The next evening, Shopkeeper Wang came with the purple jade dagger.
Before handing it over, he asked repeatedly, "If I give it to you, can you guarantee to protect my life?"
"Yes, I always keep my promises."
"What if you go back on your word?"
"I can make an oath."
With Gu Shengâs reassurance, Shopkeeper Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After seeing Gu Sheng make the oath, he handed over the dagger.
Seeing the dagger, Gu Sheng raised his hand to touch it.
Thereâs no denying that this dagger is indeed a treasure, exquisitely crafted and exceptionally powerful. Although itâs missing a few gemstones from being perfect, itâs still a rare treasure.
Wielding it a few times in hand, Gu Sheng truly felt its power.
"Do the gemstones on this dagger contain natureâs spiritual energy?"
Seeing his knowledge, Shopkeeper Wangâs eyes lit up.
"Thatâs right! Each gemstone on this dagger was carefully selected by me. They are extremely beneficial to you Jianghu people. Like this blue gemstone, it not only enhances strength in battle but also brings great advantages to the wielder. If you get injured, it becomes effective..."
Listening to Shopkeeper Wangâs enthusiastic explanation, Gu Sheng nodded with satisfaction.
"So Luo Qin underestimated this treasure. How can it compare to just a few gemstones in his eyes?"
After saying this, Shopkeeper Wang excitedly slapped his thigh.
"Exactly! The gemstones he wanted were just ordinary ones. Mine are rare treasures, adding a few more is just for aesthetics and doesnât impact the dagger much. Yet he insisted on this matter, even threatening my life. You tell me, how can I not be angry? Luckily, I met someone as discerning as you. Otherwise, I wouldnât have been able to get over it! Now that the dagger is in your hands, my wish is fulfilled."
Gu Sheng didnât expect him to feel this way, so he turned to Bai Yu and said, "Take him away. Make sure he can live a new life with a new identity."
Understanding his intention, Bai Yu nodded.
Hong Mei helped him change his appearance, and Shopkeeper Wang was quite pleased with his new look. After repeatedly thanking Gu Sheng, he left with all his belongings.
Gu Sheng and his group waited from night to daybreak for Bai Yu and Shi Lou to return.
Seeing the two, everyone stood up.
"How is he? Is he still alive?"
"Nonsense, with both of us escorting him, how could he not be alive? Heâs perfectly fine, and Shi Lou has already spoken to the Third Elder. He will live under the elderâs protection from now on."
"How about your side? Did Luo Qinâs people find out?"
After Gu Sheng asked, Bai Yu scratched his head.
"Itâs strange. We thought Luo Qin would keep a close watch on Shopkeeper Wang and perhaps even assign more people. But to our surprise, only two people followed him, and they didnât seem very attentive. We circled around the west of the city and managed to shake them off, and the journey after that went quite smoothly."
After speaking, Bai Yu looked at Gu Sheng with some confusion.
"Logically speaking, Luo Qin wouldnât let it slide so easily. How could he be so lax?"
After thinking for a moment, Gu Sheng said, "He might believe Shopkeeper Wang is already in the bag, so heâs not worried. After all, given his rank, Shopkeeper Wang has always been his supporter. He probably couldnât have imagined such a turnaround. Heâs confident everything is under his control, which led to his laxity, allowing us to succeed."
After Gu Sheng finished, everyone nodded in agreement.
At this point, Luochuan, who was standing by, said, "Luo Qin has always been arrogant and self-assured since childhood, sometimes not even heeding King Luoâs words, trusting only his own judgment."
Hearing this, Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow.
If Luo Qin is really that brainless, it would be advantageous for them.
"Weâve settled the matter with Shopkeeper Wang. Before the recruitment gathering, Luo Qin shouldnât produce anything. Tomorrow, letâs head to the south of the city to see what the Qingcheng Sect is up to."
Just as Gu Sheng finished speaking, Luochuan reminded him, "Brother Sheng, we canât ignore King Luo. If Luo Qin fails to deliver, heâll definitely receive support. The Prince Mansion has many valuable items, and he wonât go empty-handed."
Hearing this, Gu Sheng nodded thoughtfully.
"Youâre right. His father is backing him, so we canât let him become a laughingstock. However, if we reveal this at the right time, making Luo Qin lose face first, even if King Luo arms him with countless treasures, the Jianghu people might still look down on him, right?"
Upon saying this, everyoneâs eyes lit up.
"Gu Sheng, do you have a good idea?"
"Luo Qin wanted to take a life for a dagger and was abusive to shopkeepers over money matters, arousing countless grievances. Since he did those things, why not make it public so everyone can see what kind of person Luo Qin is? Although heâs not really greedy and stingy, we can portray him as such. Jianghu people dislike greedy individuals, and if Luo Qin is seen as one, they might change their choice. In this way, his reputation will take a hit."
After carefully pondering Gu Shengâs words, everyoneâs eyes lit up.
"Gu Sheng, you always have tons of ideas, both good and bad!"