After several days of travel, they arrived in Yangzhou in the middle of the night. The wind howled in the pitch-black darkness, so Su Cen and his companions decided to stay on the boat and wait until daylight to make plans.
When Su Cen stepped out of the boat the next morning, he was taken aback.
Their merchant ship, which wasn’t small by any means—able to comfortably accommodate 30 to 40 people, including the workers, cooks, and the shipmaster—was dwarfed by the vessels around it. On either side were enormous flower boats, towering four or five stories high. These boats were resplendent, with elegant pavilions, the scent of silks and perfumes wafting in the air, and beautiful women seen through gauzy curtains. From some open windows, women were grooming themselves, their eyes glinting with mischief and casting coquettish smiles his way.
The shipmaster, busy overseeing the unloading of cargo, noticed Su Cen’s reaction and walked over to explain: “Young master, don’t take offense. These are flower boats—floating brothels. The ladies must’ve mistaken you for a wandering gentleman who spent the night aboard. You can just ignore them.”
Su Cen had heard about Yangzhou’s famed flower boats, but seeing them in person was another matter. Surrounded by these extravagant vessels, he couldn’t help but feel impressed. He turned to the shipmaster and asked, “Were these boats here when we arrived last night?”
The shipmaster replied, “Flower boats usually start taking guests in the evening. By nightfall, they enter the city through the water gates, sail along the official canals, and only return in the early morning. When we arrived last night, they hadn’t returned yet, so it was quiet. If you catch them at the right time, you can see all sorts of performances—singing, dancing—onboard. Quite a lively sight.”
Su Cen chuckled at the shipmaster’s evident admiration. “These boats are well-designed. They don’t even need to worry about customers skipping out on payment—once they sail into the river, there’s water all around, nowhere to run.”
The shipmaster laughed. “I’ve never heard of customers drowning on a flower boat, but there was a case of a courtesan who drowned herself.”
“Oh?” Su Cen raised an eyebrow.
“I only heard about it,” the shipmaster said, frowning in thought. “It was a couple of years ago. There was a famous courtesan in Yangzhou who drowned herself out of heartbreak. I don’t know the full story, but they said her body floated on the river for days. She looked as if she were merely sleeping, with her face still flushed and emitting a strange fragrance. Butterflies surrounded her, as if enchanted. Some people said she was a reincarnated flower deity, while others thought her spirit was unsettled and speaking to the butterflies. There were all kinds of strange rumors.”
“A strange fragrance?” Su Cen asked, tilting his head. “A body usually reeks of decay. How could there be a fragrance?”
“Exactly! That’s what made it so strange,” the shipmaster replied, shaking his head with a sigh. “Someone even turned the story into a song—it’s called Ballad of the Butterfly. If you’re lucky, you might hear someone sing it on one of these flower boats.”
When Qi Lin and Qu Ling’er finished packing their belongings, they bid farewell to the shipmaster. The three of them disembarked, stepping onto the shores of Yangzhou—a land of romance and revelry but also treacherous undercurrents.
Unlike Chang’an’s orderly, stately buildings arranged in neat grids, Yangzhou’s architecture was marked by whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs. Streets formed along the rivers, and bridges spanned over waterways, each one gracefully arching into view. The willow trees along the riverbanks were still lush and green, giving the city a vitality that Chang’an lacked.
As they passed through the city gates and ventured deeper, the streets became livelier. Silk and brocade in vibrant hues fluttered in the breeze, and Qu Ling’er, visiting Jiangnan[[[Yangzhou is a key city within the Jiangnan region]] for the first time, couldn’t hide his curiosity. His peach-blossom eyes darted everywhere, and he tugged at Su Cen’s sleeve, marveling at everything he saw.
Qi Lin, accustomed to the barren sands of the northern desert, found Jiangnan’s soft and gentle beauty fascinating. Though he was more composed than Qu Ling’er, he couldn’t help but remark, “Merchants here seem unaffected by the prohibition against carriages and fine silks. It’s as if the rules don’t apply at all.”
“The phrase ‘The heavens are high and the emperor is far away’ aptly describes it. Yangzhou is teeming with merchants—there are more of them than commoners. Besides the local merchants, there are also Shanxi merchants, Huizhou merchants, and Hu merchants all around. They’re handling all kinds of exquisite silks, embroidered satins, and brocades. To forbid them from wearing such fine goods is quite cruel,” Su Cen said, rubbing his nose guiltily. Back when he held no official position, he used to wear silk and brocade daily without a second thought. It was only after entering the court that he started restraining himself. Technically speaking, his past behavior was a serious violation of decorum.
What’s more, Su Cen’s family was in the business of trade, and with a sense of loyalty to the merchant class, he offered a defense: “When the Emperor Taizu made this rule, it was partly because most of the people who fought alongside him were farmers. It was also meant to promote agriculture. But honestly, merchants aren’t inherently deceitful. Their work is difficult too. People can’t rely on self-sufficiency for everything; where there’s trade, there will be merchants. They’re always on the move, just trying to make a living. Their social status is low, the taxes are heavy, and even when they earn money, they can’t spend it freely. Isn’t that frustrating?”
“Lord Su,” Qi Lin interrupted, “I only made a casual remark. You don’t need to overthink it.”
Su Cen stopped talking and nodded. “…Oh.”
He couldn’t help but feel that Li Shi had assigned Qi Lin to keep an eye on him, making him cautious about his words and actions. He was constantly worried about giving Li Shi any leverage to settle accounts with him later.
Su Cen sighed silently. Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger; living so nervously is no easy task.
Qu Ling’er chimed in curiously, “Merchants have money but aren’t allowed to buy; farmers are allowed to buy but don’t have money. So who wears all those silks and brocades? Officials?”
Su Cen replied, “You think an official’s salary is enough for much? Courtly socializing, food for the family, wages for the household servants—all of it comes out of that stipend. The higher the rank, the more they need to maintain appearances: carriages, horses, attendants, and the like. If I relied solely on my salary, I wouldn’t even be able to support you.”
Qu Ling’er pouted. “Then what’s the point of being an official? Why do so many people fight tooth and nail for it?”
“Some love money, some love power. And once you have enough power, it can generate money,” Su Cen said, lowering his voice as he leaned closer. “Do you think those officials’ luxurious carriages, precious horses, and beautiful women are all funded by their salaries?”
“You mean…” Qu Ling’er began but trailed off when Su Cen tugged on his sleeve, stopping him from finishing the thought.
At that moment, a short man emerged from a nearby alley. He carried a vegetable basket on his arm, covered tightly with a dark blue floral cloth. Glancing nervously over his shoulder to ensure no one was following him, the man then quickened his pace.
The road was narrow, and Su Cen and his companions occupied most of it, forcing the man to press against the wall as he passed. As they crossed paths, the man shot Su Cen a wary glance, only to find Su Cen looking right back at him.
Caught off guard, the man hurriedly averted his gaze and turned into an alley behind them.
Su Cen stopped and looked back for a moment before turning to Qu Ling’er. “Go report to the authorities.”
Qu Ling’er was startled. “Huh?”
“Tell them that man is a private salt smuggler. The officials will definitely send someone to catch him.” Su Cen then turned to Qi Lin and added, “Once they’re about to apprehend him, you step in and save him.”
Qu Ling’er suddenly understood and eagerly accepted the task. He had just taken a few steps when he turned back and asked, “Brother Su, where should I meet you later?”
“At the largest inn in Yangzhou,” Su Cen replied with a faint smile, “in the best room.”
Yangzhou consisted of two main areas: Zicheng (inner city) and Luocheng (outer city). Zicheng, located five miles northwest of Luocheng on the Shugang hills, housed military camps and government offices, while Luocheng was where the common people lived. A ten-mile street stretched along the river, lined with shops and bustling with activity. Unlike Chang’an, where trading was confined to designated Eastern and Western markets, Yangzhou’s shops were scattered along the streets, seamlessly connected to residential neighborhoods. The lively scene made for an exciting journey as they walked through the city.
The largest inn in the city, known as Tianxia Tower, was located in the busiest section of the ten-mile-long street. Standing three stories tall, its first floor housed a grand hall, the second floor offered private dining areas, and only the third floor was dedicated to guest rooms. The building was a magnificent sight, a true palace of opulence. Without a pocket full of gold ingots, one wouldn’t dare step through its doors.
Yet, that was not all. For guests who disliked noise, Tianxia Tower had specially reserved a quiet area within the bustling city. Behind the main building, several private courtyards could be accessed through a small side gate. Surrounded by lush bamboo, flowing streams, and mist-shrouded willow trees, the setting exuded the tranquil charm of Jiangnan.
As soon as Su Cen settled in, a young attendant arrived with tea and water. Unlike the coarsely dressed servants in the front hall, the attendants in the rear courtyard were no older than fifteen or sixteen, clad in simple yet elegant white silk. Their movements revealed the grace of professional training.
Su Cen politely stated that he preferred not to be disturbed and instructed the attendant not to return without his explicit request. The young servant, sharp-witted, bowed in acknowledgment and left without another word.
Not long after, the door creaked open. Qi Lin entered, accompanied by the man they had encountered earlier.
Trailing behind them was Qu Ling’er, who, after reporting to the authorities, had joined Qi Lin in staging a rescue operation. The man had no idea that it was Qu Ling’er who had alerted the authorities in the first place, and he repeatedly expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, miss, thank you!”
Qu Ling’er studied the man intently. He appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties, with a dark complexion and a short stature. Standing next to Qi Lin, he seemed utterly ordinary to the core. How Su Cen had managed to identify him as a salt smuggler at a glance was beyond him.
Earlier, Qu Ling’er had discreetly inspected the man’s basket and confirmed that it did indeed contain salt.
Qi Lin gestured toward Su Cen and said, “This is my master.”
The man immediately dropped to his knees before Su Cen. “Thank you, young master, for saving my life. My family depends on me—thank you on behalf of us all.”
Su Cen, feeling unworthy of such gratitude, hurriedly helped him to his feet and urged him to sit. “I only stepped in because you didn’t look like a bad person. However, I need you to be honest with me—I don’t want to save the wrong person. What is your name? Where are you from? And why were the authorities after you?”
The man hesitated before replying, “My name is Wang Er. I’m from Luoling Village, just outside Yangzhou City. The authorities were after me because… because I was smuggling private salt.”
“Oh?” Su Cen raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
He hadn’t initially known for certain that the man was a salt smuggler but had found him suspicious. Observing the man’s hurried departure, Su Cen had noticed a few coarse grains of salt scattered near the wall.
“Do you realize that smuggling private salt is a capital crime? Under the Great Zhou laws, it’s punishable by public execution.”
Wang Er immediately slid off his chair and knelt on the floor again. “My lord, please spare my life! I have an eighty-year-old mother above me and a three-year-old child below me; my whole family depends on me to earn that little bit of silver for survival!”
Su Cen waved his hand dismissively. “Since I’ve saved you, I won’t turn you in. Don’t panic. But you claim you had no other choice—does your family not own any land? Why risk your life on such a dangerous trade?”
Qu Ling’er helped Wang Er back into his seat, though he barely perched on the edge, ready to kneel again at any moment. He answered cautiously, “You don’t seem to be from Yangzhou, young master, so perhaps you aren’t aware of the local situation. I won’t hide it from you. My family did own a small plot of land—one mu (approximately 1/6 acre) —but it… it was tricked away from us.”
Su Cen frowned. “What happened?”
Wang Er explained, “Luoling Village used to have fertile farmland, but two years ago, we suffered a severe drought, followed by a locust plague. When we couldn’t pay our taxes, some wealthy families from the city offered to buy our land. They said they would pay our taxes for us and that we wouldn’t have to worry about taxes in the future. They hired us as tenant farmers, promising to let us manage the fields without concern for profits or losses and even paying us monthly wages.”
Su Cen asked, “They broke their promise?”
Wang Er sighed and continued, “At first, they did give us wages for a few months. Seeing there was money to be earned, the villagers all sold their land to them. But once everyone had sold their land, they suddenly went back on their word. They stopped paying us wages every month and refused to return the land.”
“No one reported it to the authorities?”
Wang Er shook his head. “Of course we did, but those landlords had already colluded with the officials. They held our land deeds, and the authorities just turned a blind eye. We were powerless.”
“Truly corrupt merchants and officials,” Qu Ling’er fumed, practically hopping in anger. “There isn’t a single decent person among them!”
Su Cen cleared his throat and shot Qu Ling’er a glare. Considering he himself was both an official and a merchant, didn’t that make him guilty beyond redemption?
Qu Ling’er quickly backtracked, “Su… young master Su, I wasn’t talking about you!”
Su Cen shook his head and continued, “Who are these landlords that took over your farmland?”
Wang Er replied, “They’re the biggest salt merchants in Yangzhou City—the Wang family and the Jia family.”
Su Cen paused, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Talk about having things fall right into one’s lap.
“So you started smuggling salt to retaliate against them?”
“Well… yes and no,” Wang Er said with a pained expression, shaking his head. “How could we possibly retaliate? We’re just trying to survive. Young master, you have no idea what kind of prices their salt fetches. Back in the first year of Yuanshun {{present emperor era}}, a catty of salt cost eighty-four wen. Now, they’re selling it for over two hundred and fifty wen!”
“Two hundred and fifty wen?!” Su Cen couldn’t help but exclaim. For context, a typical household’s monthly expenses were about one tael of silver. A single catty of salt now accounted for a quarter of that. In other words, one catty of salt could now be exchanged for two dou of rice, enough to feed a regular family for two months.
“Outrageous!” Su Cen slammed the table. “And the authorities let them charge such exorbitant prices?”
“It’s not just that,” Wang Er said bitterly. “The officials even help the salt merchants crack down on smugglers. If you’re caught, it’s a severe beating. Families who can afford the ransom might be able to save their loved ones, but for the poor who can’t pay, they’ll just die in prison.”
Qu Ling’er was about to explode again, but Su Cen stopped him with a shake of his head. In this case, he couldn’t argue. Smuggling salt was illegal, and the officials were technically within their rights to act as they did.
However, colluding with corrupt merchants and abusing their power for personal gain was intolerable.
“If it’s Lord Feng on duty, we might get scolded and then secretly released. But if it’s anyone else, there’s no hope of survival.”
“Lord Feng?” Su Cen raised his head. “Which Lord Feng?”
Wang Er explained, “Young master, you may not know, but Lord Feng is Yangzhou City’s Registrar. He’s a good official. It’s just a pity he ended up here in Yangzhou. Sigh…”
Feng Yiming… Su Cen narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed Feng Yiming’s reputation among the common folk of Yangzhou wasn’t bad at all.
Su Cen continued asking about the salt merchants and the origins of the smuggled salt. By the time he finished, it was nearly noon.
He now had a basic understanding of the situation in Yangzhou. The two largest salt merchants in the city were the Wang family and the Jia family. The Wang family had two daughters, and later took in a son-in-law through marriage. Wang Laoye{{ Old master Wang}} then handed over the family business to the son-in-law, who now controlled the Wang family. The Jia family, on the other hand, had a son, but he was a notorious libertine, constantly indulging in brothels and causing trouble. As a result, despite his old age, Jia Laoye had no choice but to manage the family business himself.
As for the source of the illicit salt, Wang Er did not go into detail. He only mentioned that there were people above him who provided the salt, and his role was merely to distribute it to households. He claimed ignorance about how the higher-ups obtained the salt. Su Cen understood that Wang Er was wary of his intentions, fearing he might be trying to extract information, so he refrained from pressing further. Instead, he gave Wang Er some money and instructed Qi Lin to escort him back.
The lunch was delivered directly from Tianxia Lou, featuring authentic Yangzhou cuisine with a distinctive flavor. After lunch, Qi Lin and Qu Ling’er each returned to their respective rooms. Su Cen, however, spent the entire afternoon locked in his room, occupied with unknown tasks.
It wasn’t until the evening mist began to settle that Su Cen finally emerged. Turning to Qi Lin, he said, “I might have to trouble Guard Qi to invite someone for me.”
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
