IDWBE -Chapter 543 East of the River, West of the River

Butcher Jiang kept staring at Liang Qingshu until he finished the tea in his cup. Seeing it empty, he quickly stood up, bent slightly, and refilled it with a smile. “Shopkeeper Liang, you know me—I’m not very bright. I can’t figure things out no matter how much I think about them. You’ve seen more of the world than we have. Could you give us a few pointers? Otherwise we’re like headless flies, guessing wildly all day.”

Zhu Ruorong disliked seeing him act so humble. He turned his head away as if he hadn’t heard anything.

But his ears were perked up, listening carefully.

Liang Qingshu waved his hand.

“Old Jiang, you’re becoming more and more modest. If you say you have no brains, then how did your daughter turn out so outstanding? How did your business grow so big? To be honest, I’m only a few years older than you. My employer happens to value this old fellow and lets me run errands for him. Aside from that, I’m not as capable as you. In a few years, when I’m too old to serve the boss anymore, I’ll have to return to Sanhe and retire.”

Butcher Jiang laughed. “You’re the one being modest.”

He certainly didn’t dare take Liang Qingshu’s words seriously.

“I’m telling the truth,” Liang Qingshu said slowly. “It’s only because I rely on my employer that I look respectable. Once I’m no longer the so-called shopkeeper and return to Sanhe, who will even recognize a man surnamed Liang? By then people will despise me like dogs do. If they don’t step on me, I’ll thank Buddha and hope to live a few peaceful days. Unlike the two of you—your businesses are your own. Even if you stop working and return to the countryside, you’ll still be wealthy landlords. Who would dare challenge you?”

Zhu Ruorong liked hearing that.

Liang Qingshu, like Zhang Shun, might look impressive now, but he was just running errands for his boss.

Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side.

Only the one who laughs last wins.

But regardless of what he thought, he said aloud: “Shopkeeper Liang, you praise us too much. More and more merchants are coming to Ankang City. Any business with even a little profit is fiercely competed over. In the future, we’ll be lucky just not to lose money. Whether we’ll even have retirement savings is uncertain. One mistake and we could lose everything. Unlike you—steady income whether drought or flood, and no risk of your own money. We envy you.”

Butcher Jiang held his forehead.

Zhu Ruorong was usually quite clever—why was he talking nonsense now?

Liang Qingshu, as Liang Gen’s chief shopkeeper, held equity shares in the business.

No one knew exactly how much, but even if it was only one percent, he’d be worth over a million taels!

Even if Butcher Jiang and Zhu Ruorong worked their whole lives combined, they couldn’t match him.

And not long ago, when Prince He called for donations for Yuzhou disaster relief, Liang Qingshu alone donated one hundred thousand taels in his own name.

Meanwhile, Jiang and Zhu Ruorong—seeing everyone else donating and unable to refuse for the sake of appearances—reluctantly scraped together two hundred taels.

How could they compare?

“You’re confused again,” Butcher Jiang said, unable to resist kicking Zhu Ruorong under the table.

Ignoring his expression, he smiled at Liang Qingshu.

“Just Shopkeeper Liang’s yearly dividends equal what we could never earn in a lifetime. And when donating to disaster victims, you casually gave a hundred thousand taels! You stunned those northerners. They wouldn’t dare underestimate us people from Sanhe now.”

“Yes, yes,” Zhu Ruorong said awkwardly.

He had forgotten about that.

He remembered Li Sanniang commenting at the time about Liang Qingshu’s generosity.

Liang Qingshu’s annual dividends must be enormous.

And he had worked in the Liang family for thirty years—from apprentice to today.

The old master Liang Gen trusted him deeply.

Even Liang family descendants who lived luxurious lives had to respectfully greet him as “Uncle” or “Grandfather.”

That showed his status.

Thinking of this, Zhu Ruorong lowered his head.

Why hadn’t he thought before speaking?

He had made himself look ridiculous.

“Enough with flattering each other—it’s pointless,” Liang Qingshu said casually. “This auction for the Emperor’s lunch—anyone with eyes can see what’s going on.”

Butcher Jiang grinned. “That’s obvious. Our Prince must be short of money again. But then again, when has he ever not been short of money?”

“Exactly,” Liang Qingshu said bluntly. “If he’s willing to damage the dignity of the imperial family by holding such an auction, he must be even more short of money than usual. Merchants from all over Great Liang gathering in Ankang City—first of all, they want to help Prince He relieve his worries. They’re anxious about what he’s anxious about. That’s what true loyalty to the ruler looks like.”

Butcher Jiang said eagerly, “And the second reason?”

“The second,” Liang Qingshu said, “is prestige for us people of Sanhe. Being summoned by the Emperor for a banquet—what an honor that is.”

Zhu Ruorong huffed.

“And is there a third?”

Liang Qingshu said slowly, “I’ve heard that whoever wins the top bid will receive the title ‘Charity Role Model of Great Liang’ personally bestowed by Prince He.’”

Seeing the two of them staring in shock, he lowered his head proudly and sipped his tea.

“That’s practically a talisman of immunity from death!” Zhu Ruorong exclaimed. “No wonder so many people are rushing to Ankang City!”

Paying respect to Prince He might be an excuse—what they really wanted was a life-saving charm.

Liang Qingshu snorted. “In noble families and wealthy households, who doesn’t have dirty secrets? If they stay hidden, fine. But if exposed, most of them deserve execution along with their entire clan.”

“But…” Butcher Jiang wanted to ask: The Liang family shouldn’t need a life-saving charm, right?

But remembering the things the Liang family had done before Prince He came to Sanhe, he held his tongue.

Whether the Liang family or the Wang family—both had made their fortunes at sea.

Of the crimes they committed, perhaps not a hundred—but at least seventy.

People like them deserved death a thousand times over.

Zhu Ruorong chuckled. “Spending money to buy safety—nothing wrong with that. But I heard merchants from Ayu are also joining the auction. Why would they do that?”

Liang Qingshu only smiled silently. He straightened his sleeves, stood up, and said: “I’ll take my leave. Thank you for the tea.”

“Hey,” Zhu Ruorong said, watching his back. “Leaving a story half-told—quite interesting.”

Butcher Jiang replied, “He just didn’t want to say.”

Zhu Ruorong asked, “Then do you know why?”

“Ask me? Who would I ask?” Butcher Jiang replied.

Then he changed his tone. “But I think someone might know.”

“Who?”

“That little rascal Wang Xiaoshuan,” Butcher Jiang yawned while leaning back in his chair. “He’s in the capital garrison now—his information must be good. Why don’t you go ask him?”

“I’ve got nothing better to do?” Zhu Ruorong rolled his eyes. “With that time, I’d rather sleep.”

---

Why merchants from Ayu wanted to join the auction puzzled not only Zhu Ruorong and the others—even Lin Yi himself was confused.

He asked Pan Duo, but Pan Duo looked troubled.

Even the Imperial Guards and Shadow agents hadn’t infiltrated Ayu or its merchant circles.

Lin Yi didn’t press further. He understood.

A single black man—even if he spoke excellent Chinese—could hardly become a spy.

His skin color alone was a fatal weakness.

It wasn’t until night that Du Yinniang cleared up his confusion. “Your Highness, when I was at sea I heard people say that Li Fo, the Emperor of Ayu, didn’t die. After emptying Ayu’s treasury, he escaped by ship and became a king on an island.”

While massaging Lin Yi’s shoulders, she continued: “Many of the Ayu merchants now in Ankang City are his people. According to my father’s guess, Li Fo may be secretly building strength to reclaim Ayu from the Westerners.”

Lin Yi closed his eyes. “But why participate in the auction?”

Du Yinniang thought for a moment. “I might be wrong, Your Highness—but perhaps Li Fo wants to use this opportunity to reconcile with you and borrow your power to restore his kingdom.”

Lin Yi sat up from her firm thigh and frowned. “When you put it that way… it’s not impossible.”

“If he gives me tens of millions of taels of silver, I wouldn’t mind helping him restore his country.”

He had a vague feeling.

Great Liang’s real threat wasn’t Prince Yong.

Not the Western Wilderness.

Not the Jingzhao Monastery.

Not even Ayu.

It was the Western powers he had never yet faced.

Their ships were strong, their cannons powerful, and they had already conquered most nearby regions.

If they were allowed to continue, things would become truly troublesome.

“Your Highness is wise,” Du Yinniang said happily, pleased that Lin Yi approved of her guess.

The next day Lin Yi was still energetic.

Another dull yet peaceful day in the life of a fishing enthusiast began.

As he stepped outside, he saw a carriage.

The curtain was half-lifted. Curious, Lin Yi stepped back and saw a bright and beautiful face.

The woman saw him as well and quickly lowered the curtain.

Han Deqing hurried over.

“Your Highness, that is Xiao Chuhong, Shopkeeper Xiao from Jingzhou. She came to see Young Master Ye Qiu.”

“The Xiao family from Jingzhou?” Lin Yi recalled hearing the name.

“Yes,” Han Deqing said while thinking. “When Wang Xu marched to Chuzhou, the Xiao family donated fifty thousand taels in military funds. Your Highness personally awarded Shopkeeper Xiao the title ‘Model of Supporting the Army.’ Recently, during the Yuzhou disaster relief, she donated another two hundred thousand taels. Minister Gan Mao from the Ministry of Revenue received her personally and instructed that since she had come to Ankang City, she must not be treated poorly, lest people lose heart. So… I took the liberty of letting her carriage enter and park outside the residence.”

To become a competent commander of guards, Han Deqing had memorized piles of dossiers from Liang Yuanzhi.

Finally, his effort paid off.

Lin Yi said, “Oh right—I remember now. She once went to Sanhe to obtain a shipping license. She donated fifty thousand taels to military funds. Very impressive. So… she’s interested in Ye Qiu?”

At this point he felt a little jealous.

Lin Yi wasn’t bad either!

Why didn’t she come looking for him?

Han Deqing said, “Master Ye seems devoted to martial arts. It looks like he’s deliberately avoiding Shopkeeper Xiao.”

Lin Yi snorted. “There’s no such thing as being oblivious to romance. It’s just self-deception.”

He thought of those so-called “straight men.”

Some women, like men, were hopelessly devoted but still made excuses for the man they liked, calling him “a straight man.”

In truth, it was simple—the man just didn’t like her.

If he met someone he liked, that same “straight man” would instantly become a devoted admirer.

“Your Highness is correct,” Han Deqing said automatically.

It was a skill he had mastered since becoming commander of guards.

No matter whether Prince He was right or wrong, the response was always:

“Your Highness is wise” or “Your Highness speaks truly.”

Experience had proven that anyone who openly contradicted Prince He ended badly.

Lin Yi glanced at the carriage again.

“Bring that idiot Ye Qiu to see me. A young man who doesn’t know the charm of a rich woman wastes his youth planting rice upside down. He’ll regret it later.”

“Yes.”

Han Deqing said so aloud, but inwardly he disagreed.

The Ye family was already one of the major wealthy families of Sanhe.

And Ye Chen had already established a profitable business in Ankang City.

They hardly lacked money.

---

Lin Yi hid under a tree, catching two crucian carp before Ye Qiu arrived.

Lin Yi looked at Ye Qiu’s flowing white robes, then at his own loose shorts.

“Aren’t you hot?” he asked.

“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness,” Ye Qiu replied calmly. “I’m not hot.”

Lin Yi cleared his throat. “You know Xiao Chuhong came to see you?”

Ye Qiu said expressionlessly, “The fact that I haven’t killed her already is giving the Xiao family face.”

“I know women slow down your sword drawing speed,” Lin Yi said. “But have you considered that if you found a rich woman, she could buy you a better sword?”

He glanced at the worn, polished sword hilt on Ye Qiu’s waist. “Look at you—you’re so poor you won’t even replace your sword.”

Ye Qiu was about to respond, but Lin Yi cut him off. “Dear, don’t reject me. We can still be friends.”

Ye Qiu’s face flushed red. “What does Your Highness want me to do?”

“No, no,” Lin Yi waved his hand seriously. “You misunderstand. I’m doing this for your own good.”

“Yes.”

Ye Qiu sighed and drifted away.

“People really don’t know how lucky they are,” Lin Yi muttered helplessly.

By sunset Lin Yi returned home with a full catch.

Passing Guan Xiaoqi’s sheep pen, he smelled the strong odor of goats from afar.

Looking at the sturdy goats, he said, “Raise them well. In winter we can roast whole lamb.”

Guan Xiaoqi rolled her eyes. “You’re talking nonsense again. These are expensive breeding ewes. We can’t eat them—they’re for lambs.”

“Fine,” Lin Yi said. “Then we’ll wait and eat their babies.”

Just then Guan Sheng crawled out of another sheep pen.

He was about to kneel, but Lin Yi stopped him.

“You’re my father-in-law now—no need to be so formal.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Guan Sheng looked awkward and uneasy.

“How’s your health lately?” Lin Yi asked.

“Thanks to Your Highness’s blessings, I eat and drink well. I’m in great shape.”

“That’s good. Come visit more often,” Lin Yi said with a smile.

“Spend time with her so she won’t feel alone.”

“Yes, yes,” Guan Sheng replied with a forced smile.

“Your Highness’s kindness is truly a blessing our Guan family has cultivated for generations.”

Deep down he didn’t know whether marrying his daughter into Prince He’s household was good or bad.

Every day he lived in fear.

But he knew one thing clearly.

He had no choice.