Chapter 39: The tomb-robbing journey begins
Baohan had originally planned to use the excuse of needing to prepare as an excuse to free Yin Chuan and the others from their clutches, but Fan Zheng refused to grant him the opportunity, stating that preparations had already been completed and that they must depart immediately at dusk. Helplessly, Baohan could only watch as the group of ten men, in a carriage, left the Cao Gang territory and headed southwest.
The ten people on this treasure hunt include Fan Zheng, Yuan Laoer and Tan Zhuozi, the director of the Yeducheng Film Company, Mr. Lan from the Lan Mansion, his third concubine Luo Mei, his fourth concubine Qin and his fifth concubine Yu Zhenzhu, plus Yin Chuan and the other two.
"Master Lan, it's understandable that you brought your third concubine with you. After all, she comes from a gangster background. But why did you let the other two frail concubines travel with you?" Yin Chuan asked in confusion in the car.
"Alas, you don't know. Ever since I left the palace and secluded myself in Guojiaying, my first two wives have all left me. I originally thought I would be alone for the rest of my life. Even if I married my third wife, she came from the underworld and would definitely not be willing to live with me wholeheartedly. But after Xiao Si and Xiao Wu got married, they really are devoted to me. This time, they volunteered to accompany me on this treasure hunt. I couldn't bear to refuse their kindness, so I agreed to come along."
Yin Chuan thought, are you kidding me? You're just an old eunuch, how can a young woman be so devoted to you? It was hard to say this directly, so Yin Chuan could only nod in agreement.
"Master Lan, please don't say such harsh words," Luo Mei said from the side. "Although it's certainly not my original intention to be your concubine, after all, you also want to rely on me to find the treasures in the Shen family tomb. We just need each other, so on this matter, we still have the same intention."
Master Lan hummed in a depressed tone and said no more.
The relationship between these two people is interesting! Yin Chuan watched their conversation and silently thought in his heart...
"I say, how credible is the treasure map you mentioned?" Linlang suddenly asked.
Luo Mei glanced at the film company's director, Fan Zheng, and snorted in confusion. Fan Zheng narrowed his eyes and said to Linlang, "Third Concubine was in this business in her early years. If she says it's true, then it must be true. Master Lan, am I right?"
"Uh... yes, yes. That's right, there's no doubt about it!"
"So where are we going now?"
"Not far away, just fifteen miles due west of the confluence of the Grand Canal and the Huai River. The map shows a hilly area that has been abandoned for years. There's a town there that was abandoned due to war. The Shen family tomb is there."
Yin Chuan wanted to ask something else, but Fan Zheng glared at him and said, "Stop talking nonsense! Do I have to tie you up and make everyone uncomfortable?" As he said that, he raised his eyebrows at Yuan Laoer. Yuan Laoer took out a knife and waved it at them as a threat.
Yin Chuan and Du Yunzhang had seen this sort of thing so often, how could they take it seriously? However, they still held back and didn't resist. Du Yunzhang and Yin Chuan exchanged glances, and Yin Chuan understood Du Yunzhang's meaning: he was fully capable of subduing the three men with a few moves, and was simply waiting for his signal to strike.
"Don't try that," Luo Mei said to Fan Zheng with disdain. "Old Fan, what are you talking about, you accidentally took the insanity drug? You really can come up with such a ridiculous excuse!"
"Di Feiyan, don't say that. Although Lao Er didn't ingest the drug accidentally, the insanity drug incident is true. He followed me this time just to get the antidote."
"Alright, alright, there's no need for you to keep lying. After we succeed, we'll each take what we need, and then we can go our separate ways."
"Of course, everyone has to follow the rules of the underworld."
The car bumped along the way until late at night. Fifth Concubine Yu Zhenzhu rubbed her sleepy eyes and said to Master Lan shyly, "Master... I'm not feeling well. Can you let me get off the car and go to the bathroom?"
"Oh, bear with it, we'll be there soon, and you can go to the bathroom then. There's no village or store here, and I'm worried about you getting off the bus."
"Master - I can't help it, please -"
Seeing the Fifth Concubine's delicate appearance, she was only eighteen or nineteen at most. She spoke in a timid voice and her face looked unsightly. Linlang roughly guessed that she was having her period and the bumpy road was making her very uncomfortable. So, she felt sympathy and said, "Stop the car! Your Fifth Concubine can't handle this. She should get out and rest first."
"What's so unbearable? Can a concubine ruin my plans?" Master Lan frowned and scolded.
Linlang immediately became angry and cursed, "You, an androgynous old monster, you know nothing. People have suffered so much with you in vain, and you don't even have the slightest bit of marital love. If anything goes wrong along the way, you'll pay with your life! Do you understand?"
After being scolded by Linlang, Master Lan felt a little guilty and had to change his words: "Okay, okay, women are really troublesome. Mr. Fan, have your people stop the car first and let my wife rest for a while."
Fan Zheng frowned, "This... we still have a long way to go. We have to find the tomb before dawn. We can't waste time here."
"Just be flexible. Women always have some troubles, and I can't be impatient or angry."
Fan Zheng glanced at everyone in the car, all of them were staring at him, "Okay, the rest of you don't do anything weird. Lao Er, keep an eye on them." He held the gun in his hand alertly, and asked Yuan Lao Er to use a dagger to intimidate everyone.
Following Boss Fan's instructions, Tan Zhuozi parked the carriage by the side of the road. Linlang and the Fourth Concubine accompanied the Fifth Concubine out of the carriage. They were in a forest nestled among the hills, beside a stream. Although it was nearly midnight, the full moon of early summer still provided ample light in the woods. The three women walked to a point in the woods a little further from the carriage, where Linlang and the Fourth Concubine helped the Fifth Concubine with her difficulties.
"Why don't you go with them?" Du Yunzhang asked Luo Mei who was sitting opposite him.
"Me? Why should I go? Two people are enough. Besides..." As she spoke, she stroked the monkey squatting on her shoulder, "Who cares if I go? I can't do a woman's private affairs in front of it."
Yin Chuan then paid close attention to her monkey. It was brown all over, with long arms and legs, but its tail was surprisingly short, as if a section had been cut off. It was dozing on Luo Mei's shoulder, its eyes half-closed, motionless.
Just as Yin Chuan was examining the monkey, it suddenly opened its eyes and squeaked, as if startled by some unexpected incident. Before anyone in the carriage could react, they heard a woman's scream not far from the carriage. Such a scene in the middle of the night in the wilderness frightened everyone, and Yin Chuan jumped out first, followed closely by Du Yunzhang. They hurried towards the three women, unsure whether it was a good omen or a bad omen.
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