Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 100 What a small world! (Seeking first subscription)

Aisha returned before Li Xian and Liu Jianjun had to wait long.

What puzzled Li Xian was that Aisha did not look relaxed after finishing her business. Instead, her eyes were slightly red and the tip of her nose was also red, indicating that she had just been crying.

"What's wrong?" Liu Jianjun was the first to notice something was amiss, frowning as he asked, "The contract hasn't been redeemed?"

Aisha bit her lower lip, her voice tinged with grievance and sobs: "Then...the pawnshop manager said that the interest rate has increased, and now the amount to be repaid is not two and a half bolts of silk, but five bolts."

"And...and they even took the money that Chief Secretary gave me, saying...saying that Aisha should raise more money..."

"What?!" Liu Jianjun's voice immediately rose. "The interest has doubled in just a few days? They're robbing us outright!"

Then he turned to Li Xian and said, "As the governor of Yongzhou, you can handle this matter, right?"

Li Xian frowned as well: "Although there are plenty of usurers in Chang'an's pawnshops, it is rare to see someone so blatantly raising prices on the spot... Have you asked around?"

Aisha nodded, tears finally streaming down her face: "I asked, and the shopkeeper said... that I'm a foreign merchant, which carries a lot of risk, so the interest rate is higher."

"They also said...they said my silver was of such high quality that it might be of dubious origin, and they wanted to confiscate it for inspection..."

Now, even Li Xian understood the intricacies of the situation.

The pawnshop manager was clearly taking advantage of Aisha being a young girl from Central Asia and coveting her money, which is why he deliberately raised the interest rate.

This kind of thing is not uncommon in Chang'an.

Although foreign merchants were protected by the laws of the Tang Dynasty, they were ultimately foreigners, so it was perfectly normal for them to be bullied by local merchants in Chang'an.

Especially now, during this turbulent period when the Empress Dowager has moved the capital to Luoyang.

Before Li Xian could speak, Liu Jianjun frowned and asked, "Didn't you say that the money you received was from me?"

Li Xian was stunned.

Yes, as the chief secretary of the Prince of Pei's mansion, Liu Jianjun shouldn't be ignored by a group of merchants, right?

Aisha said timidly, "I...I told him, the shopkeeper said...I don't care if you're some kind of high-ranking official, even if he came himself today, he still has to pay this money!"

Liu Jianjun frowned immediately and asked, "What's the background of that quality warehouse?"

Li Xian noticed Liu Jianjun's worries.

At this time, the Empress Dowager had just moved the capital. If the other party really had some powerful backing, it was hard to say whether the Prince of Pei's mansion could touch them.

In Liu Jianjun's words, he's not afraid of killing the other person, but he's afraid of injuring himself. But if he's already injured, then he'll go all out to kill the other person.

It's not a serious injury right now.

"This... I don't know. The contract was signed by my grandfather."

Hearing this, Liu Jianjun beckoned to the elderly foreign merchant: "That foreign merchant!"

Upon hearing the sound, the elderly merchant from the Hu region hurried over, his face filled with trepidation: "What are your orders, Chief Secretary?"

"What was the name of the pawnshop you borrowed from? What was the manager's surname?" Liu Jianjun asked in a deep voice.

The elderly merchant hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the Chief Secretary, it is the 'Yongchang Pawnshop' in the West Market. The manager's surname is Wang, and everyone calls him Manager Wang."

He paused, then added, "However, it seems there's another owner behind this pawnshop. I've overheard people talking privately, saying the real owner is quite powerful... apparently, surnamed Wu..."

Li Xian was taken aback, and so was Liu Jianjun. Then, Liu Jianjun suddenly laughed: "Damn it, what a small world!"

Li Xian asked with some concern, "Didn't we agree to..."

Li Xian didn't say the word "hibernation".

Liu Jianjun waved his hand dismissively, interrupting, "I am the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Pei's Mansion. I am a notorious playboy in Chang'an. I took a fancy to the daughter of a foreign merchant and gave her money to pay off her debts. However, the daughter of the foreign merchant I took a fancy to was bullied by a bully. How can a playboy like me swallow my anger?"

Then, he looked at Li Xian and said solemnly, "Xianzi, just remember this: from beginning to end, the only person we don't need to be afraid of is the one surnamed Wu!"

After saying that, Liu Jianjun straightened his robes and waved to the guards behind him: "Brothers, come with me to Yongchang Pawnshop! Today, let everyone in Chang'an see what happens when you bully the people of our Prince Pei's Mansion!"

Then, he called to Aisha and said, "You come along too!"

Although Aisha had heard Liu Jianjun's lewd words, she knew they were just an excuse he made to stand up for her. She immediately bowed and thanked him, saying, "Thank you, Chief Secretary! Thank you, Chief Secretary!"

Li Xian wanted to dissuade him, but seeing Liu Jianjun's posture, he knew he couldn't stop him, so he had to quickly follow: "Wait, I'll go with you!"

……

The group arrived at Yongchang Quality Warehouse in Xishi in a grand procession.

Liu Jianjun strode into the store first, and without any ceremony, sat down in the main seat, crossed his legs, looking exactly like an arrogant and domineering playboy.

The shopkeeper, Wang, was a stout man. He was initially startled by the scene, but quickly regained his composure: "This young man looks unfamiliar. Does he want to pawn something or borrow it?"

Liu Jianjun glanced at him sideways: "Wasn't there a young Hu girl who came to redeem her contract just now? Did you raise the interest to five bolts of silk? And did you withhold her silver?"

Shopkeeper Wang's expression changed slightly, but he still tried to remain calm: "Young master, are you referring to that Hu woman? We're just following the rules here..."

"Bullshit!" Liu Jianjun didn't say a word and kicked the fat belly of Manager Wang. "What kind of bullshit rules can make you double your interest in just a few days? You dare to bully the woman I've set my sights on?"

Shopkeeper Wang didn't expect Liu Jianjun to attack so suddenly. Caught off guard, he was kicked and staggered several steps back before regaining his balance.

The slaves kept by Yongchang Pawnshop also rushed forward instinctively, seemingly intending to make a move.

Manager Wang's face showed anger, but he clearly saw the guards following Liu Jianjun and realized that Liu Jianjun was not someone to be trifled with. He waved his hand to signal the servants to step back and said in a tough tone, "Young master, please be more polite! This Yongchang Pawnshop is no ordinary place!"

"Now you know how to be polite? When did you say that even if I came by myself today, I would still have to pay for it?" Liu Jianjun retorted without any politeness.

Shopkeeper Wang was surprised for a moment, seemingly not expecting that the Chief Secretary Aisha had mentioned would actually come, but he quickly calmed down and said, "Although you are the Chief Secretary, our boss is General Wu Youji, the Right Guard General..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jianjun's expression suddenly turned strange, and even Li Xian was suppressing a laugh.

At this moment, Liu Jianjun walked up to Li Xian, nudged him with his shoulder, and asked, "Xianzi, didn't you say that your mother imprisoned Wu Youji back then? How come he's been promoted?"

Li Xian shrugged helplessly: "How would I know?"

At this moment, Manager Wang realized something was wrong and looked at Li Xian with suspicion, asking, "Who is this young man...?"

Li Xian remained silent.

Because Liu Jianjun kicked again, this time with even more force, directly knocking Manager Wang to the ground.

"Didn't I tell you about the woman I've set my sights on? Am I the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Pei's Mansion?!"

……

(End of this chapter)