Quick Transmigration: Saving The Crazy Villainess

Chapter 142: Jiang Ying Yue (49) <2-in-1>

Days passed and the large group of people finally stepped foot into the eastern region after half-circling a mountain range cutting off that place from the rest of the empire.

Along the way, Jiang Li saw many soldiers and the people from the logistic side throwing Hai Wang's camp puzzled looks due to seeing no abnormal signs in the place. He heard some servants and guards from Rui Wang's factions even approached the male lead's side only to question him about the matter.

The few pieces of evidence had been shared with everyone and those in the know knew that the signs should only appear at the opposite side. However, the ministers from Rui Wang's factions purposely did not correct their people so they would go and harass the male lead. A petty but amusing way, if Jiang Li's opinion would be asked.

"Miss Sheng is the one who berated those who keep pestering and questioning His Highness Hai Wang. It's also her who somehow found out that even though the trees and plants around here seemed lush and vibrant, many of the wells in the villages where we passed by have already dried up."

Xun He was the one who spoke. He was standing behind Jiang Li who was leaning forward on the balcony of the room assigned to him.

This time, the caravan managed to reach a town before the night descended. They naturally chose the largest and most reputable inn in the area. Jiang Li occupied a room on the highest floor. The adjacent and nearby rooms were taken by the other princes and higher-ranked people, the villainess included, while those from the lower floors were given to the lower-ranked officials and soldiers. The place was only so big, so the other soldiers had to go somewhere else.

In front of them was quite the picturesque sight. The sky had already turned dark, but downward, there were many lanterns lit in front of the various houses and shops, and the soft orange-ish glow they give off was a pleasant contrast to the darkness.

While looking at the bustling scene below, Jiang Li commented, "So Miss Sheng had her people collect intel from the villagers?"

The bear-like guy with braided hair nodded, adding, "According to the locals initially did not think much of it and simply resorted to fetching water from the downstream. However, the water level of the river is getting lower and lower every few days. Most commoners thought something angered the local River Deity so they tried to offer some sacrifices to him. Unfortunately, the situation did not improve. Then when they saw our large group coming, that's when they realized that something was amiss. After all, the court is alarmed."

Jiang Li nodded. He asked if there was movement from Hai Wang and Rui Wang's sides, and the assistant only said that Hai Wang had secretly sent people around to spread rumors. Rui Wang, on the other hand, was busy trying to have the female lead break her engagement with his older brother and be his side concubine.

"And the first prince?"

"Your Highness... Mao Hong informed me that one of our spies near the academy managed to sneak in and discovered that Duan Wang has gotten in touch with a Qin Tian priest, somebody from the reclusive temple that could read and influence the heavens somewhat. It seems the first prince wanted to cement his position by showing to the masses that he could call down rain and command winds, something only a true son of heaven could do."

Jiang Li's mouth turned into an O, a bit surprised, but then he remembered that it happened in the plot so he slowly lost interest in it.

In the plot, Duan Wang wanted to try the same rain calling trick, but the astrologer whom he painstakingly unearthed from the eastern regions misread the date. So Duan Wang's rain calling failed.

The anxious and incensed people had the next prince try again the following day, and miraculously, a heavy downpour occurred. It was simply the halo of the main character which kicked in and the heavens showering Hai Wang some benefits. With the rain moistening the cracked lands and giving hope to people, everyone bowed down at Hai Wang's feet and spread to the whole region that he was the crown prince.

Jiang Li remembered the message he sent days ago to the male lead.

Tomorrow they would arrive at the central city of the eastern region.

A day after that, the ceremony headed by the first prince would take place.

Hai Wang who didn't know of his eldest brother's plan was spreading rumors of his own rain-calling the next day after the first prince's. Behind the male lead's back, people were probably now calling him a fraud or whatever names.

The male lead's reputation would be cleared days later, and in a great fanfare as well. But well, it all doesn't matter for now.

Thinking of the villainess who vanished from her room tonight, tailed by one of his shadow guards, he looked heavenward and thought that while the starry skies were beautiful, the night was no longer young. After instructing his subordinate to rouse him if something unusual happens, he went back to the inner room to rest.

If he would be able to sleep even though that girl was out there, doing who-knows-what, well, why not?

Even without the person he sent to protect her, he knew she was strong enough to secure her safety. In fact, it was those who would bump into and anger her who should be praying for some miracles to happen.

...

It was actually a full moon night.

In a less populated street in the town a few turns away from the center, as lights were dancing from the lamps and lanterns of the nearby, shadows were moving in the darkness, all belonging to a cloaked woman.

Her footsteps were not hurried as she walked down that road. Under the hood of her brownish furry cloak, bright pearl-like eyes peeked out, from time to time checking the few stalls and shops from both sides of the street still operating at this time of the night.

A couple of moments she ran into four people who tried to kidnap her and take advantage of her. They had wide demonic smirks on their faces when they surrounded. But it did not take even a minute for these men who were still laughing rambunctiously a while ago to end up groaning on the floor. A few seconds back, the woman threw some sort of powder at them, and then they just suddenly ended up paralyzed, dropping with their hands on their jaws and throat. It was amidst this that they got forced fed with some sort of many-legged insects.

The scene immediately changed from four gangsters intimidating a weak-looking woman, into that weak-looking woman the only one standing. Her eyes that held no emotion looked down on the group of men.

"Want the antidote?" her voice akin to a softly ringing bell drifted to the men's ears, and her words seemed like what healers and priests would say, at least the mentioning of the antidote. If only the poison and the sickening living being that they had drunk and eaten was not shoved into their mouths by her.

As they let out unintelligible words and noises from their throats, they eagerly nodded, even whilst fear danced in their eyes. Or actually it was because of their fear, for their lives, and of this venomous woman that they kept nodding like there was no tomorrow.

The woman giggled for some time and then said, "Good then. Take advantage the night to spread some rumors for me. By tomorrow if my intended results happen, I'll see you here at the same time and place and give you all the antidote. If your works made my mood happier, then I'll have no problem removing my little friends from your bodies. What say you four?"

Once again the men suppressed the painful moans from their lips and nodded. When the woman flapped her sleeve and signaled them to leave, they immediately bolted away.

A few turns later, when they confirmed she was not following them, they began beating their stomachs and forcing themselves to vomit so whatever had entered their mouths earlier would also come out. Unfortunately, they couldn't get the nauseating bugs out, not even after they tried digging into their throats.

"Even if you lot tried to puncture a hole in your throats to make them come out, you wouldn't be able to. So I suggest you just all behave and do a great job accomplishing what I asked you to do. Anyway, it's very easy. And I didn't take away your voices so it will become more convenient for all of you."

When they remembered these words uttered in an easy-going manner earlier before she let them go, the four local thugs felt helpless in their hearts. Without a choice, they scattered and spent the whole night running around the city to spread the news the venomous woman tasked them to.

As for the witch, she went back to her casual stroll, only stopping when she saw a rundown shop which was to her liking. Obscure. Old. But the person manning the counter also looked old and honest, and thus, credible.

She spoke with the old woman inside and after learning this shopkeeper knew traditional medicine, she consigned a bottle of her own concoction, the subject of the rumor she asked to be spread.

"Miss, before you leave. I can smell that this is real and successful brew. That's why I'm okay accepting it. But what does it do and what illness is this for?" inquired the old woman who kept inspecting the bright red gel-like liquid in the clear bottle.

Under the illumination of her lamp, both she and the woman before her saw that there were a few things glittering inside, like stars in a rare luminous sky. It was both beautiful and mysterious. If not for the smell of herbs in it, which somehow created a pleasant smell, she would have suspected this not was really medicine, but a kind of decoration.

Seeing the old woman's reaction, the other woman managed to guess that this person was naively thinking that all that smelled of herbs usually used for treating diseases were all good stuff. A grin appeared on her face. "Granny. All I can tell you is that it is made by my master."

Even though the hood's shadow obscured her facial features, the curvature on her lips allowed the shopkeeper to realize she was facing a very beautiful person. The old woman became lost in it that she didn't notice something odd in that smile.

"And it's a medicine which can extend lifespans." The hooded woman added.

"Can extend lifespan?" The other's face immediately darkened. "Lass, are you kidding me? Do you think just because I'm old, you can play with words with me?"

The woman maintained that smile and straightforwardly said, "Look at the bottom of the bottle. You'll realize why it is so."

Even though doubtful, the old woman did as told, bringing her wrinkled face and the bottle nearer to her source of light. Not even five seconds passed and she gasped at the thing in her hands, her eyes widening at the round symbol. "H-Heavens! I-it's from the Soul Temple?"

The place she mentioned was coincidentally the one where the astrologer by Duan Wang's side came from. It was a mysterious and sacred place for the common folks, housing several great daoists and doctors. It was for this reason that the old woman was shocked, especially when the hooded woman nodded.

Only a minute later did the old shopkeeper regain her senses. And when she did, greed flashed momentarily in her eyes, yet it immediately vanished upon remembering that the woman before her could be from that place.

Knowing she was just a small personage, she calmed herself down and then said, "Leave it to me, then. However, I'm just a normal citizen and could not help have the best client. Are you really sure you should leave this to me? There are many bigger stores in this city."

"You don't need to worry about the buyers. Tomorrow people interested in that item would appear. I am in urgent need of money, a large amount of that. So please help me. I can give you a five percent cut from the amount that it will get."

"What if they just resort to killing me or robbing me?"

'Oh? Quite wary and intelligent...' The woman once again smiled. "There will be people robbing a middleman or partner of somebody from this one's temple?"

After hearing that question, the shopkeeper did not ask anymore and respectfully sent her outside the shop.

When tomorrow came, just as said by the mysterious woman, people of high statuses suddenly stormed her shop, many enticed by the rumors spread by the four thugs. But in the end, the dubious item was bought by a minister under the third prince.