Chapter 337 - 230: The One Who Tied the Bell Must Untie It
Chapter 337: Chapter 230: The One Who Tied the Bell Must Untie It
After breakfast, everyone went about their business.
Xiao Wuge followed Xiao Xuanshuo to the Martial Arts Arena to practice Martial Arts.
Xiaodie and Pei Guanli returned to Spring Lotus Garden.
Xiao Wan’er, along with Juan’er and Cui’er, packed their bags in preparation for tomorrow’s trip to the fief outside the city.
Chen Yi, meanwhile, opened his Oil Paper Umbrella and went to the front courtyard.
This time, he chose not to go to Guiyun Academy alone. After greeting a few of the Armored Guards, he instructed Liu Si’er to prepare a carriage.
Liu Si’er swiftly brought the carriage over. Once Chen Yi was settled inside, he drove it straight toward Guiyun Academy.
"Young Master-in-law, you haven’t used the carriage in a long time. Do you have other plans today?"
Since Ge the Third had left, he had been paying close attention to the Fledgling’s movements and had a decent understanding of him.
Unless absolutely necessary, this Young Master-in-law rarely left the Marquis’s Mansion.
Even when he did go out, it was only to two places: Hundred Herbs Hall or Guiyun Academy.
Most of the time, however, he would go alone, and he rarely ever took the carriage.
Chen Yi lifted a corner of the curtain. He glanced outside as he replied:
"I haven’t been to Jishi Medicine Hall in a while. I thought I’d go take a look today."
Liu Si’er didn’t suspect anything and said with a smile, "It’s true, you haven’t been to the East Market for some time."
"A few days ago, accountant Liu was just talking to me about you. He said that if you were to write a calligraphy piece for Jishi Medicine Hall, business would surely be even better than it is now."
Chen Yi chuckled, unable to stifle his amusement. "He certainly has a sharp mind."
’A piece of calligraphy from a Calligraphy Dao master in the Perfection Realm would, at a time like this, have an effect comparable to an Imperial Court gazette.’
’One only had to look at the wonton shop that had acquired a piece by Ma Guan to understand.’
If Chen Yi really were to write a piece for Jishi Medicine Hall and it was widely advertised, the scholars alone would swarm the place until it was packed to the rafters.
Not to mention the common folk who loved a good spectacle.
Even if only one percent of them actually needed to buy medicinal herbs or herbal teas, Jishi Medicine Hall would still make a fortune.
Liu Si’er said with a laugh, "According to accountant Liu, a fierce tiger has recently entered the pharmaceutical trade in Shu State and has been stealing a lot of business from the other Medicine Halls."
"Does the Young Master-in-law know which fierce tiger he was talking about?"
Chen Yi was naturally aware of Xinglin Hall. He also knew it wasn’t just the Xiao Family Medicine Hall and Hundred Herbs Hall that were affected, but he pretended not to know.
"Why don’t you tell me, Brother Si."
"It’s Xinglin Hall from Jing State! They’re an old establishment with a history of several hundred years. I hear they have several Medical Saint Hands."
"I’ve heard that name. They’ve come to Shu State?"
Chen Yi replied casually, his gaze falling upon the pedestrians coming and going along the street.
The autumn rain carried a slight chill.
Most people out and about at this time had switched to thicker clothes. Even the scholars, who prided themselves on their dashing style, had added an inner lining beneath their robes.
Only the Wandering Martial Artists, who roamed the lands, were dressed casually, carrying weapons on their backs, unafraid of the changing weather.
Liu Si’er kept his eyes peeled, watching his surroundings as he drove the carriage. "Sometime after the Mid-Autumn Festival, I think. Xinglin Hall opened a few shops here in our Shu State."
"Their arrival has impacted the business of our mansion’s Medicine Hall. I just wonder if the mansion has enough silver coins."
"Oh? Silver coins?"
"Young Master-in-law, you haven’t heard? On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Marquis was punished by the Holy Emperor. Not only does he have to make up for the grain shortfall in Iron Wall Town, but he also has to pay the grain tax."
"Originally, the three hundred thousand taels of silver the Marquis confiscated from Master Dongchen would have been enough to handle it. But who would have thought that the grain merchants in Shu State have all gone mad recently, more than doubling the price of grain."
"The Marquis is having a real headache over this. Yesterday, he even had the Third Master make a trip to the Governor’s Office, hoping the Government Office would intervene and regulate the prices."
Chen Yi’s heart stirred. "What did the Government Office have to say?"
Liu Si’er’s tone was slightly displeased as he said, "They dodged the issue, claiming the grain merchants had legitimate reasons for the price hike."
"They said the harvest in Shu State was poor this year, that even the grain tax collected was less than sixty percent of previous years. So what could they do about the grain merchants?"
Hearing this, Chen Yi thought for a moment. "Do you know which areas had poor harvests?"
"I don’t know the specifics. I just heard it mentioned once in the mansion..."
Doubt grew in Chen Yi’s mind. ’Those people are deliberately plotting against the Xiao Family. They wouldn’t leave such an obvious flaw in their plan.’
’There must be a place in Shu State with a poor harvest, and there must be a place that paid less in grain tax.’
’As I recall, the day after the summer grain in the Three Towns was burned, these same grain merchants raised their prices once before, but they quickly lowered them again.’
’But... what if there isn’t any place in Shu State with reduced grain production?’
’In that case, I would have to re-evaluate the power of the force behind these grain merchants.’
’Besides the Inspectorate Office in the Capital Prefecture, which was the first to report the matter after rumors began to spread slandering Xiao Jinghong for stealing what he was meant to guard, they must also have people cooperating with them in the Governor’s Office.’
’Collusion between officials and merchants.’
’In that case, for them to go to all this trouble... it can’t be as simple as just causing problems for the Xiao Family.’
As Chen Yi considered this, a helpless little smile appeared on his face.
’If the Xiao Family were just a little more ruthless, if they truly acted like the local tyrants of Shu State, my life would be so much easier.’
’But then again... the very reason I’m trying so hard to help the Xiao Family is precisely because of their loyalty, integrity, and kindness.’
Before long, the carriage stopped outside the gates of Guiyun Academy.
Chen Yi instructed Liu Si’er to find a place to rest for a while, then opened his umbrella and walked into the academy.
Liu Si’er looked left and right, then parked the carriage outside There is a Wonton Shop by the Clouds and went inside by himself.
"Waiter, a bowl of wontons."
Lou Yuxue, who was behind the counter, glanced at him. Recognizing who he was, her eyes couldn’t help but drift toward Guiyun Academy.
She knew, of course, that Liu Si’er had temporarily taken over for Ge the Third in watching the Fledgling, so she guessed the Fledgling had come to the academy today.
After a moment’s thought, she went up to the second floor, wrote a secret letter, and summoned a waiter with an instruction:
"Get a message to the Iron Banner Officer."
"Yes, ma’am."
After the waiter had left, Lou Yuxue looked down at Liu Si’er from the window, her expression thoughtful.
’The Pavilion Master sent a letter ordering another investigation into the Fledgling. To test him, it would be best to have the Iron Banner Officer on the Xiao Family’s side make a move.’