Chapter 53: Identity Completely Exposed
“If you really want me to prove it, it’s not impossible.” Cheng Hong Ling shook her head with pity and said, “There’s a small red mole on your right buttock. Besides me, not many people know about this, right? Unless you’ve slept with many people.”
“Shut… Shut up!” Miao Xiang instantly became angry and flustered, reaching out with her small hand to cover her Junior Sister’s mouth.
“You’re the one who forced me to prove it.” Cheng Hong Ling skillfully dodged, her face devoid of mercy.
“Fine… Fine, let’s say you’re real!” Miao Xiang’s face turned red, and she quickly changed the subject, “Then what do we do now? That imposter looks exactly like you. Even if we see her, it will be hard to tell.”
Cheng Hong Ling also frowned upon hearing this, then suddenly realized with an “aha” moment: “How could I forget this? My father said her feet are much bigger than mine. From now on, if you see anyone who looks exactly like me, don’t recognize faces, just recognize feet. Anyone whose feet are much larger than mine is definitely an imposter.”
Cheng Hong Ling slightly lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing her small feet clad in pink and white embroidered shoes.
“That way, it will be easy to tell. No matter how capable that imposter is, she can’t possibly shrink her feet, right? I must find an opportunity to tell the other Senior Sisters so they don’t get fooled again.” Miao Xiang nodded her little head repeatedly.
“Then I’ll have to trouble Senior Sister Miao Xiang here. I have to go.” Cheng Hong Ling thanked her politely.
“Why? Didn’t you just say you came to catch that imposter? Why are you leaving so soon?” Miao Xiang showed a hint of reluctance on her face.
“I need to go back and report to Sect Leader Qin that the imposter has big feet. Otherwise, if even you can’t tell, let alone other disciples,” Cheng Hong Ling explained.
“You have a point.” Miao Xiang agreed wholeheartedly.
Thus, Cheng Hong Ling used her movement technique and left the county town like a phantom.
“Did I forget something?” Miao Xiang also left her “post,” called the other four Senior Sisters to the inn where they were staying, and then informed them of the matter.
“Damn it! I was actually fooled by that imposter twice!” Ruan Lingyu’s teeth were almost ground to dust.
“Eldest Senior Sister, judging by your expression, didn’t that imposter take advantage of you again?” Yun Fei teased.
“Nonsense, how could that be?” Ruan Lingyu was flustered and angry.
“Looking at her, she must have suffered a loss again,” Su Qing added fuel to the fire coldly.
“Eldest Senior Sister, don’t worry! When we catch her, I’ll get revenge for you,” Shen Yuan, with her fiery personality, said with righteous indignation.
“Am I worried? I am so worried! Hehe…” Ruan Lingyu, flustered and angry, sneered repeatedly.
“Eldest Senior Sister, don’t be angry. It’s okay even if your advantage was taken. Although that imposter is not Junior Sister, she is indeed a woman. I personally checked closely,” Miao Xiang said, slightly unable to bear it, and quickly comforted her.
“Really? That’s great!” Ruan Lingyu’s expression improved slightly. If the forty taels of silver were gone, they were gone, but chastity was priceless.
“If that’s the case, then let’s continue to monitor. Remember, from now on, anyone who looks like Junior Sister, recognize their feet, not their faces,” Yun Fei arranged.
“That’s not right, I think I forgot something?” As everyone was about to leave, Miao Xiang frowned and mumbled.
“Forgot what?” Ruan Lingyu asked reflexively.
“Oh my god! How could I forget this!” Miao Xiang slapped her little head and said, “The last time I saw that imposter, I found her coming out of the yamen with a middle-aged couple. If we can ask the people at the county yamen, we might be able to find out the background of this woman.”
“That’s great! This is really an important clue,” Yun Fei suddenly became excited.
“But that’s the county yamen. Even as cultivators, we can’t just barge in,” Ruan Lingyu, as the Eldest Senior Sister, reminded them.
“We can’t go in, but can’t the people inside come out?” Yun Fei’s lips curved confidently, and she began to assign tasks: “Senior Sister Shen Yuan, here is a mission for you. Find out the situation of the various officials in the county yamen as soon as possible, and then tell me. The others continue to monitor.”
The sisters trusted Yun Fei, so they accepted the arrangement. Shen Yuan, relying on her looks, managed to get a clear picture of the county yamen before nightfall, even knowing whether the doorkeeper was male or female. In the evening, while her sisters were eating, she reported the situation.
“This Ping’an County is remote and has difficult conditions. It’s a lower-level county. The new county magistrate is an honest official, so after he took office, he abolished all unnecessary sinecures, leaving only a Chief Clerk named Yuan as his assistant. Besides that, there are only the lowest-level yamen runners and coroner,” Shen Yuan first introduced the general situation.
“Chief Clerk? That’s perfect, let’s choose him as our target! As the Chief Clerk, he must be very familiar with the common people in the jurisdiction. So even if he doesn’t know the background of that imposter, he will surely know that middle-aged couple who was with the imposter,” Yun Fei immediately deduced.
“Yes, the Chief Clerk usually manages population and household registration,” Ruan Lingyu agreed.
“Did you find out his address?” Yun Fei asked Shen Yuan.
“Of course, you still don’t trust me?” Shen Yuan smiled proudly.
“If that’s the case, then the sooner the better, let’s set off now.” Yun Fei put down her chopsticks, not knowing if she had eaten enough.
And so, the five Immortals resolutely headed towards the residence of Chief Clerk Yuan. At this moment, Chief Clerk Yuan had just returned home. Before he could even pick up his bowl, his door was knocked. Chief Clerk Yuan opened the door with a hint of resentment. To his surprise, five captivating girls, each more beautiful than the last, were standing outside, which made him unable to vent his resentment. He could only swallow it forcefully.
“May I ask what you need?” Chief Clerk Yuan asked politely. He wasn’t stupid; in this world, girls who looked like this were either rich or noble.
“Are you Chief Clerk Yuan? Hello! We want to inquire about someone with you.” Ruan Lingyu, who was leading, stated their purpose. With her high ponytail, she indeed looked a bit heroic.
“Inquire about whom?” Chief Clerk Yuan asked subconsciously. Perhaps because he was facing a group of beautiful girls, he didn’t have any reservations.
“About ten days ago, a girl taller than me, wearing a veil, came to the county yamen with a middle-aged couple. I want to know the identity of this girl,” Ruan Lingyu explained their purpose.
“Ten days ago? Wearing a veil? Could it be that girl who was drugged by the constable?” Chief Clerk Yuan recalled for a moment and quickly remembered. After all, that girl not only wore a veil but also caused a scene at the county yamen, so he had a fresh memory of it. However, remembering did not mean he would tell them, as he was, after all, the right-hand man of the local official.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re talking about. If there’s nothing else, please excuse me.” Chief Clerk Yuan wanted to show them out without a second thought, appearing extremely noble.
“To tell you the truth, we are female disciples of the HongHua Sect, not bad people. We urgently need to know the background of that girl.” Ruan Lingyu directly took out her Immortal Elder’s Waist Token.
“Immortal Ladies of the HongHua Sect? Please come in! Please come in! I will tell you everything I know.” Chief Clerk Yuan was stunned for a moment, then bowed and scraped, making way for them. He was completely different from before.
“No need, just tell me who she is,” Ruan Lingyu said impatiently.
“She said her name was Qi… Qi Huang! She claimed to be from the Prefecture Capital and came to the county yamen to register her marriage status. She wanted to marry a family in Huatian Village,” Chief Clerk Yuan revealed Huang Qi’s background without hesitation, truly telling everything he knew.
“What is the surname of that family?” Yun Fei pressed.
“It’s Huang! The head of the household is Huang Kairong, and Qi Huang wants to marry his son Huang Qi,” Chief Clerk Yuan explained in detail.
“Very good! Thank you, Chief Clerk Yuan. The HongHua Sect will remember this favor,” Yun Fei made a vague promise.
“Are you ladies going to look for her? She’s probably not in Huatian Village now,” Chief Clerk Yuan said with great joy and enthusiastically provided more information.
“Then where would she be?” Ruan Lingyu asked with a slight frown.
“When Qi Huang came to the yamen last time, she didn’t have a Tooth Token, so she couldn’t complete the marriage information registration. She will definitely go home to get it afterward. If I’m not mistaken, she will definitely come to the yamen again in the next few days to complete the registration,” Chief Clerk Yuan paused here, creating suspense.
