“Grandmother, let me help you over there to sit,” Huangfu Yue said, approaching Consort Dowager Zheng, who had just been freed from her shackles. She smiled gently and pointed to a spot by the roadside.
Consort Dowager Zheng’s eyes flickered with confusion. The spot her granddaughter indicated was uneven and had puddles, making it an unsuitable place to sit. Why would her granddaughter want her to sit there?
“Yue’er, the spot you’re pointing at isn’t good for sitting. Find another place for grandmother to sit,” Zhu Jiayi, standing in front of Consort Dowager Zheng, furrowed her brow slightly upon hearing Huangfu Yue’s words and turned to look at her younger sister-in-law.
If someone didn’t know better, they might think her sister-in-law was trying to torment or mistreat their grandmother.
Huangfu Yue didn’t speak, merely curving her lips into a faint smile. Her fair and beautiful hand pointed again to the spot she had indicated. To everyone’s astonishment, a beautiful and ornate purple wood and white jade couch instantly materialized there.
Upon seeing the purple wood and white jade couch, everyone was stunned, especially those from the Prince of Dai’s manor. This couch belonged to the Prince of Dai’s manor, so how did it appear here? And how did it appear so suddenly?
“This is…” Zhu Jiayi began to ask, but her words were cut off by her sister-in-law after only two characters.
“I once met an enlightened master who was traveling to the border. He said we were fated to meet and taught me some Daoist arts, and also gave me a treasure called the Qiankun Bag. The Qiankun Bag can store many things, and I can take them out whenever I wish,” Huangfu Yue said, taking out a small brocade bag and shaking it gently.
In truth, the brocade bag was empty. It was the original owner’s bag for candy, but all the candy had been eaten. When she found it earlier, she thought it was useless, but now it had proven to be very handy.
Learning Daoist arts from an enlightened master and being gifted the Qiankun Bag was something she thought of on a whim while collecting a lot of items in the storeroom. With this explanation, she could retrieve anything she wanted anytime, without suspicion or stealth.
As for whether others would believe her, she couldn’t control that. However, she suspected most people would believe her because it was ancient times, people were very superstitious, and they believed in spirits and gods. Since the founding of the Great Yue Kingdom, Daoism had been highly revered. Seventy to eighty years ago, it was rumored among the common people of the Great Yue Kingdom that a hundred-year-old Daoist priest achieved immortality on Mount Bailing and ascended to the heavens. Since then, a large number of people who wished to live forever and attain immortality became Daoist priests. Therefore, her claim of knowing Daoist arts and possessing a magical artifact had no loopholes.
As expected, the people from the Prince of Dai’s manor and the escorting officials believed Huangfu Yue’s words, especially since she had conjured a couch out of thin air before their eyes. Feng Maoyuan and the other officials trembled and broke out in cold sweat. Not only was Huangfu Yue incredibly powerful in martial arts, but she also knew Daoist arts. They were completely finished; killing them would likely be as easy as blowing on a candle. They had initially thought the people from the Prince of Dai’s manor were like meat on a chopping block, at their mercy. But now, they realized they were the ones on the chopping block, waiting to be butchered by Huangfu Yue.
“Heavens! I had no idea, Yue’er, that you knew magic and had treasures! Besides storing this purple wood and white jade couch in the Qiankun Bag, did you put anything else in it?” Xu Yujing, who was usually a bit boisterous, ran to her sister-in-law, filled with shock and excitement, and asked curiously.
Huangfu Yue looked at her second sister-in-law and nodded.
“What else is in there?” Xu Yujing asked eagerly, her face beaming.
“Why are you asking so many questions!” Consort Dowager Zheng exclaimed, glaring displeasantly at Xu Yujing, conveying with her eyes that she shouldn’t ask too many questions. This second daughter-in-law had no brains, not considering how many people were around and just kept asking. Her granddaughter was also… looking at her from before, she seemed quite clever, but now she seemed as brainless as well, revealing that she knew Daoist arts and had a treasure like the Qiankun Bag. Wasn’t she afraid of people coveting the Qiankun Bag and having ill intentions? However, learning that her granddaughter knew magic and possessed the Qiankun Bag, she finally understood why the items in the storeroom had disappeared. They were likely stored in the Qiankun Bag by her granddaughter.
“Help me over there to sit,” Consort Dowager Zheng said to her granddaughter.
Huangfu Yue immediately responded, helping Consort Dowager Zheng towards the purple wood and white jade couch. Consort Dowager Zheng glanced back before turning and quietly saying to her granddaughter in a low voice, “My child, why did you reveal that you knew Daoist arts and had a treasure like the Qiankun Bag? Aren’t you afraid people will covet the Qiankun Bag and have ill intentions…”
“Don’t worry, Grandmother. I can protect the Qiankun Bag well. I’m not afraid of people coveting it or having ill intentions. You’ve already seen my martial prowess, and besides, I also know magic… So, it’s fine, don’t worry!” Huangfu Yue interrupted Consort Dowager Zheng, smiling softly. When one has good things and the ability to protect them, there’s no need to keep them a secret. However, the matter of the spatial dimension must remain a secret. The spatial dimension was her biggest trump card, something she couldn’t reveal to anyone. A trump card must be hidden well!
“Yue’er, I never expected you to be so capable and remarkable! Not only do you know medicine, possess powerful martial skills, but you also know Daoist arts and have treasures… I was very worried that we would die on the road to exile, but now with you, I am no longer worried…” Consort Dowager Zheng’s face first showed a flash of joy, then a hint of pride, and finally, a look of relief.
“Yes. Grandmother, you don’t need to worry about anything anymore. As you said, you have me! I will protect you all well, and I will ensure you live very good lives… Even if we are exiled to a place like Lingping, I can guarantee you will have a good life,” Huangfu Yue nodded, smiling gently.
“Everyone else, please find chairs to sit on yourselves,” Huangfu Yue said, looking at the other members of the Prince of Dai’s manor. Hearing this, the people from the Prince of Dai’s manor were wondering where the chairs had come from when they saw dozens of chairs appear by the roadside. They were all chairs from the Prince of Dai’s manor. Everyone once again wore expressions of utter shock and was dumbfounded.
Huangfu Yue ignored their astonishment and turned her gaze back to Consort Dowager Zheng, saying in a very low voice, “I secretly stored these chairs in the Qiankun Bag earlier. I thought they would be useful on the road to exile, and the storeroom…”
“I know what you want to say. I’ve guessed it. Don’t mention that matter to anyone. Let it be known only to you and me. As the saying goes, where there are many people, there are many mouths, so be careful and vigilant,” Consort Dowager Zheng interrupted Huangfu Yue, also speaking in a very low voice so that only she and her granddaughter could hear.
Huangfu Yue nodded. She had thought the old lady would have many questions, especially about the storeroom, and intended to tell her quietly. To her surprise, the old lady had already guessed and even reminded her to be careful and vigilant due to loose lips. Although this old lady was of advanced age, she was clearly a good teammate.