Chapter 646 - 649: Treasure
Ten days later, Hua Manman finally saw the gates of the Celestial Capital.
When entering the city, Hua Manman got out of the carriage holding her cat and calmly submitted to the inspection.
After confirming there was nothing amiss with her group, the city guard waved them through, signaling that they could enter.
Hua Manman returned to the carriage.
Yue Niang asked in a low voice, "Didn’t the Lord Duke tell us to meet someone outside the city? Why are you going in?"
Hua Manman scratched the little calico cat’s chin as she replied.
"I need to get something in the city."
Yue Niang said, "You could have someone else get it for you. There’s no need to go into the city yourself. It’s too risky."
Hua Manman replied, "No one else can get it. I have to go myself."
Yue Niang was very curious. ’What kind of treasure is it that only Manman can retrieve?’
But she could tell Manman didn’t want to elaborate, so she tactfully dropped the subject.
Yue Niang pushed open the window to look outside.
This was her first time in Tianjing. She had imagined it would be a bustling place, but as she looked out, the streets were lined with high walls and large compounds. They looked grand but lacked life, seeming almost desolate.
This was very different from the Tianjing Yue Niang had envisioned.
She couldn’t help but ask, "Why is no one on the street?"
Hua Manman explained, "This is Zong’an Square. The people who live here are mostly wealthy households. If you want to see a crowd, you need to go to Dingkang Square and Zhongming Square. Those two areas are the most prosperous and lively parts of Tianjing, with lots of good food and fun things to do."
Yue Niang listened, a look of longing on her face.
Hua Manman said, "Later, I’ll have someone set you up with a shop in Dingkang Square so you can open an embroidery shop. That way, you can settle down here in Tianjing."
Yue Niang immediately turned back and shook her head quickly.
"No, no, it’s too early to talk about that. Let’s focus on getting your business taken care of first."
She then asked, "Where are we going now?"
Hua Manman replied, "The Regent Prince Mansion."
...
The main gates of the Regent Prince Mansion were shut tight, with the Imperial Army standing guard outside.
Hua Manman saw this from a distance inside the carriage and knew it would be nearly impossible to get in through the main entrance.
She said to Yue Niang, "You all stay here. I’m going to take a look inside the Prince Mansion."
Yue Niang was very worried about her safety.
"Can you go alone? Should you take a few people with you to help?"
"I have to sneak in. The more people I bring, the easier it is to get caught."
With that, Hua Manman jumped out of the carriage, the little calico cat close behind her.
Hua Manman glanced back at it.
The little calico cat immediately grabbed her skirt and scurried up, quickly reaching her shoulder.
MEOW!
’I want to go with you!’
Hua Manman tapped its nose. "Don’t run off later."
The little calico cat meowed again, signaling it understood.
The pair, one human and one cat, successfully avoided the Yu Lin Army guards and crept toward the wall of the Prince Mansion.
Hua Manman estimated the height, then leaped, using Qinggong to fly to the top of the wall.
Because the Regent King had been convicted, everyone in the Regent Prince Mansion had been taken away. Every corner of the residence had been thoroughly searched. Even the flowers and plants in the courtyards had been dug up. They had truly turned the place upside down.
The Regent Prince Mansion was now as wretched as it had once been glorious.
Seeing the scene before her, Hua Manman felt a pang in her heart.
She forced herself not to dwell on it and hurried toward the bedroom.
Li Ji had said the secret underground chamber was hidden behind the wardrobe in the bedroom.
Pushing open the door, Hua Manman strode inside.
The bedroom had also been searched. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, the bedding had been ripped onto the ground, and all the cabinets and drawers were wide open. The gold, silver, and jewels were long gone, leaving only things of little value.
Hua Manman walked to the wardrobe and ran her hand along its inner wall.
Soon, she felt a carved floral pattern.
Within the pattern was a small, indented hole.
When she inserted her finger into the hole, a mechanism popped out nearby.
Hua Manman turned the mechanism, and the bottom panel of the wardrobe slid open, revealing the pitch-black entrance to a tunnel.
She found a lantern, lit it, and carefully climbed down into the tunnel.
By the dim yellow light, she could see three branching paths ahead.
The little calico cat meowed.
Meow.
’Which path do we take?’
Hua Manman said without hesitation, "Take the middle path."
That was what Li Ji had told her.
Other than the middle path, the other two were dead ends filled with dangerous traps.
The human and cat followed the middle path for a while longer until they reached a secret chamber.
Inside the chamber were several large chests.
Hua Manman opened a chest to look inside. It wasn’t filled with rare treasures, but with things that the former Hua Manman had once used.
They had been perfectly preserved and sealed away here.
Among them was the Mystic Armor Order token.
The little calico cat looked at the Mystic Armor Order token with curiosity.
MEOW MEOW MEOW.
’So this is the legendary token that can command the Xuanjia Army.’
Hua Manman wondered, "I don’t know where to find the Xuanjia Army."
The system muttered, ’The Xuanjia Army was left behind by the former Crown Prince, Li Shu. He’s been dead for so long, the army has probably long since disbanded.’
Hua Manman clutched the Mystic Armor Order token. "I doubt it. In the original novel, the Regent King had a Xuanjia Army under his command in the later stages. Perhaps the Xuanjia Army is just temporarily in hiding. With this token, they will reappear and be at Ji’s command."
The system said, ’Let’s hope so.’
Hua Manman put away the Mystic Armor Order token, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a metal door to the side.
The little calico cat noticed the door too and couldn’t help but meow.
’What other treasures are hidden behind the door?’
A faint suspicion formed in Hua Manman’s mind.
She walked over, turned a mechanism, and the metal door slowly swung open.
A cloud of icy white mist billowed out.
Hua Manman felt a bone-chilling cold.
She stepped inside and found an ice cellar behind the door.
In the center of the ice cellar rested a glass coffin.
Hua Manman slowly walked toward the coffin.
The little calico cat followed close behind.
Its four paws were growing numb from the cold, making every step a struggle.
The glass coffin was covered in a thick layer of frost, but the person lying inside was still visible.
It was the former "Hua Manman."
Although she had been dead for many years, her skin was still fair and tender, her hair jet-black, her fingers slender, and her eyelashes thick.
At first glance, she didn’t look dead, but rather like she was taking a nap.
Hua Manman looked at herself in the coffin and let out a soft puff of white mist.
"Found her."
The little calico cat once again climbed onto Hua Manman’s shoulder.
It looked down at the coffin, its feelings quite complicated.
’This was the alt account I worked so hard to level up, after all. I never thought it would end up like this.’
The system asked, ’Do you want to get her out? The layer of ice looks pretty thick. The two of us can’t break it on our own. You’ll have to go outside and find some tools.’
But Hua Manman said, "No need. This place is fine. Let’s just let her stay here."