After getting off the car at the parking lot in the western suburbs of Imperial Capital, Yan Liqiang strolled through Imperial Capital again. He clearly felt the depressed and oppressive atmosphere in Imperial Capital...
The most obvious thing is that there are fewer people and fewer carriages in the city. The streets that used to be bustling with people and cars are now deserted. The last time Yan Liqiang came, the streets of the Imperial Capital were full of luxurious carriages and many imitations of his manufacturing bureau. But this time, Yan Liqiang walked for a long time in the Imperial Capital before he saw a carriage from the manufacturing bureau passing by him...
There was snow on the ground and a north wind was blowing in the city. The bleak atmosphere along the street made the air inexplicably colder. Thick curtains were lowered at the doors of the shops and restaurants along the street. The reason for the small number of people was certainly not because of the weather, but because the dignitaries and wealthy families who had gathered in the city before had almost all left.
The doors of many mansions on the street were tightly locked, and some high-end restaurants and venues that were popular before were closed, while some were deserted. However, some low- and medium-end restaurants and teahouses could still be seen with people gathering in this cold weather...
As Yan Liqiang walked, he looked at the current scene of the Imperial Capital City, and his mood reached its lowest point. Many wealthy families and dignitaries had already fled from here, and only ordinary people were still here. He didn't know what the imperial court wanted to do. Did they really want to let these people wait to die here
As Yan Liqiang was walking, several constables came towards him. They saw Yan Liqiang walking alone on the street wearing a bamboo hat. After passing by Yan Liqiang, one of the constables stopped, turned around, and called out to Yan Liqiang, "Hey, the one wearing the bamboo hat, stop!"
Yan Liqiang stopped, turned around, and looked at the detectives at ease, "What can I do for you?"
"Of course I have something to say. What's your name and where are you from? Why are you wandering around the street alone in this cold weather?" As he spoke, the constables came over. The one who spoke looked Yan Liqiang up and down with a scrutinizing eye, especially glancing at the long sword hanging on Yan Liqiang's waist, and asked in a loud voice.
Yan Liqiang looked up at the constable without saying anything. He just took out an identity token from his body when he was working in Luyuan, and waved it in front of the constables. When they saw Yan Liqiang pressing the token, their faces changed, and they quickly apologized to Yan Liqiang with a smile, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, the capital city has not been peaceful these days, and we were ordered to strictly investigate any suspicious people entering the capital city. We were wrong, we were wrong, the flood washed away the Dragon King Temple..."
"It's okay. We are all working for our superiors. Can I leave now..." Yan Liqiang put away the token and said calmly. He was not going to show off in front of the constables for such a small matter.
“Your Excellency, please do as you please, Your Excellency, please do as you please…” The constable who stopped Yan Liqiang almost bent to the ground. He was scared to death by the token of the Imperial Mabu Division held by Yan Liqiang. Now in the Imperial Capital, the soldiers of the Imperial Mabu Division can almost walk sideways, not to mention the officers inside. Lu Yuan, that is the force directly under the eunuch Liu beside His Majesty, so he dare not provoke it.
Yan Liqiang walked and walked until he arrived near Chunxifang in the Imperial Capital. Chunxifang was a commercial street, and the people living near Chunxifang were all poor ordinary people. When Yan Liqiang arrived here, Chunxifang was still quite popular, especially in this cold weather. There were still many people gathering outside the grain store with their bags in their hands. It was cold outside, and the people gathered outside gathered and shouted, and a noisy sound came from the grain store...
"Manager He, why has the price of grain increased again? When I came here a few days ago, this kilogram of rice was only 13 copper coins. How come it has increased to 15 copper coins today? This is a robbery..."
"That's right, the price of food is rising too fast, it's really hard for people to survive..."
"Dear neighbors, dear men and women, I didn't raise the grain prices, it's the purchase price that has increased, so I have to follow suit. The heavy snow has blocked the roads these days, and I heard that the road to Beijing is a bit difficult to travel, so the purchase price of grain has increased by two copper coins in the past two days. If I don't follow suit, my store will be closed. If you think my rice and flour are too expensive, you can go to other grain stores to see if there are cheaper ones than this one..."
"Manager He, it's not fair for you to say that. Can't you make less money..."
"My family has to eat too. If I don't make some money, how can I survive? In many grain stores in the Imperial Capital, grain is already sold at 16 or 17 copper coins per pound. The purchase price has increased by two copper coins, so they have to add three or four copper coins when they sell it. I only added the increase in the purchase price because we have been neighbors for decades. I didn't make a penny more, and I also gave up a lot of profit. If you think the food is not enough, why don't you buy some sorghum and millet to add to it? Sorghum and millet can also fill your stomach..."
Hearing the noise in the grain store, Yan Liqiang bypassed the grain store and went directly into the alley next to it. After walking in twists and turns for a while, he came to the door of a house. Before Yan Liqiang could knock on the door, the door of that house opened, and then three or four colorful gift boxes and cloth were thrown out from inside, and then a woman in her fifties or sixties, still wearing makeup and a bright red dress, was pushed out from inside by a young man.
“Get out, and never set foot in our house again…” the young man yelled at the old woman, holding a wooden stick in his hand.
"Hey, hey, hey, why are you people from the Xu family like this? Master Zhu likes your sister, it's your sister's blessing. Following Master Zhu, she will never have to worry about food and clothing, what's there to be dissatisfied about? Besides, Master Zhu's family has already obtained a travel permit, and if you marry Master Zhu, you can leave the capital city and live in Master Zhu's hometown to enjoy a good life..." The woman who was driven out kept yelling while returning the permit.
"You don't have to worry about my family affairs..." the boy roared with a red face.
"Do you still think your Xu family can be like before? Your eldest brother has been arrested, but he is still so arrogant. If no one takes care of you, how many months can you two siblings survive? Don't be ungrateful. Now your sister can marry Mr. Zhu and at least have the status of a concubine. If you can't make ends meet in the future and are sold to a brothel, then hard times are still ahead..."
"What did you say..." The young man raised the stick in his hand high and smashed it against the door wall. The sharp-tongued matchmaker screamed in fear and quickly stepped back. She hurriedly picked up the gift boxes thrown on the snow outside and walked away quickly while cursing...
This is Xu Enda’s home, and the young man is Xu Enda’s younger brother Xu Enci, whom Yan Liqiang had seen before.
Watching the matchmaker walk away, Xu Enci held the stick and panted at the door of his house. It was not until Yan Liqiang came over, took off his bamboo hat and called his name that Xu Enci turned his head and his eyes widened...
"Brother Liqiang..." The moment Xu Enci saw Yan Liqiang's face, he was slightly surprised, and then his eyes were filled with tears. He dropped the stick in his hand and rushed down, hugged Yan Liqiang and burst into tears, "My brother, Xiaowu and the others were all captured. Before my brother was captured, he told us that you would definitely come back. Brother Liqiang, if you have the ability, you must think of a way to rescue my brother and Xiaowu and the others..."
Seeing the young man hugging him and crying, Yan Liqiang's nose felt a little sour. He patted Xu Enci's shoulder and said, "Don't cry. Don't worry. I will definitely rescue your elder brother and Xiaowu when I return to Dijing City this time. Let's go in first. I have something to ask you..."
(End of this chapter)