The Zhao Household.
As Zhao's mother packed her son's luggage, she wiped away her tears. "This is so unfair! You were just transferred to the Ministry of Works... You're a newcomer, and they just pushed you out like that."
Zhao Zhiyuan never discussed matters of the court with his mother. She assumed it was just others bullying a newly appointed official, unaware of the undercurrents at play.
"Mother, while I'm away, you can go back to Willow and Poplar County and keep Father company... It's not good for the two of you to be separated all the time."
Zhao's mother wiped away her tears and smiled bitterly, "What's there to accompany... After the incident with Concubine Liu, your father and I became estranged. It's good that things are like this now; he earns money at home, and I stay in the capital to keep you company."
She pulled Zhao Zhiyuan to sit on the bed, "My son... listen to your mother, if you ever meet someone you truly like, never let them down. Once a heart is broken, it's hard to get it back."
"Don't worry, Mother, I know what I'm doing..."
"You know what you're talking about... How many years have you liked that Meng Household girl? Have you even opened your mouth yet? I'm telling you, where did your usual cleverness go?"
Zhao Zhiyuan blushed deeply, lowered his eyes, and remained silent.
Zhao's mother sighed and tied the bundle tightly. "I'll let Agui go with you; they can look after each other."
Zhao Zhiyuan responded with a nod, which was taken as an agreement.
The next day, Zhao Zhiyuan arrived at the Anzhi Hall. Besides Agui, he was accompanied by a clerk and a constable.
Meng Anci was the same.
The gate to the Anzhi Hall's courtyard opened, and he couldn't help but look inside. Meng Anci lightly, "My sister hasn't come back."
Zhao Zhiyuan's expression turned for a moment of melancholy. He didn't know what the outcome would be... Never mind... It's better not to say anything. The journey is dangerous, why bother Anzhi's mind?
After the group left the capital, Zhao Zhiyuan handed the carriage over to Agui and the clerk, while he and Meng Anci sat in the oxcart chatting with Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao stroked the Xiaoli's back, her expression quite serious. "It's not like home outside. You have to be careful in everything you do, especially when buying things and eating... Try to go to places with lots of people, and watch the locals pay before you pay, understand?"
Meng Anci and Zhao Zhiyuan nodded in unison, listening very attentively.
Jin Shanyao added, "Be careful with the tea stalls by the roadside too. Don't be fooled by the honest-looking, smiling owner; you never know what they're up to."
Zhao Zhiyuan smiled and agreed, "Auntie is truly knowledgeable..."
Jin Shanyao, flattered by the praise, cautioned, "When you're away from home, you need to be extra wary of what fellow villagers say. It's precisely because they're from your hometown that you let your guard down, making you more susceptible to being tricked, understand?"
The two responded in unison.
The oxcart swayed and rattled for seven or eight days before finally reaching the border of Jianghe County.
At the tea stall... the shopkeeper immediately recognized Jin Shanyao and hurriedly greeted him with a smile, "Sir, you've come over. Would you like some cold water this time?"
Jin Shanyao raised her chin slightly and gave a soft "hmm," "How much is a pot of cold water?"
The shopkeeper chuckled, "Oh dear... what are you saying, sir? Cold water is free... no charge at all!"
Jin Shanyao and beckoned Meng Anci and Zhao Zhiyuan to come and sit down. She glanced sideways at the shopkeeper and shouted loudly, "Would you like some tea? A pot of tea here costs five coins..." She emphasized the five coins heavily.
The shopkeeper quickly chimed in, "Coarse tea costs five coins... good tea is more expensive."
Jin Shanyao a glance at him, then casually picked up a teacup and pretended to stuff it into her bundle. The shopkeeper, seeing this, quickly burst into laughter to cover his embarrassment.
"Five coins... a total of five coins..."
As he spoke, he picked up the teacup from the table. Meng Anci looked at the empty tabletop and asked in confusion, "Aren't we drinking from the teapot spout?"
The shopkeeper was suffering inside, but he didn't say anything; he just smiled...
Jin Shanyao down her teacup. "Bring two pots of fine tea and a pot of cold water..."
"Alright, sir..."
The shopkeeper slung the rag over his shoulder and ran to the kitchen. He boiled water and was about to spit into the teapot when a wildcat silently appeared behind him.
The shopkeeper swallowed hard, startled, and steadied himself by closing the teapot lid. He then picked up the tea tray, pressed it against the wall, and slowly moved out of the room, staring intently into the Xiaoli's eyes.
"Sir, your tea is ready... please enjoy."
Jin Shanyao picked up the teapot and poured herself a bowl of cold water. Looking down, she saw Xiaoli carrying her bowl over, and Jin Shanyao poured some water into it as she did so.
The shopkeeper hid inside the shop, his eyes fixed on the teacup in Jin Shanyao's hand. If she dared to take it this time... he would risk his life to get it back.
After taking a sip of water, the group prepared to continue their journey. Zhao Zhiyuan stood up, "Shopkeeper, please settle the bill..."
"Hey, you're here..." The shopkeeper ran forward, but instead of taking the money Zhao Zhiyuan offered, he quickly put the teacup away and held it in his arms.
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, he smiled and said, "Young master... two pots of tea cost thirty coins."
Upon hearing this, Jin Shanyao jumped up and reached for the teacup in the shopkeeper's arms. The shopkeeper clung to the teacup desperately, his voice cracking with anxiety, "I didn't cheat you, this tea really is fifteen coins a pot."
"You swindler who preys on outsiders, give it back..." Jin Shanyao her hand and snatched all the bowls from his arms.
The shopkeeper pretended to grab Jin Shanyao's leg and shouted, "Help!... Out-of-towners are bullying locals! They won't pay for tea and are even robbing us..."
Jin Shanyao grabbed a teacup and slammed it to the shopkeeper's mouth, causing him to grunt and groan... Zhao Zhiyuan was terrified; a fight was brewing over just thirty coins???
The war came rather suddenly!
Jin Shanyao's eyes widened. "I'm asking you, didn't you say it was five coins, and then you raised the price the next minute? And just now, were you about to spit into the teapot?!"
The shopkeeper's pupils dilated in shock, and he frantically shook his head in denial. Jin Shanyao her teeth, "Still not admitting it... My cat saw it all, you smiling, black-hearted, wicked merchant!"
Jin Shanyao her head and said sternly, "Tell me, how much did those two pots of tea cost?"
The shopkeeper, with a pained expression, said, "Twenty coins..." Seeing Jin Shanyao's disbelief, he quickly added, "It really is twenty coins; that's this year's new tea."
Jin Shanyao down the bowl, stepped onto the stool like a bandit, pulled out fifteen coins and slammed them on the table, making a fierce and menacing expression.
"Five coins it is, consider the extra money as water. If you dare to cheat passersby again... I'll crush your head!" With that, he stretched out his hands in front of the shopkeeper and squeezed hard.
The shopkeeper was so startled that he hiccuped.
With Jin Shanyao, she said coldly, "I'm leaving..."
Meng Anci patted the stunned Zhao Zhiyuan and said with a suppressed laugh, "Let's go... Lord Zhao."
Upon hearing the Lord Zhao, the shopkeeper was so frightened that his legs went weak. He hadn't expected that one of these people was an official. Only after the caravan had driven far away did he dare to breathe a sigh of relief.
He counted the teacups on the table, then the fifteen copper coins in his hand, and chuckled... "The bold get rich, the timid starve! That's doubled the price of three copper coins for coarse tea."
"Pah... You out-of-towner, you think you can mess with me? I'll fool you to death..." Before he could finish speaking, the teacups on the table shattered without warning.
The shopkeeper gasped in shock, his heart pounding with pain... "How could such a perfectly good bowl just break like that?!"
The journey from Jianghe County to Pingcheng Prefecture takes only half a day. The caravan entered the prefectural city and went straight to the prefectural government office.
Agui jumped down from the carriage and handed over the imperial documents.
The gatekeeper was shocked upon seeing this and hurriedly bowed towards the carriage, saying, "Please wait a moment, sir, I will go and inform them immediately."
After saying that, he hurriedly ran into the second hall of the government office with the documents in his hand.