PDLP Chapter 163 Go make some money
Chapter 163 Go make some money
Lord Li, the prefect of Wangzhou City, had big dark circles under his eyes and looked worried every day, with more wrinkles on his face. At this moment, when he listened to his subordinates reporting on the situation of the victims, his brows furrowed even more.
He has only been in office for a month and a half, but he looks several years older.
He thought that the place he took over would be flooded by disasters, but he didn't expect that when he just arrived in Wangzhou to take office, there were already victims everywhere outside the city.
He submitted a memorial to the court, but the relief grain arrived after waiting for half a month for only 200 dan, half of which was looted by the victims on the way.
Although some troublesome refugees were killed, the lost food could not be recovered.
The remaining food was cooked into porridge and distributed outside the city gate, but it didn't last long before the food ran out. Prices in the city rose wildly again, and fewer and fewer people could have enough to eat.
Merchants took advantage of the situation and raised prices again and again. Lord Li sent people to various places to transport grain, but either the transporters were intercepted or the prices of all the grain they transported were increased.
Natural disasters are merciless and the people are already suffering terribly, but some people want to take advantage of the disaster to make money.
This world is too dangerous.
At the hour of You, Qin Bingrui and his group went straight to the gate of Wangzhou City.
Thousands of disaster victims outside the city gate built straw huts and many of them built stoves. Although there was nothing to eat now, they could still find some wild vegetables and fish and meat, so they could barely survive.
Although the city gate was open, there were dozens of yamen runners guarding the gate, each fully equipped for defense.
Seeing a strange carriage entering the city, the guard asked:
"May I ask who is coming?"
"We are rangers, heading to Wangzhou City to take a look and do some small business."
When the team leader heard that they wanted to do some small business, his eyes lit up and he immediately sent his subordinates to report to the prefect.
Qin Bingrui and his party were invited into Wangzhou City. As a result, they found that no matter how desolate the outside of the city was, the city was orderly and everything was in order.
It seems that this prefect has some management skills.
Qin Bingrui didn't care about anything else but finding a place where he could sleep and eat in peace.
So they found the largest inn in the city, Tianyun Inn. There were not many people staying in the inn, but there were quite a few people eating there. They were all dressed in gorgeous clothes and were all rich people.
Qin Bingrui secretly communicated with Luo Yu: "It seems that there are still many rich people. This money should be easy to make."
Luo Yu nodded, looked up and asked Ye Yucheng: "Master Ye, would you like to stay at this inn?"
After all, when they were in Lezhu County before, their guards lived separately in cheap inns, so they sent people to keep an eye on them.
Ye Yucheng glanced at him coldly and said calmly, "If you want us to escort the goods, then you will pay for it."
That makes sense.
Qin Bingrui was shocked when he went to pay.
A good room costs six hundred coins, which is the most expensive stay in Rongchao. However, considering the level of the inn, it is only a second-class inn in Liangzhou City.
The best rooms in a second-class inn only cost two hundred wen, but now the price has tripled, and it’s not the peak tourist season.
"Hey, boss, is anyone staying here? Why are you charging so much if no one's staying here?"
The shopkeeper explained amiably, "Young lady, no, it's you who's talking. You see, the prices of everything else are high right now. If our accommodation fees don't go up, how are we going to get the money to buy other things?"
"What goods are you looking to import?"
"Of course it's the food. Sir, you've just arrived in the city, right? Go and ask around and see how expensive food and meat are right now."
"Then why don't you just charge more for dining in? Why charge such a high price for staying overnight?"
"Well, will you eat here? If so, I'll only charge you 500 wen per room."
"..."
Qin Bingrui thought that he should use the money in his pocket to buy more goods and save as much as possible. He was planning to change an inn, but he didn't expect that the innkeeper knew them too well.
"Sir, our inn is the only one that can provide meat dishes right now."
"Okay, give me four superior guest rooms and the other five ordinary double rooms."
"Okay, four superior guest rooms for two taels of silver, and five ordinary double rooms for one tael of silver, for a total of three taels of silver. How many days do you plan to stay?"
"First count for one day, and then pay if you need to extend the room."
"Okay, waiter, take the guests upstairs."
The accommodation was too expensive, and for the first time, Qin Bingrui felt his heart bleed at the thought of spending money.
Luo Yu comforted him: "When we return with the grain and meat, we will definitely make him a fortune."
Qin Bingrui was very unhappy and whispered, "It's mainly because I feel bad about spending money on those people from the Imperial City Bureau. I've always been the one who cheated people, so how can I be cheated now, right?"
Luo Yu: ...
When it was time for dinner, there were only three tables of people sitting there. Each table ordered two meats and three vegetables, and each person had two steamed buns and a bowl of egg soup, which cost ten taels of silver.
He is so cruel that he eats people without leaving any bones behind.
The more this happened, the more confident Luo Yu became that he could make a fortune from these wealthy people.
During the meal, Qin Bingrui reminded everyone to lick their bowls clean.
Young Master Murong was not surprised. Ye Yucheng frowned. He could never believe that there was such a woman in the world, and she even took the initiative to lick the bowl.
……
After the meal, the prefect Li came to the door in person.
Qin Bingrui muttered to himself, this guy must not want to treat them to a meal, so he came just when they had finished their meal.
When Lord Li saw Qin Bingrui and Qin Luohong, he was very impressed.
Luo Yu and Qin Bingrui were people who had photographic memories. When they saw Lord Li, they immediately remembered the post station where they had stayed when they had just brought Baihu back. The lords they met were Lord Li and his group.
Although they only met once, both sides were impressed.
Only after Luo Yu actually saw Wangzhou City did he conclude that what Lord Li and the others said that day was indeed reasonable. They must be demoted officials. Being the governor of Wangzhou is not an easy job.
The two parties exchanged greetings in the lobby of the inn, and then the innkeeper invited them into a guest room on the second floor to discuss business.
Lord Li got straight to the point: "Since Lord Ye is from the Imperial City Division, why would he go to Wangzhou City with Miss Qin and Miss Bai?"
"We just came here because of Baihu, and happened to meet Miss Qin and her friend." Ye Yucheng didn't say much. Although he didn't get to the point, he didn't lie either.
Qin Bingrui smiled faintly and teased Lord Li, "The prices in your Wangzhou City are truly outrageous. It's understandable that food is expensive, but why is it that staying in an inn is also so expensive? Don't you government officials do anything about it?"
Lord Li's face darkened, and he said, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Miss Qin."
Although I don't know their identities, but from the luxurious scene they used when they traveled last time, and the fact that the people from the Imperial City Bureau were able to provide them with protection, and looking at the extraordinary-looking Master Murong next to them, I always feel that these two girls are of great background and must have some close relationship with the emperor.
"May I ask, sirs, what kind of business are you planning to do in Wangzhou City this time?"
Luo Yu's voice was sweet and charming, and he asked softly, "Master Li, have you ever thought about who wants to do business in Wangzhou City?"
"Well, I've only been in office for a little over a month, so many things are unclear to me. However, the former governor of Wangzhou, Mr. Zeng, died suddenly, and the cause remains unknown. He was always in good health, so I'm afraid there are people with ill intentions..."
Don't talk too much, just keep it to the point.
"There are still many wealthy people in Wangzhou. Even though prices have risen so much, the shops are still doing well."
Ye Yucheng couldn't help but agree. It seemed that Miss Bai really had some skills. She paid attention to things that were completely different from ordinary people.
"Yes, there are also several wealthy merchants in Wangzhou. Now the prices in the city are basically monopolized by them."
"Does the Marquis of Qingyang's estate have much in Wangzhou? By the way, the Marquis of Qingyang's estate is supposedly in Yanzhou, so how could they have a monopoly on Wangzhou?"
Luo Yu pretended to be lost in thought.
Lord Li knew they already knew quite a bit, so he didn't hide anything. He sighed and said, "Wangzhou has many mountains and little land, but the fishing industry is very developed. Logically, it shouldn't be too poor. However, since the founding of the dynasty, this land has not belonged to any prince or marquis, so part of Wangzhou's industry has been monopolized by the Qingyang Marquisate."
"I see, it really is so poor that even generations of rich people wouldn't want to come here!"
Luo Yu made a joking remark, which made Lord Li confused.
"What do you mean by rich generations?"
Qin Bingrui poured himself a cup of tea, drank it in one gulp, and explained: "If any of your ancestors were officials, then the first one would be the first generation, the second one would be the second generation, and you are the third one, so you would be the third generation of officials!"
"May I ask what positions and generations Miss Qin and Miss Bai hold?"
Although Lord Li looks elegant and abides by the rules in his official duties, he is a man of action. I don't know why he was sent to a place like Wangzhou. It must be because he is too stubborn and was tricked by others.
"Miss Bai and I are the first generation of female officials."
"..."