novelraw Chapter 1031 - 564: The Looted Goods
Chapter 1031 - 564: The Looted Goods
"They mentioned...we are under the jurisdiction of the King Jinghai Mansion." As soon as he said these words, he saw a glimmer flash in Ning Xiaoxian’s eyes, "Then, the cultivators talked with the black shadow for a while, seemingly unable to reach an agreement. The black shadow became angry, and the river water started to flood. The cultivators also took out magic artifacts, preparing for battle. We weren’t far from the great river and feared being caught up in the fight, so we didn’t stay to listen further, hurrying on our way." Despite having experts in the merchant team, he adhered to the principle that less trouble was better than more.
Ning Xiaoxian nodded, understanding that the whistle’s approach was without fault. For traders, safety is paramount, and curiosity is most dangerous. Delivering goods safely to the destination is the goal.
At this moment, the shopkeeper served a few items, among them perfectly roasted "living beads" and a plate of donkey meat buns.
What they call living beads are actually fertilized eggs. After about ten days of incubation, life forms within the egg; traces of the head, wings, and feet appear inside the shell, though it hasn’t taken the full form of a chick. At this stage, the egg is gently boiled in cold water, then roasted for a while, making it possible to dip in some spices and eat. The unborn chick offers extremely tender meat, with soup sweet and fragrant, said to cure headaches, migraines, insanity, and limb-related afflictions, making it a favored delicacy of many gourmets. However, the key to this snack lies in selecting the right fertilized egg and controlling the roasting time.
Looking at these fertilized eggs, Ning Xiaoxian smiled but didn’t eat. This was her first encounter with a delicacy she wasn’t quite willing to try.
The whistle didn’t mind and continued, "After a while on the road, we indeed saw quite a few wealthy gentry and cultivators spending money for disaster relief, organizing the strong young men to repair roads and bridges washed away by the flood, all under the banner of Mirror Sea King’s residence! The local Immortal Sect didn’t intervene, seemingly pleased to see willing benefactors doing these thankless tasks."
Indeed, this was intriguing. Resting her chin on her hand, she remarked, "The Huangfu family’s jurisdiction is by the Mirror Sea; why send people south to ingratiate themselves with ordinary people? Is this a genuine burst of goodwill?" She looked at the Huangfu father and son, who didn’t seem the type to ignore worldly matters and focus solely on virtuous deeds. Especially Huangfuming, who, at a young age, seemed indifferent to human life, portraying this savior act — for what purpose?
In any case, the unusual happenings at the Prince’s Mansion were many, and she’d grown accustomed to them, deciding not to dwell on this matter further. But just as she was about to speak again, the shadow on the ground quivered, and an Earth Yin Messenger emerged, bowing to Ning Xiaoxian and speaking with the accent of Manager Yang from Ningyuan Hall’s Central Capital branch, "Boss, something bad has happened. The hundred thousand jin of Spiritual Tea just delivered to the Medicine Ginseng Group’s warehouse today has just been stolen!"
Manager Yang, anxious, couldn’t help but raise his voice a little. Upon hearing this, the surroundings fell silent. Fortunately, Manager Yang understood the gravity of the situation, trying to speak as calmly and succinctly as possible despite his urgency. Ning Xiaoxian silently nodded, recognizing that Ning Yu had some aptitude in personnel selection.
The merchant team led by the whistle had only entered the Central Capital this morning, transporting the last batch of Spiritual Tea into Ning’s Ginseng Store’s warehouse for safekeeping. Yet, just as Ning Xiaoxian and the others left the Inner City, a group of masked black-clothed men snuck in through the back door of the Medicine Ginseng Group, overpowered seven guards, and transported the tea out through the back door. The robbers were quite skilled, managing to subdue several guards with cultivation in just a few moves.
Manager Yang continued, "Besides the Spiritual Tea, nothing else in the warehouse was taken. I’ve informed the inn’s Hidden Guard seniors, who have already gone to track the culprits. Also, whether or not to report this to the authorities, please make the decision, sir!"
The implications of these three statements were each different. Firstly, the robbers had a very clear intention, evidently aware of the amount of Spiritual Tea and the internal workings of Ning’s Ginseng Store, or else they couldn’t have moved so swiftly. Secondly, the Hidden Guards were already aware and handling the situation. Many demons excel at tracking, offering a bit of reassurance; thirdly, was the matter of whether to allow this incident to escalate.
With the Bai Yujing trade event looming, Central Capital was heavily guarded. For the Inner City’s Ning’s warehouse to be robbed in such circumstances was a blatant slap to the Supervision Bureau’s face, forcing them to investigate earnestly. But if news leaked, Hidden Stream and Ningyuan Hall’s reputations would take a hit in front of the vast community of cultivators.