Chapter 4: Procurement

In the bustling Kangle Lane, where people of all kinds mingled.

Feng Ping pushed open a hidden door on the top floor of a shop, holding a stack of property deeds in his hand. With both hands, he respectfully presented them forward.

“Master, these are the shops and estates from the dowry of the Marquis of Jinyang’s Heir’s Wife.”

The man sitting upright behind the desk, flipping through dossiers, raised his head upon hearing this. Beneath his sharp sword-like brows, his dark eyes, brimming with keen insight, flickered slightly.

“Wei Maolin’s daughter?”

“Precisely.”

“My investigations found that just over half an hour ago, at the Marquis of Jinyang’s Residence, during the wedding banquet, the Heir and his wife signed the He Li agreement.”

The news of the Heir of the Marquis of Jinyang taking a Second Wife of Equal Status was no secret in the Capital. At these words, a trace of coldness flashed across the man’s handsome face.

“The Marquis of Jinyang’s Residence forced her to divorce?”

“Not exactly. It’s said that the He Li document was written voluntarily by the Heir’s Wife herself. Master,” Feng Ping gestured downward, “She’s waiting downstairs. These are absolute sales contracts—what would you like to do?”

The man tapped his fingers lightly on the table before giving a decisive response.

“Exchange them all at ten percent above the market price, convert them into banknotes accepted by major money houses, and prepare some loose silver for her as well.”

“Understood.”

Feng Ping accepted the order and withdrew. Before long, he returned, the stack of property deeds in his hands now replaced with a thick pile of silver notes. His expression carried a hint of surprise.

“What is it?” The man raised an eyebrow. It was rare to see Feng Ping react in such a manner.

“Master, the Heir’s Wife of the Marquis of Jinyang wants to use half of the silver notes she received to exchange for a set of body-hugging soft armor that is impervious to blades and spears, three easily concealable weapons, and… a squad of Tianshu Pavilion guards to escort them to Beiguan.”

Feng Ping stroked his chin and sighed. “This Heir’s Wife of the Marquis of Jinyang is quite a clever woman. I wonder where she even learned about Tianshu Pavilion.”

Clever?

This so-called cleverness was likely born out of desperation, forced by circumstances to consider every move with extra caution.

The man recalled a memory from many years ago, when he had visited the Wei Family and caught a glimpse of a timid figure hiding behind a rock. With a sigh, he exhaled softly.

It was difficult to imagine how much courage she must have mustered to stand before so many people at the wedding banquet and decisively request He Li to return to her Natal Family.

“Agree to all her requests.”

“As for the silver notes… take them if she offers them.”

If they refused, she might not even dare to use their people.

“Understood.” Feng Ping prepared to leave.

Just as he turned, the voice behind him rang out again.

“The Wei Family suffered because of me. Keep the news of Miss Wei’s visit here tightly sealed—let not a single word leak. Also, send someone to escort her out of Kangle Lane.”

“Also, have Yu Qi lead two squads to follow the escort team in secret. Ensure that Lord Wei and his family reach Beiguan safely, without any mishaps.”

…

Things went even more smoothly than expected.

Among Wei Yunlan’s dowry were two manors, four thriving shops, and a three-entry courtyard near Xuanwu Gate.

Aside from the manor on Phoenix Mountain, she sold off everything today, exchanging them for fifty thousand taels in silver notes and one hundred taels in loose silver.

But before those fifty thousand taels could even warm in her hands, she had already spent half—twenty-five thousand taels—on a lightweight yet incredibly durable body-hugging soft armor, three razor-sharp daggers capable of slicing through iron, and a squad of highly skilled guards from Tianshu Pavilion.

Twenty-five thousand taels—enough for a noble family to live comfortably for three to five years.

Yet, to her, it was worth every coin.

That soft armor, capable of withstanding blades and swords, alone could shield Father from many dangers on the road to exile.

And the Tianshu Pavilion guards…

Even when faced with the fierce Northern Barbarian soldiers, they could fight ten men at once.

In her past life, when the city gates were breached, it was these very warriors who protected the civilians as they fled beyond the walls. She never learned who truly commanded Tianshu Pavilion, but their righteousness and mercy alone proved that they were nothing like the Second Prince.

With a squad of Tianshu Pavilion guards accompanying them, at the very least, they would be spared from the chaos of roving refugees along the way. That alone was reassuring.

Clutching the remaining silver notes, Wei Yunlan stepped out of the pawnshop. She had originally intended to buy more weapons, salt, and grain from Kangle Market to store in her dimensional space.

However, she suddenly felt as if someone was watching her. The unsettling gaze trailing her from behind forced her to abandon the idea, and instead, she made her way toward the exit.

She hadn’t gone far when she passed by a tavern. A burly man, drunk and staggering, was being supported by a servant as he stumbled out. Catching sight of the wind lifting Wei Yunlan’s veil, his eyes gleamed with ill intent.

“Such soft, delicate skin, little lady,” he slurred. “Let me have a good look at that pretty face of yours.”

As he spoke, he reached out to tear away her veil.

The dagger she had just stowed into her dimensional space instantly reappeared in her sleeve, her fingers tightening around its hilt.

But before she could make a move, the drunkard suddenly lost his balance, his foot slipping as he tumbled forward—face-first—into the dirt.

Seeing this, Wei Yunlan wasted no time pulling her veil back into place and quickly left.

As she made her way out of Kangle Market, Wei Yunlan silently rejoiced that she had refrained from making large purchases within its chaotic confines.

A place teeming with people from all walks of life meant she could run into anyone—friend or foe. She had yet to gain the strength to truly protect herself, and it was best not to invite unnecessary trouble at this stage.

Once she was far from Kangle Market, the eerie sensation of being watched finally faded. Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, she found the nearest carriage and horse rental shop, where she purchased a mule cart fitted with a small carriage. With that, she set off toward the North City Gate.

Along the way, she made several brief stops at less crowded shops, purchasing a variety of ready-to-eat foods such as stuffed buns, steamed cakes, and dried meats.

At the last shop, which specialized in smoked and cured meats, Wei Yunlan noticed an abundance of sausages and cured pork hanging from the rafters. Without hesitation, she pulled out some silver and told the shopkeeper,

“I’ll take them all. Wrap them in oil paper and load them into my carriage.”

The mule cart wasn’t particularly large—its carriage barely had room for two people to sit comfortably.

She had already purchased a considerable amount, but aside from a few items meant to be left in the open for appearances, the bulk of her supplies had been tucked away into her dimensional space. This left more than enough room for the cured meats.

Seeing her decisive manner, the shopkeeper, an elderly woman, generously added two cured chickens and half a jin of roasted beef as a gift.

“This meat is hard to come by. We don’t stock much, but if you like the taste, come back next time,” the woman said with a hearty smile.

“Thank you.”

She didn’t know when she would return to the Capital again.

As this thought crossed her mind, a sudden burst of sobbing echoed from the back of the shop.

A hunched old woman emerged from behind the door, cradling an infant in her arms.

“Zhao’er woke up and saw me, but he keeps fussing for his mother,” she said, sighing.

The shopkeeper, looking helpless, took the swaddled baby from the old woman’s arms. “Alright, let me hold him.”

Turning to Wei Yunlan, she offered an apologetic smile. “Miss, please wait a moment. I’ll have my assistant pack your goods and load them onto your cart right away.”

Wei Yunlan nodded but found her gaze lingering on the infant wrapped tightly in the swaddle.

She lightly tapped her forehead—how could she have forgotten something so important?

She had spent too many years as a wandering ghost in her past life and nearly overlooked a crucial detail.

At this time in her previous life, her sister-in-law had just finished her postpartum confinement. During the journey into exile, it wasn’t just her sister-in-law who had suffered—there was also her newborn niece, barely a month old.

She needed to prepare extra supplies for both the postpartum mother and the infant.

Thankfully, she hadn’t left the Capital yet.

Without wasting any time, Wei Yunlan hurried to buy rice flour and goat milk, storing them in her dimensional space. She also gathered soft cotton fabric and raw cotton, laying down a thick layer in the carriage to provide warmth and comfort.

Once everything was in order, she hesitated no longer. Gripping the reins, she urged the mule cart forward, heading straight for the city gates.

As she passed along Changping Avenue, her eyes were drawn to the tightly sealed Wei Family residence—its grand entrance barricaded shut and marked with official seals.

She couldn’t help but glance at it a few times.

One day, she vowed, she would return with her family, tear down those seals with her own hands, and erase the false accusations that had been unjustly placed upon the Wei Family.