Chapter 283: Ident.i.ty

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Zhu Zi wanted to say something.

Qian Youde interrupted him. “Alright, alright. I’m hungry. Go get me something to eat. I want potato cakes.”

Zhu Zi and Shuan Zi rolled their eyes in unison. “You make it sound like you have a choice of what to eat.” they thought.

They had stayed here for more than ten days and eaten potato cakes for more than ten days.

Of course, if he could also eat roasted potatoes or steamed potatoes. But potatoes were the main dish here.

Although he was indeed stunned when he first ate it, no matter how delicious it was, he couldn’t eat it every day.

After sending them both away, Qian Youde touched his swollen eye and hissed in pain.

He muttered, “Imperial Uncle, I’ve sacrificed so much for you. You have to make it up to me.”

Then, he chuckled. This trip to the Great Xia Kingdom was really worth it.

The group from the capital entered the city the next day. However, it was not Shangguan Han who invited them in. Instead, it was because Lord Zhou who fell sick.

They were in a hurry to enter the city to look for a doctor, but when they entered, they were dumbfounded. There was not even a single medical center in the city that was open for business.

What could they do? Xunyang City was too poor. The medicinal herbs had been exhausted during the war, so why would the medical center still be open? Wouldn’t that be occupying the toilet without toilet paper?

What if they tried to go to the Prince’s Estate to look for the Prince? Unfortunately, the Prince didn’t know that they were coming. He personally brought people into the mountains to find food a few days ago. No one knows when he’ll be able to return.

What if they wanted to stay in the prince’s residence? Without His Highness’s orders, the guards have no right to let them in.

After being rejected a few times in a row, the group could only find a dilapidated inn to stay in.

Why did they have to look for dilapidated goods? If they hadn’t come to Xunyang City, they wouldn’t have known. Only when they came did they know that the prices here were so expensive.

A slightly better inn cost 200 taels of silver a day. If they really stayed for five days, it would cost more than 1,000 taels of silver.

The inn only provided hot water. If they wanted the inn to provide food, they would need to pay extra. How could they afford to live here?

Even the dilapidated inn they chose to stay in cost 50 taels a day, but there weren’t enough rooms.

In the end, Eunuch Li decided that those who couldn’t fit into the rooms would sleep on the floor in the hall.

He made a deal with the shopkeeper to provide three meals a day, including the fodder for the horses. That cost an extra 15 taels of silver a day.

Even so, they couldn’t possibly sleep outside the city again.

With this snow, Old Master Zhou already fell sick today. Who knew how many people would fall sick tomorrow?

The soldiers in the capital were not as courageous as those who had been to the battlefield.

Lord Zhou’s aide Zhou Qing was worried about his unconscious master. He only wanted to settle down as soon as possible. He gritted his teeth and took out 325 taels of silver.

This was enough for five days, they would have to pay more if they wanted to stay beyond that.

Even in the capital, ordinary inns only cost about 50 taels of silver. They even prepared food and hot water for you.

Moreover, even an ordinary inn in the capital could not compare to this slightly better inn in Xunyang City.

This comparison was ridiculously expensive.

Even if they wanted to cause trouble, they couldn’t. From the moment they stepped into Xunyang City, General Meng had led a group of people to surround them and patrol them.

Even if they wanted to say that General Meng and his soldiers had offended their superiors and looked down on the imperial power, they couldn’t.

This was because General Meng and his soldiers did not offend anyone. Their words were polite and respectful, but they did things according to the “rules” of Xunyang City.

“Aren’t you feeling aggrieved? You have to endure it.” They all thought.

Shopkeeper Hu smiled until his face wrinkled. He took the money respectfully with both hands and promised, “Sirs, don’t worry. This small shop only looks a little dilapidated. This shop has all the commoners in other inns.”

“I guarantee that everyone will live comfortably.”

Shopkeeper Hu still wanted to bow and bring his men around the inn, but Zhou Qing, who was carrying Lord Zhou, was already impatient. “Stop nagging. Can’t you see that my lord is sick? If anything happens to my lord, you won’t be able to survive even if you have ten heads.”

“Hurry up and arrange the best room for my lord and get some hot water.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll make the arrangements now.” Shopkeeper Hu said in fear and trepidation and quickly asked the waiter to prepare hot water.

He prepared to bring the men up personally.

Eunuch Li, who had been silent, coughed dryly.

Shopkeeper Hu quickly greeted, “Sir, please follow me.”

Only then did the four of them follow Shopkeeper Hu upstairs. The others naturally did not dare to have any objections.

When they reached the second floor, the corners of Eunuch Li’s mouth twitched. There was a large hole in the middle of the corridor. In order to make it easier to walk, the shopkeeper casually built a wooden board on it.

He looked up and saw that there was indeed a roof, but it was blocked by oil paper.

Seeing that the few of them were looking at the gap and did not want to leave, Shopkeeper Hu explained awkwardly, “It’s all that d.a.m.n Hun army’s fault. They threw rocks at our city all day. I’m considered lucky.

“Oh my, you didn’t see…”

“Shut up,” Zhou Qing said through gritted teeth. Lord Zhou was a man after all. He was already exhausted after carrying his master for so long, but he still met a naggy shopkeeper.

Shopkeeper Hu cowered in fear and nodded. “I’ll shut up.”

He pointed to the wooden path.

Zhou Qing said, “Lead the way.”

“Sir, watch your step carefully.” Shopkeeper Hu walked over.

Zhou Qing gritted his teeth and followed shakily.

It would have been fine if the wooden board was bigger and could block the hole. However, it was not much wider than a palm. If one was not careful, they would misstep and fall.

“G.o.dfather, this…” The young eunuch said weakly.

Eunuch Li said expressionlessly, “Why are you calling me? Let’s go.”

Fortunately, although it looked dilapidated from the outside, everything in the room was well prepared.

After Shopkeeper Hu settled the two lords down, the waiter brought over the water.

“Find a doctor,” Zhou Qing instructed matter-of-factly.

Shopkeeper Hu looked troubled. When Zhou Qing glared at him, he hurriedly said, “I’ll try my best.”

Shopkeeper Hu did not need to arrange for the others. In any case, other than the rooms of the two big shots, the rest of the rooms were theirs.

When Shopkeeper Hu returned downstairs, most of them had chosen rooms to rest in.

They shared rooms in groups of threes and fours.

Shopkeeper Hu called the waiter over and instructed him to treat them well. He whispered in someone’s ear before leaving the inn.

Shopkeeper Hu turned a corner and entered the residence through a back door.

If Eunuch Li and the others looked carefully, they would realize that Shopkeeper Hu had entered an inn that they had not chosen because of the astronomical price.

As soon as Shopkeeper Hu arrived at the backyard, there were already eight people sitting in the hall. Those who were familiar with Xunyang City would know that these eight people had a common characteristic.

They were all innkeepers in Xunyang City.

“Old Hu, you’re finally here. Sit down.”

As soon as Shopkeeper Hu entered, everyone greeted him happily.

“Hey, look at how anxious you are.” Shopkeeper Hu patted the snow off his body.

He did not keep them in suspense. He sat down in an empty seat and took out the silver he had just received.