There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 425 Disguised Membership

She carefully opened the sachet

Inside, besides the usual spice blocks, there was indeed a small, sealed horn-shaped bottle, about the size of a thumb, with a warm, smooth texture.

She dared not open it, but instead hid the small bottle in a hidden pocket close to her body, as Zoya had instructed beforehand.

She lit a small piece of the remaining spice, and a strange smell immediately filled the air, making Wan Bai cough.

"This incense from the Jade Kingdom... has a truly unique taste."

Li Shuchen muttered something, quickly turned off the TV, and felt a little more at ease.

The first step was successful.

In the afternoon, she took Wanbai and, under the pretext of buying local specialties, returned to the market, but their target was the stalls that looked the most dilapidated.

She deliberately bought two rough mats from an old woman selling woven straw mats at a higher price, and when she paid...

She accidentally put in an extra small bag of wheat cakes and whispered, "Grandma, it's getting cold, make sure you have something thicker."

The old woman looked up in astonishment, a flicker of disbelief flashing in her cloudy eyes. Her chapped lips moved slightly, but in the end she simply clutched the bag of biscuits tightly and bowed her head deeply.

In another corner, there was a man who had lost an arm and had several low-quality rough stones in front of him.

Li Shuchen picked and chose, finally buying the least noticeable one, and paid extra when he did.

The man silently accepted it, and as she turned away, he said in a very low, hoarse voice...

"Girl... watch out for the 'Golden Camel's' hyenas!"

Li Shuchen paused slightly, but did not turn around; he simply nodded.

These subtle actions, like a few pebbles thrown into stagnant water, create barely visible ripples, yet they are undeniably present.

As evening fell, a commotion suddenly arose from the direction of the palace, followed by the faint sounds of horses' hooves and shouts fading into the distance.

The guards outside the inn whispered among themselves, their expressions somewhat strange.

Li Shuchen pricked up his ears, only listening to snippets of conversation.

"...The prince is angry again..." "...It seems to be about the treasure appraisal event..." "...What about Lord Azim..."

As night deepened, the fluorite in Li Shuchen's arms suddenly flickered extremely faintly before fading back to its original dimness.

This is the signal Zoya made: everything is in place.

Li Shuchen opened the window, gazing at the distant outline of the royal palace and the faint lights of the Golden Camel Trading Company further away, and gently exhaled.

The chessboard is set up, the pieces are placed; now, it all depends on which way the desert wind blows.

She gripped the small horn-shaped bottle hidden in her sleeve; its icy touch reminded her that this was no game.

A silent storm is brewing beneath Suleiman's extravagant and fragile exterior.

As night fell on the second day

In the eastern part of Suleiman, Azim's private villa was brightly lit.

This building, known as the "Liuli She" (Glass House), was far more extravagant than the royal palace.

The exterior walls were indeed inlaid with a large number of colorful glazed tiles, which shimmered and shimmered under the lights and moonlight, resembling an unreal dream palace in the desert.

The wealthy merchants from the Kingdom of Boyu who had been invited, along with several passing merchants from the Western Regions, were all dressed in fine clothes, conversing in hushed tones. The air was thick with the scents of spices and fine wine, and a subtle atmosphere of competition.

The annex is heavily guarded; entry is prohibited without permission.

However, just before the appraisal event was about to begin, a seemingly ordinary yet magnificent carriage pulled by four exceptionally fine sand horses came to a steady stop in front of the grand gate of the villa.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and two wiry men dressed as servants with expressionless faces stepped out first. Then, a "young master" gracefully alighted from the carriage.

This man appeared to be in his early twenties, and his stature was not particularly tall for a man from the Kingdom of Boyu.

However, he wore an extremely eye-catching purple-gold brocade robe, embroidered with intricate star and auspicious cloud patterns in gold thread, which subtly flowed under the lamplight.

He wore a jade crown, a wide belt inlaid with various tiny gemstones around his waist, and held a folding fan, also made of sandalwood and decorated with star patterns, in his hand.

Her face was meticulously made up, with arched eyebrows, bright red lips, and particularly bright, expressive eyes that held a deliberate air of pride and discernment.

It was Li Shuchen in disguise.

"Stop! Show me the invitation."

The guards stepped forward to stop them, their eyes warily scrutinizing the unexpected group of visitors.

Li Shuchen casually tapped his palm with his folding fan, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.

He spoke fluently in a slightly peculiar accent of Zixing Mandarin.

"An invitation? Where am I going? Why would I need such a thing? Go tell your master that the Sea Overlord 'Wealthy Young Master' heard there are some interesting little stones here and decided to take a look."

The guards exchanged bewildered glances. They knew of a sea area to the east where the people were skilled merchants and frequently traveled.

But this "wealthy young master" is unheard of. Could he be an imposter?

Should we let him in? Or not?

Just as he was hesitating, Azim, who had been informed, came out to greet him personally.

Azim was a middle-aged man in his forties, slightly overweight, dressed in the attire of a nobleman from the Kingdom of Boyu, with gold trim, and his fingers adorned with numerous gemstone rings.

But unlike King Ardan, his blue eyes gleamed with the shrewdness and calculation of a merchant, rather than pure folly.

He sized up the "wealthy young master," especially his expensive purple-gold brocade robe, whose craftsmanship was distinctly different from that of the Bo Yu Kingdom and even the Zi Xing Dynasty.

And those four glossy-coated, graceful sand horses, he quickly weighed them in his mind.

(All the above equipment was produced by Xiao Jizi)

"Young master, I've long admired your name; it's legendary!"

Azim's face broke into a warm smile typical of a businessman, as if he had truly heard of the name. "I was unaware that you had come from afar, sir. Please forgive my lack of hospitality! Please come in! The appraisal event is about to begin. It would be an honor to have your esteemed presence here!"

He had never heard of any "sea overlord," but he had heard rumors of a "wealthy young master" who came and went mysteriously, and was said to be incredibly powerful and richer than a country.

The young master before me possessed an extraordinary air and an arrogant demeanor, which did not seem to be genuine.

More importantly, if we could really get in touch with this person, it might open up new avenues for wealth, and perhaps even... surpass those brothers in the palace who are always trying to get a piece of the pie.

Even if it's fake, we're on our own turf, why should we be afraid of him causing trouble? Come in and take a look first.

Li Shuchen chuckled inwardly, but outwardly he merely nodded slightly with a reserved air, fanning himself as he swaggered into the Glazed House.

Her appearance immediately attracted the attention of the guests in the room.

His purple-gold robe and eccentric demeanor made him stand out from the crowd, drawing whispers among them.

The appraisal event was held in the most spacious hall of Liuli House.

The floor was covered with a snow-white wool carpet, and exquisite bronze lamp stands stood around the perimeter, their soft light focused on a long table in the center covered with black velvet.

As the host, Azim began with a boastful opening, bragging about how much effort he had put into collecting these treasures and how they represented the highest level of jewelry craftsmanship in the Kingdom of Boyu.

"Today, I would like to present to you three rare and precious artifacts that I have recently acquired, the result of the painstaking efforts of Hassan, the chief craftsman of 'Golden Camel'!"

With a wave of his hand, Azim summoned three veiled, graceful maids, each carrying a silver platter covered in red velvet, who stepped forward.