Chapter 402: Li Yuan's One-Day Tour of Weinan (Conclusion)

On the commercial street, the crowd surged, making it three points livelier than during a festival.

In the center of the street, a two‑story building was surrounded by drums and gongs, its sign hung with red cloth, and a red carpet was laid on the ground.

What was even more surprising was that eunuchs and palace maids, rarely seen in everyday life, were now lined up in several rows in front of the building.

Even Li Yuan, who arrived from behind, couldn't help but twitch his mouth at the scene; the dignified Crown Prince had summoned so many eunuchs and palace maids to flaunt, which was simply unacceptable.

Beside him, little Liuzi was far more excited, stretching his neck out two li, peering inside with relentless curiosity.

"Where is the County Magistrate? Where is the Crown Prince? Weren't they supposed to appear?"

A lady ahead heard his voice, turned back, and laughed: "Why does that voice sound so familiar? So it's Liuzi after all."

"Let me tell you, the County Magistrate is quite young and handsome; just now he was speaking to everyone together with the Crown Prince."

Hearing that, little Liuzi wilted instantly, "Zhao Shenzi, why do you have to tell me the County Magistrate is young? I've already said he's a dashing young gentleman, yet you all didn't believe me."

"How could we know you're telling the truth," Zhao Shenzi clicked her tongue, "We thought you were bragging, claiming all the time you've met the County Magistrate; who would believe you?"

Little Liuzi: "......"

"Fine, Zhao Shenzi, did the County Magistrate say what this shop is for today?"

At that, Zhao Shenzi's eyes lit up, "It's a Money Shop, opened by the County Magistrate and the Crown Prince. If you're uneasy keeping money at home, you can deposit it in the Money Shop, which will pay you interest proportional to your deposit."

"Huh?" Little Liuzi didn't quite understand, his mind full of question marks.

"If you deposit a hundred strings of cash in the Money Shop, after a year it will give you five strings as interest, so you'll have one hundred and five strings."

"What?" Little Liuzi exclaimed, "Doesn't that mean you earn money while lying down?"

"Isn't that so?" Their words attracted several nearby ladies.

One of them, a stout lady surnamed Wu, clapped her hands, "We used to have no money, now we have some; keeping it at home feels uneasy, always fearing thieves will covet and steal it."

"If you store it in the Money Shop, you can withdraw anytime, and they also give interest; where else can you find such a good thing?"

"Not only that," another lady interjected, "The Money Shop not only accepts deposits, it also offers loans or grain. For example, if you borrow a hundred wen, the yearly interest is ten wen; after a year you repay one hundred ten wen."

"If the loan is used to buy farming tools or for living expenses, the interest can be even lower."

"Especially for grain, the rate is even lower."

The several of them talked back and forth, and at last little Liuzi, as well as the two, master and servant, standing beside Li Yuan finally understood what was happening.

Little Liuzi exclaimed excitedly, "If I haven't saved enough to send my sister to the school, can I borrow some money from the Money Shop first?"

"Of course you can!" Zhao Shenzi affirmed, "Before you arrived, the County Magistrate specifically mentioned that loans for sending children or family members to school have a special educational loan, with interest half that of ordinary loans."

"For example, if you borrow a hundred wen, you only need to repay one hundred five wen after a year."

"And whatever amount you borrow, that's exactly what you get; unlike other unscrupulous Money Shops that play tricks, borrowing a hundred wen means you get a hundred wen."

"That's wonderful!" Little Liuzi was thrilled; sending his sister to school had become his obsession, and he worked hard every day outside, fearing the school fees would be too expensive.

Now that the County Magistrate's educational loan exists, he no longer worries about being unable to afford sending his sister to school.

Just as they were discussing, Li Yuan couldn't help but interject, "Everyone, are you really so comfortable entrusting your hard‑earned money to this Money Shop?"

"What if... something goes wrong?"

The several ladies, upon hearing that, gave him a blatant side‑eye without hesitation.

"I say, brother, take a look at the characters on that sign; do you recognize them?"

Li Yuan: "......"

Lady Wu, impatient, answered for him, "Royal Money Shop!"

"It was opened by the Crown Prince and the County Magistrate."

"We won't bring up the County Magistrate's status now; would the dignified Crown Prince be after our three melons and two dates?"

"No way!" Little Liuzi shook his head, "The County Magistrate and the Crown Prince opened this Money Shop precisely because they're worried our money at home isn't safe, providing us a secure place, and also fearing that everyone would keep succumbing to those landlord nobles and borrow usurious loans, so they established the Money Shop."

"The deposit and loan interest rates are so low; it's clear the County Magistrate is looking out for us."

"Exactly!" Zhao Shenzi nodded emphatically, adding, "Just now I saw several of Weinan County's big merchants loading money onto carts, one cart after another, depositing it inside."

"They dare to store that much money; what about us?"

At those words, everyone present echoed in agreement, and the discussion flared up.

Li Yuan: "......"

At that moment, his mind was indescribably tangled.

Then he couldn't help but remark that Chen Yan truly had talent.

"Excuse me, please make way!"

At that moment, three wagons arrived, and the drivers on the wagons shouted loudly.

The crowd cleared a path for them.

Then Li Yuan saw his grandson Li Tai, head held high and chest out, alighting from the front wagon, commanding the servants to haul bag after bag of copper coins from the rear wagon.

They even opened the bags to show the surrounding townsfolk that the money was genuine, not counterfeit.

The enthusiasm for depositing money among the crowd rose by three points instantly.

"Friends and fellow villagers!" Li Tai clapped his hands, drawing everyone's gaze, and said loudly, "I, having been sheltered by my ancestors, have modest family wealth, but I'm not good at trade, nor at studying or writing; frankly, I'm unambitious, surviving on the money left by my forebears."

"Before, I too worried about losing my money, but today I heard the 'Royal Money Shop' opened; not only does it safeguard it, it also pays interest!"

"I calculated carefully; if I deposit my money, the interest alone would cover my food, drink, and all expenses for a whole year..."

As Li Tai spoke passionately, a few dark lines appeared on Li Yuan's forehead among the crowd.

Li Fushun was at a loss, both laughing and crying, not knowing what to say.

Li Yuan held his tongue for a while, then finally blurted out, "These youngsters really know how to have fun!"

"... so where else can you find such a good thing?"

"You agree, right?"

Li Tai said loudly.

The common folk below kept echoing, Li Tai nodded with satisfaction and ordered the servant to continue moving the money.

When he was about to enter the Money Shop to take a look, his peripheral vision seemed to spot a familiar person.

Li Tai was startled, looked carefully, and felt somewhat confused.

That thing looks like my imperial grandfather?

No, that's not right!

Grandfather is in the palace; how could he possibly be dressed like a simpleton and come here?

He took two steps forward, still doubtful, and glanced uncertainly.

Until Li Yuan revealed a chillingly terrifying smile, Li Tai's legs instantly went weak.

I'm doomed!

「...... 」