Volume 5, Chapter 281 – She Is the Future Empress (Part 2)

“Who’s there? Official business in progress! Scram if you’re not involved!”

From behind the door, two constables tasked with guarding the entrance cursed loudly.

“Not opening, huh?”

Qi Huang sneered. A single strand of her hair slipped through the door crack and lightly traced downward, slicing through the wooden bolt as effortlessly as cutting tofu. Then, she lifted her petite foot and kicked the door again.

BANG!

A deafening thud echoed as the auction house’s doors were flung violently backward.

“Ah!”

The two constables behind the door had no time to dodge. Their bodies were sent flying before crashing to the ground in a sprawled heap.

“Is this lunatic insane? Daring to force their way in while officers are handling official business?”

“That strength isn’t something an ordinary person could possess. This person must be either a cultivator or a martial artist.”

“So what? Even if they are, no ordinary cultivator or martial artist would dare oppose the government offices. The consequences won’t be pretty!”

“Why bother worrying? With this reckless fool making a scene, we’ll soon see how tonight’s auction turns out.”

The onlookers along the street buzzed with discussion.

“Daring to block this young master’s path to riches? Fine, consider this your medical compensation!”

The corners of Qi Huang’s lips curled slightly as she strode boldly inside. The two constables, groaning on the ground, were in too much pain to move.

The commotion Qi Huang caused instantly drew the attention of the entire Golden Fortune Auction House. The several dozen constables inside quickly swarmed toward her.

“Anyone who dares step forward, those two are your example.”

Qi Huang gestured toward the two writhing officers on the floor.

The constables exchanged uneasy glances. None dared to flee, yet none were bold enough to charge recklessly either.

“Audacious! You dare assault officers of the law? Are you rebelling?!”

Constable Peng’s voice suddenly boomed from the upper floor.

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Qi Huang looked up to see the man storming down the stairs, his face contorted with rage. Behind him followed Liu Yingyue and Xia Wei.

“It’s… him?”

Liu Yingyue and Xia Wei exchanged glances, their faces filled with astonishment.

“This person doesn’t have the strength to tie up a chicken, how did he break in?”

Xia Wei muttered under her breath, disbelief coloring her tone.

“Rebellion? Against whom? A petty constable like you, who exactly do you represent?”

Qi Huang’s tone dripped with disdain.

“As a constable, I act on official orders. Naturally, I represent the imperial court! You dare attack officers, do you not fear the extermination of your whole family line?!”

Constable Peng brandished his authority like a sacred edict.

“You abuse your power to shut down the Golden Fortune Auction House, yet have the gall to claim you represent the court? You’ve disgraced the Emperor’s face! If anyone deserves extermination, it’s you!”

Qi Huang shook her head mockingly.

“Sharp-tongued and unreasonable, you’re quite the talker. Once you’re in prison, I’ll make sure you can’t even whimper.”

Realizing he was losing the verbal battle, Constable Peng decided to cut the argument short. He barked at his subordinates:

“Seize him!”

The constables exchanged hesitant looks but ultimately dared not disobey. They rushed forward in a disorganized swarm.

Unfazed, Qi Huang calmly retrieved a talisman from her spatial ring and tossed it into the air, deliberately shouting:

“Lightning Talisman!”

Simultaneously, she used her divine sense to shred the talisman midair. The stored lightning energy dispersed, forming hair-thin electric currents that spread outward. Though the power was minimal, it was more than enough to deal with ordinary constables.

Sure enough, the dozens of constables stiffened like wheat before a scythe before collapsing rigidly to the ground.

“Hiss—!”

Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.

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“A talisman? You’re a cultivator?”

Constable Peng’s eyes bulged, his legs trembling slightly.

“Not at all. I merely purchased this talisman from a cultivator.”

Qi Huang deliberately downplayed her abilities.

“How does this person have access to every kind of talisman?!”

Xia Wei was dumbfounded. First, it was a flight talisman, now a lightning talisman. Who knew what other bizarre talismans this person had up his sleeve?

“Not a cultivator? Even if you were, publicly assaulting officers is a crime even the Immortal Alliance won’t shield you from!”

Constable Peng blustered, though his voice lacked conviction.

“Young Master, your kindness is appreciated, but violence won’t solve this. Please, leave quickly! Once the auction resumes, I’ll notify you immediately.”

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Liu Yingyue pleaded with Qi Huang.

Qi Huang’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. Though reluctant to admit it, she knew Liu Yingyue spoke the truth. Even if she eliminated all the constables, it would only be a temporary solution, and might bring even greater trouble to the auction house.

‘What should I do?’

Qi Huang found herself in an awkward predicament. She had already struck the officers. Without a flawless plan, not only would she fail to save the auction house, but she might also drag Liu Yingyue into deeper trouble.

As she racked her brain for a solution, her divine sense inadvertently swept through her spatial ring, and her attention was abruptly drawn to one item: the freshly acquired Cultivator’s Token.

As Cheng Hongling’s doppelgänger, Qi Huang wasn’t truly an independent entity, so she technically didn’t need an official token. However, to fulfill a personal wish, she had gone through the trouble of obtaining one.

‘Perhaps… this could be of great use.’

A spark of inspiration flashed in her mind.

“Too late! Given your actions, forget tonight—if this place opens within the year, I’ll resign from my post and go home to farm!”

Constable Peng, emboldened by his official status, regained his confidence.

“You said it yourself. Everyone here is a witness.”

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Qi Huang laughed outright before instructing Manager Liu:

“Manager Liu, have your staff prepare. The auction will commence on schedule. Since he’s so eager to farm, I’ll grant his wish.”

“Uh…”

Liu Yingyue’s beautiful face twisted in hesitation. She thought to herself: ‘Whether the auction opens isn’t up to you or me, it’s up to the government offices. What’s the point of having the staff prepare?’

“Hah! Ridiculous! Who do you think you are? Without the Governor’s permission, if she dares to open without authorization, once His Majesty learns of this, not only will this Golden Fortune Auction House in Yongning Province be shut down, even the branches in the capital and across the nation will cease operations!”

Constable Peng, maintaining his composure, pulled out a Thousand-Mile Communication Tube and immediately called for reinforcements. After all, he was now the only one left standing.

“Young Master, please leave quickly! Otherwise, it’ll be too late!”

Liu Yingyue’s voice was nearly begging, partly because this person had helped her greatly, and partly because he was a stable supplier of cat tears. As long as nothing happened, she still had a chance to turn things around.

“Don’t panic. Even if he drags the Governor here tonight, I’ll still send him home to farm. As for you, do what you need to do. The auction is about to begin. Don’t keep the guests waiting.”

Qi Huang, however, seemed utterly confident. In the current Western Radiance Dynasty, the highest authority in a province was the Governor, assisted by a Marshal who oversaw military affairs to maintain regional stability.

With a resigned sigh, Liu Yingyue decided to treat this as a last-ditch effort. She still instructed the staff to begin preparations.

Meanwhile, Qi Huang leisurely found a chair, sat down, and began sipping tea at a relaxed pace.

“Drink up! Savor the taste. Once you’re in prison, you might not taste tea again in this lifetime!”

Constable Peng seethed with impotent rage.

“Rant all you want! Remember this feeling. Once you’re stripped of that uniform, you might never wear it again in your next life!”

Qi Huang shot back without mercy.

Watching the two bicker, Liu Yingyue felt utterly helpless. She knew things had escalated beyond repair. ‘How am I supposed to clean up this mess?’

“Xia Wei, if the auction house is forcibly shut down by the authorities… how am I supposed to face my father when I return?”

Liu Yingyue turned to her maid, her voice tinged with despair.

“Uh… The Master dotes on you so much. Surely he won’t blame you… right?”

Xia Wei did her best to console her.

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“But I won’t be able to forgive myself.”

Liu Yingyue smiled bitterly.

Before long, a large group of armored soldiers and constables stormed into the auction house, easily numbering over a hundred.

“Oh my! Even the army’s been mobilized? Such an honor!”

Qi Huang feigned surprise. After all, the Marshal directly commanded the military, not the Governor. If even the army had arrived, it meant they truly considered her a threat.

Liu Yingyue, however, paled in fright and hurried over with her female bodyguard.

“Let’s see how you keep acting tough now!”

Constable Peng sneered.

“Constable Peng, we received reports of a rebellion. I’ve been dispatched by the Marshal to suppress it. Where are the insurgents?”

The tall, young officer at the forefront demanded.

“It’s him! This person not only obstructed our official duties but also injured dozens of my constables!”

Constable Peng immediately pointed at Qi Huang.

“Brat! Who gave you the audacity to assault officers?!”

The young officer glared at Qi Huang, his broad hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

“She gave me the audacity!”

Without wasting words, Qi Huang tossed her Cultivator’s Token toward him.

The officer caught it and examined it skeptically. Engraved on the token were several lines of text:

Top-left: “Honghua Sect”

Center: “Cultivator’s Token”

Bottom-right: “Qi Huang”