“Hundred-Intelligence is not a person, but an industry.”

Life in this world takes countless forms. There are royal palaces, and there are common folk in the jianghu. Among the thirty-six trades and seventy-two professions, there exists a type of people who belong to the various unorthodox sects and dubious professions. They may not sound particularly respectable or noble, yet they possess numerous connections and functions. Sometimes, those scattered relationships between the imperial court and the jianghu are maintained precisely by these people of unorthodox backgrounds.

And Hundred-Intelligence was one such profession.

As the name suggests, Hundred-Intelligence was somewhat similar to an information broker. Throughout hundreds of years of tradition, this profession had not appeared frequently, and ordinary families might never have heard of it. As for where they were located or who they were, even fewer people knew. But ignorance did not mean non-existence. In the capital city of Jing, the Feng Xian Pawnshop was the current Hundred-Intelligence of Ming Qi.

The woman in red robes looked at Shen Miao with growing solemnity, which confused Mo Qing and the others behind her. Though they were in the military and had experience in the jianghu, they truly didn’t know what Hundred-Intelligence was.

Naturally, whether it was Feng Xian Pawnshop or Hundred-Intelligence, ordinary people wouldn’t know. Those who came here were always prepared.

“Miss is…?” the woman in red tentatively asked.

“I’ve come to make a deal,” Shen Miao replied.

Hearing this, the red-robed woman’s expression shifted slightly. Then, to the young shop assistant’s surprise, she smiled at Shen Miao and said, “The item this miss wishes to deal with must be quite valuable. If that’s the case, please follow me to the back to discuss.”

Mo Qing and the others tried to follow, but the woman in red stopped them. “These gentlemen need not come.”

“Miss…” Jingzhe was worried. If Shen Miao went in alone, she might encounter some mishap.

“You all stay here,” Shen Miao said. “I’ll return after completing this transaction.”

After Shen Miao left with the woman in red, Mo Qing and the others remained in the outer hall. One of Shen Miao’s guards from Shen Qiu asked Mo Qing, “Brother Mo, what exactly is our miss doing here?” Being someone who had shed blood and taken lives, he naturally had intuition about danger. The red-robed woman’s expression and her conversation with Shen Miao had already made them aware that this matter was not simple.

“I don’t know either,” Mo Qing shook his head with a bitter smile, looking toward the corridor that led inside. “The miss knows what she’s doing.”

The red-robed woman led Shen Miao through a long corridor. At the end of the corridor stood a square, wooden pavilion with six floors, covered in light gauze that obscured the interior. Yet it was exquisitely built. At the very least, the pillars were made of late-fragrance wood worth thousands of gold.

It was rumored that the owner of Feng Xian Pawnshop was immensely wealthy; otherwise, the pawnshop business, which was merely passable, could not have been maintained for so many years. After all, acquiring such a large piece of land in the most prosperous area of the capital and operating at a loss was not something everyone could afford.

However, Shen Miao knew that the reason Feng Xian Pawnshop was so wealthy was because their method of earning money wasn’t really by pawning items—they were doing business without capital, naturally yielding tremendous returns.

The red-robed woman led her into a room on the ground floor of the pavilion, a tea room with red sandalwood tables and chairs carved with landscape scenes. The carvings were lifelike, revealing the craftsman’s exquisite skill and undoubtedly commanding a considerable price.

“I’m called Hong Ling,” the woman smiled. With that smile, the corners of her eyes were almost dripping with charm, as if sensuality was etched into her very bones. She asked, “What should I call the miss?”

“My surname is Shen,” Shen Miao replied.

While Shen Miao was sizing up the other party, Hong Ling was also sizing up Shen Miao. She was secretly shocked. At first, she thought it was some rich young lady causing trouble at Feng Xian Pawnshop, but then she heard the words “Hundred-Intelligence” from the other party’s mouth. Recognizing an insider, she welcomed her to the inner rooms. However, having conducted business at Feng Xian Pawnshop for many years, this was the first time Hong Ling had encountered a client so young. She wasn’t sure how much the other party knew and feared this might be her first transaction, wondering if she should merely appease her.

“So it’s Miss Shen.” Hong Ling smiled. “I wonder if Miss Shen has come to our Feng Xian Pawnshop to buy or to sell?”

Shen Miao replied, “Both to buy and to sell.”

Buying and selling simultaneously—Hong Ling couldn’t help but be startled. The blue-robed young maids serving nearby seemed to have never seen Hong Ling, so taken aback, and they secretly glanced at Shen Miao.

Concealing her shock, Hong Ling continued to smile, “Then may I ask, what is the value of this transaction Miss Shen wishes to make?”

Shen Miao shook her head.

Hong Ling didn’t understand her meaning. “Miss Shen…”

Shen Miao’s voice was completely calm: “I already stated at the front that the business I want to conduct is too significant for him to handle, and you can’t handle it either. If you want to discuss it, bring your master.”

Hong Ling’s throat felt dry. For many years, she had been skilled in social graces, but because those who came to do business knew what Hundred-Intelligence was, they were always polite to her. This was the first time she had been addressed so unceremoniously. She instinctively wanted to get angry, but when she looked up and met Shen Miao’s gaze, she was slightly stunned.

The girl opposite her didn’t appear very old, with eyes as clear as water, yet when she looked at people, there seemed to be a trace of coolness that burst forth. Her calm demeanor somehow carried an inexplicable sense of authority. Hong Ling felt that the way the other party looked at her had not a trace of trepidation, but was purely looking down from above.

Hong Ling felt a jolt in her heart, and her irritation instantly vanished. With so many people coming and going to do business, she considered herself a good judge of character. This young lady’s bearing was… quite astonishing. She didn’t know what background the girl had, but it made her feel somewhat apprehensive.

“Miss Shen, I am the manager here. If you wish to conduct business, you can naturally do so with me,” she said. Although she sensed that Shen Miao’s identity was extraordinary, Hong Ling was not one to be intimidated. The smile on her face became even more radiant. “No matter how much silver is involved, I have seen it all before.”

“This has nothing to do with silver,” Shen Miao smiled slightly. “I’ve already said, this transaction, you cannot decide.” She glanced around. “I came with sincerity, but you showed none. Hundred-Intelligence is just so-so after all.”

Hong Ling had never encountered someone so discourteous, and the smile on her face immediately cooled by three degrees. She said, “I feel that Miss Shen doesn’t seem sincere about doing business. Since Miss Shen doesn’t trust me, there’s nothing I can do.”

Shen Miao stared at her for a long while, then said, “In that case, let me first sell you a piece of information.”

Hong Ling paused, then heard the calm young woman across from her utter a sentence: “The disappearance of the Chen sisters from Yuzhou in Jiangnan, whose whereabouts remain unknown—how about I sell you this information? If you think this information is valuable, please have the shopkeeper meet with me, and then we can discuss the information I want to buy.”

Hong Ling’s body trembled as she looked at Shen Miao in shock. A moment later, she composed herself and said, “Please wait a moment, Miss Shen. Hong Ling will withdraw first.”

Hong Ling hurriedly left, leaving a few blue-robed young maids in the tea room who looked at Shen Miao curiously, clearly not understanding why Hong Ling had suddenly left after hearing her words.

Shen Miao looked at the teacup in her hand. The tea was fine Silver Needle from Jun Mountain, and its aroma was rich upon sipping. Combined with the faint incense in the tea room, it naturally made one feel relaxed and carefree, clearly indicating that the owner of this place knew how to enjoy life.

The Hundred-Intelligence profession dealt in jianghu information. Within jianghu information, there was buying information and selling information. When someone wanted to buy information and someone wanted to sell information, if the buyer and seller matched up, the business was done. The Hundred-Intelligence profession was like a relay point for transmitting beacon fires on a battlefield, connecting buyers with sellers.

The information Shen Miao wanted to sell was related to a sensational unsolved case that had shaken Ming Qi years ago. In Yuzhou, Jiangnan, the first family, the Chen family, had two beautiful daughters whose beauty was city-toppling. With such looks, if they had entered the palace, they would surely have become imperial consorts. Regardless of what people say about beauty being skin-deep and all beauties eventually becoming white bones, true beauties were like the most exquisite jade objects—even an extra glance would be profanation.

The Chen family was large and influential, but having two such daughters wasn’t necessarily a blessing. If a woman’s beauty was too excessive and she lacked the protective abilities to match her beauty, it could bring disaster to the family. Fortunately, the Chen family was not only the wealthiest in Jiangnan but also had a place in the jianghu. They had extensive connections and many friends in the Green Forest, and the Chen patriarch had done a favor for a sect leader, so the Chen family had some backing.

Yet despite all this, the Chen sisters disappeared without a trace on the day of the Lantern Festival when they were sixteen, right under everyone’s noses. The Chen family searched for a long time without results, and it had been three years since the Chen sisters’ disappearance. The Chen family had been spending manpower and resources to find their two daughters, and though they knew the chances were slim, they had never given up. They had even approached Hundred-Intelligence, offering a hefty sum to buy information.

Yet there had been no news.

Now, after three years, someone suddenly wanted to sell this information—how could Hong Ling not be surprised? The fee paid by the Chen family must have been substantial, and Hundred-Intelligence would get a considerable share of silver once the deal was completed.

Business people talked in terms of silver. Shen Miao did not believe that she couldn’t find the master behind all this.

…

The pavilion in the Feng Xian Pawnshop was called Linjianxian. Business was conducted on the first floor, while the second to sixth floors were for the master’s personal use.

At the moment, three people were sitting in the tea room on the sixth floor.

“Yushu, why did you arrive so quickly?” Gao Yang frowned at the person opposite him. “Without even sending a greeting.”

Sitting across from him was a youth of seventeen or eighteen. This youth was quite cute. Unlike Xie Jingxing’s dazzling handsomeness like the blazing sun, or Gao Yang’s gentle and refined features, this youth looked just like the boy next door, with an inexplicable sense of approachability. He wore a lake-green robe and had a particularly winsome smile. He said, “I heard there was a change of plans in the capital and knew that you two would need the assistance of a capable person with my extraordinary abilities, so I came back specially to help.”

“Heh,” Gao Yang’s cold laugh was his only response.

“But Third Brother Xie!” The youth called Yushu suddenly turned to him and said, “Peony Miss from the Yicui Tower has been ignoring me again recently. I feel quite anxious. Third Brother has always been popular with ladies; why not teach me your ways?”

This seemingly amiable and harmless young man was an old hand at playing with women’s hearts.

Xie Jingxing didn’t even glance at him and said, “It’s about looks.”

“Ah, does Third Brother think someone like me doesn’t have a handsome appearance?” The young man’s face reddened with anger. “Back in the day, I was a flower who was pursued by thousands of people. Is Third Brother saying such things out of jealousy of me?”

Gao Yang couldn’t stand it anymore and turned Yushu’s head in the other direction. “Ji Yushu, if you keep talking like this, you can go back.”

“Ahem,” Yushu immediately sat up straight and said seriously, “Third Brother, let’s talk about the plan for this mission.”

Before he could finish, a woman in red came up from downstairs. She was charming in appearance but didn’t enter, calling from a distance beyond the gauze: “Master.”

“Ah, Hong Ling.” Yushu instructed patiently, “I’ve told you many times, although you’re pretty, when my brothers and I are talking, you shouldn’t come up. Although I dote on you, you still can’t be so inconsiderate.” He looked young and innocent, but his words were those of an old rake. It was only because Hong Ling was his subordinate; if it had been an ordinary young woman hearing him speak like this, she would probably have blushed with embarrassment.

“Master, there… there’s a big deal, and the client insists on seeing you,” Hong Ling said.

“Hey,” Yushu waved his hand. “Which family’s son is so arrogant? My Feng Xian Pawnshop doesn’t lack silver, and who can’t afford to miss out on his business? If we don’t do it, we don’t do it. Tell him to leave. If he wants to see me, there’s no chance!”

“But Master, this business isn’t ordinary…”

“I said we’re not doing it. Feng Xian Pawnshop doesn’t serve those people.” Yushu reached out to take some snacks from in front of him.

Hong Ling was in a difficult position but had no choice. She was about to withdraw when she heard the purple-robed youth, who had been lost in thought, ask, “What kind of business is it?”

Hong Ling was startled and looked at Yushu. She knew that these two had a close relationship with her master, but after all, these were confidential matters, and just blurting them out might… Yushu, seeing her hesitant gaze, slapped his thigh and said, “Just tell them! These two are our people, they’re also shopkeepers of my Feng Xian Pawnshop. Their words are my words. In the future, when I’m not here, they’re in charge.”

Before his words had even finished, Gao Yang let out another “heh.”

Seeing this, Hong Ling felt reassured and smiled, saying, “Someone is selling information about the Chen sisters’ case from Yuzhou in Jiangnan from three years ago.”

As soon as she spoke, Gao Yang was the first to exclaim in surprise, “The Chen family case—after three years, there’s finally news? This is a big deal.”

“Indeed,” Xie Jingxing also spoke up. “The Chen family has extensive influence in the Jiangnan region. Taking on this business would bring not only silver but many more benefits.”

“So in the end, we’re doing it.” Yushu scratched his head and said, “Since you both say so, I’ll go take a look. I want to see which young man dares to trifle with me! Meeting me is very expensive, you know.”

Hong Ling couldn’t help but smile. “It’s not a young man, but a miss.”

“A miss?” Yushu’s expression changed, and he immediately beamed with delight. “Is she pretty?”

“Very pretty, she looks like someone of learning and grace.”

Yushu stood up with a “whoosh,” dusted off his robe, cupped his hands toward Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang, and smiled, “Brothers, your little brother will take his leave first.” Then he turned to Hong Ling and urgently said, “Where is she? Let’s go, let’s go. Hong Ling, why didn’t you say so earlier…”

After the two of them left, Gao Yang sighed and said to Xie Jingxing with a look of disappointment, “I thought he wouldn’t be of much use in the capital. You should send him back.”

“Even as a target, he’ll do,” Xie Jingxing said casually.

…

Shen Miao sat in the tea room, lowering her head to look at the tea leaves floating in her teacup.

Footsteps came from the entrance, followed by the gauze curtain being lifted as Hong Ling entered, respectfully bowing slightly to usher in the person behind her.

Shen Miao raised her head.

The newcomer was a youth of seventeen or eighteen who had a rare innocence about him. He wore a lake-green robe embroidered with deer patterns. People say that clothes reveal one’s character, and this young man’s character was probably cheerful, which seemed to match his age. However, Shen Miao inwardly grew more contemplative about the person before her. Being able to manage the Feng Xian Pawnshop well while also controlling the lifeline of the Hundred-Intelligence profession was not something to be underestimated. This youth was not as pure and kind as he appeared on the surface.

“I am Ji Yushu,” he said, sitting down opposite Shen Miao and smiling, cupping his hands in greeting.

“Shopkeeper Ji.”

“May I ask how old Miss Shen is?” He first threw out an irrelevant question.

Shen Miao was slightly taken aback but answered, “Fourteen.”

“Oh, that’s the prime age of beauty,” he rubbed his hands together, a gleam of enthusiasm in his eyes. “I wonder if you’re betrothed? Do you have any sisters at home?” He looked every bit like a lecher trying to harass a respectable young lady.

Hong Ling twitched the corner of her mouth and turned her head away, as if not wanting to witness her master’s rascally behavior.

Shen Miao laughed lightly. “It seems Shopkeeper Ji isn’t here to do business.” With that, she made to leave.

“Hey!” Ji Yushu was startled. “Let’s talk properly. Miss Shen, don’t be hasty. Let’s discuss business now.”

Only then did Shen Miao stop.

Ji Yushu muttered in a low voice, “She looks gentle, but why is she so fierce…” When he caught Shen Miao’s clear gaze, he immediately sat up straight and said, “Miss Shen wants to sell information about the Jiangnan Chen family case. Allow me to say one more thing: three years ago, Miss was only eleven. How did you come to know about this matter?”

“Either way, it can’t be fake. The person selling information and the person buying information will eventually meet. Whether the information is true or false, that side will decide. What is Shopkeeper Ji worried about?”

At these words, both Hong Ling and Ji Yushu paused simultaneously, looking at Shen Miao with deep meaning. From Shen Miao’s tone, she seemed thoroughly familiar with all the procedures, yet Hong Ling and Ji Yushu could confirm that Shen Miao had never been here before; she was a stranger.

“Ahem, that may be so… but how did Miss Shen learn about the business of Feng Xian Pawnshop?” Ji Yushu asked again.

“I happened to hear about it, so I came to try,” Shen Miao gave him eight words in response, revealing nothing, which caused Ji Yushu’s deliberately graceful smile to stiffen slightly.

Ji Yushu’s eyes darted around, and he suddenly changed the subject, “Then how much silver does Miss Shen want to sell this information for?”

The person buying information would pay in silver, part to the person selling the information and part to Hundred-Intelligence, with the amount being negotiated in advance.

“After this, I also want to buy some information. If Shopkeeper Ji can sell me the information I want, I won’t take a single piece of silver from the Jiangnan Yuzhou Chen family and will even pay you extra.”

Ji Yushu drew in a sharp breath.

To be honest, in all the years Feng Xian Pawnshop had been open, many things had been handed over to Hong Ling to manage, with Ji Yushu merely being a hands-off owner. This was a business with profits but minimal investment, yet it was also a very simple business, relying on connections and friendships with people of various unorthodox backgrounds. There was little need for deep thinking. But today, in his conversation with Shen Miao, he felt that her words were roundabout, leaving him somewhat at a loss. For instance, at this moment, it was something Ji Yushu could not comprehend.

However, he remembered that he was a businessman, so he asked, “What information does Miss Shen want to buy? From the way things are going, it seems quite significant. If it can’t be found, the silver might be tied up for many years. I don’t think that’s a good approach.”

“If Shopkeeper Ji is willing, it won’t take many years; it can be done right away,” Shen Miao said.

“What does this have to do with me being willing?” Ji Yushu widened his eyes. “I am not the seller.”

“The information I want to buy is that Prince Yu’s manor is plotting rebellion. However, this information is not for myself but for the royal family of Ming Qi. Does Shopkeeper Ji understand now?”

Ji Yushu was first startled by the words in her speech, nearly falling over backward, looking at Shen Miao as if she were mad. Hong Ling also widened her eyes, watching Shen Miao calmly speak these treasonous words, feeling somewhat dizzy.

The tea room was quiet for a while, until the incense had burned down by half, when Ji Yushu finally said, “Hong Ling, take them out.”

Hong Ling quickly led the few maids out. Before leaving, she glanced at Shen Miao, who picked up her teacup, her gaze as clear as a pool of water.

“Miss Shen,” Ji Yushu said, “you’re not buying information; you’re creating information.”

No one would directly tell information to an intermediary. Shen Miao’s transaction, rather than being meant for outsiders, was aimed directly at Hundred-Intelligence. She wanted to use the Hundred-Intelligence profession to spread rumors and have these rumors “accidentally” reach the royal family.

Hundred-Intelligence had many connections among the common people in the unorthodox sects, all as slippery as eels. Once they dove into the crowd, they would be clean and untraceable.

For spreading rumors, whether to ordinary families or even official families, Shen Miao had no fear. But when it involved the royal family, she couldn’t risk the Shen family, which was her calculation.

“Whether buying information or creating it, fortune favors the bold,” Shen Miao smiled slightly. “Is Shopkeeper Ji not daring enough to do this business?”

Ji Yushu scratched his head, like a troubled young man, and said, “I’m naturally very tempted by Miss Shen’s conditions, but Feng Xian Pawnshop is not a prop, nor is it a tool for power plays. If Feng Xian Pawnshop were to bring trouble upon itself because of my greed, it would truly be a betrayal of our founding ancestors.” He pressed his palms together: “As of now, the Hundred-Intelligence profession is already as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. For the sake of our ancestors, I cannot take risks. I apologize, Miss Shen.” He stood up and bowed to Shen Miao: “Feng Xian Pawnshop will not accept the information Miss Shen wants to create. If you haven’t changed your mind about the information you want to sell, I’ll have someone note it down, and when news comes from the Jiangnan Chen family, I’ll send someone to inform you. As for where to inform you, Miss can come to the pawnshop in ten days.”

Having said this, Ji Yushu gave her an apologetic smile and turned to leave. Just as his foot was about to cross out of the tea room, Shen Miao’s voice came from behind: “Shopkeeper Ji, if the stake for the business is not enough, would adding the Mighty Warrior General Shen family be sufficient?”

Ji Yushu was startled and turned around.

The purple-robed young woman lowered her head, looking at the teacup in front of her as if she could see a flower in it. Her voice was calm and unwavering, yet it carried a heavy tension that made the entire tea room feel unusually confining.

“If you can agree to do this business, from now on, the Mighty Warrior General’s manor in the capital will become part of your Hundred-Intelligence network.”

…

Upstairs, Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing were still drinking tea when they suddenly heard an anxious voice: “Brothers, something terrible has happened!” Looking up, they saw Ji Yushu rushing in clumsily.

He lifted the bead curtain with one motion, sat down at the table, grabbed the cup left earlier, poured himself a full cup of tea, gulped it down, and then gasped, “I was scared to death!”

“What happened to you?” Gao Yang teased. “Weren’t you in a hurry to see the beauty earlier? What’s wrong? The beauty isn’t beautiful?”

“Very beautiful, very beautiful.”

“That’s strange,” Gao Yang stroked his chin and thought. “Could it be that the beauty was fierce, and you angered her?”

For someone as frivolous as Ji Yushu, he was indeed disliked everywhere he went. Shy young ladies were still better; those a bit older often mocked him with great enjoyment.

“Not just fierce!” Ji Yushu said with lingering fear. “She’s practically a demon! Ahem, I’ve been running Hundred-Intelligence for so many years, but this is the first time I’ve encountered someone doing business like this.”

“Isn’t it just about the Jiangnan Chen family case? Could it be that she opened her mouth too wide and asked for a lot of silver?” Gao Yang asked.

“Not just opening her mouth too wide! It’s like a bottomless pit!”

“What exactly is it?” Xie Jingxing glanced at him. “If you don’t speak properly, I’ll throw you out of here.”

“Ahem, this client doesn’t want silver for selling information about the Jiangnan Chen family; she says she wants to use it to offset the cost of buying information. Do you know what information she wants to buy? She wants to buy information about the royal family, information that Prince Yu’s manor is plotting rebellion! Damn it!” Ji Yushu couldn’t help but curse. “She wants to use our Feng Xian Pawnshop as a raft, to have us create information for her!”

Hearing this, Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing’s expressions gradually became serious. Ji Yushu was playful and probably didn’t understand the severity of the situation, but the two of them knew the danger in Ji Yushu’s words.

This client’s method was truly brutal.

Ji Yushu was still complaining resentfully: “Why? Why should my well-run Feng Xian Pawnshop be someone else’s raft? If something happens in the future, she’ll run away in a flash, and my pawnshop will suffer. Do they think I’m a fool!”

“If that’s the case, you should have just refused,” Gao Yang said.

“Hehehe,” Ji Yushu suddenly changed from indignation to laughter and said, “Fortunately, I’m good at bargaining. I forced her to offer a larger price. Guess what it is?”

“What?” Xie Jingxing asked lazily.

“It’s the Mighty Warrior General Shen’s family from the capital! If this deal is made, the Shen family will become one of Hundred-Intelligence’s connections. See how I’ve helped you both so much just after returning? Thank me quickly!” Ji Yushu laughed uproariously.

The Shen family?

Xie Jingxing stared at him and slowly asked, “Who was the visitor?”

“A young girl, quite pretty, with the surname Shen, probably from the Shen family,” Ji Yushu scratched his head. “But she’s very fierce, completely ignoring my charm.”