Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

If he hadn't known Wu Jian for over ten years and hadn't received favors from him in the past, he would never have said those words. It would be disastrous if Wu Jian retaliated later; they were legitimate businessmen!

Wu Jian immediately became alert.

"You see, they're heading towards the capital?"

The village head shook his head and pointed southwest: "They went up a godforsaken mountain, saying they were hunting."

Could it be a hunter?

Spring has arrived, and although it's not yet the time for everything to come back to life, there are still a few animals active in the deep mountains and forests, so it's normal for hunters to try their luck.

Wu Jian pondered the situation, remaining vigilant. After finishing his meal, he greeted Yan Cheng'an and Yu Wanran, then went outside to arrange for men to patrol the village and remind the bodyguards to be on the lookout for any disturbances.

Out of habit, Yu Wanran would walk around to observe the terrain in unfamiliar surroundings. After the others went to their guest rooms to rest, she casually strolled around the courtyard and surrounding areas.

The village women hired by the village head were squatting by the well in the courtyard, washing pots and dishes, chatting quietly. Then, they burst into low laughter.

This village was generally wealthier than Qingping Village, and the villagers looked noticeably more energetic. Yu Wanran envied their carefree lives and paused for a moment.

As she was about to leave, a person carrying a large wooden basin came out of the kitchen, intending to pour out the dirty water. Not noticing the wet floor, they stumbled.

Fortunately, she had a stable stance and didn't fall, but some water in the basin inevitably spilled out and splashed onto the back of the village woman by the well.

The village women gasped and dodged, while the one who got splashed was furious. She opened her mouth and scolded, "What are you doing, you brat? You can't even hold a basin of water properly. Are you just here to freeload?"

The girl straightened up, glared at the cursing woman with a gloomy look, and ignored her. She walked straight out of the yard and poured the water onto the edge of the paddy field.

The woman was not only splashed with water but also given a disdainful look, which made her extremely angry.

Her companions quickly advised her, "It's alright, she's Aunt Fang's niece. She was just visiting relatives when Aunt Fang fell ill, so she came to help out for a couple of days. Don't take it to heart, young lady!"

Yu Wanran's gaze swept over the village woman who had been comforted by the crowd and was now squatting down to wash the dishes again, and her attention fell on the gloomy girl.

She saw it very clearly just now.

If it were an ordinary country girl, she would most likely have fallen after that stumble. But she managed to regain her balance and stabilize her body.

This is not a fluke; it's more like an instinctive reaction from someone who has undergone special training when faced with a crisis.

As if sensing Yu Wanran's gaze, the girl lowered her head and quickly went inside. Yu Wanran stared thoughtfully at the girl's feet.

The girl was wearing a pair of old cloth shoes. They didn't fit quite right, a size too big, and made a clattering sound when she slipped on them.

She frowned, adopted a casual, conversational stance, and joined a group of village women to chat with them about everyday matters.

What's the most important thing when running a trade route?

One mouth!

Although she doesn't like interacting with outsiders, when she needs to promote goods to customers or negotiate prices with suppliers, she can still speak eloquently and leave them speechless.

Therefore, the village women only needed a moment to recognize her before they started chatting with the friendly guest.

A moment later, having received a satisfactory answer, Yu Wanran quietly walked out of the courtyard.

That's right, she had become suspicious of that gloomy girl! So she wanted to go to Aunt Fang's house to see if the girl was Aunt Fang's niece.

Otherwise, given all the inconsistencies, it's hard not to think of the assassin from before.

This auntie lived in a remote area, near the edge of the village. She was said to be a shrew, and her husband was always greedy for small gains, so the villagers disliked the couple.

Having had little contact with her, it's impossible to know whether the gloomy girl's identity is genuine or not. But who would be so bored as to impersonate a peasant woman's niece and come to the village head's house to do chores?

Only Yu Wanran was suspicious. The moment she discovered the slightest clue, she immediately began investigating. After all, this was a lesson she had learned from countless near-death experiences in her previous life.

Halfway there, she ran into Wu Jian, who was returning from patrol. Seeing the direction she was heading, he was slightly puzzled: "Miss Yu, where are you going? If you keep going, you'll be heading into the mountains!"

It is very dangerous to go into the mountains after dark.

Yu Wanran hesitated for a moment, and seeing that no one was around, she immediately stepped forward and told him about the suspicious points she had observed.

Wu Jian was a seasoned veteran, unlike Cai Tao who was clueless; he immediately became cautious upon hearing this.

"Miss Yu, are you sure that village girl has a background in martial arts?"

"Correct!"

Yu Wanran was certain that she hadn't misjudged him.

"Besides, the girl's cloth shoes were clearly ill-fitting. It's normal for country folk to have clothes that don't fit properly because they have endless chores to do. But who would wear shoes that are easy to trip over to someone else's house to work?"

"This girl is said to be Aunt Fang's niece. If Aunt Fang is sick, she can simply ask the village head for leave. Is it really necessary for her to have her niece take her place?"

The village head wasn't a kind person, and he paid high wages. Yu Wanran had inquired and found out that these village women rented land from the village head and depended on him for a living, so their work was essentially free.

Therefore, the gloomy girl is highly suspicious. However, since there is no evidence to support this speculation, she needs to find a way to investigate.

Wu Jian looked up at the sky, where dark, gray clouds filled the air. A cold north wind blew close to the ground, chilling him to the bone. He rubbed his hands and stamped his feet in exasperation.

“Miss Yu, there’s no time to lose. Let’s split up and deal with this! Please go back immediately to protect Young Master Yan. I’ll go check on Aunt Fang.”

If the girl is an assassin, Yan Cheng'an and his servant are now in considerable danger. Her accomplices might be on their way. Wu Jian will also have to gather the bodyguards scattered among the villagers and redeploy them.

Yu Wanran was also worried about the safety of the Yu family father and son. She immediately agreed to Wu Jian's arrangement and hurried back. She jogged all the way, complaining inwardly about the awful northern weather.

It was still early when I left home, but as soon as the clouds pressed down, it looked like it was going to rain or snow, and the sky suddenly darkened. Could this hasten the assassin's move?

She ran all the way back to the village head's house.

The village women had finished cleaning up the stove and left. The courtyard was deserted; everyone seemed to have gone to their rooms.

No abnormalities?

Just as Yu Wanran breathed a sigh of relief, she heard Xiao Ze's voice coming from the east room: "How many times have I told you! My young master has already gone to bed and won't eat this soup you made... Can't you understand human speech? Why do you insist on bringing it over?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Wanran ran to the east room. There she found Xiaoze, looking impatient, blocking the doorway. A gloomy girl holding a tray stood on the steps.

Ozawa didn't suspect the gloomy girl at all.

After all, he had seen far too many women who actively tried to get close to his young master.

But those were at least talented and beautiful young ladies from wealthy families. This peasant girl, clumsy and poorly dressed, how could she be so shameless as to dream of rising to a high social status?

The other companions had been gone for a long time, but she stayed behind, constantly bringing them soup and water. She stopped them several times, which was incredibly annoying!