The girl appeared to be in her teens, wearing the distinctive attire of a Wumiao maiden. Around her wrists were strings of silver bracelets that made crisp clinking sounds as she raised her hand in surprise.
Upon noticing the person beside Jiang Si, she swallowed her next words, her gaze toward Jiang Si becoming uncertain and suspicious.
Jiang Si had a sudden inspiration and spoke softly.
It was in the Wumiao language.
The young girl let out a surprised “Ah!” and immediately bowed to Jiang Si. Her expression was extremely excited as she rattled off a string of Wumiao words.
A Man listened in complete confusion. She turned her head to look at Jiang Si and suddenly realized that her familiar mistress’s demeanor had changed.
If Jiang Si had been a casual, carefree noble lady from the capital when entering the shop, now her expression was cold and reserved, like a snow lotus blooming atop a snowy mountain, her eyes reflecting boundless tranquility.
A Man couldn’t help but cover her mouth, thinking: Mistress is about to fool someone again. It’s a shame she couldn’t understand what this little hussy was saying, completely unable to assist her mistress!
Being a headmaid isn’t easy. Not only does one need to master the skills of killing and arson, but also learn foreign languages…
The young girl extended a hand, gesturing for Jiang Si to enter.
Jiang Si nodded slightly, following the girl’s lead inside.
Seeing A Man about to follow, the young girl stopped and said in the language of Da Zhou: “Please wait here.”
A Man’s eyes widened: “I must follow my mistress!”
The young girl repeatedly shook her head in refusal.
Jiang Si, wanting to gather information from the Wumiao girl, naturally didn’t want any complications. She gave A Man a look and said, “A Man, just wait here.”
“But—”
“It’s alright.” Jiang Si gently touched the pouch at her waist.
A Man relaxed.
She remembered that her mistress always kept knockout powder in her pouch. Dealing with this little girl would be a piece of cake.
After going around the counter and entering a small room inside, the young girl immediately knelt in a grand gesture, addressing Jiang Si as “Holy Maiden.”
Hearing the girl’s address, Jiang Si felt somewhat melancholic.
Having lived as the Holy Maiden Asang for several years, she had learned many of the Holy Maiden’s habits from the Wumiao elders and Asang’s maid. She never expected this knowledge would come in handy now.
Jiang Si had never imagined that an unnamed small shop in the same market street as Lu Shengxiang would be run by a Wumiao woman. It seemed as if some invisible hand was always pushing her to intersect with the Wumiao tribe.
This thought made her somewhat uncomfortable.
The matters of her previous life had been put to rest with the resolution of her misunderstanding about Yu Qi. She didn’t want to stir up those unpleasant memories again.
“Holy Maiden, weren’t you in seclusion for cultivation? Why have you appeared here?” the girl asked, puzzled.
They had just returned from the tribe and heard from the clan members that the Holy Maiden had been in seclusion for a long time, not appearing in public.
Jiang Si frowned slightly, giving the girl a sideways glance.
The girl immediately lowered her head, asking for forgiveness.
“There are some things you need not ask about.”
The girl acknowledged, thinking to herself that no wonder the Holy Maiden hadn’t been seen for so long; she had come to the capital of Da Zhou on business.
Jiang Si slowly asked in the Wumiao language, “Did someone buy the Heart-Imprinting Gu from here not long ago?”
The girl was stunned for a moment, then quickly nodded. “Yes.”
“Tell me the details of what happened.”
The girl recalled for a moment, then said, “Over a month ago, a madam accidentally entered the shop. Seeing that I was from the Southern Borderlands, she asked if I had any Heart-Imprinting Gu, saying she was willing to pay a high price…”
Jiang Si frowned, coldly saying, “The tribe has rules against giving Gu worms to outsiders casually, and the Heart-Imprinting Gu is no ordinary Gu. How did someone of your status obtain it?”
She maintained the air of the Holy Maiden, terrifying the young girl into repeatedly kowtowing.
“I beg the Holy Maiden’s forgiveness. This lowly girl truly had no choice. Huawa was gravely ill at the time and needed money to buy expensive medicines…”
“Where did you get the Heart-Imprinting Gu from?”
In Wumiao, although it was common for women to use Gu, certain special Gu was difficult for ordinary people to obtain. The Heart-Imprinting Gu was one of them.
Having lived in the Southern Borderlands for several years, Jiang Si was very clear about this.
“The Heart-Imprinting Gu belonged to Huawa…” The girl prostrated herself on the ground, trembling.
For the Wumiao people, the elders and the Holy Maiden held supreme status that couldn’t be offended.
Jiang Si immediately became suspicious of the girl’s grandmother.
Being able to possess the Heart-Imprinting Gu indicated that this person held an important position in the Wumiao tribe.
Given the girl’s young age, it was unlikely she had any connection with Princess Rongyang. But what about the girl’s grandmother?
“When did you come to the capital?”
The girl hesitated for a moment.
“Hmm?”
“This lowly girl arrived in the capital of Da Zhou at the beginning of last year.”
Jiang Si looked towards the wax-dyed curtain leading to the shop’s main hall. “Has this shop been open since the beginning of last year?”
The girl didn’t dare conceal anything and said, “The small shop has been open for many years. Huawa came to the capital of Da Zhou over ten years ago.”
Over ten years ago…
Jiang Si’s heart stirred.
The Heart-Imprinting Gu was not easy to obtain. Her mother had died from being poisoned with the Heart-Imprinting Gu over ten years ago. Could it be related to the girl’s grandmother?
Seeing Jiang Si’s contemplative expression, the girl didn’t dare to breathe, only secretly glancing at her, her eyes full of reverence and curiosity.
The Holy Maiden was the first beauty of their Wumiao tribe, and also the person with the highest talent in practicing unusual arts.
She had only been able to look at the Holy Maiden from afar before, never imagining she could be this close now…
The girl’s face flushed with excitement, her eyes bright.
“Do you know the exact time?” Jiang Si asked.
The girl hurriedly lowered her gaze and shook her head. “I don’t know exactly when. I never asked Huawa.”
“Where is your Huawa?” Jiang Si decided to meet the true owner of the small shop.
The girl immediately said, “Huawa isn’t feeling well and is resting in the back. This lowly girl will call Huawa to see you right away.”
“Very well, you may go.” Jiang Si’s voice was indifferent, without any hint of courtesy.
She was very clear about the Holy Maiden’s status in the Wumiao tribe.
If placed in Da Zhou, the Wumiao Holy Maiden would be equivalent to the Crown Prince. However, the Holy Maiden upheld the future of an entire tribe through her talents and efforts. The Wumiao people’s love and reverence for the Holy Maiden were beyond words.
In comparison, the Crown Prince was left far behind. Who knows how many people in Da Zhou secretly called His Highness the Crown Prince a fool?
The girl bowed and left, and Jiang Si waited quietly.
A faint herbal scent permeated the small room.
It was a scent both familiar and strange to her.
The curtain rustled, and A Man peeked in quietly. “Mistress—”
“Go out and tell Long Dan not to worry about me.”
Apart from the Wumiao elders, it wouldn’t be so easy for other Wumiao people to trouble her.
Jiang Si still remembered the praise she often received from the Wumiao elders when she practiced unusual arts in the Southern Borderlands.
The Wumiao elders had even sighed that if they didn’t know she was from Da Zhou, they would have thought she was the chosen Holy Maiden of the Wumiao tribe.
A Man withdrew her head, leaving only the wax-dyed curtain swaying gently.
Soon, footsteps were heard, and the young girl supported an old woman as they entered from another door leading to the backyard.
“Greetings to the Holy Maiden—” an aged voice sounded.
Jiang Si turned her head, examining the old woman.
The old woman was also examining her.
Unlike the young girl’s reverence, the old woman’s eyes held scrutiny.
Before Jiang Si could speak, the old woman’s expression suddenly changed, and she angrily shouted in the Wumiao language, “You are not the Holy Maiden!”