Chapter 593 - 596: Xanadu

Chapter 593: Chapter 596: Xanadu

With no grain, the people went hungry and couldn’t pay their taxes on time.

Once they failed to pay, their fields and properties were confiscated. Some families were even forced to sell their sons and daughters.

Driven to desperation, many had no choice but to flee their homes with their families, hoping to escape the disaster.

But the checkpoints along the way were like a giant hand, choking off their only path to survival.

This was the ravages of war.

When Hua Manman turned her head, her eyes met Li Liao’s.

Although Li Liao and Li Ji didn’t look much alike, they both possessed a unique quality forged by years of war.

Even in the cramped carriage, Li Liao sat upright, his back ramrod straight.

Like a long spear that would rather break than bend.

Li Liao asked, "You want to help them?"

Hua Manman remained silent.

Li Liao said, "If you kill Lu Kai, you can rescue these poor people from their suffering."

Hua Manman replied, "Even if Lu Kai dies, his underlings won’t give up so easily."

Li Liao said, "You don’t need to worry about that. Ji will handle it properly."

Hua Manman understood in an instant.

’The reason he didn’t stop Li Ji from following was that he’d already planned it. As soon as Lu Kai is dead, Li Ji can immediately step in to suppress Lu Kai’s remaining followers and take the entire Yu Royal Mansion for himself.’

’Truly worthy of a veteran general with years of battle experience. His schemes are on par with those old foxes in the imperial court.’

Li Liao said sincerely, "Thankfully, you have your identity as the Heir of Prince Yu. It can prevent a lot of unnecessary casualties."

Hua Manman didn’t respond.

’He might be sugarcoating it, but in essence, he was just using her.’

She was well aware of this fact.

The closer they got to Lingxi City, the more refugees there were on the road.

Correspondingly, the government had set up more checkpoints, and the tolls required to pass were also higher.

If this trend continued, almost everyone who could successfully enter Lingxi City in the end would be from a wealthy background.

As for the common folk with little money, they had long been bled dry by the exploitation at those checkpoints and had no hope of ever stepping through the gates of Lingxi City.

Therefore, when Hua Manman entered Lingxi City, what she saw was a scene of bustling peace and prosperity.

Here, the people still lived and worked in peace, the pedestrians on the streets were still dressed in fine clothes, the restaurants and taverns were still packed with guests, and the brothels were still filled with song and dance.

A single city gate separated two different worlds.

Inside the gate was a paradise, while outside was a living hell.

Hua Manman stepped down from the carriage using a mounting stool.

An attendant greeted them eagerly, asking, "Sirs, will you be dining or lodging?"

Hua Manman looked at Li Liao, who followed her down.

By now, Li Liao had taken off his black mask. But he had applied some makeup to darken his skin and wore a thick, fake beard. He had on a beast-pelt hat, and his tall, straight frame was completely concealed beneath a heavy, padded cotton jacket. A large, glittering gold ring adorned his finger, and the purse hanging from his waist was stuffed full.

He looked every bit the part of a rich country bumpkin.

When the attendant saw him, the smile on his face instantly grew even brighter.

Li Liao spoke with a heavy, out-of-town accent.

"We’ll eat first."

The attendant said, "Right away! This way please, sirs!"

When it was time to order, Li Liao asked Hua Manman what she wanted to eat, telling her to order whatever she liked.

Hua Manman, maintaining her persona as a rich young master, declared grandly.

"Bring us one of every specialty you have."

The attendant was shocked. "But we have over twenty specialty dishes."

Hua Manman said, "No problem, just bring them all!"

’Anyway, the Great General across from me has plenty of money!’

Realizing these two were even more loaded than he had expected, the attendant’s service naturally became even more enthusiastic.

"Would you two care for someone to sing a little tune? Or perhaps some young ladies from the brothels to join you for a drink?"

Hua Manman was about to say no, but Li Liao spoke first.

"We’ve been traveling for so long. We can finally relax a bit. Listening to a little tune wouldn’t hurt."

The attendant said hurriedly, "I’ll go get the singing girl right away."

With that, he scurried off.

Hua Manman looked at Li Liao with a complicated expression.

’I didn’t expect my so-called father-in-law to be such a player.’

Li Liao said expressionlessly, "We’ve been watched since the moment we entered the city."

Hua Manman was startled. "By whom?"

Li Liao said, "Who else in Lingxi City is powerful enough to blot out the sky with one hand?"

Hua Manman understood in a flash.

"You mean Lu Kai?"

Li Liao responded, "Mhm."

Lingxi City might seem to only have that one checkpoint at the gate, where you could enter as long as you paid enough money. But in reality, the city was crawling with spies planted by Lu Kai. As soon as any unfamiliar face entered the city, those spies would follow and secretly investigate their background.

This was a classic case of being lax on the outside but strict on the inside.

Lull you with a show of laxity, and once you let your guard down, they investigate you from top to bottom.

As an ever-victorious general on the battlefield, Li Liao was extremely sharp about such matters, so he could see the hidden ploy at a glance.

Hua Manman was still unconvinced. "What does that have to do with you hiring a prostitute?"

A muscle in Li Liao’s brow twitched.

"Who’s hiring prostitutes, little girl?"

Seeing his gaze turn dangerous, Hua Manman wisely spoke up.

"I hired the prostitute. It was me, alright?"

’Sigh, he’s clearly hiring a prostitute but refuses to admit it. Elders these days are so hard to please.’

’It’s a good thing Li Liao doesn’t have the Mind Reading Technique.’

’Otherwise, if he heard this, his bushy beard would probably explode from anger.’

Li Liao said, "Those people are watching us from the shadows. When they learn we want to listen to music, they will definitely use this opportunity to plant someone among us."

Hua Manman asked, "So are we going to use this opportunity to clear our names?"

Li Liao said, "No. We’re going to let them know your identity."

The attendant led a young maiden into the room.

The maiden was fresh and lovely, with a slender and graceful figure.

She gave a graceful curtsy to Hua Manman and Li Liao, then elegantly took a seat and began to play her pipa and sing.

Soon, the food was served.

Since Hua Manman had ordered so many dishes, one table wasn’t enough, and the attendant had to bring over another.

Only by pushing the two tables together could they barely fit all the dishes.

Hua Manman was starving. She picked up her bowl and chopsticks and began to eat ravenously.

Once she was about seventy or eighty percent full, she finally slowed down and prepared to get down to business.

"Miss, are you a native of Lingxi City?"

The maiden stopped her playing and singing, nodded shyly, and replied, "Yes, I am."

Hua Manman said, "Then you must be very familiar with the situation in the city, right? Can you tell me about any major events that have happened recently? Preferably about the Yu Royal Mansion. The more detailed, the better."

The maiden lowered her eyes, hiding the shrewd glint within them, and said timidly.

"A lot has happened recently, but since it concerns the Yu Royal Mansion, this humble one dares not speak rashly."

Hua Manman crooked a finger at her with a wicked smile. "Come here."

The maiden stood up and, holding her pipa, walked over with small steps.

Hua Manman pulled the girl into her arms, leaned in, and blew a breath of air toward her ear.

"Just whisper it to me. I won’t tell anyone."

Li Liao: "..."

’Even though it’s just an act, how can you play the part of seducing a virtuous woman so convincingly?’