With virtue

She's naturally good-looking, and now that she's dressed up, she's even more radiant.

Zhao Yunshu walked into the hall, her gaze first falling on Liu Qimei. She nodded slightly to her, indicating that she should rest assured.

Then, the young Taoist priest turned around, cupped his hands in greeting to Master Zhao and the young master, and said with a calm smile, "It is my fault for disturbing your enjoyment so late at night. However, this Miss Liu is indeed my friend. Her illness today is also partly my fault, which is why she was not at her best and spoiled your mood. This debt..." He paused here, pointed to himself, "...you might as well put it on my head."

The young master sized up Zhao Yunshu's attire, his eyes growing increasingly bright. After Zhao Yunshu finished saying, "It might be worth it," he straightened up, clapped his hands lightly, and asked, "Oh? Lianyun satin? This material must be from Sichuan. Judging by its quality, it's worth at least a million coins. Who are you? And what is your relationship with this pipa player?"

Upon hearing this, Master Zhao, who was standing nearby, gasped in surprise, realizing that he had made his own contribution to global warming.

What does a million coins mean? In all his years in the medicinal herb business, he'd only accumulated a few million coins, including shops and properties. This young Taoist priest's robe alone was worth almost half of his entire fortune—who could he be?

Zhao Yunshu looked down at her own shimmering silk dress and felt a surge of emotion.

This was the same outfit he wore when he was captured by those beauties on the mountain last time. They specially dressed him in it to make him look presentable. Later, after the ghost general was killed and the beauties fled, he put this outfit in his bundle. He hadn't been willing to wear it, nor had he ever had the occasion to wear it. Today, to scare people, he specially dug it out and put it on, and it was indeed very effective.

He remained expressionless, merely smiling slightly as he cupped his hands in greeting to the young master, saying, "Young master has a discerning eye. This is indeed Lianyun satin from Shu, a gift from an elder. I am but a wandering Taoist priest named Zhao Yunshu, who lived in the mountains outside Dingzhou City for a few years. My encounter with this Miss Liu was purely by chance. These past few days, I asked her to play the pipa to help me draw talismans, so I consider her half a customer and half a friend."

Hearing this, the young master asked with some curiosity, "A wandering Taoist priest? A wandering Taoist priest dressed in shimmering silk, that's the first time I've ever seen one. Who is your master?"

Zhao Yunshu remained calm: "My master's surname is Li. He lives in seclusion, detached from worldly affairs, and his name is not convenient to mention to outsiders."

After a back-and-forth exchange, neither of them showed any weakness.

The burly man from before involuntarily took a half step back, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Yunshu. His Adam's apple bobbed, his face remained tense, but he was muttering to himself, a cold sweat trickling down his back, and a dampness settling in his crotch.

This kid was dressed like a beggar just now, how come he changed into a rich and luxurious outfit in the blink of an eye?

His overall demeanor was so imposing that even the wealthiest young masters in Dingzhou City might not be able to match him, let alone ordinary people.

He had initially thought this kid was just an arrogant and ignorant fool, but now it seems he was blind to the true value of a person.

Fortunately, I was smart enough not to actually say anything outrageous and instead went back to report it. Otherwise, I might have really gotten myself into big trouble.

Meanwhile, the young master unfolded his folding fan, gently shook it, and glanced at Zhao Yunshu's face before moving on to Liu Qimei. Suddenly, he laughed and said, "Interesting, very interesting. Master Zhao, this trip tonight was worthwhile. This is much more interesting than you asking me to listen to the pipa."

Master Zhao dared not utter a word of refusal, nodding and smiling obsequiously, but in his heart he was filled with a thousand regrets. If he had known that the girl playing the pipa was backed by a woman dressed in fine silk, he would never have dared to let anyone lay a hand on her.

It's important to understand that in today's world, because the world has been in chaos for a long time, although money is still in use, goods can also be bartered. Copper coins are often valued based on their purity, but overall, physical goods are still more useful. For example, a ten-cash coin is worthless simply because it contains less copper.

Especially in the north, where cloth production is relatively difficult, "both money and silk are used" in most places. Copper coins are the mainstream, but silk that meets the standards can also be used as money.

Zhao Yunshu's outfit is like wearing a bank deposit on his body, with seven zeros at the end!

And on the other side,

"Alright, you said you'd put this on your head. So, Taoist priest, how do you plan to settle this?" the young man said.

Zhao Yunshu said, "Liu Qimei's skill is beyond doubt. Her pipa playing is definitely the best in Dingzhou. Her poor performance today is because I was unaware of this. I made her play for three hours this morning, which made her tired. So it's not her fault, it's my fault."

"If you wish to continue listening to the pipa, then wait for her to rest for a day and a night, and come again tomorrow to appreciate her exquisite skill. But if you're looking for trouble, then come at me, how about that?"

The young master closed his folding fan and tapped it lightly twice in his palm.

He glanced at Zhao Yunshu, then at the pale-faced Liu Qimei beside him, suddenly stood up, straightened his sleeves, cupped his hands in a respectful greeting to Zhao Yunshu, and said with a smile, "Very well, Daoist's words have made me think more highly of you. Since you've taken responsibility and spoken so frankly, then I'll give you face and let tonight's matter be dropped. Master Zhao, you have no objections, do you?"

How could Master Zhao possibly have any objections? Although he didn't know the background of this young Taoist priest, he knew from his elegant silk robe that he was not someone he could afford to offend. He immediately said, "Young master is right, he is right. It was all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."

The young master nodded, then turned to Liu Qimei, his tone softening slightly: "Miss Liu, tonight's events must have been frightening for you. Since the Taoist priest has said so, I'm also a little curious. You should rest well. I'll be waiting for you at this inn tomorrow night. When you're refreshed, play a piece so I can hear the true charm of this unique instrument from Dingzhou."

After saying that, he took out a small silver ingot from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards Liu Qimei, "This is the deposit for tomorrow night, you can keep it for now."

Liu Qimei was stunned for a moment, looking at the silver ingot and then at Zhao Yunshu, not knowing what to do.

Zhao Yunshu nodded to her, and she tremblingly reached out to take the silver, whispering "Thank you, young master," her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

All of this was within Zhao Yunshu's expectations.

After all, words can intimidate gentlemen, and fine clothes can suppress petty people. Those who would actually fight you to the death over something are always a minority. There aren't that many people in the world who would fight you to the death over a little quarrel or unpleasantness.

If you put on this outfit and act all high and mighty, any person with a brain won't make a big fuss over a pipa player's little mistake, and the matter will probably be over.

I think so?

However... just as the young Taoist was thinking this, the young master suddenly took a step.

His body suddenly flew up a full three zhang (approximately 10 meters) in a manner contrary to common sense!