Chapter 97 News

It was a chilly autumn day in the mountains. Chen Shiyi and Yuan Xi were roasting persimmons on a bamboo net.

Persimmons are cold, but if you eat them while they are still hot, they are sweet and hot.

Yuanxi is always full of worries.

"Sister, is it because of me?"

Chen Shiyi peeled off a layer of red skin, took a bite, and asked casually.

"Because of you what?"

"I am an unlucky person. You bought me and I caused you such a big disaster."

Chen Shiyi raised his head suddenly. Yuan Xi must be suffering from a mental illness!

"What nonsense are you talking about? I bought you after I got the title deed. What does it have to do with you? Besides, without this incident and without you, would my life have been smooth? Don't think too much. Don't put all the bad things on you. How can the fortune and misfortune of this world be determined by one person?"

Yuanxi remained silent.

"Yuanxi, smile more, say more auspicious words, and good luck will come to you."

"good."

Chen Shiyi said with a smile.

"Yuanxi, you have a great advantage, do you know that?"

Yuanxi shook his head.

"What are my strengths?"

"You are a very meticulous observer, able to see the big picture from the small details, and you are very thoughtful. If you can hold your chin high and tell others that you are amazing, then you will definitely be my most capable helper in the future..."

Yuan Xi blinked.

"Sister, am I really as good as you say?"

"Of course, Yuanxi, I need you. You must grow up and help me."

Yuanxi listened and nodded firmly.

"I certainly will."

When Fu Xuwen returned, it was almost midnight.

Chen Shiyi yawned.

"What did you find?"

Fu Xuwen drank a pot of water and replied quickly.

"Those people were drinking in Manager Li's yard until late at night, but one of them left in the middle of the night."

Chen Shiyi's mind suddenly became clear.

"Where did you go?"

"Go find the grandtenant."

Chen Shiyi was silent for a while and then asked again.

"You followed him. Did you hear anything?"

Fu Xuwen shook his head.

"I was too far away to hear what they said, but they looked very serious and I didn't know what they were discussing."

"It's too late today. Go to bed early and we can talk about other things tomorrow."

Fu Xuwen nodded and thought of something else.

"Sister, the person who left halfway looks a lot like Manager Li."

The next morning, they left the farmer's house early in the morning in their carriage and headed for Yanzhou Prefecture.

They left their carriage at the Joyland Inn and then wandered aimlessly along the street.

Chen Shiyi whispered to Fu Xuwen.

"When you were in Kyoto, how did you get information?"

Fu Xuwen smiled.

"Oh, I only heard the news from the elder sisters after dinner. We know relatively little about the affairs of the rich families. The maids and servants who occasionally come out from there keep their mouths shut."

“How reliable is the news?”

"They tend to make wild guesses, but their guesses are 70% correct."

Chen Shiyi nodded and said, yes, those people who used to sit under the banyan tree loved to gossip after meals, and their guesses were mostly correct.

"Okay, go find out which areas in Yanzhou are not peaceful, where the bandits usually gather to rob people, and what the government's current attitude is towards the bandits. You must find out these things carefully."

Fu Xuwen nodded cautiously.

"Sister, leave it to me!"

After Fu Xuwen left, Chen Shiyi spoke to Yuan Xi behind him.

"Come on, follow me to the teahouse to listen to stories and get information."

On the way to the teahouse, I saw yesterday's tenant, Sun, walking with a middle-aged man in blue. The middle-aged man looked very similar to Manager Li, just as Fu Xuwen described.

Chen Shiyi thought for a while, then pretended to casually walk past them with Yuanxi.

"Master Chen."

Chen Shiyi paused, turned around, and smiled.

"Sun Dian Hu, why did you come to the city?"

When they saw Chen Shiyi, both of them were surprised, especially the man in green.

He quickly bowed to Chen Shiyi.

"I am Li Changsheng, and I have met Master Chen."

On the second floor of the teahouse, Chen Shiyi went straight to the point.

"You two, come to the capital to find me and tell me what you want to say."

Li Changsheng said respectfully.

"I am willing to provide all the information about the remaining villages and forests, just to give my stupid elder brother a chance to survive."

"Why do you think I can do it for you? You know, I am just a powerless woman facing a bunch of murderous bandits. You may think too highly of me."

"I know everything about the dispute between the grandson tenant and the master last night. The master is smart, and how can her female identity and age restrict you?"

Chen Shiyi chuckled.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Master will agree. After all, that is your territory. If anything goes wrong, Master will bear the greatest responsibility."

"Then do you know from whom I received this deed?"

Li Changsheng shook his head in confusion.

"I don't know."

"He is a government official. He is unwilling to be involved in such things. So, I have no one to back me up. I want to ask, how can a woman with no power at all deal with the bandits who occupy a mountaintop?"

Li Changsheng and Sun Dianhu looked at each other, both of them showing regret in their eyes.

Chen Shiyi took in their expressions, took a sip of tea, and continued.

"It's not impossible, but can you promise to tell me everything you know, or that you won't betray me behind my back when I need you?"

Both of them looked solemn.

"Everything is subject to Master Chen's arrangements."

It was already dusk when Fu Xuwen returned to the upper room of Yuelai Guest Inn.

"There is a canyon between Mingyue County and Zilai County. That place is the only way for the two counties to pass through, and most of the bandits come and go there. It is said that the county magistrates of the two counties have discussed the issue of suppressing the bandits, but nothing has been done. The city of Yanzhou did not take this matter seriously."

Yuanxi was shocked after hearing this.

"Lingyu Villa is located in Mingyue County."

Chen Shiyi held his chin in his hand and thought for a while.

"When did the banditry begin to become the most rampant?"

Fu Xuwen thought about it.

"The tone of the audience should be in the next two to three years."

Chen Shiyi took a deep breath.

"I don't have much time left. I must drive away the bandits stationed in the Lingyu Mountains before the government officially launches a crackdown. Otherwise, my life will be in danger."

Yuanxi bit his lip and said with determination.

"Sister, how about we return the title deed to the original owner and pass this hot potato to him?"

Chen Shiyi smiled helplessly.

"Do you think I haven't thought about it? Land deeds are not like property deeds. To change them, you have to wait at least half a year and have the government measure the land again before you can change them. Faraway water cannot quench immediate thirst, so I am anxious."

Yuanxi was very confused.

"But why can those who sell houses do so?"

"There is no dispute about the fixed residence and fixed land. It will be faster if you give some money. Lingyu Manor is too big. It is on the boundary line between two counties. If the county is re-divided, the title deed of Lingyu Manor will also need to be re-issued. That is not something that can be done by giving money."

"Why was the original owner so fast?"

Chen Shiyi was very annoyed.

"Don't mention him. I get so angry when I mention him. I guess he did it on purpose. I don't know what he is up to."

"Sister, what should we do now?"