The proprietress did not refuse Jiang Xinman. It was always good to leave a way out.

Jiang Xinman did not force it. She just left the shop empty for them.

Jiang Xinman thought of something and said to the Lady Boss, "Lady Boss, if that person comes back just now, tell him to wait for him by the Liu Bridge."

The little girl asked, "You're not going to wait for that young master?"

"Wait... It's just that I remembered something I need to do."

"Okay, sister, you can go. We will tell him."

After thanking her, Jiang Xinman went out. She didn't even look at the lotus root that was drinking tea as she walked straight to the child who had just stolen her purse.

The lotus root quickly paid and followed Jiang Xinman, but after walking for a while, he disappeared.

When Jiang Xinman reached the corner, she found that he was already waiting in the alley.

Why could he walk so fast? She was clearly running...

"You're walking so fast. Aren't you afraid that your young lady will be kidnapped and sold at a corner you didn't see?"

Jiang Xinman said in a fit of anger.

Lotus Root knew that she was angry, "I'm not afraid."

... ""

Lotus Root ignored Jiang Xinman. His young lady was often like this, silent and angry. Once she got used to it, she continued, "That child just now was from the slums."

"I thought he was someone so poor that he couldn't afford to eat..."

Jiang Xinman looked at the lotus root and quickly looked away. It was indeed different from the situation of the lotus root and lotus seed.

"Where is that person?"

Jiang Xinman looked around a few times and signaled Lotus Root to take her there, but Lotus Root shook his head in disagreement. This time, he was afraid that his young lady would be taken away when he wasn't paying attention.

"She's not here."

With that, he led Jiang Xinman into the inn next door and went up to a room on the second floor. Jiang Xinman pushed open the door and found that the person tied to the pillar inside was the pickpocket child.

Lotus Root took out Jiang Xinman's purse and handed it to her. "There's a lot of money in it."

The child had been struggling, but unfortunately, his mouth was gagged and his hands and feet were tied up tightly. It was difficult for her to even move. Lotus Root had beaten him before, so he was very afraid of this black-faced man with a broken finger.

Those who stole would have their fingers broken if they were caught. If they stole too much money, their hands would be broken.

Jiang Xinman went around to the back of the child to look at his hand and found that there was a scar on his right hand. It was very new, and it should have only appeared recently.

The lotus root untied the rope on his right hand and twisted his right hand to prevent him from escaping, completely exposing his palm in front of Jiang Xinman.

It's a burn scar... Why would there be a burn scar at such a young age? Only people who had been in prison would have this kind of burn scar.

"He's already in prison at such a young age, tsk tsk!"

"Wuwuwuwu!"

Jiang Xinman's exclamation made him quite angry. He didn't want to go to jail either. Who would want to go to jail for no reason? He was just replacing someone else!

"What did he say? Is the prison food good?"

... ""

The root of the lotus paused for a moment and then pulled off the cloth covering the child's mouth. The child spoke fiercely and did not have any self-awareness as a hostage.

"You are the one in jail! Let me go, or you will all die when my big brother comes!"

"If your big brother is so powerful, why hasn't he come yet? Because you were given to me by your big brother, Zhuang Qiyan."

The words of the lotus root made the child - Zhuang Qiyan was completely furious. He didn't do anything wrong! He was so obedient to steal money, why did he give him to someone else? Was he so useless?! Even though he knew what others were planning, he had already sold his freedom to someone else, how could he leave now...

Jiang Xinman looked at his relatively clean clothes and did not understand. This kind of wandering thief group would not be dressed so neatly.

"Did your mother wash your clothes for you?"

When Zhuang Qiyan heard Jiang Xinman's words, he fell silent...

Jiang Xinman felt a sense of powerlessness in her heart as she felt the silent atmosphere. What was going on today? Why was there a short silence after every sentence she said? She didn't have the ability to mute...

Jiang Xinman tried to raise the topic again: "Did someone else help you wash it? Or... did you wash it yourself?"

... ""

Zhuang Qiyan didn't want to talk to this woman. Every time she spoke, she would poke at his sore spot. He had washed his own clothes.

His mother had not wanted him since he went to prison, let alone his father, who had left home because he could not stand his father, and had been duped into a gang of thieves for two years.

Once the leader of the gang was caught doing something for the court and he took the money and ran away, and he went to prison as a scapegoat, and the lawmen saw that he was only a child and that he had only been in prison for a few years, or else he would have been beheaded.

After he came out, his family did not want him anymore. He could only join a new gang to live. If he stole from other leaders' territory, he would be beaten to death.

Jiang Xinman took out a tael of silver and waved it in front of him. "Tell me what you did wrong. If you say it, this is yours."

Lotus Root:... ""

Zhuang Qiyan:... "" Was there something wrong with this woman? She even took money from him to make him say what he had done?! One tael of silver...

He stole twenty taels of silver for a share of two taels of silver, but when he stole money from the rich, he would be found by the owner of the house. He only dared to steal from those who were not very rich.

Seeing that he did not agree, Jiang Xinman also felt that she had taken too little, so she took out another two taels of silver to test his bottom line.

"Too little? Three taels? I won't give you any more!" Jiang Xinman pretended to take it back.

"I'll say it, I'll say it!" Zhuang Qiyan shamelessly compromised. Two or three taels was enough for him to survive for half a year.

Zhuang Qiyan told her to let go of his hand, and Jiang Xinman nodded. After the lotus root let go, Zhuang Qiyan snatched the silver and put it in his pocket for a long time before he spoke.

Jiang Xinman listened as if she was listening to a story.

"What did the leader you mentioned do for the palace?"

Seeing that Zhuang Qiyan was a little hesitant, Jiang Xinman threw another tael at him.

He just wanted to catch his breath, but he didn't expect another tael...

"Yes... He brought illegal drugs for the palace... He brought everything. As long as the other party gives him money, he can get whatever he wants."

"I don't care what the other party's goal is?"

"Yes, as long as you pay me."

Jiang Xinman rubbed her chin and thought for a while, "Then why is it that it's fine to bring it so many times, but something happened this time?"

Zhuang Qiyan was a little afraid and whispered, "I heard that the woman the Emperor loves is about to be poisoned to death..."

Jiang Xinman felt that she had obtained a very important piece of information, but there was nothing else that could link this information together.

Jiang Xinman patted his head. "Alright, don't tell anyone about what happened today. There's no hush money, but... If you want to say it, that's fine too. It depends on whether you have the ability to continue staying in the Imperial City. Leave a way so that you might be needed in the future. "

"Second room in the southwest area."

"Alright." Jiang Xinman remembered.

Before Lotus Root left, she gave Zhuang Qiyan a piece of advice. "Let me give you a piece of advice. I spent money to buy you and find a proper job to earn a living. "

"As for the rest... Do as you see fit."

With that, she threw him a contract of his own and left with Jiang Xinman, leaving Zhuang Qiyan alone in the inn.

Zhuang Qiyan could not react in time. "That's it? You're not taking me with you?! You bought me!"