Something happened that surprised Li Ye.
When he learned that Li Ye was preparing to set out for Dongyang and several other markets to conduct on-site inspections, Zhao He—who had not sent back any news for some time—actually had someone bring back a thick stack of jade slips.
"What are these?"
Li Ye looked at Zhao He, who had grown from a somewhat shy youth into a tall young man over the past dozen years.
The years had left no traces on him, yet Zhao He had changed from the slightly bashful boy he once was into a tall young man. Even his skin had become quite dark.
The authority over subordinate factions, which was almost useless to Li Ye, had instead nurtured Zhao He into a man of few words, carrying an indescribable air of authority.
Only when facing Li Ye would he still laugh so freely.
"Master."
"These are all things that my men and I personally visited and investigated while doing business, with the cooperation of the True Persons stationed in the markets."
"All the relevant data is here."
Li Ye fell silent for quite a while upon hearing this.
He moved his fingers, and the Heartfelt Melody wound around every jade slip, analyzing and summarizing all the contents within...
They really were data from Dongyang and several other markets.
Moreover, the contents were extraordinarily detailed. They covered the lives of local cultivators, data on the land and water provided by the stationed True Persons, and all manner of other information.
With this information, Li Ye did not need to personally make a trip at all. One look was enough to reveal exactly where Dongyang Market's crux lay.
"There's a problem with the water."
"It was likely that there had been a slight oversight when the Earth