Chapter Six: Poisonous

Early the next morning, as a faint streak of pale light crept over the horizon, Gu Jun arrived at Jiang Chen’s porridge stall. Though his clothes were still threadbare and humble, today he was no longer the disheveled figure of before.

From a distance, he saw the ever-proud Young Master Lin Qingxuan of the Lin family, with his arm slung around Jiang Chen’s shoulders, gesticulating excitedly.

“Brother Jiang! Your century egg and lean pork congee is simply divine! Hahaha! Do you know, even the masters from my household are now coming to me for your recipe!”

“Nonsense!” Jiang Chen patted Lin Qingxuan’s shoulder, engaging in a round of mutual flattery.

“It’s all thanks to you, Brother Lin, for managing things so well! If you hadn’t given me such a platform, I wouldn’t even have the chance to turn things around!”

“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Lin Qingxuan, watching the endless stream of customers, was flushed with excitement, rubbing his hands together in delight. Betting on Jiang Chen was the best decision he had ever made. He’d spent only a little pocket money, and yet his status within the Lin family had undergone a dramatic transformation.

Just yesterday, when Jiang Chen had asked for leave, several elders from the main Lin family came to inspect his little porridge shop. After tasting the century egg and lean pork congee, they couldn’t stop praising it, and with every compliment, Lin Qingxuan’s position rose higher. As he recalled the ashen faces of his cousins when the elders departed, he now felt a flush of pride. He even began to imagine, once he joined the main family, how he would put those cousins in their place.

“Young Master Jiang…” Just as Lin Qingxuan was lost in his daydreams, Gu Jun approached and bowed slightly to Jiang Chen.

Lin Qingxuan, displeased at having his reverie interrupted by this one-armed man, was about to order someone to throw him out when Jiang Chen suddenly called out, “Ha! Gu Jun! Go fetch the new item from the steamer and bring it for Young Master Lin to taste!”

Hearing that this was one of Jiang Chen’s men, Lin Qingxuan immediately concealed his displeasure, forced out a smile, and nodded approvingly. “Excellent! Excellent! Here so early! No wonder you’re working for Brother Jiang!”

Even Gu Jun, watching Lin Qingxuan’s shameless flattery, couldn’t help but let a faint smile slip across his lips. It seemed he had chosen the right person to follow after all!

Without another word, Gu Jun brought over a basket of steamed buns. As he lifted the muslin cloth covering them, a rich, savory aroma instantly filled the air, causing everyone present to stop what they were doing and stare.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Allow me to announce our new specialty—Go-Buli Steamed Buns!”

Looking at the plump, snowy-white buns in the steamer and breathing in the irresistible fragrance, the customers suddenly found their congee far less enticing. Among the crowd, the professional shills that Jiang Chen had planted quickly stood up.

“Young Master Jiang, I don’t care what they cost—I’ll support you! Give me fifty! Since you’re launching something new today, I’ll buy one for everyone here!”

“Coming right up!” Jiang Chen took the silver with a smile and waved his hand. “Gu Jun, give every patron here a Go-Buli bun!”

“At once!” Gu Jun wasted no words, and soon every table had a steaming bun.

The customers could hardly wait to dig in.

“My God! This is incredible!” With a shriek, countless diners leapt up, their eyes fixed hungrily on the steaming basket as if a pack of wolves had spotted a flock of lambs.

“This is outrageously delicious!”

“Young Master Jiang, I’ll take them all, no matter the cost!”

“Get lost! Jiang! Sell to me! I’ll pay double!”

Jiang Chen’s smile was unchanged as he shook his head gently. “Please, everyone, don’t be impatient. I can’t sell all the Go-Buli buns to just one person; after all, everyone deserves to enjoy good food!”

“As with the congee, these are limited! Ten coins each, two hundred per day—first come, first served!”

“Sell to me! Sell to me!”

The frenzied customers paid no heed to Jiang Chen’s words or the steep price; all they wanted now was to eat!

Lin Qingxuan was utterly stunned. He watched Jiang Chen disappear into the back and was left with nothing but awe in his heart. The flavor of the buns was one thing, but what truly amazed him was Jiang Chen’s ability to sell them at such a ridiculous price.

“Brother Jiang! Brother Jiang!” Unable to contain himself, he hurried after Jiang Chen.

“How do you get people to fight over them at such a high price?”

“It’s very simple…” Jiang Chen, as if anticipating the question, gestured at the scrambling crowd.

“At this hour, anyone who can afford to lazily enjoy breakfast here is hardly an ordinary commoner, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Brother Lin, think about it—what matters more to a young master like you, who never lacks money: taste, or thrift?”

Lin Qingxuan suddenly understood, his eyes brightening with realization.

“So you mean, we should cater to the preferences of the wealthy?”

Jiang Chen smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.

“Wealth is relative. If you compare the Lin family to common folk, you’re wealthy. But compared to nobles and princes? Our target customers are the same…”

As he spoke, he glanced around at the crowd.

“Every stage calls for its own performance…”

Lin Qingxuan nodded, half-understanding, and began turning over these cryptic words in his mind.

But just then, Jiang Chen’s gaze froze.

Because, with a casual glance, he suddenly noticed a slender girl in the corner of the stall, her face veiled, whose expression remained utterly unchanged. The Go-Buli bun in her hand—so coveted by the local gentry—seemed to her no more than plain fare.

Beside her, a middle-aged man leaned in cautiously and spoke quietly, “Miss, we’ve searched the entire town but found no trace of that person. Could the information be wrong?”

The girl’s brow furrowed slightly at his words. “Impossible. My brother has never been mistaken. Our benefactor is definitely here! Search again, and don’t stop until you find him!”

Suddenly, her voice broke off. Just then, she sensed a strange aura locking onto her. Its oppressive force was suffocating—she could not even lift her head to look for the source. The feeling was fleeting, vanishing in an instant.

When she finally raised her head, beads of sweat had already formed on her forehead.

Seeing this, the man beside her was startled and asked, “Miss? Are you unwell?”

“No… nothing,” she replied, though her heart sank further.

Though all those around her were martial artists of far greater skill than herself, none had noticed that terrifying aura. This only proved that the person behind it possessed strength beyond comprehension.

That such a master could be found in a remote mountain village?

She slowly lifted her head, scanning the crowd, and her eyes met Jiang Chen’s.

Could it be him?

Looking at Jiang Chen’s youthful face, she felt a wave of disbelief. She was interested in the young man’s tricks for selling buns, but she found it hard to believe someone so young could possess such power. If it were true, then even her own brother would pale in comparison.

“Ah! My stomach! It hurts!” Suddenly, not far from her, a customer fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

“Poison! There’s poison! The century egg congee is poisoned! Help! Someone, save me!”

At once, a crowd gathered, all clamoring to witness the commotion.

…