many people have been deceived by him?!

  But he really didn't dare say it out loud.

  "Wait until I'm healed, and then I'll take you to Cangzhou! However, you must immediately remove that sign for me, not a moment can be delayed!"

  He rubbed his buttocks and said with a grin.

  "I can take off the brand immediately, but I can only wait for you for ten days." Xie Wan leaned on the desk and raised her lips. "After ten days, I must meet with the deputy master of the boatman's guild to reach an agreement on chartering a ship. If you run away from me before that, then you'll be waiting for your father to sweep you out the door. And if this matter leaks out through your mouth, I have plenty of ways to deal with you."

  "I'm scared! I'm scared!"

  Ning Da hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and bowed his head in respect.

  It was already late in the morning of the tenth day when Xie Wan finally arrived at the shop, and indeed Ning Daier was already waiting there.

  Xie Wan said as she went up the stairs: "Qian Zhuang and Luo Ju will go with you, remember my words, only success is allowed, no failure."

  "Hey, miss, don't think that just because I, Ning, hang out with those hoodlums all day, I'm useless. Let me tell you, it's precisely people like me who can get things done around here! You just wait at home for our news, okay?"

  Xie Wan smiled coldly, but didn't refute him.

  When she first heard him say that he knew the people on the dock, she had a feeling of clarity. The dock was indeed a place where all sorts of people gathered, and Ning Dabai was the leader of these local rascals. The people from the canal gang were always on the move, and wherever they went, they had to establish good relations with the local snakeheads. He said that he knew the owner of the canal gang's branch, which didn't seem too surprising after all.

  If you find someone like Chang Wu to infiltrate the Cao Bang, it's indeed better to directly get Ning Da'er to do it. It's just that previously because she had no good feelings towards the Ning family, so she never thought of getting Ning Da'er to do it.

  However, if she had wanted to get it earlier, she wouldn't have been able to find an opportunity to ask for his help. Firstly, they were from different worlds, and secondly, she didn't want to make a big deal out of this matter. Now, due to some unexpected twists and turns, he ended up helping her without even realizing it - regardless of whether it would succeed or not. In the end, there was still a glimmer of possibility.

  It can be seen that planning is in human hands, but success is in heaven's hands. This saying still makes some sense.

  Sometimes some things, no matter how hard you try, just can't be done. But then sometimes they come easily without any effort at all.

  She was busy with the dock's affairs and had no time to bother with Wang. Because of Ning's family becoming a laughing stock in several nearby counties, Wang's recent days were not easy either.

  Xie Qigong was not around when she asked Xie Hong: "Has there been any movement from San Ya Tou?"

  Xie Hong paused for a moment and said: "The son didn't keep an eye on her. Whether there's any movement over there, isn't the madam clearer about it than me?"

  Wang sighed and fell silent.

  If she were clear, why would she need to find him and ask? And I don't know what kind of heart this girl has, at such a young age, doing things without any mistakes. Not to mention the maidservants she sent over didn't get any useful information until now, just talking about Ning Daoyi's affair, if it were her own, even if she weren't scared out of her wits, she would have been scared into being more cautious. But instead, she made a big show of this matter and made it known to the whole world!

  It's better if Ning Da doesn't reveal any weaknesses, or else Xie Wan might take revenge on her.

  Thinking of this, she felt a bit stuffy again. She had been calling the shots in the Xie Mansion for decades, but now she was actually being wary of a little girl?

  In her heart, she was unwilling to give up, but she also knew that the other person had some tricks up their sleeve, so she didn't dare to be careless. As a result, in the following days, things were relatively calm, and she didn't dare to plot anything else.

  It just so happened that on this day, Ren Fu received a letter saying that Ren Yun would arrive at the manor with his luggage the next day. Upon hearing the news, Xie Hong and his wife rushed to the main courtyard to ask which courtyard they should prepare for him. According to their wishes, it would be best if he moved directly into Qifeng Courtyard, which would allow him to cultivate a relationship with Xie Qi.

  Wang said after a moment of deliberation, "This is also too conspicuous. Madame Ren originally didn't agree, fearing that it would provoke another incident like last time. This time I had to use great effort to persuade the Ren household, if she finds out, our intentions will be completely exposed. Let's take it one day at a time, let Qi'er be more clever."

  He then pointed to the former Danxiangyuan and later Bixiangyuan, telling them to quickly clean up.

  Bixiangyuan is just a courtyard away from Qifengyuan, and it's almost the same as living in Qifengyuan itself.

  However, the distance to Yifengyuan is also quite close, with only a few seats in between. But because several small courtyards behind Yifengyuan are empty, it seems even farther away.

  Xie Wan returned to the mansion from the shop when Ren Yun was near the gate of Yi Feng Yuan, instructing the young servants to dry books.

  "Third sister is back." He politely nodded at Xie Wan.

  It's been two years since I last saw him, and it feels like he's disappeared from the world. Now that I see him again, I feel a little dazed.

  And he gave her a feeling, because of the last time, also had some deviation from the beginning. Now his every move already has a few points of youthful inexperience, and apart from this, it seems that there are still several other things that are not clear to Xie Zhu.

  All of these together made Xie Wan even less willing to get close to him.

  Every time he saw Xie Wan, Ren Yun was as calm and composed as the brothers in the mansion. Neither did he show any resentment due to her words, nor did he show the unusual affection when he said "Third Sister believes me" in front of everyone.

  This made Xie Wan feel relieved.

  No matter who it is, no one would want someone around them who constantly brings unspoken pressure, right?

  She also briefly said: "Hello, San Ge." Then she went back into the house.

  Just as he had just entered the house and taken a sip of the lotus seed soup brought by Wu Mama, Ren Yun came in.

  He didn't speak, and silently sat on her right side for half a day. Suddenly, he couldn't help but express his concern and said: "I heard that you severely punished the second young master of the Ning family some days ago. Those people are not easy to mess with, and Ning Da Yi is even more so, being the leader of the local rascals in our Nan Yuan. By offending him like this, aren't you afraid of inviting more trouble?"

  Ning Daier was even more ruthless, but not as ruthless as her. After this time, if he still dares to play tricks, then he is really capable. Moreover, if he really doesn't obey, how can he lead the money bag Luo Mu to Cangzhou? She doesn't believe that with Money Bag around, her people will have any safety concerns.

  However, out of politeness, Xie Wan said: "Ning Da Yi offended me first, if I don't teach him a lesson, wouldn't that be helping the evil atmosphere to grow?"

  "But after all, you're still just a girl."

  Because she was a girl, she couldn't be too assertive or show off in everything. She also couldn't let her name be on everyone's lips all the time. Although not many people had seen Xie Wan herself, through this matter, her reputation had spread far and wide. Among the common folk, she was a good girl who upheld justice and wasn't afraid of evil, but in the eyes of these so-called noble families, what she did was a bit too showy.

  Qingliu Shizi attaches great importance to family reputation. How could Xie Rong, as a Hanlin compiler, have such a niece?

  Xie Qigong has already blamed her for this matter once.

  Zeng Mi was promoted to the position of Zhongzhiwei in Nancheng, and Ren Jun himself had passed the examination for Xiangsheng. The Ren family now attaches even more importance to their reputation, just like the Xie family.

  Xie Wan herself also attaches great importance to the reputation of her family, after all, there is no girl who was born into a good family and does not hope to be praised for her whole life. However, since she chose to take the path of becoming a powerful second wife, it is destined that she can no longer be a low-key and gentle woman.

  Her wrist must be strong enough to control Ning Da'er. Her vision must be far-reaching enough to subdue Zhao Zhen. Her thoughts must be meticulous enough to move Jing Yong. If she were a ordinary lady who strictly adhered to the traditional feminine virtues, these people would not have been used by her, and she could not have opened up today's situation.

  She goes after what she wants and doesn't let fame weigh her down.

  But these words don't need to be explained to irrelevant people.

  "What San Ge said is not unreasonable."

  Xie Wan smiled and nodded at him, her eyes calm and peaceful, with a gentle smile on her face. From her appearance, it was impossible to tell that she had the ability to tame a notorious rogue.

  Ren Shun saw her like this and thought she had listened and was also smiling happily.

  Xie Wan said: "Isn't Ren San going to Qifengyuan to find Qi Jie today?"

  "Oh, she just went upstairs to play cards with the lady." Ren Yuandao said. Then he explained: "I didn't go looking for her, it was all her who came looking for me."

  Xie Wan smiled but didn't speak.

  In the three days since arriving at the mansion, Xie Wan had run into him six times, and five of those times he was with Xie Qi.

  After two years of cultivation, Xie Qi has become very good at hiding his thoughts. This not only made the people in the mansion look at him with new eyes but also surprised Ren Huan. As a result, he no longer holds grudges against Xie Qi for what happened back then - although this might also be because he is simply not a vengeful person, as evidenced by his attitude towards Xie Wan's words being similarly nonchalant about past matters.