Chapter 70
"Thank you for your hard work, brothers." Song Qingyuan's voice was crisp, with a kind smile on his face. "My master is kind-hearted and can't bear to see you all working hard under the sun. I've prepared some homemade snacks and herbal tea. Please try some to relieve your fatigue."
As she spoke, she gestured to Lin Feng to open the lunch box.
As the food box was opened, a sweet aroma wafted out. Puffy white snow meringues, golden mango pancakes, emerald green matcha cakes...the porters had rarely seen these things, let alone eaten them.
A bearded man stared blankly at the food box and swallowed his saliva: "Young lady, this... is this really for us?"
"Of course." Song Qingyuan smiled and handed over a plate of snacks. "Everyone, please don't be polite. Just think of it as our business. We are trying to establish good relations with you all in advance."
Shen Yanzhi stood aside, watching Song Qingyuan talking to the porters in a calm and generous manner, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart.
She is like a beam of light. Whether in the backyard of the palace or in this chaotic city, she can easily attract everyone's attention and make people feel close to her.
With the delicious food leading the way, the atmosphere quickly became lively. The porters devoured the food while praising the generous "couple".
Song Qingyuan asked casually, "My family is in the silk business, and we're thinking of building a large warehouse in the south of the capital to facilitate the movement of goods. I wonder if any of you brothers know of any suitable places nearby? Ideally, one that's large enough and quiet enough."
"Big warehouses?" The bearded man mumbled, a Snow Mei Niang stuffed in his mouth. "There are so many. The government warehouses in the south of the city, as well as the private warehouses of the Li and Wang families, are all very large."
“Really?” Shen Yanzhi waved his fan, looking unconcerned, “Our boss has high requirements. Not only does it have to be big, but it also has to be dry.
A while ago, I heard someone rented a warehouse to stock up on goods, but it rained and the goods got moldy, costing them a lot of money. So we have to be extra careful.”
His words immediately resonated with the porters.
"That gentleman is right! Warehouses are most afraid of moisture!" said a tall, thin man. "If you want a dry and clean place, the warehouse that was converted from an old kiln in the rocky area east of the city is the best.
The ground is high, and there are three layers of lime underneath. Not to mention silk, even if you put grain in it, it won't spoil for ten years!"
"Oh? There is such a good place?" Shen Yanzhi pretended to be surprised.
"That's right!" another man said, "but that place is very spooky. A while ago, a big customer booked it for the whole place. It's so secretive that even when we go to unload the goods, we have to go in batches and can't see the whole place clearly.
The pay is high, but the work is urgent, moving things day and night, and it's exhausting."
Shen Yanzhi and Song Qingyuan looked at each other and understood.
This is it.
Chen Yanzhi calmly took out a small ingot of silver from his sleeve and placed it on the table: "Thank you for your guidance, brothers. This is just a small gift, not a token of respect. Everyone, take it and have tea."
After saying that, he turned around and left with Song Qingyuan and Lin Feng, as if they were really just wealthy businessmen who came to inquire about the news.
After walking out of Xiaguanpo and turning into a secluded alley, Lin Feng lowered his voice and said excitedly, "Your Majesty, Master, it looks like this is the old kiln site in Luanshigang! I'll go check it out right away!"
"No." Shen Yanzhi shook his head. His eyes fell on Song Qingyuan, and he asked, "Qingyuan, what do you think?"
Song Qingyuan pondered for a moment: "What the porter said is most likely true. But the Second Prince is suspicious by nature. Since he did it so secretly, he must have a backup plan. We can't just focus on the Rocky Hill."
She looked at Shen Yanzhi, her eyes flashing with calculation, "Since he wants to use the 'salt famine' to trap us, then we will give him the trick of 'blooming everywhere'. Doesn't he think we can't find it? Then let him think that we seem to have found it everywhere."
Shen Yanzhi raised his eyebrows: "A feint to the east and attack in the west?"
"No, it's a trick to confuse the enemy." Song Qingyuan's smile was tinged with cunning, "Lin Feng, send someone to investigate the rocky hill, but make a big noise and pretend to be discovered.
At the same time, send a few more groups to the canal docks west of the city and the abandoned armory north of the city to conduct reconnaissance operations. We must make sure the Second Prince's men think we are like a group of headless flies, running around aimlessly.
Lin Feng was a little puzzled: "Master, if we do this, won't it alert the enemy and make him move the salt?"
"He can't do it." Song Qingyuan said firmly, "For such a large amount of illegal salt, can he find a suitable and sufficiently secret warehouse in such a short time? Impossible. He will only strengthen the guards of all suspicious warehouses.
The more nervous he is, and the more heavily guarded a place is, the more it indicates there's something wrong."
Shen Yanzhi clapped his hands in admiration, "Brilliant! He thought we were on the first level, but we were on the second level. In fact, we were using his reactions to guide us!"
He looked at Song Qingyuan, and for the first time, he felt the exhilaration of meeting a worthy opponent. This was no longer a simple exchange of ideas; it was a tacit understanding that ran deep into his bones. With just one glance, he could understand the other person's overall calculations.
"Lin Feng, just do as the princess says!" Shen Yanzhi ordered in a deep voice, and the word "Princess" sounded very natural.
Lin Feng's heart trembled. He glanced at his master, then at Song Qingyuan, whose cheeks were slightly red but whose eyes were clear. He immediately understood what was going on and replied emphatically, "Yes! I obey your command!"
A secret war over the salt warehouse kicked off in a way no one expected. After completing their mission, Shen Yanzhi and Song Qingyuan, the impromptu "rich businessman couple", walked side by side on the streets of the capital.
The setting sun stretched their shadows very long, as if they were intertwined and could no longer be separated.
Shen Yanzhi looked at her profile, which was gilded by the setting sun, and suddenly said, "Today... I'm sorry for putting you through this."
Song Qingyuan turned his head, a little puzzled: "What are you aggrieved about?"
"A place like Xiaguanpo is not one you should go to."
Song Qingyuan smiled, and that smile was even brighter than the sunset glow in the sky under the setting sun: "Your Highness, I am not a piece of porcelain that will break if touched. Besides, I think today is very interesting.
Compared to reading books and embroidering in the palace, I prefer this... I can use my brain and do something truly useful."
She paused, then added, "I am honored to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with His Majesty."
Shen Yanzhi's heart seemed to be gently bumped by something, and it softened to a pulp. He thought, isn't he honored?
The night was as dark as ink, and the rocky hills in the eastern suburbs of the capital seemed even more eerie than usual.
Several dark figures, like ghosts, moved swiftly between the abandoned caves and the jagged rocks, leaving only the afterimage of their clothes. They were Shen Yanzhi's most elite secret guards, each one a match for ten.
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