IDWBE -Chapter 64 The Foodie

Wang Qingbang sighed. “Qi Yong is an old fox—sly, ruthless, and cunning. Your Highness is merciful; naturally, it’s hard to deal with him.”

“Stop flattering me. I know my own abilities,”

Lin Yi shot him a sharp look. “He’s not stupid, but he’s definitely no genius. Real clever people are my brothers—each one stickier than a monkey. That old twelfth brother… damn it, he’s slippery as an eel. You really can’t beat them. Luckily, I know my limits and stay far from trouble!”

Wang Qingbang smiled. “Your Highness is too modest. The Zhuguo family is your maternal side.”

“Getting off-topic, isn’t it?”

Lin Yi didn’t let him continue, speaking instead, “During the Yongguang era, the Fourth Prince was so glorious. My maternal relatives were generals too, with power over the court. Yet in the end… they met a beheaded fate.”

Rumor had it, his father, Emperor Lin Xun, personally executed them!

What immense hatred and grudge that must have been!

Wang Qingbang said, “The Emperor is truly heroic—leading troops alone in the field, commanding with skill, training the army as if his arms obey his mind. In the army, soldiers heed the general’s orders, not the Emperor’s edicts. The Fourth Prince relied on external forces, so he could never command so effortlessly.”

Lin Yi smiled. “Exactly. Unless you can lead troops yourself, like Prince Yong, relying on others is like water reflected in a mirror—pretty but powerless.”

“Which prince is Your Highness close to?”

Wang Qingbang gave a forced laugh, realizing he had trapped himself.

“Starve rather than work for relatives; be poor rather than till your father-in-law’s land. As for me, I help neither.”

Lin Yi checked his books while filling numbers on the note. After finishing, he handed it to Wang Qingbang. “Deliver this, and also write one for Song Cheng, asking them not to send silver notes for now… and no physical silver either. It’s troublesome.”

Sanhe was such a desolate place that it didn’t even have a bank. Silver notes had to be exchanged at local pawnshops, cloth stores, or grain shops—at a huge loss!

If Song Cheng sent silver directly, the journey would be long and inconvenient.

He planned to open a bank when the time was right, saving all this trouble.

Exiting the back courtyard, he casually strolled to the river inside the mansion.

The sun was bright; the river water clear and sparkling.

“Your Highness,”

Tian Shiyou sat by the river, gnawing on a huge pig’s trotter, completely ignoring his two brothers drooling beside him.

“You’re stealing my pig’s trotter again!”

Lin Yi was exasperated, regretting keeping these three troublemakers.

Each could eat more than the last and often sneaked into the kitchen to steal food!

“Your Highness, it’s just too delicious,”

Tian Shiyou mumbled, then tossed the trotter behind him. His two brothers immediately fought over it.

He acted as if he hadn’t seen it, walked to the river, washed his hands, and wiped his greasy mouth.

“Delicious,” Lin Yi said, annoyed. “From today, you’ll pay for your meals, and I’ll make sure you eat enough!”

“Really?”

Tian Shiyou’s eyes lit up. “Your Highness, you said we get monthly wages, so deduct it from that!”

At first, he hadn’t wanted to stay at the He Mansion.

But in just a week, the three of them were already thankful they hadn’t left.

The mansion’s meals were just too good.

Though his ancestors were pirates and the family had fallen on hard times, he was forced into the salt trade but still left with considerable wealth. Plus, he earned hundreds of thousands of taels annually.

Life on the rivers and seas wasn’t entirely rough—they were rich enough to indulge in extravagance and feasting.

But he had never eaten food this good before!

It made all his previous meals seem worse than a dog’s.

No! That would insult the dogs!

The mansion’s black dog and little yellow dog ate far better than they did!

Those dogs gnawed large bones daily, as much as they wanted.

Servants fed them multiple times a day to ensure they didn’t go hungry.

Yet here he was, sneaking a single pig’s trotter!

What a miserable life!

Lin Yi said flatly, “At this rate, your monthly wages won’t be enough. My chefs are top-notch; a meal at a restaurant would cost at least one or two taels.”

So far, except for the ancient “living ancestor,” no one could take advantage of him!

“Your Highness speaks the truth!”

Tian Shiyou secretly rejoiced. The mansion’s meals—four dishes per meal, two meat, two vegetable—were luxurious compared to any restaurant. Two taels might not even buy that!

Lin Yi generously said, “Well, I’m a magnanimous person. From now on, no more monthly wages for food—but I won’t add extra money either. Just eat freely.”

“Your Highness,”

Though Tian Shiyou was internally delighted, he still put on a worried face. “Thank you for your grace!”

Lin Yi smiled and nodded, sending Mingyue to fetch fishing hooks while he fished himself.

The weather was good; the fish bit quickly, and he soon caught several.

Just as he was feeling pleased, Sun Yi ran over with news.

“Who is it?” Lin Yi asked curiously.

“Your Highness, it’s the Shan family man we met on the road last time.”

“Shan?” Lin Yi didn’t remember.

“Shan Yin,” Sun Yi reminded him. “Four successful imperial scholars in the family, nine jinshi in one alley on Dongyang Island.”

“The one related to that old bastard Shan Qi?”

Lin Yi frowned and waved him off. “Don’t let him in.”

Sun Yi bowed and left.

Soon he returned, laughing. “Your Highness, Shan Yin sent tribute.”

“How much?” Lin Yi asked.

“Three thousand taels,” Sun Yi said with a smile.

“That little?” Lin Yi thought for a moment. “Even mosquitoes are meat. Let him come.”

He didn’t move, eyes fixed on the reed float.

When Sun Yi brought the two men over, Lin Yi caught a yellow-headed fish, its golden scales glinting beautifully in the clear water.

“I, your humble subject, pay respects to Your Highness.”

Shan Yin bowed to Lin Yi with a grin.

“Why must I see you again?” Lin Yi scowled.

“Your Highness, that Ye Jinyu woman won’t leave me alone,”

Shan Yin sighed. “The world is too big, yet nowhere to hide. I beg Your Highness for shelter!”

“Nonsense!” Lin Yi naturally didn’t believe him.

“Your Highness, you called me?” Fang Pi’s head popped up over the wall across the river.

“Get lost. None of your business.” Lin Yi waved impatiently, then turned back to Shan Yin. “Ye Jinyu may be tough, but your Shan family isn’t to be trifled with, right?”

“Of course!” Shan Yin said proudly. “Our Shan family doesn’t fear her.”

“Then why run? Just hide at home and that’s it.”

“Your Highness, you don’t understand,” Shan Yin said sheepishly. “Though we don’t fear her, I can’t let trouble affect the family. This is filial duty as a son.”

Lin Yi snorted. “Not bringing trouble home, but bringing it to me instead? Do I look like a fool?”