When the Cannon Fodder Meets the Love-Brained Female Supporting Character - Episode 30

Jiang Nan looked at Xiao Wan with confusion.

Xiao Wan glanced mysteriously at the door and said, “You’ll find out in a moment.”

No sooner had she spoken than Xiao Ran walked in carrying a tray of pastries and two cups of water.

The pastries were as exquisite and fragrant as before, delicate and small. But the two cups of water were a stark contrast—yellow-green in color, with black specks floating and sinking inside.

Xiao Ran stepped lightly into the room and smiled. “This is water infused with lion’s mane mushrooms, chrysanthemums, qianjinzi, and the chamomile I grew myself. It’s very nutritious.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Wan’s expression changed instantly.

The variety of ingredients Xiao Ran had used to brew the water today was even more than usual!

Xiao Wan clutched her stomach, waved at them, and headed for the door. “My stomach isn’t feeling well. I’ll go to the outhouse first.”

Jiang Nan glanced at the water. Its murky color made it almost impossible to discern what was inside.

She subtly pushed her chair back an inch.

Even the delicious pastries seemed less appetizing next to that cup of water.

Xiao Ran said to her, “The water just looks a little unappealing. Try it, sister.”

Unable to refuse the earnest offer, Jiang Nan took a small sip.

A sour, bitter taste rushed up her nose, slightly choking her. She struggled to hold it in and barely managed not to spit it out.

Quickly setting the cup down, Jiang Nan said to Xiao Ran, “I’m not sure what event is happening outside today, but it seems lively. Why don’t we go take a look?”

“Alright.”

The joy of strolling with Jiang Nan made Xiao Ran forget about the infused water in an instant.

That day, the streets were bustling. Lion dances in two spots, iron-smelting fireworks, and even a strongman breaking a large stone on his chest. The later it got, the livelier it became.

As Jiang Nan and Xiao Ran walked outside, a woman in plain clothes, looking weary, lazily called out to them, “Young ladies, care to buy some pouches? Vermilion ones, festive and auspicious.”

Jiang Nan stopped to look. They were simple vermilion pouches with a few golden threads stitched into cloud-like patterns.

Minimalist yet elegant.

Coincidentally, she was planning to open a shop in Qu City soon and would need more hands than she had back in Yang City. Buying these pouches to fill with coins as opening gifts might be a good idea.

“How many do you have?” Jiang Nan asked.

“Thirty-nine. Ten coppers each,” the woman perked up slightly.

“I’ll take them all. Here’s four hundred coppers, keep the change.”

“Wonderful!”

Jiang Nan picked up the pouches and walked away, only to find the woman following her.

The woman sidled up to her and said, “You don’t look like you’re from Qu City, do you?”

Jiang Nan gave a faint hum in response.

The woman quickened her pace, “accidentally” bumping into Xiao Ran as she walked alongside them. She smiled. “My name is Xiao Yun. I grew up in Qu City. Since you overpaid earlier, let me be your guide and show you around. What should I call you?”

“Jiang Nan.”

Xiao Ran’s brows furrowed at the intrusion, her pleasant mood ruined.

They arrived at Hefang Street, where a three-meter-high stage stood in the distance. On it were several stands displaying an entire set of exquisitely crafted light-pink dianchou hair ornaments.

A female host stood on stage, explaining the rules of the hair ornament exhibition.

Xiao Yun chimed in, “This is the annual Hair Ornament Exhibition held by Huajing Pavilion, the largest jewelry store in Qu City.”

“As long as you win, you’ll get a reward. The rewards are usually their own jewelry.”

Jiang Nan nodded to show she understood.

The men on either side of the stage beat drums and gongs while shouting, “Look here, look here! Don’t miss out as you pass by. The annual Head Prize Contest is starting!”

The crowd grew larger and larger. The three of them, originally at the back, now found that when they looked behind, they couldn’t even see the end of the crowd.

Ten burly men carried dozens of iron boxes of varying sizes onto the stage.

These boxes were all secured with heavy iron locks.

The female host smiled and said, “Today’s first game, Open the Iron Box. Pay ten taels of silver to participate. Inside the iron boxes, you can find anything hairpins, hair clasps, dangling hair ornaments, necklaces, tassels, and more. Whichever box you open, the contents inside will be yours.”

Someone asked, “But how do we open the boxes?”

The woman laughed. “How to open them is the problem you’ll need to figure out. Any method is allowed. If time runs out and you haven’t opened the box, the challenge is considered a failure. Of course, as in previous years, the silver won’t be refunded.”

The enthusiasm of many eager participants was instantly doused, as if splashed with cold water.

That was real iron, the largest box required two eight-foot-tall strongmen just to lift it. How were they supposed to open it? By brute force?

Even if they failed, the embarrassment would be one thing, but ten taels of silver wasn’t cheap. It was at least a commoner’s expenses for an entire season.

“Can we use tools?” someone else asked.

The host nodded. “Of course. It’s best to use whatever’s at hand or nearby. Otherwise, by the time you fetch something and return, others will have already taken everything.”

At her words, many in the front rows rushed out to find suitable tools. Before long, the area around Jiang Nan and Xiao Ran had emptied considerably.

Xiao Yun whispered, “Anything from Huajing Pavilion is worth far more than ten taels. Most women in Qu City adore their pieces, so their men will take the stage to show off.”

One after another, men stepped onto the stage, rolling up their sleeves. Some held hammers, others knives, hoes, or even sticks they’d snapped off from who-knows-where.

Their eyes occasionally swept over the crowd below, their expressions relaxed.

Jiang Nan glanced at Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran was silently staring at the iron boxes on stage, lost in thought.

“Are there any more challengers?” The woman scanned the crowd.

Jiang Nan walked onto the stage empty-handed and handed the host ten taels of silver. “I’ll participate.”

Every pair of eyes on and off the stage fixed on her.

Xiao Ran’s eyes gleamed faintly.

The host looked visibly surprised before smiling and reminding Jiang Nan, “Understood. Just remember, the silver won’t be refunded.”

Jiang Nan confirmed again, “After paying these ten taels, I can open any iron box here?”

The host nodded.

Nearby men overheard their exchange and scoffed inwardly at her question, as if she could open any of them.

Before the challenge began, everyone on stage was searching for the box they wanted to open.

Those with less strength chose smaller iron boxes. Those confident in their power opted for larger ones.

The largest box, nearly half a person’s height, remained untouched.

The bigger the box, the heavier the lock.

Jiang Nan slowly walked past the outer area of the venue. She paused briefly by the medium-sized iron box, gave it a slight push, and then moved on.

As the only woman present, she drew quite a few curious glances.

Many assumed she would choose the smallest iron box. Some grew anxious on her behalf, as her deliberation was agonizingly slow. By the time she had circled the venue once, the smallest box had already been claimed by a frail-looking man.

In the end, Jiang Nan stopped before the largest iron box.

The murmurs among the crowd exploded like a bomb dropped into their midst.

“She actually chose the biggest iron box?!”

“Maybe she wants the most valuable jewelry inside.”

“But if she can’t open it, won’t she just be wasting ten taels of silver?”

“Ha! She’s about to make a fool of herself!”

The burliest man on the field shook his head at the sight.

Even he hadn’t dared to pick the largest box. How could this woman have such nerve?

Xiao Yun also didn’t hold much hope. “Miss Jiang is being too impulsive. Choosing a smaller one would’ve given her a better chance. Now, ten taels of silver, gone just like that.”

Xiao Ran frowned in disagreement. “Sister Jiang must have her reasons.”

Xiao Yun glanced at her. “And what if she loses?”

“How could she lose?” Xiao Ran lifted her gaze to Jiang Nan, radiant as a flower on the stage, her eyes shining like stars. “Someone as divine and brilliant as her. She won’t lose!”

Xiao Yun felt as if she’d been struck by lightning, stunned inside and out.

After a long pause, she managed, “Alright, let’s say hypothetically she does.”

“If she loses, then she loses. It’s not the end of the world,” Xiao Ran said softly. “To me, she’ll always be the winner, a thousand times better than anyone else!”

Xiao Yun was utterly shocked. She searched Xiao Ran’s expression for any hint of reluctance, but after a moment, she realized Xiao Ran truly believed every word.

Her heart ached for the ten taels of silver. “How is it not the end of the world? No prize, no silver—nothing!”

Xiao Ran glanced at the delicate, pale pink peacock headpiece on display and murmured, “It doesn’t matter. That headpiece wasn’t worthy of her anyway.”

Xiao Yun: “…” That was a design women across Qu City would kill to own.

The challenge began.

The strongest man took an axe to his lock, swinging with increasing vigor as it showed signs of loosening. The frail man squatted with a small hammer, tapping away at the slender lock of the smallest box, which soon began to crack.

Jiang Nan, meanwhile, pulled out two iron wires.

The crowd buzzed with confusion, whispering among themselves, unsure what she intended to do.

She twisted one wire into a loop and bent the tip of the other upward. Inserting the looped end into the keyhole, she held it steady with slight pressure while probing inside with the second wire.

Most had no idea what she was attempting.

“Look at her, does she really think two wires can open that box?”

“Impossible. I’ve never seen or heard of such a method.”

“If two wires could do it, wouldn’t the others with hammers and axes look like fools?”

Yet, moments later—click. The lock opened.

It was Jiang Nan. The one they had deemed utterly incapable, who had unlocked the largest iron box.

Silence fell over the crowd.

The others on stage remained absorbed in their own struggles, oblivious to what had just happened.

Xiao Yun’s heart skipped a beat as she turned to Xiao Ran and asked, “No way… she just opened it? How did she do that?”

Xiao Ran kept her eyes fixed on the person on stage. “I don’t know.”

The woman hosting the event noticed Jiang Nan unlocking the box first and, after a brief moment of shock, composed herself and announced to the audience, “We already have our first successful unlock. Let’s see who the second will be.”

Jiang Nan didn’t immediately open the box to revel in her victory. Instead, under the crowd’s gaze, she walked over to another unclaimed iron box. With the experience from earlier, she unlocked it even faster this time.

Before long, she had opened another one.

The hostess smiled. “It seems the second person to unlock a box is still this young lady.”

“Miss Jiang is truly remarkable,” Xiao Yun remarked, nudging Xiao Ran again. “By the way, what’s your relationship with her? Close friends? Sisters?”

“Neither,” Xiao Ran shook her head.

“Then why are you following her?” Xiao Yun pressed curiously.

“My hometown is in the south.”

Xiao Ran’s soft, melodic Wu dialect made it obvious to anyone that she was from the southern regions.

She stopped there, leaving Xiao Yun waiting in vain for the rest of her explanation, her face full of confusion.

“Ah? And then?”

“Her name is Jiang Nan. Don’t you think we’re fated?” Xiao Ran’s delicate eyes sparkled with earnestness.

“…”

Xiao Yun’s expression went blank.

Alright, that was the end of the conversation. There was no point in continuing.

After opening the second iron box, Jiang Nan still didn’t stop. She kept unlocking them one after another.

By the time an incense stick had burned down, the strongest man finally managed to smash his lock open. Wiping his sweat, he looked down at his wife in the audience, expecting her admiring gaze. Instead, he noticed everyone’s eyes were fixed behind him.

Puzzled, the man turned around and saw the young woman wandering among the iron boxes. She would pause in front of one, fiddle with the lock using a wire, and before he could even react Jiang Nan would pop it open.

This…!!

Two more people on stage managed to unlock their boxes. They wiped their brows and looked up, only to fall silent at the sight of over a dozen already-opened boxes.

Jiang Nan’s effortless unlocking made their sweat-drenched efforts seem all the more pitiful.

Half an hour passed.

Fifteen people had successfully opened their boxes, while six were still struggling.

Jiang Nan alone had unlocked twenty boxes.

The hostess praised her, “You alone are worth twenty people. Do you have anything to say?”

Jiang Nan replied bluntly, “You didn’t have enough boxes.”

With ten minutes left on the clock, she had already unlocked every unclaimed iron box in the venue.

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

If this had happened earlier, they would’ve dismissed her words as arrogance. But now, they could only agree. Many even felt a pang of regret on her behalf. If there had been more boxes, she could’ve taken more prizes, easily worth hundreds of taels if sold.

After opening all the boxes, Jiang Nan found that aside from the largest one containing a full set of head ornaments, the rest held only small trinkets.

She kept the set of displayed head ornaments that Xiao Ran had initially admired and handed them to her.

Xiao Ran looked at Jiang Nan, hesitating to speak, but then instantly understood what she meant. “I won’t misunderstand. I know you’re just giving me some of the extra jewelry you got because you have too much to use. I get it.”

Jiang Nan: “…” You’ve said it all. What’s left for me to say?

Xiao Ran happily ran her fingers over the newly acquired ornaments, admiring them over and over.

This was the first set of jewelry her sister had given her! She would treasure it carefully!

Jiang Nan hired someone to move the rest to the inn where she was staying.

She planned to use these as prizes for a raffle when she opened her teahouse in Qu City, it would surely attract female customers.

Just as Jiang Nan was about to leave, the hostess suddenly spoke up again: “We’ve also prepared dresses to match the jewelry.”

She clapped her hands, and two burly men carried up a cabinet. When the doors were opened, inside lay two sets of dresses perfectly complementing the jewelry Jiang Nan had won. Light pink sheer gauze gowns with a subtle woven floral pattern.

“Those who paid earlier may participate again. However, this time, it must be your companion who takes part,” the hostess said with a smile. “Please switch places. Step onto the stage first, and then I’ll explain the rules.”

Xiao Ran was the first to understand. Lifting her skirt, she hurried onto the stage.

Jiang Nan had originally intended to leave, but seeing Xiao Ran so eager, she simply went along with it and took Xiao Ran’s former spot.

After Xiao Ran stepped up, the companions from the previous round also ascended the stage one after another.

At a glance, most were women, with only three men among them.

Once they were all in place, the hostess approached, holding a bundle of black ribbons. She blindfolded each of them in turn.

Only after securing the blindfolds did the hostess announce the challenge rules.

“This challenge is simpler than the last one,” she said. “All your companion needs to do is describe the clothes and jewelry worn by the person who took the stage in the first round today. The one who provides the most detailed and accurate description wins.”

This challenge proceeded in order.

Xiao Ran was in the middle.

The challenge began. The first person thought for a moment before saying, “She wore a black and gold jacket…” After that, she couldn’t recall anything else. Her face flushed with embarrassment.

The second person managed to list three items.

The third and fourth followed, but the sixth contestant performed the best, naming four.

As it neared Xiao Ran’s turn, Xiao Yun asked Jiang Nan, “Miss Jiang, how many do you think she’ll list?”

Jiang Nan glanced down at her own outfit, a simple autumn dress with a light jacket. “Two, probably.”

Xiao Yun secretly sighed in relief, worried they might end up in another awkward situation like earlier when she and Xiao Ran had chatted.

Thankfully, this was normal.

She nodded in agreement. “I think so too.”

Finally, it was Xiao Ran’s turn.

She took a shallow breath, her peach-pink lips pressing together slightly.

A chill ran through Jiang Nan’s heart. She had forgotten one possibility. Xiao Ran might not be able to name a single thing.

But that was fine.

Normal people didn’t go around memorizing what others wore.

“Today, Sister Jiang wore…” Xiao Ran began, “a persimmon-red plain cross-collar jacket, a moon-white silk brocade robe with silver-threaded trim, a jade-white underrobe…” Here, she paused, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “Gold-trimmed rosy cloud soft-soled embroidered shoes, plain silver pearl earrings, a gold-inlaid jade bracelet, a cloud-patterned floral hairpin, a white jade lotus pendant, an amethyst ring, and a beaded hairpin with intricate filigree.”