Not long after Mu Xi and the other women arrived at the palace, Tang Ji eagerly suggested going to the Royal Elegant Villa. Although they would go there occasionally, many areas of the villa were only open to certain people, so they were not familiar with those places.
Tang Ji pleaded with Chu Fan coquettishly, "Your Majesty, could you take us to the upper floor of the Royal Restaurant? I heard the scenery there is very charming and the food is unique. Every dish is unique and has its own unique flavor."
After hearing Tang Ji's words, Chu Fan gave her a slightly reproachful look. He preferred to stay put in the palace and do nothing, and he wasn't particularly concerned with the management and operation of the Royal Elegant Villa. After all, these matters were handled by members of the royal family, and he didn't think he needed to get involved too much.
However, facing Tang Ji's expectant eyes, Chu Fan couldn't bear to refuse.
Chu Fan turned to Mu Xi and the other women and asked, "Do you also want to go to the upper floors of the Royal Restaurant? If everyone is interested, we can arrange it. Just think of it as a way to relax and go out for a walk."
Mu Xi and the other women smiled at each other and nodded in agreement. After all, they were all young women in their early twenties, full of curiosity and anticipation for many unknown things.
Chu Fan couldn't help but sigh softly as he witnessed the scene before him, his heart filled with emotion. He then instructed Eunuch Li beside him, "Little Li, go prepare the carriages for Mu Xi and the others to travel with. Also, ensure I have enough eunuchs and palace maids to protect me."
Eunuch Li took the order and went to make preparations. Chu Fan chatted with Mu Xi and other women while waiting for the carriage to arrive.
As for why Chu Fan arranged a large number of eunuchs and palace maids to protect himself, it was because Chu Fan was considering his own life safety. Because he had once encountered an assassination attempt, that experience made him deeply realize that there must be no negligence in safety protection.
Eunuch Li immediately took action after receiving the order. Soon a luxurious carriage was ready, and a team of eunuchs and palace maids composed of high-level warriors had also been assembled. They would be responsible for the safety of Chu Fan and his group.
Chu Fan, Mu Xi and the other women rode in a carriage, slowly heading towards the Royal Elegant Villa. However, before they reached the entrance of the villa, Chu Fan was surprised to find that the originally desolate wilderness had unknowingly turned into a bustling market.
There were vendors gathering and crowds of people, a prosperous scene. This sudden change made Chu Fan very confused. He didn't understand why this once wilderness had suddenly become so prosperous and lively.
Chu Fan said to Mu Xi and the other women in the carriage, "Should we go down and take a look at this trading market? I'm very curious about the changes in this place. I wonder when a piece of wilderness turned into a market."
Mu Xi humbly said, "I know a thing or two, and perhaps I can help Your Majesty. How about we go to the marketplace together, stroll through the bustling streets, and I'll explain the reasons in detail to you. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Since a grand wedding ceremony had not yet been held, Mu Xi and her entourage still maintained a humble self-reference, using the term "commoner woman" to express their respect for the imperial power.
Chu Fan nodded slightly, agreeing with Mu Xi's suggestion. At his signal, the carriage slowly stopped. The eunuchs and palace maids, ever vigilant in the shadows, sprang into action. They quietly dispersed and quickly set up a tight security net around the area to ensure Chu Fan's safety.
Chu Fan, accompanied by Mu Xi and others, stepped off the carriage and entered the bustling market. He saw vendors enthusiastically greeting customers, and a wide variety of goods filled the stalls.
Chu Fan's gaze wandered through the market, and he noticed something even more astonishing: instead of using traditional silver as a medium of exchange, the vendors and merchants were using banknotes issued by the Royal Elegant Villa. This banknote circulated smoothly in the market and seemed to have gained widespread recognition and use.
Initially, Chu Fan's original intention in using paper money at the Royal Ya Villa was to amass wealth from the nobles and wealthy merchants. However, he had never expected that the use of this paper money would quickly spread to the general public, and even ordinary people would readily accept this new payment method.
Chu Fan witnessed an elderly man dressed in very simple clothes. He was simply selling game he had hunted in the mountains and forests at the market, supplying it to restaurants. When the restaurant owner handed him paper money as payment, Chu Fan initially expected the elderly man to refuse it due to unfamiliarity or distrust of the currency.
But to Chu Fan's surprise, the old man took the banknote with a smile and made the change skillfully.
In fact, for ordinary people like this, they simply couldn't imagine entering a high-end place like Royal Elegant Villa to spend money. Even the most basic Black Iron membership card in the villa required a top-up of at least 10,000 taels of silver to gain entry, and this old man obviously didn't have such financial resources.
Therefore, Chu Fan was curious. The old man did not know the specific items that could be exchanged for banknotes, but he could see from the old man's expression that he was very satisfied with this new way of transaction and seemed to have fully accepted this convenient payment method.
Chu Fan suddenly felt an impulse in his heart, and decided to go forward in person and ask the old man the questions in his heart.
With a gentle smile, he softly asked the old man, "Excuse me, sir, have you applied for a membership card at Royal Elegant Villa? Why did you choose to use paper money for transactions?"
The old man raised his head, a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He didn't expect that someone would notice that he was selling mountain products. This made him realize that he needed to be more careful in the future to avoid being robbed.
The old man quickly regained his composure and replied with a smile, "Sir, how can ordinary people like us afford to apply for membership cards? However, paper money is much more convenient to carry than heavy silver, and can also be used to exchange for rice, making it more practical than silver. Therefore, ordinary people like us are more willing to accept paper money."
Chu Fan seemed to understand after hearing this and nodded to show his understanding: "I see, thank you for your explanation, I really benefited a lot from it."
Chu Fan bowed respectfully to the old man to show his respect. The old man also bowed back, his eyes showing more favor towards the young man.
The old man took the initiative to speak: "Young Master, if you don't mind, I have some freshly picked mushrooms and wild vegetables here, and I'd like to give them to you to try."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
