Seeing no one else around, Madam Liao solemnly bowed to Qin Yining and said in a low voice: “Alliance Leader, I was quite offensive just now.”

Qin Yining quickly stood up to assist her: “There’s truly no need for such formality. Please rise quickly.”

Madam Liao sat back in her previous position before saying: “Originally everyone thought that since we hadn’t met before, they were afraid that if I came to you, I might be captured by your residence’s guards. Fortunately, you’re intelligent and recognized me immediately.”

Qin Yining smiled: “Since you said you were Hall Master Liao’s wife, how could I not know who you are?”

“You are a noble young lady, and those rough men around you would ultimately be inconvenient, so everyone thought of a plan to have me be responsible for contacting you from now on. Whatever instructions you have can be told directly to me, thus avoiding embarrassment for you.”

Qin Yining said: “Thank you all for being so thoughtful. Did you come here alone this time, or has everyone left Da Yan?”

A flash of embarrassment crossed Madam Liao’s face before she smiled: “In response to the Alliance Leader, our alliance members now number only about a hundred core figures from before. Everyone thought that since we no longer need to oppose Da Yan’s tyranny, so many mouths still need to be fed, so we’ve focused on business matters. The four hall masters discussed and decided to go do business at the Tatar border.”

“Do business at the Tatar border? With the Tatars?”

“Exactly, otherwise we wouldn’t go to such a distant place.”

Qin Yining raised an eyebrow: “Your idea isn’t bad, but the world is vast—where can’t you do business? Although Da Zhou ceased fighting with the Tatars due to their internal strife, trade between the two countries hasn’t been restored, has it? Do you know your actions constitute smuggling?”

“Aiya, Alliance Leader, please don’t frighten me. If this matter isn’t publicized, it’s just trade. It only becomes smuggling if someone reports it. Moreover, don’t we have you above us? You’ve always been resourceful, and your father is a current second-rank minister. Our connections run deep—even if someone reports us someday, we’re not afraid.”

Unexpectedly, Madam Liao brought out the tactics of the marketplace and began acting shamelessly with her.

Qin Yining’s expression darkened. She chuckled lightly and said slowly: “When the old Alliance Leader passed the position to me, I declined repeatedly. I’m young with little experience—how could I be worthy of being the Azure Sky Alliance’s leader? You’re all famous heroes in the martial world, while I’m just a sheltered young woman with long hair and short knowledge. But at that time, the four hall masters agreed with the old Alliance Leader and insisted I take this position.”

“I was very happy then, thinking that the Azure Sky Alliance brothers were all heroic men determined to return a clear sky to the world’s people, righteous warriors opposing Da Yan’s tyrannical rule. Being able to become the Azure Sky Alliance’s leader made me both ashamed and proud.”

Madam Liao was an old member of the Azure Sky Alliance. Hearing this, she naturally sat up straight and said with some pride: “Our Azure Sky Alliance members are naturally all righteous warriors.”

“But these righteous warriors are now engaged in smuggling business?”

Madam Liao’s expression changed. Just as she was about to argue, Qin Yining raised her hand and said methodically: “I know that even if I say some things, you may not listen. This Alliance Leader position of mine is just a nominal title. You’ve never truly regarded me as an Alliance Leader in your private actions. You make decisions without asking my opinion, then come find me to take the blame when there’s trouble?”

“Saying that makes it sound too unpleasant. We’ve always acted openly and honestly—when have we ever grabbed someone to take the blame?”

“Madam Liao needn’t be anxious.” Qin Yining waved her hand: “Cutting off someone’s livelihood is like killing their entire family. I won’t stop you from doing business. Moreover, even if I said more, you wouldn’t listen now. I’m afraid you’d only think of me when something really happens. But regardless, I hope you don’t forget the original intention when the Azure Sky Alliance was established. Money and beauty can blind eyes and cloud hearts. You can make money, but you cannot commit evil.”

Madam Liao’s face alternated between red and white from Qin Yining’s words.

When she came, she had prepared a belly full of persuasive words, thinking that for a noble young lady, wearing a few high hats would make her so pleased she’d lose her bearings, and she could just coax her casually.

But facing Qin Yining’s beautiful eyes that seemed to understand everything, listening to her words that pierced straight to the heart, she couldn’t say a single coaxing word.

The reason the words felt heart-piercing was precisely because what Qin Yining said was reality.

These people indeed had some such thoughts.

No wonder before she came, Qiao Shangfei specifically instructed her to be respectful to the Alliance Leader.

Initially, she thought it was because the four hall masters all respected the old Alliance Leader, so they gave extra face to the old Alliance Leader’s granddaughter. Now it seemed her thinking was too simple.

“Alliance Leader.” Madam Liao straightened her expression: “I’ve remembered all your words. I’ll definitely tell them when I return.”

Qin Yining nodded: “That would be excellent. Besides contacting me, do you have other matters this time?”

Unexpectedly, Qin Yining asked directly, making Madam Liao feel somewhat embarrassed.

Her mission this time was to meet with Qin Yining and tell her about their smuggling activities with the Tatars, so that if they needed to use Qin Yining someday, she wouldn’t be completely ignorant of their affairs.

But now if she said “there’s nothing else,” it would seem her purpose was extremely utilitarian. Although they indeed came with utilitarian thoughts this time.

The thirty-something Madam Liao now found herself unable to raise her head before the sixteen-year-old Qin Yining. Her lips moved hesitantly before she finally said: “Mainly we were concerned about the Alliance Leader, having heard that your family encountered some small accidents on the way to the capital.”

“Yes. Some small accidents.” Qin Yining smiled gently: “It seems the alliance’s main forces have all moved to Tatar territory?”

Madam Liao didn’t immediately understand what Qin Yining meant and asked puzzledly: “Why does the Alliance Leader say that?”

“If not, then the alliance’s intelligence system needs strengthening.”

Madam Liao immediately understood the sarcastic meaning in Qin Yining’s words and her face instantly turned red as a cooked shrimp.

The Azure Sky Alliance had once flourished in Da Yan—how could they not know what happened to the Qin family on their way to Da Zhou? It was just that everyone hadn’t taken it to heart.

Now that they were doing business in Tatar territory and feared some matters couldn’t be handled, they came to find the Alliance Leader. But when the Alliance Leader was robbed and went missing, they had no reaction whatsoever.

If she admitted their intelligence system was fine, it meant these alliance members had problems. If it wasn’t that the alliance members had problems, how should she face Qin Yining?

Madam Liao’s face flushed red with embarrassment, and she gained several points of awe toward Qin Yining. No wonder the old Alliance Leader passed the position to her—this girl truly wasn’t ordinary! Facing her, Madam Liao even had the illusion she was facing the old Alliance Leader.

Seeing Madam Liao’s expression, Qin Yining knew today’s reprimanding was sufficient. Saying more might be counterproductive, so she timely changed the topic and began discussing capital affairs with Madam Liao.

Madam Liao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Very grateful for Qin Yining’s not pursuing the matter further, her attitude became extremely respectful when speaking with her, no longer showing the faint contempt from their earlier conversation.

With Qin Yining deliberately providing an out and Madam Liao intentionally being accommodating, the atmosphere of their conversation immediately became heated, truly resembling good friends who hadn’t seen each other for a long time, as they had initially appeared.

The four secret agents—Jingzhe and others—standing at the stairway corner now had an even deeper understanding of Qin Yining.

Initially, they thought Qin Huaiyuan assigning them to Qin Yining’s side was overkill. Unexpectedly, she had the identity of Azure Sky Alliance Leader behind her. Watching her reprimand disloyal alliance members into showing respect with just a few words, the four seemed to see that they would still have opportunities to display their skills in the future. Their positioning of Qin Yining in their hearts also changed.

Just as Qin Yining and Madam Liao were eating and chatting, sudden commotion came from downstairs.

Initially, neither paid attention, but the noise became increasingly shrill, and they could vaguely hear heavy footsteps on the wooden stairs.

Qin Yining frowned toward the stairway.

Xiaoman immediately went downstairs to inquire.

Before the inquiry results came back, the commotion and cursing had already reached their ears shrilly.

“You’re asking my mistress to wait? Do you know who my mistress is? What are you—can you bear responsibility for delaying my mistress’s proper business?”

“What do you mean it’s reserved? I’m slapping silver notes on your face right now—dare you say Fushun Restaurant won’t reserve for my mistress?”

“That’s just a minister’s daughter—what is she? My mistress is the legitimate daughter of the Lu family aristocrats!”

…

The maid’s voice was shrill and high-pitched, extremely unreasonable, each cry louder than the last, making Qin Yining frown continuously.

Without going out to look, she already knew who was causing trouble downstairs.

Xiaoman quickly came upstairs and said beside Qin Yining: “A man and woman came to the first-floor hall. The commotion is coming from that woman’s maid.”

Qin Yining nodded, indicating she understood.

Another voice came from downstairs: “Have that minister’s daughter come down—our mistress wants to speak with her personally! Go quickly!”

“Miss,” Jiyun was quite angry, her face flushed red: “Those people are simply going too far! This servant will go down and teach them a proper lesson!”

“No need.” Qin Yining stood up: “I’ll go myself. I want to see how they’ll show no mercy to a small minister’s daughter.”

“Yes, this servant will help you down.” Seeing Qin Yining didn’t plan to endure silently, Bingtang immediately became spirited and helped Qin Yining downstairs.

Jiyun also followed alongside, looking ready to rush forward and tear someone apart.

Madam Liao watched in amazement, not expecting that a noble young lady’s maids could be so fierce.

Or was it that the master determines the servant’s nature?

The group went down the stairs—Jingzhe and Dahan following behind, Xiaoman and Xiaoxue clearing the path ahead, with two pretty maids supporting an elegantly dressed, absolutely beautiful woman in the middle.

This combination immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the restaurant’s first-floor hall.

Qin Yining was somewhat surprised. Thinking the other party was clamoring to reserve the restaurant, she assumed the first floor would be empty of others. She hadn’t expected the place wasn’t cleared.

Seeing everyone’s eyes focused intensely on her face, Qin Yining turned back to draw out a light purple gauze veil to cover half her face before turning back to continue walking toward Madam Lu.