Chapter 49: Entering the City

The experience in one's memory cannot be transmitted one hundred percent to one's reality-self, yet Ruan Xing still felt a wave of dizziness and difficulty breathing. She thought to herself, the Hongtou Daoren had also collected the souls of six people with his Flag back then; why did he seem like he was completely unaffected?

She could feel that absorbing three souls was no pressure for her at all, four souls started to become a bit strenuous, and six made her feel so painful she wanted to die. Fortunately, she had never used it in reality; if it weren't for the fact that the opponent was too strong and she truly couldn't beat them, she wouldn't have thought of using the Flag...

Wait a minute, could it be that the number of souls one can absorb is related to the strength of the opponent compared to one's own? Ruan Xing decided to test it first. After activating the Simulation, she rushed directly into the city and waved the Flag at the bustling crowd on the street. It took absorbing over twenty souls before she was captured by the Qianling Guard of the Patrol Security Division who had arrived upon hearing the news.

It was just as she thought; it seemed her guess was correct.

Since that was the case, simulating one more time might just allow her to save Cui Yurong.

……

Cui Yurong looked at the mess on the ground. Although her legs were weak with fear, she still feigned composure and asked Ruan Xing, "Now, what do we do?"

Ruan Xing pulled out a strand of Cui Yurong's hair. The other party felt a sting and was confused but dared not resist. Ruan Xing used this hair to test the wind direction.

She made a prompt decision: "Pick up some dry branches and leaves, place them on the corpses, and light them."

"With this little fire, I'm afraid it will be extinguished by the blood before it even starts burning. It won't be enough to destroy the bodies and remove the evidence, right?" Cui Yurong asked worriedly.

"I never said I wanted to destroy the bodies and remove the evidence." Ruan Xing rummaged through her small carry-on bundle, took out a bottle of Medicinal Powder, and sprinkled it evenly over the surface of each corpse. Then, she picked up a Dagger, sprinkled some powder on it as well, and handed the Dagger and a black mask to the man. "Put this on. Later, you lie down here and pretend to be a corpse. As long as you can wound two people, I can bring your young mistress into the city alive, understand?"

The man said solemnly, "Understood, please rest assured."

This Medicinal Powder was different from the Smoke Bomb; it carried a fishy, foul odor. Ruan Xing was afraid of being detected, so she had first burned part of the corpses to create a mix of chaotic smells to cover the scent of blood. However, the effect of this powder was quite potent; whether inhaled or touched, one would be poisoned. After being poisoned, the more one used True Qi, the faster the poison would flow into the heart meridian. In just thirty breaths, the victim would die from the poison.

Afterward, Ruan Xing took Cui Yurong and walked two or three hundred meters in the direction of the city, finding a leeward spot to hide.

Soon, a wounded masked horse bandit came riding in this direction. However, he had no intention of searching. Looking closely, the back of the hand the man used to rein in his horse was bruised, and a bloodstain on his shoulder had yet to coagulate.

The poison was spreading quickly; he must have used his True Qi. It was just unclear if the others were also poisoned, and why he was the only one in such a rush to return to the city.

Sigh, that kid wasn't very capable either. She told him to wound two, but after trying his best, he only got one. Ruan Xing sighed and whispered, "Sword, come."

Sword, come shared a telepathic connection with her and immediately knew what she wanted to do. It caught up to the horse bandit and attacked from behind.

Because he needed to delay the onset of the poison, the horse bandit had not used True Qi Body Protection, so he was pierced through the chest by the True Qi of Sword, come on the spot and fell off his horse.

Ruan Xing had Sword, come lead the horse to the side and tie it to a tree, then continued to wait quietly.

Before long, the remaining five horse bandits also arrived. They spread out, advancing while searching. Soon, someone discovered their companion lying on the road in the center. With a sharp whistle, the five gathered together. They seemed to confer with their eyes for a moment, and two went over to check the corpse. They were extremely vigilant, but fortunately, there was no trap waiting for them this time.

If only she could place a 【Break】 Talisman on the corpse; it would definitely catch two of them off guard. Unfortunately, she had no way to trigger it from a distance, so she had to miss this great opportunity.

All five of these men wore black masks. Ruan Xing could only judge whether they were poisoned by the skin on their exposed hands. Regrettably, they were all of a healthy color. Ruan Xing did not wait for them to regroup further; she waved the Flag and collected the souls of the three in the back.

Bang—

With a few sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground, the two in front immediately turned back, but they couldn't see who had attacked, as three of their men had been wiped out in an instant.

Seeming to feel that the target was too tough, the two exchanged a glance. They had no intention of turning back to collect their companions' bodies and mounted their horses, preparing to leave.

Ruan Xing would not give them that chance. She sent a message to Sword, come: Move!

A white figure appeared suddenly from the air like a ghost. At the same time, Ruan Xing drew her Short Sword and flew forward.

Having lost ten companions in succession, the two had no heart to fight and only wanted to find a chance to escape. This made it much easier for Ruan Xing to deal with them than in previous simulations. Moreover, with the foundation of multiple memories, she was extremely familiar with the moves of these horse bandits. Sometimes, the moment the opponent raised a hand, she knew what move they wanted to use, allowing her to respond calmly, while they knew nothing about her.

After a quarter-hour of entanglement, the two were finally exhausted. Sword, come flashed behind one and took his head, and the remaining one was taken down by Ruan Xing after a few more moves.

It was just that her strength was not enough to leave any survivors; otherwise, she could have interrogated them to see who had ordered them to do this.

Calling Cui Yurong down, Ruan Xing asked, "Can you ride a horse?"

Cui Yurong nodded. Ruan Xing led two horses over and had Sword, come lead the remaining four to the ruins of the carriage.

Ruan Xing took Cui Yurong on horseback and, following her memory, found the dilapidated temple where the other caravan guards were being held. With a few sharp slaps, she woke everyone up and untied them. Cui Yurong quickly explained the general situation, and everyone thanked Ruan Xing for her life-saving grace.

"It's just that, Young Miss, we lost the cargo. Even if we enter the city, we won't escape punishment even if we avoid the death penalty," one guard said with a worried expression.

"This..." Cui Yurong frowned. "As long as we can survive, there will always be a way. Let's enter the city first."

"Have you considered re-purchasing after entering the city? Even if it's expensive, it's better than failing to deliver the goods," Ruan Xing asked curiously. Cui Yurong gave a bitter smile. "The family's ready Silver has all been used to pull strings for my father in prison. If I want to use Silver now, I have to sell the ancestral home and fields, but where would I find the time?"

No money? That's fine, she had some! "I can lend it to you," Ruan Xing said. "And your cargo isn't lost either; it's just a matter of how much is still usable."

According to what Ruan Xing had seen earlier, the small items might still be well-packaged, but the large items were likely mostly ruined. Even if they weren't damaged, they were stained and no longer suitable for delivery to the National Teacher Palace.

Cui Yurong was moved to tears and immediately knelt down. "Benefactor's great kindness, Yurong has no way to repay..."

"Stop!" Ruan Xing reached out and covered her mouth. "You can repay me."

Cui Yurong opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"There's no need for that 'being a beast of burden in the next life' talk. I saved you because I need your help. Come, let's talk as we go." Ruan Xing led Cui Yurong and her caravan guards toward the carriage ruins. "I want to enter the National Teacher Palace. Do you have a way?"

Cui Yurong lowered her voice. "I do. If you just want to go in and take a look, you can be in my caravan as my younger sister. If you want to have a proper status and stay inside, I'm afraid that won't be easy."

"Getting in is fine, but it's best if I can stay. Tell me, what are the channels?" Ruan Xing wasn't picky; as long as there was a way, it was fine. Once she knew the method, she could just simulate it.

"There are two types of people in the National Teacher Palace: the National Teacher's disciples, and the Maids and servants who wait on the disciples. But the National Teacher's criteria for accepting disciples are strange. He only accepts civil officials and ministers over sixty who have retired from the imperial court to cultivate in the National Teacher Palace. There are some exceptions, such as royalty or young masters from noble families, but they are rare. If you want to take this route... it's almost impossible." Cui Yurong looked at her with difficulty. Dressing as a man to take the imperial examinations and serving as an official for sixty years before entering the National Teacher Palace was definitely not what she wanted.

Ruan Xing immediately passed on this option. First, she didn't have the literary talent to stand out among the many candidates. Second, the timeline was too long, and there might be many variables in between. Even with simulations, she couldn't succeed every time; it was too wasteful of attempts. She was afraid she would have to restart dozens of times just to take the imperial exams without her identity being discovered.

"What about the second type?" Ruan Xing said calmly.

Seeing that Ruan Xing had no intention of resisting, Cui Yurong breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that someone as powerful as Ruan Xing would feel that being a Maid was an insult to her, so she hadn't dared to mention it at first. But in Huaining City, becoming a Maid or servant to enter the National Teacher Palace was something people fought tooth and nail for.

"The second type is the Maids and servants. Some of the fixed cleaning and menial tasks in the National Teacher Palace are arranged by the inner court. I can't interfere there. What we can find a way to arrange are the ones brought in by the National Teacher's disciples. There is an unwritten rule that every disciple of the National Teacher can bring four or five personal servants. They all leave one or two spots for people who want to enter the National Teacher Palace to buy with money. Once you enter the National Teacher Palace, you basically can never come out again. Even if you die, you cannot return home for burial. This money is left by the disciples for their families. Generally speaking, the quota for sale in previous years has been around ten thousand Silver."

"Ten thousand Silver!?" Ruan Xing's pupils shook. "Spending ten thousand Silver just to go in and be a servant? What are these people after?"

It was impossible for there to be so many people in this world who, like her, had ulterior motives for entering the National Teacher Palace.

"This... I don't know either. Even though I have entered the National Teacher Palace a few times, it was always to unload goods at the warehouse and then leave. I didn't dare to look around at all," Cui Yurong bit her lip and said.

"Fine, it's not a big problem. It's only ten thousand Silver; I can afford it." Ruan Xing's heart was bleeding, but her tone feigned ease. "Then when can I get in?"

"This, I don't know..." Cui Yurong's voice grew smaller under Ruan Xing's gaze, which felt like a death stare. "Not every retired official can be accepted as a disciple by the National Teacher. Most of them just retire at home to enjoy their old age. The last one to enter the National Teacher Palace was at the beginning of last year. As for this year, no officials have retired yet..."

"Then do I just keep waiting?"

"Yes, that's the only way to wait. There should be new disciples within a few years. This is still better than you going to take the imperial exams and waiting sixty years. Before that, I have to come to the National Teacher Palace to deliver goods every month. You can follow me in and take a look several times, or, or—" Cui Yurong had a sudden flash of inspiration, "Or if you have any ministers you are familiar with, you could wait until they are close to that age and let them take the initiative to go to the National Teacher Palace to ask the National Teacher for entry."

Ruan Xing thought for a moment, and a person suddenly popped into her mind. She asked, "That City Lord who stepped down from Jiangning City this year, do you know him?"

"You mean, Cai Xueshi? I heard that his granddaughter fell ill, so he stepped down early, but he didn't retire. He now holds the position of Cabinet Scholar, compiling books and lecturing for the princes. However, there are no underage princes in the palace now, so it's just a sinecure. He seems to be of age, too. If you have a connection with him, you might as well start from his side."

As the two spoke, they had already reached the ruins of the carriage. Cui Yurong called over the guards who knew how to repair carriages to reassemble the scattered carriage. Sword, come had already concealed its form so that others could not see it, and the horses were obediently tied to a tree nearby.

"This can only support four horse-drawn carriages; the wheel bearings on the remaining two are severely damaged. Even if repaired, they could only be used as two-wheeled carts, which cannot keep up with the speed of the carriages. Furthermore, many of the goods are already damaged beyond use..." Cui Yurong looked at Ruan Xing with hopeful eyes.

Ruan Xing said directly, "How much do you need?"

"The total value of the goods for this trip is over three thousand taels, but prices in the city are on the high side, so I'm afraid it will take five thousand taels to buy everything. Moreover, because this trip was delayed, even if we aren't blamed, it will likely be difficult to settle the payment for the goods... I also need the payment from this shipment to bribe officials to save my father, so I need... ten thousand taels." Cui Yurong's face flushed slightly, finding it difficult to speak.

"That's fine, but with 'Nine Out Thirteen Return', if I lend you ten thousand taels, rounding up, you will have to pay me back fourteen thousand taels in the future. Your family are Imperial Merchants, so this money shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Cui Yurong seemed stunned by Ruan Xing's exorbitant demand. However, firstly, Ruan Xing was the savior of her and everyone in the caravan, and secondly, she truly needed this money. Therefore, she hesitated and did not refute Ruan Xing's interpretation of 'rounding up', saying, "Fine, but I need some time to pay it back. If I can keep the title of Imperial Merchant this time, I will need two years; if I can't... then it will take at least five."

"That works too. Write me a Debt Note once we enter the city. Let's go." In any case, banknotes were of little use to Ruan Xing; lending them out and having them returned as hard silver was a good thing. She wasn't worried about Cui Yurong refusing to acknowledge the debt in the future. When she needed money later, she could just come and collect it herself. Twelve experts at the Acquired Realm could wipe out the entire Cui family caravan; once she reached the Innate realm, couldn't she take as much as she wanted? Of course, she was a good person and wouldn't do such immoral things casually, so she needed a Debt Note to prove her own innocence.

Cui Yurong nodded, "No problem. Let's take these four carriages into the city first. I'll leave some people behind to bury the... bodies, and incidentally, gather up these damaged, defective goods."

Even if they were defective, transporting them into the city and selling them at a low price could recover some losses. Ruan Xing left them one horse and instructed, "The bodies are poisonous, so don't touch them with your hands. Just stay far away and shovel dirt over them. If you want to relocate the grave of that guard of yours, wait five days for the residual poison to dissipate before digging them up to take away."

Based on the death experience at the North City Gate, Ruan Xing and Cui Yurong took a wide detour, traveling along small paths through villages outside the city to reach the South City Gate. By the time they arrived, the sky was already bright, the city gates were wide open, and following the flow of people entering the city, the caravan did not encounter any obstacles.

After entering the city, Cui Yurong first went to various shops to replenish the goods before taking Ruan Xing to the National Teacher Palace.

Thanks to Feng Qing for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Shuibusha for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to reader 20231122142907526175770 for the monthly ticket~(End of chapter)