Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 69 Patience

It was almost noon when we got back to the inn.

As soon as Jiang Xun entered the backyard, he saw Li Tang sitting on the stone bench in the yard, idly picking at the osmanthus leaves.

"You're finally back!" She jumped up immediately upon seeing Jiang Xun. "Where have you been?"

"I went out for a walk," Jiang Xun replied casually. "What happened?"

Li Tang leaned closer and whispered, "Someone came looking for my brother just now and asked a lot of strange questions."

Jiang Xun's heart skipped a beat: "Who is it?"

"It's that scholar who sat not far from us at the Meng residence last night," Li Tang blinked. "From what I observed, she was probably a woman disguised as a man."

Jiang Xun blinked: "You knew that?"

"Of course." Li Tang raised his chin, looking smug. "I'm very good at judging people."

Jiang Xun smiled; of course he knew who had come.

Where is she?

"She's gone," Li Tang said. "My brother saw her off, and he didn't say much when he came back."

Jiang Xun was silent for a while, then suddenly smiled.

"What are you laughing at?" Li Tang asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing." Jiang Xun shook his head. "I bet that person is the fairy from Mirror Lake."

Li Tang's eyes lit up: "Really? Then do they have a crush on my brother?"

"You've taken a fancy to your brother?" Jiang Xun chuckled. "Are you picking a son-in-law?"

Li Tang blushed and spat at him, "What nonsense are you talking about! I mean, do they want to give the Dragon Crystal to my brother? My brother is the heir of the Prince of Qi, a man of good character, excellent learning, and handsome too..."

"Alright, alright." Jiang Xun raised his hand to interrupt her. "If you keep going, I'll start to think you're trying to set up a marriage between your brother and me."

Li Tang glared at him angrily, and was about to speak when Li Che came out of the house.

He saw Jiang Xun and nodded: "You're back?"

"Hmm," Jiang Xun responded, looking at him. "I heard someone came looking for you?"

Li Che walked over, sat down on the stone bench, and sighed: "Hmm, a scholar dressed like him asked about his governing philosophy and the hardships of the people."

"What was your answer?"

"Just tell the truth," Li Che said. "There's nothing to hide."

Jiang Xun looked at him: "Didn't that person mention the dragon crystal?"

"No," Li Che shook his head. "He didn't mention it at all."

Jiang Xun nodded, understanding the situation.

It seems that the scholar disguised as a man is most likely the fairy of Mirror Lake.

First she looked for herself, then she looked for Li Che—it's like she's choosing a son-in-law, comparing everyone around.

"Oh, by the way," Li Che suddenly said, "I recommended you."

Jiang Xun was taken aback: "Recommend me? Recommend me for what?"

"When that person asked about last night, I praised you to the skies." Li Che looked at him with a serious expression, "I said you have excellent martial arts skills, are righteous, and are a rare talent."

Jiang Xun opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Li Tang chimed in from the side, "What was that person's reaction after hearing that?"

Li Che thought for a moment and nodded, "Nothing special."

Jiang Xun thought to himself: Of course there will be no reaction.

You just lashed out at someone, and it's good enough that they didn't turn on you on the spot. What kind of pleasant attitude do you expect?

But now that I've calmed down and thought about it, those who follow the right path have indeed done a lot, except for that one night...

It seems I took out my anger on the wrong person.

As he was thinking, Li Che suddenly stood up.

"I have to go out." He straightened his clothes. "You'd better stay at the inn and don't wander around."

Li Tang looked up: "Where to?"

"Meet with a few grain merchants." A sharp glint flashed in Li Che's eyes, and his tone grew heavier. "Time is running out; we need to resolve the grain issue as soon as possible. If we delay any longer, Haiyou won't be able to hold out."

Jiang Xun stood up and said, "Anyway, I'm free, I'll go with you."

"No need." Li Che glanced at him. "You worked hard last night and didn't have a moment's rest this morning. Get some rest."

"It's alright." Jiang Xun thought for a moment and then said, "I'll go with you. In case someone tries to cause trouble again, it'll be good to have someone to look after me."

Li Che recalled the Wang family's attitude last night, his eyes flickered slightly, and this time he didn't refuse again, nodding.

"Then let's do it together."

…………

The most famous restaurant in Qiantang is called Yanyulou, located in the most prosperous area in the south of the city, next to the Qingxi River that runs through the city.

The building has three stories, with upturned eaves and corners, and large red lanterns hang under the eaves of each floor.

The vermilion railings were carved with lotus blossoms, and the windows were covered with fine paper, through which the warm yellow candlelight shone faintly.

Jiang Xun stood downstairs, craning his neck to look around for a long time, and couldn't help but click his tongue: "How much does a meal cost here?"

"Enough for an ordinary family to eat for a year," Li Che said, straightening his robes and stepping inside first.

Jiang Xun followed behind, glancing around as he walked.

The first floor is the lobby, with about twenty tables, all of which were occupied.

Merchants in silk robes, swordsmen from the martial world, and several young gentlemen dressed like scholars were all drinking and making merry.

The waiters moved back and forth, carrying plates filled with delicacies from land and sea, their aromas filling the entire room.

Jiang Xun twitched his nose and swallowed.

The staircase is at the very back of the house, and in the corner there are two pots of orchids, each about half a person tall, with glossy green leaves that look very precious.

Once we got to the second floor, the noise faded away.

The second floor was much quieter than the first floor, with only four or five tables of guests, who all spoke in hushed tones.

The tables by the window were empty, and outside the window was the Qingxi River, its surface shimmering in the sunlight. Occasionally, a painted boat would glide by, and the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments would drift from afar.

The three were led up to the third floor by the waiter.

There are no open seats on the third floor; it's all private rooms. The largest one is called "Yanbo Zhishuang," and you can see the entire Qingxi River from the window.

There were already six people seated in the private room.

They were all over forty years old, dressed in silk and satin, with thumb rings on their hands and jade pendants hanging from their waists; they were clearly wealthy people.

Upon seeing Li Che enter, the six men stood up in unison, bowing with beaming smiles.

"Your Highness, your presence is an honor. We are deeply sorry for not being able to greet you properly."

"Please take a seat, Your Highness."

"Quickly, serve the young master tea."

Jiang Xun watched from the side, completely stunned—this level of politeness was as if she were seeing her own father.

Li Che remained calm, nodded slightly in return, and took his seat in the main seat.

Zheng Xiao left and went outside, while Jiang Xun sat down near the door, playing the role of an inconspicuous guard.

"Please have a seat, esteemed managers," Li Che gestured.

The six people then sat down, their smiles still warm.

"Your Highness has come from afar; you must have had a long and arduous journey."

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, please feel free to give any instructions you may have."

"The drunken shrimp at this Misty Rain Pavilion is absolutely divine; Your Highness must try it..."

Li Che patiently listened to a few polite words before finally speaking: "Gentlemen, I've come here regarding the matter of grain—"

Before he could finish speaking, a plump shopkeeper interrupted him with a smile: "Don't worry, young master, the grain issue is no problem. Come, come, try this vinegar fish first; it's most delicious when eaten hot."

Another thin shopkeeper immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes, today we'll only talk about romance, not business. It's a rare occasion for the young master to come to Qiantang, so he should at least try the flavors of Jiangnan."

"Your Highness, please look out the window. The night view of the Qingxi River is absolutely stunning..."

Jiang Xun listened from the side and couldn't help but laugh, thinking to himself that these people were clearly pretending to be ignorant.

He glanced at Li Che, whose face remained calm, but whose fingers tapped lightly on the teacup twice.

Having spent these days with Li Che, Jiang Xun had already figured out some of the tricks of the trade, which was a sign that his patience was about to run out.