They planned to stay in Licheng City for a day, assuming that Licheng was situated at the Liaodong Pass, a necessary stop for rchants traveling in and out. This afternoon, there was to be an auction in Licheng.
Gu Taitian conveyed Empress Xiao’s ssage, suggesting there might be so valuable items at this auction that Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu should check out.
Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu thought it over and decided that, since they had nothing else to do this afternoon, they might as well take a look.
Licheng City is a military stronghold filled with troops, with a focus on practicality in its city construction, without any ornate embellishnts.
This place is already north of Liaodong. Looking further north from the city walls of Licheng, one can clearly see the endless plains, the grasslands stretching to the sky, dyeing heaven and earth green!
The weather in Licheng, compared to the southern Liuzhou City, is much cooler, even in sumr. The air is also fresher and drier. Even the people on the streets have a much rougher manner than in the south. The entire city is filled with a rugged and restless vibe, very reminiscent of the northeast that Gu Changsheng had visited in another life, evoking a familiar feeling of the nine tails!
Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu walked the streets of Licheng, listening to the continuous cries of vendors around them, and hearing people discuss the auction. Most of those discussing it were wealthy rchants and people from the Itinerant World.
"The auction at the Liaodong Pass happens once every five years, and I’ve heard that even the City Lord of Linyuan City has sent people to attend."
"I’ve heard about it too. It seems like everyone is interested in this auction. Maybe so treasure will indeed appear."
"Isn’t that so? But recently, there has been a strange incident in Licheng. Have you heard about it?"
The words of one person successfully caught the attention of others around them, and people moved closer, curious and probing.
"What is it? Is it a big deal?"
The person looked at those gathered around him, waiting until their curiosity was fully piqued before speaking, "I’ve heard that there is a Breath Seeking Pearl in this auction. Soone on the Dark Market has said that if anyone can obtain this Breath Seeking Pearl, they’re willing to pay double to buy it!"
"What? Are they crazy? You believe such rumors? The auction hasn’t even started. If they truly have that much silver, wouldn’t it be better to participate in the auction directly? Why pay double for a resale?"
"That’s what I thought too, but the ssage ca through Licheng’s underground Money Manor. You all know about the Money Manor in Licheng; it’s backed by Licheng’s officials. If the ssage were false, how could it co from them?" The person shrugged, looking indifferent to the matter.
His words indeed silenced those around him.
"The Breath Seeking Pearl, isn’t that the legendary pearl that can track soone based on their breath? It’s said that the pearl fell into the hands of the forr Southern Chen Sima Clan’s imperial family. How did it end up in an underground auction in Licheng? Why would soone pay a high price for the Breath Seeking Pearl now?"
"Ha! Southern Chen is no more! The world only knows our Southern Country, where is there a Southern Chen? At least our Liaodong is still Liaodong, while Southern Chen has long beco the Southern County of our Southern Country. Our Southern Country has only one imperial family, the Madam Gu of the Phoenix Clan. The Sima Clan’s kingdom has fallen. Other than enriching Southern Country’s coffers, what’s strange about such things being left outside?"
"Indeed, whoever is willing to pay a high price for the Breath Seeking Pearl is surely looking for soone. Although the pearl is a supre treasure, its only use is this one minor function. Its price might not even compare to that of a Beauty-preserving Pearl! We might as well try our luck, who knows, we might make a tidy sum from a resale?"
"Makes sense, silver falling from the sky, why not earn it?"
"..."
Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu, hidden in the crowd, exchanged a glance, then turned and left the gathering.
"The survivors of the Southern Chen Sima Clan can no longer bear it?" Gu Changsheng frowned slightly and spoke in a deep voice.
Others might not know, but Gu Changsheng was well aware that when the million strong Witch Gu Army approached the Southern Chen Imperial City, all the treasures in the city were looted completely, with no chance of anything valuable being left behind unless...
Unless they were taken out ahead of ti by surviving protectors of the Southern Chen clan. They might have carried with them one or two of the Southern Chen’s supre treasures!
"If that’s the case, Empress Xiao asking Father-in-law to inform us about the auction may have co from a heart of suspicion." Zhou Mu nodded and spoke in a deep voice, a hint of contemplation flashing through his deep black eyes. "However, the person willing to pay a high price for the Breath Seeking Pearl is more suspicious than the one making it see daylight again!"
Hearing this, Gu Changsheng’s Phoenix Eyes flashed with a flicker of light. Looking incredulously at Zhou Mu beside him, he said, "You an soone hasn’t given up hope on that person we have hidden in our carriage?"
Indeed, there was still a person hidden in their carriage!
A person whom Gu Changsheng had captured, half-alive, from the underground wine cellar incident in Xunyang City!
Gu Changsheng wanted to coax so information out of his mouth, but the man was too severely injured. It’s already a miracle that she managed to keep him alive along the way, and she hasn’t even had the chance to conduct any interrogation!
"The old man said that person’s martial arts were not inferior to yours, and cautioned to be extrely careful along the way, never acting impulsively!" Gu Changsheng frowned, recalling the dical Immortal Old Man’s advice, "Such dead soldiers like him, even if he doesn’t die, it’d be difficult to extract information. But since soone’s so persistent, we might as well try to figure out who it is that’s stirring up this calm water! We are taking that Breath Seeking Pearl!"
Isn’t soone offering a high price for the Breath Seeking Pearl? Well, she’ll get it into her hands and just see who dares to plot against her with all those twists and turns behind her back!
This kind of intrigue without facing each other directly is really infuriating!
It’s better to et face to face, make so connections and compare power levels!
"Actually, there’s no need to keep that person alive; killing him would be more convenient!" Zhou Mu glanced at the young woman beside him, thinking of the man placed in the carriage compartnt, his expression turned unpleasant as he spoke.
Gu Changsheng rolled her eyes upon hearing that, "Evildoer, you can’t be so petty! I only touched him once! But trust , it was truly an accident. If I had known that pulling casually would bring him up, I’d definitely prefer hugging the old man!"
Damn, at that mont, she was only thinking about avoiding getting hugged by the dical Immortal Old Man, not considering anything else!
The person fought desperately to blow up the underground wine cellar in Xunyang City, and if it weren’t for her accidental pull, he would’ve really achieved his goal!
Gu Changsheng happily looked at the evildoer beside her. This man seed indifferent to everything, allowing her reckless behavior. However, when it ca to matters of principle, he was very staunch, for instance, he really got jealous easily!
She rely held that Youming Xiying once, and her evildoer has been upset until now.
Gu Changsheng had to tread carefully, fearing her evildoer might murder her captive if she wasn’t cautious!
The auction house in Licheng City is set in the underground Dark Market, an unwritten rule of this world. So things that don’t fit into society, like stolen goods or contraband, are usually traded in the Dark Market, as only such places dare to deal with those items.
The entrance to the Dark Market is a seemingly ordinary tavern. When Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu entered, many were drinking large bowls of wine and eating at heartily.
The waiter saw Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu co in but remained lukewarm, not even bothering to greet them.
This reaction left Gu Changsheng and Zhou Mu, both living under the sun and unfamiliar with the underground world, sowhat baffled. They wanted to speak but feared being seen as outsiders, so they had to pretend to wander aimlessly in the tavern, fortunately unhindered.
However, Gu Changsheng was an impatient person. After wandering around twice without anyone clearing their path, she got fed up, rubbed her palms together and headed toward the waiter.
"What are you going to do?" Zhou Mu reached out, amusingly pulling back his little woman as if ready to fight, and asked.
"Don’t stop , I’m going to make a breakthrough!" Gu Changsheng waved, shook off her evildoer, and took quick strides to the waiter. Then, in a particularly arrogant manner, she grabbed the waiter’s collar and lifted him up. "Are you blind? Didn’t you see co in for so long? Or do you look down on people like a snobby dog?"
The mont Gu Changsheng made her move, everyone in the tavern eating and drinking suddenly stood up!
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"..."
The sound of weapons being drawn echoed through the tavern in an instant.
People outside the tavern saw this and imdiately ran away in panic, one after another, faster than the last.
"Causing trouble at the Black Shop, you’re skillful, dear guest!" The waiter, whose neck was grabbed, calmly took the towel draped over his arm, patted the nonexistent dust on his shoe, and spoke disdainfully.
"Of course! Without Diamonds, we wouldn’t take on this delicate job. Knowing your shop was called Black Shop, we dared to enter. Do you really think we’re here for a stroll?" Gu Changsheng responded arrogantly, "Tell , where’s the entrance to the Dark Market? They say your Black Shop is the only door out of the Dark Market. So why not tell how to get in and have a look around?"
"Madam, the doors open at noon for guests, and close at sunset; the Dark Market entrance is past its Shichen Chinese Ti for entry. Co early tomorrow!" The waiter replied unaffected upon hearing her, giving Gu Changsheng a glance, and added scornfully, "However, such as yourselves might not even afford the badge to enter the Dark Market..."
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