Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, a group of people arrived at Cangyi City.
Cangyi City is not very big, but it is very prosperous. Its influence is much greater than Huansha City, but its area is similar. Strictly speaking, although it is adjacent to the grassland, it is actually a prosperous city with a civilization of commerce and trade.
Fleeing from Qinglize to Biliyuan, and then from Biliyuan to Cangyi City, this feeling is really... terrible. Before entering the city, several people were carefully searched and questioned repeatedly, and even the horses around them had to explain themselves. Shi Wuqi explained that he bought it from a settlement on the grassland, which aroused the suspicion of the city guards. They said that this group of barbarians had not had any contact with foreigners for a long time, so how could they possibly do business with them.
Ah Luan pretended to be pitiful, saying that they had lost their way in the grassland, and had traded all their belongings for their horses to come to Cangyi City. There was indeed nothing of value on them, the guards were persuaded. Seeing that no one had a weapon on them, they were finally let into the city.
Before leaving, Mu Wan turned around and asked, has Cangyi City always been so strict?
"Hmph, stop talking. It's easy for you to get in. Whether you can get out or not depends on your ability."
At that time, no one understood the meaning of this sentence, but no one asked.
A few people found a teahouse, which was empty and quiet. They tied the horses in the stable, but there was no one except the teahouse's own horse. Although the grassland horses are good horses, Shi Wuqi still proposed to sell them and exchange them for ordinary ones in the city. The horses raised by the prairie people are very strong. Their stature and strength are unmatched by other horses, and they can easily cause trouble. He and Shanhai discussed changing them in batches, preferably in different locations. Of course, the most important thing is because...
"I'm really out of money. After paying for the tea, that's all."
Shan Hai arranged three copper plates on the table. He said that these three copper coins were given to him by Mu Wan in Huansha City. Aluan was originally accepted, but she doesn't like spending money - she just asks them for everything she likes. So she had already given some fine pieces of silver and some copper plates to Shan Hai.
"What... what should we do? This is not enough to send a letter to Qing Lize's residence to compensate for the loss." A Luan took the pen and paper borrowed from the accounting office and didn't know where to start.
"You still keep them?" Mu Wan glanced at them, "I thought the flowers had gone out long ago."
"Well, I don't know if it's the original three. Maybe some of them were spent by mistake."
"You don't understand this," Shi Wuqi teased, "The valuable thing about objects is never the objects themselves, but the meaning that people give them. If he says it is, then what can you do to him?"
Shanhai pinched the bridge of his nose and started to have a headache again.
"Okay, let's think of a solution first... I think what Wu Qi said makes sense. It's just that the stolen horse... is really embarrassing."
"I really admire you. As long as you are like this, you will starve to death."
Mu Wan rolled his eyes, and with quick eyes and quick hands, he snatched the three copper coins back. She peeked at Yi Yiwu Qi, fearing that he would talk about the Tartar girl before. But fortunately, judging from his calm expression, he was planning to keep it secret.
"The horses must be exchanged," Shi Wuqi said. "After getting the money, I'll go get your luggage first. The caravans in this area are not active, so you may have to hire specialized bodyguards, which are more expensive. We'll see what happens next. How much money can you buy?”
"...It feels like it's really not enough." Mu Wan also started to have trouble.
Ah Luan clicked the pen on the table, making a crisp sound, and ink splashed into the tea cup opposite Wu Qi. He frowned and wanted to say something to her, but he held it back.
"I think it's better to stay in Shanhai's old business," she said enthusiastically, "Set up a stall at the door and tell fortunes. The money will come quickly!"
"Oh haha" Shi Wuqi looked at him, "I think it's feasible."
Shan Hai was a little angry: "What the hell... is this what I am doing?"
"Wait, it seems reasonable." Mu Wan seemed to have remembered something, "When Shanhai and I first met, we were trying to get rid of monsters... If there are any monsters causing trouble in Cangyi City, we won't Can I get the reward?"
Sounds like an idea.
"But...I'm afraid not many people came to ask for divination." Shi Wuqi frowned, "Don't you think it's strange? When we entered the city gate, we were searched all over our bodies, and the attitude of the group of people was also strange. Very. When we entered the city, the streets and shops were all empty, it didn’t look like the prosperity that Cangyi City should have according to the rumors.”
"...Indeed." Shan Hai picked up the teacup with a solemn expression. The others didn't speak either.
Before they could go into detail, the waiter who was cleaning the table next door glanced at them and suddenly interrupted:
"It seems that you are some charlatans? Cangyi City has always had good weather and there is not much to do. You see, there are not many Onmyojis here. Everyone just wants to do business and make a fortune."
"Look, it's not too late for us to start now." Mu Wan responded to him with a wry smile.
"There are indeed no monsters here. But I still advise you foreigners to be careful these days. Well, the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, so there won't be much excitement this year. It's a pity, everyone used to be very happy."
Shan Hai keenly noticed something strange and quickly asked: "Why?"
"In addition to the City Prince's Palace, there are two largest families in Cangyi City. One is the Ye family in the north. It suddenly became prosperous a hundred years ago and made a lot of money. Now it is a big family and a big business."
Several people looked at each other in confusion, thinking to themselves that the Ye family was indeed as the brother and sister said, and they had not exaggerated.
"What about the other one?" Aluan asked in a dignified manner.
"The other family... is the Taki family in the south. They are well-off. A few generations ago, they fought with the city lord at that time, defended the city, were rewarded by the court, and became a famous noble family. It's just..."
He hesitated, not knowing whether he was trying to show off or if he really had something to hide. Several people stared at him, their eyes clearly filled with the attitude of not giving up until he finished speaking.
"It's just...well, let me ask you first, where did you enter the city from?"
"Biliyuan, enter through the west city gate."
"Oh, it's relatively loose over there. The other doors are all tightly guarded, and not a single fly is allowed to fly through. Do you know why we suddenly strengthened the handles here, and even the shops are not open very much, especially on the streets. How many people are there?”
"Why?"
The waiter looked around and lowered his voice.
"Everyone in the Taki family was killed..."
"What?" Aluan was surprised, "You just told me that they are nobles who were rewarded by the imperial court. How could anyone dare to challenge them?"
Mu Wan also agreed: "Yes, isn't this... suspected of being a traitor?"
The waiter shook his head.
"Because of this, the imperial court attaches great importance to this matter and sent a team of people to investigate the matter. Although many people in the Long family died, only their surname Long suffered. Even so, I heard that... old people, women and children all died. Okay, except for a few strong servants, all the servants are dead. Some servants were scared away, and I heard that an investigation is being carried out. Some of the Taki family members who are traveling abroad may be about to receive a letter from the court and come back. Traced.”
Shi Wuqi opened his fan and said, "Oh? I thought it was a monster, but it sounds more like an enemy."
"Who knows. Anyway, the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations are not allowed to take place - for fear of chaos, the yamen will not be able to spare manpower to watch the scene. Didn't you read? The notices on the street said that the suspect was unknown and 80% of them were still absconding. Let people eat mooncakes at home. By the way, our five-nut mooncakes launched this year have a new formula. We are worried that they will not be sold. Do customers want them... Hey, don't leave! The price is easy to talk about!"
They walked out of the store and looked around, and indeed saw many similar notices posted on the wall.
"Looking at it like this, horses are not easy to sell." Mu Wan shook his head in disappointment, "What should we do now?"
"I'm thinking, it's not like we haven't slept in the open before..." Aluan muttered softly.
"That's not the case." Shi Wuqi spread his hands, "Look, in the wilderness, it's called sleeping in the open air; in this kind of city... this is called beggar behavior."
Several people started making noise again, only Shanhai looked at the northern sky in a daze. Shi Wuqi noticed him and asked him what he was thinking.
Shan Hai raised his hand and pointed at a tall building to the north. The building is very beautiful, with golden bricks and blue tiles, and is very grand.
"What, do you want to live there? Do you have enough money...Wait a minute, where is Ye Mansion?"
Shi Wuqi looked over with him, and Miss Qi also looked over there. The other two people looked at each other, not knowing what they meant, and looked over dryly.
"Although Mr. Ye's name may not necessarily be effective in that way, there may not be a few people in Cangyi City who know him."
"Ah, I understand." Shi Wuqi closed his fan, "At least Ye Mansion must know the brother and sister. With the news that their mother has been waiting for, maybe they won't have to deal with Northwest Feng. That's the plan Right, Shanhai? I really belong to you."
Taoist priest Lin did not speak, which was regarded as acquiescence. Although it can't be called shameful, this method can be regarded as opportunistic, and it is still unseemly for Shanhai. However, he really wouldn't let his apprentice steal the Beggar Gang's job from him. He had the resources he could use, so he naturally had to find a way to maximize them.
Traveling around the world, who can’t do charity?
While riding on the empty road, Mu Wan suddenly remembered something and asked Aluan if he had written the letter. Ah Luan patted her chest and said that of course she would be thinking about her own things. At this time, Mu Wan nodded with confidence. But to be honest, she still felt a little empty.
She should write another letter just now - to her mother, to Guli. I don’t know if they received the first letter.
"Shan Hai, why don't you write a letter to your temple? Ask your master how he is and how the sect is doing?"
"The leader doesn't pay much attention to this... But since you said so, I'll take a break and I'll write something."
"That's right..."
