Chapter 49: Wealth Energy as Assistance, the Path to Breaking the Deadlock

"What is going on outside? Take your time and tell me." I forced myself to remain calm, though a growing unease churned in my stomach.

What kind of trouble could possibly brew in this palace now?

Could Noble Consort Xiao be stirring up more of her nonsense again?

"Outside... there are assassins outside!" the young maid panted, gasping for breath. "So many assassins! They've already breached the palace gates!"

Assassins?

My heart skipped a beat. This plot development was getting a bit too thrilling!

Just how large of a hornet's nest had the Emperor poked to attract this many assassins?

"Sister Wan'er, what should we do?" He Yunsheng grabbed my hand tightly, his eyes filled with worry.

What should we do?

I had no idea what to do either!

Flee?

The palace gates had already been breached; where was there left to run?

Stay here?

Wasn't that just waiting to be hacked to pieces by the assassins?

"Calm down, calm down..." I took a deep breath, forcing myself to steady my nerves.

Panicking wouldn't help now; I had to figure out a way to save ourselves.

"Yunsheng, keep yourself safe."

"What about you?" He Yunsheng asked, looking at me with intense anxiety.

"I'm going to find the Emperor," I decided decisively. "Right now, he's the only one who can save us."

Are you kidding me? I had worked so hard to save up all that money and hadn't even had the chance to enjoy a life of luxury and wealth yet. I was certainly not going to check out here!

Just as I was about to move, I suddenly remembered my golden finger cheat.

Right!

I still had my special ability!

Maybe I could find some kind of turning point.

I closed my eyes, concentrated, and used my acute sense for money to perceive my surroundings.

A flash of golden light—I sensed it!

It was right...

Beneath the abandoned storehouse in the Imperial Garden!

Massive amounts of gold, silver, and treasures were buried right there!

Heaven was truly helping me!

With these treasures, we could bribe the assassins, or even...

Leave this godforsaken place!

"Yunsheng, follow me!" I grabbed He Yunsheng by the hand and sprinted toward the Imperial Garden.

True to expectation, the abandoned storehouse was surrounded by traps and mechanisms that would trigger at the slightest misstep.

He Yunsheng and I carefully sidestepped the traps, creeping closer to the storehouse step by step.

"Sister Wan'er, look out!" He Yunsheng suddenly yanked me aside. A hidden arrow brushed past my cheek and embedded itself deeply into the tree trunk behind me.

That was too close! Cold sweat broke out all over me.

"Yunsheng, are you alright?" I anxiously checked him over, only to discover that his arm had been grazed by the hidden arrow, and fresh blood was welling up.

"I'm fine..." He Yunsheng gritted his teeth, though his face had turned somewhat pale.

Damn it! I cursed inwardly. These mechanisms were far more complex than I had anticipated.

"Hiss..." I drew in a sharp breath. My foot had accidentally triggered a mechanism, and the ground suddenly split open, revealing a pitch-black cavity...

"Sister Wan'er!" He Yunsheng gasped in alarm.

I lunged forward and grabbed the edge of the pit, my body suspended mid-air... "Yunsheng, pull me up!"

He Yunsheng's hands gripped my wrists tightly. His strength was far greater than I had imagined, and he hauled me back up from the jaws of death with sheer force.

I panted heavily, my heart hammering wildly against my ribs. The thrill of this was comparable to riding a roller coaster!

"Thank goodness. Yunsheng, you are literally my savior!"

He merely offered a faint smile, though his face remained somewhat pale, and the bloodstain on his sleeve was startlingly vivid.

I hurriedly tore a strip of fabric from my own robe to bandage his wound, silently vowing to properly compensate him once we got out of this.

This underground cavern looked dark and terrifying, but the air carried a faint, subtle scent of gold that only heightened my desire to hunt for treasure.

As the saying goes, immense wealth is found amidst extreme danger. For the sake of money, I was going to risk it all!

I ignited a fire starter, and by its flickering, feeble light, I discovered that the underground cavern branched off in all directions, resembling a maze.

Fortunately, I had possessed an exceptionally strong sense of direction since childhood, coupled with the buff from my golden finger. I hacked and slashed my way through, cracking all sorts of bizarre mechanisms along the way.

Bagua formations, quicksand traps, poison darts, and hidden weapons were all utterly child's play to me.

He Yunsheng followed closely behind me, letting out gasps of amazement from time to time, practically looking at me like I was his idol.

Hehe, your big sister is just that brilliant!

Finally, I came to a halt in front of a massive stone door.

Golden light seeped through the cracks of the door, shining so brightly that I could barely keep my eyes open.

I've struck it rich!

I excitedly rubbed my hands together and pushed open the stone door...

Oh, sweet mother of mine!

The mountains of gold and oceans of silver before my eyes almost blinded my titanium alloy dog eyes!

Gold bricks, gold bars, gold ingots, pearls, agates, jadeite...

They were piled as high as mountains, making this place even wealthier than the national treasury!

I felt like I was dreaming and pinched myself hard. "Hiss—" Ouch!

It wasn't a dream!

I threw myself excitedly into the mountain of gold, rolling around in the pile of wealth like a happy little mouse.

He Yunsheng was also dumbfounded, muttering, "So many treasures..."

"I'm rich, I'm rich!" I hugged a massive gold ingot, grinning from ear to ear.

With all these treasures, let alone leaving the imperial palace, buying out the entire capital city wouldn't be a problem at all!

Just as I was immersed in joy, however, a chilling voice shattered the peace: "Lu Wan'er, you have some nerve! How dare you hoard treasures in secret!"

I looked back to see eunuch Wang standing at the doorway with a group of imperial guards, blocking the exit.

He stared greedily at the mountain of gold before him, a vicious glint flickering in his eyes.

I cursed inwardly: Bad luck! Why is this old bastard everywhere?!

He Yunsheng stepped in front of me, his gaze resolute: "Eunuch Wang, what do you want?"

"What do I want?" Eunuch Wang sneered. "Naturally, to confiscate these treasures for the state! Men, take them down!"

"Let's see who dares!" I stood up from the pile of gold, tightly clutching a gold bar in my hand, my gaze icy.

Eunuch Wang was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting me to show such backbone.

He narrowed his eyes, looked me up and down, and suddenly broke into a creepy smile...

He reached into his sleeve, pulled out an object, and slowly unfurled it...