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"Esteemed guest, you have deposited four hundred and fifty-six taels of silver in our establishment. How much would you like to withdraw?"
"Give me a silver note for four hundred and fifty taels, and six taels in pieces of silver..."
Gu Shi Yi also pawned the ruby ring, obtaining eighty taels of silver for it, and then with the silver in hand, he turned left out of the door intending to buy some porcelain jars in the market. However, after walking just a few steps, he saw the street begin to stir as pedestrians hastily moved to the sides. Gu Shi Yi too was squeezed toward the curb as troop after troop of soldiers galloped past on horseback,
"What's happening? What's the commotion?"
Some folks were asking, and someone from the front replied,
"They say a prestigious visitor has come, and the Official Government wants to clean the streets with water..."
"Is that so? What kind of prestigious visitor?"
"No idea... but I heard even the quayside will be sealed later. They won't let any ships leave until the person has departed!"
Such events were not unheard of in Xuancheng City; it was either imperial relatives or some powerful dignitary from the regions,
"They're closing the quayside?"
Gu Shi Yi was alarmed,
"This won't do. Who knows when that dignitary will leave? The longer I stay here, the more danger I'll be in!"
With this thought, he turned and ran back to the inn. It wasn't until he returned that he remembered he had not made his intended purchases. Glancing over, he saw a cracked clay pot in the corner of the backyard and casually took it with him,
"Yanyan! Yanyan!"
Gu Shi Yi called out as soon as he entered, spotting Little Mud Man and Big Boss talking near the window. Seeing her rush back in,
"Shiyi, have you got the silver?"
Gu Shi Yi nodded and started to pack while saying,
"We need to leave quickly. A big shot has come to Xuancheng, and they're saying they'll close the quayside. If we don't go now, we might not be able to leave at all!"
Gu Shi Yi hastily stuffed Big Boss into the earthen jar, which made the latter very angry,
"Didn't you say you'd get a colorful one? Why did you end up bringing me this broken clay pot?"
Without stopping her hands, Gu Shi Yi replied,
"No choice, in an emergency you make do. We'll take a boat to Twin Sages City. The market there is bigger, the goods better. Once we're there, I'll get you something nicer!"
Upon hearing this, Big Boss was no longer angry,
"You mean it?"
"Absolutely! Let's go quickly!"
Gu Shi Yi led them hurriedly out of the inn, rushed to the wharf with their cart, where indeed officials from the Official Government had already arrived. However, the merchants were busy negotiating with the government officials, hoping for a bit more time to unload the cargo from their ships.
Gu Shi Yi looked around the wharf, chose a mid-sized merchant ship, and went over to inquire. The ship owner was just preparing to leave the wharf. Upon hearing that Gu Shi Yi wanted to go to Twin Sages City and considering her horse-drawn carriage, he pondered and then said,
"Your carriage takes up a lot of space, and I'll have to feed the animals too. You'll need to pay twenty taels of silver!"
"Twenty taels!"
Gu Shi Yi exclaimed,
"That's so expensive!"
Are you trying to rob me?
Ordinary passengers only pay two taels of silver to take a boat to Twin Sages City. Why does it suddenly cost ten times as much for me?
Isn't this no different from robbery?
The ship owner then responded,
"It's because the Official Government is closing the wharf today. My ship is in a rush to get back to Twin Sages City, and I haven't loaded much cargo. On any normal day, even if you offered me forty taels, I might not be willing to carry your carriage..."
The ship owner's words did have some truth. Where the carriage would sit, cargo could be placed, easily worth more than twenty taels per trip!
Gu Shi Yi gritted her teeth,
"Fine, twenty taels it is! Better to leave this place first!"
Thankfully, she had made a modest sum. Otherwise, Gu Shi Yi would have felt the pinch!
And so she drove the cart onto the ship and began to tend to the old horse, giving it water and feed. Ever since the horse had been with Gu Shi Yi, it had been eating and sleeping well with little exertion; it had even grown plumper, and its coat was much glossier. It looked considerably more spirited than it had before, no longer resembling something ready to collapse at any moment!
After tending to the old horse, Gu Shi Yi then went to her own cabin on the ship. The space was small and low-ceilinged, containing just a bed, with room enough only to turn around. However, Gu Shi Yi was quite content,
"After all, it's just me eating and sleeping, having a larger room is just a waste of money!"
While Gu Shi Yi was inspecting her surroundings, she felt the ship tremble. The merchant ship left the quay, entering the river toward Twin Sages City. Standing on the deck, Gu Shi Yi saw that the wharf had already been sealed by the authorities, and she let out a long sigh of relief,
"Good... I managed to leave just before the wharf was closed..."
However, unbeknownst to her, the moment she left Xuancheng, the north gate of the city swung open to welcome an incoming procession. The Xuancheng City Garrison Commander stood at the gates to greet them, and as the carriage halted before him, he hurried forward to salute,
"National Preceptor!"
A venerable yet gentle voice came from within the luxurious carriage behind the curtain of the lowered carriage door,
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