Chapter 291: Nightfall in Yueyang City
The simple fried rice was so delicious that Wu Er and the others couldn’t stop eating. Yu Luo had mixed in green peas, corn, stir-fried diced beef, and eggs, making the dish irresistible—they all ate until they were stuffed.
“Following Miss really is a blessing! Too bad our wilderness rarely gets visitors. If Miss could train a few skilled chefs, our Luo City could become a famous culinary destination in the future!”
Wu Er’s suggestion immediately made Yu Luo’s eyes light up!
She had considered this idea before, but it seemed unrealistic to expect people to risk their lives traveling to the wilderness just for good food.
But now that she thought about it—weren’t there plenty of rich people in her past life who loved adventure and luxury experiences? Maybe it wasn’t impossible after all.
“Wu Er has a good point! Since Miss and the Master have built so many shops in Luo City, there’s bound to be a restaurant. With Miss’s cooking skills, I bet Luo City will attract tons of visitors!”
Hu Liu spoke with his mouth still stuffed with fried rice, nodding in enthusiastic agreement.
*
That afternoon, Yu Luo took Zhang Hu and Wu Er to Wu Zhao’s trading company, successfully collecting the deposit and signing the supply contract.
Back at the courtyard, several brothers took the initiative to stand guard at the entrance. As Yu Luo looked at the twenty eager faces staring at her—then at the stack of silver notes and piles of silver ingots—she couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“This time, we were lucky. But remember—crossing the border is always a challenge. Just because we succeeded today doesn’t mean it’ll always go this smoothly. Once our two major buyers realize how profitable this trade is, we should stop delivering the goods ourselves and let them come to the wilderness to collect them instead.”
“Would they really be willing to do that?”
Hu Liu, though clever, hesitated. The wilderness was a forbidden zone in the eyes of common people. He doubted merchants would be willing to take such a risk.
“Are you stupid?” Wu Er rolled his eyes. “People die for wealth, and birds die for food. Once they see the profits, do you really think they won’t take the risk?”
The others nodded in agreement.
“That makes sense,” Yu Luo said. “Besides, the wilderness has more to offer than just these crops. Once this year’s sweet potatoes are ready, I’ll introduce new products. Also, if buyers come to collect goods themselves, we can buy grain and supplies from them, saving us the trouble of smuggling goods into the wilderness.”
“That’s possible?!”
Wu Er was shocked.
“It makes perfect sense,” he continued after a moment. “Our status as exiles makes large-scale smuggling suspicious. If we keep bringing in too many supplies, the courts of different kingdoms will take notice. But if we trade legally, we won’t have to worry about restrictions. The law only forbids exiles from leaving the wilderness— it doesn’t say we can’t do business. That means as long as we stay inside, no one will care what we do!”
Wu Er’s insight confirmed Yu Luo’s thoughts. His strategic thinking made her curious about his past, but she didn’t ask.
There were over 17,000 people in Luo City. She couldn’t question every single one of them. As long as everyone was united, that was all that mattered. If anyone harbored secret motives, she was confident she could get her parents out safely when the time came.
*
As night fell, Yu Luo changed into men’s clothing.
When she stepped out of her room disguised with makeup, her thirty-something subordinates almost bit their tongues in shock.
If she hadn’t spoken, they would have mistaken her for another man!
“Miss, are you wearing a human skin mask?”
“Do I even own one?”
Yu Luo raised an eyebrow at Wu Er, amused.
Wu Er’s eye twitched. “Then how… how did you do this?!”
Yu Luo now realized—human skin masks really existed in this world.
“Makeup. If you’re interested, I can teach you later.”
“Why not right now? Since we’re going out, we might as well change our appearances too.”
But Yu Luo shook her head firmly.
“This makeup took me nearly half an hour. If I have to do all of you, we’ll never leave.”
Instead, she handed fake beards and scar stickers to Zhang Hu and Wu Er.
“You two come with me. Just alter your appearances slightly.”
The rest of the men looked disappointed.
“Don’t act like Miss owes you something,” Wu Er scolded. “Miss is thinking ahead. If you don’t learn to be cautious, do you really think she’ll let you run errands in the future?”
Hu Liu rolled his eyes at Wu Er, ignoring his smug expression. Even Yu Luo found it hard not to laugh.
*
Because Yueyang City sat along a major trade river, it remained lively even at night. The streets were bustling, filled with locals and travelers alike.
Yu Luo’s mood brightened as she browsed the cosmetic and accessory stalls. She bought a large haul of cheap silver hairpins and floral ornaments.
Even though her system inventory contained similar items, she couldn’t use them openly. Buying them here gave her a legitimate reason to possess them later.
“Miss, there’s a silver shop over there. Given your status, shouldn’t you be buying better-quality accessories?”
Wu Er leaned close, whispering to her. He had just realized that going out with Miss meant being her shopping assistant.
“These small trinkets are for friends back in Luo City. If I buy them expensive gifts, they won’t even dare to wear them. Today, I’ll just buy these. Next time, if there’s a better occasion, I’ll get them something more valuable.”
Satisfied, Yu Luo finally walked away from the accessory stalls—heading straight for a four-story restaurant.
The moment she stepped inside, she immediately spotted Ye Lu sitting by the window.
“Seriously? Of all places in Yueyang City, we still run into each other?”
Thankfully, both she and her men were in disguise.
Ye Lu sat elegantly, enjoying his meal. Across from him, Ah Zan diligently served him dishes like a loyal attendant.
