Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 90

Chapter 90: Eating Humble Pie

Zhao Dajiang looked up in surprise, only to see a tall, beautiful woman in green standing behind Rong Xie. Her words were full of provocation, yet the look she gave Rong Xie held a hint of gloom.

Zhao Dajiang keenly perceived that this woman in green likely had an unusual relationship with Rong Xie.

“Miss makes a fair point. I blame my own poor judgment for scavenging these counterfeits; it has nothing to do with Fellow Daoist Rong,” Zhao Dajiang laughed. “Miss, your strength seems unfathomable. May I ask your esteemed name?”

“This is Sister Qu Huaiyan, Big Brother Rong’s childhood friend from his hometown,” Linglong introduced enthusiastically.

Rong Xie couldn’t stop her in time. With Linglong’s introduction, “Qu Huaiyan” barged nakedly into his social circle.

He even unceremoniously sat down right next to Rong Xie.

“Hey, Shen…” Rong Xie turned his head. “What exactly do you want?”

“I want to join too.” “Qu Huaiyan” said, slamming a map onto the table. “This is a treasure map of Prince Runan I found recently. I don’t know if it’s real or fake. If it’s real, it’s in the nearby mountains, worth exploring.”

“What? Let me see!” Zhao Dajiang was instantly excited. He stood up, hands pressed on either side of the map, staring at it obsessively. The more he looked, the more excited he became. “This mountain range is Nanshan, right? Look, here’s the Blue Plateau! Such a detailed route… real or fake, it won’t hurt to take a look!”

“Big Brother Zhao, don’t just look at it yourself; let Big Brother Rong see it,” Linglong reminded him.

“Oh, right, right! We have a Doctor Rong here!” Zhao Dajiang hurriedly sat down, cleared the space around the treasure map, and looked at Rong Xie expectantly.

Rong Xie didn’t need to look to believe that this treasure map was real.

The sources of things Shen Bingsi took out were generally very reliable. They were either dug directly from tombs, entrusted to him by important figures, or even more impressively, presented directly by the Heaven Mirror and drawn by the recording official.

Rong Xie just didn’t understand why Shen Bingsi was doing this.

He thought he had made himself clear enough yesterday.

Shen Bingsi’s reaction at the time seemed to indicate he had accepted it.

But only a day later, he came to pester him again, wearing “Qu Huaiyan’s” face—what exactly was he trying to achieve?

“Fellow Daoist Rong?” Seeing Rong Xie motionless, Zhao Dajiang reminded him.

Not wanting to betray Zhao Dajiang’s trust, Rong Xie took the treasure map. Seeing the unique markings and recording script of the Runan Dynasty, Rong Xie said, “It should be real.”

“It’s real! That’s great!” Zhao Dajiang was overjoyed. “I’ll gather the team members right now—”

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“However, this map belongs to this… Miss Qu,” Rong Xie paused. “Whether she wants to offer it up and how the profits will be split afterwards has nothing to do with me. Captain Zhao, you should settle terms with her before gathering the team.”

“…”

The atmosphere at the dinner table froze for a moment.

Zhao Dajiang’s mouth hung half-open, looking at Rong Xie, then at “Qu Huaiyan.”

Linglong tugged at his sleeve and whispered something in his ear.

“Oh, so that’s it! They had a fight—” Zhao Dajiang realized, his voice as loud as ever.

Seeing the topic about to turn into ‘enthusiastic big brother mediates a lovers’ quarrel,’ Rong Xie didn’t want to step into this cliché trap.

As long as the “lovers” label with “Qu Huaiyan” remained, no matter what their actual relationship was, everything would be labeled as a lovers’ spat or awkwardness.

“No, we aren’t fighting. It’s just… we didn’t have much of a relationship to begin with. We were friends before; now we settle our own accounts. Captain Zhao, please be sure to ask clearly.”

Rong Xie said seriously.

Rong Xie’s attitude was very solemn. Zhao Dajiang couldn’t help but sit up straight, and Linglong was also a bit surprised.

Rong Xie felt “Qu Huaiyan” turn his face, gaze landing on him, but he didn’t look back at “Qu Huaiyan.”

He stood up from the table and said, “It’s getting late. If Captain Zhao settles terms with Miss Qu, you can bring the map to me again.”

“Uh… okay.” Zhao Dajiang also stood up. “I’ll pay Fellow Daoist Rong a separate consultation fee then.”

“No need, this meal counts as the fee.” Rong Xie smiled faintly. “Actually, I quite like archaeology. Just looking at these antiques, bamboo slips, and silks—even without payment, I’d be happy to appraise them. Observing them is a joy in itself. Real or fake, they are all painstakingly made by people. Just looking at the craftsmanship is interesting.”

Listening to this, Zhao Dajiang couldn’t help but show admiration.

“Fellow Daoist Rong’s perspective is truly broad,” Zhao Dajiang praised. “Actually, our Treasure Hunting Team is the same. We often make trips in vain, but being able to go out for a drill makes everyone excited.”

“Yeah, as long as there’s a place to hunt treasure, whether we find it or not isn’t that important,” Linglong echoed.

“Pfft.”

Seeing the other three at the table chatting harmoniously, “Qu Huaiyan” couldn’t help but let out a cold sneer.

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“Hm?” Zhao Dajiang noticed “Qu Huaiyan’s” attitude and hurriedly asked, “Does Miss Qu have a brilliant opinion?”

“It’s precisely this indifferent attitude of yours that leads to having no treasures to hunt. Treasure hunting isn’t a picnic where you only care about the process and not the result.” “Qu Huaiyan” crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “With an attitude like that, who with a real treasure map would look for you?”

Zhao Dajiang looked slightly embarrassed.

Linglong was also stunned. Clearly, she hadn’t thought about it from “Qu Huaiyan’s” angle. It seemed to make some sense, but also…

“That’s not necessarily true. Interest often takes one further than profit does,” Rong Xie, who had intended to leave, turned back upon hearing this. “That Captain Zhao can hold such a Treasure Hunting Team together—even during times with no treasures to hunt, everyone doesn’t scatter but gathers together lively and happily—is already very impressive.”

Zhao Dajiang realized: “Right, that’s how our Dragon Seeking Treasure Hunting Team is!”

“Yes, Big Brother Rong makes a lot of sense! Why didn’t I think of that?” Linglong chimed in. “Although Sister Qu also makes sense… I still trust Big Brother Rong more!”

“…” “Qu Huaiyan” hadn’t expected these three to band together again. He really looked down on this kind of trashy rogue cultivator group-hugging. He simply tapped the treasure map on the table. “Fine. You decide. Do you want the treasure map, or do you want to play house together?”

Zhao Dajiang was stunned. “What do you mean?”

“Qu Huaiyan” narrowed his eyes. “The treasure map is mine. I will organize the team. The four people at this table can go. I won’t consider anyone else from your team.”

“What…?”

Zhao Dajiang and Linglong were both stunned, not expecting “Qu Huaiyan” to impose such a condition.

“Qu Huaiyan’s” meaning was clear: he wanted Zhao Dajiang to choose between a real treasure hunt and his team members.

If he really valued his team members and the harmonious atmosphere as he claimed, he wouldn’t abandon his team to explore Prince Runan’s treasure alone.

“Well? Actually, think on the bright side. You two can represent your Treasure Hunting Team. If we get the treasure, we split it equally. You can sell it for money. It only benefits your team, no harm.” “Qu Huaiyan” tempted them systematically.

Of course, Rong Xie knew “Qu Huaiyan” wouldn’t have the patience to specifically throw out a humanity test to see if irrelevant people were truly united or not.

He did this solely to hijack Rong Xie into going along.

Rong Xie sighed. Just as he was about to refuse directly, Zhao Dajiang made his decision.

Zhao Dajiang pushed the treasure map back toward “Qu Huaiyan.” His face was full of regret, but his tone was firm: “Since that is the case, Miss Qu, please take back this treasure map. We don’t recognize the writing on it anyway, so we’ll pretend we never saw it.”

“Yeah, our Dragon Seeking Treasure Hunting Team is one entity. Without the support of other members, we don’t have the confidence to succeed…” Linglong mumbled.

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Rong Xie looked at Zhao Dajiang and Linglong in surprise. He had heard Linglong’s complaints and knew they hadn’t officially opened for business in a long time, doing meaningless jobs in Shengjing just to keep the team alive.

However, what they really wanted was adventure, treasure hunting.

Now that the opportunity was right in front of them, they—very decisively refused.

Rong Xie couldn’t help but look at “Qu Huaiyan.” He was a little curious what expression “Qu Huaiyan” had now.

“Qu Huaiyan” wasn’t using a disguise technique but had used spiritual power to reshape his muscle and bone growth. Therefore, although his appearance had changed, his face was real, and the expression on it right now was also real—

“Qu Huaiyan” kept his mouth shut tight, wearing an expression of disbelief, as if the two people sitting in front of him had broken brains. In his tightly knitted brows, one could vaguely see Shen Bingsi eating humble pie.

Shen Bingsi, who was used to always getting what he wanted, had miscalculated.

The wild Treasure Hunting Team had their own beliefs and didn’t buy his act at all.

Failing to hijack Zhao Dajiang and Linglong meant failing to hijack Rong Xie. Shen Bingsi’s plan to dominate Rong Xie’s social circle had failed.

“Fine.” “Qu Huaiyan” stood up from the table, speaking stiffly. He put away the treasure map, stomped heavily across the floor, and left Tongqing Tower.

Rong Xie watched him leave, then returned to the table.

He hesitated for a moment and asked, “Captain Zhao, won’t you regret missing such an opportunity?”

“Sigh,” Zhao Dajiang sighed. “Of course I regret it, but there’s no helping it. Our Dragon Seeking Treasure Hunting Team doesn’t move collectively because we have nothing better to do. Fellow Daoist Rong might not know, but each person in our team has their own role. When we encounter danger, we have a mature formation. If I go alone, I don’t have that combat power at all.”

“Actually…” Rong Xie paused. “You can go now.”

“What?” Zhao Dajiang was blank. “Go where?”

“To Prince Runan’s treasure,” Rong Xie said. “I memorized that map just now.”

Although doing this wasn’t very polite, who asked Shen Bingsi to constantly disrupt his life without any boundaries?

Since that was the case, Rong Xie might as well use the information delivered to his doorstep, utilize his photographic memory to achieve his own goals, and teach Shen Bingsi a lesson in the process.

Under the surprised gazes of Zhao Dajiang and Linglong, Rong Xie lowered his eyes and said, “However, I also have my condition of exchange… I want to inquire about a person. Ideally, I want to meet him in person. This person is in the Inner Sect of the Xuantian Sect.”

The Xuantian Sect was near Shengjing. The Dragon Seeking Treasure Hunting Team had been active in Shengjing for over half a year. With their connections and access to information, they might actually be able to find that person.

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“Who?”

“Elder Bai’s disciple, the Ruthless Path sword cultivator, Lu Yingqi.”