บท 100: 100. Noah's arc?
Xiao Ran turned around and saw two of the secret guards attacking her with their weapons. With a scoff she waved her hand and knocked them out.
Actually, Hua Roulan and Liu Mei knew about her powers. She told them long ago. But others were stunned to see this situation.
She took out one tincture out her sleeve and dropped a drop of it in their mouths. Even tho they were knocked out they answered and what they spoke made everyone furious.
Xiao Ran just skipped basic questions as she had not much time." Who you work for?"
"Lord Wei." The answer came at the same time.
"Have you be planted from start or just became disloyal?" While she asked she glanced at others and smiled as she saw few people paling.
"We were planted from start. I was six when I came to camp." While the other answered he was five. Being by Emperor's side for so long, this is insane.
Bei Lu looked at the men while he took knives. "I'll kill them all."
"Stop. I need to proceed." Xiao Ran narrowed her eyes and he stopped.
"Is there someone behind Lord Wei?" She had feeling Lord Wei is just slaughter goat.
"Sect of Undying Death." Both answered at the same time and everyone gasped.
"Do they know about my powers?" She asked as she looked at them.
"They know you were born with them. Usually all children born are kidnapped and used to open portals. But you were well hidden away." One of them snickered as he slowly woke up.
"But they don't know how strong my power is, right?" She smiled as her eyes instantly became red and they just fainted again.
Bei Lu looked around and then at her. "Let us all drink that potion. Let's see how many more are traitors."
Hua Roulan cane first forward. "First me and you."
They got drop of that potion and answered the questions truthfully so next batch was called forward. Few gathered behind and with resignation admitted to be disloyal but for various reasons.
One had sister that was held by Lord Wei, the other two because of money and one just because he found his promises attractive.
The three were executed while the one was left alive and will be double agent until they don't find his sister. His words showed he was loyal to the Emperor, but was in tight spot because his only living relative.
He accepted their command as he anyway felt unable to completely attack Emperor. If they ordered him to kill him or any of these, he would have refused even if that meant his sisters life was lost.
Luckily they never pushed it that far.
"They probably knew that you are loyal to the Emperor and needed just simple information's. You were sent to be by Empress side. What will you say?"
"Empress sent us back and we have no idea where she is. It's not a lie." The guard shrugged and Hua Roulan patted his shoulder.
"Yes, in this case the truth is the best answer."
"Let's hurry back to the palace, I think the Emperor is in danger. No, the Empire is in danger. This is not simple." Xiao Ran had feeling that the woman that looked like Liu Mei might be the missing link, but how to find her.
Liu Mei on other hand had luck to have her space. With the strange clothes she wore, she entered one of the pawnshops and started crying talking in accent from deep inland.
Like that the man just gave up asking questions. He thought its just the national attire of that county. "How may I help you?"
She looked at him and took out one gold nugget with reluctance. "I had this inherited from past. But I never used it. Now I need money and would like yo ask if it is sellable."
The man flashed a smile at her and looked at the nugget. After watching at it he sighed. "It is low quality gold. I'll give you five hundred for it."
Five hundred? This golden nugget was pure. The Emperor hated people that skimped or faked their currency. Because of it, it was well traded in exchange offices.
She took the nugget from his hand and shrugged. "Then I'll just keep it as my inheritance. I thought last Empire had good currency and they actually skimped on gold. Tsk tsk."
She just turned around and started leaving when he jumped to stop her. "Wait I'll give you thousand."
"No. I have need of money, but selling it to you would make my teeth ache." Her words were straightforward. "This gold nugget was appraised long time ago in gold maker office and because its national and gold value they wanted to give me bunch of money. Five hundred? You must joking. Never mind. I will go to the capital and sell it properly. Have a nice day."
He gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll give you seventeen thousand. Yes, you can get more in capital, but people might ask questions."
This was clearly not seal from past Empire or any Empire he knew.
"Twenty thousand and I'll give you more." She needed money, but then stopped herself. "Wait no. I'll keep gold. Precious stones, I have real jade and precious stones."
He suddenly had bright smile that faded as he saw her expression. "You lost your accent quite fast."
"And I know worth of items I have." She really did.
Some things were not previous in that Empire as there was so much to be found, that it is literally in every accessory there. Rubies, sapphires and pearls.
She took a small bag out of her bag and opened slowly. He almost chocked at size of those things. "I'll give you good price. But I have to earn something as well."
She could only chuckle. "Of course. But could you give me chair. My belly is not fake."
She patted her round belly and he realized she was pregnant. "Yes, of course. How inconsiderate. Tell me, the stones, should I put them on auction. Auction house takes twenty percent, I'll take another twenty. But you can get better price."
He was greedy, but not beyond repair. Taking advantage of pregnant woman is a line he would never cross.
Liu Mei smiled as he brought her glass of water. "I would like to visit that place as well. There is something bigger to sell. Huge piece of pure jade that could make hundreds of different items or more."
Hearing that he gasped. "How big."
She pointed at the table. "Twice the size of table and three times the height."
He gaped at her as his blood pressure became high. "This..." It is huge.
"I actually planned to cut it slowly and sell piece by piece, but if we sell it in auction, we might get more money." And no one asks questions.
"Where... where is it?" He asked.
"I'll bring you to the place. But you will need truck and people that don't talk. If gouverment get wind about it, I won't care and will escape." She was honest.
"I understand. We will find way." He had few ideas. "We can paint it as normal stone and just wash it off later."
She smiled at him. "Good idea. Hurry before someone finds it before we don't get it."
Just twenty minutes later they rushed to the nearby mountain where she left the big piece of jade she bought off from one villager.
With that money she wanted to buy something more important than jade. Seeds. Various seeds of healing herbs, fruits and vegetables.
That Empire lacked so many things. She was craving so many things as well. If she will go back to the Empire, she can bring seeds of different plants that are usable on various spots in the Empire.
She was in deep thought but still calmly gave directions. Was she scared?
What for? She had space. Now space became living space and she could store even more things.
Out of fun she plans to call it Noah's Arc, but she had no idea what her idea would cause...
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