Transmigrated into the Scum Female Consort - Chapter 112

But how to save myself? How can I survive this?

“This humble official has countless treasures stored at home! The formula for the gunpowder was also my own painstaking research! I know many secrets, and I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness! I know my wrongs—please, Your Highness, spare my life!”

At the precipice of life and death, Zhu Yan abandoned all pride. He threw out every card he had to inflate his own value, knowing full well that in the eyes of a ruler, only the useful are allowed to live. Otherwise, this mountain cave would surely become his grave.

Ye Xuejin raised her hand slightly, signaling her followers to hold their positions. “Is that so? And what exactly do you know, Master Zhu?”

Her voice remained icy, her expression showing not a flicker of softening. Zhu Yan sensed this and grew even more terrified, wishing he could offer up his entire brain to prove his loyalty. In this moment, his mind was consumed by the primal urge to live—to live so he could eat, enjoy life, and have a future.

“To answer Your Highness, I also know how to make ice, how to manufacture glass, how to purify crude salt, and I possess a more advanced method of smelting iron!”

As he spoke, Zhu Yan calmed down slightly, his thoughts growing clearer. Salt and iron were the most vital resources for survival and warfare in the ancient world. After offering these two “heavyweights,” he stopped. He gambled that this would be enough.

As he expected, Ye Xuejin’s tone softened marginally. “Lead the way.”

“Yes, yes! Just ahead.” Zhu Yan let out a silent sigh of relief, his footsteps becoming steadier.

Behind them, Yun Chi also breathed a sigh of relief. Confirmed. This Governor-Secretary was almost certainly a fellow transmigrator from the modern era, likely a science student.

Thinking of this, she reached out and squeezed Ye Xuejin’s hand, giving a slow, meaningful nod. Her message was clear: Keep this man alive for now.

Ye Xuejin understood. Upon reaching rows of crates filled with black gunpowder, she commanded calmly, “Everyone, come and take a look.”

“Yes.” Qi Mingyan led the group forward to inspect the boxes.

At that moment, Ye Xuejin squeezed Yun Chi’s fingers in return. Yun Chi took the hint. Once everyone had finished their inspection and stepped back, she concentrated her mind. In an instant, the crates of gunpowder covering the floor vanished without a trace.

The crowd froze in shock. Yun Chi feigned a look of amazement as well. Only Ye Xuejin remained composed, saying flatly, “The ‘immortal’ has taken them for safekeeping. Let us return.”

Zhu Yan felt like his teeth were about to shatter from clenching. No one had told him that gods actually existed in this world! His years of secret research and dormancy felt like a pathetic joke in the face of such a “dimensionality strike.” His dreams of becoming a legendary hero or a world conqueror were nothing but fodder for someone else’s gain.

The journey back was exceptionally quiet. Inside the carriage, Ye Xuejin remained silent, and Yun Chi was deep in thought. Qi Mingyan gripped her sleeves, hesitating for a long time before deciding not to speak.

However, she already had her answer: the “immortal” protecting the Princess likely had a deep connection to the Prince Consort. In fact… that so-called immortal might very well be the Consort herself.

Ye Xuejin broke the silence, noticing Qi Mingyan’s expression. “Mingyan, you understand now, don’t you?”

Qi Mingyan smiled faintly. “Your Highness did not intend to hide it from me. If I still didn’t understand, I would be unworthy of your trust.”

Ye Xuejin nodded. “One does not use those they doubt, nor doubt those they use. Since I decided to rely on you, I never intended to keep you in the dark.”

She had purposely allowed Qi Mingyan to see the Consort’s “divine” abilities. Her goal was to ensure that Qi Mingyan understood Yun Chi’s importance so that in times of chaos, she would protect the Consort at all costs, leaving the Princess with no worries.

Yun Chi tightened her grip on Ye Xuejin’s hand, deeply moved. She realized that within the limits of her power, Ye Xuejin was building a protective net for her.

Ye Xuejin’s voice softened as she addressed Qi Mingyan. “In addition to storing and retrieving supplies, the Consort can also summon wind, rain, and lightning. In the future, if a crisis arises, the two of you should consult each other promptly.”

Qi Mingyan looked at Yun Chi in astonishment. “The Consort is truly a person of the gods.”

They returned to the estate at noon. The sky in Yangzhou was overcast, matching Zhu Yan’s gloomy mood.

“The Consort and Master Zhu shall speak in the study,” Ye Xuejin ordered.

Zhu Yan was stunned—the Princess and the Counselor weren’t joining? Yun Chi led the way into the study and commanded coldly, “Close the door.”

Zhu Yan obeyed. Stripped of his guards and his secrets, he was now as submissive as a frightened quail.

“You can make glass?” Yun Chi asked, studying him.

“Yes…” Zhu Yan replied nervously.

“Write down the formula.”

While Zhu Yan wrote, Yun Chi pulled a piece of paper from her storage space—the glass formula she had “wished” for previously. When Zhu Yan finished, she compared the two papers. The ingredients, ratios, and steps were essentially identical.

“The formula is correct.” Yun Chi tucked the papers away and gave a chilling smile. “You’d better keep your schemes in check. I guarantee you won’t live to see the moon tomorrow night.”

Yun Chi resisted the urge to test if he was a fellow transmigrator. If she did, her own origins might be exposed, which was too risky. She warned him that the “immortal” had already provided these formulas long ago, and they simply hadn’t had the time to test them. Zhu Yan was left trembling, wondering if there were other “moderns” in this world.

Yun Chi handed the verified formulas to Ye Xuejin. With the information secured, Ye Xuejin ordered Zhu Yan to return to his own estate to produce samples as a way to atone for his crimes.

Zhu Yan bowed repeatedly, adding, “The treasures at my residence—I shall have them delivered to the Princess tonight. Does that sound acceptable?”