"You want to borrow money?" Zhong Li looked at A Wu in surprise.
A Wu nodded, his cheeks flushed, and scratched his head. "About a hundred taels. I wonder if you have it, Your Excellency."
"I do..." Zhong Li started, then stopped. She had a hundred taels in her clay pot, but that was for Lu Wuxie. She didn't want to owe anyone for Qiong'er's matter.
"If you lend it to me, I promise I'll return it in ten days... no... five days," A Wu said, holding up ten fingers, then reconsidering.
"Five days? To return a hundred taels?" Zhong Li asked in surprise. "A Wu, may I ask why you suddenly need so much money?"
When Zhong Li asked, A Wu's anxious expression turned to bashful shyness. He chuckled foolishly and said, "Your Excellency, to be honest, I want to get married?"
"Married? A Wu, didn't you not have someone you fancied half a month ago?" Zhong Li asked, surprised.
"Your Excellency Zhong is correct, but you know I'm not young anymore. My family has many siblings. Among those born before me, some died in infancy, and others died suddenly of illness after adulthood. Ah Liu and I are the ones who have lived the smoothest lives. Ah Liu is still young and can wait, but I'm different. My parents are counting on me to carry on the family line. I've finally met someone I like, so I need to act fast, don't I?" A Wu's smile grew more honest.
Zhong Li frowned, recalling the scene outside Hua Man Lou in Qiong'er's room. "Is the person you fancy one of the girls in this establishment?"
"Yes!"
Zhong Li's expression became somewhat serious.
A Wu quickly explained, "Your Excellency, she is not impure. She just serves tea and water for others. Although she's not particularly attractive, well... I'm not very capable either, am I? Miss Gu Ling is a good person, and I am truly smitten."
"Is the hundred taels for a dowry?" Zhong Li asked.
A Wu shook his head. "It's to buy Miss Gu Ling's freedom."
Zhong Li narrowed her eyes. Qiong'er was sold into the brothel for only fifty taels back then, and Gu Ling was a hundred?
"Your Excellency, don't overthink it. With this hundred taels, Gu Ling will be redeemed. After we get married, my parents will sell our land and use the money to repay you," A Wu continued to explain.
Zhong Li nodded. Previously, money was very important to her to investigate her adoptive father's affairs, but now... money might not solve everything. Lending money to anyone was the same.
"Alright, I'll leave the money at Dali Temple, and you can have it when I return."
"Yes, yes!" A Wu's face lit up when Zhong Li agreed to lend him the money.
"As for the repayment date, don't rush it. For farmers, land is life. Tell your parents not to worry; they can repay me when they've saved enough," Zhong Li said, reminding the beaming A Wu.
A Wu was deeply moved by this. He nodded. "I've told Gu Ling that my lord is the kindest. She always used to disbelieve me, worried I was being taken advantage of by you, and kept asking about you."
"What did you say?" Zhong Li, who had just walked a few steps away, turned around and asked upon hearing A Wu's words.
A Wu looked up with a puzzled expression. "Your Excellency, what's wrong?"
"A Wu, I have a question for you," Zhong Li said.
"Your Excellency, please speak."
"Did you get to know Gu Ling only after you took over the Hua Man Lou case?" Zhong Li asked.
"Yes, and I thank Your Excellency for assigning this case to me. Otherwise, I might never have met such a suitable partner in my life. Gu Ling is hardworking and kind."
Zhong Li took a deep breath and asked, "When you were investigating the case, did you leak any information to her?"
"Ah?" A Wu blinked, looking at Zhong Li with some confusion. After a moment, he shook his head. "No."
Hearing his answer, Zhong Li's worried heart settled, and she turned and walked towards the carriage parked not far away.
A Wu scratched his head, watching the carriage drive away, and wondered, "I didn't leak anything to her. She was always with me when I investigated the case."
Zhong Li returned to Dali Temple after nightfall.
The vast Dali Temple was shut tight. Apart from the two lanterns hanging at the entrance for illumination, the only other sound was the intermittent sound of the night watchman.
Zhong Li had moved to a separate courtyard and realized some of her belongings were still in Dali Temple, so she decided to retrieve them when she had time.
She had walked only a few steps into the small courtyard when she saw a faint candlelight flickering from the direction of the inner hall. Driven by curiosity, she hesitated for a moment before walking towards the inner hall.
"This is unreasonable."
"Yes, compared to the flower wine and fish from Yingzhou that were imported into our Nan Yue Kingdom in the past, the price of snow lotus is more than double."
"Where exactly did the problem arise?"
...
Zhong Li pushed open the door to the inner hall and saw Lu Wuxie and Lan Heng poring over something at their desks.
"Sorry to disturb you."
As she realized they were busy, she prepared to leave.
"Li'er," Lan Heng called out to her first.
Zhong Li had no choice but to step forward and greet them.
Lan Heng glanced at Lu Wuxie beside him. Seeing his expression unchanged, he pushed a document on the table towards Zhong Li.
"Take a look at this."
"What is this?" Zhong Li asked.
"The Yingzhou envoy came to Nan Yue Kingdom these past few days and discussed matters of trade cooperation. The Emperor felt there were issues and ordered the Prince Regent and me to review it. We both feel the translation might be a bit off. Please take a look."
Zhong Li glanced at Lan Heng, took the paper from the table, and after reading for a while, said, "There are indeed some issues. The cherry blossom flower wine and fish imported from Yingzhou, which concern the livelihood of the people, have prices that are no different from previous years. As for the snow lotus..."
She spoke, her eyebrows furrowing. "Snow lotus, as a medicinal ingredient, is indeed more precious. Nan Yue Kingdom does have it, but only Yingzhou has Tianshan snow lotus, which naturally has better medicinal effects than ordinary snow lotus. However, the price shouldn't be this outrageously high. One tael for two taels of silver, that's not right."
"Li'er knows the price of snow lotus?" Lan Heng asked after hearing her speak.
Zhong Li shook her head. "Snow lotus is a Sedum plant. Most Sedum plants are believed to have life-prolonging effects, so it's rare for doctors to prescribe snow lotus, except for daily health supplements. I'm not really sure of the exact price. However, I do understand some Yingzhou language."
"Li'er understands Yingzhou language?" Lan Heng asked, surprised.
Zhong Li nodded. How could she explain that the Yingzhou language was similar to the modern Manga country? Those who often watched anime, through constant exposure, would understand some of it.
"Yes, I remember the Yingzhou envoy mentioned the snow lotus at a banquet a few days ago. He said one tael was one tael of silver, not two taels of silver," Zhong Li said.
"But this list..."
"It's like this," Zhong Li said, picking up the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table, and writing two words on the Xuan paper. "In the Yingzhou language, the difference between one and two is just one syllable. If the translator didn't listen carefully, it's very possible they confused one and two." She said, gesturing to the pronunciation of the two numbers.
Lan Heng and Lu Wuxie were both intelligent men, and they understood immediately.
"So it was a translation error?" Lan Heng said, his tone rising slightly, implying that anyone with a discerning ear would understand the hidden meaning in his words. It was highly likely that the "margin of error" in the translation was greater than Zhong Li's "misheard."
Zhong Li pursed her lips and thought for a moment. "The envoy has not yet departed. If Your Excellency and the Prince Regent feel there is an issue, you could investigate the local price of Tianshan snow lotus in Yingzhou and then discuss it with the envoy. It wouldn't be too late."
"That's the only way. However, thanks to Li'er, I know what to do now," Lan Heng said, putting away the papers on the table.
Zhong Li cupped her hands. Seeing that it was getting late, she hurried out of the inner hall to attend to her own matters.
"Li'er!" As she reached the door of her small resting room, a voice called out from behind her. She didn't turn around, knowing who it was.
"Prince Regent, do you still have questions about the Yingzhou language translation?"