Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

Dongkui trembled involuntarily as she listened to the gatekeeper's question, and cold sweat broke out on her palms.

"Sir, travel permit..." Dongkui's voice trembled slightly, and she stopped midway through her sentence, involuntarily looking at her sister Tao'er beside her.

Tao'er seemed much calmer than Dong Kui. She held A Yan's little hand. A Yan was only five years old and pretended to be confused as he looked at the crowd around him, as if he didn't understand why the adults were so nervous.

Actually, he was genuinely worried for Sister Dongkui.

Tao'er was actually more anxious than anyone else. Wasn't it agreed that Uncle Chen would pay to hire those beggars to create chaos?

They could then take advantage of the chaos to slip out of the city.

Why haven't we seen any beggars yet?

"I asked for your travel permit, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and give it to me!"

The gatekeeper was a man in his forties, with a rough face etched by years of wind and sun, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

His impatience was written all over his face, and the spear in his hand unconsciously struck the ground, making a "thud" sound, each sound hitting Dongkui's heart.

Afraid that Dongkui would frighten her and give herself away, Ayan quickly imitated the girl's childish voice and said, "Brother-in-law, have you forgotten? The travel permit is in Sister's bundle, isn't it?"

"Oh right, I forgot, sir, the travel permit is with my wife."

Winter Mallow quickly chimed in.

"Sir, please don't be angry, the travel permit is with me..."

I forgot to tell my husband…

Tao'er thought to herself that Ayan was quite clever.

She then pushed Ayan toward Dongkui, stepped forward herself, and put on a fawning smile, "My husband is a scholar, and he's timid, so please don't frighten him..."

That's half true and half false.

Dongkui did learn some characters while living with the Li family, but that was all.

"It's here with you, hurry up and take it out. You've been rambling on and on; didn't you see all those people waiting in line for their tests?"

The gatekeeper's tone became even more unfriendly. His eyes swept over the bundle behind Tao'er and then glanced at Dongkui's pale face.

"Okay, I'll find it right away."

Tao squatted down and began to pretend to take something out of the package.

She moved slowly, searching through the items one by one, but her heart was pounding like a drum. What had happened to those beggars?

Uncle Chen clearly agreed that he would bring the beggars to the West Gate to create chaos when it was almost time to enter the city, but it has been so long now, why is there still no movement?

Could something have gone wrong?

Tao'er dared not think too much about it and could only try to delay as much as possible.

Her fingers unconsciously rubbed against the package, touching the silver ingot, and another plan formed in her mind.

"Have you found it?" The gatekeeper's voice was already tinged with anger.

The people waiting to leave the city also began to get restless.

"Hurry up, those in front!"

My wife is about to give birth, and we're in a hurry to go to Lijia Village outside the city to find the famous Granny Li to deliver the baby!

A man in his thirties shouted anxiously.

"Exactly! If I don't take this truckload of vegetables to the market soon, they'll all wilt!"

The old farmer pushing the cart also urged them on.

The commotion in the crowd made the gatekeeper even more impatient. He took a step forward, almost touching Tao'er: "I'll ask one last time, where's the travel permit?"

Tao'er knew she couldn't delay any longer.

She stood up, leaned closer to the gatekeeper, looked anxious, and deliberately raised her voice, saying, "Sir, the three of us lost our travel permits on the road at some point."

I've been looking for ages and still can't find it...

I put the road signs in the package last night, but they're gone.

The five taels of silver in the package were also gone.

The gatekeeper frowned. "What does it have to do with me if you lose your money?"

You can't leave the city without a travel permit!

"You three should go back immediately and wait until you get new travel permits before leaving the city!"

The gatekeeper waved his hand without any mercy and even shoved Tao'er.

Dongkui was furious and wanted to go forward, but she held back after seeing Tao'er's expression.

Ayan's little fists were clenched tightly in his sleeves: How dare you push my sister Tao'er!

Damn!

Tao'er wasn't angry. Instead, she raised her voice and said in a tearful tone, "Our relatives in our hometown have passed away, and we're in a hurry to go back for the funeral!"

We can't delay, otherwise the three of us will be seen as unfilial descendants, and people will talk behind our backs for the rest of our lives.

"Please, sir, have mercy and let us out of the city!"

As she spoke, Tao'er actually started crying, though it was half true and half false!

All the fear and hardship of these past days have now turned into real tears that poured out.

She cried as she recounted how kind her relatives back home were, how they had taken care of her family in the past, and how they would be ungrateful if they couldn't get back in time now that they had suddenly passed away!

Seeing this, Dongkui quickly put on a sorrowful expression, thinking to herself that Tao'er's acting was really convincing, and she should learn more from her in the future.

I was so nervous just now, I'm so useless!

Ayan started sobbing too, "Officer, please have mercy and let us pass..."

"You're not lying to me, are you?"

What a coincidence!

The travel permit just suddenly disappeared?

A relative from my hometown suddenly died?

The gatekeeper didn't really believe Tao'er's story.

"Sir, look how heartbroken they are, it doesn't seem like they're faking it!"

An elderly woman in the group said sympathetically.

"Yes, attending a funeral is a big deal, please make an exception!"

Others chimed in.

"Exactly, who would lie about something like that?"

"You all have relatives, so please do me a favor!"

Look at that child, his eyes are all red from crying…”

The gatekeeper frowned, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the three men.

The man was wearing a faded blue long gown, old but clean and tidy.

The woman was dressed in plain cloth, with only a wooden hairpin in her hair.

The little girl was even thinner and smaller, timidly clutching the hem of Tao'er's clothes.

It certainly looks like an ordinary family.

Seeing that the gatekeeper was starting to waver, Tao'er quickly slipped the silver ingot she had prepared into his hand when no one was looking.

Her palms were already sweaty, and the silver was slippery.

The gatekeeper felt the weight in his palm, and his eyes lit up almost imperceptibly.

He subtly tightened his grip on the scale, weighing it in his hand; it was a good two ounces. For a city gate guard whose monthly salary was only five qian of silver, this was no small sum.

He who takes a bribe is bound to be obligated to serve it.

The gatekeeper coughed, his expression softening slightly: "Alas, you are indeed pitiful..."

"But there's no way out of the city. If the higher-ups investigate..."

"Rest assured, sir, we are simply returning to our hometown for a funeral. We will be back in three to five days and will not cause you any trouble!"

Tao'er quickly assured her.

The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment, then finally waved his hand: "Never mind, hurry up and go, don't hold up the people behind you."

"Thank you, sir!"

Thank you, sir!

Tao'er thanked him repeatedly, pulled Ayan up, and gestured for Dongkui to hurry up and leave.

Just as the three of them started to walk out, King Cheng's voice suddenly came from behind: "Wait!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried the imposing authority and unquestionable authority of someone who had long held a high position.

The crowd instinctively parted to make way, and Cheng Wang, dressed in plain clothes, appeared calm, but his gaze swept over the backs of Dong Kui and the other two like a hawk.

Two more guards immediately ran over and blocked their path.

Damn it! Why is King Cheng here?