Chapter 240. It Is Chinese New Year

After Gu Xi left, Wen Cheng chuckled a few times indifferently, then flicked his sleeves and strode away.

Governor Luo looked genuinely distressed and feigned a complaint about the Commander-in-Chief’s temper—it had been like this since childhood! He also lamented how impatient Master Wen had become now, sighing a few more times about how difficult things were for him. But no matter how difficult things were, as the Governor of Hongzhou, he could only stand with the people of Hongzhou; there was nothing he could do, was there? But he truly suffered, truly distressed.

His advisor, Master Zhang, would interject with words of support, sighing about how difficult things were, and then trying to smooth things over, saying that while the Commander-in-Chief might have a temper, he was reasonable, but most of the time he sided with the people of Yuzhang. He urged the Commander to consider everyone’s situation; the people of Yuzhang had also had their share of hardships and injustices.

The distressed and conflicted Governor Luo, holding a jug in one hand and a cup in the other, tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but the alcohol ended up in other people’s cups, pouring into their hearts.

As the wine flowed freely, Governor Luo patted his chest and declared: “As long as I, Luo Ting-Xian, remain in Hongzhou, I will dedicate myself to the cause of Hongzhou; Hongzhou is my home!”

Advisor Zhang, also carrying a wine pot, promptly reminded everyone: “We should cherish such a worthy governor. Everything in moderation; quickly make your commitments.”

No matter how devoted Governor Luo was to Hongzhou, he was, after all, just a governor. Above him were the laws of the land, the Emperor, the various ministers, the Six Ministries and Nine Courts—all sorts of people were above him. If anything were to happen, Governor Luo would be powerless, even if he wanted to. He quickly made another commitment.

The host and guests poured wine pot after pot, exchanging pleasantries, drinking, and talking until everyone was thoroughly entertained. Even Old Master Dong, after weeping a few times while holding Governor Luo’s hand, repeatedly expressed that as a native of Hongzhou, he would do everything in his power for Hongzhou.

After seeing everyone off, Governor Luo let out a long sigh.

Advisor Zhang exhaled, “Alright, finally it is all settled.”

“It’s a good thing the Commander-in-Chief threw a tantrum; otherwise, heh,” Governor Luo sneered.

“People are all like that; they will not shed tears until they see the coffin, and they will not turn back until they hit a wall,” Advisor Zhang scoffed.

……………………

Li Sangrou slept until around noon. She got up and stood on the veranda, looking at the rows of cured fish, cured meat, wind-dried chicken, and salted duck. She was pondering what to eat when the old Yunmeng Guard on duty peeked out from the second gate and said with a smile, “Boss, you are up. Ji-Xiang is here. He says the Shizi is passing by and asks if you are awake.”

Li Sangrou hurried outside. Turning past the screen wall, Ji-Xiang saw Li Sangrou and quickly bowed, saying with a smile, “The Shizi is outside.”

Li Sangrou came out, and the alley entrance was half-blocked by a carriage with an indigo embankment. Gu Xi, inside the carriage, saw Li Sangrou and jumped out.

“Have you eaten yet? If not, let’s eat together,” Gu Xi said, taking two steps forward with a smile.

“No, let’s eat near Shengjin Pagoda. We can see what’s going on. I heard it is a custom in Yuzhang to visit Shengjin Pagoda on the first day of the Lunar New Year,” Li Sangrou suggested with a smile.

“Alright,” Gu Xi readily agreed; he had not decided where to go yet.

“In a carriage?” Gu Xi gestured, and Li Sangrou nodded.

Although Gu Xi was dressed casually, the fabric was brocade with a dragon pattern, making it unsuitable for walking in a crowd.

Li Sangrou peeked into the carriage first.

The carriage looked ordinary from the outside, but the interior was luxurious and comfortable, clearly Gu Xi’s usual style.

“You get in first; I will sit by the door,” Li Sangrou said, pulling her head back to indicate to Gu Xi.

Gu Xi raised her eyebrows high. “I will sit inside, and you sit by the door? Is that alright?”

Li Sangrou looked at Gu Xi’s surprised expression and did not know what to say.

What was not alright?

“The carriage is big enough,” Gu Xi added.

“Then you should go in first. I am not used to sitting inside. If something happens, it will be inconvenient to run around,” Li Sangrou said again, urging Gu Xi to go in.

“What could happen?” Gu Xi looked at Li Sangrou speechlessly.

“What if? Besides, I am used to it. Sitting inside, the thought of not being able to get out if something happens makes me uneasy,” Li Sangrou explained earnestly.

This was true. She was extremely uncomfortable being cornered. When you were cornered, even a trapped animal struggled, but it was too late to turn the tide.

“What if? There’s Ji-Xiang and the others, too; it is not just the two of us,” Gu Xi almost sighed.

“No, as an assassin, you have to be able to rush in and escape at any time, regardless of whether there’s a chance of something going wrong or not,” Li Sangrou urged Gu Xi again.

Gu Xi sighed deeply and got into the carriage.

Li Sangrou followed Gu Xi, sitting by the carriage door, but pulled her legs back, only lowering the curtain halfway.

“If something really happens, will you rush in or escape?” Gu Xi took out another cup, poured half a cup of tea, and handed it to Li Sangrou.

“I will probably rush in,” Li Sangrou thought carefully. “I have to rush in so you can escape. If anything happens to you, the price will be too high.”

“Just because the price is too high?” Gu Xi raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at Li Sangrou.

“Not entirely. We are friends, so I will definitely help if I can.” Li Sangrou sighed.

“If something really happens, I will definitely stand in front of you.” Gu Xi looked at Li Sangrou earnestly.

“That’s impossible; you are not as fast as I am,” Li Sangrou scoffed.

“I was talking about feelings,” Gu Xi explained slowly, glancing sideways at Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou did not speak, only raising her cup to Gu Xi.

The two were silent for a moment. Li Sangrou sipped her tea and said casually, “Sometimes when I am bored, I think, what should I do if someone wanted to kill me?”

Gu Xi almost choked. “Why are you thinking about that?”

“Prevention is better than a cure. I need to think ahead of my opponent and find a solution,” Li Sangrou smiled.

“So you’ve thought of something?” Gu Xi asked irritably.

“I’ve been poisoned, more than once. The first time it succeeded, but it will be extremely difficult to succeed again. With poisoning, if you keep a close eye on what goes in your mouth, you can prevent ninety percent of cases. The remaining ten percent depends on the people around you doing it.”

“I was poisoned once, too.” Gu Xi paused. “I grew up with my aunt. She paid more attention to my diet and daily life than to my older brother’s.

The people around me were all my aunt’s dowry servants. When my aunt was alive, she chose them herself. After she passed away, it was the matrons and stewards who chose them. Later, it was the people they brought with them who chose them. Choosing one person often took five or six or seven or eight years.

Even so, I was poisoned once.”

Gu Xi paused again and, after a long while, continued, “The year my aunt was seriously ill, I returned to King Rui’s mansion. I drank a cup of tea my father gave me—pounded tea. I was young then, and I still thought that he was my biological father.

My aunt was very ill at the time and no longer had the strength to investigate thoroughly. She killed all of Shen’s servants, as well as everyone who served Shen and those in the main courtyard. The Marquis of Yongping’s residence, through Shen Yun, had recruited many cunning and resourceful advisors, but my aunt also wiped them out.

From then on, Shen never regained control of King Rui’s residence.

Before my aunt passed away, she instructed me: ‘Before you grow up and have enough power, you must be fierce. You must make them fear you. Once you are grown up and powerful enough, then be humble and polite.'”

Li Sangrou listened intently, then sighed softly.

“Was it someone close to you who poisoned you that time?” Gu Xi asked, looking at Li Sangrou.

“Hmm, similar to you. Let’s not talk about this. It is the New Year; if Da Chang were here, he’d lose face.”

“There’s a saying in Yuzhang City: ‘When the vine breaks, the gourd is cut; when the pagoda collapses, Yuzhang is ruined.’ Have you heard of it?” Li Sangrou changed the subject.

“Hmm? No, vine? Pagoda?”

“The vine symbolizes the Tengwang Pavilion, and the pagoda is the Shengjin Pagoda. When both the Tengwang Pavilion and the Shengjin Pagoda collapse, Yuzhang City will cease to exist.” Li Sangrou smiled.

“You built the Tengwang Pavilion because of this?” Gu Xi asked.

“No, I built the Tengwang Pavilion simply because I wanted to. After all, it is the Tengwang Pavilion.

The Tengwang Pavilion was built in the previous dynasty, and so was the Shengjin Pagoda. Before that, the ancient city of Yuzhang was prosperous for countless years.

I think this statement should be reversed,” Li Sangrou said with a smile. “As long as Yuzhang City exists, the Tengwang Pavilion will always stand brightly; if Yuzhang City declines, the Tengwang Pavilion will inevitably fall into disrepair. That’s how it should be.”

Gu Xi laughed. “I think so too.”

The carriage exited Jinxian Gate, and the Shengjin Pagoda came into view.

“Let’s go eat first. There’s a restaurant south of the Shengjin Pagoda called Zhenzhu Tower; they have some good signature dishes,” Li Sangrou said, gazing at the pagoda.

“Alright.” Gu Xi smiled in response.

The carriage headed straight for Zhenzhu Tower. The area around Zhenzhu Tower was bustling with carriages and pedestrians; the building was packed with people, both upstairs and downstairs, and the servants at the entrance were all running.

As the carriage turned towards Zhenzhu Tower, its speed slowed slightly, and the attendant hurried ahead to the tower.

When the carriage arrived at the entrance of Zhenzhu Tower, a servant rushed out from inside to greet them, gesturing for the carriage to pull over to a side door.

Li Sangrou jumped out of the carriage first, surveying her surroundings.

Gu Xi got out, following Li Sangrou, and the two entered through the side door one after the other.

“This is a good place for an ambush,” Gu Xi said with a smile, looking around.

“Not a good place,” Li Sangrou said bluntly. “Too small. We can only attack one at a time. If two come at once, the blade will not be able to be swung properly. They will just be killed one by one.

If we throw stones and roll logs, this place is too big, and there are too many places to move around.

If we use fire, unless we have oil, the ambushers will be killed before the fire even starts. And if we have oil, we can see it, but the smell is too strong.”

“We are here to eat,” Gu Xi laughed incessantly.

“How did you get an empty seat?” Li Sangrou tapped the shoulder of the servant leading the way.

“I paid ten taels of silver,” The servant replied with a smile.

“It’s good to be rich,” Li Sangrou sighed.

“You do not have any money?” Gu Xi immediately retorted.

“I said it is good to be rich because I have money,” Li Sangrou said bluntly.

“You are richer than I am,” Gu Xi sighed sincerely.

“I really want to build a road, straight from Jianle City to Hangzhou City, with a foundation of crushed stones, topped with small stone slabs, and large stone slabs on both sides, four zhang wide, with a divider in the middle, one side for those going south and the other side for those going north,” Li Sangrou explained.

Gu Xi listened, dumbfounded. “How much would that cost?”

“Sigh, still no money. We’d need dozens of large ships, and the money can only be brought in from outside.” Li Sangrou raised her hand, waving it in a gesture of beckoning wealth.

“The outside world is all barbaric land,” Gu Xi chuckled, watching Li Sangrou wave her hand.

“Have you been to Mizhou? If you had, you would not say that. I heard Quanzhou is even more lively, with all sorts of people. They still call our place a barbaric land.” Li Sangrou smiled, seemingly lost in thought.

Ahead, a servant stopped at the door of a private room, and the two entered one after the other.

Next to the private room was the Zhenzhu Tower’s entrance, directly opposite the Shengjin Pagoda. Looking out the window, from afar to near, crowds thronged, a bustling scene.

The tea and wine server entered, and Li Sangrou ordered several of their signature dishes. She and Gu Xi ate while watching the commotion outside.

Li Sangrou had sharp eyes. She first spotted Gong Xiaoyi, then his occasional beckoning gesture, and finally looked at the two young women behind him and the thin, dark-skinned old woman between them.

All four were dressed in brand-new clothes. The two young women each wore a bright red silk top, and the old woman wore a bright red silk headband.

The silk clothes and the people seemed mismatched; even their new clothes from head to toe looked like they had not found their rightful owners.

“What are you looking at?” Gu Xi followed Li Sangrou’s gaze and looked outside.

“The steward of the Tengwang Pavilion, Gong Xiaoyi, and behind him are two people in bright red silk robes, and that woman in a bright red headband, see? Those are his sister and mother,” Li Sangrou gestured to Gu Xi.

“Hmm, were they very poor before? This is not just wearing clothes; it is like they are wearing clothes on a hanging frame,” Gu Xi carefully observed Gong Xiaoyi’s family, who had already reached the entrance of the Huan Gate.

Gong Xiaoyi’s mother kept raising her hand to press down on the silk headband on her head; when her hands were not on the headband, they were protectively behind her two daughters’ silk robes.

“They were always struggling to make ends meet.

Xiaoyi has an exceptional talent for woodworking. After the Tengwang Pavilion is finished, I plan to send him to Yangzhou City to oversee the construction of the Yangzhou branch of the Daxiangguo Temple.” Li Sangrou watched Gong Xiaoyi’s family enter the restaurant, then looked away and smiled.

“My Eldest Brother said that after the Yangzhou branch temple is repaired, my Second Brother will preside over it. He said it was my Second Brother’s suggestion,” Gu Xi said with a smile.

“Hmm, Yangzhou is a good place. It will definitely be as prosperous as before, the kind where I am rolling in money and riding a crane down to Yangzhou,” Li Sangrou thought for a moment and sighed contentedly.

“Where do you plan to live in the future? Jianle City? Yangzhou? Hangzhou?” Gu Xi asked, looking at Li Sangrou.

“And Jiangdu and Jiangning. They are all good places. I will just go with the flow. Yuzhang City is quite nice, and Mizhou is also good; it is not hot in the summer,” Li Sangrou said casually. “And Chengdu Prefecture is also a good place. And the north, that land of tigers and wolves, I’d like to go see it too.”

Gu Xi raised his eyebrows.

“Life is short, but the journey is too long,” Li Sangrou sighed.

She often felt confined; wherever she wanted to go, it was always extremely far, and the journey was endless.

“You are overthinking things!” Gu Xi retorted bluntly.

Li Sangrou smiled at him, a smile that made Gu Xi sigh deeply before joining in the laughter.

Chapter 240. It Is Chinese New Year

After Gu Xi left, Wen Cheng chuckled a few times indifferently, then flicked his sleeves and strode away.

Governor Luo looked genuinely distressed and feigned a complaint about the Commander-in-Chief’s temper—it had been like this since childhood! He also lamented how impatient Master Wen had become now, sighing a few more times about how difficult things were for him. But no matter how difficult things were, as the Governor of Hongzhou, he could only stand with the people of Hongzhou; there was nothing he could do, was there? But he truly suffered, truly distressed.

His advisor, Master Zhang, would interject with words of support, sighing about how difficult things were, and then trying to smooth things over, saying that while the Commander-in-Chief might have a temper, he was reasonable, but most of the time he sided with the people of Yuzhang. He urged the Commander to consider everyone’s situation; the people of Yuzhang had also had their share of hardships and injustices.

The distressed and conflicted Governor Luo, holding a jug in one hand and a cup in the other, tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but the alcohol ended up in other people’s cups, pouring into their hearts.

As the wine flowed freely, Governor Luo patted his chest and declared: “As long as I, Luo Ting-Xian, remain in Hongzhou, I will dedicate myself to the cause of Hongzhou; Hongzhou is my home!”

Advisor Zhang, also carrying a wine pot, promptly reminded everyone: “We should cherish such a worthy governor. Everything in moderation; quickly make your commitments.”

No matter how devoted Governor Luo was to Hongzhou, he was, after all, just a governor. Above him were the laws of the land, the Emperor, the various ministers, the Six Ministries and Nine Courts—all sorts of people were above him. If anything were to happen, Governor Luo would be powerless, even if he wanted to. He quickly made another commitment.

The host and guests poured wine pot after pot, exchanging pleasantries, drinking, and talking until everyone was thoroughly entertained. Even Old Master Dong, after weeping a few times while holding Governor Luo’s hand, repeatedly expressed that as a native of Hongzhou, he would do everything in his power for Hongzhou.

After seeing everyone off, Governor Luo let out a long sigh.

Advisor Zhang exhaled, “Alright, finally it is all settled.”

“It’s a good thing the Commander-in-Chief threw a tantrum; otherwise, heh,” Governor Luo sneered.

“People are all like that; they will not shed tears until they see the coffin, and they will not turn back until they hit a wall,” Advisor Zhang scoffed.

……………………

Li Sangrou slept until around noon. She got up and stood on the veranda, looking at the rows of cured fish, cured meat, wind-dried chicken, and salted duck. She was pondering what to eat when the old Yunmeng Guard on duty peeked out from the second gate and said with a smile, “Boss, you are up. Ji-Xiang is here. He says the Shizi is passing by and asks if you are awake.”

Li Sangrou hurried outside. Turning past the screen wall, Ji-Xiang saw Li Sangrou and quickly bowed, saying with a smile, “The Shizi is outside.”

Li Sangrou came out, and the alley entrance was half-blocked by a carriage with an indigo embankment. Gu Xi, inside the carriage, saw Li Sangrou and jumped out.

“Have you eaten yet? If not, let’s eat together,” Gu Xi said, taking two steps forward with a smile.

“No, let’s eat near Shengjin Pagoda. We can see what’s going on. I heard it is a custom in Yuzhang to visit Shengjin Pagoda on the first day of the Lunar New Year,” Li Sangrou suggested with a smile.

“Alright,” Gu Xi readily agreed; he had not decided where to go yet.

“In a carriage?” Gu Xi gestured, and Li Sangrou nodded.

Although Gu Xi was dressed casually, the fabric was brocade with a dragon pattern, making it unsuitable for walking in a crowd.

Li Sangrou peeked into the carriage first.

The carriage looked ordinary from the outside, but the interior was luxurious and comfortable, clearly Gu Xi’s usual style.

“You get in first; I will sit by the door,” Li Sangrou said, pulling her head back to indicate to Gu Xi.

Gu Xi raised her eyebrows high. “I will sit inside, and you sit by the door? Is that alright?”

Li Sangrou looked at Gu Xi’s surprised expression and did not know what to say.

What was not alright?

“The carriage is big enough,” Gu Xi added.

“Then you should go in first. I am not used to sitting inside. If something happens, it will be inconvenient to run around,” Li Sangrou said again, urging Gu Xi to go in.

“What could happen?” Gu Xi looked at Li Sangrou speechlessly.

“What if? Besides, I am used to it. Sitting inside, the thought of not being able to get out if something happens makes me uneasy,” Li Sangrou explained earnestly.

This was true. She was extremely uncomfortable being cornered. When you were cornered, even a trapped animal struggled, but it was too late to turn the tide.

“What if? There’s Ji-Xiang and the others, too; it is not just the two of us,” Gu Xi almost sighed.

“No, as an assassin, you have to be able to rush in and escape at any time, regardless of whether there’s a chance of something going wrong or not,” Li Sangrou urged Gu Xi again.

Gu Xi sighed deeply and got into the carriage.

Li Sangrou followed Gu Xi, sitting by the carriage door, but pulled her legs back, only lowering the curtain halfway.

“If something really happens, will you rush in or escape?” Gu Xi took out another cup, poured half a cup of tea, and handed it to Li Sangrou.

“I will probably rush in,” Li Sangrou thought carefully. “I have to rush in so you can escape. If anything happens to you, the price will be too high.”

“Just because the price is too high?” Gu Xi raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at Li Sangrou.

“Not entirely. We are friends, so I will definitely help if I can.” Li Sangrou sighed.

“If something really happens, I will definitely stand in front of you.” Gu Xi looked at Li Sangrou earnestly.

“That’s impossible; you are not as fast as I am,” Li Sangrou scoffed.

“I was talking about feelings,” Gu Xi explained slowly, glancing sideways at Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou did not speak, only raising her cup to Gu Xi.

The two were silent for a moment. Li Sangrou sipped her tea and said casually, “Sometimes when I am bored, I think, what should I do if someone wanted to kill me?”

Gu Xi almost choked. “Why are you thinking about that?”

“Prevention is better than a cure. I need to think ahead of my opponent and find a solution,” Li Sangrou smiled.

“So you’ve thought of something?” Gu Xi asked irritably.

“I’ve been poisoned, more than once. The first time it succeeded, but it will be extremely difficult to succeed again. With poisoning, if you keep a close eye on what goes in your mouth, you can prevent ninety percent of cases. The remaining ten percent depends on the people around you doing it.”

“I was poisoned once, too.” Gu Xi paused. “I grew up with my aunt. She paid more attention to my diet and daily life than to my older brother’s.

The people around me were all my aunt’s dowry servants. When my aunt was alive, she chose them herself. After she passed away, it was the matrons and stewards who chose them. Later, it was the people they brought with them who chose them. Choosing one person often took five or six or seven or eight years.

Even so, I was poisoned once.”

Gu Xi paused again and, after a long while, continued, “The year my aunt was seriously ill, I returned to King Rui’s mansion. I drank a cup of tea my father gave me—pounded tea. I was young then, and I still thought that he was my biological father.

My aunt was very ill at the time and no longer had the strength to investigate thoroughly. She killed all of Shen’s servants, as well as everyone who served Shen and those in the main courtyard. The Marquis of Yongping’s residence, through Shen Yun, had recruited many cunning and resourceful advisors, but my aunt also wiped them out.

From then on, Shen never regained control of King Rui’s residence.

Before my aunt passed away, she instructed me: ‘Before you grow up and have enough power, you must be fierce. You must make them fear you. Once you are grown up and powerful enough, then be humble and polite.'”

Li Sangrou listened intently, then sighed softly.

“Was it someone close to you who poisoned you that time?” Gu Xi asked, looking at Li Sangrou.

“Hmm, similar to you. Let’s not talk about this. It is the New Year; if Da Chang were here, he’d lose face.”

“There’s a saying in Yuzhang City: ‘When the vine breaks, the gourd is cut; when the pagoda collapses, Yuzhang is ruined.’ Have you heard of it?” Li Sangrou changed the subject.

“Hmm? No, vine? Pagoda?”

“The vine symbolizes the Tengwang Pavilion, and the pagoda is the Shengjin Pagoda. When both the Tengwang Pavilion and the Shengjin Pagoda collapse, Yuzhang City will cease to exist.” Li Sangrou smiled.

“You built the Tengwang Pavilion because of this?” Gu Xi asked.

“No, I built the Tengwang Pavilion simply because I wanted to. After all, it is the Tengwang Pavilion.

The Tengwang Pavilion was built in the previous dynasty, and so was the Shengjin Pagoda. Before that, the ancient city of Yuzhang was prosperous for countless years.

I think this statement should be reversed,” Li Sangrou said with a smile. “As long as Yuzhang City exists, the Tengwang Pavilion will always stand brightly; if Yuzhang City declines, the Tengwang Pavilion will inevitably fall into disrepair. That’s how it should be.”

Gu Xi laughed. “I think so too.”

The carriage exited Jinxian Gate, and the Shengjin Pagoda came into view.

“Let’s go eat first. There’s a restaurant south of the Shengjin Pagoda called Zhenzhu Tower; they have some good signature dishes,” Li Sangrou said, gazing at the pagoda.

“Alright.” Gu Xi smiled in response.

The carriage headed straight for Zhenzhu Tower. The area around Zhenzhu Tower was bustling with carriages and pedestrians; the building was packed with people, both upstairs and downstairs, and the servants at the entrance were all running.

As the carriage turned towards Zhenzhu Tower, its speed slowed slightly, and the attendant hurried ahead to the tower.

When the carriage arrived at the entrance of Zhenzhu Tower, a servant rushed out from inside to greet them, gesturing for the carriage to pull over to a side door.

Li Sangrou jumped out of the carriage first, surveying her surroundings.

Gu Xi got out, following Li Sangrou, and the two entered through the side door one after the other.

“This is a good place for an ambush,” Gu Xi said with a smile, looking around.

“Not a good place,” Li Sangrou said bluntly. “Too small. We can only attack one at a time. If two come at once, the blade will not be able to be swung properly. They will just be killed one by one.

If we throw stones and roll logs, this place is too big, and there are too many places to move around.

If we use fire, unless we have oil, the ambushers will be killed before the fire even starts. And if we have oil, we can see it, but the smell is too strong.”

“We are here to eat,” Gu Xi laughed incessantly.

“How did you get an empty seat?” Li Sangrou tapped the shoulder of the servant leading the way.

“I paid ten taels of silver,” The servant replied with a smile.

“It’s good to be rich,” Li Sangrou sighed.

“You do not have any money?” Gu Xi immediately retorted.

“I said it is good to be rich because I have money,” Li Sangrou said bluntly.

“You are richer than I am,” Gu Xi sighed sincerely.

“I really want to build a road, straight from Jianle City to Hangzhou City, with a foundation of crushed stones, topped with small stone slabs, and large stone slabs on both sides, four zhang wide, with a divider in the middle, one side for those going south and the other side for those going north,” Li Sangrou explained.

Gu Xi listened, dumbfounded. “How much would that cost?”

“Sigh, still no money. We’d need dozens of large ships, and the money can only be brought in from outside.” Li Sangrou raised her hand, waving it in a gesture of beckoning wealth.

“The outside world is all barbaric land,” Gu Xi chuckled, watching Li Sangrou wave her hand.

“Have you been to Mizhou? If you had, you would not say that. I heard Quanzhou is even more lively, with all sorts of people. They still call our place a barbaric land.” Li Sangrou smiled, seemingly lost in thought.

Ahead, a servant stopped at the door of a private room, and the two entered one after the other.

Next to the private room was the Zhenzhu Tower’s entrance, directly opposite the Shengjin Pagoda. Looking out the window, from afar to near, crowds thronged, a bustling scene.

The tea and wine server entered, and Li Sangrou ordered several of their signature dishes. She and Gu Xi ate while watching the commotion outside.

Li Sangrou had sharp eyes. She first spotted Gong Xiaoyi, then his occasional beckoning gesture, and finally looked at the two young women behind him and the thin, dark-skinned old woman between them.

All four were dressed in brand-new clothes. The two young women each wore a bright red silk top, and the old woman wore a bright red silk headband.

The silk clothes and the people seemed mismatched; even their new clothes from head to toe looked like they had not found their rightful owners.

“What are you looking at?” Gu Xi followed Li Sangrou’s gaze and looked outside.

“The steward of the Tengwang Pavilion, Gong Xiaoyi, and behind him are two people in bright red silk robes, and that woman in a bright red headband, see? Those are his sister and mother,” Li Sangrou gestured to Gu Xi.

“Hmm, were they very poor before? This is not just wearing clothes; it is like they are wearing clothes on a hanging frame,” Gu Xi carefully observed Gong Xiaoyi’s family, who had already reached the entrance of the Huan Gate.

Gong Xiaoyi’s mother kept raising her hand to press down on the silk headband on her head; when her hands were not on the headband, they were protectively behind her two daughters’ silk robes.

“They were always struggling to make ends meet.

Xiaoyi has an exceptional talent for woodworking. After the Tengwang Pavilion is finished, I plan to send him to Yangzhou City to oversee the construction of the Yangzhou branch of the Daxiangguo Temple.” Li Sangrou watched Gong Xiaoyi’s family enter the restaurant, then looked away and smiled.

“My Eldest Brother said that after the Yangzhou branch temple is repaired, my Second Brother will preside over it. He said it was my Second Brother’s suggestion,” Gu Xi said with a smile.

“Hmm, Yangzhou is a good place. It will definitely be as prosperous as before, the kind where I am rolling in money and riding a crane down to Yangzhou,” Li Sangrou thought for a moment and sighed contentedly.

“Where do you plan to live in the future? Jianle City? Yangzhou? Hangzhou?” Gu Xi asked, looking at Li Sangrou.

“And Jiangdu and Jiangning. They are all good places. I will just go with the flow. Yuzhang City is quite nice, and Mizhou is also good; it is not hot in the summer,” Li Sangrou said casually. “And Chengdu Prefecture is also a good place. And the north, that land of tigers and wolves, I’d like to go see it too.”

Gu Xi raised his eyebrows.

“Life is short, but the journey is too long,” Li Sangrou sighed.

She often felt confined; wherever she wanted to go, it was always extremely far, and the journey was endless.

“You are overthinking things!” Gu Xi retorted bluntly.

Li Sangrou smiled at him, a smile that made Gu Xi sigh deeply before joining in the laughter.