Chapter 39 Gift Giving
Although Hong Xi was demoted from gang leader to deputy gang leader by Ruan Xing, Hong Xi did not hate Ruan Xing but felt relieved instead. He was originally a spokesperson fostered by the Red-headed Taoist, not the real boss. He did not have much say of his own and could just report any problems that could not be solved directly to the Red-headed Taoist.
After the death of the Red Head Taoist, all the problems fell on Hong Xi alone. He suddenly felt as if he could not breathe. His many years of experience as a gang leader made him appear calm on the surface, but he was actually very confused. He didn't know how he, with only a little internal strength, could lead the Red Head Gang to gain a foothold in Jiangning City without the backing of the Red Head Taoist.
After all, he had enjoyed wealth and glory over the years, so naturally he didn't want to fall into disgrace.
Now that Ruan Xing is here, he has a backbone again. Naturally, he doesn't want Ruan Xing to run away from the bottom of his heart, and his intuition tells him that Ruan Xing is serious about recruiting the Red Head Gang for her own use. She really wants to solve the crisis from the city lord for the Red Head Gang. If it is finally confirmed that Ruan Xing has really run away, Hong Xi can't help but feel a sinking feeling in his heart, because that would prove that the city lord is determined to deal with the Red Head Gang, and he can't even save her. He can only find an opportunity to run away as soon as possible.
He was about to say something to comfort them and ask them not to quarrel pointlessly when he heard a familiar sneer.
The sound came from far away and gradually approached. A dilapidated carriage slowly approached. The horses pulling the carriage were already exhausted and it looked like they had only traveled a short distance.
Ruan Xing sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain beside the window to reveal half of his face, and said with a half-smile: "This manager is right, I did run away with the money. Now there is no money in the account, what should I do? Since this manager is so worried about the gang's affairs, why don't you raise money for charity and start with you?"
The few people who had just spoken disrespectfully to Ruan Xing suddenly turned pale and trembled, unable to speak. I don't know how much this little devil has heard. Given her temper, would she start a killing spree again?
Hong Xi sighed inwardly. He could tell that the new gang leader was a money-hungry person. Seeing that the others didn't know how to react, in order to save their lives, Hong Xi had to take the lead himself. He clasped his fists and said, "Gang leader, please do this for the sake of justice. I am willing to donate a thousand taels to help the gang get through this difficult time!"
With Hong Xi breaking the deadlock, the other people also woke up from their dreams and vied to show their loyalty to Ruan Xing.
"I am also willing to donate a thousand taels!"
"I am willing to donate 1,200 taels!"
"I am willing to donate 1,500 taels!"
"I am willing to donate two thousand taels!"
The manager who had just scolded Ruan Xing felt uneasy in his heart. He made up his mind and shouted out a high price of two thousand taels with trembling lips. This was already one-third of his wealth, hoping to buy back his life.
The influence of yesterday was still there, and Ruan Xing was very happy to see such a scene. She had acted so fierce yesterday just to make an example of her. Now the monkeys were scared to death of her, and there was no need for her to be killed again, so as to avoid backfire. These people felt that working under her was too scary, so they might as well run away with their families.
As for being scolded a few times, it’s no big deal. Being a leader is always going to be scolded. Anyway, they can’t do anything to her. When she was a corporate slave, she would scold her boss eight hundred times a day.
"I am very pleased that all the managers are so understanding!" Ruan Xing smiled, "Hu San, please write down the donation amounts of all the managers and show them to me after checking and storing them."
"Yes, I obey!"
Hu San responded and jumped off the carriage. The managers immediately surrounded him and went home to get the money.
Although they were heartbroken to have to donate part of their wealth, escaping the scene might be a blessing in disguise. They didn't want to stay in the same place with this little devil at all.
Hong Xi and Zhang Chenghui did not leave. Ruan Xing took a glance and remembered what he had asked him to do yesterday. He asked, "Xiaohui, have you bought the coffin?"
"Yes, please give me your instructions, boss." Zhang Chenghui answered with his head lowered. Fortunately, he didn't say anything more just now, otherwise he would be in trouble if the boss remembered him. He also donated one thousand taels just now, so the boss should be able to calm down, right?
"Well, prepare the body for burial and come with me to the City Lord's Mansion later."
Ruan Xing got off the carriage, holding a little girl about her age by the hand. The little girl had a dull look in her eyes. She would only move if Ruan Xing took a step with her. Otherwise, she would just stand there motionless like a sculpture.
There was no way. The little girl was a puppet without a master. Ruan Xing could not order her to act and could only lead her step by step.
Zhang Chenghui went to do what she asked him to do. Hong Xi was still there. He asked, "Boss, did you work so hard last night just for this child?"
"Yes." Ruan Xing looked at Hong Xi and suddenly asked, "This is the city lord's little granddaughter. Do you know that the red-headed Taoist kidnapped her?"
"This..." A trace of surprise flashed across Hong Xi's face, "I don't know."
I guess he didn't know either, otherwise he wouldn't have died in every simulation before. The Red-Headed Taoist even kept these things from him and didn't trust him much.
"Prepare the carriage. Pick out the good things from the boxes at the door of the study and come with me to the City Lord's Mansion later." Ruan Xing's own carriage was originally rented from a rental company, and after being chopped by swords in the simulation, it was already worn out. It would be too shabby for her to go to the City Lord's Mansion in such a carriage.
When giving gifts, they have to be decent, right?
She called a maid to prepare hot water and new clothes, and personally washed the little girl and dressed her up neatly.
She yawned and took a cold shower to wake herself up. Originally, she wanted to let the maid clean up the little girl since the little girl was not aggressive. However, she was worried that the stitches in the little girl's mouth and the unhealed scars on her body would scare the maid and cause more trouble.
It’s better for you to do it yourself and catch up on some sleep after returning from the City Lord’s Mansion.
After they took a shower and changed their clothes, and Zhang Chenghui and Hong Xi finished their work, they set off for the City Lord's Mansion.
Just like the simulated memory, after explaining the purpose of the visit, the servant guarding the gate happily let them in, but only allowed Ruan Xing to go in and pay a visit to the city lord.
Ruan Xing took the little girl's hand, patted her hand, asked her to wait at the door, and went in alone.
The servant led her to the pavilion in the garden, where the city lord was lying on a lounge chair in the shade, resting with his eyes closed.
"My name is Ruan Xing, and I am the new leader of the Red Head Gang. Nice to meet you, Lord City Lord."
The city lord lifted his eyelids and looked at her, putting on a gentle smile, "So it's Little Boss Ruan. You're old and your eyes are blurry and you can't hear clearly. Come closer and sit down and let's talk."
There was a stone table and small stools in the pavilion, and Ruan Xing walked over and sat down.
The city lord asked, "What's the matter?"
"Of course I'm here to give you a gift. It's just a small gift and I hope you will accept it."
"Boss Ruan is thoughtful, but I'm an old man with one foot in the ground. I don't need those things. You should just take them back."
Ruan Xing smiled and said, "Those are just extras. The real gift is outside the door." The city lord immediately became interested, straightened up slightly, and stared at Ruan Xing with sharp eyes: "Is the gift you mentioned what I need?"
"Whether it's true or not, you'll know when you see her. Why don't you bring her here now?"
“…Okay.” The city lord straightened his disheveled clothes and sat up straight. Having lived for so many years and having seen all kinds of storms, he suddenly felt nervous, both expectant and timid, and even a little afraid.
He couldn't help but wonder, were what Ruan Xing said and what he was thinking the same thing?
Will he really be able to see Nannan again in his lifetime?
Ruan Xing got the city lord's permission and went back to bring the little girl over. As soon as they appeared in the city lord's field of vision, before they got close, the city lord was already in tears. He walked up to them with a unsteady step and knelt on the ground.
"Nannan, it's my Nannan...how come you haven't grown up at all...you're still exactly the same as before..." He stretched out his dry, wrinkled hand and quickly retracted it, not daring to touch.
After hesitating for a while, his fingers finally touched the little girl's cold cheek.
The little girl was stunned and didn't react at all.
As expected, her luck was still so bad. The little girl couldn’t recognize her grandfather at all. Ruan Xing looked up at the sky sadly.
When the city lord calmed down a little, he asked, "What happened to Nannan?"
"She's dead." As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the old man almost fainted from joy and sorrow, and hurriedly continued: "Although she is dead, the Red-headed Taoist made her into a puppet. She can still run and move. She can live another 40 to 50 years in her current form. If the city lord is willing, he can communicate with her mind."
"But what's the difference between her being like this and being dead!" The city lord said in anger, "Do you have any way to restore her sanity? It doesn't matter if her body doesn't grow up. I can support her for the rest of her life, but she can't live in a daze. I want her to live a happy life."
Ruan Xing hesitated and said, "This...can't be done."
There might be some ghost cultivators in this world who could do it, but she is just a mortal.
The city lord held the girl's cold body in his arms, his eyes sharp, "You want to use a girl like this to exchange for the lives of hundreds of people in your gang?"
Ruan Xing had anticipated the city lord's dissatisfaction, and she said indifferently: "Your granddaughter is as precious as gold and jade, and my gang members are just worthless lives. If the city lord doesn't want to, then forget it."
Seeing Ruan Xing's answer, the city lord was surprised and confused. After a moment of silence, he said, "My term of office will expire in three years. I will petition His Majesty to return to the capital as soon as possible. There is a national master in Huaining City. I heard that the national master has great powers. I will ask him to help me save my daughter."
After a pause, the city lord continued, "The evildoer used evil magic to harm people, and has been brought to justice. His head has been displayed to the public. Jiangning City can now be at peace."
"What about the assassination case of the assistant magistrate?" Ruan Xing hinted at something.
"This case has nothing to do with the demons. It was done by some scoundrels seeking personal revenge. Fortunately, Gang Leader Ruan is impartial and has assisted the Patrol Security Division in arresting the murderer. The murderer in this case is extremely evil and has defied the authority of the government. I have ordered that all those involved in the case be executed immediately."
"Your Excellency the City Lord is wise." Ruan Xing bowed and then took out a small wooden plaque from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
"This is……?"
"Her spirit."
The city lord quickly took it, took a look at it, and then carefully hid it in his arms and kept it close to his body. He looked at Ruan Xing with a complicated expression: "I didn't expect that at such a young age, you have such a deep mind, just like an adult."
If he had not surrendered just now, Ruan Xing would probably have escaped with the wooden sign. Even if he massacred the Red Head Gang three days later to vent his anger, there was no hope of saving his daughter.
"I don't deserve it." Ruan Xing said calmly.
This was the result she obtained after many simulations. If she gave the wooden sign directly to the city lord, he would immediately turn against her.
A gentleman's promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. If the city lord waits until he has made his promise before giving the wooden sign, he will not break his previous promise because he is still a bit pedantic like a scholar.
Ruan Xing delivered the three gifts one by one: the valuable treasure, the murderer's body, and the city lord's granddaughter. The cooperation was reached, and Ruan Xing went home. It was noon, a good time to catch up on some sleep.
Soon, the news of the case being closed spread, and when Ruan Xing had just woken up and was having dinner, Hong Xi came to report to her.
She lazily lay on the chaise longue, surrounded by several young girls, one was fanning her, two were massaging her legs to relax her, and another was holding a bowl of ice cream and fruit platter, feeding her food on a silver skewer.
It’s such a great enjoyment on a hot summer day…
Ruan Xing felt relaxed and at ease listening to Hong Xi's praise for her.
"The leader is really amazing. He solved the most important issue in the gang in just one day. I admire you!"
Before, Hong Xi either frowned or had a gloomy face every day, but now his face was full of joy and relaxation. Seeing Zhang Chenghui sending people to serve Ruan Xing like a fawning eunuch, he couldn't help but wonder in his heart whether he should also flatter Ruan Xing more?
It would have been fine if Zhang Chenghui had given him beautiful maids before, but why did he continue to give beautiful maids after the gang leader became a new one? Hong Xi felt that although the gang leader was still young, his intelligence was far superior to those muscular men in the gang, so he should at least give him some handsome boys.
He decided to let Lu Youqi look for it carefully when he got back, as he had experience in finding boys.
"Okay, stop talking about these useless things. I asked you to find out the information about Luoqi Dan. Have you put your heart into it? It's been the whole afternoon. Your efficiency needs to be improved." Ruan Xing asked in a cold tone while eating the cool and sweet fruit.
Although she was enjoying herself, she did not forget her main business. She was now stuck in the acquired realm and could not advance. She was in urgent need of Luoqi Pills. When she came back from the City Lord's Mansion, she asked Hong Xi to check it out. No matter if it was the finished pill, the pill formula, or the raw materials, all the information she could get should be sent to her.
She had been awake for a while, but Hong Xi still hadn't made any progress.
Hong Xi was speechless. This was the first time he had heard of the term Luoqi Dan. Moreover, in the entire Jiangning City, only the city lord had a Thousand Feather Guard at the post-natal level. There were no other masters. Otherwise, they would not have been bewitched by the skills and medicines given by the Red Head Taoist, and relied on the Red Head Gang's series of small internal strength to bully others in Jiangning City.
The Qianling Guards beside the city lord were specially assigned by His Majesty to protect his safety. There must be Luoqi Pills in the palace, but she doesn't want to have anything to do with the capital.
After all, the male and female protagonists of the original book were both in the capital city of Huaining. She had not forgotten that she was actually a transmigrator in the book and had long been separated from the plot. With such bad luck, how could she dare to compete with the destined protagonist again.
Unless she couldn't find any information about Luoqi Dan, she would never go to Huaining.
(End of this chapter)
