Shen Xining nodded, her face expression calm, making it hard to tell whether she believed the magistrate's words or not.
Although the house was simple, it was a place to rest as it did not require a long journey. Shen Xining gestured to the magistrate to go and do his work. The magistrate sighed, as if he had something to say, but he held it back and hobbled away without saying a word.
Shen Xining looked at his back with an unpredictable expression.
After what happened last time, she no longer believed in appearances. Even if the magistrate seemed to live a poor life, no one knew what he was really like behind the scenes. In this case, Shen Xining had no reason to believe her own eyes.
After a day of tidying up, Shen Xining dressed neatly and went to visit people the next day.
Although this place is poor, the neighbors are very friendly to each other. When they saw Shen Xining, a foreigner, they were not shy and some children even came up to hold her hands.
"Hello, big sister. This candied haws is for you. You are so beautiful!"
Shen Xining smiled, touched her face, and did not accept the candied haws. The little girl was not angry, but ran away with a smile. Shen Xining looked at her back and laughed heartily. This smile was sincere. Shen Xining had stayed in the previous county for too long, and he almost forgot what it felt like to be treated sincerely by a little girl.
Although the people around were all wearing coarse linen clothes, everyone's face was filled with warm smiles. Moreover, no one closed the door in every household. Occasionally there were a few shops and vendors guarding the doors on the street, but vendors were not allowed. When the yamen runners saw a family, they would go up to dissuade them.
There was no violence, only persuasion, and it seemed that the bailiffs also sympathized with the hard work and difficulties of the vendors. What was even more rare was that Shen Xining visited almost the entire county in one day and did not see a single gambling house or brothel.
She was sitting in a small shop eating noodles. A bowl of clear soup noodles only cost one cent, which was a very low price. Shen Xining wanted to chat, and the shop owner didn't object.
"Won't the store lose money if they sell this noodles at this price?"
"How can we say it's a loss or not? We are a family and can live together happily. Isn't that enough? As for the money, since our county is poor, the county government gives us a little money every year. Most of our products are self-produced and sold, so even if it's only one penny, it's profitable."
Shen Xining looked at the noodles in front of him, which had almost no benefits, and remained silent.
"Is there any gambling house in this place? I've been fond of this since I was a child, and I've been quite good at it, but I haven't found any gambling house yet. I'm really feeling depressed and uncomfortable."
The shopkeeper looked at her with some horror.
"Miss, you must be from another place. You don't know the rules and market conditions here. This place is poor. Twenty years ago, when the county magistrate was not supposed to take office, there were gambling houses everywhere. They were all for the big shots from outside to satisfy their cravings. Some of our local people were addicted and their families were ruined. Those who were not addicted also lived in misery. After this county magistrate took office, he ordered the elimination of local gambling houses, and our lives gradually improved."
Shen Xining raised his eyebrows.
"The reason why gambling houses can be opened is often not because of the nature of the place, but because there are often big shots behind the gambling houses. Closing the gambling houses is equivalent to shutting off the financial resources of those big shots. What is the origin of this county magistrate?"
She spoke mysteriously, while the shop owner looked indignant.
"Little girl, you are so young, what nonsense are you talking about? This county magistrate was admitted through the imperial examination from the countryside below us. He is dedicated to serving the people. How could there be no bloodshed when he said he wanted to close the gambling house? This county magistrate is now poor and his home is empty and deserted. It's all because his wife, elderly people and children were killed in order to close the gambling house. The blood was all over the yard to warn him, but he didn't believe it and broke a leg to resist."
So, is this why he stumbles
The shopkeeper looked at Shen Xining with a wary look on his face.
"Little girl, who are you?"
Could it be some corrupt official from outside who came here to cause trouble? Or was it the big shot behind the gambling house that was closed down more than 20 years ago who came to cause trouble for the county magistrate? If so, then the store owner was talking too much.
Shen Xining smiled and put down the silver.
"My family members were insulted, and I wanted to go to Kyoto to meet His Majesty. I passed by here and wanted to come here to relieve my itch, but I didn't expect that this is the custom here. I misunderstood, and I hope the store owner will forgive me."
Although his face was still full of suspicion, the shopkeeper didn't say anything else.
Shen Xining returned to the county government office, but she still had some doubts. What if all this was a cover-up by the county magistrate? To get the money she had approved
The shadow left by the previous county town was too strong. Shen Xining didn't want to gamble, nor was he willing to gamble.
Nightfall.
Shen Xining went out and a man's voice was heard from the roof.
"Master Shen is very busy all day, and I have never seen you take a break."
Shen Xining looked up and saw Xie Zhaoan sitting on the beam, drinking wine leisurely. Shen Xining recognized this wine. It was the most famous peach blossom wine here, and there were quite a few of them sold on the street.
She came up with an idea and smiled with her lips curved.
"Fourth Prince, Lord Shen invites you to enjoy the night view here. Are you willing?"
Xie Zhaoan glanced at her and ended it immediately.
"benefit."
"You'll know when you go there."
Xie Zhaoan sneered, obviously not believing Shen Xining's nonsense, but he still jumped down obediently, his long black hair swaying behind him, looking graceful. He was thin but not boneless. He stepped forward, looking quite like a young man full of vigor and vitality.
"In that case, Lord Shen, please lead the way."
Shen Xining nodded, but walked slowly and aimlessly. He took Xie Zhaoan for about half an hour. Xie Zhaoan became a little impatient. He stood there, frowning.
"Sir Shen, are you telling a joke in the middle of the night? Where is the night view to enjoy here? Although every household has left their doors unlocked at night, no one has come out. There is nothing else to do on the street except for the lights. Sir Shen, please be moderate in your jokes."
Xie Zhaoan's anger was not fake. He had been ill for a long time and should sit still instead of walking around. He was not only feeling irritable, but also because he was really lazy and tired.
Shen Xining had expected him to do this, so he patted his shoulder and pretended to sigh.
"Fourth Prince, why are you so impatient? Isn't it said that the middle of the night is the best time for the brothel to open? Am I not bringing you here to have some fun?"