The Lost People of Teyvat

Chapter 235: Rice Wife and People
What kind of crooked logic is this?
Why can't traveling be relaxing?

How come I didn’t know there was such a bullshit rule when traveling?
Chen Tianfeng sighed, knowing full well that the God of Thunder had gotten stuck in a dead end again and was determined to leave Inazuma City as a mortal.

But Youfan was not thorough enough and always concealed his true appearance and identity. It was like he was fishing for someone, and he didn't know who he was fishing for.

What an awkward guy.

Chen Tianfeng shook his head, and followed when Ying stopped and urged him with her eyes.

Never mind, there is nothing else to do, so I might as well just treat it as a trip to Inazuma.

"I remember this should be a commercial street, why is it so desolate?"

Ying frowned slightly and looked at the slightly desolate street ahead.

The street was wide, with many shops on both sides, but there were not many pedestrians. Most of the shops were closed, and only a few were open for business. Even if the shops were open, the faces of the shop owners did not show joy, and the sadness between their brows was almost overflowing.

"Maybe it's the lockdown order?" Chen Tianfeng guessed, "Inazuma is an isolated island country, and its various output commodities cannot form an internal circulation. After the country was completely blocked, the raw materials and commodities of various countries were reduced, so it is normal that shops could not open."

There are no ready-made goods to sell, raw materials cannot be imported, and the production and processing links are stuck. Will the commercial street be deserted?

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

Ying glanced at him, his brows still furrowed. "The isolation order cannot block the entire Inazuma and prohibit anyone from entering. Even if I cover Inazuma with a thunderstorm, I still leave a few passages and order the survey and implementation of the necessary supply routes."

If the country is completely blocked, the people of Inazuma will have to return to the old days when they could only have one or two staple foods to fill their stomachs, not to mention iron ore, medicinal herbs and other things that Inazuma cannot be self-sufficient.

After all, she implemented the isolation order in order to reduce Inazuma's exchanges with other countries and weaken the influence of other countries on Inazuma, so as to achieve the goal of eternal immutability.

Instead of just cutting it off without any regard, leaving the rice wife and people to fend for themselves.

"That's because you acted recklessly and didn't follow your orders. Instead, you enriched yourself and enjoyed yourself."

Chen Tianfeng stroked his chin and suddenly smiled: "I said that during the lockdown, some of the common people in Inazuma could hardly survive, but the food and drink expenses of those big families did not decrease at all. It turns out that you left a few routes."

The Bugyo is doing whatever he wants... Has the Kanjo Bugyo also been bewitched and corrupted by this monster?

Ying's heart moved slightly, and he took note of Kanjo Bugyo and the Hiiragi family, intending to investigate these people thoroughly after sending this monster away.

As Ying was thinking, he suddenly noticed from the corner of his eye that several shogunate warriors in armor and carrying swords appeared, stopped in front of the signboard in the commercial street, and posted the sign in their hands.

"Everyone, listen carefully!"

The leading warrior turned around, his armor shining and spotless, and shouted loudly: "The Lord of Kanding has ordered! Considering that it is not easy for you to do business, the business tax will be reduced! From now on, all merchants selling goods will be taxed 120 per thousand Mora; all city merchants will be taxed 150 per thousand Mora!"

After the leading warrior finished shouting, he didn't care whether the merchant heard or understood it. He held his sword and left in a hurry, as if staying here for too long would stain his armor and sword.

The vendors who were still open for business gathered around the sign after the samurai left, some staring in silence, some muttering to themselves, and some were indignant, but were quickly stopped by other vendors.

"The tax is 150 per thousand Moras... After deducting the cost, how many Moras will be left in our hands?"

"There's still some left, right? It's much better now. The new business tax promulgated half a month ago really left no room for survival."

"But who knows how many times they will collect this tax? Every time they issue a business tax, the tax we paid last time will be invalidated and we will have to pay it again. If this continues, who among the ordinary merchants in Inazuma City can survive?"

"These beasts really won't leave anyone any chance to survive! Why not just rebel against them! Join the resistance forces on Kaigi Island!"

"Be careful with your words! Be careful with your words!" A vendor cautiously glanced at Chen Tianfeng and Ying not far away, quickly covered his companions' mouths, and motioned them to look at Chen Tianfeng and the others.

These two people were dressed gorgeously and had extraordinary temperaments. One could tell at a glance that they were noble ladies from some family. If they heard that they were joining the rebels and planned to punish them, then they would really have no way to survive.

The vendors quickly dispersed, and before leaving some of them bowed to Chen Tianfeng and Ying with ingratiating smiles on their faces.

"The tax rate for merchants is 120% per thousand Mora... 12%?"

Chen Tianfeng calculated in his mind and looked at Ying: "In Inazuma, is the business tax high or low?"

Ying did not answer, but just took two steps closer to the signboard and took in all the new and old notices on it. His face was expressionless and it was impossible to tell whether he was in a good or bad mood.

"Let's go."

Ying withdrew his gaze and walked straight across the commercial street, silently paying attention to the expressions of the vendors on both sides, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Speaking of which, how long has it been since you came out to take a walk and have a look around in person?"

Chen Tianfeng walked side by side with her, and the space between them was enough to accommodate seven Paimons.

Ying thought for a moment and gave a vague answer: "Not that long, about three hundred years."

"It wasn't long, just a few naps."

"But for humans, three hundred years seems too long."

Ying paused, with doubt and bewilderment in his eyes: "Three hundred years ago, the scene in Inazuma was not like this. People lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the people had smiles on their faces."

“Now they have smiles on their faces too.”

"That's different."

"You mean to say that the laughter of the Ina people three hundred years ago came from the heart, while what we just saw was forced by life?"

"……good."

"If you want to see a smile from the heart, it's easy. Just go to the homes of Inazuma nobles or high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen, and you'll find the smile you want to see."

"..."

Ying stopped and looked at Chen Tianfeng, his purple eyes narrowed slightly: "You are mocking me."

"Oh, I can tell. It seems you are not just a warrior."

Chen Tianfeng smiled, and with a glance, he saw a bench not far away. He took two quick steps, casually shook off the dust with his sleeves, and sat down steadily: "Ying... um, can I call you that?"

"It's just a name, it doesn't mean anything."

Ying had a blank expression on his face, looking down at him from a safe distance.

"Shadow, I have a question."

Chen Tianfeng leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed, and said softly, "To you, who are the wife's people, and who are your people?"

(End of this chapter)