I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 199: Encountering the Assassin Again at Dawn

As the saying goes, taking big steps can easily lead to disaster; everything should be done step by step, steadily and surely.

"My name is Fang Xiaoxiao. I wonder if you, Manager Zhu, have ever mentioned me?"

Fang Xiaoxiao said softly, her eyes fixed on the shopkeeper in front of her.

The shopkeeper, who had been casually fiddling with the abacus, suddenly stopped upon hearing the name.

He slowly raised his head, a look of confusion on his face, as if he was trying hard to search his memory for the name.

When his gaze met Fang Xiaoxiao's expectant eyes, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his expression instantly turned to utter astonishment.

His mouth was slightly open, but he couldn't make a sound for a moment, as if he were frozen in place.

After a long while, the shopkeeper seemed to wake up from a dream and suddenly stood up. In his haste, he even knocked over the account book on the table.

He disregarded all that, his finger trembling as he pointed at Fang Xiaoxiao, his voice hoarse with excitement: "You, you are Fang Xiaoxiao, the manager of Lingxi Pavilion!"

At this moment, the shopkeeper's face was filled with disbelief and surprise.

His eyes were wide open, his gaze filled with admiration and respect.

The face, which had been slightly tired from being busy, now radiated an unusual glow.

He quickly walked around the counter, taking three steps at a time to stand in front of Fang Xiaoxiao, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply: "Madam Fang, I have long admired your name! It is truly an honor to meet you today!"

Even after straightening up, the shopkeeper's face still betrayed his excitement, and his lips trembled incessantly.

"I've long heard of your legendary achievements in the business world; your Lingxi Pavilion is renowned far and wide. I never expected you to come to my humble shop in person."

As he spoke, he looked Fang Xiaoxiao up and down, his eyes filled with curiosity and awe.

Then, the innkeeper hurriedly called to the waiter, "Quickly, quickly find a seat for Madam Fang and serve her tea!"

At this moment, the shopkeeper was like a fanatic who had met his idol, so excited that he was a little overwhelmed.

Fang Xiaoxiao smiled as she responded to the shopkeeper's enthusiasm, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the influence her reputation had.

However, she quickly composed herself and said seriously.

"Excuse me, shopkeeper, could you help me inquire about a few people?"

"Asking about someone?"

The shopkeeper looked at the woman in front of him with a hint of doubt.

Fang Xiaoxiao quickly told them what she wanted to know and described the characteristics of each person.

The shopkeeper stroked his beard, thought for a long time, and then nodded slightly.

"That's no problem, but Jiangnan Province is quite large, so it might take quite a while to find out!"

Fang Xiaoxiao came out of the inn, sunlight shining on her face, and a gentle breeze ruffling her hair.

She took a deep breath of the fresh air of Jiangnan, feeling exceptionally relaxed. She planned to stroll around the streets and experience the prosperity of Jiangnan Province firsthand.

She stepped lightly into the bustling street.

The shops lining both sides of the street are dazzling, with their signs and flags fluttering in the wind.

In the silk shop, colorful silks hang like waterfalls, shimmering with a captivating luster.

Inside the jewelry store, dazzling gemstones shimmered in the sunlight, attracting the attention of many wealthy women.

And there are those fragrant pastry shops, where the exquisite desserts are mouthwatering.

Street vendors shouted loudly, promoting their goods.

The flower girl held baskets of vibrant, fresh flowers, her smile as radiant as the blossoms themselves.

Street performers put on spectacular acrobatic shows, drawing cheers from the crowds.

Fang Xiaoxiao curiously weaved through the crowd, her eyes constantly looking around.

She saw a bookstore with rows of brand-new books displayed at the entrance and couldn't resist going in to browse through them.

The scholars in the shop were engrossed in reading, immersed in the ocean of knowledge.

Continuing on, she came to a stone bridge.

Under the bridge, the clear river water flows slowly, and small boats sway by on the surface, with boatmen singing melodious songs at the bow.

The willows along the riverbank sway gently, their branches dancing in the wind, as if nature's paintbrush is drawing graceful arcs on the water's surface.

Just as Fang Xiaoxiao was enjoying the beautiful scenery and prosperity of Jiangnan, suddenly, a strong hand covered her mouth from behind, and then a force dragged her backward.

She was terrified and tried to struggle and scream, but found that she could not make a sound.

It turned out to be the assassin from the early morning.

Without saying a word, he grabbed Fang Xiaoxiao and ran wildly through the narrow alley, turning left and right.

Fang Xiaoxiao felt dizzy and the surrounding scenery rushed past her.

Finally, the assassin led Fang Xiaoxiao to a remote, dilapidated temple.

The dilapidated temple's walls were mottled, and the roof tiles were incomplete, exuding an atmosphere of desolation.

Fang Xiaoxiao looked at the assassin in horror and asked in a trembling voice, "What exactly do you want to do?"

The assassin did not answer, but simply pushed the door open gently, gesturing for her to come in.

Fang Xiao cautiously entered the dilapidated temple, and the scene before her eyes stunned her.

In this dilapidated temple, a group of elderly, weak, women and children had gathered.

Their faces were haggard, their clothes were tattered, and their eyes revealed helplessness and fear.

One of the old men saw the assassin and Fang Xiaoxiao enter and struggled to his feet.

"Who is this young lady?" the old man asked weakly.

The assassin said, "She's my person, she's safe for now."

Fang Xiaoxiao was filled with doubt and asked, "What exactly is going on?"

The old man sighed deeply and said.

“We are all innocent people whose homes were confiscated by the prefect. That prefect was corrupt and embezzled. In order to seize our property, he framed us and caused our families to be destroyed.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaoxiao was filled with anger: "How could such an injustice exist!"

A woman continued, “We have nowhere else to go but to hide here. This brave man has been helping us, looking for an opportunity to seek justice for us.”

Fang Xiaoxiao looked at the assassin, and the fear in her eyes gradually turned into admiration.

The assassin said, "I originally intended to seek justice for them on my own, but I never expected to involve you today."

Fang Xiaoxiao said firmly.

"Now that I know about this, I won't sit idly by. Let's work together to find a way to make sure that prefect receives the punishment he deserves and to give everyone justice."

In this dilapidated temple, Fang Xiaoxiao decided to find a way to help them and seek justice for them.

Looking at this group of elderly, weak, women and children, she was reminded of what Zhou Wenjian had gone through back then.

At that time, Zhou Wenjian said that his family originally advised the Crown Prince, but they were slandered and framed as part of the Crown Prince's faction by people with ulterior motives.

They even claimed that their entire family harbored rebellious intentions, which led the emperor to confiscate their property.

"Damn it, those corrupt and incompetent rulers and officials!"

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but curse angrily, completely disregarding whether anyone was around her.