Lin Wanwan was both amused and exasperated by Xiao Che's childish declaration, "Now no one will be competing with me for my wife." She felt that the "Lord Xiao" with the mustache and smug look in front of her was much more adorable than the aloof Emperor.
With the disguise complete, the problem of identity concealment was finally resolved.
Next comes the final step of the "skipping work" journey—packing your luggage.
In order to avoid attracting attention, the two could only carry very limited items, each preparing a small bag to carry with them.
Lin Wanwan moved quickly. She returned to her bedchamber, took out the things she had prepared beforehand from her hidden compartment, and neatly packed them into a gray cloth bundle.
Her bundle contained few items, but everything was practical.
First, there is a small leather needle pouch containing several silver needles of varying lengths. It can be used for self-defense or to test for poison, making it an essential item for those traveling the martial arts world.
Then there were several small porcelain bottles containing emergency wound medicines such as wound medicine and antidote pills.
She kept a sharp dagger close to her body.
Several sets of coarse cloth clothes of the same style, to be changed and washed, were neatly folded at the bottom of the bundle.
Finally, and most importantly, she took out a thick stack of silver notes from a box. The notes varied in denomination and, roughly estimated, amounted to no less than ten thousand taels. She carefully divided the notes into several portions, hiding one portion close to her body, placing another in a hidden compartment of her bundle, and then putting the rest with her clothes.
After completing all this, her luggage was packed. The entire process took less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, demonstrating the efficiency and briskness of modern travel.
On the other hand, the preparations for "Master Xiao's" luggage were quite...unusual.
Lin Wanwan finished packing her things and turned around to see Xiao Che standing in the small storeroom of Kunning Palace, facing the room full of rare treasures, carrying out an extremely difficult "decluttering".
"I have used this jade pillow for ten years. It helps me sleep well, so I must bring it with me." He picked up a warm and smooth Hetian jade pillow and said with a solemn expression.
Lin Wanwan sighed, "Your Majesty, we're going to stay at an inn, not to move house."
"Then...then you must bring this set of purple clay teaware, right? I only drink the pre-Qingming Longjing tea brewed with this set." He then picked up a delicate and small teaware set.
“There are teacups in the inn, they’re a bit rough, but they’re usable,” Lin Wanwan retorted mercilessly.
Xiao Che put down the tea set with a pained expression, his gaze sweeping across the storeroom. He spotted a precious sword crafted by a renowned master craftsman from the previous dynasty, and his eyes lit up: "This! For self-defense!"
"I have already brought a dagger. Your martial arts are superb, and ordinary thieves cannot get close to you. There is no need to bring such a conspicuous thing."
"That……"
Seeing Xiao Che's gaze fall on the box of "hand warming stones" that were supposedly imported from overseas and could automatically generate heat, Lin Wanwan finally couldn't hold back anymore.
She stepped forward, pressed down on her "otherworldly" emperor, and said helplessly, "Your Majesty, you don't need to bring anything. I have already prepared a change of clothes for you. You only need to bring one thing."
"What is it?" Xiao Che asked.
"Money," Lin Wanwan said succinctly.
"Money?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Che immediately realized. That's right! When traveling, travel expenses are the most important thing!
He slapped his forehead, feeling that he had finally come up with a solution. He immediately turned around and strode to a corner at the far end of the storeroom, where several huge camphor wood chests were placed.
He opened one of them, and instantly, a dazzling golden light burst forth, almost blinding Lin Wanwan.
The huge box was filled to the brim with neatly arranged, genuine gold ingots!
Each gold ingot weighed ten taels and shimmered with a captivating yet sinful light under the candlelight.
"Is it enough?" Xiao Che casually picked up a gold ingot, weighed it in his hand, and then looked at Lin Wanwan with a serious expression, as if he were asking "Is there enough food for tonight?"
Looking at the whole box of gold, Lin Wanwan felt her temples throbbing.
She took a deep breath, striving to maintain her composure as Empress, and asked, word by word, "Your Majesty, how... do you intend to take her?"
"Just bring it like that." Xiao Che said matter-of-factly. "Aren't we supposed to be pretending to be wealthy merchants? Isn't it reasonable for a wealthy merchant to carry a chest of gold?"
Reasonable?
That's utterly unreasonable!
Lin Wanwan felt a wave of dizziness. Pointing at the chest of gold, she felt her voice falter: "Your Majesty, we're going on a clandestine visit, not to flaunt our wealth! Are you afraid that the bandits, outlaws, and shady innkeepers along the way won't be able to find us by carrying this whole chest of gold around?!"
"This..." Xiao Che was taken aback by the question.
He frowned, seemingly agreeing with Lin Wanwan's point. However, his inherent "nouveau riche mentality" still led him to argue: "But, it's better to be frugal on the road than poor. It's always reassuring to carry more money when traveling."
Lin Wanwan looked up and saw a cartoon figure floating above his head, struggling to drag a money bag bigger than himself. The money bag had three big characters written on it: "Toll Fee," and next to it was a line of text full of simple philosophy: "[Poor family, rich road.jpg]".
Looking at his innocent yet self-righteous expression, Lin Wanwan was completely speechless.
She felt it necessary to give His Majesty the Emperor a proper lesson in the basics of survival in the common people.
“Your Majesty,” she explained patiently and persuasively, “outside, we use silver notes and loose silver. No one would carry a chest of gold ingots to buy things. Think about it, if you go to a roadside stall to eat a bowl of noodles, are you going to break off a piece of gold and give it to the owner, and then ask him for 999 steamed buns in change?”
This metaphor is very apt.
Xiao Che imagined the scene and felt... it seemed a bit inconvenient.
"Then... what should we do?" He looked at the box of gold, somewhat perplexed.
Lin Wanwan sighed, stepped forward, and used an almost "cruel" method to demonstrate what it means to be a "Queen's Steward".
She first took out... two gold ingots from the box full of them.
Yes, only two.
Then, she slammed the box shut and said to Xiao Che, "Alright, consider this your pocket money for emergencies. As for the rest, I will send someone to the Imperial Household Department to exchange it for silver notes for you."
Xiao Che stared blankly at the two lonely gold ingots in his hand, then at the gold that had been ruthlessly closed and was filled with his "sense of security".
Just... just two?
What's the difference between this and not giving a single penny?!
His disguised, rugged face instantly filled with grievance and disbelief.
He wanted to protest, to say, "I am the emperor, I have plenty of money."
Seeing Lin Wanwan's domineering "I'm in charge" demeanor, he swallowed all his words and could only watch helplessly as his empress swiftly summoned her trusted eunuch to ruthlessly confiscate his chest full of "toll money."
Throughout the entire process, Xiao Che acted like a little wife whose beloved toy had been snatched away, following behind, turning back every few steps, her eyes filled with reluctance to part with the gold ingot.
Soon, the eunuch returned carrying a large stack of newly exchanged silver notes.
Lin Wanwan took the silver note, didn't even glance at Xiao Che, and stuffed it directly into a hidden compartment in her bundle. Then she clapped her hands and announced, "Alright, all the luggage is packed! We can set off first thing tomorrow morning!"
Mission accomplished, everything is ready.
However, our Emperor is still deeply grieving over the loss of all his gold ingots and is unable to extricate himself from the grief.
He looked down at his empty hands, then at Lin Wanwan's bulging bundle, feeling an overwhelming sense of grievance.
Looking at his pitiful appearance, Lin Wanwan finally couldn't help but laugh. She stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and patted his head like she was comforting a child.
In her eyes, however, was a clear reflection of the new, sorrowful emoji above his head—
A cartoon version of him is squatting in the corner, silently drawing circles, shrouded in a somber aura that signifies "melancholy," with three small words floating beside him—
【Feeling wronged.gif】
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