Chapter 15: Looting

After doing all this, Cheng Qiuyun hurried out of the courtyard.

Meanwhile, on the other side, after Cheng Huo and the others had released the girl from the woodshed, they also found their way over here.

"Eldest Miss, we just discovered a Kufang."

Hearing this, An Luo, who had been drowsy, instantly became alert.

【Zaituan, there must be treasures inside the Kufang. Let's hurry and collect them!】

Hearing this, Yu'an furrowed her delicate little face, her big eyes carrying a hint of disapproval, and slowly shook her head.

【But Great-Great-Grandmother taught me that taking something without asking is stealing, and stealing is wrong.】

An Luo:...

The principle is correct, but we have to analyze the specific situation.

Anyway, those things weren't obtained through proper means either. Take them, why waste the chance!

An Luo anxiously scratched her head, continuing to reason with her (egging her on).

【Inside there must be all the wealth squeezed from the common people by the National Preceptor over the years. Let's collect it first and use it later to help the poor. This is called robbing the rich to help the poor—it's also doing a good deed!】

Yu'an nodded her little head, half-understanding.

So it could be like this?

What Fairy Sister said seems to make a lot of sense.

Learned something new again!

【Mm! Fairy Sister, Yu'an understands now!】

"Elder Aunt! Let's go to the Kufang!"

Cheng Qiuyun nodded.

Indeed, on this journey, gold, silver, and medicinal herbs were indispensable.

The few of them carefully avoided the patrolling Guards and hurried toward the Kufang.

No sooner had they left than the Jingsi Courtyard, separated by just one wall, became lively.

The patrolling Guards saw from afar the fire blazing into the sky on this side.

"Not good, there's a fire!"

"Quick, go find people to put out the fire!"

"The National Preceptor is still inside!"

Most of the Guards in the Taoist temple grabbed water buckets and rushed to fight the fire, which inadvertently gave those girls a chance to escape.

But Xiao Yu wasn't so lucky. She had just run out of the courtyard when she bumped right into the Guards coming to fight the fire.

"There's a little Yao Tou running out here, grab her quick!"

"Don't let her escape!"

Just like that, Xiao Yu was caught again.

She shook her head frantically.

She wanted to tell the Guards that someone had let those girls go, but she couldn't speak. She could only gesture wildly.

But the Guards were busy fighting the fire—how could they pay attention to her?

They opened a gap in the woodshed door, shoved her inside, and left without even glancing in, let alone noticing that all the girls inside were gone.

"Stay put! Try to run again and I'll break your legs!"

After saying this viciously, the Guard locked the door and left.

In the end, Xiao Yu curled up alone in a corner of the woodshed, tears of regret streaming down her face.

How could this have happened?

If only she hadn't drugged that little Yao Tou.

Or if she had run out together with those girls, would she have already escaped the Taoist temple by now?

Cheng Qiuyun brought Yu'an to the Kufang.

She only needed to probe twice lightly with a silver hairpin, and the iron lock the size of an adult man's fist sprang open.

Pushing the door open and going inside, it was filled with chests and burlap sacks. She opened one to look.

Silver ingots, gold yuanbaos, large quantities of grain...

Cheng Qiuyun slammed one of the chests shut with a "bang."

"Looks like that bastard National Preceptor has raked in plenty of benefits over the years!"

Then she instructed Cheng Feng and the others.

"Pack as many Silver Notes as you can—things easy to carry. And look around for any medicinal herbs..."

Before Cheng Qiuyun finished speaking, she happened to glance aside.

When the corner of her eye caught Yu'an's movement, she froze as if her throat had been seized, the rest of her words stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

She saw Yu'an raise her little hand and place it on the chest. In the next instant, the chest vanished.

Cheng Qiuyun:!!!

Gone!

And Cheng Feng and the others standing nearby also widened their eyes, wearing stunned expressions.

After a long while, Cheng Qiuyun blinked, licked her dry lips, and found her voice again.

"Yu-Yu'an, what is this..."

"Could this be the divine power the Immortal bestowed on you, like Luoluo mentioned?"

Hearing her words, Yu'an suddenly slapped her own forehead.

How did he forget about this?

The little fellow took out four portions each of apples and walnut buns from the box.

Watching food appear out of thin air, the four of them were even more shocked.

"Elder Aunt, here you go, it's really delicious!"

Cheng Qiuyun took it in a daze, mechanically distributing it to Cheng Feng and the other two.

Just like that, the four adults stood off to the side, stuffing things into their mouths with blank expressions.

Watching the little fellow hop about like a happy little hamster, darting between the wooden crates of supplies.

Wherever it passed, the crates instantly became empty.

Soon, the Kufang was empty.

Suddenly, Cheng Qiuyun noticed a painting on the wall — it was a portrait of the National Preceptor.

This painting hung here, and somehow it felt out of place.

She stuffed the remaining walnut buns entirely into her mouth, walked over and examined it for a while. The painting was very clean, not a speck of dust.

How strange.

Even those boxes holding jewelry and accessories had a thin layer of dust settled on them, yet this portrait was spotless?

She took the painting down, raised her hand and knocked on the wall — the wall was indeed hollow!

Cheng Qiuyun called out to the people behind her.

"It's a hidden room!"

Once inside the hidden room, their eyes were immediately dazzled by the radiant glow of treasures filling the entire space.

Compared to this place, those things outside were nothing at all — all the good stuff was here!

Boxes of luminous pearls, gold bricks the size of books, hundred-year wild ginseng, lingzhi, snow lotus…

Cheng Qiuyun felt her eyes were about to be blinded, her brain began to short-circuit, and she could barely speak properly.

"Yu'an, you… you can still fit things in?"

If she brought these medicinal ingredients back, Mother would surely be very happy!

And with these, on the road to Beihuang City, they would have one more layer of security.

"I can!"

Watching Zaituan prioritize packing the precious medicinal ingredients, then take back the boxes that had been stored earlier, piling all the treasures together.

Even so, she still had no choice but to abandon several boxes of silver, and could only sigh helplessly before the treasures.

An Luo pressed a hand to her chest, wearing the exact same expression of heartache.

"Zaituan, Elder Sister is sorry, it's all Elder Sister's fault for being too poor, I can't keep upgrading your space."

She glanced at the time in between — it was already one in the morning, she had to sleep.

An Luo gave a hasty instruction, then went to wash up and sleep.

And Xiao Yu'an, perfectly content, nestled in her own Elder Aunt's arms, looking at the packed Treasure Chest and grinning from ear to ear.

Today was a day full of gains!

And Cheng Qiuyun, who had dealt with one of her enemies, showed the first smile on her face since the Cheng Family's disaster.

She reached out and ruffled the little fellow's head.

"Our Yu'an is really amazing!"

Hearing her Aunt's praise, the little fellow slightly lifted her little chin, every single eyebrow seeming to flutter with excitement, and puffed out her little chest.

Yu'an is capable!

Yu'an is proud!

Suddenly, Cheng Feng dug out a wooden box from a corner.

"Eldest Miss, there are a few letters in here! But this writing, your Subordinate doesn't recognize it."

Cheng Qiuyun took it and glanced at it, her brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

"It looks like it might be the script of Dongxun."

"Could the National Preceptor have been colluding secretly with Dongxun?"