The Prodigal Son

After being repeatedly driven away by Lü Si, Shi Lian'er finally stumbled away with the help of her guards.

With Shi Lian'er and the others gone, this farce finally came to an end.

Qin Yu moved closer to Lü Si, who was still angry, and teased, "Are you in a hurry to go back and cancel the engagement, or are you going to continue offering incense?"

"What a load of bull!"

Lu Si was panting heavily. "His Majesty and my aunt only mentioned it briefly; they haven't finalized anything!"

"Oh?"

Qin Yu's face lit up with gossip again. "Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager wouldn't be planning to bestow a marriage upon you two, would they?"

Lu Si's face stiffened, and after humming for a long time, he finally nodded with a resentful expression.

Under Qin Yu's persistent questioning, Lü Si finally revealed the truth.

The night before last, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty dined at the Lü family's house.

During the banquet, the Empress Dowager suddenly said that she wanted to arrange a marriage for him.

When the Empress Dowager mentioned it, Zhao Luan thought of Shi Yi, the Salt Commissioner of Liangjiang, who had brought his daughter to the capital to report on salt affairs before the New Year.

He didn't want to be betrothed so hastily, but the Empress Dowager said that she would arrange for him to meet Shi Lian'er after the New Year.

Since the Empress Dowager had said so, he couldn't refuse, so he agreed.

But he never dreamed that he and Shi Lian'er would meet in this way.

Even if you beat him to death now, even if you defy the imperial decree, he will never marry Shi Lian'er!

Hearing Lü Si's words, Qin Yu couldn't help but tease, "Haven't you been into making money lately? The Shi family is the richest family in the world. If you marry Shi Lian'er, you won't have to worry about money. Why don't you reconsider?"

He didn't know exactly how wealthy the Shi family was.

However, there's a saying in Daning: "You can't be poor forever, and you can't be rich forever!"

Shi Jia was the top salt merchant in the country and was also a royal merchant appointed by Emperor Gao.

After Emperor Gao ascended the throne, the position of Salt Commissioner of Liangjiang seemed to become a hereditary position for historians.

It is said that the historian not only possessed an imperial edict of immunity from death bestowed by Emperor Gaozu, but also a plaque inscribed with the words "Forever Imperial Merchant" by Emperor Gaozu himself.

Historians were the real money-makers for the imperial court!

"Get lost!"

Lu Si glared at Qin Yu with wide eyes, then walked up to Nan Que'er. "Miss Que'er, could you please give my people some basic medical treatment first? I'll offer some incense and then take them back for proper treatment."

"no problem!"

Nan Que'er smiled and agreed.

Thank you!

Lu Si bowed to Nan Que'er and quickly entered the City God Temple.

"Lord City God, I'm in a hurry, so I'll just offer a simple incense offering today. I'll come back another day to offer you a proper incense offering!"

Lu Si simply lit three incense sticks, then knelt devoutly before the statue of the City God, and whispered a wish: "I pray that the City God will bless my mother so that she can give birth to her child safely."

"Secondly, I pray to the City God to bless my aunt with good health and eternal youth."

"I humbly pray to the City God to bless my father so that he may rise to high office..."

Lu Si clasped his hands together, his face full of piety as he prayed and made a wish.

Each time he made a wish, Lü Si would kowtow three times in devout faith.

Seeing Lü Si's devout appearance, Qin Yu couldn't help but nod secretly.

Although this grandson has a lot of flaws, his filial piety is undeniable.

He still remembers the grief and indignation on Lü Si's face when he thought his mother had really miscarried.

Qin Yu was still praising Lü Si when Lü Si's deep voice rang out again.

"I pray to the City God to bless me so that I can swindle more silver from Qin Yu, preferably all of that bastard's silver into my hands..."

Hearing Lü Si's voice, Qin Yu's face turned green.

That son of a bitch!

They're obsessed with money!

Even when making a wish, they don't forget to swindle money from themselves!

Qin Yu moved behind Lü Si. "I'm still fucking right here! And you're making a wish like that?"

"I'd love to!"

Lu Si retorted defiantly, "So it's okay for you to cheat me out of my money, but I can't cheat you? Do you think you're the King of Heaven?"

"Alright, alright, seeing how miserable you are today, I won't hold it against you!"

Qin Yu chuckled and patted Lü Si on the shoulder, "You have to kowtow as hard as you can. If your head doesn't bleed, it means you're not sincere, and your wish won't come true."

"Go away..."

Lu Si slapped Qin Yu's hand away in annoyance, "If you want to worship, then worship, but don't bother me!"

Qin Yu smiled at Lü Si, lit incense, and then earnestly made a wish: "May the world be at peace, may the people be prosperous, and may my Great Ning flourish!"

After making a simple wish, Qin Yu stood up, turned around to look at Lü Si behind him, and joked, "How about it? Don't I have a much broader perspective than you?"

"That's called hypocrisy!"

Lü Si curled his lip.

What a load of rubbish!

That's more like a dream!

His father once said that throughout history, there has only been the whitewashing of peace and tranquility. When has the world ever truly been at peace?

Even during the reign of the late emperor, Da Ning dared not say that the world was at peace!

How can we restore prosperity to the people?

Even if people become rich, it won't be their turn!

Lu Si was in a hurry and didn't have time to chat with Qin Yu. After kowtowing three more times to the City God, he quickly got up and walked out.

Qin Yu followed Lü Si outside.

Nan Que'er looked up at Lü Si, "Your guards only have minor injuries and dislocated bones, they'll be fine once they're set! But that one is more serious and needs proper treatment."

As she spoke, Nan Que'er gestured towards the person whose sternum had been broken.

"Okay, I understand!"

Lu Si thanked Nan Que'er and quickly ordered his men to remove the injured guards.

Watching Lü Si and the others walk away, Xu Wan approached Qin Yu and said, "You've beaten the Shi family so badly today; the Shi family probably won't let this go!"

Qin Yu remained unperturbed. "So what if they don't give up? Do you think I'm afraid of a mere historian?"

"Don't underestimate historians!"

Xu Wan raised her eyes slightly and said solemnly, "The Shi family has received great favor from Emperor Gao. Three generations of them have been imperial merchants, not only the wealthiest in the land, but also controlling the salt tax, the purse strings. The Shi family's importance to the court far exceeds your imagination!"

Throughout history, salt tax has always been one of the largest sources of revenue for the imperial court.

The Shi family controlled more than 30% of the salt quota in the entire Liangjiang region!

The so-called Liangjiang region refers to the area through which the Qujiang River, Pingjiang River, and the Grand Canal connecting the two rivers flow.

It includes the seven prefectures of Fengzhou, Ningzhou, Shangzhou, Taozhou, Yinzhou, Kaizhou, and Fangzhou.

The historian's hometown, Ningzhou Yunhuai, is a vital strategic location on the Grand Canal.

The sea salt produced in Hai and Yuan prefectures, the tea and silk produced in Tao and Fang prefectures, and the copper and iron produced in Ning prefecture, along with various goods traded with the Chu state through Raojin, all had to be transported to various parts of Daning via Yunhuai.

The Shi family had been operating in Ningzhou for many years. Due to the canal transport, they also had close relationships with wealthy merchants in the surrounding prefectures. Their power and influence far exceeded Qin Yu's imagination.

"right!"

Luo Qingyi nodded in agreement, "I've also heard that the Shi family is the most powerful merchant family in the world, and the livelihoods of countless families depend on their wealth! Compared to the Shi family, our family's silver is probably far less!"

"Whatever!"

Qin Yu remained unconvinced. "In the face of the imperial court and the army, even the biggest merchants are just paper tigers! Of course, if they could raise tens of thousands of assassins or hide a dozen or so ninth-realm experts, that would be a different story! Besides, I'm just helping out; they should be looking for the Lü family!"

Should we be worried about them now?

They should be historians!