Chapter Thirty-Eight
As he was speaking, his gaze fell on an intricately carved bell on the cabinet in front of him.
Zhou Yanqing stepped forward, picked up the bell, and gently shook it. The crisp sound leaped into his memory.
The first time he went to Qiuyu Tower to listen to opera with his master, it was this clear bell ringing that changed his life.
That day, he had just burned down the human trafficking ring's hideout.
He was eight years old that year.
After enduring three years of beatings and abuse from human traffickers, Zhou Yanqing finally found an opportunity while one of the traffickers was away...
The night before, Zhou Yanqing's leg was broken by a slave trader with a wooden stick because he failed to help them swindle the money they wanted.
Perhaps because they thought he wouldn't be able to leave, they didn't lock the door that day.
The eight-year-old child seized the opportunity, gritted his teeth, struggled to his feet, found a wooden stick to support his body, and ran outside.
He hadn't walked two steps when he saw that the stove fire where the slave trader's wife was cooking was still burning.
The pain in his leg reminded him of the humiliation he had endured for the past three years.
He simply set fire to the slave trader's hideout, but the fire spread too quickly. He dragged his broken leg as he ran forward and was almost engulfed by the flames.
Many years later, Zhou Yanqing still didn't know where she got the strength from. She just kept running and running, and she didn't dare to stop even when she ran into the bustling city.
He didn't know where he could run to, he only knew he didn't want to go back to that dark and hopeless place.
With a neigh, he nearly crashed into the carriage in front of him, but fortunately the coachman reacted quickly and pulled him to a stop.
He heard the coachman's rebuke, but his vision was already blurring. Before his consciousness faded, he saw the carriage curtain being lifted from the inside, vaguely revealing a figure in dark gold.
When he woke up again, his legs were wrapped in white cloth and supported by a long wooden board to prevent the fracture from shifting.
The man who would change his life appeared before him.
He asked him what had happened?
He asked him if he wanted to stay there.
Zhou Yanqing didn't answer, but asked him if he could help him find his mother.
Later, Qin Zixiu, who was also his master, helped him find his mother, who was still on duty in the Qin Palace.
On that day, he, who had always been called a bastard, finally had his own name—Zhou Yanqing.
His father's surname was Zhou, and he liked to call his mother "Qingqing".
He didn't know who his father was, nor why his father abandoned him and his mother.
He only hoped that his mother would never leave him again.
Later, Zhou Yanqing and Qin Zixiu proposed to join the army. He said, "As long as I have enough money, my mother will not abandon me."
On that same day, Qin Zixiu took him to see a play.
A classic play, "Yun Ji Saves Her Son".
Legend has it that Yun Ji was a beautiful and gentle girl with an orchid pattern between her eyebrows, always dressed in green, and with a string of copper bells hanging from her waist that would jingle as she walked.
She was originally a witch doctor, but because of her ability to save people and her noble character, she was taken to the heavens by Emperor Gu and became a savior goddess.
Whether you are sick, giving birth, or in danger, call upon the goddess Yunji, and she will come to your rescue.
No one had told Zhou Yanqing this story. He only knew that when he was barely surviving by the slave trader's side, no one came to save him except himself.
How he wished a goddess would come to save him, so he wouldn't have to suffer so much.
On the stage, a series of clear bell sounds reached his ears, and "Yun Ji" arrived riding on clouds.
A greenish-blue figure "drifted" past his eyes, leaving behind a faint floral fragrance.
He heard Qin Zixiu say, "Having survived such a calamity, Yun Ji will protect you in the future."
Will it?
Then why did someone tell him that he wouldn't live more than a year?
"Young master, I have to say you have excellent taste! This was sourced from Lanyu, it's quite old, and this is the price..."
The shopkeeper's words brought Zhou Yanqing back to his senses. Looking at the bell in his hand again, he could only think of one figure—Si Yanmo from his dream.
She seems to like wearing light green clothes, and this bell would certainly suit her well.
"How much silver?"
The shopkeeper hesitated, then held up one finger. "One...one hundred and twenty taels. You're a big customer, so I'll give you a discount. One hundred taels, how does that sound?"
Zhou Yanqing simply handed him two five-hundred-tael silver notes, "With those included, is that enough?"
"Enough! That's more than enough!" The shopkeeper's eyes nearly popped out when he saw such a large silver note.
However, adhering to the principle of honesty in business, he still told Zhou Yanqing that these things were only worth five hundred taels, and one thousand one hundred taels was really too much.
"Keep the extras. I'll send someone to collect any new items later."
"Okay, I'll definitely save them all for you!"
The rest were all carefully wrapped up by the shopkeeper. Zhou Yanqing planned to ask Wu Guan to send someone to pick them up when he got back, but as for the bell... he wanted to deliver it personally.
He specially asked the shopkeeper to pick out a wooden box engraved with jasmine flowers, and left the shop happily amidst the shopkeeper's repeated praises.
The sun is shining so brightly in the city today, it's so warm and cozy.
As Zhou Yanqing was thinking this, he was about to get into the carriage to return to the Prince of Qin's mansion when he looked up and saw Si Yanmo and a figure in bright red passing by Yunjian Pavilion. Si Yanmo was happily eating the candied hawthorn given to her by the man and then got into his carriage!
He looked down at the bell in his hand, which he had just bought for one hundred taels of silver…
Alright! She wouldn't go on horseback, and left in such a hurry, so it turns out she was meeting her lover here!
An unnamed sense of grievance and anger spread through my heart.
The sun is blazing today, it's so hot!
His Highness the King of Qin flicked his sleeves and boarded the carriage, tossing aside the wooden box containing the bells.
"What kind of candied hawthorn is that? It's so delicious!"
——
Meanwhile, Si Yanmo clearly didn't see Zhou Yanqing, and listened to Zhong Zihe muttering to himself the whole way.
Regardless of whether she wanted to listen or not, Zhong Zihe complained to her about how Nandu was now increasing taxes on merchants.
For most merchants, taxation isn't a big deal; it's just that current laws are inadequate, resulting in all merchants having to pay an additional 40% tax.
Larger families like the Zhong and Si families are doing alright, but smaller merchants are suffering terribly these days.
"Nowadays, many businesses have expanded to Qigu and Qindi."
Si Yanmo had experienced this in her previous life.
Historically, the regulations governing merchants in the south have not been detailed, and have relied on internal self-regulation by the merchants themselves.
For example, Si Fu was the charitable head of the Nandu Chamber of Commerce. He had a high reputation among the merchants and thus became a leader.
Firstly, it's to control market prices and prevent anyone from disrupting order and affecting everyone's business.
Secondly, it helps some new merchants entering Nandu to choose rental land and make connections, and also facilitates exchanges with other charitable organizations in Nandu, which is also a form of mutual support.
But it was, after all, a spontaneous act by the people, unlike the one initiated by the imperial court.
The reason why Zhou Junsong became the next emperor of the South in his previous life was largely due to his use of the court's power to control the merchants.
The first step is to increase taxes on businesses.
Si Yanmo: "Now that Nandu is just beginning, there will inevitably be right and wrong."
"That's why we say our little Mo'er is so accurate!" Zhong Zihe said, giving Si Yanmo a fawning squeeze on the shoulder.
Si Yanmo had told him about this before, so a year ago he started selecting sites in Qin, Qi Valley, and even Sak around Nandu.
By the time these tax laws are implemented in these areas, they will surely be more comprehensive, and it will not be difficult for the Zhong family, the head of the Nandu Restaurant, to continue doing business.
"I was originally planning to go to Qigu, but I remembered that my little Mo'er is here, so I rushed over! You see, your brother still misses you!"
Si Yanmo chuckled, "I think you're just missing Qiu He!"
The two chatted and laughed all the way until the carriage stopped at the gate of the Prince of Qin's mansion.
Zhong Zihe got out of the car with her and looked at the old door frame in front of them, just as surprised as Si Yanmo had been at the beginning.
"This King of Qin lives here? Is he trying to trick you?"
Si Yanmo shook her head. "No, he said he has lived here since he was a child. The Qin Palace is mostly used to meet with ministers, and he doesn't like to live there on weekdays."
"Oh dear, my poor little Mo'er is going to have a hard life after getting married."
"It's not as bad as you make it out to be!"
Zhong Zihe caught her subconscious words defending Zhou Yanqing, "Someone was unwilling to marry him back then, so why is she speaking up for her husband now?"
Si Yanmo was baffled by his words. "I didn't! I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going back."
"Hey, wait a minute!"
Zhong Zihe suddenly grabbed her, his smile turning serious, and whispered in her ear, "By the way, after you left, two groups of people came looking for you."
"who?"
"They all concealed their identities, but you could tell from their attire that they were related to the royal family."
Are both groups the same?
"Yes, they are."
Si Yanmo frowned.
She knew that Mo Li had a great reputation in Nandu, but... what had attracted the royal family to come looking for her? And who was it that came looking for her?
Unbeknownst to them, Wu Zi'ang, who was on his way to Bu Yuan, was stopped at the entrance by a man.
"Young master, you have the orchid talisman from the divination academy hanging from your waist. Are you a diviner from the divination academy?"
Wu Zi'ang didn't recognize the person in front of him, but he was pleased that the other person recognized him as a man, and responded warmly, "Indeed, is there anything I can help you with, young master?"
The man chuckled. “It’s nothing serious. I’m from Nandu. A fortune teller named Mo Li once cast a divination for me, and it saved my life. When I went to find her again, I heard that she had come to Qin.”
The man looked anxious and worried. "You know, I can't forget to repay this life-saving grace! I followed her here and asked around. Someone said they saw her at this temple, so I came to ask her."
“You’ve come to the right person! I just had tea with her!” Wu Zi’ang clapped his hands, then frowned. “But Mo Li is now a witch doctor, so it will be difficult for you to see her.”
“Witchcraft…” The man’s expression became intriguing.
He politely thanked Wu Zi'ang and then turned and disappeared into the alley.
Pedestrians came and went, but no one noticed a white dove flying towards the horizon.
A bird dropping fell and landed on Zhong Zihe's fan, which he disdainfully wiped away with a handkerchief.
"This fan is no longer acceptable!"
Si Yanmo seemed not to have heard him. She had a bad feeling that she should tell Zhou Yanqing about this.
Perhaps because of the fact that he had saved her before, Si Yanmo had a strange trust in him.
Thinking this, Si Yanmo said goodbye to Zhong Zihe and went inside, but Zhou Yanqing had not yet returned.
It wasn't until evening that she saw the man enter from outside the door with a blank expression, exuding a dangerous aura.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com