Secret Arms Smuggling

Edward's face suddenly grew serious; he lowered his voice and said, "Mistress Lily, I've brought them back—all the latest improvements. I hid them inside the Spinning Jenny."

After speaking, Edward pried up a wooden board from the empty box of the Spinning Jenny, and pulled out a large, heavy black suitcase. The faint scent of gunpowder lingered in the air.

Edward set the long, locked case on the floor. He reached beneath his collar and pulled out a cord with a key dangling from it—clearly, he valued whatever was inside this case immensely.

Edward glanced at Lily Evans, who nodded. Only then did Edward crouch down and carefully unlock the suitcase.

As the suitcase opened, only a layer of dry straw met their eyes. Edward brushed the straw aside, and the real contents were revealed, glinting ominously.

Inside, the suitcase was packed full of guns and ammunition.

Foreign firearms and artillery had never before entered the Jin Dynasty; in fact, no one in the Jin Dynasty had ever even heard of such things, let alone seen them.

Before Edward left, Lily Evans had quietly instructed him to bring back the most advanced batch of French firearms.

Edward had been stunned at the time. He never expected a noblewoman to secretly ask him to smuggle weapons!

But Edward was bold. He could tell Lily Evans was no ordinary woman, and following such a mistress promised both wealth and a bright future.

Following Lily Evans' instructions, Edward secretly purchased a batch of advanced firearms in France, hid them in the Spinning Jenny's crate, and smuggled them back to the Jin Dynasty without anyone suspecting a thing.

Lily Evans crouched down, her fingers brushing over these ancient-looking firearms—at least, ancient by her standards as a modern expert.

"Not bad," Lily Evans mused, picking up a rifle and weighing it in her hands. "It'll do for now."

Edward watched her, a little awestruck. Most noble ladies would have screamed at the sight of a gun, but Lily Evans handled it as if she were evaluating a kitchen knife.

Edward couldn't help but think: Mistress Lily is truly extraordinary.

Lily Evans put the rifle back, then turned to Edward and said, "Hide these well. Until the time is right, not a soul must know about them."

Edward nodded, his expression solemn. "Rest assured, Mistress Lily. No one will ever find out."

Lily Evans smiled faintly, her eyes glinting with anticipation. "Good. When the time comes, these will change everything."

Edward quickly packed up the suitcase, covering it with straw again. He replaced the wooden board, making sure everything looked untouched.

Lily Evans stood up, dusted off her hands, and glanced at Edward. "Come on, let's get back before anyone notices."

Bella Bell had been waiting at the doorway the whole time. When Lily Evans emerged, Bella didn't ask any questions—she simply escorted Lily Evans back to her courtyard, then returned to the Eight Treasures Bistro.

When Lily Evans entered her room, Alexander Hayes had already returned before her.

"My dear," Alexander Hayes said, "I heard that shipment from overseas arrived today?"

"Yes, it’s here. I knew I chose the right man for the job—Edward is reliable. Not only did he complete the task perfectly, he even secured exclusive official selling rights in France. From now on, our goods sold in France will be protected by the royal family." Lily Evans smiled. "Besides spices, I also had Edward bring back many precious treasures."

"Oh? Are they those quirky Western gadgets?" Alexander Hayes wiped his face and said, "I’ve seen a few of those little trinkets—like pocket watches, I think? Very finely made, but not much use."

Lily Evans looked at Alexander Hayes, her expression serious. "Western things aren’t just useless trinkets like pocket watches. They also possess things powerful enough to destroy our country."