Chapter 120: Street Protection Silver

“So, it was very dangerous when you personally killed the Rat Demon?”

Behind the pearl curtain, the voice was soft yet authoritative.

“Replying to Your Highness, it was fortunate that the Vermilion Bird Army soldiers bravely risked their lives, Commander Li and Master Li commanded properly, and with the strong assistance of Daoist Master Yunxu, Daoist, and Monk Zhisheng, this humble subordinate was lucky enough to slay the Rat Demon.”

The light outside the curtain was bright, while it was dim behind the curtain.

That is to say, Princess Xingguo could see Ding Suian, but Ding Suian couldn’t see her clearly.

Do nobles all like to play such mysterious tricks?

Hearing that Ding Suian didn’t take all the credit but instead praised all the forces present that night, two faint chuckles were heard from behind the pearl curtain.

“Head Ding, the Rat Demon was vicious, impersonating the Immortal Master of the State Religion to harm the common people. How do you view this matter?”

What is there to ‘view’ about this?

The people of Great Wu suffered, and the prosperous City of Lanyang was greatly wounded in its Origin Qi; the Immortal Master of the State Religion was ‘impersonated’ by the Rat Demon, and their reputation was further damaged.

Both sides could be considered victims.

Ding Suian was about to say this, but suddenly felt that a prominent figure like Princess Xingguo wouldn’t ask such a question without reason.

She… perhaps she was testing his attitude towards the State Religion?

But it was their first meeting, so he couldn’t directly express his boundless and continuous dislike for these charlatans.

After thinking for a moment, he said with a serious expression, “Reporting to Your Highness, as a Martial Artist, this humble subordinate is simple-minded. However the imperial court wishes me to view it, that is how I shall view it!”

The laughter behind the curtain became clearer.

A moment later, the gentle voice spoke again, “The Ding Family father and son have served in the military for two generations. Your father was an Imperial Princesss Residence guard who was later appointed as a Dutou of the Winged Tiger Army. Speaking of which, you have some connection with the Imperial Princesss Residence.”

Oh, there’s that too?

He only knew that Old Ding came from an imperial guard background, but he didn’t know that he was actually a guard for Princess Xingguo.

With this Opportunity, Old Ding’s career was indeed a bit rough.

Behind the curtain, Princess Xingguo paused, then continued, “You have repeatedly rendered great service. This time, slaying the demon in Lanyang, it would not be impossible to promote you to a battalion commander. However, you are too young. If you were promoted two ranks within a year, it would inevitably invite jealousy. For now, focus on your duties. Consider this as something I owe you, and I will remember it.”

Lin Hansu, who stood respectfully to the side, couldn’t help but feel excited upon hearing this.

In this world, there are not many people whom Your Highness would personally say ‘I owe you,’ so Lin Hansu was not only excited but also very surprised.

She felt that this was even more important for Young Master than an actual promotion.

At two quarters past 7-9 am, the busy Princess Xingguo concluded the meeting.

Before parting, she specifically instructed, “Hansu, see Head Ding out for me.”

“Yes~”

After leaving Wangqiu Hall of the Princesss Residence, Lin Hansu let out a sigh of relief.

It was strange to say, but Young Master, a military family son, possessed an innate sense of neither servility nor arrogance.

Earlier, when they first met, he was like this when he learned she was the Princess Consort of Lanyang.

Now, seeing Princess Xingguo, who held immense power in Great Wu, he was also like this.

Even if he occasionally displayed a certain deference, it was mostly an act.

As they walked side by side, Lin Hansu couldn’t help but glance at him a couple more times from the corner of her eye.

Ding Suian looked straight ahead, but suddenly whispered, “Sister, why are you peeking at me?”

Lin Hansu lightly spat, then also looked forward with her Phoenix eyes, softly saying, “Young Master, Your Highness just mentioned that Uncle came from the Princesss Residence guards, meaning she considers you one of her own. From now on, during festivals and holidays, remember to prepare gifts and send them over. Don’t worry about their value, but make sure they are thoughtful, so Your Highness knows your sincerity.”

“Sister, you don’t need to tell me, I won’t remember anyway. You’ll have to handle it in the end.”

“.”

Passing by a palace attendant, who bowed and stood to the side.

Only when they had walked some distance away from the palace attendant did Lin Hansu whisper in a doting tone, “Your own matters, you don’t care about! You’ve been spoiled rotten!”

“Sister said it herself, you handle the inside, I handle the outside.”

“Oh, right, in a couple of days I have a silk shop opening, just one street away from your Honglu Temple Military Patrol Post.”

“Why did you suddenly decide to open a silk shop in Honglu Temple Ward?”

“.”

Lin Hansu’s lips curved slightly, smiling without a word.

A moment later, Ding Suian understood. Lin Hansu, a workaholic, worked at the Princesss Residence which was far from her home on Suimian Street in Xingping Ward, but very close to Honglu Temple Ward.

With a silk shop, they would have a discreet place for secret rendezvous during lunch breaks or work intervals!

Sister really thinks of everything.

Ding Suian couldn’t help but exclaim, “Having money is truly great, opening a shop just for a date!”

“If you don’t want to go, then don’t!”

“I must go! Every day!”

“Hmm?”

“No, I said it wrong! Go once every day!”

Several days passed like this.

On the first day of the ninth lunar month, Honglu Temple Ward.

On Yu Liu Street, one street away from the Military Patrol Post, Li Si, who sold sesame cakes and cold noodles, stood at the street corner, watching the Nixia Silk Shop’s opening celebration, chuckling foolishly without stop.

Street vendors also had their own operating areas. If one didn’t understand the rules and rashly ran to someone else’s territory to do business, they might get beaten.

Li Si’s operating area was in Honglu Temple Ward and Huaining Ward.

He naturally hoped that more and more shops would open in the ward and become more prosperous. With more customer traffic, he could sell more sesame cakes.

This morning, his grandson wanted to eat cakes, but his wife was reluctant, and in the end, the grandson didn’t get to eat the cake and even got a beating.

It had been the whole morning, and thinking about it still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He made up his mind that tonight, no matter what, he would save two cakes and tell his wife he hadn’t sold them, to satisfy his beloved grandson’s craving.

As he was lost in thought, his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a sneaky figure sitting by the broken table behind his stall.

“Old Li, two sesame cakes, a bowl of stir-fried cold noodles~”

“Oh my! Hating the heavens for having no rings, hating the earth for having no handles, venturing alone into the tiger’s den…”

“Stop yelling! If it weren’t for your shout a few days ago, would I have been surrounded for half the morning?”

Ding Suian pulled his collar to cover his face, complaining in a low voice.

A few days ago, Ding Suian returned to his duty at the Military Patrol Post after his break.

When he arrived, he saw the Military Patrol Post surrounded by women of various ages and young scholars dressed as students. At the time, he didn’t know what had happened, but Li Si, who was setting up a stall nearby, saw him and let out a loud cry, ‘Isn’t this the ‘Hating the heavens for having no rings’ you’re looking for?’ After a long string of prefixes, it was ‘Head Ding Suian!’

“Is this Head Ding Shui’an?”

“Young Master Ding~”

That scene… Ding Suian had only seen it in his previous life when old ladies and grandpas rushed for discounted eggs.

This time, he was the egg.

Anyway, by the time he escaped the encirclement, he had lost a shoe, and his clothes were torn in several places.

Frightened, he took several days of sick leave and didn’t come to work.

“The usual, one bowl of noodles, two cakes.”

“Alrighty!”

Li Si nimbly prepared the meal. Ding Suian silently observed the Nixia Silk Shop diagonally opposite. Wearing a black silk long gown with gold coin patterns, the person greeting customers was Xu Sidao, Granny Xu’s nephew, the shop’s ostensible owner.

The shop had two floors facing the street, and behind it were two more courtyards, with a side entrance in the back residence.

It was only separated by an alley from the back door of the Military Patrol Post.

Indeed, lust is the primary factor that stimulates human drive and imagination.

‘Thump, thump, thump~’

Just as he was lost in thought, he saw three burly men swaggering towards Li Si’s stall. The apparent leader among them knocked on Li Si’s counter, then reached into the cake basket himself, took a sesame cake, and bit into it, turning his head with interest to look at the newly opened Nixia Silk Shop.

Even though it was a cool autumn day, the three of them had their chests and arms bared, as if afraid others wouldn’t see the descending tiger tattoos on their exposed chests and upper arms.

Li Si quickly opened his money box, sorted out a few small silver notes, and handed them over, bowing and smiling apologetically, “Third Master, this month’s Street Protection Silver…”

The man called Third Master counted them with his fingers, gave a faint ‘hmm,’ chewed a couple of bites of the sesame cake, and said to the two followers behind him, “Old Li’s sesame cakes taste good. Take a few more back for the brothers.”

The two followers stepped forward and each grabbed more than ten pieces from the cake basket. The pile of sesame cakes, which had been a small mountain, instantly had only a few left.

Li Si watched, his heart aching, but he still smiled apologetically, “Take more, take more. It’s my good fortune that Third Master likes them~”

“You old fellow, you’re quite perceptive, haha~”

Third Master was about to turn and leave, but then saw a young man, whose face was covered by his collar, standing up behind the stall. He immediately stopped, seemingly waiting for the young man to meddle, so he could stretch his muscles.

But this scared Li Si badly, who quickly turned around and pulled Ding Suian, pleading in a low voice, “Don’t cause trouble, don’t cause trouble. This old man can’t afford to offend them.”

Seeing the young man sit back down at Li Si’s persuasion, Third Master chuckled without a real smile, then walked into the Cai Ji Rouge Shop by the street.

“Old Li, who are they? Why are you so scared of them?”

Ding Suian watched their retreating figures, but Li Si said, “If Head Ding knew their identities, they naturally wouldn’t dare do anything to you, but this old man’s small stall, which helps me make a living, would suffer.”

“What’s the deal with this Street Protection Silver?”

“I don’t know either, but it’s been collected for many years.”

As they spoke, Ding Suian saw the three men swagger out of the Cai Ji Rouge Shop, with the shopkeeper personally seeing them off a few steps.

It seemed that this rouge shop also paid the Street Protection Silver quite readily.

Ding Suian couldn’t help but be surprised. The hidden owner of the Cai Ji Rouge Shop was a local official in Jingzhou. Although not a high-ranking court official, he still held an official position. Could he really be willingly extorted by ruffians?

No wonder Li Si was so afraid of this group; they were definitely not ordinary ruffians.

“Old Li, how much Street Protection Silver do the shops along the street pay each month?”

“This old man wouldn’t know, it seems to be calculated based on the size of the shop and its monthly turnover.”

“Then how much do you pay for your small stall each month?”

“One tael and five mace of silver per month.”

“That much? Is there enough money left for your family to live on?” It was no wonder Ding Suian was startled.

An ordinary imperial guard soldier only earned one tael and eight mace of silver; this was almost equivalent to a month’s salary.

“Hmph! Just eat two fewer bites, that’s all. Can people starve to death in this prosperous Central Heaven?”

Li Si, who was kneading dough, turned to Ding Suian and spoke of this, even laughing.

He didn’t know whether to praise him for his optimism or call him numb.

After Li Si finished speaking, he inadvertently glanced at the nearly empty cake basket.

Perhaps realizing he wouldn’t be able to save any sesame cakes for his grandson tonight, his eyes suddenly stung, and he quickly lowered his head.