Chapter 348 Extra Chapter: With You (Part 1)
On the busiest street in the southwest city of Shijie, in what everyone considers the best location, there is a teahouse.
The three large characters "Spring Never Ends" are inlaid on the door, and everyone who passes by looks at this teahouse with envy.
There was no other way. After Da Yu sent officials to Shijie City and incorporated Shijie City into Da Yu's territory, Chun Buwan's people came along with the officials.
Everyone knows that Chunbuwan has an extraordinary status. No matter what you've done or who you've offended, as long as you sneak into Chunbuwan, the manager will take you in, and you'll have a chance to survive.
Wei Yanli, who had been in the southwest for almost six years, sat listlessly on the couch by the window.
He held a cup of tea in his hand, sipping it while watching the bustling crowds on the street outside the window.
There were people from the original Biao Kingdom, as well as merchants from Dayu who came to trade.
Different clothes, different languages, and different customs...
Shijie City has become a city that embraces people from all ethnic groups of Dayu and Biao Kingdom.
Because of this, all sorts of things happen in Shijie City. Whether it's officials or ordinary people, they can see people fighting and arguing every day for all sorts of bizarre reasons.
At the beginning, Wei Yanli would go with everyone to watch the excitement.
After watching it so many times, I started to find it boring.
He even made a special summary when he wrote a letter to Princess Yongxin in the capital.
"The people of Shijie City quarrel for several reasons: first, money; second, who has been cuckolded more; and third, some reckless individuals incite others to contribute their family fortune to restore the country, only to be reported to the authorities..."
Ugh, I'm so tired of seeing all this drama every day. But if you came here, you'd definitely love watching this kind of excitement..."
Wei Yanli felt quite unlucky. When he came here with Xiao Huaijin that year, he agreed to come and help out.
After all, gathering information and planting spies around the enemy was his forte.
But who could have known that once you left, you could never go back!
The Da Yu court's approach to the Biao Kingdom was that things should be a bit chaotic.
Only when chaos is created will those people dare not have any designs on Da Yu, and will they all secretly try to curry favor with Da Yu.
But it can't be too chaotic, otherwise it will hinder the business of us merchants from Chongqing!
If it disrupts the merchants' business, it will affect the tax revenue of Dayu. Wei Yanli knows this. Currently, 90% of Dayu's tax revenue comes from trade. The emperors of Dayu care about the farmers and now they hardly collect land taxes anymore.
Therefore, Wei Yanli had to stay in Shijie City to keep an eye on things, as he had placed his own people among the leaders of various forces in Biao Kingdom.
No matter what they do, Wei Yanli will be the first to know.
Then, depending on the severity of the matter, he would decide whether to handle it himself or send it to the capital as quickly as possible.
...
After taking a couple more sips of tea, I watched two elderly women arguing outside the window for a while. Then I watched one of them offer her youngest daughter as a concubine to a minor official guarding the city of Shijie. And that was the end of the argument.
There was no way around it. In Shijie City, although there was no rule that the people of Dayu had a higher status, all the people of Biao Kingdom knew that Shijie City was able to remain untouched by the ravages of war thanks to the people of Dayu.
Therefore, they have a sense of fear towards the people of Chongqing.
If the Dayu people leave one day and abandon Shijie City, then Shijie City will become just like the other cities outside.
War breaks out at the drop of a hat, and people are displaced...
Wei Yanli gently closed the window and glanced at the teacup beside him, which had already gone cold.
The tea lady opposite him was looking at him respectfully...
"Young master? Let me get you another pot!"
"No need, you can go down now! Go and call the people outside in!" Wei Yanli waved his hand.
The tea lady quickly bowed and withdrew.
The attendant who had been waiting outside immediately came in.
"Young master, please give your orders!" The attendant also bowed.
"Go tell the prefect that all those constables and runners should be taught a good lesson. They can't exploit the people. If they're caught doing it, they'll be exiled!"
Also, go and talk to the young general of the Southwest Army who is guarding the city.
Tell his men to tighten their belts and not accept just anyone. Their salaries aren't high; can they afford to support so many women?
What if we can't afford to support them? In the end, will we have to squeeze money from ordinary people again?
A squad leader actually took two concubines? What's wrong? Did he have too much energy for nothing?
Alright, if you have the energy but nowhere to use it, I'll talk to the prefect and see where there's a need for corvée labor, and send all those people there.
"They're all such troublesome people!" Wei Yanli rattled off a long list of complaints.
The attendants quickly agreed.
Everyone knows that their young master has been in a bad mood lately, so they'd better be careful.
If he finds fault with anything, he'll definitely get a beating...
...
After the attendants left, Wei Yanli stood up and stretched.
When will this kind of life ever end?!
Wei Yanli, once a noble young master of the capital, is now stuck in Shijie City. The more he thinks about it, the more frustrated he feels.
Wei Yanli was also well-versed in literature. If he were to participate in the imperial examination, he dared not say that he would become the top scholar like his great-grandfather, but he would still be quite confident of achieving the highest rank.
He was once a pride of Wutong Academy, you know!
Thinking of this, Wei Yanli felt resentful towards Xiao Huaijin again.
When he left the southwest to return to the capital, didn't he say that the Empress was giving birth and he was afraid that some disloyal people would cause trouble while the Empress was giving birth, so he had to go back to guard her?
He will come back after the Empress gives birth.
Wei Yanli believed him! He quickly packed his things and saw Xiao Huaijin out of Shijie City.
It wasn't until two days after Xiao Huaijin left that Wei Yanli realized, "Who in the capital would dare to harbor any disloyal intentions?"
Those who harbored disloyal intentions were either sent far away or have already been reincarnated. Who would dare to harbor disloyal intentions towards the Empress?
Well, the Empress is Xiao Huaijin's elder sister, and having a child is a big deal. It's understandable that Xiao Huaijin is worried and concerned.
Okay, the Empress has given birth, and Xiao Huaijin hasn't returned. Wei Yanli can understand that; after a woman gives birth, she has to go through postpartum confinement!
Even though the Empress was an emperor, she was still a woman after all, and it was understandable that she didn't have the energy to handle state affairs after giving birth.
However, two months have passed since the Empress finished her postpartum confinement, and Xiao Huaijin still hasn't returned.
This terrified Wei Yanli. Could something really have happened in the capital...?
That's impossible! There's no bad news coming back!
After waiting for a while, news finally came.
Xiao Huaijin has been detained by the Empress and made regent!
Wei Yanli was both surprised and delighted!
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