Disguise — Blending In
Jiang Wan followed Lin Yuan as he turned left and right through Fuman Town. She couldn’t help but suspect that Lin Yuan was secretly trying to get revenge on her.
This inevitably reminded Jiang Wan of the unpleasant incident that had happened in the carriage.
When they were about thirty li from Fuman Town, she and Lin Yuan got out of the carriage and decided to eat something at a small teahouse.
A group of young, sturdy men were also sitting inside the teahouse, sighing with worried expressions. They were only one table away from Jiang Wan and Lin Yuan.
“Ah, the owner dismissed all of us. Things aren’t exactly good these days. What are we supposed to do from now on?”
There were four of them in total. Their sleeves were rolled up, revealing dark, sun-weathered skin.
“What else can we do? Go home and farm. At least we won’t starve to death.”
A sturdy man dressed in gray hemp clothing nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. At least we won’t starve.”
Everyone began voicing their complaints. Some blamed the difficult times, some cursed their former employer for abandoning them after using them, and some blamed Heaven itself…
Lin Yuan, who was sitting beside Jiang Wan, rolled his eyes around as though he had just thought of some bad idea.
He stood up and walked toward the men, straightening his expression.
“Brothers, why don’t you come work for me? I’ll pay two hundred wen a month, with food and lodging included. Your monthly wages will be paid on the second day of every month. How about it?”
The four young men immediately lit up.
They had been working for their former employer, carrying goods, and were paid only one hundred wen a month. Their employer would always find ways to deduct money, leaving them with only eighty wen.
Now someone was offering the high price of two hundred wen—several times what they had been earning before.
Moreover, judging from Lin Yuan’s clothes, he looked quite wealthy.
Although they were excited, they remained cautious and asked him some questions.
“May I ask what kind of business your employer runs? Why are you offering such high wages?”
Lin Yuan smiled broadly.
“I’m the manager of Guihai Wharf in Fuman Town. We’ve had a lot of cargo coming in these past few days and are short-handed. Would you gentlemen be interested in coming?”
The four men were startled when they heard that he was the manager of Guihai Wharf.
Guihai Wharf was famous for being extremely wealthy in the town. It had only one manager and one owner.
Other than the owner of Guihai Wharf, Ye Yurong, Manager Lin Yuan was the second-most powerful person at the wharf.
Hearing this, Jiang Wan immediately developed a bad feeling.
Lin Yuan had recruited quite a few people only a few days ago. There was no way he could be short-handed again so soon.
The four men exchanged glances and immediately answered in unison.
“Thank you, Manager Lin, for giving us a way to make a living. We will certainly do our best!”
Upon hearing this, the corners of Lin Yuan’s lips curled up lazily, amusement and satisfaction hidden in his expression.
“Good. Take this token to the wharf. Someone will arrange everything for you.”
The men quickly accepted the token, bid farewell to Lin Yuan, and hurried toward the wharf.
Lin Yuan watched their figures gradually disappear into the distance before returning to the table to continue eating.
This time, he sat opposite Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan didn’t react. She simply concentrated on the food in front of her.
After the two of them had eaten their fill, they returned to the carriage.
The carriage slowly began moving. Its wheels rolled over the scattered stones, causing it to sway slightly.
Jiang Wan broke the silence.
“Didn’t you recruit so many people just a few days ago?”
“And what about your identity? Didn’t you say before that you were merely someone who recruited workers? Now you’re suddenly the manager of Guihai Wharf?”
Lin Yuan could hear the accusation and confusion in her words.
He shrugged, leaned back, and narrowed his eyes at her.
“Ah, things just worked out that way. Being a manager and recruiting people don’t interfere with each other. Who says a manager can’t recruit workers?”
“Besides, the wharf needs people every day to carry cargo, clean, and organize things. Isn’t it perfectly normal for us to need a lot of manpower?”
Jiang Wan’s fingers, hanging by her side, quietly tightened around the edge of her sleeve.
Her long lashes trembled slightly, and a trace of imperceptible vigilance and suspicion flashed through her eyes.
After a moment, she raised her eyes and answered flatly.
“Mm.”
She activated her mind-reading ability.
The moment her eyes met Lin Yuan’s, she heard him grumbling inwardly:
Seriously, she’s like a block of wood. How can someone keep the same expression without ever smiling? She’s practically expressionless…
Jiang Wan:
“……”
For the rest of the journey, only prolonged silence filled the carriage.
Lin Yuan eventually stopped in front of a tailor shop.
He glanced back at Jiang Wan several times.
At the moment, she looked like someone fleeing for her life—her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn and stained.
As though he had thought of something, he said to her, “Come on. I’ll take you to meet my contact. She can help.”
Without hesitation, Lin Yuan turned and led the way.
Jiang Wan silently nodded. Without saying a word, she followed half a step behind him at a steady pace, deliberately maintaining some distance.
Her back was straight, her shoulders slightly tense, and her fingers unconsciously curled into her palm as she silently followed him.
After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at the wharf.
The wharf was built along the sea, with more than twenty berths stretching along the shore. Large ships were anchored in deeper waters, while smaller boats crowded the shallow inner harbor.
A tall harbor affairs pavilion stood in the center of the wharf, with vermilion railings and upturned eaves. A harbor official leaned against the railing overlooking the docks, using a red-tipped brush to mark down the records of ships entering and leaving the harbor.
At Berth No. 3, a three-masted merchant ship was docked.
The ship’s master stood on the forward deck, dressed in a loose-sleeved blue robe and holding a telescope as he gazed across the water. Behind him, sailors were securing ropes firmly around the mooring posts, while laborers along the shore had already formed a long line, waiting to load and unload the cargo.
The harbor official waved his hand.
Two constables immediately rowed a small boat toward the merchant vessel and shouted loudly,
“Shipmaster! Where are you? Come to the harbor affairs pavilion immediately to register your cargo manifest and pay the harbor tax!”
Upon hearing this, the shipmaster turned and gave a few instructions to the people inside the cabin before walking down the gangplank and heading straight toward the pavilion.
Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Someone with sharp eyes spotted Lin Yuan and immediately came over to greet him.
“Hehehe, Manager, you’re back!”
The man, dressed in a short brown coarse-hemp jacket and trousers with a couple of patches sewn onto them, greeted him enthusiastically.
“Hey, Manager, who’s the young lady behind you?”
Lin Yuan waved his hand.
“Just a friend I happened to meet. Where’s the boss? Where is she?”
The sailor immediately pointed in a direction.
“She’s over there. The boss is discussing something with someone.”
Lin Yuan nodded and waved him away.
“Go get back to work.”
The sailor didn’t dare hesitate and immediately returned to his previous position.
Jiang Wan’s fingers, which had been clenched tightly in her palm, relaxed slightly. The marks left by her fingernails were still visible, but the pain quickly faded.
As Lin Yuan led her along, he introduced the place proudly.
“How is it? Impressive, right? You can’t find another place this magnificent within ten li!”
Jiang Wan replied flatly,
“It’s okay.”
Lin Yuan paused.
Mm. I’ll just assume you’re jealous.
Jiang Wan ignored him.
Instead, she activated her mind-reading ability.
In an instant, emotions came rushing toward her from all directions.
They weren’t the emotions of people being forcibly controlled.
They were happiness, freedom, a sense of worth, and the contentment of people who were tired but happy.
Jiang Wan’s heart immediately relaxed, and all her previous suspicions vanished.
As they went upstairs, Jiang Wan inadvertently caught sight of two sisters holding hands. They seemed extremely close.
The sight immediately reminded her of her own younger sister.
They had just reached the door and were about to knock when it suddenly opened from the inside.
Two men and a woman walked out.
Lin Yuan nodded and smiled in greeting.
Jiang Wan simply watched everything silently.
“Boss, long time no see! Did you miss me? I certainly missed you~”
Ye Yurong stepped between the two of them and glanced at Jiang Wan before immediately retorting to Lin Yuan,
“I don’t think you missed me. You just missed your money.”
“You seem to be having quite a good time out there.” After saying that, she glanced at Jiang Wan, the meaning behind it obvious.
Lin Yuan hurriedly cried out, “I’m innocent…”
Over the course of a quarter of an hour, he explained the whole story, from beginning to end.
Only then did Ye Yurong’s suspicious expression ease. Her voice was light and soft as she replied, “All right, I understand.”
She walked over to Jiang Wan and carefully looked her up and down. “Did you mistreat her? Just look at the state she’s in.”
Lin Yuan immediately raised three fingers. “I didn’t.”
Jiang Wan, however, didn’t care about that and got straight to the point. “Shopkeeper Ye, I presume Lin has already told you the purpose of my visit.”
Ye Yurong nodded. “As for getting into the estate, it’s difficult, but it’s also not that difficult.”
“First, I’ll have someone take you to change your clothes and wash up. Otherwise, the moment you enter, you’ll give yourself away.”
Hearing this, Jiang Wan replied calmly, “Thank you, Shopkeeper Ye.”
Ye Yurong gave the little maidservant behind her a few instructions. The maidservant walked over to Jiang Wan and gestured politely.
“Miss, this way, please.”
Jiang Wan followed her. After less than three minutes, the maidservant stopped in front of a door.
“Please rest inside for a while, Miss. The things you need will be brought over shortly.”
She raised her hand and pushed the door open.
Inside was a thick, plain-colored brocade carpet. It was soft and nearly silent beneath one’s feet, insulating the room from the damp chill of the ship’s deck.
At the center was a pear-wood luohan couch covered with a moon-white brocade cushion embroidered with subtle cloud patterns. A light-blue thin quilt was folded neatly on top, making it suitable for either sitting or reclining. Beside the couch stood a carved low table holding celadon teacups and a tin tea caddy, with a casual book resting beside them.
A small antique display shelf stood against the wall, sparsely decorated with little celadon bottles and smooth jade pendants. It wasn’t ostentatious or luxurious. Smoky-blue gauze curtains embroidered with orchids hung around the room, allowing light through without revealing the people inside. They blocked the river breeze while also preserving the privacy of the room.
The narrow windows on both sides of the cabin were covered with soft gauze. Sunlight filtered through gently without being harsh. A faint trace of sandalwood burned inside the cabin, masking the fishy saltiness of the river and leaving behind only an elegant woody fragrance. On the side of the room, brocade curtains separated off a small changing area.
Jiang Wan carefully inspected every corner. There was no incense burner in the room, nor any strange smell.
Before long, the little maidservant from earlier knocked on the door.
“Miss, are you decent?”
Jiang Wan replied, “Come in.”
Only after receiving her answer did the maidservant bring two people inside. One carried clothes on a tray, while the other carried water.
They put everything down and immediately left, leaving only the little maidservant behind.
“Miss, this servant is Chunxia. If you need anything, just call for me.”
After saying that, Chunxia left and closed the door behind her.
The whole process had been so smooth that Jiang Wan hadn’t quite recovered from it yet. She lowered her head and looked at the set of clothes laid out on the table, complete with shoes.
Taking a deep breath, she first wiped and washed away the dirt and grime covering her body. Only then did she take the clothes into the inner changing area and prepare to put them on.
The clothes were fairly easy to wear: a smoky-blue Hang silk short jacket with narrow sleeves, the fabric fine, soft, and smooth. A few extremely faint dark orchid patterns were embroidered along the cuffs, barely noticeable unless one looked closely.
It was paired with a moon-white plain gauze long skirt decorated with subtle patterns. The hem was cut slightly shorter than usual. A simple waist sash woven with fine silver thread was tied around her waist. There were no jade pendants or gold ornaments, only a small jade clasp hanging from it.
On her feet were soft satin shoes embroidered with cloud patterns. They fit perfectly.
When Chunxia brought Jiang Wan to find Ye Yurong, Ye Yurong was talking with Lin Yuan.
Seeing her arrive, Ye Yurong handed her a jade pendant.
“Take this jade pendant. It can conceal the foreign aura on your body.”
Jiang Wan accepted it. The three of them then discussed their plan to enter the estate.
“The jade pendant can only conceal your aura for two hours at a time. After that, you’ll have to wait three days before you can use it again. More importantly, Guixu isn’t there right now, so it’ll be convenient for you to look for your person. There shouldn’t be too much danger.”
Jiang Wan subconsciously tightened her grip around the jade pendant.
“Thank you.”
Ye Yurong raised an eyebrow. “Since we’ve already agreed on everything, let’s go.”
Inside the estate, the furnishings and surroundings looked completely normal. Jiang Wan followed behind them.
There were many people stationed throughout the estate. Their expressions were dull and vacant, and they stood completely motionless like wooden figures.
The three of them searched the estate from one place to another. But aside from the guards, there were still only guards.
Lin Yuan quietly complained, “Why has it changed again?”
Jiang Wan didn’t understand. “What changed?”
Lin Yuan shook his head. “Nothing. It’s just that there are more people than there were a few days ago.”
The three of them continued walking through the estate, inspecting every place carefully, yet they couldn’t find anything unusual.
Instead, the estate seemed to be getting larger and larger, while the paths seemed to stretch farther and farther, consuming a considerable amount of their energy.
Time passed minute by minute, and the sun gradually sank toward the horizon.
Ye Yurong glanced at the hourglass in her hand and frowned.
“We’re running out of time. We have to leave.”
Jiang Wan felt somewhat disappointed that she hadn’t found Sheng Zixu’s whereabouts, but she could only nod and follow them out at the fastest speed possible.