"You seem devastated?" The man asked as he saw her running as if chasing for something.
"I just lost something." Elle simply said. She did lose track of the mist and even met an irritating guy on her way.
"Something important?"
"Mm, somehow." It's been long since the last time Elle was challenged. Of course, she was originally a system, not a seamstress, she was used to being in control of everything and having not many restrictions on her. Now that she's become a seamstress and personally encounters the people on a daily basis, it was an adjustment.
She was fanning herself when a wrapping was suddenly presented before her. Elle just looked at it with furrowed eyebrows.
"Hongbao." The guy simply said.
"What are you, an uncle? I don't even know you." She refused the red packet.
"It's a thank you for healing me, I've never seen that kind of treatment at all." It was indeed new. He has never taken a pill nor an ointment which was made right in front of him.
*BOOM* Th loud sound of fireworks were heard. The sky was painted with different colors and shine, it reflected on their faces as they continued to talk.
"No, thank you, I appreciate the intention but I don't accept these kinds of things." Elle stood up and decided to go back to her residence, however, Iris stopped in her tracks and looked back. The red glint in the man's eyes was eerie but it didn't hold any importance for her, thus, she continued walking with Elle.
Throughout these 5 years, Elle has fulfilled more than half of Yang Yuhuan's wishes, she only needs to finish her last one and sew up the rip.
"I just can't find that 'damned' sorcery user." She whispered to herself as she left the man alone sitting on the bench. Right after the festival, they were invited to the imperial palace, especially me. The king seems to have an interest in the restaurants and teahouses that were successful all throughout the capital as well as other provinces and regions. I have expanded it to the point that every now and then, famous entertainers, nobles, military generals, and government officials were seen either wreaking havoc and being in scandals. It also became the center of selling and buying information for higher-ups as well as the mafia. And without Elle's knowledge, she has already caught the attention of not only the royals but the mercenaries as well.
"We're losing money here! How the hell can you be so calm?!" A man with black hair was frustrated, their income has been going slower and slower these last 4 years.
"That d*amned Dan family!" Based on his calculations, they'll lose another 5% of their income in the coming year. Chunji Chaguan (spring teahouse) has been the center of information selling and buying. It was known by every elite.
This was the main purpose of Elle when she made the restaurant and teahouses, make a dark web, a resource of not only illegal information but rare and important information as well. The Dan residence didn't know that the teahouses and restaurants were a way for her to find information and gossip. She basically knows every governor's dirty little secret in every detail.
"Who would've known." It felt odd, it was odd how the Dan family, a family known for their loyal service to the army. For generations, they focused on serving the emperor way back from the Sui Dynasty. They lie low and don't have any effect on the empire, they aren't greedy for money nor for power, they have just served the empire for a long time. The man with glasses looked at the report on his table.
'Why would they suddenly want to enter the business field?' None of the current Dan's have any interest in expanding business, and to a large scale at that
"Can you shut up Mengyao!?" He couldn't stand his blabbing and ranting, he couldn't think because of the unnecessary noise.
"You're not a child, instead of blabbering nonsense, sit down and think!" This finally shut the loud man up.
"Now, now, calm down Yongliang. Who would like some tea?" A foreigner rolled inside the meeting room pushing in a serving cart.
"Let me help you, sire." The servant came to help him distribute the pastries and tea.
"Ooh! This seems new!" Ye Rong looked at the teacup presented before him. it was different from the usual one. There were two cups in front of them. One was a small cup with a lid while the other was a short but wide cup, it was weird.
"This one called a Gaiwan and this one is called a European teacup." The blonde man presented the two cups before them as the servant poured the tea.
"You still have time for this crap when we have a crisis at hand?!" Mengyao stood up and slammed the table.
"Oh, trust me, this *crap* is the reason why we lost 20% of our profit." He sat on his seat and ate the weird-looking sweets and drank the tea as well. They decided to try the tea since they got why Lei Xiaowen would serve tea at this time, this was probably the products from the Chunji teahouse.
"What's all this?" A certain Silver-haired man entered the meeting hall, he was met with a relaxing scent which calmed his nerves down.
"Han! These are products from Chunji Teahouse." He heard the familiar name of the teahouse. It was a famous teahouse that conquered the whole country for the past 4 years and has also, slowly, taken some of their shareholders. The stolen profit was big enough for them to discuss. This booming business stole almost all of the profits from their information guild.
The silver-haired man sat down and tasted the pastry. He stared at the weird-looking food before him, it tastes familiar.
'Odd.' He thought to himself.
"How can a mere food steal our profits?" Wen Mengyao's voice was low, he didn't expect it to be this good. When Lei saw this, he smiled.
"Exactly." He pointed his finger towards Lei Xiaowen. Master Han as well as Yongliang understood the reason. They just nodded.
"That's why," Yongliang said.
"Why what?" Wen Mengyao calmly said. He somehow felt relieved for some treason, he really liked the tea.
"Yeah *chomp* why?" The big guy Ye Rong kept munching on the pastries and ignored the tea.
"The food, it's revolutionary." Yongling was sincerely amazed by the food before him. 'Who would be able to come up with these?'. It was simply out of this reality, he thought to himself.
"Not only the tablewares but the tea and food as well." Lei looked at the tea he just drank.
"The teas were hand-made by someone, such a tea doesn't exist based on my knowledge. I have traveled millions and millions of miles and I have never seen this type of tea." Lei was amazed by what he has discovered. After trying again and again, he finally knew that it wasn't only the information that stole their profit, but it's in the products as well.
"They use a certain type of tea which induces dopamine and other substances in the brain to calm them down." When Wen Mengyao heard this, he just realized what Lei means. He was dumbfounded.
"I finally breached their information network and found out that certain teahouses offer special teas which make the drinker easier to persuade when it comes to arguments and business talks. They become more agreeable to share information."
"It's just odd that I can't pinpoint the one behind it," Yongliang said as he read over the report once again.
"It's highly unlikely that the old generation came up with this." Master Han said. Based on the report, it seemed like the old generation didn't know anything about it.
"Dan Kang Chun might be the one under it, but he's been in the academy for years."
Selling illegal information and buying them has been the work of the dragon mercenary for years. They have full control over criminal organizations and are well known. It's unimaginable that they'd have a problem with money or control. Since they're the longest one of the most powerful existing organizations in the era, they can sense when a small hindrance can turn into a big problem, so they won't leave that small hindrance alone until it's cut off, what cut off means, is killed.
"I have investigated the little sister as well and she doesn't have any connection with the underground whatsoever, she's too young as well." Wen Mengyaro, which was now relaxed said. It felt odd of the group of men inside, they were used to him being loud.
"The other girl, what about her?" Master Han asked.
"Other girl? You mean that Yuhuan kid?" Wen Mengyao asked.
"She's 16 now," Lei said.
"That's the same. She's the one that was the cause of a ruckus during the Emperor's banquet 5 years ago." Yongliang said
"She doesn't attend any events at all, no one has seen her clearly based on my research," Mengyao said while holding his paper.
"Double check her." Master Han said as he sat comfortably on his seat.
"What can a 16-year-old do?" Mengyao shrugged it off.
"Exactly." Lei agreed as well as the others, there was no way a 16-year-old has anything to do with the criminal underworld. They laughed it off and proceeded.
'What can a kid do anyway?' They all thought to themselves.
"Anyway, we better find that prick before it causes a problem," Lei said while holding a sinister smile.
"I'd like to see what's inside that brain of his, to go against us?" Ye Rong shivered once again, he was just listening in the sidelines since he didn't want to concern himself with it. 'Lei's probably thinking of grotesque torture again.' He sighed to himself
"It's better to pull the weed when it's still small before it grows into a problem." Master Han said. He seemed to be talkative nowadays. This was another odd thing for the men present in the meeting, he has been adding words to what he's saying.
What came up to Lei's brain was it has something to do with the storm 5 years ago. He felt it too, though not as strong, he felt the thunder and lightning that day, that was why they were here in the first place, why the headquarters were moved here. He was getting more and more excited and interested in what their master has been up to. The other men don't know the real purpose of their moving, but Lei knows. He knows that the notebook has been found and read by someone and he knows, that whoever read that notebook is the key for this guy's chains to be finally cut off.
'Don't worry, I won't let that happen.'
His smile stayed the same throughout the meeting as if his face was stuck.