Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

Several dilapidated oxcarts slowly drove into Longmen County.

The once lifeless street erupted in chaos the moment Xue Rengui unloaded the several-hundred-pound, white-browed tiger from the vehicle.

"Good heavens! How big must that tiger be?"

"Who is that man? How could he kill this beast with his bare hands?"

The emaciated people on the street pointed in this direction and talked about it.

Li Chengqian didn't even glance at it, and led his men directly to the front of the largest inn in the county town.

"Manager, clear the area."

Xiao Shunzi walked up, took out a gold ingot from his pocket, and slapped it on the counter.

The shopkeeper was looking down and fiddling with the abacus:

"Oh dear! Distinguished guest, this... we still have a few tables of customers dining here, clearing the place out might be..."

"Bang!"

Xiao Shunzi took out two more gold ingots and slammed them onto the counter.

The shopkeeper swallowed his words immediately and said with a smile:

"Clear it! Clear it immediately! Gentlemen, please go upstairs to the top-class room. I'll have someone carry that tiger to the backyard right away and put some ice in it to keep it cool."

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the inn was cleaned inside and out.

Xue Rengui's mother was settled in the warmest room, while Liu went to the kitchen to prepare food.

Meanwhile, in the back hall of the county government office.

Wang Renze, the magistrate of Longmen County, was leaning back in his armchair, with two maids massaging his legs.

He was in his forties, with a mustache and a gaunt face that exuded shrewdness and calculation.

The bailiff knelt on the ground and gave an embellished account of what had happened in the Xue family's courtyard, finally holding the money bag full of gold beans high above his head with both hands.

"Sir, you didn't see the spectacle. That young master Li casually handed over a bag of gold."

He also said he'd spend three to five thousand strings of cash to renovate this dilapidated county government office.

Wang Ren grabbed the money bag, poured out a few gold coins, weighed them in his hand, and his eyes gleamed with greed.

"A wealthy merchant from Chang'an? Li Ming?"

Wang Ren stroked his mustache, his eyes darting around.

"Coming to Hedong at this time, and with such wealth and power, could it be that they're after the Crown Prince's royal trading company?"

The news that the royal trading companies in Chang'an were making a fortune every day had already reached the ears of the Wang family of Taiyuan.

The Wang family was just wondering how to get involved, so how could they let go of this fat sheep that had come to their door?

"Let's go! Change into casual clothes."

Wang Ren kicked away the maid who was massaging his legs.

"This county magistrate will personally go and meet this God of Wealth."

The top-class room at the inn.

A respectful knock came from outside the door.

"Young Master Li, Magistrate Wang of Longmen County has come to visit."

Xiao Shunzi opened the door, and Wang Renzhe walked in with a smile, followed by several attendants carrying brocade boxes.

"Oh dear, I was so surprised to hear that distinguished guests from Chang'an have arrived in our county. I have failed to greet them properly. Please forgive me!"

Wang Renzhe bowed deeply as soon as he entered the room, adopting an extremely humble posture.

Li Chengqian didn't even move his buttocks, only glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Magistrate Wang? Please sit down."

Li Chengqian said arrogantly,

"I don't like empty formalities. I only care about money."

"Young Master Li is a man of few words and quick wit."

Wang Renzhe wasn't angry. He sat down at the lower end of the table and approached with a smile.

"I've heard that you've come to Hedong to do some big business?"

Li Chengqian sneered:

"Since Lord Wang is from the Wang family of Taiyuan, then I won't hide anything. You've heard of that royal trading company in Chang'an, haven't you?"

Wang Renzhe's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded repeatedly, saying:

"Of course I've heard of it! His Highness the Crown Prince's wealth is comparable to that of a nation."

"Wealthy enough to rival a nation? That's what we down there earned for him by running ourselves ragged."

Li Chengqian said with a resentful expression,

"The Crown Prince eats meat, but he doesn't even leave us a drop of soup."

My purpose in coming here is to carry out a secret order from a high-ranking official to secretly establish new supply channels.

Once the trade routes are open, I can reduce the Royal Trading Company's purchase price by 30%.

The price difference is enough to buy half of Chang'an.

These half-true, half-false words completely fooled Wang Renzhe.

A secret order from a powerful figure? To intercept the Crown Prince's business?

Wang Renzhe's mind was buzzing. If he could bring Young Master Li to the Wang family's camp, wouldn't the Wang family be able to hold the Royal Merchant Guild by the neck?

This is an incredible achievement.

"Young master, your insight is brilliant! Truly brilliant!"

Wang Ren said excitedly,

"Our Hedong region has the most iron and coal mines. With just a word from you, young master, the Wang family's businesses in Hedong will absolutely cooperate fully."

Li Chengqian leaned back and said with a disdainful look:

"Cooperate? I'm a coward. I've heard that there are refugees everywhere in Hedong recently, and the bones of the starved dead are scattered all over the place."

"If those rioters rob me of this multi-million dollar deal, can you afford to compensate me?"

"Rumor! Absolutely a rumor!"

Wang Ren hurriedly patted his chest and assured him,

"Young Master Li, please don't believe such nonsense. Our county is peaceful and prosperous, and no one picks up lost items on the road. The people live in peace and contentment, and every household has surplus grain. Where would we find refugees?"

To prove himself, Wang Renzhe quickly turned around and clapped his hands outside the door.

"Someone come and bring up the small gift that the county has prepared for the young master."

Several attendants immediately stepped forward and opened the brocade box, which contained century-old ginseng and top-quality deer antlers.

Immediately afterwards, Wang Ren revealed a lewd smile that any man would understand.

"Young Master Li has traveled a long way and must be lacking someone to serve you tea and water. I have specially found two stunning beauties to serve you and help you relax."

As soon as he finished speaking, two women dressed in red and green gauze dresses walked in through the door.

When Li Chengqian looked up, he almost spat out the wine he had just drunk.

Is this what you call a stunning beauty?

The two women had thick layers of powder on their faces, but it couldn't hide their frighteningly high cheekbones and deep-set eyes.

His arms and legs were as thin as sticks, and he walked with a swaying gait.

This is clearly two starving refugees who have been forcibly dressed in Chinese clothes.

Li Chengqian's lips twitched violently as he barely suppressed the urge to curse.

Wang Renzhe, oblivious to the strange atmosphere, continued his enthusiastic sales pitch:

"Young master, look, this is the most beautiful girl in our Longmen County, proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting..."

He winked at one of the women in the red dress:

"Why aren't you going to pour wine for Young Master Li?"

The woman in the red dress quickly picked up the wine pot and walked shakily to Li Chengqian's side.

She was so close that Li Chengqian could even clearly hear the rumbling sounds coming from her stomach.

The woman's hand trembled violently as she poured the wine, spilling it all over the table.

She looked at Li Chengcheng in horror, her mouth just opening as if to beg for mercy, but her eyes suddenly rolled back.

"Gulp!"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, this "stunning beauty" collapsed under the table and fainted from hunger on the spot.

The top-tier room fell into a deathly silence.

Cheng Chumo stood behind Li Chengqian, covering his mouth tightly.

To avoid laughing out loud, Fang Yi'ai pinched the inside of his thigh hard.

Li Chengqian looked down at the woman lying dead under the table, then looked up at Wang Renzhe, whose face was blank.

"Lord Wang."

Li Chengqian pointed to the underside of the table.

"Is this what you mean by every household having surplus grain?"

Wang Renzhe's face instantly turned a deep liver color, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into on the spot.

That was a damn slap in the face.

"This...this..."

Wang Ren stammered as he explained,

"She's not used to the local environment! Yes, she's not used to the local environment! This girl was just bought from another place and hasn't adapted to the good water and soil of our Longmen County yet."

"Guards! Drag this insolent creature away immediately!"

Several attendants hurriedly carried her away, and another woman in a green dress also ran away in fright.

Wang Ren stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to leave or stay. Finally, he steeled himself and quickly changed the subject.

"Please excuse me, Young Master Li. It was just a minor incident and won't affect our big business deal."

Tomorrow at noon, I will host a banquet for all the people at the county government office.

At that time, all the prominent local gentry will be present, and thousands of ordinary people will also attend the banquet.

"This humble official would like to humbly request that you, sir, grace us with your presence and witness firsthand the prosperity and splendor of our Longmen County."

A banquet for all people?

They plundered the entire county's grain just to put on a show of whitewashing the truth.

Li Chengqian sneered inwardly, but feigned great interest on his face.

"Oh? A banquet for all people? That's interesting."

Since Lord Wang has extended such a generous invitation, I will certainly attend the banquet on time tomorrow.

"Thank you for the honor, young master! I will not disturb you any longer. I will await your arrival at the county office tomorrow."

Wang Ren then led his men and fled in disgrace.

The door was closed.

"Oh crap, I can't take it... Is it just the change in environment? Hahahaha."

Cheng Chumo finally couldn't hold it in any longer, clutching his stomach and rolling on the ground laughing.

"This is called 'acclimatization sickness'? That girl was clearly so hungry her legs were weak. This corrupt official doesn't even bother to write a draft of his lie, he's a real genius."

The smile on Li Chengqian's face vanished instantly.

He walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked out at the pitch-black Longmen County.

Fang Yi'ai then asked:

"Master, are we really going to the banquet tomorrow?"

"Eat, why don't you eat?"

"This so-called banquet for all people, I will turn into Wang Renzhe's execution banquet."