There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 424 Moving Forward in Fear

Princess Zoya clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms.

The faint sound of the night watchman's clapper echoed from afar, particularly startling in the still night.

Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she took a deep breath: "I'll figure out a way to get the old perfumer's stuff. Once it's ready, how do I give it to you?"

“Don’t give it to me directly,” Li Shuchen shook his head. “The risk is too great. Could you… mix it into the daily supplies sent to the post station? For example, mix it into some kind of spice or candle? I’ll keep an eye on it. As for the mining area…”

She thought for a moment, "We shouldn't make direct contact for now, as it might alert them. But we can keep an eye out for any miners' relatives living in the city, struggling financially and harboring resentment. Perhaps we can offer them a little 'hope' in another way."

"In what way?"

"Grain," Li Shuchen said in a low voice, "Although some of the grain our delegation brought was stolen by bandits, we still have some left over."

The auspicious system has ample food supplies.

"If we could anonymously provide assistance to a few families like this under the guise of 'merchants of the Purple Star Dynasty showing compassion for the poor of Boyu Kingdom'..."

"We don't ask them to do anything, we just want them to know that someone outside has seen their suffering. Sometimes, a little bit of kindness can help someone endure despair a little longer, and it may even form an invisible force at a crucial moment."

Zoya looked intently at Li Shuchen, as if she were truly getting to know this seemingly unconventional girl for the first time.

"You... are not quite what I imagined."

Li Shuchen grinned, reverting to his carefree demeanor.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Princess. We're in the same boat now, even if it's a bit shabby and the waves are a bit rough."

"If the boat sinks, I can swim, but you might not be able to."

Zoya retorted sharply, but her tense expression relaxed slightly. "The inn's supplies will arrive with a new batch of spices and lamp oil the day after tomorrow morning. I'll figure something out. Be careful."

"Pasar has been in a particularly bad mood these past few days. He smashed several cups in the palace. He probably didn't get his way at the banquet and is holding back his anger. He doesn't dare to do anything openly to the delegation, but your people would be better off not going to any secluded places alone."

"Understood," Li Shuchen nodded, carefully putting away the oilcloth roll. "The appraisal event will be held in three days. We'll observe and see how things unfold."

The two said no more, and just as they had arrived, they silently disappeared into the night.

When Li Shuchen returned to the inn, it was already past midnight.

She lay on the hard bed, eyes open, mentally rehearsing every detail of the plan and any potential flaws.

This was no longer her usual banter or lighthearted antics, but a real, silent battle.

Their opponents were powerful and ruthless; they were walking on a knife's edge, and the slightest misstep would mean annihilation.

But at the same time, a strange sense of excitement and responsibility rose within her.

She remembered her mother secretly writing to her after she saved Changning from waking up, saying that true courage is not the absence of fear, but knowing fear and still choosing to move forward.

Outside the window, the direction of Suleiman's palace remained brightly lit, illuminating the boundless darkness of the slums.

The lights had never seemed so hypocritical and fragile as they did at that moment.

In the most secluded corner of the palace, Princess Zoya removed her grey robe, changed back into simple clothes, and gazed into a blurry bronze mirror left by her mother. Looking at the emerald green eyes she inherited from her mother, she whispered...

"Mother, just you wait and see. Your daughter may not be able to do anything great, but at least... she won't rot away numbly like them."

……

In the early morning, the post station received supplies provided by the royal family, as usual.

Several bags of coarse wheat flour mixed with sand, some withered vegetables, a small bucket of murky drinking water, and a small package wrapped in coarse linen, emitting a strange, mixed aroma, labeled "Special Imperial Incense."

Li Shuchen's heart skipped a beat.

She casually rummaged through the supplies, picked up the sachet, and sniffed it. The strong scent of musk and myrrh...

There was a faint, almost imperceptible scent, similar to bitter almonds with a hint of rust, which matched the characteristics of the "dust without light" described by Zoya.

She calmly placed it among the other items and smiled at the innkeeper in charge of receiving it.

"His Majesty is so thoughtful; he even considered us when it came to incense."

The atmosphere at the post station was oppressive throughout the day.

Liang Yuying gathered everyone in a room for a secret meeting, with the doors and windows tightly closed.

"The king is avoiding us and his attitude is ambiguous. The prince of Pasar has recently been riding recklessly and injuring people in the city, becoming increasingly arrogant. The gift list and trade documents we brought have vanished without a trace."

Liang Yuying frowned. "The upper class of Boyu Kingdom indulges in pleasure, while the lower class suffers from poverty. What we see is merely the tip of the iceberg. The trade proposal touches upon fundamental interests and will likely not proceed smoothly."

Ruan Jingshang pondered for a moment and said, "A direct confrontation is not advisable. A roundabout approach might offer a glimmer of hope. In the past two days, I've managed to contact several small and medium-sized businessmen, all of whom are full of complaints about 'Golden Camel's' monopoly, but dare not speak out. Perhaps... we can start with these marginal figures and slowly infiltrate them."

Princess Changning tapped her fingertips on the table: "Infiltration takes time, and that's exactly what we lack most. Our food reserves are dwindling, and the king clearly wants to wear us down by delaying us. Are we really going to have to return empty-handed?"

Her tone was resentful, and the memory of the horrific scenes along the way only amplified her sorrow.

Xiao Xiuyuan said coldly, "Perhaps we can create some 'accidents' to force the king to take us seriously."

Gu Ziying shook her head worriedly: "This method is too risky; it could easily give others a handle against us."

Li Shuchen, who had been silent all along, gently stroked the fluorite with his fingers hidden in his sleeve, feeling its cool temperature, before suddenly speaking.

"Perhaps... without us creating it, the 'accident' will come on its own?"

Seeing everyone looking at her, she immediately put on her carefree smile. "I mean, this place looks like it could be full of surprises. Let's just wait and see. Maybe the 'Golden Camel' sign will be blown away by the wind tomorrow."

The tenth prince glanced at her, seemingly lost in thought.

"What Shu Chen said makes sense," Ye Bingli nodded.

Liang Yuying looked at Li Shuchen, but didn't press for details, only saying...

"In any case, we need to prepare for both possibilities. Young Master Ruan should continue to try to contact merchants who are dissatisfied with the status quo and gather information."

"Young Master Xiao, strengthen security, especially regarding the safety of the women. Changning, Bingli, re-inventory the supplies and devise the most economical spending plan. Shuchen…" She paused for a moment, "You… keep a close eye on the movements in the city, but be extremely careful and avoid any risks."

"Yes, sir!" Li Shuchen replied with a grin.

After the meeting, Li Shuchen used the excuse of being sleepy to return to his room and closed the door tightly.