160 Concealmen

In Central Square, a young lady walked through the crowds with a sense of purpose. The people parted slightly as she bravely approached a small establishment with an intricate wood construction. She attracted awkward glances and disdainful stares on her way to the front desk. Pretty girls with bright complexions and refined expressions evaluated her as she walked up to the matron of the establishment.

"My name is Hong Meigui , and my dream is to become the world's best tea server!" she said with a determined yet distinctly feminine voice.

Hong Meigui's determination and natural good looks quickly won her a position in the reputed establishment. That evening, she was quizzed on her knowledge of various teas and tea-serving etiquette, as well as her skills in holding a pleasant conversation. After assuring herself that the girl's skill matched her determination, the matron arranged for two senior tea servers to give her a haircut and a makeover.

Despite their insistence in giving her a bath, Hong Meigui stubbornly refused. It was only once she emerged from the bathroom perfectly washed and scrubbed to their satisfaction that they relented. Instead, they focused on painting her nails and cutting her hair so that it matched the establishment's standard style. They also arranged for appropriate clothes to be tailored to her supplied dimensions.

The next morning, they introduced her to their regular clientele. Middle-aged men showed up in droves to greet their newest darling.

***

"Well, have you found him?" Elder Bai asked in a stern and infuriated voice. The older man's eyes were bloodshot; it was clear he hadn't rested since the second young master's disappearance.

"I've looked all night, but I haven't found the slightest trace," Li Ming replied. "Should we be so hurried, though? I've heard the young master's survival abilities are legendary. More to the point, that man must have given him some sort of protective treasure he could rely on."

"You will not relax for a single second until he is found," Elder Bai said. "If you'd kept tabs on Hei Ling like you should have, we could ask him where the young master ran off to. If he doesn't come back, I'll have your head. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Li Ming replied before returning to his search.

Elder Bai fidgeted as he read through many incoming reports. Unfortunately, quantity did not equal quality. No one had seen a trace of the young master since his disappearance the day before.

***

It had been a busy morning for Hong Meigui. She laughed at her patrons' not-so-clever jokes and blushed at their insinuations. Thankfully, there was no groping involved, as such behavior would result in their immediate expulsion. It was one of the many reasons she'd chosen the Violet Wind Tea House to begin with.

"Thank you for coming!" she said as she bowed to the guests she'd just served. She cleaned and stowed away the tea set with refined grace as the two gentlemen concluded their business discussion. She had no doubt that this information was how the teahouse made most of its profits. In the future, she'd consider starting her own teahouse. For now, however, she had much to learn.

"Your talent is wasted in this establishment," the middle-aged man said. "If you were to serve guests at my estate, the additional business generated would be nothing to sneeze at. Name your conditions, and I'll take you out of this place."

"My apologies, sir, but I'll have to refuse," Hong Meigui said with a sweet smile while covering her cherry lips. "Working here has always been my dream. Now that I've finally gotten past the most difficult hurdle, I really want to stay here for as long as possible. I know that I don't have much time remaining."

The man sighed. "That's true. Everyone who works here is at most twenty-seven years old. However, that doesn't mean that it's the end of the road for you. If you're ever looking for employment, remember that this old man will always have a place for you at the Cai estate."

"I'll be sure to remember your generosity," Hong Meigui said while bowing deeply. The man nodded and left the room.

"It's not often that our ladies refuse such a tempting offer," the matron said with a smile as she walked into the room. "Most take off as soon as a suitable opportunity arises."

"I was serious when I told you that this is was my dream." Hong Meigui said as she finished cleaning up. "Whom will you be requiring me to serve next? It's almost closing time, but I'm sure there are many regulars who've yet to meet me."

"Strangely enough, it was a new customer who requested you," the matron said. "Tidy yourself up for an incense time before heading into Room 43."

Hong Meigui breathed in deeply. She composed herself before donning her usual sweet smile and walking into the last guest room. She was greeted by a cold figure in a black hooded robe. Her smile faded lightly as she gulped, then regained her composure.

Hong Meigui walked to her seat in front of the mysterious guest and kneeled down on the soft pillow reserved for the second guest. This was the teahouse's custom when serving lone guests.

"May I know what tea this esteemed sir would like to drink?" she asked.

The man paused a while before answering. Hong Meigui could feel his cold gaze scanning her thoroughly, leaving nothing unchecked.

"Pu'er tea will be fine," he said in a young voice she'd heard once before. It was the voice of the second young master of the Wang family, Wang Jun. She pushed this small detail out of her mind before opening the drawer with unsurpassed grace. She opened the container with her left hand despite being accustomed to using her right. After retrieving a single scoop of the extremely expensive tea, she poured hot water into the small brewing cup and immediately poured it over the lone cup in front of her guest. This first washing step was necessary for bringing up the temperature of the porcelain cup and disinfecting it.

"Why don't you keep this lonely man company and drink a few cups?" the man asked.

"It would be my honor," Hong Meigui said as she skillfully retrieved a second cup. This request wasn't unusual with single guests. "What might I call this esteemed elder?"

The man chuckled. "I'm hardly an elder. In fact, I'm barely over twenty. You may call me Young Master Wang."

"I'm sure that Young Master Wang is a handsome man," Hong Meigui replied. "Would you like me to stow away your cloak?"

"That won't be necessary," the man said. "You're very skillful for someone who just started this morning. Where did you learn to brew tea?"

"I haven't told any other guests this story, but for you, I'll make an exception," Hong Meigui said. "I was born in a small town called Fallowroot City. It's only a few days' walk away. My father is Hong Hao, and he used to own a tea shop in the capital. He was a very skilled owner, but unfortunately, he had a terrible mind for business. In fact, you paid a visit to this business once two years ago."

"I recall this faintly," the man said.

"Eventually his shop closed," Hong Meigui said. "As his only child, he taught me everything he knew about tea." She let out soft sigh. "It's a pity that he passed away a year ago. That's when I decided to become the best tea server in the city and eventually own the best tea shop."

"So you've come to scout out the competition." The man chuckled. "How interesting. We have a need for ambitious minds like you. Would you like to work for the Wang family?"

Hong Meigui hesitated before ultimately shaking her head. "I still have much to learn. It's best that I wait until I'm ready before proceeding with this dream of mine."

"Don't you know you're insulting me?" the man said suddenly, releasing a stifling pressure. She hovered on the brink of consciousness before the pressure was immediately released. However, she felt a hand grasp her neck and pin her to the wall. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of her mouth.

"I don't like it when little girls disobey me," the man said as he held a black dagger up to her face. "Why don't you apologize?"

Hong Meigui could do nothing but helplessly gasp for breath as she struggled against the man's powerful grip. She tried to scream but to no avail. Her face turned red as she tried to squirm free. A pool of wetness formed at her feet as she slowly lost control of her body and eventually fell unconscious.

***

"Was I wrong?" the man said doubtfully.

Out of the seventy-six suspicious characters that had suddenly appeared in the city, this Hong Meigui was the most suspicious. The guards had no record of her, but that wasn't a dead giveaway. Although her technique was different, it was similar in many ways to Wang Jun's tea-brewing method. What intrigued him the most was that the choice followed Wang Jun's thought pattern, which he had grown very familiar with in his time at the Jade Bamboo Conglomerate.

Grimacing in disgust, he tossed her to the ground away from the pool of urine. Just to be sure, he lightly groped the woman's body, both ensuring that the lady bits weren't fake and looking for any treasures that might be found on the body.

"I guess she's just an unfortunate girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, sighing. He might be an assassin, but he wasn't unscrupulous.

He stowed his dagger before disappearing from the room. A few screams confirmed that the staff had found the woman's unconscious body. Hong Meigui would be fine. Wang Jun, on the other hand, wouldn't be so lucky. He'd left a surprise on his dagger, and even a strong-willed person like the second young master would only be able to resist for a short time before collapsing under the strain.

***

"I'm so sorry, my dear," the matron said soothingly. "We usually don't get characters like these. I'll make sure that this despicable Wang Jun fellow gets a lifelong ban for this."

"Thank you, Matron," Hong Meigui said. Her eyes were red from all the crying she'd done.

"Make sure you get a good rest tonight, and you'll get the day off tomorrow," the matron said. "Let me know if you need anything, and I'll take care of it personally."

Hong Meigui nodded as the woman retreated from her small bedroom. As soon as the door closed, she scampered to the small board in the floor where she held one of her most precious possessions: a small gold ring.

***

Wang Jun sighed in relief as the talisman finally dissipated.

Elder Bai, I'm fine, Wang Jun sent mentally once the bubble of interference dissipated. Don't alert anyone but Protector Ren. I'm situated on the first floor of the Violet Wind Tea House.

It wasn't long before Protector Ren arrived. The black-cloaked cultivator raised his eyebrow. Wang Jun rolled his eyes as he dismissed his disguise. He was no longer a woman but a young man with blond hair.

The next day, operations in the Jade Bamboo Auction House resumed as normal, minus one small detail—the odd rumor buzzing around the crown prince's faction that Wang Jun had physically assaulted a new waitress in the Violet Wind Tea House.