The guards also shook their heads; they only followed Pei Zhi.
However, they dared not get too close, for fear of being discovered, and followed from a distance.
They, of course, had no idea what Pei Zhi was talking about with the innkeeper.
Xiao Chengci didn't care about anything else.
"Immediately issue an order that treasures have been lost in the city, and that the city gates be closed to search for them."
Pei Zhi has already entered the city. This time, Xiao Chengci will not let Pei Zhi slip away under his nose no matter what.
Pei Zhicai had just reached the city gate when he heard a commotion in the distance.
They said that martial law was in effect in the city, the city gates were closed, and no one was allowed to enter or leave the city.
Upon hearing this, Pei Zhi cautiously took two steps back.
Pei Zhi wondered if it was someone from the Qin family who had come looking for them.
A moment later, Pei Zhi felt something was wrong again.
Her whereabouts were entirely random.
If Qin Mian were truly that capable, he wouldn't have been so easily fooled by her in the first place.
She had barely entered the city when Qin Mian's men came chasing after her.
Pei Zhi was certain they weren't there to arrest her, so she found a teahouse, ordered a pot of tea, and planned to have a drink and rest.
Pei Zhi took a sip of the tea, which cost one tael of silver per pot. She thought the tea leaves were so broken and that she would rather have a pot of plain water.
Xiao Chengci rushed over and saw Pei Zhi looking at a cup of tea with a disgusted expression.
Xiao Chengci walked up to Pei Zhi with a relieved expression. "Miss, we meet again."
Pei Zhi did not look up, because she did not believe that anyone in Beicheng knew her.
Pei Zhi continued to blow on the tea dust in her cup.
Seeing that he was being ignored, Xiao Chengci didn't make a fuss.
Xiao Chengci raised his voice slightly: "Miss?"
Pei Zhi then looked up and raised an eyebrow in surprise when she saw the person who had come.
Pei Zhi glanced at the guards behind Xiao Chengci. "Did you follow me here?"
Xiao Chengci quickly said, "Miss, you've misunderstood. It's just a coincidence."
"I've been in Beicheng for three or four days now. Today I wanted to go out for a stroll, and I never expected to run into a girl like this."
"Really?" Pei Zhi asked casually. "Do you have anything else to say?"
Pei Zhi's expression was crystal clear: if there's nothing else, then get lost.
Xiao Chengci said warmly, "It's fate that we met by chance in Beicheng. Won't you invite me for a cup of tea?"
Pei Zhi didn't know what the man in front of her was up to.
But Pei Zhi could sense that the other party meant her no harm.
Pei Zhi picked up the teapot and filled the empty cup with tea.
Anyway, Pei Zhi didn't want to drink tea that cost one or two taels of silver per pot, so since someone else wanted to drink it, it would save them from wasting it.
Xiao Chengci sat down, somewhat flattered, and then picked up the teacup with both hands.
Pei Zhi poured him tea, and Xiao Chengci froze on the spot as soon as the tea touched his lips.
Xiao Chengci was born into a privileged family.
Naturally, he had never experienced any hardship.
I've never tasted tea worse than this.
Because it was tea poured by Pei Zhi, Xiao Chengci couldn't bear to spit it out and had no choice but to swallow it.
Xiao Chengci rubbed his fingers together in the teacup, cautiously probing, "Miss, are you experiencing some financial difficulties lately?"
Xiao Chengci was worried that Pei Zhi might be out of money and living a life of hardship.
Even the tea can only be ordered at the cheapest price.
Pei Zhi nodded readily in agreement: "Mm."
Just as Xiao Chengci was wondering how to subtly slip Pei Zhi some silver, he heard Pei Zhi speak.
"Originally, I thought that the money I had was enough for me to live off until I died of old age."
"I only realized how naive I was when I arrived in the northern part of the city."
Pei Zhi raised his teacup. "A pot of tea made from scraps, costing one tael of silver."
"The cheapest inn is five taels of silver a night."
Pei Zhi shook her head: "With the little silver I have, it's not suitable for me to stay in the North City."
Although Xiao Chengci was an emperor, he knew that the price was obviously wrong.
The most expensive tea that Xiao Chengci drank cost only a few hundred taels of silver per tael.
This broken tea is something that would be completely unsellable in the tea industry.
Xiao Chengci looked around the street and realized that the area around the street was actually full of people.
"Did you see that?"
Pei Zhi said, "Most of them are from out of town and are now sleeping on the streets."
Most cooks receive a monthly salary.
They came here hoping to get lucky.
Even if you don't get lucky, making some money in the North City is still a good option.
No one expected that prices in the northern part of the city would also rise.
Pei Zhi's gaze was so mocking that Xiao Chengci didn't dare to look up.
"It seems that the government is not managing things properly. I'm sure they will make changes soon."
As soon as Xiao Chengci finished speaking, one of the guards behind him quietly left.
Pei Zhi saw it, but pretended not to.
Pei Zhi finished her tea. "I just don't know when we'll find the treasure. I'm in a hurry to leave the city."
"Now that the young lady is here, why not stay in the northern part of the city for a couple more days?"
"As for the inflation, I believe the government will discover it soon."
Xiao Chengci said solicitously, "No matter what, shouldn't we give him a chance to correct his mistakes?"
"There are too many people here, I don't like it being too crowded."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengci asked, "Where does the young lady plan to go next?"
Pei Zhi shrugged and said, "The world is vast, and we can make our home anywhere."
Xiao Chengci naturally couldn't let Pei Zhi leave like that.
Xiao Chengci, however, did not dare to use force to make Pei Zhi stay.
As Xiao Chengci was pondering what to do, he heard a mocking voice.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
