Chapter 352: The Brave Prevail When Paths Cross Yuan Shanchuan was momentarily surprised but immediately became interested. "Oh? Really? Da Niu, tell me what has happened in the family during my absence." Da Niu began recounting the events that had taken place since Shu Yu's return. He mentioned how the plot by the Ruans to sell the twins had failed, how Da Ya had successfully divorced and escaped the deception, and how Zhang Shu had faced consequences for his actions. He also mentioned how Second Uncle's leg had been treated and how the clothing store had flourished under Second Aunt's skilled hands. The garments from Yiren Pavilion were highly favored by the ladies of prominent families in the county town. The more Yuan Shanchuan listened, the more astonished he became. He hadn't expected such earth-shattering changes to occur in Da Niu's family in just over a month. Da Niu, too, was growing increasingly shocked as he recounted the events. He hadn't thought about it in detail before, but now he realized that Shu Yu had been the driving force behind all the improvements in Second Uncle's family. It was Shu Yu who had proposed opening the store, insisted on helping Da Ya divorce and handled the arrangements, exposed the Ruans' plot, and funded the treatment for Second Uncle's leg. Not only that, even Third Uncle's employment had been arranged by Shu Yu. And now, even their visit to the black market today. Shu Yu had taken measured steps and made steady progress, displaying maturity and decisiveness. On the other hand, Yuan Shanchuan, who had limited exposure to the world, felt a sense of surprise and wonder. As the eldest grandson of the Lu family, Da Niu felt... deeply ashamed. Yuan Shanchuan turned his head and saw the deeply affected expression on Da Niu's face. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out and patted his shoulder, saying, "You're doing well too; it's just that your upbringing was different from Shu Yu's." Wasn't he the same? If he hadn't experienced so many things, he might be even less capable than Da Niu. But now, seeing Shu Yu's accomplishments, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of bitterness. Both of them fell into silent reflection. Meanwhile, Shu Yu had already reached the corridor on the third floor. There was a shop assistant stationed there to attend to any customer needs, providing convenient service whenever required. As Shu Yu stepped out, the assistant approached and asked, "Do you have any instructions, sir?" Shu Yu shook her head. "No." She waved her hand, and the assistant stepped back, no longer asking further questions. Shu Yu sighed and casually glanced at the private room, its door tightly shut. It was incredibly challenging to catch a glimpse of the person inside. Deciding to give it a try, she began walking in that direction. To her surprise, after only a few steps, she saw a person wearing a curtain hat walking towards her. Shu Yu took a quick glance at the person and immediately focused on their clothes. Hmm... They looked familiar. Wasn't this the same outfit that Zhao Xi was wearing when she bumped into him at the staircase earlier? Could this person be Zhao Xi? But the clothes Zhao Xi wore were relatively common, and based on the clothing alone, it was difficult to be sure. Shu Yu observed the person's walking posture, which seemed quite familiar. She decided to give it a try. If it turned out to be Zhao Xi, that would be perfect. If not, she would continue searching. With that in mind, Shu Yu slowed her pace. Zhao Xi also maintained his steady gait, especially when he noticed the middle-aged man approaching from the opposite direction, whom he seemed to have seen somewhere before. He even hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether he should turn back to the private room on the second floor. However, leaving abruptly at this moment would raise suspicions. So, Zhao Xi continued walking with a composed demeanor, as if nothing had happened. Just as he was about to reach the entrance of the auctioned scroll's private room, Shu Yu suddenly quickened her pace and charged towards him.

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Chapter 351: Like an Heir to the Family Business Zhao Xi called out again, then stopped as he had expected. As he predicted, the painting was snatched away by the person in the third-floor private room. The auction price was 12,000 taels. Zhao Xi grinned and turned to Meng Yunzheng. "The guest in the third-floor private room must be an avid admirer of yours. Offering such a price is a sign of true love for you." He had estimated that this painting wasn't Ah Yun's best work. If it were on the market, 5,000 taels would be considered a high price. Even in the black market, it wouldn't exceed 12,000 taels. The bidder didn't hesitate at all when offering the price. Not only would he go up to 12,000 taels, but Zhao Xi speculated that if someone else had bid, he would have continued to raise the price. Zhao Xi was intrigued and wanted to know who the person was. However, they were here for business and should keep a low profile, avoiding unnecessary attention. So Zhao Xi remained seated properly in the private room, waiting for the next auction item to be brought up on stage. However, he didn't stay in the private room for too long. Perhaps due to drinking too much tea, he urgently needed to use the restroom. He told Meng Yunzheng, "I'll go downstairs for a moment and be back soon." After speaking, he picked up the nearby curtain hat, put it on, and hurried away. Due to the special status of the guests on the second and third floors, the black market had prepared curtain hats. If a guest wanted one, it would be provided to ensure privacy while entering and exiting the private rooms. When Shu Yu went upstairs earlier, she was in a hurry to take Yuan Shanchuan to the room to rest and didn't plan on bidding for any items, so the absence of a curtain hat was not a big issue. But both Meng Yunzheng and Zhao Xi were interested in bidding for items, so Zhao Xi took the curtain hat and left the room. He didn't waste much time and returned after finishing his business. However, when he stood at the staircase on the second floor, Zhao Xi couldn't help but glance in the direction of the third floor. He didn't do anything else; he was just trying his luck, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person who bought the painting. It shouldn't be a problem to find out who loved Ah Yun so deeply. After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Xi lifted his foot and walked towards the third floor. At the same time, in the private room on the third floor, Shu Yu turned her head and said to Yuan Shanchuan and Da Niu, "You two stay here; I'm going out to take a look." Da Niu immediately became nervous. "Ah Yu, what are you planning to do?" "Don't worry, I know what kind of place this is, and I won't cause any trouble. I just want to see if I have a chance to meet the person who bought the painting." Yuan Shanchuan frowned and said, "The black market doesn't disclose the identity of buyers. They value customer privacy here." "I know, so I'm just going for a stroll, looking for an opportunity. I don't have any intention to make a move in the black market." Shu Yu straightened her clothes and confidently went out. The door to the private room closed again, leaving only the two of them inside. Yuan Shanchuan then spoke up, "Da Niu, where did Ah Yu grow up before?" "Huh?" Da Niu was taken aback. "Fourth Uncle, why do you ask?" "Nothing, I just feel that she doesn't seem like a child raised in a farmer's family like us. She seems more like a young lady from a wealthy household... No, more like a young master who has inherited the family business." Da Niu pondered for a moment and thought that the description by his fourth uncle was quite fitting. "Ah Yu hasn't mentioned her past life much, but she's indeed very independent. Ever since she returned, Second Uncle's family has been doing well, and they even opened a shop in the county town."

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 Chapter 350: The Certainty of Success

 Chapter 349: Shu Yu's Plan

 Chapter 348: This is Clearly Robbery

Chapter 347: Accidentally Entering the Black Market It seemed like it was fate. Seizing the opportunity while both sides were distracted, Yuan Shanchuan reached out his hand in the darkness and took hold of the painting. Slowly and cautiously, he retreated, step by step, moving away from the woods and running in a different direction. When he finally snapped out of his daze, he had already escaped far, far away. At this crucial moment, Yuan Shanchuan had no choice but to take matters into his own hands. Being cautious, he remembered stories he had heard from his escort friend about incidents that occurred during their journeys. Recalling those details, he clumsily concealed any traces of his involvement. He knew that this was a matter of life and death, and one wrong move could lead to the same fate as the two escorts. Perhaps due to luck or maybe because both sides from that fateful night were too injured to bother searching for him, Yuan Shanchuan managed to hide for several days without revealing his whereabouts. He didn't dare to return home, fearing that it would bring trouble to his family. Therefore, he needed to quickly return to the city and deliver the painting to the county magistrate at the yamen. But with all the detours, hiding in the mountains, and pretending to be someone else, Yuan Shanchuan had exhausted all the money he had earned along the way. Finally, after all the hardship, he arrived outside the gates of Jiangyuan County. He was on the brink of victory, and tears of joy almost welled up in his eyes. However, his good fortune came to an end at that moment. Before he could enter the city, he saw the group of bandits guarding the city gate. Yuan Shanchuan was terrified and didn't dare to enter the city. He could only run in the opposite direction. His hasty escape made him appear suspicious among the crowd entering the city. The bandits immediately sensed that something was amiss and cautiously approached him. In a state of panic, Yuan Shanchuan kept his head down, desperately trying to get away. "Then I saw a convoy that seemed formidable. Some people were gathered, talking, while the last carriage that transported miscellaneous goods was temporarily unattended. In a moment of impulse, I directly hid inside the carriage." Shu Yu paused for a moment, uncertain, and asked, "This convoy, is it the black market's convoy?" "Yes." Yuan Shanchuan nodded. "Inside the carriage, there happened to be a large box. After hiding in it, I didn't dare to move. I thought the convoy was heading into the city, so I planned to find an opportunity to escape once I got inside." Little did he know that the convoy didn't enter the city gates but instead headed towards the outskirts and finally stopped at this estate. Da Niu questioned with confusion, "Are you saying that the carriage went straight into this estate? But our carriage couldn't enter beyond that bamboo forest outside." Yuan Shanchuan replied, "I'm not sure about that. The carriage I hid in did indeed stop inside this estate." Shu Yu rubbed her chin and said, "It seems like this black market has another entrance and exit." She looked at Yuan Shanchuan and asked, "What happened next? Did you stay in this black market the whole time?" "Yes, originally, I planned to quietly leave while they weren't paying attention. But this estate is strange. I couldn't find my way out no matter what. It seems this place has traps or formations that make it easy for ordinary people to get lost."

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Chapter 346: Encounter with Bandits Yuan Shanchuan was enticed by the rumors of lucrative wages. Although he didn't possess martial arts skills like the other escorts, he was in his prime and had physical strength. Assisting in transporting goods seemed like a suitable job for him. In a hurry to depart, Yuan Shanchuan had originally planned to find someone familiar or from his village in the county town to pass on a message to his family. Unfortunately, he didn't encounter any acquaintances, and the others couldn't afford to wait for him. Thus, he had no choice but to leave the town first. According to the estimated journey, he would be back in around ten days. He had informed his family beforehand that if he encountered other tasks, it might cause a delay of a few days. Little did he know that this delay would last for over a month. Yuan Shanchuan recalled the thrilling experiences during those days and still felt a lingering fear. "After we left the county town and traveled for two days, we didn't make it in time to find lodging one evening, so we camped out in the wilderness. Unexpectedly, we were attacked by bandits that night. Luckily, I went to relieve myself in the woods behind us. When I returned, I saw three or four men in black engaging in a fight with the others. My escort friend was kicked out and heavily fell to the ground, just three steps away from me, barely clinging to life." That was his friend, and despite being terrified, Yuan Shanchuan quietly approached, intending to drag him into the woods during the cover of darkness and find a way to save him. However, the escort grasped his arm and told him that among the cargo they were transporting, there was a very important item—a painting containing crucial case files related to the safety of the people of Jiangyuan County. It was in the second carriage. The escort urged him to find it and return to the city to deliver it to the county magistrate, making sure it wouldn't be snatched away by others. Yuan Shanchuan wanted to inquire further, but the escort couldn't hold on any longer. His grip loosened, and he took his last breath. Yuan Shanchuan was in a state of panic and had an instinctive feeling that the item was trouble and should not be meddled with. However, he was held back by the words "related to the safety of the people of Jiangyuan County," including himself and his whole family. Yet, he was just a small figure, lacking the ability to shoulder such a heavy burden. Yuan Shanchuan wanted to run, but his feet wouldn't move. At that moment, another escort was killed. Their convoy consisted of only five people to begin with—three escorts and two ordinary individuals with no martial arts skills, one of whom was Yuan Shanchuan. Now that the two skilled escorts had died, there was only one escort left to resist, along with one ordinary person who had turned and fled in fear. Seeing the other person run away, the remaining escort, unable to contend with three opponents alone, gritted his teeth and also fled. With two escorts dead and one escort and an ordinary person gone, Yuan Shanchuan hid behind the trees, not daring to make a sound. The three bandits didn't pursue any further. They directly began searching the carriages for the item they sought. Yuan Shanchuan held his breath and watched as they rummaged through the carriages. The painting was well hidden, but despite the commotion caused by the three bandits, they still managed to find it. However, just as they were about to leave with the painting, another group of people appeared, launching an attack to seize the artwork. The two sides clashed once again, and the situation became chaotic. The fight almost spilled over to Yuan Shanchuan's hiding spot. It was at this moment that, by sheer coincidence, the painting fell just a short distance away from Yuan Shanchuan, within his reach.

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 Chapter 345: Events from One Month Ago

Chapter 344: Fourth Uncle, Nice to Meet You Da Niu pulled a chair and sat beside the soft couch, leaning closer to Yuan Shanchuan. "It's really me, Fourth Uncle. This is just a disguise. I intentionally dressed up like this to enter this place." Yuan Shanchuan suddenly realized, "Right, this is the black market. How did you come to the black market? You should stay at home. It's dangerous to come to a place like this." Before he could finish his words, he suddenly noticed the presence of someone else. He turned his head abruptly, staring at Shu Yu with a guarded expression. Yes, she was the one who knocked him unconscious earlier. Shu Yu raised her hand and greeted him, "Fourth Uncle, nice to meet you. Unexpectedly, we meet under these circumstances. I'm sorry, I thought you were a bad person, so I used a heavy hand." "A woman??" Yuan Shanchuan's eyes widened, feeling like he was experiencing auditory hallucinations. In front of Yuan Shanchuan, Shu Yu didn't deliberately lower her voice. Her voice was clear and soft. Da Niu quickly introduced, "Fourth Uncle, this is Ah Yu. Oh, she's the second youngest sister from Second Uncle's family who was taken away when she was young." Yuan Shanchuan was even more shocked. "The second brother's second daughter? After so many years, you've really been found?" He was filled with astonishment, feeling incredulous. Second Brother's family had been searching for more than ten years, but they had no news. Unexpectedly, he had only been away from Second Brother's family for two or three months, and such good news suddenly came. Yuan Shanchuan couldn't see Shu Yu's appearance clearly. But knowing that she was Second Brother's child, he felt slightly relieved. He had been hiding and panicking for so long, and now suddenly having two close younger relatives by his side, Yuan Shanchuan let out a long breath. He looked up at the room in front of him, realizing it was a private room on the upper floor with good privacy. The subordinates who were searching for him in the black market would definitely not enter. He felt a little less panicked. However, he quickly thought of something and furrowed his brows, asking, "Da Niu, A- AYu, you haven't told me how you came to the black market. Who brought you here? Do you know what this black market does?" Da Niu glanced at Shu Yu and she said, "Fourth Uncle, those things aren't important right now. The important thing is why you're here." "I..." Yuan Shanchuan pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, then turned his head. There were some things, some matters, that were not suitable for them to know. Da Niu grew anxious. "Fourth Uncle, please say something. Those people earlier were searching for you, right? You have to tell us what happened so we can figure out how to rescue you." But Yuan Shanchuan suddenly looked at him and said firmly, "I can't leave yet." Da Niu was stunned. "What are you saying?" Not leave? So he was not captured and brought into the black market, but he chose to stay here? "Why?" Da Niu asked. Yuan Shanchuan let out a deep breath. "I still have something unfinished here. Once I finish it, I'll find a way to leave." "What else is there? Tell us, we can think of a solution together." Yuan Shanchuan smiled and said, "Da Niu, it's better for you not to get involved in certain things." Shu Yu, who had remained silent, went to the table and poured a cup of tea, handing it to him. "Fourth Uncle, are you trying to say that the evidence against the former county magistrate is inside this auction house?"

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