My voice, though spoken at a conversational volume, landed with the force of a thunderclap in the crowded marketplace. A wave of shocked silence radiated outwards from me, silencing the haggling merchants and the chattering onlookers. Every single person in the vicinity, from the lowest clan disciple to the Great Elder himself, was now staring at me, the audacious outsider who had just publicly accused a Xiao Clan member of fraud in the heart of his own territory.
The accused, the rat-faced Xiao Ke, was the first to recover. His face, initially pale with shock, flushed a blotchy, furious red. He pointed a trembling finger at me, his voice a sputtering screech of indignation.
"Fake?! Who in the blazes are you to come here and make such an outrageous accusation?" He tried to rally the crowd, puffing out his chest. "This is a gross insult! This woman dares to slander the good name of the Xiao Clan! Guards! Seize this malicious slanderer!"
A few of the nearby Xiao Clan members shifted uncomfortably, looking towards the Great Elder for guidance. The mercenary who had nearly been swindled took a half-step back, his expression a mixture of confusion and suspicion. He didn't know who to believe, but my unshakable calm was clearly having an effect.
Before the situation could devolve into a chaotic shouting match, a deep, resonant voice cut through the air like a sword.
"That is enough, Xiao Ke."
The Great Elder, Xiao Li, strode forward, the crowd parting before him like water. He came to a stop before the stall, his face an unreadable mask of stone, though his eyes burned with a cold fire. He ignored the sputtering merchant and fixed his piercing gaze on me.
"Young Miss Bai," he said, his tone formal and laced with steel. "This is a most serious allegation. You must understand the gravity of your words. An unsubstantiated claim against our clan's business could be seen as a grave provocation. Can you, or can you not, substantiate this claim?"
The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air. Prove it, or face the consequences.
I met his gaze without flinching, a serene and placid smile touching my lips. This was the moment I had engineered. It was time to perform. "Of course, Great Elder. It would be irresponsible of me to make such a claim without proof."
I moved forward with a grace that felt both natural and practiced, a benefit of my Yang Guifei template. I approached the stall, the scent of cheap dye and dried grass tickling my nose. I picked up one of the crimson herbs, holding it up for all to see.
"Authentic Fire-Red Grass, a Tier 1 medicinal herb, is known for three key characteristics," I began, my voice clear and steady, assuming the role of a lecturer. The crowd leaned in, captivated. "Its color, its scent, and its essence."
"First, the color," I said, turning the herb in my fingers. "While vibrant, true Fire-Red Grass possesses faint, almost invisible black striations near the root stock, a result of how it absorbs minerals from iron-rich soil. These herbs," I gestured to the pile, "are a uniform, flat red. This is indicative of an artificial dye, most likely derived from the common Redflower Berry."
I saw a flicker of understanding in Xiao Zhan's eyes, and a deeper frown on Xiao Yan's face. He had sensed the 'what', but he had not known the 'why'.
"Second, the scent," I continued, bringing the herb closer to my nose before holding it out. "The spicy, sharp aroma of true Fire-Red Grass is unmistakable to any trained alchemist. This smells faintly sweet, with an earthy undertone. It is the smell of Sawtooth Grass, a common weed, mixed with the cloying sweetness of the berry used to dye it."
Xiao Ke began to sweat profusely, his eyes darting around for an escape route that wasn't there.
"But words and observations can be debated," I concluded, my voice ringing with finality. "A demonstration, however, is irrefutable. Great Elder, would you permit me a simple cup of clear water?"
Xiao Li gave a curt nod. A nearby clan member scrambled to fetch a cup and brought it to me. The entire marketplace seemed to be holding its breath. I took the cup and, in full view of everyone, dipped the crimson herb into the clear water.
For a second, nothing happened. Then, slowly but surely, faint pink tendrils began to bleed from the herb, unfurling in the water like lazy serpents. Within ten seconds, the entire cup of water had been tinged a pale, chemical pink. The herb itself now looked pathetic, a sickly green-brown with ugly red splotches.
A collective gasp swept through the crowd. The proof was absolute, undeniable, and utterly humiliating for the Xiao Clan.
The mercenary stared at the pink water, then turned on Xiao Ke with a murderous rage. "You swindling rat! You almost sold me dyed weeds!"
The Great Elder's face was a thundercloud of fury. His rage was not directed at me, the outsider who had exposed the rot, but at the clan member who had brought this disgrace upon their house.
"Xiao Ke!" he roared, his Dou Shi aura flaring, pressing down on the terrified man. "You have shamed this family! You have tarnished the name of the Xiao Clan! Guards! Seize this worthless disgrace and drag him to the discipline hall! His punishment will be severe!"
Two guards immediately grabbed the trembling, ashen-faced merchant and hauled him away, his pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears. The crisis was handled, the cancer excised. Now, it was time to deal with the fallout.
The Great Elder turned to the fuming mercenary and me. To my surprise, he clasped his hands together and performed a formal, deep bow.
"To you, brave warrior, I offer our clan's apology. You will be compensated for your trouble," he said, before turning his full attention to me. "And to you, Young Miss Bai… I have no words. On behalf of the entire Xiao Clan, I offer our sincerest and most profound apologies. You have saved an innocent man from being swindled, and more importantly, you have saved our clan from the continued shame of harboring such a rat. We are in your debt."
The shift was monumental. In the space of five minutes, I had gone from a suspicious person of interest to an honored friend of the clan. I had turned a confrontation into an opportunity and earned the respect of its most powerful elder.
I inclined my head gracefully. "The Great Elder is too kind. A single rotten leaf does not speak for the health of the entire forest. I am certain this was the act of one misguided individual and does not reflect upon the honor of the great Xiao Clan."
My diplomatic words smoothed over the last of the tension. Xiao Li's stern expression softened with genuine gratitude.
It was at this point that the Clan Leader, Xiao Zhan, stepped forward. He was a man with a kinder face than the Elder, but his eyes held a keen intelligence.
"Young Miss Bai's magnanimity does her credit," he said with a warm smile. "But the Great Elder is right. You have done us a great service today. Please, allow us to show our gratitude. My companion and I would be honored if you would join us in the main hall for tea."
It was the invitation I had been waiting for. Our entry into the inner circle.
"It would be our honor, Clan Leader Xiao," I replied.
The main reception hall of the Xiao Clan was spacious and austere, decorated with weapons and beast pelts rather than fine art. We were seated, and a servant quickly brought out a fragrant, high-quality tea. The attendees were few, making the meeting feel both intimate and significant: The Great Elder, Xiao Zhan, a silent and observant Xiao Yan, and Ming and I.
Ming, as planned, remained a silent enigma, his posture relaxed but his presence filling the room. He was the unspoken deterrent, the living symbol of the power our 'family' possessed.
"Your knowledge of medicinal herbs is truly profound, Young Miss Bai," Xiao Zhan began, his tone friendly but his eyes probing. "Your father must be a truly remarkable teacher."
"My father is a man of many talents," I replied vaguely, taking a delicate sip of tea. "He believed a practical knowledge of the basics was essential, even for a daughter he considered too frail for the rigors of alchemy. He made me memorize the properties of a thousand common herbs as a child. I confess, I found it dreadfully tedious at the time, but I am grateful for his wisdom today."
My explanation was plausible, reinforcing my cover story and hinting at the vast knowledge of my 'father' without giving away anything concrete.
Xiao Zhan then turned his attention to his own son. "This is my disappointing son, Xiao Yan," he said with a heavy sigh that was part public performance and part genuine parental frustration.
I turned my gaze to the boy. He sat stiffly, his hands clenched in his lap, his face a mask of sullen indifference that did not quite hide the burning humiliation in his eyes. He had been shown up, his own hesitation contrasted sharply with my swift, decisive action.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Xiao," I said, my voice gentle.
He flinched almost imperceptibly at the formal title, a title he no longer felt he deserved. For the first time, he spoke, his voice low and raspy. "How did you know?"
"About the herbs?" I asked, feigning simplicity. "As I said, it was a lesson my father drilled into me long ago. Recognizing counterfeits was the very first thing he taught me."
My answer was a dead end, offering him no real insight, which only seemed to deepen the frustrated curiosity in his eyes. He fell silent again, retreating into his shell, but I could feel his gaze on me, analytical and questioning.
After a few more minutes of pleasantries, Xiao Zhan, clearly impressed and wanting to solidify a connection with my mysterious and powerful 'father', made his move.
"Young Miss Bai," he said, leaning forward earnestly. "Your expertise is undeniable. It would be a great honor if you would consider the Xiao Clan as your family's official supplier for medicinal ingredients here in Wu Tan City. We can guarantee the absolute highest quality and offer you a most favorable price. It would be a fine way to begin a long and prosperous friendship between our two families."
I had done it. I had achieved our stated goal perfectly. We now had a legitimate, ongoing reason to interact with the Xiao Clan, to monitor their activities, and to be present for future opportunities.
"Clan Leader Xiao is most generous," I said with a grateful smile. "I accept your offer with gratitude."
Our business concluded, we finished our tea and rose to leave. A steward escorted us from the hall. As we walked through the quiet corridors of the inner manor, I noticed that Xiao Yan was also walking in the same direction, a few paces behind us, likely heading back to his own courtyard.
Just as we reached the archway that led back to the public areas, and our paths were about to diverge, he suddenly spoke, his voice low and carrying an unexpected intensity. It was meant only for Ming and me to hear.
"The auction," he said, stopping and forcing us to turn. "The Foundation Elixir. That was you as well, wasn't it?"
It wasn't an angry accusation, not truly. It was a statement of fact, a connecting of the dots. The mysterious guests in room two who outbid him, and the mysterious young woman with profound alchemical knowledge who showed up at his home days later. He had put the pieces together.
He looked directly at me, his dark eyes burning with a fire that had nothing to do with dejection. It was the sharp, questioning gaze of a predator trying to understand a new, unfamiliar creature that had just wandered into its territory. He was challenging me, demanding to know who we were, and why we had so suddenly and dramatically crashed into his life.