Chapter 1162: The Filth at the Bottom

he surface, yet always gave off an eerie feeling like a smiling tiger.A Jin merchant from the capital who had previously answered questions about Nan Gong Shou Zhong stood up. He boasted that he frequ...Chapter 1162 The Filth Beneath

"Well, then bring your shopkeeper over here. I'll speak with him."

The fellow apparently hadn't expected to meet such a serious person.

A normal conversation would have ended here, but Li Chen's call for the shopkeeper made the attendant feel that this seemingly wealthy young master was most likely looking for trouble.

Upon thinking this way, the fellow's face turned sour, and his words became more aggressive.

"I said, where did you come from Do you think our shopkeeper is someone you can just see whenever you want Get a grip!"

Before the fellow could finish his words, a burly man strode up and grabbed him by the collar.

Chen Tong was carrying the attendant, lifting his feet off the ground. His murderous eyes stared at the other attendant and snarled, "My young master said to see whoever he wants, and no bastard has ever dared not come. If you don't go and call him, I'll chop you up!"

Don't be fooled by Chen Tong being as meek as a quail in front of Li Chen and constantly getting scolded for being stupid. In reality, he has killed countless people throughout his life and is known in the martial arts world as the Blood-Handed Butcher.

Chen Tong's one glance was enough to make even the thousand household officers of the Jinyiwei in the Dongchang lower their heads and accept reprimands. Not to mention an ordinary rice merchant clerk.

The fellow's face turned as white as a sheet, his legs dangling in the air shaking uncontrollably. He stammered and stuttered, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Chen Tong let out a cold snort, tossed him to the ground, and scolded, "Get lost and call your shopkeeper out here!"

The fellow, though boiling with resentment and rage, dared not vent it at this moment. He scrambled to his feet, vowing to give these people a good dressing-down in front of the shopkeeper. With that thought, he quickly vanished into the grain storehouse.

At this point, Li Chen had already spoken with the woman who had been crying earlier.

The middle-aged woman was more than ten years older than Li Chen, probably in her thirties or forties. Li Chen guessed and praised: "Sister-in-law, are all the rice shops in Beijing like this, or is it just their family"

In ancient times, Li Chen couldn't have called someone "miss," as the other person was clearly not a young girl. Calling her "old woman" or "grandmother" would have been inappropriate. Li Chen's greeting of "sister-in-law" is normal and polite between strangers, different from the modern concept of "sister-in-law."

"That's always the way."

A woman sighed, her face full of resentment, and said: “It’s not just rice. Other things like firewood, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, all are rising in price, but nothing has increased as much as rice.”

Li Chen raised an eyebrow and asked, "Isn't salt set by the government How could it go up in price"

The woman glanced at Li Chen with an unfazed look and said, “Judging by your clothes, you're not from an ordinary family. You must be a young master from a wealthy household, so it’s understandable that you don't understand these things.”

“That’s right, salt is indeed government-priced. We common people buy it from the designated places set by the government. But the government says there’s no more salt, so each household only gets half a month's worth per month. What about the other half month You just have to grease palms and bribe those small officials twice the price of salt, and they’ll find a way to produce some. This is all open knowledge, everyone knows it.”

Indeed, as soon as the woman spoke, the surrounding people nodded in agreement and affirmed that it was true.

Li Chen turned his head and glanced at Zheng Baorong.

That plump head had already been cut in half in Li Chen's eyes.."Never mind, never mind."Zou Qingyuan took a towel and wiped his face. He looked tired, but he waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, your Excellency, just a minor matter."Turning to the old man, Zo...