The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 19 Night Market
Wang Zhongsi agreed with Li Heng's words, nodded thoughtfully, and said, "Since we know who they have captured, I can send other troops to search for them."

"Alright." Li Heng agreed with Wang Zhongsi's proposal and said, "Then General Wang, go and do it immediately."

"Here."

Wang Zhongsi bowed to Li Heng and left with his men.

After Wang Zhongsi left, Li Heng said to Yang Yuhuan and Xin Yunjing, "Let's rest here for a day and continue our journey tomorrow. What do you think?"

Yang Yuhuan smiled and said, "Everything is up to you, my dear."

Xin Yunjing did not answer in a hurry. He thought for a while and said, "Your Highness, if Wang Zhongsi is allowed to march and fight, I have no worries. However, I am worried that he may be overwhelmed and unable to cope with the criminal lawsuits. Therefore, I beg Your Highness to stay here for a few days and help General Wang."

Li Heng looked embarrassed and said, "But I'm just traveling. I can't and don't want to interfere in local government affairs."

"Your Highness," Xin Yunjing bowed to Li Heng and said sincerely, "I beg Your Highness to lend a helping hand to General Wang, not because of my personal relationship with General Wang, but for the people of Lanzhou. A county magistrate and a noble family died overnight. There are many things behind this case. If we can't clarify this case, how many innocent people will be persecuted."

Through his understanding along the way, Li Heng knew that Xin Yunjing was a passionate and righteous man. As long as he said he wanted to escape, Xin Yunjing would definitely persuade him to stay and help.

So Li Heng said this deliberately because he wanted Xin Yunjing to persuade him to stay and help. In this way, in the memorial Xin Yunjing wrote to Li Longji, he would take the initiative to clear him of the suspicion of interfering in politics and speak well of him.

Li Heng was secretly delighted in his heart, but his face still showed hesitation.

Seeing Li Heng's hesitation, Xin Yunjing said, "Your Highness, Fenglin County also has two fun places to go. We can go to the Li River during the day, and there is a ghost market at night."

The so-called ghost market is actually a night market.

Although the Tang Dynasty also implemented a curfew system, in the prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty, the economy is prosperous, ethnic groups are integrated, and the curfew is relatively relaxed. Especially in border areas like Fenglin County, where the emperor is far away and the country is a trade route, night markets have gradually developed.

"Then shall we stay here for a few more days?" Li Heng looked at Yang Yuhuan.

Yang Yuhuan smiled and said, "Okay."

After they agreed, they stayed in Fenglin County.

Xin Yunjing volunteered to take Li Ying and others to visit the Li River.

The so-called Li River is today's Daxia River, a first-level tributary of the Yellow River. It is located in the north of Fenglin County, next to Jishishan Mountain.

When they arrived at the Li River, Xin Yunjing introduced the scenery along the way to Li Heng and Yang Yuhuan, and his insights were quite insightful.

Yang Yuhuan didn't know Xin Yunjing's background, so she asked curiously, "How come General Xin is so familiar with this area?"

Xin Yunjing said, "My princess, I am originally from Lanzhou. I lived in Lanzhou when I was young, and then I moved to Jingzhao. When I was young, the Li River flooded, and the villagers were conscripted here to repair the dam. I followed them, so I am familiar with this area."

Yang Yuhuan nodded.

Li Ying, however, heard something else and said, "Chen Wulang said that his family suffered a disaster. Was it caused by the flooding of the Li River?"

"Yes." Xin Yunjing smiled awkwardly and said, "But since the dam was built, Chenjia Village has not been hit by disasters for several years. But last year and the year before last, it was hit by disasters for two consecutive years. I don't know why."

Xin Yunjing's words already hinted very clearly.

Li Heng smiled and said, "General Xin brought us here to play like Xiang Zhuang dancing with a sword. If General Xin wants to check the condition of the dam, we can go a little further."

"Here."

Xin Yunjing immediately agreed, led the way and headed straight to the dam.

The group walked along the embankment. Xin Yunjing carefully inspected the condition of the embankment, while Li Heng and Yang Yuhuan admired the mountains and water.

The reason why Li Heng did not go to see the dam situation was not because he did not care, but because he was not familiar with the river workers, so he simply pretended to be indifferent to the matter. After swimming for half a day, Xin Yunjing did not report the dam situation to Li Heng. Xin Yunjing did not say anything, and Li Heng did not ask.

At night, the group changed into casual clothes and went to Fenglin County Night Market.

The night market is very lively, and the items sold are diverse and have the characteristics of many ethnic groups.

Li Heng promised to give Yang Yuhuan a gift in the morning, and when they arrived at the night market, he let Yang Yuhuan buy whatever she wanted.

Yang Yuhuan was not polite and bought things as she walked. Only the servants who followed behind her to carry things looked resentful.

They were strolling around when suddenly a group of Hu people blocked their way.

The middle-aged Hu man with a big belly in the lead looked at Yang Yuhuan and said to Li Heng in a not-so-fluent Tang dialect, "How much do you want for this woman? I can pay you whatever you want."

Before Li Ying could answer, Yang Yuhuan slapped the Hu man in the face and said, "How dare you!"

This was the first time Li Heng saw Yang Yuhuan hitting someone.

I have to say, this slap was delivered in a very princess-like manner.

The Hu man was slapped in the face, but he covered his face and laughed instead of getting angry, saying, "This is a Tang Dynasty girl, so charming!"

Xin Yunjing rushed out from behind Li Ying and said, "How dare you! Do you know who you are talking to? Apologize immediately, otherwise..."

"Haha." The Hu man laughed loudly, interrupting Xin Yunjing and said, "In Lanzhou, there is nothing I can't get."

"Oh?" Li Heng became curious after hearing this and said, "You are quite arrogant, I wonder whose influence you are relying on in Lanzhou?"

"You don't need to know these," the Hu man said arrogantly, "You just need to tell me how much it costs to buy this woman."

This was the first time Li Heng had seen such an arrogant person.

Li Heng sighed and said to Xin Yunjing and Lu Lushuai, "Since he doesn't want to talk properly, just take it."

Upon hearing this, Xin Yunjing flew over, kicked the Hu man down, and subdued him.

Seeing the situation, the Hu men immediately rushed forward with swords in hand.

Li Ying's guards also drew their weapons, some of them protected Li Ying and Yang Yuhuan, while others went forward to fight.

This group of Hu people consisted of only a dozen people. They were no match for Xin Yunjing and Li Heng's guards and were all captured in a moment.

Xin Yunjing brought the Hu man to Li Heng and kicked him to his knees in front of Li Heng.

Li Yan asked, "Now can you tell me whose influence you are relying on?"

The Hu man was furious and said, "I have committed no crime. Without the approval of the Ministry of Revenue, you have no right to arrest me."

"What if I take you?" Li Heng said.

The Hu man threatened: "I know General Wang Zhongsi. You should know how powerful he is."

"Really? I know him too."

Li Heng was about to say something else when he suddenly heard the sound of a large group of troops marching ahead.

Li Heng looked up and saw Wang Zhongsi leading a group of people rushing over. Such a scene scared everyone in the night market and they fled in all directions.

(End of this chapter)