Chapter 37 Entering Jiangzhou City: That young master's name is Qiao Yu, and he has a fondness for men.

The person who came to hand over the work was actually Fourteen. A few sounds came from the dim light of dawn. Yao Ruyi woke up groggily and saw Thirteen and Fourteen standing together talking. Fourteen also looked exhausted from his journey. When he saw Yao Ruyi looking over, he smiled and waved to him.

He quickly led those dozens of bandits away, and it would probably be nighttime by the time they returned to the capital.

The mountains and fields suddenly became empty, and the two tidied up their belongings and continued on their way.

Last night was a bit of a delay, so I need to speed up my schedule.

From the mountain roads to the country lanes, Yao Ruyi and Shisan rode their horses all the way. They picked up some dry food in the towns they passed through, and as the temperature warmed up further down the mountain, the two of them slept much better at night.

Actually, the cool night breeze was comfortable for Yao Ruyi, but Shisan felt cold.

On the tenth day, the two vaguely saw the shadow of Jiangzhou City.

"Phew, we've finally arrived."

The forest outside Jiangzhou City was lush and green. The two of them emerged from the woods with a lot of weeds on their bodies. Yao Ruyi looked around and felt that the air in Jiangnan was mixed with moisture.

The dampness made the mushrooms feel very comfortable.

The number of refugees and displaced people traveling south increased, but this scene changed abruptly upon entering Jiangzhou City. Yao Ruyi's initially puzzled look became clear when she saw the grain prices in the city.

His Majesty only received a general account: the original magistrate of Jiangzhou City had been hoarding disaster relief grain and selling it to merchants at inflated prices. Deng Zeyu, the largest grain merchant in Jiangzhou City, was also acting recklessly, taking advantage of Jiangzhou City's distance from the capital.

The price of rice in Jiangzhou City has risen to ten times the price set by the imperial court.

Deng Zeyu wasn't stupid. He didn't set the price of grain openly. If people went to buy it, they would be buying up all the rice at the original price.

However, the shop also sells other kinds of fine rice, which the shopkeeper claims are carefully cultivated by the owner in his courtyard, and the price is naturally quite high.

Yao Ruyi and Shisan walked around the shop, and Yao Ruyi could tell the difference between the different types of rice at a glance.

There's no difference at all; they're the same thing.

He looked up and met the waiter's gaze. The waiter smiled obsequiously, making Yao Ruyi seem aloof and unapproachable. His moon-colored brocade was an attire of great wealth and nobility even in Jiangnan. "How is this any different from the original rice?"

The waiter rubbed his hands together. “Sir, you’re quite an amateur. Look at our rice. It’s perfectly round and glossy, slightly translucent, and smells incredibly sweet. Not to mention how delicious it is after it’s cooked.”

"Those who have tried our food, come back and buy more from us." He looked Yao Ruyi up and down and chuckled.

"The same goes for other types of rice."

Yao Ruyi remained calm and unhurried. He reached into the grain bag and brushed the rice grains across his palm. The rice grains were slightly cool as they brushed against his hand. In Jiangnan, it rained all day long from the beginning of spring, and there was moisture in the middle of this bag of rice.

Even after raising prices, they still falsified the weight of the goods.

His delicate and handsome eyes were devoid of emotion as he turned to stare at the waiter, looking as if he absolutely had to speak up.

"this!"

Even the most eloquent waiter didn't know what to say; with the court in trouble, rising grain prices were inevitable. No matter how strictly rice prices were controlled in the capital, it had nothing to do with them.

Everyone knows perfectly well what's going on with the grain.

Squinting, he scrutinized the man again. He was indeed handsome, but he couldn't produce a single tael of silver. Looking at his moon-colored brocade robes, he wondered where they came from; it seemed he'd spent the night with some rich young master and was now being looked down upon.

They can't even afford rice.

"Heh," the waiter didn't even glance at Thirteen, who was dressed as a guard beside Yao Ruyi, and his tone suddenly became arrogant and conceited. Anyone who didn't know better would think that all the grain in this shop belonged to him.

"Young master, why don't you go and take a look at other families? Their grain isn't as good as ours."

"These days, hardly a grain of rice falls from the field. No matter how hard they work, what they grow is just an empty shell."

The waiter reached into the grain bag, grabbed a handful of rice, and said, "If you had thought this rice wasn't high-quality a few years ago, I wouldn't have said anything. But nowadays, can you find anything better?"

His fearless demeanor made Yao Ruyi, who had been relatively calm, grip his sword tightly, and the fierce look in his eyes resembled that of an emperor.

The last time he was this angry was the night he saw the battle report about Liang He.

"Goodbye and don't come back!"

The two men emerged from the rice shop without a word, while groups of people around them stared at them with judgment.

This group of people stays here from morning till night. When someone buys something, they act like they hate the rich. But if the two of them come out empty-handed, they show a completely different attitude.

"Look at the price of rice now, even the young masters of wealthy families can't afford it."

Jiangzhou City was in chaos. The wealthy continued to live a life of luxury, but the remaining common people became poorer day by day.

The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer.

Looking at the scene on both sides of the street, Yao Ruyi remained silent. In Jiangzhou City, a steamed bun costs one tael of silver.

Anyone who didn't know better would think the vendor had chopped up his own land deeds and house deeds and stuffed them inside.

"Oh shit!"

Thirteen couldn't help but curse under his breath. These people were taking advantage of the court's troubles to openly profit from human suffering.

The two walked in silence on the street.

"Gentlemen, the chairman invites you."

Suddenly, a guard with a serious expression darted out from a side alley. He stopped the two of them and spoke. Yao Ruyi noticed the character "Han" on his chest and nodded.

"This is troublesome."

After a while, the guards led the two to a villa. It didn't have many ornate antique bonsai trees to show off, and from a distance, it didn't look much different from an ordinary villa.

But Yao Ruyi looked closely at the paintings on the wall and saw that they were the work of famous calligraphers.

After walking through two doors, they saw a graceful figure standing there waiting for them.

"I already know that you two have come to Jiangzhou City. Rest assured, I will do my best to help with Deng Zeyu this time."

Han Siwen was completely different from her appearance in the capital. She wore a white, tight-fitting robe that looked like a man's style, with her long hair flowing down her back in a graceful manner. The only thing on her that made her look presentable was the elaborate jade pendant tied to her belt.

"Thank you, Miss Han."

The group walked inside together.

Han Siwen waved her hands repeatedly, "As a royal merchant, we should naturally be concerned about what His Majesty is concerned about." She changed the subject, her face showing no concealment of disdain and contempt, "Besides, Deng Zeyu's actions this time are against the will of Heaven and Earth, so it would be better to deal with him completely."

"The Siyun Chamber of Commerce has a good reputation in Jiangzhou City. Please feel free to give your instructions."

The three sat down, and the tea and snacks on the table had just been served. Han Siwen nudged Yao Ruyi towards him, and Yao Ruyi didn't stand on ceremony.

"Just now, Thirteen and I went to Deng's rice shop, and the grain was being sold at an exorbitant price."

"How can the price stay this long when hardly anyone goes to buy from the store?"

Han Siwen poured tea for the two of them.

"Thank you, Miss Han."

Thank you.

Han Siwen smiled and asked, "You entered through the main gate in a perfectly legitimate manner?"

"Exactly."

She nodded. "How could the prominent families in the city not know that Deng Zeyu's family's grain is expensive? Moreover, there are no fewer than dozens of people sitting at their doorsteps on the street waiting for him."

Once a servant or steward came to buy grain, the entire city would see it clearly. Some unassuming aristocratic families, not wanting to be gossiped about, would go to the rice shop through the back door and order a month's worth of grain, which the shopkeeper would then have delivered to their residence.

Yao Ruyi said, "The more impoverished and desperate the people are, the less they care. Only by keeping a low profile and restraining themselves can aristocratic families maintain their stability."

Han Siwen replied, "That's exactly the point."

That makes sense. Deng Zeyu didn't care whether the people in the city could afford the grain or not, and he didn't set the price to sell it to them.

Over time, the city's residents spent less and less money, and the number of refugees and displaced people in the city increased dramatically.

The wealthy are still the same group of people, or even richer.

"Two years ago, Deng Zeyu was just a small vendor who used his savings to start a business selling gold, silver and jade." Han Siwen had a very bad impression of him. "He sold a mix of genuine and fake products, trying to cheat as many people as he could."

"Later, he somehow learned that there was a problem with the grain, and he used all the money he had to buy grain. He changed everything in one fell swoop."

Later they all learned that Deng Zeyu had used his rice shop to curry favor with the county magistrate, with the two of them providing grain and money respectively. They secretly became a local tyrant in Jiangzhou City, without the emperor's knowledge.

The group finished off the tea and snacks. Food was scarce in Jiangzhou City, and it would be wrong of them to waste it.

"Later, I'll take you two to a restaurant to try some Jiangnan specialties. In the afternoon, you two can rest at the villa or go out and have a look around the streets. Siwen has some other things to attend to, so I won't stay any longer."

"Miss Han, please go ahead and attend to your business."

Han Siwen nodded and left. She was both polite and efficient, and the courtyard was kept in perfect order. Now only the two of them remained. Yao Ruyi said speechlessly, "I don't know how Baili Wenhan dared to say such things to Miss Han at the city gate."

"He boasts of his exceptional talent." Thirteen led his men slowly out of the courtyard. "Actually, more than a decade ago, the rumors in the capital were about the Baili twins. One of the twins, Baili Qingxiao, was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and was humble and polite."

Baili Wenhan, however, was on par with the other young masters of prominent families. The title of "Twins" was entirely due to the reputation of the eldest son. It was only after the eldest son's unexpected fall from grace that the concept of a "Second Son" arose.

So this person isn't anything special.

Thirteen raised an eyebrow. "I told you before spring even arrived that Eleven was in Jiangnan. I thought he would return to the capital after spring, but it seems he was delayed by something. He's in Jiangzhou City recently. Come on, let me take you to see him. We can also ask him for a set of armor."

"good."

The two got up and went out onto the street again.

As the two of them strolled down the street, people kept staring at them. Yao Ruyi hadn't noticed it before, but now she couldn't ignore it at all.

"Young master, have you been able to eat lately?"

Yao Ruyi frowned at the middle-aged man who had inexplicably appeared beside her. Upon seeing this, Thirteen immediately wanted to shield Yao Ruyi behind him, but Yao Ruyi waved her hand.

The man was dressed neatly and did not look like a commoner from the city.

Upon hearing the middle-aged man mention the grain, Yao Ruyi shook her head, "Never."

"That's great!"

After saying that, the man realized his words were inappropriate and quickly patted his mouth, saying, "Look at my mouth, that's not what I meant."

He smiled and pointed to the second floor of the tavern next door, "Young master, look over there."

On the second floor of the tavern, by the window facing the street, a man in a gray-black robe leaned against the window and smiled handsomely. He had a high nose bridge and deep features. His eyebrows were curved, and when he saw Yao Ruyi looking over, he raised his hand to greet him.

Even from a distance, Yao Ruyi could tell from the fact that the man's hair ornament was made of jade, indicating that he must be a young master from a prominent family in the city.

Yao Ruyi turned her head and asked, "Is something the matter?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "What does my young master think of his appearance?"

"The young master has a face like jade, and his demeanor is elegant and dignified."

The man was even more overjoyed. Even the person on the second floor vaguely heard Yao Ruyi's words. He couldn't help but smile, but then turned his head to control himself.

"Very well! Would you like to have a drink with my young master? My young master is currently unmarried and has no concubines. He enjoys writing calligraphy and poetry all day long, and when he is in a good mood, he comes to the tavern for a couple of drinks."

"It just so happens that the young master is here to enjoy the breeze today. If you are also interested, would you mind going up to meet my young master?"

He then assured him, "Although my young master cannot compare to the young masters of the capital, he is still very famous in Jiangzhou City, and his character is impeccable." As soon as he finished speaking, the man quickly added, "These days, grain prices are rising alarmingly, but we have stocked up early, so there won't be any problems for the next few years."

The man smiled confidently and waved to the second floor.

Yao Ruyi nodded, but he couldn't fully understand what the middle-aged man was saying.

Thirteen, however, narrowed his eyes. He had long heard that male homosexuality was prevalent in Jiangnan, but he never expected that Jiangzhou City, where they had come from, would be the first to be affected. The madam was so openly stopping people on the street.

The man turned his head and met Thirteen's gaze. "Young master, please don't overthink it. I am indeed my young master's subordinate, and I am not involved in brothels or shady dealings!"

"Hmph! No need."

Yao Ruyi wanted to ask another question, but Thirteen grabbed his shoulder and walked quickly forward.

"Hey! Young master!"

The man wanted to chase after her, but then looked up at the second floor.

The man on the second floor was also shocked to see the person gone. He stood up in a panic and looked outside, almost falling over. His handsome, deep-set features stared in shock. "Old Wang! What happened to you!"

Old Wang had no idea either, and his face was filled with worry. His son had finally shown some interest, and he was eager to help bring them together.

How...how could they just leave like that!

"Young master, this!"

He was furious, but seeing that the person had walked away and he was powerless to do anything about it, he glared at them and said, "Come on up!"

How could his connection with that young master be limited to this? They would meet again someday.

The tavern has three floors. The first floor caters to ordinary people and travelers who usually just order a pot of wine and leave. In the past, it was bustling with people, but now that grain prices have risen, the price of wine is also not what it used to be.

Most of the seats on the first floor were empty, with only a few people sitting in them, and most of them had tea in front of them.

The second floor was mostly occupied by leisurely young masters, like handsome young men, who would stroll along the street and observe the sights of Jiangzhou City.

In spring, Jiangzhou City is ablaze with red blossoms and green willows, a scene of misty rain and Jiangnan beauty captured in poetry. The ink from the painting spreads across the city, creating Jiangzhou. Although the city is not as bustling as it once was, it doesn't bother the viewers on the second floor.

Very few people go to the third floor; some say it's where the tavern owner entertains distinguished guests.

Old Wang hurried upstairs, and as he entered the tavern, he kept glancing back in the direction the two had gone, finally slapping his thigh and exclaiming, "Hey!"

When I got to the second floor, I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oh! Young master, please forgive me! Please forgive me!"

The collision between the two grown men was harmless. Old Wang smiled, apologized, and then turned to continue upstairs.

The man he bumped into couldn't suppress a smile. He was dressed in a neat and clean gray robe and was writing and drawing in a notebook. He stood on the second-floor stairs looking down and took in the whole scene.

A bright smile.

"Your Majesty, the armor has been forged and is ready."

I have met Thirteen and his new brother Nineteen. Little Nineteen is indeed as good-looking as his name suggests.

Also: Little Nineteen, with her beautiful face, caught the eye of a young master from a famous family in Jiangzhou City. That young master, named Qiao Yu, was fond of men.

————————

[Green Heart][Green Heart][Green Heart]

Eleven: Your Majesty! Report!