Chapter 124 Mistaken for a Spy
Wang Zongxiu: "Then what am I supposed to earn? All that hard work just for nothing?"
Zhu Mingyue remained unmoved: "The grain or me, you choose one."
"My ancestor, I give up! I choose you, okay?!"
He could tell the difference between being full at one meal and being full at every other meal. Following Zhu Mingyue, he didn't need the money from selling grain.
Zhu Mingyue took out a piece of pastry, but couldn't finish it herself, so she broke off half and turned around to give it to Guan Jing.
Guan Jing swallowed it whole with a single gulp.
Wang Zongxiu: ...
He was standing right in front of me, but I wouldn't even share with him; in the end, our feelings had faded.
Zhu Mingyue felt uncomfortable under his resentful gaze and turned her attention to the road ahead.
After walking for another half day, a sense of familiarity welled up in my heart: "Are we almost at Jizhou?"
Wang Zongxiu: "It'll be here soon."
He turned around, waved his hand, and called out loudly, "Brothers, cheer up! We should be at Jizhou City in about two more hours. Let's try to get into the city before dark."
Zhu Mingyue's lips curled up, and she finally smiled.
Wang Zongxiu slapped the horse's rump, and it galloped forward a hundred meters.
Seeing this, Zhu Mingyue also chased after them.
“The south is mostly plains, riding horses is much more enjoyable than in Ganzhou,” Wang Zongxiu laughed heartily. “It’s just that the scenery is too monotonous.”
For Zhu Mingyue, it didn't matter where he rode a horse; he couldn't ride a fast horse, and riding fast made him feel uncomfortable.
Yin Xue was also sensible; he knew when he could run faster and when he needed to slow down, so he didn't even need a riding whip.
Stroking Yin Xue's sideburns that fluttered in the wind, Zhu Mingyue sighed, "Each has its own merits. The plains of Jizhou are vast and boundless; once spring arrives and the green grass sprouts, the scenery should be even more beautiful."
Wang Zongxiu didn't think it looked good. He was used to living in Ganzhou and was so happy that he didn't want to leave. He was planning to settle down in Ganzhou.
For him, Jizhou had no redeeming qualities other than the freedom to ride horses at will. It's unclear where Zhu Mingyue, who had only visited once, got such a strong bias.
As dusk approached, the group spurred their horses and entered Jizhou City.
They found a nearby inn to stay in, and Zhu Mingyue went inside and put down her luggage.
"Sir, is there anything you need?" the waiter asked.
Zhu Mingyue took out three copper coins: "Please fetch me some hot water, something scalding hot."
The waiter became more attentive after receiving the money, saying, "I'll go prepare it for you right away."
After everyone left, Zhu Mingyue casually looked around the room.
Along the way into the city, most of the few inns and restaurants that offered a place to eat had closed down.
It was quite a struggle to find this place; it looks like it's been around for a while, and the prices are very cheap.
The inn was deserted. The waiter and the innkeeper got along well and even looked somewhat alike, so they must be family. There was no one else in the inn besides the two of them.
Zhu Mingyue guessed that running an inn in Jizhou was extremely difficult. The few that were able to stay open didn't even have a proper employee; they were probably just trying to make ends meet day by day.
However, the inn's environment was quite nice. The facilities were a bit old, but it was kept very clean, with the tables and chairs spotless.
Zhu Mingyue placed the package at the foot of the bed and sat down to massage her back.
After all, he had traveled such a long distance, and although he was riding a horse this time, it was still quite arduous for him.
After pounding for a while, they heard the waiter knocking on the door.
"Come in."
The shopkeeper and the waiter each carried in two buckets of steaming hot water.
Watching the two pour water into the bathtub, Zhu Mingyue asked, "Do you still cook here at this hour?"
"Yes, we'll make it!" the innkeeper replied without hesitation. "We make everything. We just don't have much meat or vegetables, but we have eggs, goose eggs, cabbage, and radishes. Please let us know what you'd like to order, sir."
Zhu Mingyue smiled. The shopkeeper's service was indeed enthusiastic, no wonder it was the only one in the area that could barely survive.
But this dish is too monotonous. Zhu Mingyue thought for a moment, "Make a pot of rice, stir-fry some cabbage and eggs, and add plenty of oil. Send a portion to each of the people who moved in with me."
He took out a tael or two of loose silver and placed it on the table. "Is this enough?"
The shopkeeper and the waiter's eyes lit up: "That's enough!"
She even patted her chest and assured him, "This money is more than enough, there's even some left over! Tell me as soon as possible what you want to eat tomorrow, and I'll go buy it."
Zhu Mingyue nodded: "Thank you for your concern."
"By the way, remember to put all the food and drinks at their inn on my tab."
The innkeeper nodded in agreement. Business at the inn was slow, so it was rare to see so many customers, including one who was very generous. He was overjoyed and determined to make sure the customer was well taken care of.
After taking a bath and changing clothes, Zhu Mingyue received a very oily dinner.
Fortunately, scrambled eggs and stir-fried cabbage don't require much skill; they're easy to cook and won't taste bad. I hope that tomorrow, even if I'm tired and hungry, I can easily finish a bowl of rice, but still have most of the vegetables left over.
The waiter came over to clean up and saw the leftover food on the table. He felt a little sorry for it, but he didn't dare to say anything.
The dish was cooked with so much oil, but the other person barely touched it.
He tentatively asked, "Sir, do you not want any of these dishes?"
"Yes, take it down!" Zhu Mingyue waved her hand casually.
The waiter gulped down the food. It was a waste to throw away so much food. Seeing that this young master was a discerning person and the leftovers were clean, he couldn't bear to throw them away. He might as well treat himself to a meal.
Zhu Mingyue got up and closed the window. Before leaving, she glanced outside and casually asked, "Do you know how far it is from here to Jizhou Camp?"
The waiter shook his head: "I don't know about that, but someone in my family sells vegetables. They've delivered vegetables to Jizhou Camp a few times, always leaving around dawn and returning before noon."
"Sir, are you heading to Jizhou Camp?"
Zhu Mingyue nodded truthfully, calculating the time in her mind.
The round trip takes less than two hours, so it's not too far.
The waiter was quick-witted. Seeing him nod, he said enthusiastically, "I see that you are riding a horse, which will certainly be faster than my family member, who is pulling a donkey."
Zhu Mingyue smiled and took out ten coins. "Please help me feed the horse first thing tomorrow morning."
The waiter hesitated to accept the money and took a step back, saying, "Sir, you mustn't." Feeding a horse was just a service offered by their inn; it was included with check-in and didn't require any extra payment.
Zhu Mingyue handed it to him: "Take it."
The waiter could refuse such a temptation once, but not twice. He shamelessly accepted it, thanking him repeatedly. Seeing that the waiter seemed unfamiliar with the area, he even offered him some information: "If you are only riding a horse and not transporting goods, just go through West Street, then turn left and follow the main road. You will see Jizhou Camp in the distance. This will save you a lot of detours!"
"Also, I've heard that the guards at Jizhou Camp are always very strict. Anyone who comes in from outside will be searched. You'd better not bring any weapons like swords or knives, or you'll be taken away and questioned."
Zhu Mingyue was completely unfamiliar with the route to Jizhou Camp and didn't know about all the rules. She thought the money she spent was well worth it, and the waiter was eager to tell her all the useful information he knew.
In the dead of night, faint snores could be heard from next door. The snoring of the strong young man was quite loud, not just loud, but deafening.
Zhu Mingyue buried her head in the quilt, and after an unknown amount of time, she was so sleepy that she finally drifted off to sleep.
He got up unusually early the next day, dressed neatly, and went downstairs. There was still no one in the inn. The waiter was diligently wiping the tables and greeted him warmly: "Did you rest well last night, sir?"
Zhu Mingyue paused for a moment, then said against his will, "Not bad." It would have been better if no one next door was snoring, but unfortunately it was someone he knew, so he couldn't complain.
Zhu Mingyue rubbed her eyes: "Was there anything to eat this morning?"
Waiter: Yes, the manager is cooking rice porridge. Our inn's side dishes are quite good, you can try them, they go very well with the porridge.
"Okay." Zhu Mingyue nodded: "Boil some more eggs."
The waiter asked, "Is one egg enough for each person?"
Zhu Mingyue: "That's enough."
He went to check on Yin Xue, who was well-fed, full of energy, and was pacing outside.
Er Ya stood at the second-floor window, arrogantly raising her head to look down at the people coming and going below.
The shopkeeper served him a bowl of porridge and told him he could eat.
Zhu Mingyue doesn't have high expectations for mornings. When Xie Pei isn't home, he often skips breakfast because he wants to sleep in.
The congee and side dishes were indeed comforting. After finishing the last sip, Guan Jing walked down from the second floor with dark circles under his eyes.
"What happened?" Zhu Mingyue asked in surprise when she saw his appearance. "Didn't you sleep last night?"
Guan Jing was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open. He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite him. "Shopkeeper, don't even mention it. I don't know which bastards were snoring so loudly last night. It was so noisy I couldn't sleep at all."
Zhu Mingyue expressed her deep sympathy for him: "Fill your stomach and go back to sleep."
Staying up all night is terrifying; thankfully, he managed to sleep last night. Zhu Mingyue touched her face, feeling a little unsure of herself, and silently rolled an egg back and forth on her face.
Guan Jing took a sip of porridge, looked up and asked curiously, "Shopkeeper, what are you doing? Aren't eggs for eating?"
Zhu Mingyue explained, "I heard it can reduce swelling."
Seeing that Guan Jing's face was quite swollen, he kindly suggested, "Why don't you try it? It's quite comfortable."
Guan Jing looked at the eggshell she had smashed with her bare hands. "Forget it. I don't have to see my sweetheart later. So what if it's swollen? No need to be so particular."
Zhu Mingyue: ...
Although the other person said it unintentionally, it felt like it was directed at him.
He coughed twice to cover his embarrassment: "It's not that you have to be particular only when you're seeing your sweetheart."
Guan Jing belatedly realized he had misspoke and quickly tried to correct himself: "The shopkeeper is right, I was just being superficial."
The two chatted for a few more minutes, and then people started coming downstairs.
Wang Zongxiu, his face full of anger, plopped heavily onto the stool with a loud thud: "Which bastard is snoring so loudly? Can't a person get any sleep?"
Everyone looked at each other, puzzled. Nobody knew that snoring people didn't know they snored.
Zhu Mingyue changed the subject: "After you finish breakfast, deliver the grain to Jizhou Camp."
Wang Zongxiu chuckled slyly, "Hey, Mr. Zhu, are you planning to send grain to the Jizhou camp again?"
Zhu Mingyue glanced at him: "You're allowed to sell, but I'm not allowed to give it away? You promised to sell this grain to me at cost price. What, are you going to back out?"
Guan Jing quickly declared, "No regrets! Our boss's word is his bond."
Wang Zongxiu kicked him hard under the table. He had already said everything, so what else could he say?
He could only awkwardly reply, "Fine, I'll give it to you! But..."
Zhu Mingyue sneered, then scooped up his porridge and eggs and placed them in front of her. "Just what?"
Wang Zongxiu immediately became honest: "It's nothing."
Zhu Mingyue didn't mean to exploit him; it was just that it was really unethical for Wang Zongxiu to use the money he was paid to do private work.
He pushed the porridge back and stood up: "I'll go to Jizhou Camp first. You can send the grain there today."
"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. You can go out and have a good time. Just remember what you eat and drink and I'll reimburse you later. Don't be shy."
Cheers erupted.
"The shopkeeper is so generous!"
Most of the people who followed Wang Zongxiu on his business trips had poor backgrounds and were homeless. For them, it didn't matter where they spent the New Year.
Coming to Jizhou not only allows them to escort the shopkeeper, but also provides an opportunity to stretch their muscles—a win-win situation. Besides, the shopkeeper is very generous to them, and they all wish they could stick by his side.
Zhu Mingyue told them to eat slowly, then got up, went out, mounted her horse, and did so in one smooth motion.
Wang Zongxiu chased after him, mumbling through his mouthful of egg, "Should I have Guan Jing escort you?" He knew he couldn't escort him anyway, as he still had to transport grain to Jizhou camp later.
Zhu Mingyue decisively refused: "No need, I've already asked. Just walk through West Street and turn left, and you'll get there. Don't worry."
Since that's what he said, Wang Zongxiu stopped talking and watched him leave.
Guan Jing poked his head out from behind: "Boss, why isn't the manager coming with us?"
Wang Zongxiu got angry just looking at him and punched him on the head: "All you do is ask, ask, ask! Don't ask him anything about his business."
Zhu Mingyue arrived at Jizhou Camp in just half an hour.
They were immediately stopped and subjected to a routine inspection outside the camp.
The guard scrutinized his face, asking, "What brings you to the Jizhou camp?"
Zhu Mingyue pursed her lips and answered truthfully, "I'm here to visit relatives."
"Who are you investigating? Is there any evidence?"
It wasn't that the guards were being nosy; it was just that the newcomer's appearance was so outstanding that it had to be taken seriously.
Zhu Mingyue felt a bit pressured under the gaze of so many soldiers. "I'm looking for General Xie Pei," she said, taking out a jade pendant from her pocket. "This is a jade pendant he carved. Can it be considered evidence?"
The guard's voice suddenly turned sinister: "Consider it evidence."
It can be considered evidence of espionage.
The guard flashed his knife and instantly placed it against the man's throat. "Take him down quickly."
"Go and report to Lord Zhong immediately, we have caught a spy here."
In the blink of an eye, things took a turn in a direction he had never expected.
Zhu Mingyue frowned and defended herself: "I am not a spy. If you don't believe me, you can send Xie Pei to see me."
"How dare you! How dare you call the general by his name? Don't try to deny it. A few days ago, someone who looked exactly like you came, pretending to be related by presenting a jade pendant. But he had a poisoned needle hidden in his mouth. If it weren't for the general's quick thinking, you would have succeeded."
Zhu Mingyue was stunned for a moment, then felt a chill in her heart. Had Xie Pei been assassinated?
"Is he alright?"
"You mean your accomplice?" The guard sneered, tearing off a piece of cloth to gag Zhu Mingyue. "He was killed on the spot by the general. It seems the southern barbarians are still not giving up. They're looking for people, and they're bringing in people who look similar, thinking the general will fall for their tricks?"
Zhu Mingyue: ...
Zhu Mingyue was still dazed when she was taken into the dungeon.
With the chains fastened, the soldier glared at him and said hatefully, "Behave yourself. When Lord Zhong arrives, he'll confess some useful information, and you might get a quick death. You don't want to end up like your accomplices, having your tendons severed by the general and bleeding to death, do you?"
Zhu Mingyue shrank back, and the soldier thought he was scared, so he stopped warning him and stood outside the cell door to watch him.
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