Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
One day later, unknown to Xi Wanya, the empress brought Qing Yuan and Hong Luan to Longshou City.With her skill, the empress was able to avoid others without being detected.”It is said that there is a dragon vein here that runs through the entirety of Tianjing Basin. Since the dragon’s mouth faces the north, this is why people say Tianjing can control the world.” The empress looked at Longshou City , which was not far away, with contempt.She didn’t believe such things.
Control the world? Who can control my world? They were a group of confined people nursing a pipedream.While Qing Yuan and Hong Luan were dressed in green, the empress was dressed in red as usual. The three of them were very conspicuous as they walked on the road.Both Qing Yuan and Hong Luan each carried a small bag. Inside were quite a number of very important things, such as sorghum wine for the empress…
There was also a set of clothes for changing.When the three arrived at the city gate, there was a long queue ahead.”Go and ask what’s happening.” The empress signalled.
Qing Yuan went forward to ask and then returned after a short while, “Her… Miss, we need to pay an entrance fee.”The empress frowned. Tianjing Basin was under her control. Why didn’t she know about this entrance fee?After some consideration, she decided not to think too much about it since this could be regulated in the future.”You brought money, right?”
Qing Yuan and Hong Luan remained silent.
The two opened their mouths in bewilderment. When they were preparing for this trip, they were only thinking about what the empress needed. Furthemore, they even packed some condiments because they were concerned that the empress might not be used to the local food, but they had forgotten the most important thing: money.After all, they didn’t need to use money in the palace, and money was a remote concept to them.”Her… forgive me, Miss, we forgot to bring money. Why don’t we go back first? We will get some money and come again tomorrow,” the two whispered nervously.The empress raised her eyebrows. Whenever she went out with Ren Baqian, there wasn’t a need to consider all of these things. If not for the city wanting to collect an entrance fee, she wouldn’t have thought about using money at all.What would Ren Baqian do in such a situation? The empress tried to recall the methods that Ren Baqian would use to resolve problems and then relaxed somewhat.
“Forget it. Let’s use other methods.””What other methods?”
“Think of a way to get into the city first, then find a rich man and rob him of some of his money.” The empress believed that this was what Ren Baqian would do if he were here.”What?” The two of them fell into a daze. “Miss, this…”The empress was going to commit robbery? If the others found out, the both of them would be in big trouble.”It is decided. Move and switch to another place to enter the city,” the empress ordered the two to cross the field nearby. They found a remote area where she held one person with each hand. Then, they moved a few hundred meters in a few seconds and jumped over the city wall to get into the city.The empress’s movements were too fast, and the soldiers patrolling on top of the city wall didn’t notice this scene at all.The three of them entered the city, crossed a few lanes to merge with the crowd, gazed at everything with interest, and found everything refreshingly new.The empress was more restrained, but Qing Yuan and Hong Luan were so excited and absorbed with the surroundings that they forgot about the plan to rob someone. However, even though they were in a crowd, the three were attracting attention from others.One reason was their appearance, especially that of the empress. The other was the way they were dressed, especially the empress… The empress’s red dress, coupled with her appearance—it was impossible not to attract attention.The trio looked at their surroundings as the people around them looked at them.The empress quickly noticed this situation, but she didn’t mind. She didn’t need to care about the opinions of other people.In fact, there were many men who would like to strike up a conversation with them. There were many merchants in Longshou City and many rich people. Naturally, there were many people with all kinds of intentions.However, the empress had an overpowering aura which made people diffident after one glance from her. Thus, the three didn’t encounter any problems.”Miss, the men also wear skirts…”
“Miss, look, there is a bone polishing shop displaying a bone knife, which I haven’t seen before…”Qing Yuan and Hong Luan were full of joy. The empress was looking at the surroundings while thinking of how she could find that rascal Ren Baqian. That rascal shouldn’t be in Longshou City anymore, and his whereabouts were unknown.The empress felt that it was important to find Ren Baqian because the two people beside her were idiotic and good for nothing. With that rascal around, at least she wouldn’t have to figure out how to rob someone. Tianjing Basin was neither too big nor too small. With ten million people here, it was very hard to find a person without any clues.
The three walked around the city for a long time, and as the novelty wore off, Qing Yuan and Hong Lan finally quieted down.The main reason was that the two were getting hungry. The trio had only eaten one meal in the morning, and it was almost evening now.Remembering that they forgot to bring money, they were too embarrassed to tell the empress they were hungry.The empress heard their stomachs growling, but wasn’t swayed.They walked half a loop around the city and had a rough idea of what to do.Generally speaking, the bigger the courtyard, the richer the owner.After looking for a long time, they came to the northern part of Longshou City and saw the biggest courtyard so far. There weren’t many buildings around it, and it alone occupied tens of acres. At the gate were two carved saber-toothed tigers made from stone as well as a few guards protecting them.
If they didn’t guess wrongly, this could be the residence of Longshou City’s warlord.After guessing that the house belonged to the city’s warlord, the empress confirmed it as their target. With her status, she wouldn’t rob an ordinary man.Longshou City’s warlord was indeed an appropriate target.The empress didn’t wait until it was night time. She brought the two to walk around the residence and then headed straight for it.The guards at the gate saw that a woman in red was bringing two women in green and walking toward the residence. Taking the lead, the woman who was wearing a red dress made the guards’ eyes brighten.”Seeing the age of these ladies, are they here to settle some love affairs with the warlord?” These guards speculated and went forward to block the three.”You, this is the residence of the city’s warlord. Leave quickly if you aren’t here for official matters.”Although the demeanor of the lady in red was extraordinary, the guards of a powerful family were as powerful as their family head. As the guards of the city warlord, they had seen many such people before and didn’t really care.The empress didn’t even look at them and said coolly, “Ask the warlord to come out and meet me… Forget it, I will go and find him.””Insolent! Who are you?” The four guards reacted angrily to her words.By the time their hands reached the hilts of their weapons, the empress, in a flash, was already heading inside effortlessly. Both Qing Yuan and Hong Luan glanced at each other and immediately followed suit.When the three of them reached the courtyard, the guards at the gate started to sway. One by one, they collapsed to the ground. Surprisingly, nobody blocked the three of them from entering the courtyard.Although nobody escorted them into the residence and they were walking around freely, the rest of the people didn’t know their identities. They simply assumed that the three of them were guests, especially since they were young ladies, and let them move forward easily.After all, in Longshou City, such a case of crushing the guards and charging into the residence had never happened before. Furthermore, the three were very cool and strolled idly as if they were in their own house.In fact, Qing Yuan and Hong Luan were a little nervous, yet excited. This was a robbery, which they had only read about in novels before, and they never expected to be the ones doing the robbing.
The empress passed by two courtyards, caught ahold of a servant along the way, and asked, “Where is the warlord?”The servant was startled by the cold tone of the empress and subconsciously replied, “Sir is in the reception hall…””Lead the way.”
“Yes…” The servant didn’t know who this person was, but he was secretly thinking that she looked even more dignified than the warlord. While the empress was following the servant, someone finally discovered that the guards had been knocked unconscious, and the front courtyard became noisy.Subsequently, it occurred to someone that three ladies had been seen just now. While searching for them in the residence, they sent people in to report to the warlord.At this time, the empress was in the courtyard that led to the reception hall. In front was a room with four windows open. From the front of the courtyard, a few people could be seen sitting and chatting in the room.
On one side further away were two men, while on the other side, three men were seated.”Warlord Xun, I heard that some people from the Yun Nation are here?” one man who was further away asked.
“Mister Fang, you are well informed.” The man who answered was in his mid fifties and had a long beard as well as a smiling face.In fact, he had just received the news and didn’t know that two people from the Yun Nation had passed through Longshou City earlier. This made him feel that his subordinates were incompetent.”What does Warlord Xun know about their purpose?” the man called Mister Fang asked.Warlord Xun caressed his beard. How could he say that he hadn’t met up with them? Only ten days after the Yun Nation people left had the warlord learned that they passed through. As a warlord, it was shameful not to know that such a person had crossed his territory. Soon after, he raised his head and saw a woman in red with two women in green being led in by a servant. Instantly, he frowned. Who were these people? Why didn’t anyone notify him of their arrival? As the empress walked into the room, everyone looked at her in amazement.The empress paused for a moment and felt that the script she had prepared should be alright. She said coldly, “This is a robbery! Hand over your money.”
…
Everyone was petrified!
The warlord, who originally wanted to ask about her identity, was so dumbstruck that his eyes widened in shock.