Chapter 2578: Chapter 2578: Who Can Afford It

"Prince Zhan, Prince An Yang, are you planning to meet Minister Cai? He’s in Wuwang County, not far from Guangye City," he inquired.

Oh, Guangye City is already quite stirred up with just a Steward Hao, and Minister Cai is in Wuwang County. One wonders how the common folk there are managing to live.

"Why would I go see him?"

An Jiuyue lightly touched her chin and chuckled.

"I am here, and naturally, he should come to pay respects to me and Prince Zhan. Since when do I need to go meet a mere governor?"

"Yes, yes, Prince An Yang is absolutely right. It was wrong of me to speak without thinking," Sheng Qingyu replied repeatedly.

He had forgotten that in front of the two princes, Minister Cai was nothing. This time, it’s almost certain that he would lose his official position, and as for his life... could it be saved?

It certainly couldn’t be saved.

Those who profit from the country’s hardships cannot atone with just one life; it might even implicate their family.

"Mr. Sheng, there’s no need for you to concern yourself with matters regarding Governor Cai. Just understand that the presence of me and Prince Zhan in Guangye is not to be disclosed to outsiders, understood?"

An Jiuyue instructed Sheng Qingyu while looking at him.

"Yes, I understand," Sheng Qingyu replied.

He couldn’t help but ponder whether the two princes had other plans.

Even leaving Minister Cai in the dark, were they thinking of secretly convicting him, or... no, impossible. The two princes are pillars of the royal court and could never collude with someone like Minister Cai.

"Mr. Sheng, could you kindly arrange a place for us to stay in the city? We plan to remain in Guangye City for a few more days," Qian Jiyun said.

"Certainly, Prince Zhan,"

Sheng Qingyu replied promptly and hurried out to find the government guards.

Orders from the princes must not be taken lightly and should be arranged promptly. Although he couldn’t understand why the two princes chose to stay separately instead of at the Government Office.

Yet, considering the recent meals at the Government Office, he felt it was better for the princes to stay separately.

...

The next day.

In the city, Steward Hao continued to dispatch people to exchange water for grain, this time sending more enforcers to each location, just in case.

However, today passed without incident; no one came to cause trouble.

Yet the enforcers noticed that not far from their water-for-grain spot, another stall had been set up, with a sign indicating the sale of grain.

"Fifty copper coins for a jin of white rice, that’s truly expensive,"

The stall had clear pricing displayed, with fifty copper coins for a jin of white rice prominently placed at the front, easily visible, and stacks of grain sacks behind, evidently showing a large quantity of grain.

"Isn’t it? White flour is actually sixty copper coins per jin; that’s ten times the original price—who can afford that?" the literate passersby sighed.

Even those who couldn’t read, upon inquiry, sighed and shook their heads.

Ordinary people simply couldn’t afford such expensive grain, especially since they had some grain at home already, making it less likely they would buy. Despite being enticed by the fine white rice and flour, they couldn’t afford it.

But while the average folk couldn’t afford it, wealthier families certainly could. By morning’s end, quite a few house servants had indeed come to purchase grain.

"Stone, they’re selling grain over there, and it looks fresh. Should we... go ask the steward?" a guard quietly asked Stone, the leader of the water-for-grain exchange.

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