Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 348 At this moment, Wen He seemed to hear a familiar background music (Seeking monthly votes)

"Then it's settled as I said."

Wen He glanced at Li Shimin in the carriage, her tone decisive.

"You little page, what are you trying to decide!"

Li Shimin was immediately displeased. He leaned out of the carriage, glared at Wen He, and spoke in a deliberately rough tone.

"If anyone's going to make a decision, it should be the young master. Who gives you, a mere page, the right to make such a decision?"

He addressed him as "young master," but his eyes secretly glanced at Li Chengqian inside the carriage, clearly wanting his son to stand on his side.

Changsun Wuji, who was standing to the side, nodded in agreement. He was about to say that what Li Langjun said was absolutely right, but then he suddenly remembered Li Shimin's current identity as a "stableman" and quickly changed his words: "That's right, Li... Li Langjun is right. We should listen to what the young master says in everything."

When he spoke, his tone was somewhat unnatural and he stuttered.

"What Mr. Li?" Li Shimin retorted even to Changsun Wuji, frowning as he deliberately patted the dust off his coarse cloth clothes and said in a gruff voice.

"I'm a coachman now. Have you ever seen a coachman called 'Young Master'? Aren't you afraid people will laugh their heads off if word gets out?"

His appearance did indeed resemble that of a rough and uncouth street vendor, completely forgetting his status as the emperor.

Wen He stood aside, watching the usually dignified emperor being so serious like a child, and the anger that had been building up inside her immediately subsided.

The frustration of being treated like a pageboy just now has finally dissipated.

He simply stood there with his arms crossed, a faint smile on his lips, watching Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji bicker, too lazy to interrupt.

"Erlang, you're being a bit..."

Changsun Wuji was speechless after being rebuked, and could only shake his head helplessly, muttering to himself.

How come His Majesty's temperament has reverted to the way it was during the war ten years ago when he went out incognito? He's completely unreasonable!
But he only dared to think these words in his heart; on the surface, he still had to smile and put on a show.

"A bit too serious. Everyone is just trying to make their journey easier, why argue over such a title?"

What's wrong with being serious?

Li Shimin, however, was not ashamed but proud, and said with his neck stiff.

"I am a crude person now, so it's normal for me to be serious! It's better than some people who can't even remember their own identity."

As he spoke, he glanced at Wen He.

Wen He was speechless. He felt that arguing any further would be a waste of time, so he simply turned around and walked to the carriage, reaching out to lift the curtain.

He planned to have a serious talk with Li Chengqian, since the arrangements for traveling needed to be more reliable.

Before his hand could even touch the carriage curtain, Li Chengqian peeked out from inside, his little face trying to keep a straight face and pretending to be serious. He cleared his throat and said, "Let's do as Wen Da said and go check out the area near the county government office first."

Hey, this little brat! Wen He raised an eyebrow, finding it amusing.

They don't even call him "sir" anymore.

Seeing this, Li Shimin was not angry at all. Instead, he laughed heartily and patted the wooden plank of the carriage, saying, "Good! Young master is right! Let's do as Wen Da says!"

He had been arguing with Wen He just now, only trying to tease her. Now that he saw his son standing on Wen He's side, he found it novel and interesting, and didn't mind at all.

Li Chengqian blushed instantly upon being praised by his father. He quickly shrank back into the carriage, only daring to peek out through the gap in the curtain.

He had just heard his father and Wen He arguing heatedly, so he wanted to join in the fun.

Wen He looked at Li Chengqian, who had retreated back into the carriage, and then at Li Shimin, who was laughing heartily. She shook her head helplessly and said, "Alright, stop laughing. If you keep laughing, it'll get dark soon."

Wen He led the group for a while, and after asking a few questions at the roadside vendors, they finally found the accommodation called "Lin Family Inn".

The guesthouse was a small courtyard with two sections, and a faded wooden sign hung at the entrance, making it look rather simple.

"Is it a bit too rudimentary?"

Changsun Wuji stood at the entrance of the inn, looking at the mottled door frame and the half-withered old locust tree in the courtyard. His brows furrowed slightly, and his tone carried a hint of disdain.

He usually stayed in the exquisite courtyard of the Changsun Mansion, and even when he went out, he mostly stayed in the superior rooms of the post station. This kind of ordinary folk inn was really not worth his time.

"This is the only guesthouse around here," Wen He said helplessly, shrugging.

“I asked Zhang Dagang on the way, and he said there are only two inns in Zheng County. The other one caught fire last night and is still under repair. Although there is no curfew in this county, we can’t let the young man sleep on the streets so late at night, can we?”

Li Shimin took it in stride, patted Changsun Wuji on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "It's alright. Having a place to stay is already very good. Back when I was fighting, I often spent the night in the mountains and forests, exposed to the wind and rain. It was much worse than this."

As he spoke, he deliberately took two steps into the yard, looking as if he were "happy with it."

Seeing that the emperor had said so, Changsun Wuji could no longer find fault and could only suppress his discomfort before following him into the courtyard.

The inn's waiter had been watching from the doorway. When he saw them enter, he immediately greeted them with a beaming smile, holding a tablecloth in his hand. He asked solicitously, "Gentlemen, are you here for a meal or to stay the night? We have both superior and ordinary rooms. The superior rooms are clean and spacious, and each one even has its own charcoal brazier!"

Prepare four superior rooms.

Changsun Wuji spoke directly, his tone carrying his usual coldness, as if he were instructing his servants.

The waiter paused for a moment, his eyes subconsciously scanning the four people.

Li Shimin was dressed in coarse cloth groom's clothes, Wen He looked like a young boy, Li Chengqian looked like a pampered young gentleman, and Changsun Wuji had the air of a scholar.

These days, even stable boys and teenagers can afford to live in houses?

He was puzzled, but dared not show it on his face, and simply stood still.

"What are you all standing there for? Go and get ready!"

Seeing that the waiter didn't move, Changsun Wuji snorted and his tone became more urging.

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll arrange it right away!"

The waiter quickly snapped out of his daze, smiled ingratiatingly, and thought to himself that he didn't care who it was, as long as they paid him enough.

He turned around and called over two other men, directing them to drive the carriage to the backyard. He also led away Wen He's little black horse, running around busily and efficiently.

Wen He stood aside, speechless as she watched Changsun Wuji act like a "big shot".

This is hardly a case of traveling incognito.
He's clearly here to be the "Dragon King"!

However, he did not refute it. After all, who would want to stay in a regular room when they can afford a room? There is no need to make things difficult for yourself when there is a comfortable place to stay.

But when Wen He got to the counter, she realized she had been overthinking things.

The shopkeeper, holding the ledger, smiled at the four of them. Just as he was about to ask, "Who is settling the bill?", Li Shimin, Changsun Wuji, and Li Chengqian all turned their gazes to him, their meaning all too clear.

You are in charge of the money.

Wen He's facial muscles twitched involuntarily, and she gritted her teeth as she asked, "Don't tell me you went out without any money?"

Li Chengqian lowered his head and muttered softly, "I'm still a child, Father didn't give me any money."

Li Shimin followed suit, replying without batting an eye: "Ahem, I'm just a groom. What reason would a groom have to carry money? The wages are with the employer."

As he spoke, he deliberately pointed at Li Chengqian, completely denying his role as the "employer."

Wen He took a deep breath, turned to look at Changsun Wuji, and asked with a last glimmer of hope, "What about you? You're the accountant! You asked for those four superior rooms, so you should have brought the money, right?"

Before setting off, he had clearly arranged for Changsun Wuji to be the "accountant" so that he could manage the money, but the old man simply refused to acknowledge it.

"wrong."

Changsun Wuji slowly stroked his beard and solemnly refused Wen He's arrangement.

“I am a tutor, teaching the young master to read, not an accountant. Money matters are not my responsibility.”

Wen He was completely speechless.

So these three guys didn't have a single penny on them and were just waiting for him to pay the bill!

Seeing this strange scene, the innkeeper suppressed a laugh and politely asked, "So, which customer would like to settle the bill?" Wen He could only pull out a heavy string of copper coins from her pocket, her lips twitching with heartache, and said to the innkeeper, "One superior room and two ordinary rooms. The superior room is for the young master, I'll take one ordinary room, and the remaining two..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji.

"Ordinary rooms are enough for the coachman and the tutor."

"Why?" Li Shimin asked immediately, displeased. He had thought he would be able to get a room, but Wen He had downgraded him.

"Groomsmen all live in woodsheds. It's already good enough if they can live in ordinary rooms. There's no reason for them to live in superior rooms."

Wen He snorted and deliberately retorted.

"As for the tutors, a regular room is enough for them. They can't be treated any better than the young master, can they?"

Li Shimin was speechless after being rebuked. He opened his mouth, but could only let out a heavy snort and remain silent.

After all, he chose the role of "coach" himself, so he couldn't very well contradict the shopkeeper in front of him.

Just as Changsun Wuji was about to speak up to persuade her, Wen He decisively interrupted him: "The same goes for the instructors! Ordinary rooms are enough, don't waste money."

He secretly calculated in his heart that Changsun Wuji had just asked for four superior rooms. He had inquired and found out that a superior room cost fifty coins a day and a regular room cost twenty coins. Four superior rooms for three days would cost six hundred coins. If he really followed Changsun Wuji's request, he was afraid that the money he brought would not last for more than a few days.

The innkeeper quickly wrote it down in the ledger and said with a smile, "One superior room and two ordinary rooms. How many days are you staying? I'll collect the deposit first."

"Stay for three days first." Wen He gritted her teeth, counted out the copper coins and placed them on the counter, her heart aching terribly.

If he had known these three guys wouldn't bring a single penny, he should have let them manage their own money!

Li Shimin stood aside, watching Wen He's pained expression, and couldn't help but secretly smile.

Li Shimin didn't really care about living in a regular house.

In his early years, he fought on the battlefield and slept in mud, grassland and snow. Now, although this ordinary house is simple, it has a bed and a window, which is much more comfortable than the military camp.

After everyone had settled into their rooms, the restaurant staff brought the food to a table in the corner of the lobby.

A few soft wheat cakes, a bowl of steaming mutton soup with a few slices of mutton floating in it, the aroma was irresistible. It wasn't a lavish meal, but it was enough to warm the stomach.

As the group was eating, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside, accompanied by the eager greetings of the waiter.

Wen He and the others were sitting in the corner, their view of the doorway was right in front of them. When they looked up, they were surprised to see an old acquaintance.

Zhang Daguang, the leader of the Bad Guys, walked in with two Bad Guys behind him, each carrying a waist knife, his face serious.

"Oh, isn't this Zhang Shangguan? What brings you here?"

The shopkeeper hurriedly ran out from behind the counter, a fawning smile plastered on his face. He secretly clutched a few copper coins in his hand and, taking advantage of the moment when Zhang Daguang bowed, quickly stuffed them into Zhang Daguang's hand.

Zhang Daguang squeezed the copper coin in his hand, his expression softening slightly, but he wasn't very polite. He said in a gruff voice, "Grandpa just escorted Hu Da back from outside the city and stopped by to inspect your place, also for your safety. You should know that Old Zhao's inn, just two streets away, caught fire yesterday, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I know, I know!"

The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He then hurriedly took out a bottle of sealed rice wine from under the counter and handed it to Zhang Daguang.

"This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it, Lord Zhang, to help you relax."

To everyone's surprise, Zhang Daguang waved his hand, not taking the wine pot, and said in a more serious tone: "Alright, no need for that. I'm here to remind you to be careful lately. Send more people to keep watch at night. Last night, the fire at Old Zhao's house killed a traveling scholar. The county magistrate is having a headache over this matter. You mustn't cause any more deaths, or I won't be able to protect you."

After saying this, Zhang Daguang didn't linger. He turned and left with the two thugs, their footsteps quickly disappearing outside the door.

The shopkeeper stood there, wiped the sweat from his forehead, breathed a sigh of relief, and turned back to the counter.

"This person is quite interesting."

Li Shimin watched Zhang Daguang's retreating figure, put down the wheat cake in his hand, chuckled, and said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"If you say he's greedy, he won't accept the wine offered by the shopkeeper; if you say he's not greedy, he'll accept any money offered by the shopkeeper. He's quite sensible."

Wen He took a sip of mutton soup and explained casually, "The Bad People don't receive a salary from the imperial court. They rely entirely on the help of local merchants or the tips they get when they do their jobs to make a living. They accept money but not alcohol, probably because they know that 'money' can get them by, but 'alcohol' can easily cause trouble. They are more sensible than ordinary ruffians."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and said nothing more.

He never expected that the shady characters maintaining order at the grassroots level wouldn't even receive a basic salary. No wonder some merchants would secretly offer bribes. If this continues, the administration will likely become increasingly chaotic.

Changsun Wuji, standing to the side, disagreed and put down his soup bowl, saying, "The Bad People are neither officials nor clerks; they are temporary recruits from the local area. It's normal that they don't receive a salary. This is the case everywhere, so it's not a big deal."

In his view, the Bad People were nothing more than strong men from the streets, and whether they received a salary or not had little impact on the imperial court.

"This is what is called 'wanting the ox to work but not feeding it grass'."

Wen He turned to look at Li Chengqian and deliberately explained in simple terms.

“The government requires criminals to maintain order and catch robbers, but they don’t pay them. They can only live off the benefits of merchants. Over time, some of them will inevitably use their status to oppress merchants and become a scourge on the local area.”

Li Chengqian blinked and nodded as if he understood.

This was the first time he had ever realized that people who maintained order could go without pay.

Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji naturally understood Wen He's implied meaning. They exchanged a glance but remained silent.

They all knew that Wen He was telling the truth, but paying salaries to corrupt people involved many issues such as finance and staffing.

Moreover, this problem has been a legacy of the Sui Dynasty.

As for using shady characters, it's simply because of two words: "saving money".

Therefore, this is not a decision that can be made on a whim; it requires careful consideration.

Wen He knew this matter couldn't be resolved in a few words, so she stopped dwelling on it. She changed the subject and looked at Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji, her tone becoming more serious: "Li Erlang, Sun Sansheng, don't you think there's something strange about Zheng County?"

"What do you mean?" Changsun Wuji frowned, subconsciously thinking that Wen He was about to predict some disaster again.

"Could something unexpected happen to this place in the future?"

Wen He rolled her eyes helplessly.

Changsun Wuji really did regard him as a prophet.

He then stopped looking at Changsun Wuji and turned to look at Li Shimin, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Seeing Wen He look past him at the emperor, Changsun Wuji immediately snorted in dissatisfaction, but did not interrupt him again.

He also wanted to hear what Wen He had discovered.

Li Shimin put down the soup spoon in his hand, his brows suddenly furrowing, and his tone became more serious: "You mean, the deaths of those scholars?"

They had only been in Zheng County for a short time when they first heard from Zhang Dagang that "Hu Da specializes in intercepting and killing students traveling abroad."

Now I hear that "a scholar died in a fire at an inn." It is too much of a coincidence to hear news of two scholars dying in just one day.

"If all of this is truly just a coincidence, then it is indeed rather strange," Li Shimin said after a moment of contemplation.

"You also think this isn't a coincidence?"

Changsun Wuji then realized what was happening, and the nonchalance on his face faded, replaced by a more serious expression.

"Could it be that someone is deliberately targeting scholars who travel for study?"

Although Li Shimin was not sure, he nodded nonetheless.

He looked up, intending to ask Wen He a question, but saw that the latter had a meaningful look on her face.

"You said that if many scholars sent to various places encounter accidents, would the court cancel the scholars' study tours?"

As soon as Wen He finished speaking, Li Shimin's expression froze for a moment.

At that moment, Wen He seemed to hear a familiar background music.

(End of this chapter)