"The governor of Jing County is a relative of a high-ranking official in Jian'an City!"

"Which senior official?"

Xiao Yuqi sat there with his arms and legs spread out, looking like someone who was not someone he was going to mess with.

"That's not something you can talk about!"

The fat shopkeeper happily took away the rag and said, "Sir, please wait a moment. I will serve you some of our signature dishes!"

"Sir, I have tied your horse to the stable in the backyard. Does it need some hay and water?"

In today's world, anything related to water use is not cheap.

Xiao Yuqi took out a silver ingot from his arms and threw it into the waiter's hands.

The waiter caught the silver ingot accurately and weighed it in his hand.

He smiled happily and thanked Xiao Yuqi: "Thank you, sir! I'll go feed the horses now!"

...

...

The waiter happily went to the backyard.

After a while, the shopkeeper brought two dishes and two mixed flour steamed buns and placed them on Xiao Yuqi's table.

They were all local specialties, and the shopkeeper brought out the dishes one by one from the tray.

"Would you like some tea, sir?"

One tael of silver for a pot, Xiao Yuqi remembered the price.

I couldn't help but frown.

"I still have half a pot of water in this bottle, drink it first!"

"Hey, okay!"

Xiao Yuqi took a bite of the steamed bun and asked nonchalantly, "The drought in the northern border is so severe, but you are adjacent to Jing County, and it seems that you have not been affected much?"

The fat boss had a lot of grievances but nowhere to vent them.

"Sir, you may not know that if I hadn't opened this inn and had some savings in the early years, I would have starved to death on the streets now!"

The streets are deserted and not a single stranger comes for ten days or half a month.

This place is like a gap that has been forgotten by everyone.

There is no hope at all.

"Sit down, shopkeeper."

Xiao Yuqi tactfully helped the shopkeeper pull out the bench.

"Since the drought, all the wells and rivers in Guangling County have been controlled by people. If you want to get water, you have to pay for it. Water is more expensive than oil and rice!"

The shopkeeper sat on a bench with a worried look on his face.

"Until this morning, the price of a bucket of water has risen to three taels of silver. Three taels!"

What is the concept?

An ordinary family may not be able to save more than three taels of silver in a year, excluding food and drink expenses.

"If that's the case, why don't you leave the city and go somewhere else to find another way to make a living?"

"Leave the city?"

The waiter, who had just finished feeding the horses, stepped over the threshold and upon hearing this, wanted only to laugh.

"One person needs to pay ten ounces of silver to leave the city. Can you afford it?"

Who doesn’t have three or five people in their family?

How many families can afford to leave the city?

"Did you not pay when you entered the city?"

Xiao Yuqi shook his head, "Never!"

"That's strange!"

The waiter asked a question.

The fat shopkeeper's face was stern. "What's so strange? It doesn't cost money to enter the city, but after entering the city, you have to spend money to buy water, right? If you want to go out, you have to spend money again, right? This is a business that is sure to make money. You are unlucky to come here at this time!"

The shopkeeper patted Xiao Yuqi on the shoulder and said, "I don't think you are a well-off person. Be frugal with your money!"

After saying this, the shopkeeper shook his head and went to the backyard to work.

The waiter looks like a smart guy and works efficiently.

"Sir, what are you doing here?"

Xiao Yuqi swallowed the food in his mouth and said the words he had prepared long ago.

"I'm a bodyguard from the Hutou Bureau. The boss sent me to the north to buy some good horses for escorting. Who would have thought I'd run into this? I've never heard anyone say that this is the situation here!"

"They're all hiding it, they're all hiding it!"

The waiter sighed, "The common people have no way to survive!"

Xiao Yuqi was deeply touched.

When I started eating, the taste in my mouth suddenly lost.

It’s late at night and everything is quiet!

Xiao Yuqi turned off the lights and slipped out of the inn along the windowsill.

When we arrived at the meeting point, Tianshu was already waiting there.

"Master, I have searched Guangling County today. The shopkeeper is right. All the available water sources in Guangling County are controlled by soldiers. In order to survive, the people have started selling their children..."

Speaking of this, Tianshu, who was usually indifferent, choked up a little.

Guangling County has become such a situation, how miserable will the situation be north of Jing County?

Jing County belonged to Shanhe County, the largest county in the northern border, and the prefectural government was established in Jing County.

Guangling County belongs to Yelan County and is not under the jurisdiction of Xue Liangqi, the prefect of Shanhe County!

But now, the Guangling County Magistrate has guarded the water source and cut off the lifeline of the people. I am afraid that many people are responsible for this.

"How many secret agents do we have planted here?"

"It's okay here, there is no major loss!"

Tianshu said: "According to the reports from the secret agents here, they have not been able to get in touch with the secret agents in Jing County for more than a month. I'm afraid things are not going well over there!"

"If it really doesn't work, let Tianji take action!"

"That's exactly what I meant!"

Tianshu added: "The county magistrate of Guangling County and Xue Liangqi have long been colluding to use the water source. Half of the daily profits are presented to the prefectural governor's office, and the remaining half is divided and presented to the prefect and others here. Not only Guangling County, but all the counties near Jing County have also begun to follow suit recently."

"Why didn't anyone report it?"

With anger boiling up in his chest, Xiao Yuqi looked at the devastated mountains and rivers, and the video he had watched kept replaying in his mind.

The people revolted, the rebel army was unstoppable and attacked the imperial city directly. The Tianyu Dynasty fell apart!

The words in that passage are like proverbs that are being fulfilled one by one.

"The entire Yelan County follows this example. If you want to leave the county, the city, the county, and go all the way to other states and counties, you will be exploited layer by layer, like an endless bottomless pit. Our people dare not act rashly for fear of attracting attention. We are trying to pass on the message. Master, please come for a secret visit. I have already organized all the troops and are just waiting for the master's order. We must fight our way out for the people of the northern border!"

Tianshu half-knelt on the ground, waiting for Xiao Yuqi to calm down his anger.

"Order Tianji to act immediately. I will give her three days to break through Jing County!"

"yes!"

The two men dispersed.

Xiao Yuqi returned to the inn along the same route and found his own guest room.

A wisp of green smoke drifted in slowly from the crack in the door.

With a faint fragrance, Xiao Yuqi discovered the clue as soon as it started.

Xiao Yuqi held his breath, lay on the bed, closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, but listened carefully to the door bolt being pried open little by little with a sharp knife. With a click, the wooden bolt tilted and the door was opened from the outside.

Two figures, one fat and one thin, came in.

The footsteps are getting closer.

They did not approach the bed, but started to search Xiao Yuqi's bag.

"Boss, do you think they are worrying too much? This is clearly an escort!"

The household registration documents and travel permits were neatly placed in the bundle, which contained a set of spare clothes and a stack of banknotes.

"What do you know?"