The Market

*Creeeak—* With the soft groan of the carriage's wooden door, a padded boot stepped down, pressing into the thick snow beneath. Stepping down from the carriage, Xu Yuan's gaze immediately fell upon the towering wall not far away, its heights seemingly piercing the clouds. The swirling blizzard severely obstructed his vision, yet did nothing to diminish the mountain-like grandeur of the city wall before him. Its full expanse lay veiled within the snowstorm, resembling a colossal beast crouching upon the earth and rising into the heavens. Due to the war, Beifeng City was under curfew; no freight was permitted entry by night, and only at daybreak would the southern gate open to admit merchants and travelers. Thinking this to himself, Xu Yuan turned his gaze toward the other convoys. The wind and snow howled. Within his field of vision, carriages laden with goods were arranged in neat rows. Varying in size, the largest beast of burden among them stood a staggering ten zhang tall. A heavy blanket of snow had already gathered atop many of the wagons. Xu Yuan gave a slight shake of his head, exhaled a plume of warm breath, and muttered to himself, "Military wagons... At this scale, is it all armaments?" "You jest, Third Young Master." Li Junqing had also stepped down from his carriage at some point and walked over, suddenly chuckling, "How could so many carriages be loaded entirely with arms? The daily consumption of grain and fodder across Beifeng City is no small figure." Xu Yuan brushed away the snow settling on his shoulders, turning back with a smile. "Why did Your Highness come down as well? Not cold?" Li Junqing glanced back toward his own carriage and grinned. "My second brother spends the whole day reading books without saying a word. I just came down for a breath of fresh air." Some distance after leaving the capital, Xu Yuan had someone purchase an additional carriage at a courier station. He and Li Qingyan took one carriage, while the two princes took the other, making it more comfortable to rest. And with Li Junqing's temperament, cooping him up in the same room as Li Zhaoyuan was practically suffocating him. Thus, hearing Li Junqing's words, Xu Yuan understood at once. Over the month they had spent together, setting Li Junqing aside, he had also gained a fair understanding of the Second Prince's temperament. Whether it was an act or not, the Second Prince was exceedingly upright; in every word and deed, he was measured, steady, and watertight. As a leader, he inspired confidence, but sharing his company was rather dull. Of course, that was as a companion; if it came to doing business, Xu Yuan preferred dealing with someone like the Second Prince. Reliable. Pausing for a moment, Xu Yuan turned to look at the massive beasts crouching in the snowstorm and said, "With such heavy snow, this year will not be easy for the Northern Border." Li Junqing sighed, a note of lament in his voice. "The blizzard is too severe. The fertile fields across the northern reaches of the three northern prefectures will likely yield nothing this year. Haven't we seen it along the way? If not for the imperial court's disaster relief, the commoners who starved to death these past few months would already be counted in the tens of millions." "..." Xu Yuan fell silent at the words. He had seen similar information in internal reports at the Chancellor's Manor. Yet reading ten thousand scrolls could never compare to traveling ten thousand miles; written words could never match the visceral reality of seeing it with one's own eyes. Di'an City enjoyed favorable weather, but half a month into their journey northward, temperatures plummeted sharply. First came sleet, and further along, snowstorms choked the roads. Prices in the towns they passed through had begun to spiral out of control. Grain in Di'an City cost around four to five wen per jin, but by the time they reached Manzhang Commandery, bordering Beifeng City, the price had soared to ten wen per jin. That the increase remained somewhat contained was only because the authorities had released massive grain reserves into the market, and the imperial court had dispatched numerous imperial commissioners to deal with merchants hoarding grain to profit from the disaster. Corrupt though officials in an extraordinary world might be, they generally dared not take it too far, for there was no telling when a cultivator might be watching from the shadows. Yet that was only the state of affairs inside the cities. The rural towns and villages in remote areas could only be described in one phrase: Corpses of the starved littered the wilderness; not even their remains were preserved. Snow caved in rooftops, and countless people froze to death... Li Junqing sighed wistfully. "Prince Consort, do you think Royal Father and the ministers were truly right to wage war against the Barbarians under such circumstances?" "..." Xu Yuan did not answer immediately. Just then, Li Qingyan stepped down from the carriage with her long legs, holding a red padded jacket. "What are you two talking about? Where is Second Royal Brother?" Li Junqing spread his hands. "Royal Brother is reading in the carriage. The Prince Consort and I were talking about the snow in the Northern Border." Hearing this, Li Qingyan said nothing. She quietly walked over to Xu Yuan, draping the jacket over his shoulders as she instructed, "With your low cultivation, dress warmly to keep out the cold. Go further north, and the freezing cold and icy earth will be more than even an ordinary Fourth Rank can endure." Xu Yuan looked at the tall woman beside him, a hint of surprise in his eyes, but remained silent. Seeing this, Li Junqing curled his lip and pointed at himself. "Sister, what about mine?" Li Qingyan glanced back at her younger brother and replied coolly, "Do you lack hands of your own?" "..." Li Junqing was speechless. Then Li Qingyan raised her eyes toward the oppressive, dark horizon, reaching out a hand to catch a crystalline snowflake, and said softly, "Third Brother, this princess does not know whether Royal Father's decision was right or wrong, but I do know that if this expedition succeeds, it will be an achievement to benefit thousands of autumns." Xu Yuan sighed silently in his heart. *A sin in the present, a merit for a thousand autumns, is it?* The disaster relief funds for the Northern Border, combined with the grain and armaments spent on launching the war... If it succeeded, all was well; but if it failed, at least half of the state treasury that the Emperor and his old man had built up over the years would be drained empty. Gathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan suddenly asked, "Wuyuan, how much longer until Beifeng City opens its gates?" Li Qingyan replied calmly, "If nothing unexpected happens, about half a quarter of an hour." As she spoke, she looked up toward the sky, a flicker of fiery red flashing through her eyes. Noticing this subtle gesture, Xu Yuan glanced up as well, but saw nothing. He asked softly, "What are you looking at?" "Aerial scouts," Li Qingyan replied quietly. "Aerial scouts?" Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. Li Qingyan explained patiently, "Though the front lines have receded to the Mount Dali area, the war continues. Before opening the city gates, the surrounding area must naturally be inspected." As she spoke, Li Qingyan's gaze suddenly shifted toward the base of the city wall, her brow furrowing. "Royal Brother? What is he doing over there?" Xu Yuan instinctively looked over, but unfortunately, the snowstorm kept it beyond his sight. "..." Dressed in brocade robes, Li Zhaoyuan had walked alone to the foot of the city wall at some point. He stared at the gouges left on the stone from siege engines, remaining speechless for a long time. After a while, he gave a soft sigh, slowly brought out a flagon of warm wine, and silently poured it out beneath the walls of Beifeng City... Just as he prepared to return to the convoy, he saw the three of them treading through the snow toward him. Drawing close, Li Junqing asked with an inscrutable smile, "Is Royal Brother offering libations to the fallen soldiers?" Li Zhaoyuan's expression remained placid. "Not just the soldiers, but also the myriad common folk of the Northern Border." "Offering a flagon of Tianqing wine in tribute—Royal Brother is truly thoughtful." Li Junqing cupped his hands. Regardless of whether the Third Prince spoke in mockery or sincerity, Li Zhaoyuan said mildly, "With my current ability, this is all I can do." Li Junqing narrowed his eyes and smiled without replying. Li Qingyan also remained silent. Looking at the scars on the wall, blood-red light flickering in his eyes, Xu Yuan suddenly spoke up out of nowhere: "Once this journey ends, let us erect a monument for them." "..." Li Zhaoyuan nodded in agreement. "Upon returning to the capital, I shall personally submit a memorial to Royal Father, requesting that he inscribe the calligraphy for these soldiers himself." Xu Yuan shook his head. "There are too many. His Majesty could never write them all." A moment of silence fell. The other three present realized what Xu Yuan meant by erecting a monument. Li Qingyan stared at his back, saying nothing. The two princes looked slightly surprised. Xu Yuan was not surprised by their reaction. After every campaign, monuments were erected with inscriptions; a late emperor of the former dynasty had even taken the field in person to collect the bones of fallen soldiers. Yet those monuments were raised in the name of a collective. Engraving the name of every individual was still far too ahead of its time in this feudal era. Yet after pondering for a moment, both princes saw the benefits. Li Junqing stroked his chin. "The Prince Consort's suggestion is quite feasible. With such honor, the soldiers will not feel slighted, and it could inspire them to fight with even greater valor." Li Zhaoyuan deliberated for a moment before saying, "This matter of erecting a monument requires careful thought. Only those who achieved merit should be inscribed upon it to be remembered down through the ages." Xu Yuan looked impassive for a moment, then spoke leisurely: "Your Highness, I meant everyone." "Everyone?" Li Zhaoyuan murmured. Xu Yuan looked at him calmly. "Whoever shed blood to defend the Northern Border, whether soldier or civilian. "If they gave their lives for the Northern Border, it is only right to leave behind a trace that they once walked this earth." Silence descended when his words fell. Li Qingyan pursed her lips slightly, a complex expression in her beautiful eyes... Half a quarter of an hour later, the city gates opened. The heavy city gates were slowly hoisted open, and the deathly silence at the gatehouse dissolved into clamor. The thunderous rumble of hooves echoed outside the gate, kicking up a vast haze of snow from the ground. Yet in the next breath, a gust of gale whipped up from the formations atop the wall, instantly dispersing the rising mist of snow. Owing to the war in the Northern Border, Beifeng City had been placed under full military control. Inspections of passing goods and personnel were exceedingly strict. However, the soldiers at the gates, clad in cold-weather military dress, were well-versed in the routine. Soon, like the maw of a gargantuan beast, the gates began methodically swallowing and disgorging supplies destined for the city. Because Xu Yuan and his party were here in secret, without revealing their identities they too had to queue to enter. With military demonic beast wagons given priority, civilian caravans like Xu Yuan's could only wait at the back. Bored out of his mind while waiting, Xu Yuan drew back the carriage curtain to look outside and was surprised to spot quite a few ordinary carriages hauling cargo. After a brief silence, Xu Yuan felt rather amused. With roads blocked by snow and supplies running scarce, aside from grain prices kept stable by strict imperial control, all other consumable goods were skyrocketing. Yet these people dared risk their lives to sell their wares. The Teacher spoke no lies. Give merchants three hundred percent profit, and they'll even sell the rope to hang themselves with. Closing the curtain, he sat back and waited as the carriage crept forward inch by inch with the convoy. Two quarters of an hour later, *Rap, rap, rap—* A series of raps sounded from outside the carriage, followed by an impatient voice calling in: "Whoever's in charge, get down here and lead the inspection. Move it, don't dawdle, people are waiting behind you." Xu Yuan glanced at Li Qingyan beside him. Li Qingyan said nothing, merely pulling the curtain slightly aside with an indifferent expression. Only then did Xu Yuan clearly see the man outside. He was a middle-aged veteran near forty, wearing the armor of a centurion. The moment his eyes fell upon Li Qingyan's face, his pupils constricted sharply. His knees quivered as he instinctively went to kneel, but halfway through the bend, he caught the killing intent in Li Qingyan's eyes and checked himself, maintaining his previous rough tone: "Heh, so it's Old Wang! Still coming here to do business when the snow's blocked the roads? Let's have a drink next time." As he spoke, the centurion waved to the soldiers about to inspect the convoy. "All right, he's an acquaintance of mine. Let them through." With those words, Xu Yuan's convoy rolled directly into the city. The streets inside Beifeng City were somewhat deserted. Constant warfare meant that the populace of this magnificent metropolis was relatively sparse. The streets were filled almost entirely with soldiers in various types of armor, as well as quite a few large mercenary bands hired by the imperial court to fight in the war. The carriage swayed as it trundled through the city. Xu Yuan asked in a low voice about what had just happened: "Princess, was that man just now one of your soldiers?" Li Qingyan nodded nonchalantly. "Yes." Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn't they say many parts of Beifeng City had been infiltrated by the sects and aristocratic clans?" Li Qingyan gave him a somewhat helpless look and said, "A place like the city gates is the bottom line; it could never be handed over to those parasites. Besides, while we were in Manzhang Commandery, I already notified my adjutant to replace the gate guards these few days with tight-lipped confidants." Xu Yuan understood. "Then where are we heading now? Straight back to the military barracks?" Li Qingyan drew back the curtain, looking toward the east of the city. "Not just yet. Everything must be handled with caution. We go to the market first. Your father arranged for the Black Scale Guards to meet us there. They will provide the funds to purchase our 'cargo,' and then secretly transport it to the front lines of the Northern Border." Hearing this, an inexplicably voluptuous silhouette surfaced in Xu Yuan's mind. After a momentary pause, he instantly banished the thought from his head. *Hardly, hardly.* Handing over cargo shouldn't require an important figure like her to act in person. As they proceeded, the convoy did not enjoy smooth sailing. Even under martial law, conflicts often erupted among the Northern Border Army's numerous factions. Under the heavy pressure of war, sparks easily flew and brawls broke out. Going from the south of the city to the east, Xu Yuan witnessed two brawls on the streets. One was between the Feather Forest Guards and sect-affiliated border troops; the other was between the Black Scale Army and men from a mercenary band. Eighteen or nineteen Seventh and Eighth Rank cultivators were brawling in a heap; one Seventh Rank cultivator, sent flying backward, even smashed up a shop on the roadside. Yet they still maintained restraint, forming no military arrays and drawing no weapons. Xu Yuan's eye twitched at the sight. *Wait, shouldn't you show some respect for the uniform on your back while on patrol?* Li Qingyan seemed accustomed to it: "Many soldiers lost brothers and comrades because other divisions refused to come to their aid. With resentment festering, such occurrences are not uncommon in Beifeng City." Xu Yuan kept quiet, privately grumbling in his thoughts. To be able to suppress the Barbarians even with this level of infighting, one could only say Great Yan was truly bursting with martial prowess. After a few moments of silence, the convoy trundled into the market in the east of Beifeng City. It was bustling and noisy, the air filled with ceaseless shouting over bargained prices. These were all ruthless individuals who had risked their lives in the snowstorm to come north and sell their wares; naturally, none would yield on price. Amid the clamor of arguments, Xu Yuan and the others soon arrived at a relatively quiet patch of shade. The moment the carriage came to a halt, Xu Yuan suddenly felt the cushioned couch beside him sink slightly. Immediately after, a familiar fragrance of venomous rose slowly drifted through the carriage...