Chapter 59: Even Pangu Had to Start Working the Moment He Created the Heavens and the Earth

Lin Zhaozhao followed the group to a private, enclosed parlor on the fifth floor.

In the largest restaurant of the black market, only figures of noble status and supreme power could typically book one of the five private parlors on the very top floor.

Lin Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow, harboring some guesses about the other party's background.

She was likely a young lady of noble birth from the capital.

As soon as Jun Wuyou stepped inside, she instructed her little maid to stand guard by the door and dismissed her personal guards.

Then, she clapped her hands.

To everyone's surprise, the little maid standing at the door suddenly reached into her tunic and pulled out a thick stack of bank notes!

Lin Zhaozhao gasped, "!!!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Lin Zhaozhao’s little heart fluttered wildly like a startled fawn!

Without beating around the bush, the young lady came straight to the point, "Young master, I won't play any roundabout games with you. This scar has accompanied me for many years, and I want to get rid of it completely. Since you were able to expose that person's lies, you must possess some genuine skills. I wonder if you can help me?"

"This..." Lin Zhaozhao glanced at the scar on the girl's shoulder and said with some hesitation, "It's not that I'm unwilling to help you treat it, but this scar was indeed left behind too long ago. I can give it a try, but I don't have absolute certainty..."

"Even if you only have a six or seven-tenths chance of success, I am willing to give it a try!"

As she spoke, the girl directly shoved three thousand taels of silver into Lin Zhaozhao's hands.

Lin Zhaozhao, "!"

Oh, my sweet goodness!

What kind of concept was three thousand taels of silver?

An ordinary family would probably have to save from the dawn of creation until now, and still might not have saved three thousand taels!

What right or virtue did she have to receive so much silver before she had even made a move?

If she were to die tomorrow, nobody might even be able to burn this much paper money for her!

"Three thousand taels of silver is just a small token of sincerity. As long as you are willing to treat me, regardless of the outcome, keep this silver first. Once the deed is done, I have an even greater reward for you!"

One must know that while she lacked many things, silver was certainly not one of them!

And what about Lin Zhaozhao?

She lacked neither love nor calcium, but she was desperately short of money!

Perhaps it was from spending too much time as an overworked corporate slave in her past life; she always felt uneasy whenever her pockets were empty!

Without a second thought, she lunged forward, snatched the bank notes, tucked them firmly into her bosom, and said, "Rest assured, my lady! Ever since I was a child, I’ve been known for my warm heart! Saving innocent maidens and redemption literature are my absolute specialties!"

"A mere scar? Watch me wipe it out instantly!"

"Splendid, splendid, splendid!" The young lady beamed with joy.

Lin Zhaozhao said, "However, meeting is a matter of fate. I am willing to accept these three thousand taels. If I manage to cure you, we can consider ourselves friends. You needn't give me any more silver; just help me with one small favor instead."

Jun Wuyou furrowed her brow in confusion, "What favor?"

The little maid also wore a guarded expression.

One had to understand that matters involving money were generally trivial, but promises were entirely different. The higher one's status, the heavier a promise weighed—worth more than a thousand taels of gold.

"Don't worry, it's just a very small matter. You can resolve it with a mere word." Lin Zhaozhao retrieved the whitening pills and foundation she had made over the past couple of days from her backpack.

"Take the whitening pills regularly, sleep early and wake up early, and your skin will visibly lighten in about seven or eight days. The purpose of this foundation is to make your skin look translucent, and it can also be used to conceal scars."

"I've examined your scar, and the best treatment is to use silicone scar gel. I noticed there is an apothecary here in the black market. Go and gather the herbs I need, and I will prepare a batch for you right now. Apply it three times a day—morning, noon, and night—and use it for a month to see the results. While I cannot guarantee it will vanish completely, it will definitely fade significantly."

Silicone scar gel—just hearing the name made the little maid feel as though the other person was a charlatan. However, since her princess completely trusted this person and the two of them were chatting and laughing merrily, she felt it inappropriate to say anything more that might displease the princess. Thus, she immediately got up to fetch the medicine.

Lin Zhaozhao worked with great speed, finishing the ointment and handing it over in no time.

Given her special status, Jun Wuyou had to return to the palace immediately, or the palace gates would be locked, leaving her stranded outside.

She nodded to Lin Zhaozhao, "Then let us meet here again in a month's time."

"Naturally."

Once inside the carriage, the little maid finally couldn't help but speak up, "Your Highness, forgive this maid for speaking out of turn, but this whole affair feels rather unreliable! So many imperial physicians in the palace have failed to resolve this, yet this person is just a young master around our age... Could he also be a wandering con artist?"

She wasn't intentionally pouring cold water on the idea; she simply didn't want her beloved princess to experience hope only to face despair once again.

"Regardless of whether he can cure it or not, I want to try!"

After all, times had changed. The Emperor had already betrothed her to the man she loved, and although he didn't mind...

As a young girl carrying such an ugly scar, she still felt deeply insecure deep down.

"I have reached the end of my rope; I might as well treat a dead horse as if it were still alive!" Besides, she had endless amounts of silver to spare. If the other person was indeed a fraud, she would just consider it charitable poverty alleviation!

"Your Highness is truly kind-hearted! Oh, by the way, Your Highness!"

Recalling something, the little maid hurriedly pulled a letter from her bosom, "This is the letter Miss Xu wrote to you!"

"Why would Jiaojiao write to me?" Jun Wuyou was slightly puzzled, but still patiently read the contents of the letter.

"It turns out she's offended third brother!"

"Your Highness, Miss Xu has always been righteous and loyal, always going above and beyond for her friends. This maid doesn't think she is a bad person. On the contrary, this county princess she mentioned—Lin Zhaozhao—speaks rudely even to her own sister. Yet His Majesty actually wants to let her enter the palace as your study companion? Isn't that simply boosting her prestige?"

Jun Wuyou nodded, "Jiaojiao and I are on good terms. Since even she thinks poorly of this Lin Zhaozhao, when the academy opens in a few days, I'll find an excuse to beat her up and throw her out of the palace!"

"Assure Jiaojiao that she is my only friend. As for any Lin Zhaozhao—if I ever speak another word to her, I'm a dog!"

****

Lin Zhaozhao, of course, had no idea that simple-minded Xu Jiaojiao dared to badmouth her behind her back.

Her objective for this trip to the black market had basically been achieved.

She was just waiting for the other party to use the whitening pills and foundation to spread her reputation far and wide.

Just as she was packing up her bank notes and preparing to leave, a faint, agonizing scream suddenly echoed from the adjoining room—

"Save... save me, help me!"

The voice was exceptionally hoarse and grating, sounding like a chicken with its neck wrung, emitting hollow gurgling sounds.

Oh, mother dearest!

It looked like someone was being subjected to brutal torture. As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat!

Lin Zhaozhao turned around and bolted.

"I'm willing to talk... that... the rest of the silver is in..."

What?!

There's silver?!

Where is it?!

Lin Zhaozhao, who had been on the verge of fleeing, abruptly halted her steps. To be completely honest, eavesdropping and watching the drama unfold was an innate nature deeply rooted in the bones of the Chinese people!

To act against one's own nature—could one even be considered human anymore?!