Chapter 156: Arrival at Haizhou City

Wanwan drove the carriage a considerable distance away from the scene of the fight before finally pulling it to a slow halt. For the moment, she felt no urgency to go inside and change her clothes. Instead, she sat there and stared straight at the driver with a solemn and earnest expression. "Judging by your condition, you clearly aren't fit to drive the carriage anymore. Make your own choice! Do you want to head back, or quickly calm your nerves and resume the journey? Think about it right now, and let me know your decision!" With that, she stood up and stepped into the carriage.

When she emerged again, Wanwan had already changed her clothes and practically dragged Tang Wei out to roast some game to eat. "Tang Wei, I've eaten dry rations for several meals now; my mouth is so bland it's practically tasteless. Have some mercy and make me something delicious! Consider it a reward for my heroic moves just now, okay?" Right now, Wanwan was the epitome of a spoiled, dainty young woman. As she spoke, she grabbed Tang Wei's arm and shook her back and forth. This demeanor was a total contrast to the fierce female underworld ruler she had been moments ago. If she ever went to work in Earth's entertainment industry, she would undoubtedly be the ultimate chameleon queen.

Tang Wei, thoroughly worn out by her relentless pestering, said helplessly, "Alright, alright, stop shaking me! My head is spinning from all that motion! If you want roasted meat, go find some live game yourself!"

"Oh! Great! I'm going right now!" Wanwan bounded high into the air with joy, spun around, and dashed into the woods on both sides of the road.

Tang Wei quickly called out instructions after her, "If you find a water source, clean them properly before you come back! And bring some extra water with you too!" Hearing Wanwan's distant voice shouting back, "I know!", Tang Wei turned her head and made arrangements, "Sangye, let's go gather some firewood and get the fire started first!" Leaving the driver to his own devices, she led Sangye into the nearby woods. Anyway, there was nothing of value left in the carriage; even if the driver were to secretly make off with it, it wouldn't even cover the fare for this trip! Besides, the poor man was still trembling.

Yet, Tang Wei couldn't help feeling a bit puzzled. Logically speaking, death should be a common occurrence for people around here, right? Why was this driver acting just like her—someone originally from Huaxia—so utterly terrified of anything bloody? Could he be a time traveler from Earth? Weren't transmigration stories all the rage on the Huaxia internet nowadays? Surely she hadn't actually run into such a rare prodigy? As Tang Wei's mind wandered into wild and impossible fantasies, she finally snapped back to reality to find that Sangye had already gathered a huge bundle of dry branches, while she herself was holding a long stick and absentmindedly drawing lines in the dirt. How utterly embarrassing.

In truth, when the driver had first trembled upon seeing the bandits, it was purely out of fear for his life, and he had nearly scared himself to the point of wetting his pants. But it was Wanwan's ferocious demeanor that had truly terrified him, especially since this was the first time he had ever witnessed such a bloody spectacle. It was hardly surprising that he lost his composure a bit; that much was entirely understandable. Usually, while he might frequently see people die in his town, it was rarely more than one or two individuals at a time. How could that possibly compare to the shocking sight of a dozen or twenty people collapsing dead on the ground all at once? Still, after sitting quietly by himself for a little while, he had managed to calm down considerably. Driving the carriage onward should pose no problem now. This was a major business venture, after all! The future of his entire family might well depend on this single trip, so no matter what, he had to hold it together.

By the time Tang Wei and Sangye walked over carrying the dry firewood, the driver was actually able to step forward to take the wood from them and take the initiative to start the fire. It seemed Wanwan wouldn't have to drive the carriage herself after all.

The moment Wanwan returned, she was carrying five or six wild rabbits by their hind legs, already thoroughly cleaned. During the time she had spent searching for food in the deep mountains with Tang Wei, she had completely fallen in love with Tang Wei's roasted wild rabbits. Since Tang Wei had agreed to cook today, she naturally wanted to catch as many as possible!

"Wanwan, you didn't manage to hunt every single wild rabbit in the vicinity to extinction, did you?" Tang Wei teased, looking at Wanwan's eager expression.

"Hehe! As if! It's just that I haven't had anything you've cooked in so long! Once I got excited, I couldn't help getting a little carried away!" Wanwan giggled foolishly, unfazed. As long as she got to eat something delicious, she didn't care what anyone said!

"Alright, hurry up and bring them over!" Tang Wei had already set up the wooden rack, planning to roast three of them at once. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to hit the road today at all and would just end up roasting rabbits here all afternoon.

Tang Wei rubbed various seasonings onto the cleaned rabbit meat, gently patting the outer skin so the flesh would absorb the spices more quickly. Once the rabbit meat had absorbed the flavors, they speared the rabbits with long wooden sticks and placed them on the rack over the fire. Her movements were practiced and smooth—one could tell at a glance that she had prepared this dish many times before. While keeping a close eye on the heat, Tang Wei periodically turned the meat to ensure it roasted evenly, preventing any single spot from burning while another part remained uncooked. Before long, a mouthwatering aroma began to waft through the air. Looking at the tempting barbecue and inhaling the rich fragrance, Wanwan looked like a starving wolf spotting a plump little lamb. The moment Tang Wei gave the word, she eagerly attacked with both hands, snatching up a whole roasted rabbit and immediately digging in. All her composure was completely gone now—she looked precisely like a starving ghost newly reincarnated!

Although Sangye and the driver were also salivating like rushing rivers from the enticing scent, they didn't dare make a move without Tang Wei and Wanwan's permission. Once Tang Wei placed whole rabbits into their hands, the two of them accepted the food, grabbed the roasted meat, and began devouring it ravenously in huge bites. Tang Wei had deliberately omitted chili powder from their portions of the roasted meat; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to eat with such unbridled enjoyment!

As Tang Wei continued to roast the remaining three rabbits, she only tasted a few small bites herself, while the rest were hidden away by Wanwan, who claimed she wanted to save them to eat later. Tang Wei simply laughed and agreed.

Sangye tidied up the campsite slightly, and the group set off once again. Wanwan and her companions traveled in fits and starts, journeying for three full days and nights before finally reaching Haizhou City on the evening of the third day. Although their carriage passed by other small towns along the way, they hadn't entered a single one, spending almost all their nights out in the wilderness. As for their safety, although they encountered three or five roadside robbery attempts along the rear, nothing unusual actually happened. Every single time, Wanwan stepped up and resolved the situation in a few swift moves, a process so trivial it wasn't even worth mentioning. By the end, even the driver had grown completely unphased by scenes of slaughter. One could say they had arrived safely in Haizhou City without a hitch.

As dusk gradually fell and the distant city walls loomed ever closer, Tang Wei's excitement began to mount. She had never laid eyes on such a majestic and magnificent city wall before! It hadn't seemed so impressive from afar, but standing right at the base of the wall, she realized it was at least as tall as a five- or six-story building in Huaxia. The brick fortification was about two meters thick, with an inner rammed-earth core and an exterior faced with ashlar stones and city bricks, all bonded together using specially made cyan bricks mixed with lime and glutinous rice mortar. Time had weathered the ancient brickwork, leaving it marked with the vicissitudes of history, yet it still stood firm and proud, like a wrathful Vajra warrior. It had witnessed countless desolate scenes, prosperous eras of romance and beauty, as well as the sorrow of deserted relationships and fading warmth. The moss clinging to the city walls was the trace of passing time; the ancient fortifications repelled enemies to make the city an unassailable stronghold. That towering fortress resembled both a heroic warrior gazing proudly into the sky and a contemplative giant standing in silent communion with the firmament.

The group halted in the outer city. Judging by Wanwan's intentions, it seemed they were waiting for someone to guide them inside. Haizhou City possessed a long history and stood as the most ancient city in the region. Thousands of years ago, it had even served as the capital of a kingdom. However, ever since the Tang rulers assumed power, they had essentially abandoned this place and relocated to the newly built Grand Capital. Despite this, the city's prosperity had never faded. The urban area was vast; had she been without an experienced guide, even someone as perceptive as Wanwan—who had visited before—would never have managed to memorize the entire maze of routes. One could only imagine how intricate the layout truly was.

While Tang Wei continued to gaze in rapt attention at the walls of Haizhou City, Wanwan kept her eyes fixed on the bustling city gates, scanning the crowds with an expression that suggested she was genuinely terrified of missing someone.

As twilight deepened and the flow of people entering and leaving the urban area dwindled, the guards atop the city walls began shifting positions, signaling that a change of shift was imminent. Judging by the situation, the city gates would likely be closing soon! Without someone to meet them, Tang Wei and Sangye lacked the entry passes required to get past the checkpoint. As for the driver, there was no need to worry about whether he could enter the city, as Wanwan had already dropped him off at the previous town they passed through, paying him his promised wages in full. With this parting, he had no further connection to them whatsoever.

Just as the last travelers trickled through the city gates and no one else remained in sight, Wanwan finally began to lose her patience, a trace of anxiety surfacing on her face.

Noticing a flash of delight appear on Wanwan's face, Tang Wei looked in the direction she was staring and saw a single figure finally emerging from the gateway. Seen from a distance, his appearance was unclear, but that posed no difficulty for Tang Wei; a sweep of her spiritual sense revealed him instantly. It was a middle-aged man of about forty, sallow-faced, sickly, and utterly ordinary-looking in plain robes. Someone with such an appearance, cast into a crowd, would never attract the slightest attention. It seemed the Ning State put a great deal of thought into selecting its secret agents.

The moment the middle-aged man drew near, he prepared to drop to his knees in obeisance before Wanwan, the word "Your Highness" already forming on his lips. However, Wanwan stopped him in time, reminding him, "We are operating outside, there is no need for such excessive courtesy. Just call me 'Miss'! How did the task I assigned you turn out?"

"Miss, this humble servant has already taken care of it. Here are the entry passes you requested!" The middle-aged man handed over several golden paper slips with both hands, continuing, "Miss, this subordinate should escort you into the city right away! It's getting rather late, and I'm afraid any further delay will mean the city gates are locked."

Standing straight and poised, Wanwan assumed a graceful and noble demeanor. "Mm, we must hurry then. Drive the carriage inside immediately!" With those words, she withdrew her head back into the carriage and seated herself properly. In a flash, Wanwan transformed right back from a mischievous, adorable young girl into an elegant and poised imperial princess. (This website... Your support is my greatest motivation.)