The box was ordinary, with nothing remarkable about it.
But Commander Niu was a man of wide experience, and he noticed that Jiang Chen's bearing and demeanor seemed somewhat at odds with his seemingly plain appearance.
Whenever such a discrepancy arose, the only explanation was that the person had deliberately made themselves look ordinary — and was far from as unremarkable as they appeared.
Niu Ben didn't dare be careless. He accepted the box and quickly carried it inside.
After all, Shopkeeper Niu was merely the shopkeeper of the Flying Horse Inn — not one of Jinzhong City's truly top figures. So the people of the Niu estate didn't dare put on too many airs.
Steward Qiu, seeing Jiang Chen's calm and faintly smiling expression, couldn't help but ask: "Friend, was there a treasure in that box? Bribing Shopkeeper Niu? Let me tell you, Shopkeeper Niu is generous with his wealth but he rarely accepts gifts from friends."
Jiang Chen shook his head with a wry smile. "Even if I gave it to him, he might not dare accept it."
Steward Qiu froze. What kind of bold talk was that? Giving it to Shopkeeper Niu, and Shopkeeper Niu wouldn't dare accept? Was there any gift in this world that someone wouldn't dare accept?
Just as Steward Qiu wore a look of bewilderment, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from within the Niu estate, and Shopkeeper Niu's voice rang out from far away.
His voice was slightly trembling, even tinged with panic: "Where? Where is he? Where is the honored guest? Niu Ben, you fool — how dare you slight my honored guest. Foolish, truly foolish."
Steward Qiu was startled hearing Shopkeeper Niu's voice from afar. When he made out what was being said, Steward Qiu was completely stunned.
What? An honored guest?
Shopkeeper Niu rarely reprimanded his subordinates, let alone his most capable subordinate, Commander Niu.
As far as Steward Qiu could remember, Commander Niu had never received so much as a word of criticism.
Yet today, Shopkeeper Niu had gone against all precedent, actually reprimanding Niu Ben for slighting an honored guest? What kind of honored guest could make Shopkeeper Niu lose his composure like this?
Steward Qiu's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. Lately, the situation at the Flying Horse Inn had been turbulent and uncertain, weighing heavily on Steward Qiu's mind.
His share inside was small, but for him, it was a lifetime's livelihood — a lifetime's hope.
So he had no wish whatsoever to see the Flying Horse Inn swallowed up entirely by Head Shopkeeper Dong Sheng.
In his heart, Steward Qiu stood on Niu Wu's side.
But who exactly was this young man, that Shopkeeper Niu had rushed out in person to welcome him, with such anxiety in his voice?
While Steward Qiu was still marveling, Niu Wu's rotund body came rolling out like a ball. Upon seeing Jiang Chen and Steward Qiu, Niu Wu immediately approached Jiang Chen: "Honored guest, honored guest! I never imagined that in my lifetime, I would have the honor of meeting a scion of an emperor-level power. May I ask — are you the legendary Young Master Ji the Third, who nearly conquered all nine Liuli Pagodas?"
Jiang Chen nearly laughed at the question. Young Master Ji the Third? This Niu Wu had mistaken him for Young Master Ji the Third.
But then he considered — he was disguised. And Niu Wu had probably never seen the real Young Master Ji the Third before, so he could only go by first impressions.
Jiang Chen was about to deny it, but on second thought, impersonating Young Master Ji the Third didn't seem like such a bad idea.
So he offered a faint smile and neither confirmed nor denied it.
After all, even if Young Master Ji the Third learned about this impersonation, knowing his personality, he probably wouldn't be upset at all — he'd likely find it amusing.
An emperor-level scion? Young Master Ji the Third?
Young Master Ji the Third's reputation had been like thunder to the ears these past days. Throughout the entire territory governed by the Liuli Royal City, Young Master Ji the Third's name ranked second only to Young Master Zhen.
A genius who had nearly conquered all nine Liuli Stelae — it would have been impossible not to become famous across the land.
After all, Young Master Ji the Third had achieved that feat while suppressing every other young-master-level genius. That made it all the more precious, all the more remarkable.
Aside from a monster like Young Master Zhen, Young Master Ji the Third had absolutely been the hottest name in Liuli Royal City in recent years.
Now, hearing the name Young Master Ji the Third, Steward Qiu's entire body trembled, and the look of doubt in his eyes instantly transformed into deep reverence.
Commander Niu had clearly been equally shaken by Niu Wu's words.
What? Young Master Ji the Third? The designated successor of Panlong the Great Emperor, the Eighth Emperor? A top genius who had nearly conquered all nine Liuli Stelae?
Such a figure — and he had turned him away at the door?
Niu Ben suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, his heart flooding with dread and unease. Turning others away was his duty, after all.
But a young-master-level genius from the main district of Liuli Royal City — that was someone who almost never set foot in Jinzhong City.
Such a person was practically an unattainable existence in the eyes of merchants like them.
Niu Wu glanced back and saw that Jiang Chen hadn't objected, which he took as confirmation that he'd guessed correctly. He dropped to his knees in a bow: "This Young Master honors us with his presence — old Niu failed to greet you properly. I am mortified."
Niu Ben was dumbstruck as well, and instinctively followed suit, bowing low: "Young Master, this humble one was blind and failed to recognize the Young Master's arrival. Please forgive my discourtesy."
Steward Qiu's knees went weak as well: "Young Master... I was blind, I was blind..."