Chapter 45: Baili Heng

Bai Yang took the king to inspect the market, seeing what stall the king could set up.

Everything that can be sold is tied to clothing, food, housing, transportation, and fun; the king knows Da Jin is a bit behind, and comparing them feels that what others sell is superior to theirs.

Fortunately, Bai Yang was nearby; he knows that some handicrafts of ancient artisans cannot compare to modern industrial mass production. He can spot Da Jin's bright points, which greatly comforted the king.

The child is easily coaxed; after a moment he returned to being happily gleeful.

Seeing someone set up a row of cages selling pets, the king went over, saying, "How cute the little wildcat is, and it's tiger-striped."

Bai Yang also stood nearby, eyes shining; after hearing that, he said speechlessly, "Could it be that they are actually tigers?"

The king jumped far away, very much valuing his life, distancing himself from the Mountain King. He is merely the human king; encountering the Mountain King, life or death is uncertain.

After running far away, they discovered that Bai Ge was still there, looking at the tiger cub with a greedy expression; the king asked, "You actually like this?"

Bai Yang nodded frantically; big cats were extremely precious in his era.

The king readily said, "Don't buy it; if you like it, I'll send people to the mountains to catch two for you, free of charge!"

Bai Yang saw the child speaking seriously and quickly refused, "... Forget it. If we kept that where we're from, we'd be arrested."

These stalls are clearer than the shops outside on the street, with everything to eat, use, and play laid out together; the king gradually developed interest in browsing.

Passing a seafood stall, all kinds of crustaceans—lobsters and crabs— the king bared his teeth, "Our Youzhou also has a sea!" Hearing the commotion, the shop owner turned his head; the king yelled in fright and ducked behind Bai Yang, "Ah ah ah he has no feet!"

Bai Yang was looking at the neighboring stall when he was suddenly startled; turning back, he realized it truly wasn't a person—it was a mermaid.

Indeed, it had no feet.

Bai Yang quickly smiled at them to apologize; even though the mermaid was gentle, he truly couldn't match its strength. Fortunately, this one had a very mild temperament; seeing the king frightened, it reached into the bag behind it, grabbed a handful of something, and shoved it into the king's small hand, saying, "Here, take this! It's rare to see such a young cub~"

The king foolishly opened his hand, a handful of round, shiny pearls!

"This… I can't take it, it's a pearl!" How could I just take something so valuable from them for free?

The mermaid didn't mind, waving a hand, then greeted the new passersby, "Take it, my yield is very high~"

The king didn't understand; this strange fish-tailed person could also produce pearls?

"He cries himself; this pearl actually shouldn't be called a pearl, but a mermaid pearl. When a mermaid's tears fall to the ground, they become mermaid pearls. Take this back, find a craftsman to make it into an ornament to wear close to the body; mermaid pearls can ward off water."

Quite impressive, the king carefully tucked it into his bosom, delighted by the kindness of the warm, unfamiliar mermaid.

Learning that a mermaid's single tear dropping could become a mermaid pearl, the king envied terribly; if Dragon Head County had this ability, the magistrate wouldn't have died, and the people would surely be rich beyond measure.

Having received the kindness, the king remained in high spirits all the way. He no longer feared setting up a stall; here it looks no different from the Youzhou market. There are fearsome-looking ones that seem hard to provoke, and also mermaids with their gentle kindness.

"Bai Ge, what if I also come sell fish? Our Youzhou has a sea~"

Bai Yang's mind suddenly cleared; yes, there is a sea, and it's the ancient great sea from two thousand years ago!

Without the advanced ten-thousand-ton trawlers dragging nets worldwide, that sea must be incredibly rich! —though, fishing skill probably isn't up to par either; likely still limited to using small wooden boats, netting near-shore small fish from the beach.

But he doesn't disdain it either; that's fish from a sea untouched by any industrial civilization, pure and natural, pollution-free—mouthwatering!

"If you set up a stall here and can't move volume, how many ingots could you sell? The mermaid mainly sells mermaid pearls, not shrimp and crabs. Go back, I'll show you the modern seafood catalog; then, if you manage to catch something, just sell it to me, and I'll sell it for you in our lands."

This can be done.

Can't this seafood be shipped out of Youzhou or brought to the prince's residence?

The king's entire afterward was thoroughly pleased; after looking around, he saw that the goods were truly uneven in quality, everything present. He felt it was still better to listen to the experienced Bai Yang, come sell something competitive from Da Jin, like handicrafts; trying to compete in other areas is simply impossible.

After returning, he slept soundly; upon opening his eyes he planned to personally pick a few items at the street and go to the Phoenix Market that evening to test the waters, but unfortunately the plan didn't change quickly; today is a good day, and everything has piled up together.

The king had just ordered Zhao Bao to prepare his regular outdoor attire, because after class he wanted to go into the city to shop.

Over there, Zhao Zhu Ge came to see him off; today he turns thirty.

The king's good mood crashed to the ground with a "duang"; Zhao Zhu Ge formally bade farewell in front of a hall full of palace personnel.

"... This commoner is off now; in the future, if Your Highness has any need for this commoner, just send a message, and this commoner will not shirk death upon receiving it."

The king pursed his lips: "I don't believe you. You're not even in Da Jin anymore!"

Zhao Zhu Ge lifted his head, smiling narrowly, and said, "May Your Highness soon achieve your grand ambitions; this commoner believes Youzhou will only get better, and our chances to meet again won't be few; Your Highness, take care!"

Huh?

What does that mean? Will we see each other again in the next construction project, right? Is that what it means?!

The two exchanged a glance; the king's eyes lit up again—I, the king, have revived!

Zhao Zhu Ge and the hastily arriving Minister Xue bumped heads, and both politely nodded in farewell.

Waiting for Minister Xue to enter, the king's eyes shifted, and he interjected, "Minister Xue, Mr. Zhao has come to see me off; today I'm in a very bad mood, so I won't go to the front hall, and let's also take a day off at Broad Cloud Hall."

The king can climb up and down even without a pole.

Let's strike work and skip class together!

Minister Xue, unable to educate the king, spoke up with heavy heart, "Your Highness, just this morning we received news: the squad we sent to Chang'an to deliver koi carp met, in Jin'an, the convoy sent by His Majesty to deliver grain to you."

The king jumped up, "Father really sent me grain?" How shameful—he had previously thought it impossible, harshly criticizing the Ningde Emperor. It seems the father does have some feeling for the picked-up son after all~

Minister Xue: "... Yes. However, there's another matter: the person leading the team is the Second Prince."

"Huh? Baili Heng? He's that diligent?"

Minister Xue: "... This isn't a matter of diligence or lack thereof!"

"Your Highness, from our people encountering the Second Prince in Jin'an, plus the delay from sending back the message, calculating the time, the Second Prince will soon arrive in Youzhou. Do you think we should… move back into the city prince's residence?"

The king hadn't considered this aspect, and asked foolishly, "Why?"

Minister Xue: "Your Highness, human hearts are more treacherous than mountains and rivers, harder to fathom than heaven!"

Illiterate King: "Speak plainly!"

Minister Xue:...

"I mean, human hearts cannot withstand trials and are constantly changing; the Second Prince, upon seeing this majestic Hall of Bearing Light, which surpasses even the Splendid Chang Palace, will inevitably think too much, leading to endless future troubles." As for him, seeing it also gave him plenty of thought, let alone the Second Prince.

Understood, the second brother will have his defenses broken.

The king also understood priorities; he realized that anyone seeing his estate, the Prince You's residence of this scale, would not think he needs relief.

This is highly detrimental to his endeavor of crying poverty before his father emperor.

Hurry up and get it arranged, go back to the city, go back to the city! Also, Zhao Bao, tell the palace servants to keep their mouths shut; after we return to the city, nobody is allowed to mention the new prince's mansion.

The Guard Battalion left most of its forces behind, and he only took two hundred men back to the city.

The whole prince's mansion sprang into action, and the Great King skillfully took out his small satchel, one pocket holding White Marsh, the other holding Winnie; with just a sling over his shoulder he could set out. This was all his possessions; he didn't need to worry about anything else, just needing to pack a few clothes.

The Great King believed he knew Bai Li Heng well; given the terrible environment of Youzhou, his second older brother definitely wouldn't be able to stay long.