The man had finally negotiated a deal with the shopkeeper, who agreed that if the painting really sold, they would split the earnings seventy-thirty.

Of course, seventy for the shopkeeper, thirty for the man.

The man left with tears of gratitude in his eyes. Yin Yin tugged on Ling Long’s sleeve. “Let’s go.”

Ling Long glanced at her a few times but said nothing, following her out the door.

Yin Yin led Ling Long out of the shop, then suddenly leaped up onto the roof from around the corner. Ling Long followed her, landing softly beside her.

“I thought you’d follow that man.” Ling Long said.

Yin Yin raised a brow. “Why follow him? We can watch the show from right here.” As she spoke, she carefully lifted a roof tile. Through the gap, the entire shop below came into view.

“A show? If it turns out to be a bad one, you’ll have to compensate me.” Ling Long warned.

Yin Yin shivered slightly at his words. “Don’t worry. It’ll be worth every coin.”

The two of them waited on the rooftop. Before long, a tall young man stepped into the shop. He was dressed in a fine bright yellow robe, holding a fan edged with gold. A devil-may-care smile played on his lips.

He looked every bit like a wealthy, naive young master.

Naturally, the shopkeeper welcomed him with enthusiasm. “Ah, this esteemed gentleman is here to browse calligraphy and paintings? Our shop is a century-old brand, authentic works guaranteed!”

Yin Yin: “……” What’s next, free shipping, dear customer?

The young master strolled around the shop, seemingly unimpressed by the offerings. Just as he was about to leave— while the shopkeeper was growing increasingly anxious— his gaze landed on a painting that hadn’t yet been hung.

It was none other than the legendary masterpiece by Master Fan, 《Beauty Under the Moonlight》.

“This one……” The young master rushed to the painting, clearly agitated, his voice stumbling, “B-Boss, how much is this painting?”

The shopkeeper looked surprised. “You…… truly want to buy this one?”

“Of course!” The young master exclaimed. “This is 《Beauty Under the Moonlight》, a lost work by Fan Daxian! I’ve been looking for this piece for ages!”

The shopkeeper was taken aback. Was this really a painting by Fan Daxian?

The young master clutched the scroll tightly, unwilling to let go. “Boss, just name your price! Five thousand taels? If that’s not enough, say the word. No matter how much it is, I’ll pay!”

The shopkeeper swallowed hard. This shabby painting was worth five thousand taels?

“Boss, say something!” The young master urged.

The shopkeeper’s voice trembled. Today must be his lucky day. “Seeing how much you like it, I won’t drive the price up. Five thousand taels it is!”

The young master nodded enthusiastically. “Boss, you’re so honest! I don’t have that much silver on me right now, but I’ll go fetch it. Please keep the painting for me. I’ll be right back!”

The shopkeeper beamed, his face scrunching up with joy. “Absolutely! I’ll hold it for you, no question! Hurry back!”

The young master dashed out like a gust of wind.

Watching from the rooftop, Ling Long raised an eyebrow. Yin Yin smiled. “Don’t rush. It’s not over yet.”

Sure enough, not long after the young master left, the man who’d sold the painting returned.

“Boss, Boss! You haven’t sold my painting yet, have you?” The man looked panicked.

“Not yet. What’s wrong?” The shopkeeper eyed him warily. He’s not planning to back out, is he?

“Good! Don’t sell it! I want it back. I’m not selling it anymore!”

The shopkeeper’s face fell instantly. “Hey now, what’s your deal? You just begged me to help sell it, and now you want to take it back?”

The man wiped the sweat from his brow. “You don’t understand! I went home just now and saw that my family’s ancestral tablets had all toppled over, and the incense had gone out! I nearly died from fright! It must be that our family’s ancestors are angry I tried to sell the painting, so they’re punishing me!”

The shopkeeper, unwilling to let five thousand taels slip through his fingers, quickly tried to calm him, “Come on now, that’s just superstition! Maybe a gust of wind knocked them over?”

“What kind of wind knocks over ancestral tablets? I was wrong. Even if I starve, I can’t sell a family heirloom!”

The shopkeeper grew desperate. “Look, you’re alive, aren’t you? You can’t eat a painting, can you? Don’t be so superstitious.” He paused. “How about this, I’ll buy the painting for a hundred taels. What do you say?”

“A hundred taels? Boss, are you joking?”

“I’m just trying to help. Honestly, that ragged painting wouldn’t sell otherwise. But I can’t just watch you starve to death. That’s not the kind of person I am.” As he spoke, the shopkeeper handed him a hundred-tael banknote.

The man took the note, still hesitating. “I…… I……”

“Stop dithering. You can’t eat a painting, can you?”

“Sigh! Fine, fine.” The man took the money and walked out of the shop.

“This is the show you promised?” Ling Long asked, clearly unimpressed.

“Uh……” It was a pretty good show! “Those two are working together. They’re scammers!”

“How do you know?”

With my years of experience running cons on the streets……

They were using tricks that were all too familiar to her. She could practically smell the shared scent of deception on them. Who’d have thought she’d run into so many fellow swindlers even in ancient times?  ╮(╯_╰)╭

Thinking to herself, Yin Yin placed back the roof tile and jumped down with Ling Long in tow. “Let’s follow them and find out.”

The man walked several blocks before slipping into a small alley.

“Sir, that plan of yours worked like a charm!”

“Eh, child’s play~” Came the voice of the young master from within the alley.

“This money……”

“Take it. Go treat your daughter.”

“Thank you, Benefactor! You’re truly a living Bodhisattva!”

Yin Yin: “……”

Using someone else’s money to play the savior, you ‘really’ are a living Bodhisattva.

The man and the young master left the alley separately. The young master, unfortunately, picked the direction where Yin Yin and Ling Long were waiting.

When he suddenly saw the two people blocking his path, his smile stiffened. “Is there something you need?”

Yin Yin finally took a good look at him. He was surprisingly good-looking, with thick brows, large eyes, and lips that naturally curved upward. Even when not smiling, he seemed to be smiling. He exuded wealth.

Yin Yin smiled at him. “Instigating fraud and grand-scale deception. I wonder how many years that gets you?”

The young master froze, even his body going stiff. He poked his own cheek and forced a smile. “My name’s Kongkong^[1]Empty. May I ask your names?”

Yin Yin: “……”

Could you pick a more sincere fake name?

She wiped her face and asked, “Kongkong? As in ‘Kong’ from Cang Jingkong^[2]Chinese name of a famous Japanese adult film actress, Sora Aoi, or ‘Kong’ from Sun Wukong^[3]Monkey King from 《Journey to the West》?”

The young master: “……”

What is this young lady even talking about?!

He blinked at her and grinned nervously. “That calligraphy shop sells mostly counterfeits but charges real prices. I’ve long hated them. Lao Huang needed money for his daughter’s treatment, so I helped him out. Besides, if the boss wasn’t so greedy, how would he have fallen for it? I offered five thousand taels, and he only gave Lao Huang a hundred. A seventy-thirty split means Lao Huang should’ve gotten at least fifteen hundred!”

The young master seemed genuinely indignant now.

“How do you know the shop sells fakes?” What, are you some kind of calligraphy expert?

“Because the real ones are all in my house.”

Yin Yin: “……”

She looked at him and gave a strained smile. “Since you’re so rich, why not just use your own money to help Lao Huang?”

The young master scratched his head, a little embarrassed. “Truth be told, I ran away to escape a marriage. I left in a hurry and didn’t bring much money. And hey, I was helping that greedy shopkeeper earn karma too!” He looked nervously at Yin Yin. “You’re not going to report me, are you?”

Before Yin Yin could speak, Ling Long answered, “Of course not. You may go.”

“Thanks, thanks!” The young master beamed. “Next time we meet, I’ll treat you both to a meal~”

Watching him leave, Yin Yin asked, “You know him?”

Ling Long smiled. “Do you know who he is?”

Yin Yin wrinkled her nose. “You know?”

“He’s Helian Kong, the second prince.”

=口=

Second prince?!

Ling Long went on, “Remember that customer I mentioned who kept buying recipe books? That’s him. The second prince— though noble— spends his days idling, avoiding responsibilities, and has a reputation for laziness. He doesn’t seem all that bright either. He’s not favored in the palace, but he’s extremely picky with food, always sending his eunuchs to me to ask for new recipes. He’s bored of imperial cuisine.”

So that legendary glutton was this second prince?!

“You said he’s not too bright?” Yin Yin found that hard to believe. “Anyone who could think up that con just now seems plenty clever to me.”

Ling Long simply gave her a meaningful look. “Best not to ask too much about palace affairs.”

……

Oh! I get it! Court intrigue! Fight for the throne! The second prince is just pretending to be a fool to protect himself!

Yin Yin grew inexplicably excited.

“He said he ran away to escape a marriage?” The second prince running away from home for an arranged marriage…… Things must be lively at the palace.

Ling Long thought for a moment. “I heard he was betrothed to the eldest daughter of Chen Manor. The Chen family has served as officials for three generations and was prominent in the capital, but they hold little real power. It seems the second prince truly isn’t favored.”

Sigh. What a pitiful prince— forced to play the fool, scorned by others, and now even driven to flee an arranged marriage.

Yin Yin looked at Ling Long and said solemnly, “Life is hard enough. Let’s not expose him.”

Ling Long: “……”

He hadn’t planned to expose him anyway. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let him go.

The two wandered the streets a bit longer, then decided to have lunch.

At Baxian Tower, just as Yin Yin and Ling Long followed the waiter up to the second floor, they spotted a familiar figure in bright yellow, tearfully eating a plate of drunken chicken.

He was truly sobbing with joy!

How long has it been since he last ate meat?!

Yin Yin felt she had learned something new today. This was a man with a sincere heart for food.

She couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips as she sat across from Helian Kong. “Hey, rich guy. Let’s be friends~”