In the early morning, the sky was already bright, and there were not many pedestrians on the potholed and uneven streets of Cangzhou City.
Cangzhou was not a big state in the first place, with a small population. In the past two years, due to the more violent bandits and wars, the entire city was half empty.
Some people died, some people fled to other places, and the people who remained in Cangzhou were either unable to leave their homeland, or had no relatives to go to. Rather than living in Cangzhou, it is better to say that they are fighting for their fate.
Next to the vegetable stall on the street, a passing woman stopped, carrying a vegetable basket, after picking and choosing, she asked, "How do you sell these radishes?"
The stall owner sat on the stone steps, raised his head, and said, "Two cents a catty."
"Two pennies?" The woman in coarse cloth frowned and said, "It was still one penny yesterday!"
The stall owner glanced at her, and said calmly: "Yesterday, the official only charged five cents for tolls, but today he charges ten cents!"
The price of a catty of radishes is twice as long, and the original monthly expenses will be used up in half a month. The woman picked up the vegetable basket angrily and said, "I'll look at other places!"
She walked around the street, and when she walked back again, her face completely collapsed.
"Where is this drinking blood and eating meat? They want to smash their bones and swallow it. These days are going to be unbearable!"
"Who says it's not..." The vegetable stall owner finally sighed and said, "When Cangzhou was taken by those rebels, it was the people who suffered. Now that Cangzhou has been taken back by the government, it's the people who suffer. Hard days, when will it be the end?"
The woman thought for a while and said, "That's not necessarily bad. When Princess Duan Rong was in Cangzhou two years ago, everything was fine. Alas, it's a pity..."
But the stall owner seemed to have remembered something, and suddenly said: "I heard people say two days ago that Her Royal Highness is going to call back..."
The woman put down the vegetable basket and said mysteriously: "I also heard that Princess Duanrong was destined to be the emperor since she was a child. She is the same as the princess from Jingguo next door. She will become the queen in the future..."
The two talked mysteriously for a while, and the stall owner waved his hand and said, "Sister-in-law, I think you and I can get along quite well, it's all fate, how about it, I'll sell this dish to you today." You are still at yesterday's price... "
"That's a good relationship..." The woman said with a smile on her face, "Today I will choose more!"
She picked out a whole basket of vegetables, handed it to the stall owner, and said, "Weigh it."
After the stall owner weighed it, he said, "It's twenty-two coins in total. I'll give you a change, and I'll give you twenty coins."
The woman took out her purse, counted the copper coins, handed them to him, and said, "You count them."
The stall owner smiled, kicked the vegetable money into his arms, and said, "You don't need to count it, can you still lie to me, sister-in-law..."
"Well, I'll go back first!" The woman waved to him. Seeing her disappear, the owner of the vegetable stall immediately counted the money he took back into his arms. It was twenty Wen, he added a fraction, and wiped out another fraction...
After counting twice, looking at the eighteen coins in his hand, the stall owner fell into deep thought.
He sighed, the world is declining, people's hearts are not old, people nowadays are ignorant of even two cents for vegetables, and the simple folk customs of Cangzhou have been corrupted by these people...
At this time, a man who was walking and tightening his trouser belt came over and asked, "Old Wang, did anyone come to buy vegetables just now?"
The young stall owner kicked the money in his arms, stood up, waved his hands, and said, "No, but a sister-in-law came and picked out the dishes for a long time, but later she thought they were too expensive, so she didn't buy them..."
"Oh, I don't want to raise it either, but if it doesn't, the money for the food will be handed over to the government. Why can't they learn from Princess Duanrong..." The man sighed, looking Looking at him, he said gratefully: "I ate badly yesterday, thank you for helping me look at the stall..."
"You're welcome..." The young man stood up, waved his hands, and said, "It's just a little effort..."
After the young man left, the man counted with his fingers and murmured: "Today is a good day..."
He cleaned up the vegetable stall early, returned home, told his wife and children to take good care of the house, walked out of the house by himself, walked around a few streets and alleys, and when he reached the door of a deep house, he knocked on the door lightly three times, saying in a low voice. Said: "Jing Ke assassinated the King of Qin."
The gate opened, he walked in, and closed it smoothly. In the spacious yard ahead, dozens of people had already gathered together.
Another half an hour later, people came in from outside from time to time. At a certain moment, someone counted the number of people, and everyone stood neatly in the yard, and a young man came out from inside.
Everyone bowed and said, "I have seen Envoy Xu!"
"You don't need to be too polite." The young man waved his hand and said, "I won't talk nonsense. The defenders outside the city are blocked. Our task tonight is to break into the governor's mansion. Inside the governor's mansion, our people have already prepared Well, you must remember that we are different from those rebels, we are not allowed to rob and murder after we attack the governor's mansion, if there is any violation, we will be dealt with according to the canon!"
"yes!"
Everyone responded in unison.
…
Inspector's Mansion, for some reason, the governor of Cangzhou always felt a little restless tonight.
The sky had already darkened, he walked out of the hall and walked into the yard, pacing anxiously.
A figure walked into the yard from the outside, walked to his side, and asked with concern: "My lord, what's the matter?"
The governor of Cangzhou looked at the master next to him, and asked, "Is there any news about Princess Duan Rong?"
These days, he didn't pay attention to the rumors about Princess Duanrong in Cangzhou City, but these days, the rumors spread widely and the city was full of wind and rain, and finally he began to feel uneasy.
The master smiled when he heard the words, and said: "Your Excellency, you are too worried. These things are just the product of those foolish people's speculation and extreme exaggeration. Does Your Excellency also think that Princess Duanrong can be the emperor?"
Hearing the words, the governor of Cangzhou felt at ease, thought for a while, and said: "There are no waves without wind, and the matter of chasing after wind and shadow also has its roots, so we can't take it lightly. Let the city defense strengthen its defense these days..."
Master nodded and said, "Yes, I'll go down and make arrangements."
"In addition, send someone to post the portrait of Princess Duan Rong, and post more pictures outside the city. Those who find clues will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver!"
"Obey!"
The governor of Cangzhou waved his hand and said, "Okay, you can go down and make arrangements."
Watching the master walk out, he stroked his beard. He didn't want to stay in Cangzhou for a moment. If he could catch Princess Duan Rong, he would have a bright future...
The master walked out of the yard, took two yamen servants, walked to the gate of the governor's mansion, and said to the gatekeepers: "The governor has an order to step up patrols these days, there are not enough people in the city defense, you should go together too. Just leave it to the two of them here."
The few people didn't doubt it, and immediately retreated after responding respectfully.
At the same time, the governor of Cangzhou returned to the hall, seeing the sudden addition of people in the hall, he stopped in his tracks.
A young woman at the front looked at him and asked, "Are you looking for me?"
After the governor of Cangzhou was startled, his expression changed wildly, and he immediately turned around and exited the hall.
At this time, the governor's mansion was already in chaos, and the flames outside the city were even more intense, and there was a looming voice, like thunder...