novelaction Chapter 126 Bribing the Jailer
Chapter 126 Bribing the Jailer
In the palace, the emperor had just left the court when he immediately received the news that Yan Wanwan had left the city.
At that time, he was sitting upright on the dragon throne, playing with a warm jade pendant in his hand. When he heard the report, his face instantly turned gloomy.
The captain of the city gate hurried into the palace, knelt on one knee, and reported anxiously, "Your Majesty, County Master Yan Wanwan has left the city. Judging from the direction she's headed, she must be heading straight for the border. I hazard a guess that she's going to find General Qin."
The Emperor's movements suddenly froze, and he uttered a cold laugh. The sound echoed in the empty hall, chilling him to the bone. "Let her go if she wants! Once she gets there, let them both die together."
After saying that, he threw the jade pendant to the ground. The sound of the jade shattering was crisp, just like the resentment in his heart at the moment.
On the official road outside the palace, a carriage was galloping steadily.
Inside the carriage, Yan Wanwan leaned on the soft brocade couch to catch up on her sleep. As the carriage headed west, the surrounding trees became more and more lush.
Strangely, these trees seemed to possess a spirit. Yan Wanwan's supernatural powers recovered at an astonishingly fast rate while surrounded by them. In just a few days, her powers, which had been nearly depleted from frequent use, were now fully replenished, even faintly touching the bottleneck that had been holding her back.
She knew very well that as long as she could find the opportunity for promotion, she would be able to make a breakthrough in one fell swoop and reach a higher level of cultivation.
Yan Wanwan woke up slowly and stretched in the car, her bones making a slight "cracking" sound as they stretched.
She raised her delicate hand, opened the curtain beside her, and looked out. She saw the lush trees on both sides rapidly receding like a green barrier. Apart from that, there was nothing else.
"Where are we now?" Yan Wanwan asked softly, her voice lazily sounding like someone who had just woken up.
"Madam, we have arrived at the border of the Western Regions." The driver's voice came from outside the car, with an irrepressible emotion.
The journey was so fast that the driver was filled with amazement. In just a few days, they had crossed thousands of mountains and rivers and arrived at the distant western border.
Yan Wanwan nodded slightly and whispered, "Well, when you enter the Western Regions this time, be careful about everything."
Upon hearing this, the driver straightened his back, clasped his hands together, and said, "As you wish, ma'am."
Yan Wanwan raised her jade hand slightly and slowly pulled down the curtain. A faint green light flashed at her fingertips. The carriage seemed to understand her intention and its speed gradually slowed down.
She leaned lazily on the soft couch in the car, her eyes slightly closed, seemingly resting, but in fact the sounds from the outside world came like a tide, every bit of it fell clearly into her ears, which was filled with a bit of gloating and curiosity.
"I heard that a few days ago, a famous general appeared here, but who could have expected that he would be captured as soon as he showed up."
"Yes, that general was said to have been victorious in every battle on the battlefield, so majestic and fearsome. Who could have imagined he would be in such a state of disgrace now? I wonder who he offended to become so ruthless."
"Hmph, I think he must have made too many enemies in his life, and this is retribution. In this world, fortunes change. Even the greatest hero can become a prisoner if he stumbles."
Yan Wanwan's lips curled up in an imperceptible arc. These fools had no idea of the twists and turns involved.
She opened her red lips slightly, and her voice seemed to be carried out of the car by the wind: "It's just some rumors. The truth is still unknown."
The tone was leisurely and seemed to carry a hint of sarcasm.
The two people outside the car were startled when they heard this. They looked at each other with panic on their faces, quickly fell silent, and hurried away.
Although they didn't know who was in the car, the person who was so confident in refuting them was definitely not someone they could afford to offend.
Yan Wanwan then stood up slowly, took light steps, and stepped out of the carriage.
She was wearing a moon-white brocade robe today, her sleeves fluttering in the wind, and the jade pendant hanging around her waist made crisp clinking sounds, adding a touch of coolness and nobility to her.
Looking up, she saw a bustling market with people coming and going, shouting and bargaining sounds intertwined, but her eyes penetrated the clamor and fell straight on the heavily guarded prison in the distance.
Her heart suddenly moved, and she sensed that Qin Yu was being imprisoned there.
"You go back to the inn where we are staying first. I'll just wander around and come back later." Yan Wanwan said calmly, then started strolling around slowly.
This is a small town located on the border. Because it is located at the junction of the Western Regions and Daxia, its unique geographical location has attracted a large number of merchants to travel here for business, making this place bustling all year round.
As she strolled through the area, Yan Wanwan spotted many stalls filled with furs of all kinds. These were excellent for keeping warm, and the prices were much lower than elsewhere.
Her eyes flashed, and she immediately bought all the furs on those stalls without hesitation. She also reminded the stall owner that if there were any more high-quality furs in the future, just keep them for her and she would buy them all.
Seeing Yan Wanwan's generosity, the other vendors around could no longer hold back and came forward enthusiastically, recommending the various items on their stalls.
Yan Wanwan was quite casual. As long as she saw something that she liked, she would pay for it without saying a word and would not even bother to haggle over the price.
Suddenly, a strange scene appeared in the business district - a group of vendors, like stars surrounding the moon, tightly surrounded a woman with extraordinary temperament, and the scene was very lively.
Yan Wanwan was shopping here happily when she keenly noticed that many eyes hidden in the dark were quietly cast on her.
The corners of her mouth rose slightly, and she thought to herself: Someone is watching me.
However, she did not show any panic on her face, and continued to select goods slowly and leisurely. In the process, she gained a certain understanding of the market prices.
In this turbulent land, the situation is chaotic and wars rage frequently. Coupled with the terrain and climate, the land has become barren and desolate, and has almost lost the ability to produce food.
Therefore, those items that are considered precious and rare in the outside world, such as gorgeous and precious furs, various minerals containing mineral essences, and dazzling jewelry, are not rare here, and the prices are not high.
In sharp contrast, grains and vegetables have become scarce commodities, and their high prices are truly staggering.
Food and vegetables were exactly what she had the most of. Looking at the scene before her, she suddenly had an idea.
In the next few days, a new grain store opened in the commercial district, and as soon as it appeared, it caused quite a stir in the city.
The grain sold at this shop is a third cheaper than the local market price, and all of it is freshly harvested that year, with each grain plump and translucent. Rice cooked with fresh rice is fragrant and soft, while steamed buns made with fresh flour have a rich wheat aroma and a firm, chewy texture. Their taste is infinitely superior to that of ordinary local rice and flour.
When the people heard the news, they flocked to the shop. Word of mouth spread, and in just a few days, the shop's reputation spread throughout the streets and alleys.
That day, Yan Wanwan hurried to the prison. She walked straight to the jailer on duty at the door, handed him a wooden sign with both hands, and said softly, "Brother, please do me a favor. I want to see an old friend. Please be flexible."
The jailer was about to start a reprimand. This was a very important prison, not just anyone could enter or leave. But his eyes stumbled upon the eye-catching "米" character on the wooden sign. He froze in his tracks, filled with suspicion. "What is this?"
Seeing this, Yan Wanwan's lips curled up slightly, and she explained slowly, "I have some food stored at home. If you don't mind, you can use this badge to exchange for 500 kilograms of rice or flour at my shop. Just consider it a small token."
When the jailer heard this, his eyes lit up instantly, and a flattering smile covered his face. His attitude made a 180-degree turn. He turned sideways and respectfully made a "please" gesture: "Miss, please come in! Please come in quickly!"