Leaving aside the Li family's speculations, in Xinduli, in front of a restaurant, two teenagers were sweeping the steps with brooms.

A young waiter ran out of the house, stuffed two white steamed buns into their hands, and said with a grin, "Dahe, Xiaohe, you must be hungry. Quickly eat something to fill your stomachs. Our manager specially ordered that these be brought to you!"

The two boys quickly thanked him, but put the steamed buns in their pockets and continued working.

The young man, having nothing to do at the moment, rolled up his sleeves and stood aside chatting with them.

With an honest-looking face, Dahe was diligently shoveling dirt off the steps, complaining quietly to his young apprentice.

"These wealthy gentlemen really behave themselves when they drink. Just now, that Mr. Bao vomited here as soon as he stepped out."

"It's cold here, and even though I rushed over to get dressed, I still got frozen solid."

"That's right!" the waiter said, pursing his lips and lowering his voice. "Don't be fooled by their respectable appearances; they might be up to some dirty tricks behind the scenes!"

Dahe leaned closer to him and asked mysteriously, "Brother Li, I heard Master Bao and the others say they're going to some Jade Pool? And when they talked about it, they laughed really strangely."

"What kind of place is that? Is it really the Jade Pool of the Queen Mother of the West? Are there fairies there?"

The young waiter was startled and quickly covered Dahe's mouth, looking around warily. He only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was around.

Dahe seemed terrified, shrinking close to the young waiter and asking in a panic, "Brother, can't I tell you this?"

Perhaps touched by the affectionate "brother," the young waiter hesitated for a moment, then whispered in Dahe's ear, "Don't talk about this place called Yaochi casually; it's incredibly eerie!"

Dahe shrank back even more and asked, "Brother, don't worry, even if I don't tell you, even if I just overheard it by chance, you still know this place?"

The young waiter couldn't resist showing off and said a few words almost in a whisper.

"Last time, after Mr. Bao and his group finished their meal and left, someone dropped a jade pendant on a chair, and the shopkeeper asked me to chase after it."

"I chased him all the way to the vicinity of Plum Garden, where the East and North districts meet, before I finally returned the jade pendant. I was curious about the area and wanted to take a closer look, but someone jumped out and strangled me."

"It was only because the old man who lost the jade pendant pleaded on my behalf that I was released. My goodness, I almost died."

"That place is definitely not a good place. You must not say anything or ask any questions, or you might lose your life!"

Dahe nodded vigorously, looking as frightened as a quail.

The young waiter was relieved, and just then the shopkeeper called for someone from inside, so he hurried back.

The big river and the small river below the steps exchanged a glance and continued to sweep the snow diligently until the area in front of the restaurant was clean.

The shopkeeper walked to the door, glanced at it, and nodded to the two men, quite satisfied.

The old, weak, sick and disabled people in the relief office were like rats in this new city, annoying and a nuisance.

Some are honest and kind, begging on the streets, while the bolder ones do despicable things like theft and robbery, making everyone frown when they talk about them.

Fortunately, Lord Li managed to secure a position from the Emperor, in charge of the Relief Bureau.

After several months of adjustments, the Relief and Relief Agency has undergone a major transformation.

The former beggars and vagrants all picked up brooms and came out to sweep the streets, sweeping fallen leaves in autumn and snow in winter.

Each household on the street only needs to pay a few dozen coins a month, and their doorsteps will be kept clean every day.

Even when I need to empty a dirty container, someone will help me.

Moreover, these relief agency staff never harass customers or beg; they are very well-behaved.

Over time, everyone realized the benefits and got used to the convenience.

Therefore, he paid those few dozen coins willingly.

Restaurants like theirs are willing to give away some of their leftover food every day.

The cloth shop across the street is willing to give away one or two bolts of coarse cloth that have been eaten by insects or are moldy.

In short, the group and the relief agency have reached a preliminary understanding of mutual benefit.

Dahe and Xiaohe bowed respectfully to the shopkeeper and then went to sweep the next shop.

They didn't return to the relief agency compound until it was completely dark and the streets were cleared.

The courtyard, both inside and out, was swept very clean.

There was a faint glow of firelight in the kitchen, and the aroma of rice filled the air.

Next to the stove, an oil lamp was lit, and inside sat more than twenty children, learning to write from a scholar.

The children were all quite young, around seven or eight years old. Their jackets and trousers didn't fit well, but they were patched yet thick and very clean.

They tried their best to stand with their hands behind their backs and their chests out, looking very serious.

The scholar said something, and the children responded loudly and confidently.

Dahe and Xiaohe put down their brooms and wanted to go back into the inner courtyard, but were stopped by an old woman who came out of the kitchen.

"Big River, Little River, hurry up and eat! I've saved two bowls of porridge for you, and there are also sorghum cakes today!"

Dahe and Xiaohe quickly waved their hands. Dahe said, "Grandma Wang, let's go talk to Manager Zheng for a few minutes. We'll be over in a bit."

The old lady didn't insist any further. "Go ahead, Steward Zheng is here today."

Lord Li had two attendants, one named Zheng Feng and the other Zheng He.

When Lord Li is not at the Relief Office, he leaves an attendant here, namely Steward Zheng Feng.

When Dahe and Xiaohe ran to the back and found Zheng Feng, Zheng Feng was also eating.

He must have eaten better; there was a bowl of porridge, two steamed buns, and a roast chicken on the table.

Dahe and Xiaohe knocked on the door and came in. They weren't craving roast chicken, but instead carefully recounted the information they had gathered.

Zheng Feng frowned upon hearing this, but was secretly pleased.

They've been searching for over half a month, and finally found the exact location.

"Alright, I understand. You've done a good job today. You don't need to investigate any further. Be careful!" Zheng Feng instructed, "Keep a close eye on the Princess's residence. Report everything, no matter how small."

Dahe and Xiaohe were clearly close to Zheng Feng. Dahe asked with a grin, "Manager Zheng, should we brothers go and replace Dahai and Xiaohai? They've been watching the Wang family for a while now, but haven't gotten anything out of them."

Zheng Feng glared at them and said, "Just mind your own business. Everyone has their own duties. You can't just switch people around like that. It's easy to miss crucial details!"

After saying that, he tore off the two legs of the roast chicken and gave them to the two brothers, saying, "Eat your fill before you go out. If anything happens, come and report back immediately."

Dahe and Xiaohe wiped their hands, then took the chicken leg, ate it in a few bites, and ran away.

They went to the front and ate the thin porridge and sorghum cakes from the kitchen. As for the steamed buns in their arms, they would give them to their younger siblings who were studying to fill their stomachs after class.

Although they are called Big River and Little River, they are not blood brothers, but simply partners who work together.

They all have younger siblings who need their care.

Thinking back to this time last year, they held their shivering younger siblings, enduring the cold and hunger, suffering day and night, on the verge of death at any moment.

Now, they have enough to eat and wear, and their younger siblings can go to school.

All they had to do was be clever and act as eyes and ears for their master...