Chapter Ninety-Eight: Everything Is Up to You

Li Lizhi had finally managed to slip out of the palace, and there was no way she wanted to go back now. Like a tiger with its fangs pulled, she answered meekly, “All right, all right... I’ll do whatever you say.”

Cloud-Sea Tavern.

This was Li Zhi’s second visit.

The tavern owner was still very courteous.

“You have the surname Su as well?” Li Zhi asked casually.

“Yes! This humble one is named Su Zhi!”

“Hm?” Li Zhi frowned. “Really Su? Then what is your relation to Su Linhuai? And to Su Dingfang, the Duke of Xing?”

“This...”

“What is it? Is there something hard to say?”

Su Zhi pressed his lips together and said no more. Clearly, he knew that as a member of the Su clan, with relatives serving as officials in the capital while he ran a tavern in private, he was walking into forbidden ground.

If the court were to investigate, it could drag a great many people down with him.

“Not willing to say? Fine... I’ll pretend I never asked.”

Li Zhi did not press him.

In any case, it was enough to know that Cloud-Sea Tavern belonged to the Su family.

“Shopkeeper Su, there is something I would like to discuss with you. Might we speak in a private room?” Li Zhi said suddenly.

“Your Highness, this way!”

In the private room upstairs, Li Zhi got straight to the point. “The court does not allow officials to engage in business. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes... but... this humble one is not an official!”

“Having relatives who are officials is no better! If the court were to investigate seriously, I’m afraid your Su family would be in grave trouble.” Li Zhi sat at the edge of the couch, glanced at Luo Tong, and said with a faint smile, “I am the sort of person who cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in my eye. I cannot promise that, once I walk out of here, I won’t go and complain before the emperor.”

“What?”

Su Zhi was frightened nearly out of his wits.

With a thud, he knelt on the floor. “Spare me, Your Highness, spare me...”

“It is not difficult to spare your life. Sell this tavern to me, and that will be the end of it. I am not afraid of a court investigation.”

“This...”

Su Zhi had run the tavern for many years. How could he hand it over so easily?

“Your Highness, this Cloud-Sea Tavern is an ancestral business of mine. I truly dare not sell it. I beg Your Highness to forgive me!”

“Hmph!”

Li Zhi slapped the table in anger. “I am helping you, and this is the thanks I get? Luo Tong, let’s go! Tomorrow bring men to seal up this tavern!”

“Yes!”

“Your Highness, please calm your anger... I wonder how much you are willing to offer? If the price is reasonable, it may not be impossible to sell!” In the end, Su Zhi still feared Li Zhi’s status.

He had yielded?

He wanted to hand over the tavern and walk away?

Li Zhi’s plan went far beyond that. “Shopkeeper Su, I came out this time without bringing much money. I can only give you fifty thousand coins. What do you think?”

The scale of Cloud-Sea Tavern was no smaller than that of Heavenly One Tavern.

Its market value was at least a million.

A mere fifty thousand coins would not even buy the back courtyard.

Su Zhi stumbled back several steps. “N-no, no... I won’t sell!”

Luo Tong pulled Li Zhi aside and muttered, “Your Highness, that’s too ruthless! Such a huge tavern, and you only offer fifty thousand coins? That’s practically robbery. If it were me, I wouldn’t sell either!”

“He will agree.”

“That’s hard to say.”

Li Zhi turned back. “Su Zhi, my patience is limited. I’ll count to ten. If you still refuse, I’ll turn around and leave. Then you can go explain yourself to the Ministry of Punishments. And while you’re at it, you’ll drag the whole Su family into this. Think carefully.”

One, two, three...

By the time he reached nine, Su Zhi could no longer hold out.

“I agree! I agree!”

“Your Highness, please allow me a few days...”

“There are many matters in the tavern that need settling. Once everything is handled, I will hand it over to Your Highness. Would that be acceptable?”

He was clearly planning to report everything to Su Dingfang. Li Zhi knew that Su Dingfang would not dare oppose him openly. After all, the court’s rules were there for all to see, and Su Dingfang would not dare act recklessly.

Li Zhi said, “I’ll give you three days. In three days, I’ll send men to take over the tavern.”

“Yes!”

Su Zhi collapsed to the floor.

In that instant, he cursed Li Zhi’s ancestors for eight generations over.

A perfectly good tavern, just like that, gone.

...

After leaving the tavern, Luo Tong was full of confusion. “Although Su Zhi is a member of the Su family, he has not offended Your Highness. Yet you still forcibly took his tavern. Could it be that you are deliberately suppressing the Duke of Xing’s household?”

At that thought, Luo Tong was deeply moved.

Li Zhi laughed. “You’re overthinking it. I simply want one more tavern. Cloud-Sea Tavern is large enough to become a commercial hub. How could I let it fall into the hands of the Su family?”

“Oh.”

Luo Tong thought about it and found that reasonable.

If Hongnong’s economy was to grow, they needed a landmark building to serve as the face of the merchants’ association. Just like the capital’s number-one tavern and number-one trade hall. Only with such a landmark could wealth from all directions be drawn in.

“Send men to keep an eye on him now. At the first sign of trouble, report to me immediately.”

“Watch whom?”

“Su Zhi! Who else? I’m certain he’ll go to Su Dingfang, or to Su Linhuai. I’ve been worrying about not having anything on them.” Li Zhi already had the whole plan laid out.

He only needed the Su family to show a flaw.

Luo Tong seemed to understand. “I see...”

“Good. Go and watch him.”

“Understood!”

Luo Tong quietly sent several men to keep watch outside Cloud-Sea Tavern day and night.

Whether the Su family would reveal a weakness,
whether they were hiding anything unspeakable in private,
would soon be brought to light.

Li Zhi ran excitedly back to the prefectural office. “Sister Lizhi, Sister Lizhi... do you want to watch a good show?”

“What kind of show?” Li Lizhi’s interest was piqued.

“Heh... you haven’t seen corrupt officials before, have you? I’ll take you to broaden your horizons.”

“Where?”

“The prefect’s residence.” Li Zhi leaned close and whispered in her ear.

Li Lizhi said excitedly, “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go right now!”

“Don’t be hasty. We have to wait until nightfall,” Li Zhi said with a smile. “Those kinds of disgraceful matters are always discussed at night. Who would dare do it in broad daylight?”

The two of them stayed hidden in the residence.

They waited for the guards to bring word.

Night fell.

Luo Tong returned to report, “Just as Your Highness predicted, Su Zhi, the owner of Cloud-Sea Tavern, really did go to the prefect’s residence. He even took away a cartload of things. No one knows what they were.”

“At last, the fish has taken the bait... Sister, shall we go have a look?”

“Of course!”

Li Lizhi was already growing impatient.

She grabbed Li Zhi and headed outside.

Luo Tong followed behind.

“Go and pick out a few officials from Hongnong who are upright and incorruptible, and quietly bring them to the back courtyard of the prefect’s residence. We’ll meet there. Tell them that I am inviting them to watch a play.”

“Yes!”

Luo Tong went to carry out the order.

An hour later...

Everyone had gathered in the back courtyard of the prefect’s residence.

Li Zhi handed each official a black face covering and instructed them, “Cover your faces, keep quiet, and follow me to watch the show. I’ll make this clear now: no one is to speak. If anyone does, don’t blame me for turning hostile.”

“Yes, yes, yes...”

These officials were all of low rank, with no support behind them. In front of Li Zhi, they were no different from ants, and naturally they did not dare disobey his orders.

A group of them crept toward a row of rooms ahead and listened in on the voices inside.

By sheer coincidence, Su Zhi, the owner of Cloud-Sea Tavern, had just arrived at the prefect’s residence.