Chapter 57: Xiao Yanzi’s Steadfast Resolve

“Alright… Draxel, could you entrust this task to me? I believe I can launch this luxurious casino without spending a single penny. I guarantee it’ll surpass your expectations in grandeur.”

Witnessing Xiao Yanzi’s confident poise, Merchant Marnid harbored doubts. He challenged her assertion, “Madam, you must stand by your words. This is no trivial matter. My calculations are seldom off the mark.”

“Marnid, please speak more softly. I actually believe in her. Very well, Xiao Yanzi, we have an agreement. How long do you need?”

“Could I have 7 days?” Xiao Yanzi had carefully considered the timeframe required.

“I’ll grant you 15 days. If you haven’t succeeded by then, coinciding with our collection day, we’ll use the collected revenue to establish the casino.”

Observing Merchant Marnid about to interject further, Draxel firmly stated, “That settles it for today. Let’s attend to our respective tasks after breakfast.”

“This… As you wish, my lord,” Merchant Marnid replied reluctantly, taking Little M back to their quarters.

Xiao Yanzi then set about diligently undertaking her mission. Draxel harbored an unspoken trust in her, fueled in part by Ronnie’s endorsement and partly by her resemblance to his mother. A bond so strong that anyone would offer their unconditional trust and support.

However, Merchant Marnid, left out of the loop and uncertain of the details, did not share this sentiment.

The Count’s recent directive somewhat irked him, marking the first instance since the grape trade initiative where the Count had overruled his suggestions.

He couldn’t figure it out, so he turned to Little M for a casual conversation. 

“Little M, what special skills do you think this middle-aged woman possesses to have our Count so spellbound?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure, but Uncle Count has never been mistaken in his judgment of people, right? My parents also trust his judgment and insight a lot, so I think he won’t be wrong this time either.”

Little M, with an air of innocence, looked up at Merchant Marnid.

Still, Merchant Marnid couldn’t shake off his doubts, talking to himself, “This won’t do, I must confront this old witch, to make it clear she must dedicate herself to this project. It’s too critical to entrust to just any woman. What is the Count thinking?”

Merchant Marnid was thoroughly dismissive of Xiao Yanzi.

To him, if a woman past her forties could, without spending a penny, accomplish what he estimated to cost 10,000 denars, wouldn’t it be a colossal embarrassment?

Furthermore, Marnid was convinced she was merely bluffing all along. If she truly had a viable solution, why hadn’t she presented a clear plan from the get-go?

The more he dwelled on it, the more convinced he became of his reasoning. Fueled by frustration, he confronted Xiao Yanzi, who was preparing for the journey, and exploded. 

“Hey! You, old witch, I don’t know how you’ve managed to earn the Count’s sympathy and favor, but let me warn you. You’d better take his assignment seriously. Otherwise, I’ll take matters into my own hands and deal with you severely.”

Xiao Yanzi was taken aback by Merchant Marnid’s sudden outburst, fueled by seemingly groundless ire. Yet, she didn’t retreat as some might expect from a woman.

She robustly fought back, “Sir, unless you have something sensible to say, I’d appreciate it if you kept your irrational outbursts to yourself. I have important tasks to handle, so please step aside. Moreover, I’d expect you to speak with a bit more respect, or you won’t like how things turn out.”

“An outburst, you say? Ha! Well, then, do enlighten me about your grand plan that allegedly requires not even a penny to execute. I’m quite eager to hear this.”

“There’s no need for me to justify my actions to you, nor do you have any right to demand answers from me. Now, please move aside.” 

True to her worldly experience, Xiao Yanzi showed she was not one to back down easily, displaying a fiery temper.

“Fine, fine, just you wait. I’ll be keeping an eye on you for the next seven days. If you dare slack off, then I, I will…”

“You’ll what? Tattle to the Count? That’s something a petty child would resort to. I’ve no time for this nonsense.” 

With that, Xiao Yanzi brushed past Merchant Marnid with an elbow shove and proceeded to leave the lord’s hall.

This entire exchange did not go unnoticed by Little M, who had discreetly followed. 

Once Merchant Marnid angrily retreated to his room, Little M approached and gently suggested, “Uncle Marnid, perhaps you were a bit too forceful. Maybe Miss Yanzi really has a viable plan.”

“Taking her side too, are you? Well then, why don’t you go and assist her? Don’t linger here, shoo!”

Merchant Marnid’s atypical bout of anger and frustration could somewhat be justified. After all, he was the one who initially proposed the idea of setting up a gambling establishment, only to be excluded from its realization. To add insult to injury, the Count, whom he had trusted implicitly, now seemed to disregard him completely.

Reflecting on the Count’s actions, Merchant Marnid felt a sense of neglect. Despite being the architect behind the successful grape venture that amassed the baron’s initial fortune, now it seemed…

He couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was no longer the indispensable aide, no longer the count’s go-to man. This realization started to unsettle him.

Of course, Count Draxel, ever the straightforward man, was utterly unaware of Merchant Marnid’s growing discontent. He couldn’t even fathom that Marnid might be upset over this, deeming any such sentiment petty.

Yet, the universe has a way of dispensing swift justice, and it arrived without warning.

The same night Merchant Marnid lashed out at Xiao Yanzi, several cloaked figures easily breached the security of the Lord’s Hall, which was supposedly impenetrable with just one entrance.

These intruders, nimble and skilled, made their way to Merchant Marnid’s room. Without uttering a single word, they unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks upon him. They, however, exercised some restraint, targeting only his flesh and sparing his bones from harm.

After delivering their message through fists and feet, they vanished into the night, but not before issuing a stern warning. 

“If you dare disrespect our Xiao Yanzi again, next time it won’t be just a beating!”

They targeted only his body, avoiding his face, which meant no visible marks would betray the incident unless Marnid himself spoke of it.

Their adeptness at moving undetected in the dark, their proficiency in executing such a precise operation, eluded even Count Draxel’s notice, who slept through it all, oblivious.

Chastened by this vivid lesson, Merchant Marnid emerged the next day, noticeably chastened and more compliant.