At this point, Qiao Meng seemed reluctant to mention more. She took a deep breath, and suddenly a hidden weapon appeared in her hand.
"I haven't even accomplished my great cause yet. How could I let you die so easily? You must live on and watch how I avenge myself in the future."
With a wave of her hand, Shi Muyuan fainted again.
It was the second time this happened, which made her quite frustrated. But being in a passive position with her life in someone else's hands, resistance would be futile.
...
"Ouch, what's wrong with me? Why do I always feel a headache? National Preceptor, why are you also unconscious?"
The man opened his eyes groggily and heard her inquiry. He slightly shook his head and placed his hand on his forehead. His disheveled hair added a touch of wild charm.
"I was about to ask the Empress Dowager. Weren't you just thinking about how to transport these things out? How come you suddenly fainted?"
There was a look of confusion in both of their eyes. Their memories were still stuck on these gold, silver, and jewels.
"It's strange. How did we faint just now? I can't seem to remember anything."
"It should be nothing serious. Empress Dowager, let's go back first and find someone to transport these things out."
"You're right. But we don't even know where the exit mechanism is."
As she spoke, the young girl looked around.
The man was unhurried. "The late emperor must have built the exit inside the main burial chamber. As long as we look carefully, we're sure to find it."
Just like that, the two started rummaging around, like two industrious little bees.
Before long, Shi Muyuan suddenly noticed that there seemed to be an irregularity under the coffin.
"Why is this part protruding? Could it be that the mechanism we've been looking for is right here?"
She reached out and pressed the protrusion.
Then, on the other side, a door slowly appeared.
Cui Qizhou couldn't help but admire her luck at guessing.
"The Empress Dowager has such good luck. We should have let you identify the mechanisms earlier."
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan pouted. "Let's get out quickly. Otherwise, they must be getting anxious waiting."
The two finally walked out through the secret passage. To their surprise, they found that the exit was in the center of Jincheng. Fortunately, there were all kinds of sundries blocking it, so no one noticed this place.
They walked through winding paths and finally returned to the inn.
When they didn't know, two figures appeared at the entrance of the secret passage. The person standing in front had a gloomy face, as if extremely angry.
"You'd better explain this matter clearly. Otherwise, don't follow me anymore. I won't let this matter go today."
"Your Highness, please don't be angry. I have another plan for this matter. I've come up with an excellent scheme. Now I just need Your Highness to cooperate with me."
Concubine Rui couldn't help but roll her eyes. She simply looked down on this person.
"What good plan can you come up with? Now Cui Qizhou has escaped. By then, it will be too late even if we want to take action."
She was so angry that she wanted to attack the person behind her, but after thinking it over, she decided against it.
She finally managed to suppress that thought, but then the person behind her said something that made her even angrier.
"Your Highness, I want to lurk beside Cui Qizhou. How about we let them take back the things in the tomb first?"
Concubine Rui couldn't hold back anymore. She turned around and slapped the person. Unexpectedly, the person behind didn't dodge.
"I know Your Highness is angry now. You're eager for a chance to turn things around. Your Highness, please calm down. Let me explain it to you slowly."
It was not clear whether it was because of her good attitude or because Concubine Rui didn't have many people she could use. Anyway, she quickly calmed down.
"Sigh, I'd like to hear what you're thinking. This matter can't be taken lightly. Otherwise, all our previous efforts will be in vain."
"Your Highness, I can guarantee that this matter will be foolproof. I've never failed in the things I promised you. Please trust me this time. Now I need Your Highness to do me a favor."
"Speak."
"Have someone change my appearance. Make it somewhat similar to my current face."
"That's all? But I'm quite curious. What do you want to do with this face?"
Concubine Rui had already changed her expression. Her eyes were rather complicated.
"Your Highness will know soon. Don't worry. In less than half a month, I'll surely show you the results."
Since she had said so, Concubine Rui decided to reluctantly trust her once. After all, she had no other choice but to trust her now.
"Alright. You're quite lucky. I happen to know such a person. He's also in Jincheng recently. Come with me."
...
After Cui Qizhou and Shi Muyuan returned, they started planning how to transport out those gold, silver, and jewels.
"We still need to inform the government. Only the government can suppress those people. There are many people from the jianghu outside. With just our people, it's definitely not enough."
They had already inquired about the situation outside. To prevent more people from gathering, they had to solve the problem with those people outside as soon as possible.
However, Cui Qizhou didn't think her solution was the best one.
"Those outlaws will probably fight tooth and nail to get at all that wealth once they see it. Empress Dowager, why don't you think of a better way?"
"What other way could there be? We can't possibly drive all those people out, can we?"
"Well, that might actually be a better strategy."
As if he had thought of something, there was a glint in his eyes, which made the young girl beside him stare blankly for a moment.
After the two quickly came up with a plan, they started to act separately.
In just two days, some rumors began to spread in the city.
"Hey, have you heard? Those priceless treasures have appeared outside the city. It seems someone will get them."
"I don't think so. Don't you think it's very likely that this will make those people outside fight each other to a standstill? Maybe we people lurking in the back will be the ones to benefit."
"It seems reasonable. The mantis catches the cicada, but the oriole is behind. We still need to plan carefully. When those people are tired from fighting and most of them are dead, it will be our turn to act."
Some people were chatting in the teahouse. Their conversation fell into the ears of two people sitting at the next table.
And these two people were exactly Shi Muyuan and Cui Qizhou.
Yes, the news was spread by them. The best way they could think of for the moment was to transfer all these people outside the city. By then, when they started fighting, they wouldn't care about what was going on in the city. With the protection of the officers and soldiers, this matter would be foolproof.
The teahouse was always the place where people were most well - informed, and the news spread the fastest there. Thanks to Shi Muyuan having read so many novels and watched so many TV shows, it was finally useful now.