Salted Fish Concubine, Always Getting Pregnant, Fierce General Pampers Her Daily - Chapter 3

“Because…”

A Chai slowly approached, the sharp dagger in his hand already pressed against Wen Wan’s throat.

The cold glint of the blade reflected in Wen Wan’s eyes, turning her face pale with fear.

“Because these bandits aren’t worthy of knowing about this Ancient Tomb!”

What happened next completely caught Wen Wan off guard.

After A Chai finished speaking, the young men in the corner all stood up simultaneously, each holding short knives or daggers.

While keeping Wen Wan under control, A Chai issued an order.

“Send the signal. Have our brothers storm in. We’ll wipe out this bandit den from both inside and out!”

Well, Wen Wan could read between the lines of that command.

This young man named A Chai must represent the authorities, right?

Judging by his actions, he had infiltrated the bandits undercover to eliminate them?

When they were taken into the mountains as hostages, the authorities’ main force must have been following closely, ready to strike at any moment?

Wen Wan regretted it deeply. If she had known this was the case, she would have just waited for the authorities to rescue her. Why did she have to volunteer advice and land herself in trouble?

“Uh… Big Brother, I was just joking earlier about the Ancient Tomb under the temple. I’m a first-class law-abiding citizen. Joking was wrong of me, but it’s not a crime punishable by death, right… right?”

Wen Wan’s desperate attempt to whitewash herself was stifled by A Chai’s mocking, half-smiling gaze.

“Joke or not, we’ll know once we dig. Right… right?”

Just how terrible was this guy’s personality?

He actually mimicked her speech to mock her?

People like him deserved a lifetime sentence of bachelorhood!

The authorities’ intervention was indeed extraordinary.

In the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, the clashing sounds outside the house ceased, and the outcome was clear—the authorities had won with absolute superiority.

A Chai escorted Wen Wan onto the steps and listened as his subordinates reported the bandit cleanup.

“Seventy-three bandits in total. Forty-six killed on the spot, twenty-seven captured alive.”

Dozens of lives taken in such a short time?

Though these bandits deserved their fate, human life in this era was truly worth less than grass.

Wen Wan instinctively shrank her neck.

Then A Chai issued another order. “Send ten men to dispose of the bodies, twenty to escort the bandits back to the city for trial, and five to take the hostages down the mountain.”

The men acknowledged the orders and began carrying them out in an orderly fashion.

Once the bandits and hostages had all left, A Chai organized his men to start digging where Wen Wan had pointed earlier.

Wen Wan watched helplessly as the other hostages were helped onto carriages, safely and completely out of danger, and felt another wave of regret.

“Big Brother… I’m a hostage too. I think I also qualify for a carriage ride home…”

A Chai shot her a sidelong glance. “Heh, if there’s no Ancient Tomb down there, forget a carriage—you can ride my warhorse home!”

“No need to be so generous,” she said stiffly, then asked, “And if there is an Ancient Tomb?”

A Chai’s light gray eyes darkened. “If there is… didn’t you say you’d help me strike it rich? Then you’ll have to stay and help me dig up every last treasure. Right… right?”

Wen Wan: “…”

I only offered to make you rich because you’re good-looking!

Who knew you were a spider demon from the Cave of Silken Web, using that pretty face to lure in prey?

Lust is a blade hanging over one’s head—the ancients truly didn’t lie!

Before long, a young man with a hoe came running over excitedly.

“Boss, we found it! There really is an Ancient Tomb!”

Wen Wan’s heart was ashen as she was escorted back to the side chamber. Seven or eight young men pried open the heavy stone slab, revealing an underground tomb chamber spanning a few square meters.

A Chai’s gaze was sharp, and when he looked down at Wen Wan, the cold glint in his eyes was even more chilling than the dagger in his hand.

“So it really is the side chamber of an Ancient Tomb! You do have some skills.”

She wanted to say it was just luck, but such an obvious excuse would never fool this man.

Wen Wan pinched two fingers together and gestured, “Uh… family heirloom techniques, I only know this tiny bit of the basics.”

A Chai neither confirmed nor denied it, pushing Wen Wan toward the side chamber of the Ancient Tomb. “You said there are traps everywhere inside. Lead the way.”

Wen Wan: “…”

With a dagger pressed against her neck, she had no choice. The bitter fruit she had sown, she could only swallow it with tears.

She sighed and began to ramble as they walked, “Big brother, wealth is external, especially things dug up from tombs. They have spiritual energy and aren’t good omens. If they’re handed over to the state, the nation’s fortune can neutralize their influence, but if kept privately—”

“Are you always this full of nonsense?”

A Chai suddenly interrupted.

Wen Wan smirked and casually spouted more nonsense.

“I just noticed your forehead looks dark—clearly a sign of bad luck. I’m worried for you.”

He mocked her with her own tone; couldn’t she at least annoy him a little in return?

She spoke her absurdities with a straight face, and A Chai shot her a sidelong glance, his expression half-amused.

“If I were you, knowing full well there are traps ahead and that you’d need us to save you if danger arises, I wouldn’t waste time running my mouth.”

That… made a lot of sense!

“…” Wen Wan reacted swiftly, switching to a fawning expression when it was time to yield. “Big brother, I was wrong!”

“Hmph,” A Chai snorted derisively. “Look at how spineless you are.”

Wen Wan didn’t blush in the slightest. “I’m just a concubine. The highest I could aspire to is becoming a Primary Wife. Compared to ambition, my life is obviously more important.”

As they spoke, Wen Wan had already triggered the mechanism to the main tomb chamber.

The stone door swung open, revealing a room full of gold and treasures that dazzled the eyes.

The young men behind them gasped in awe. Though A Chai didn’t exclaim, his eyes gleamed with avarice.

“The treasures are all here. I’ve obediently completed my task, right?” Wen Wan asked quietly.

A Chai didn’t respond, first directing the men to move the treasures. Then he bent down and casually picked up a jade pendant from the ground near the coffin.

He tossed it to Wen Wan.

“Take it. Consider it payment for guiding us.”

As he spoke, he lowered the dagger.

Wen Wan caught the pendant, momentarily stunned before realizing his meaning.

In the tomb-raiding trade, there was a rule: one must never leave an Ancient Tomb empty-handed. Doing so was considered extremely unlucky.

A Chai might look young, but he was clearly experienced.

“Alright, if you’re a law-abiding citizen, this general won’t trouble you further. Once the goods are moved, you’ll follow us down the mountain.”

Wen Wan belatedly understood—had his earlier threats just been a bluff?

She hadn’t expected this borderland officer to be so cunning.

But…

What a pity—he didn’t know quality goods!

Wen Wan discreetly tucked the jade pendant into her robes, feigning indifference while inwardly rejoicing.

If this young general knew just how priceless the jade pendant he casually tossed over was, he would surely regret it to the core.