IDWBE -Chapter 326 Making a Fortune

“Times change, Zhu Ruorong. And yet you dare call yourself a citizen of the capital, knowing nothing?”

Wang Xiaoshuan glanced at Zhu Ruorong with contempt and sneered, “After Lord He Jixiang left the palace, he immediately confiscated He Jin’s mansion—that dead eunuch’s residence. There was so much gold, silver, and jewels that in the end it was Li Sanniang’s team who helped move it all out. No one even knows how many chests there were. I was right there, watching everything clearly. Afterwards, I heard Jiang Chong’s house and the home of Qin Tong, the Vice Minister of Personnel, were also raided. Everything was packed into boxes and taken away. This time, our Prince has made a huge fortune. He won’t leave us empty-handed. Each of us should get at least a few taels of silver, right?”

“Do you think I don’t know that?”

Zhu Ruorong rolled his eyes. “How can you be so sure there’s silver in those chests? What if it’s something else?”

In truth, he already believed Wang Xiaoshuan, but didn’t want to lose face, so he was deliberately arguing.

“Why wouldn’t it be silver?”

Wang Xiaoshuan cleared his throat. “A few reckless ones tried to grab silver from the chests while no one was watching. They were caught red-handed, got thirty lashes, and were sent back to Sanhe for labor reform. Probably a year or half a year of roadwork. Those guys are brazen, not knowing their place.”

Whether they were new or old Sanhe men, if they had property in Sanhe—even without wives or children—unless they gave up entirely, they had no choice but to return honestly and accept punishment. They didn’t even need escorts.

“Looks like the Prince really struck it rich this time,” Jiang Tuhu said with awe, “But a few taels per person is impossible. There are too many of us. Even just a few taels each for seventy or eighty thousand people is tens of thousands of taels of silver. Add the suppliers’ money, soldiers’ monthly pay—it would take over a million taels to cover everything.”

Unnoticed, the three had finished a jar of wine. Wang Xiaoshuan stood and asked, “Where’s your latrine?”

Jiang Tuhu said, “We’re not in Sanhe. Just go outside and find a spot. A grown man—what’s there to be afraid of?”

Wang Xiaoshuan found this reasonable and started to leave.

“Don’t just go anywhere,” Zhu Ruorong hurriedly said. “This area is near the He Mansion. There are rules set by the Prince: no relieving yourself anywhere you like. We don’t know who’s watching, so be careful. Follow me; we’ll go to the privy in the back.”

He grabbed a lantern and led Wang Xiaoshuan.

After Jiang Tuhu and the others left, Zhu Ruorong took down another jar of wine from the mule cart. As he turned, he saw a line of fire torches approaching—no need to guess, it was the Sanhe night patrol.

He didn’t rush inside. Waiting for the group to get close, he recognized the rider in armor. Only then did he casually call out, “Captain Chen, when did you get here? I never noticed.”

Looking at Chen Xinluo, imposing in armor, Jiang Tuhu felt an indescribable envy.

Did his parents not give him good looks?

No way—he had been a handsome young man in his youth too.

“So it’s you, Jiang Tuhu,” Chen Xinluo, mounted high above, said, “This isn’t Sanhe. Things are chaotic here. Don’t run off or cause trouble. Military law is harsh.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t run off,” Jiang Tuhu hadn’t expected a proper reply from Chen Xinluo, so he didn’t take offense.

“Good.”

Chen Xinluo said no more and led the patrol onward.

“That was Chen Xinluo?”

Zhu Ruorong and Wang Xiaoshuan peeked out from the alley, watching the group fade into the distance. Curious, Zhu Ruorong asked, “Sanhe’s chief constable isn’t doing that job anymore? Got promoted? Pretty quick, huh.”

Wang Xiaoshuan said, “There are opportunities everywhere, and he’s close to the Prince. It’s natural he got promoted.”

Zhu Ruorong yawned. “This isn’t the place to chat. Let’s go inside and continue drinking. In this life, we only get this much wine. Whoever finishes first leaves first.”

The three secured the door latch and resumed drinking. Jiang Tuhu said, “Do you think the Prince could become Emperor? Could we also get rich along with him?”

Wang Xiaoshuan said, “Are you stupid? You even need to ask?”

No sooner had he spoken, the door began banging.

“Who’s there?”

Zhu Ruorong went to the door, whispering sharply, very alert.

Behind him were Jiang Tuhu and Wang Xiaoshuan holding knives.

“Can’t even recognize my voice?”

A voice outside asked.

“Crippled Sun?”

Zhu Ruorong flung open the door and saw Sun Quazi and Li Sanniang holding torches.

Li Sanniang walked in and sat down, gulping a pot of tea. “Your house is hard to find. Finally located the door.”

Zhu Ruorong said, “At this hour, all the houses are closed. Who did you ask for directions?”

Sun Quazi said, “The Prince isn’t staying in the mansion? We were delivering goods there. On our way out, thought of you, asked inside the mansion, and someone led us here.”

Zhu Ruorong said, “Ankang City has plenty of good locations and inns. Why come to my place? It’s tiny—only two rooms total.”

Li Sanniang chewed on dried meat. “Do you think I wanted to come? After this morning’s situation, every inn in the city was closed. No place to sleep, no place to eat. We’re still hungry.”

Zhu Ruorong sighed. “Don’t worry. South City is different. People trust the Prince. By night, vendors will set up, and by tomorrow, inns and restaurants will open. Plenty of food and drink.”

Li Sanniang smiled: “Good. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even know where to stay.”

Wang Xiaoshuan added, “Since you’re all in the city, did Liang Qingshu and Han Dongsheng come in?”

Sun Quazi said, “Of course. If they didn’t, who would deliver the food? So many soldiers inside would starve!”

Wang Xiaoshuan muttered angrily, “Damn it, didn’t see them work during the siege. Now that there’s reward, everyone wants to be in front.”

“That’s because you’re dumb,” Sun Quazi snorted. “Lord He said this time, every household had to contribute. Thirty thousand soldiers attacking the city—our laborers had no real part. You just got in the way.”

“I opened the city gate myself!”

Wang Xiaoshuan protested.

Huang Daoji, silent until now, said, “Enough. Eat quickly and rest. Tomorrow will be busy.”

Ankang City had just stabilized, with countless tasks. These laborers certainly wouldn’t be idle.