Chapter 417 Black Market
Yan Lang thought, Yun Chen was indeed his destined Bodhisattva, otherwise why in this big world, the "Dragon Ashes" happened to be in her hands?
He hugged the bamboo tube tightly and wrapped it in several layers of outer clothes, but still held the lid tightly with his small hands for fear that it would spill.
He fell down in his haste before climbing onto the carriage. He kept saying "thank you" to Yun Chen and shouted, "Let's go! Hurry! Hurry!" He looked so embarrassed, but he couldn't hide his ecstasy.
He had to rush back to Guangyulan Island as fast as possible, mix the "Dragon Ashes" with ninety-nine kinds of medicinal ingredients, and make a medicine to save him from this eight-year-old body.
Yun Chen stood proudly with his hands on his hips, looking at Yan Lang with a smile, happy for him from the bottom of his heart, and muttered to himself:
"It turns out that the ashes of Basheqinyuxiang are 'Dragon Ashes'. I wish I had known this earlier."
The "Dragon Ashes" was originally a big sack. Over the years, it had been eaten by Huo Gannian, Buyan and others, Rong Yi and Luo Dongdong and others, and it had also been used to heal many seriously injured soldiers.
As they were distributed along the way, they gradually became smaller bags from a large sack, and finally only those in the bamboo tubes were left, which were thrown into the temporary courtyard in Taichuan City.
Huo Gannian said that this item was hard to come by and the opportunity was rare, so the remaining bit would be used in important places in the future.
Yun Chen thought, isn’t this the most important time?
"I wish you success in making the medicine soon!" Yun Chen waved at the speeding carriage.
The carriage went a long way and then suddenly stopped. Yan Lang completely abandoned his usual mature and dignified appearance, leaned out of the window without caring about his image, and shouted at Yun Chen:
"wait for me!"
Yun Chen thought he was referring to the fact that her ears had not been treated yet, and responded with a smile:
“No rush!”
Watching the carriage gradually go away, Yun Chen clapped his hands with relief, turned around and walked towards the camp.
…
…
Although Yan Lang’s first priority now is to make medicine for himself, he can’t take care of her ears.
But preparation is essential.
Yun Chen plans to go to the black market to look for Chen Yin's medicine jar.
The so-called black market, as the name suggests, opens at dusk and closes at dawn. It is an illegal trading market that is hidden from the public.
Most of them are "black households" such as bandits, tomb robbers, smugglers, and even fugitives from the imperial court, who sell "black goods" of unknown origin.
The imperial court once spent a lot of effort to ban the black market, but with the continuous wars in recent years and the increase in exiles and fugitives, the black market has slowly revived and is most common along the border.
The regulation of the black market is not within Yun Chen's responsibilities and is under the jurisdiction of the city officials.
It was not easy for her to intervene, so she went directly to Chen Yinyaoguan in the name of confiscating stolen goods. It was even more impossible for her to go there in a military uniform.
If that happened, she would have been gone as soon as she entered the black market.
So, she spent three or two days asking people to find out about a black market more than fifty miles away from Taichuan City, and also got two badges to enter.
She skillfully put on her casual clothes, dressed up as a man, and thought about finding someone to accompany her.
Firstly, the people who come and go in the black market are all those who are willing to work hard and risk their lives, which makes them feel unsafe.
Secondly, her hearing was not good. In a place like the black market, she had to make transactions secretly. She couldn't speak as loudly as she did now:
"Hey there! How much are you selling this smuggled snow lotus?"
"Excuse me! I want this! When was this dug out of the tomb?"
"Dude! There's blood on this Sima authentic work! Can you wipe it off?"
If she went in like this, she would be surrounded and beaten up in no time. If she offended the gangs entrenched in the black market, it would be even more troublesome.
As a powerful general, she could easily wipe out a black market gang.
But forget about that old silver medicine jar.
She thought: Rong Yi is knowledgeable and is the most suitable person to take to the black market to help her look around, but that guy is too ostentatious and has a bad temper. Once he gets angry, no one can stop him. So forget it.
Luo Dongdong is quite low-key, but unfortunately he comes from a simple rural family with a poor background, so naturally he lacks some experience.
Then only Fu Lin is the most suitable person. He grew up in all corners of the world and is both calm and knowledgeable.
When Yun Chen told this to Fu Lin, the latter hesitated for a moment, but still agreed.
When it got dark and the ghostly candlelight was lit, Yun Chen and Fu Lin rode their horses to the black market located at the mass grave.
The two men entered through a cellar entrance, handed their badges to the gatekeeper, came to a bright underground city, and began to wander around.
Under the dim candlelight, everyone from the "vendors" to the "customers" looked ferocious with murderous eyes, and they were not to be trifled with.
Contraband items that were strictly prohibited by the imperial court could be seen everywhere on the stalls, including stolen goods that were found when the homes of impoverished nobles were raided, rare items from the previous dynasty's court, and herbs smuggled in from the mysterious Western Land.
There are also various poisons, various products made from different parts of the human bones, and even people selling "witchcraft zombies".
Yun Chen walked along, secretly amazed all the way.
Even though she had fought on the battlefield for so many years and killed countless enemies with her sword, she still felt it was quite eerie and scary to walk in such a place.
Her "tiger" temperament, which she had acquired from fighting on the battlefield, was like a little white rabbit entering a demon cave when she entered this place. It made her look naive and like a simple victim.
Fortunately, Fu Lin stayed by her side all the time, which made her feel much more at ease.
"Look what that is?" Yun Chen was walking when he was suddenly attracted by a stall selling bone products.
Most of them are decorative objects such as ivory, elephant bones, and phoenix spines.
Yun Chen picked up a pure white pendant and said to Fu Lin:
"Look, this pendant is carved with two dragons. An Nian has a very similar one with three dragons. I've seen it in his private vault. But An Nian's is white with a yellowish tint, heavier, and feels rough, with a bit of an earthy smell. I don't think he wears it often, he just keeps it in a corner of his private vault."
"Really?" Fu Lin responded indifferently.
The vendor laughed and said:
"This young master has excellent taste. This ivory pendant came from the Western Lands. The material is densely grained and, when held up to the light, it's a milky white with faint blood lines. It's truly top-quality. As for the one you mentioned at home, it's yellowish-white, the material is rough, and it has a fishy smell. It's probably a tiger tooth. If you want to make it into a carved dragon pendant, tusks won't work; you'll need a large molar—"
The vendor stopped talking before he could finish his words.
Because he saw that the man next to Yun Chen, who looked quite gentle, had a cold and murderous look in his eyes for a moment after hearing the word "tiger teeth", and looked at him with a warning look that did not conceal his murderous intent.
Since the vendor can survive in the black market, he must be a smart and shrewd person.
Although he didn't know why the other party did that, he immediately shut up and didn't say another word.
"Let's go over there and take a look." Fu Lin gently pushed Yun Chen forward, "Since we want the ancient silver medicine jar unearthed from the tomb, let's go look for it where the tomb robbers are."
Yun Chen originally just wanted to take a look and didn't pay any attention to what the vendor said.
The two were about to continue walking forward when a strange man not far away looked at Fu Lin suspiciously and called out tentatively:
"Qin Zheng?"
Feeling Fu Lin's hand pushing his back, Yun Chen's hand suddenly tightened. He looked over in surprise. Fu Lin had no expression on his face and said coldly to the strange man:
"You've got the wrong person."
After saying that, Fu Lin immediately put more strength in his hands and pushed Yun Chen away. However, the strange man refused to give in and came over to grab Fu Lin's wrist. He glanced at Yun Chen, who was as delicate and beautiful as a "little white rabbit", and said with a smile:
"What? Now that you're rich, you don't recognize me as your brother anymore? Have you forgotten those years we spent together in the black market?"
Fu Lin's expression was cold and he said nothing. Yun Chen was surprised:
"Fu Lin, have you ever been in the black market? I didn't realize you're quite wild!"
At this time, the vendor who was choked by Fu Lin's eyes just now was happy. He was not afraid of making trouble and said something with a hidden meaning:
"This brother has also been involved in the black market? It sounds like he even changed his name?"
The vendor said to Yun Chen in a serious tone, "Young Master, you look like you come from a wealthy and respectable family. Naturally, you don't know the tricks of our black market. Some prisoners sentenced to death by the imperial court who escape often spend a few years in the black market. Once their appearance changes, they go out under a different name, which is called 'changing their appearance.'"
Yun Chen nodded as he listened, and said perfunctorily, "I see." He was completely unaware of Fu Lin's sinister eyes, his tense posture, his hand gripping the dagger at his waist, and the look of being ready to attack at any moment.
Because all her attention was focused on a stall in front of her selling war debris.
She walked over slowly and stood in front of the majestic armor supported by a wooden frame.
The armor was tattered and scarred, with marks of swords and arrows everywhere.
The breastplate on his chest had long been broken, but he could still make out the words on it—
Color.
Yun Chen stared blankly at Yan Shijiu's armor, and her heart seemed to be suddenly filled with a strong wind, making her feel sore and empty.
Behind the stall, the armor vendor lazily nestled in a recliner. He glanced at Yun Chen, thinking she was frightened, and sneered:
"All of these things I have here are things I found on the battlefield and on corpses. They are extremely ominous. Sir, you like this armor? You have good taste. Have you heard of the Northern Expedition Army being annihilated in Luojiang? That's where this armor came from.
The Northern Expedition Army is truly extraordinary. When the current emperor was in office, he personally led the army. They are strong and powerful, and all use the finest armor and weapons. They are truly valuable! I think this armor is meant for you, young master. So, one or two taels of gold, no bargaining."
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