Not easy being a "young master"

Bai Hua knew that someone was tailing him. His senses were sharper than the spy had estimated. Xiao Tang had thought that Bai Hua was just a kid who was still wet behind the ears even though his spiritual powers were strong. He had gravely underestimated him. And now the spy who was tailing him was exposed to him like a glaring red dot in his spiritual radar.

Bai Hua just went roaming around the imperial city. He looked around things that interested him, things which were normal to common people he found them fascinating. He ate the street food like a commoner. He sat down by a stall and ate a bowl of mushroom rice noodles. At another stall, he ate three sticks of fish cakes and at another one, he drank two bowls of lotus and duck soup. He even went to see a street play performance.

The spy did not see anything out of the ordinary. It was already evening. He had followed Bai Hua the whole day and in his opinion, Bai Hua just seemed like a kid who was new to the imperial city. He was acting like a tourist who had come from another town or maybe even a village. He did not seem like a wealthy kid at all. Even though he seemed to have money his actions were just too common. A noble young master would not behave like he was doing. A noble young master would never venture alone in common clothes eating common food.

The spy's mission was not over so he kept following Bai Hua. Bai Hua seemed to head out of the imperial city opposite to the residential areas of the nobles and even the palace. Bai Hua entered a forest and prepared to make camp inside a huge tree. Seeing this the spy's suspicions were cleared. he concluded that Bai Hua couldn't come from a strong background but was just a common traveller like he thought so. There was nothing to see anymore. The spy had confirmed that Bai Hua was not related to THEM in any way and went back to the restaurant to make his report to the boss.

Once Bai Hua felt that the red dot had retreated he smiled. He had fooled the spy. The red dot had been following him ever since he left the restaurant. Clearly, the boss lady had him tailed to find out his background. She had acted calmly and respectfully earlier because she had not ascertained his background. But he knew things would be different tomorrow. He felt that she had sent the spy because she was afraid of offending a power. And he needed to know what was that power.

He just had another 5 days or so before he left for the school and he wanted to solve the problem before he left. He did not want this kingdom to go into ruin, something which the First Lord had cherished and dedicated all his life and the succeeding generations to safeguard it as they wait for the return of the real monarch. And now that he had returned he felt a responsibility towards it.

The sun had not set yet. And he knew his father would be waiting at the training ground soon. He rushed off straight for the palace. He was so fast that he reached within half and incense time. He inhaled deeply and made up an excuse for his tardiness. He was going to tell his father that he had gone to the thick forest where ferocious beasts lived. he used to go there before, so his father won't be suspicious.

And with this excuse in his mind, he entered the training ground.

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The next morning he left after wearing his disguise. This time he had even changed some of his facial features. He still looked like himself but more plain and common. And he knew that most people had not seen the face of their Young Lord, so he was safe.

He entered the imperial city again and made it straight for the restaurant. As soon as he stepped into the restaurant he realised that the boss lady was waiting for him. She smiled at him and beckoned him to follow her.

She led him up the stairs towards the first floor. Today she did not lead him to one of the private cubicles but lead him to a table near an open window. There was a pot of hot tea waiting for them.

She sat down and he also did the same.

"This tea is not drugged I assure you, young master."

She poured the tea into their cups and she took the first sip to show her sincerity.

She put down the cup and then asked curiously, "Young master, if we are to transact money with you, I wonder if you could show your face? We, businessmen, like to keep all things clear."

"That's not a problem at all," Bai Hua said as he removed his straw hat.

The boss lady was prepared for this but she was still left speechless for some time. Right in front of her was a kid no older than 13 or 14 years of age. He had an innocent face but had intelligent eyes. She had thought that it was some 20 or 21-year-old kid who had tricked and overpowered Xiao Tang. He had a tall framed and strong spiritual power and so she had thought that it would be a young kid but not as young as this!

"Is there something on my face?" he smiled.

"No, not at all, young master, I didn't think that you would be so 'young' when I met you yesterday."

"Well, the young shouldn't be taken advantage of then."

"Hahaha... you even know how to jest."

"I am quite plain when it comes to money as well despite my age."

Bai Hua wasn't joking. He had been poor in his previous life and so he had lived a life of a miser. And even though he was rich now, he was still going to find ways to earn back what he lost or spent.

"You're not from this city, are you?" asked the lady boss.

"Yes, I am not from this city, does that pose a problem?" Bai Hua was being honest, his residence was not within the imperial city, so technically he wasn't lying even if it was called the imperial city.

"You just need to sign on the receipt that's all. We are very thorough with our accounts," she said as she produced a paper and a quill.

Bai Hua knew that she was trying to get more information from him.

She's one insistent lady, he thought.

He took the receipt and signed it. and before he gave her back the paper he asked, "Where are the stones?"

She pushed a pouch towards him on the table. He picked it up and emptied the entire contents into his untouched teacup. It all sank with a "blub" "blub" sound.

He smirked and replied to her enquiring gaze, "Checking if they were authentic imperial stones. After all, it's not easy being a young master, one has to know what's fake and real."

The red stones were glowing inside the hot tea like little pieces of glowing charcoal. They were ten of them in total.

"Now that we have confirmed our deal, here's your receipt," he said as he handed her the receipt.

He had picked up the stones with a chopstick and filled the pouch again. He put on his straw hat and stood up, bowed with joined hands and left.

All this time the boss lady had said nothing but had been watching him. And as soon as he was out of earshot, she mumbled, "Cunning boy, he was actually washing off the scent on those stones right under my nose. He's trying to get rid of me."

She was going to personally handle him later anyway, so she'll teach him a lesson for his arrogance that time. The receipt didn't matter as she was going to get those stones back but she took a look at it anyway. And there at the place where he was supposed to sign was a doodle of a stick-man wearing a straw hat with the tag "Country Young Master" written on it.