Chapter 339: Must Give Them a Beating

Bai Wei gave the gatekeeper a basket of eggs, and the caravan entered the city smoothly.

Since they had found out at the city gate that the Fusang People were stationed at a Dye House in the north of the city, Xiao Moting gave an order.

"Go find an inn in the north of the city."

Bai Wei sat in the carriage, lifting the curtain to look outside.

The bluestone-paved streets were very wide, and both sides were lined with antique buildings; it was clear that Yannan City was very prosperous, living up to its name as the central city of the Yannan Region.

Even during a drought, there were still many wealthy people flaunting their status in the streets.

However, when the carriage reached the northern part of the city, the surrounding scene changed.

Compared to the south of the city, the north appeared much poorer, with gray, plain streets, low buildings, and pedestrians whose attire had become simple; there were also many beggars by the roadside.

The disparity between rich and poor was very obvious.

The caravan arrived in front of an inn and stopped, and Xiao Moting instructed Qin Zhan to go ahead and arrange for food and lodging.

The inn he chose was only one street away from the Dye House where the Fusang People were stationed.

Originally, Xiao Moting had wanted to stay closer, but upon approaching, he discovered that there were soldiers standing guard at the end of the street, preventing idlers from getting close, so he turned back and found an inn on the adjacent street to stay at.

Compared to the previous inn, this one was much smaller and business was very bleak.

When the innkeeper saw so many people arrive, he was so happy he couldn't close his mouth and came over personally to receive them.

"Where are you distinguished guests from? Please, come inside."

Xiao Moting lifted the carriage curtain for Bai Wei, letting her get out.

Bai Wei walked into the inn, looked around, and couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

"Innkeeper, there are many merchants in Yannan City. I saw that the inns on the streets ahead were all full. Why is there no one staying at your inn?"

As soon as she mentioned it, the smile on the innkeeper's face instantly turned into a look of sorrow, and he sighed.

"Guest, you don't know. Originally, although my inn is located in a remote area, business was still quite good."

"But ever since that gang of Fusang Ronin came to the neighborhood, the business at my inn has plummeted."

Bai Wei was startled, "Fusang People? What does that have to do with the business at your shop?"

The innkeeper hurriedly looked around, and seeing that no one was nearby, he leaned in closer and lowered his voice.

"This gang of Fusang People is simply wicked. Ever since they arrived in Yannan City, they have been burning, killing, and looting—doing every evil deed—yet the government turns a blind eye to them."

"After the Fusang People arrived at the nearby Dye House, the commoners on the surrounding streets suffered. Usually, when the Fusang People bring swords onto the street and see things sold by vendors, they just snatch them away without paying a cent; anyone who dares to resist gets beaten and injured by them."

"They are that shameless?" Bai Wei was surprised, "Taking things at will without paying, and no one manages it?"

"Who would dare to manage it?" The innkeeper spread his hands, "They are distinguished guests of General Yuan. Let alone snatching things, when they see beautiful, decent women on the road, they even snatch them away by force. Several families have had their daughters taken, and reporting it to the authorities leads nowhere."

After finishing, he shook his head and sighed.

"The reputation of the Fusang People in the city is too poor, so everyone is afraid to come to these streets to stroll, and merchants don't dare to stay here, so my shop's business is cold and desolate."

"Moreover, many families in the area are discussing moving away; those who remain are all poor people who have no money to move and are forced to stay here."

"Perhaps, before long, my little shop will also be forced to move."

Bai Wei suddenly understood.

No wonder the scene in this part of the north of the city was much more dilapidated than in the center; it turned out to be all caused by the Fusang People.

The wealthy had all moved away, so weren't those who remained all poor people?

After listening to the shopkeeper's complaints, the surrounding Northern Frontier Army soldiers were all filled with righteous indignation.

Qin Zhan clenched his fist, "This gang of Fusang People, coming to our territory and still being so arrogant! If they ever run into me, I will definitely give them a beating."

"Hey, no." The shopkeeper was terrified when he heard this and hurriedly tried to dissuade them, "Guest, please stay calm. This gang of Fusang Ronin is not to be trifled with. They beat and injure the city's commoners and nothing happens to them, but if the commoners dare to scold them even once, the government will throw the commoners into jail."

After finishing, he raised his arm and pointed to a closed shop across from the inn.

"Look, that shop used to sell pancake wraps, and business was booming. The couple who sold the pancake wraps were both honest people."

"But one day, a group of Fusang People came, took a large basket of pancake wraps without paying, and the shopkeeper couple went up to reason with them, wanting to ask for the money."

"As a result, the Fusang People didn't give a single copper coin and even beat the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper's seventy-something-year-old mother went up to try to stop them, but was beaten to death by the Fusang People. A perfectly good pancake shop, and the family was ruined just like that."

The innkeeper let out a long sigh, his expression helpless.

The surrounding Northern Frontier Army soldiers were even more furious upon hearing this.

"It is simply too bullying."

"Hateful!"

"A bunch of foreigners, actually riding on our heads."

Xiao Moting's gaze was icy, and he spat out a sentence.

"Such officials, disregarding the lives of the people and treating human life like grass, are unworthy of being called 'parent officials'—they only deserve to be called treacherous villains!"

Bai Wei also frowned upon hearing this.

She had thought that only in her own era would there be treacherous villains at special times.

She hadn't expected that they would exist in ancient times as well.

Listening to the innkeeper's tearful complaints, it seemed that the lives of the people in Yannan City were not easy either.

The innkeeper complained a few more times, but didn't dare to say more, and led them upstairs to stay.

The rooms were on the second floor.

Bai Wei went into the room and took a look; although the room was simple, it was kept very clean.

"Creak."

The sound of the door closing came from behind her.

Bai Wei turned around and saw it was Xiao Moting and Qin Zhan, with the usually taciturn Xiao Lujing following behind.

As soon as Qin Zhan entered the room, he couldn't wait to speak, "Prince, we must act quickly and give this gang of Fusang People a good beating!"

Xiao Lujing spoke coldly, "Once I figure out the terrain, I will go and assassinate them."

"I have inquired about it," Xiao Moting said, "The Fusang Ronin usually stay in the Liang Workshop; at night, we can release a Drone to scout the situation of their camp."

"Good, I have a Drone," Bai Wei nodded.

In her Warehouse, there were also several Drones stored, and they could even record video from the air.

"However..." Xiao Moting changed the subject, "I just asked the innkeeper a few more questions, and the boss said these Fusang People sometimes set off Heavenly Thunder in the Dye House."

"Heavenly Thunder?" Bai Wei was startled, "Could it be Explosives?"

"It is possible." Xiao Moting also took a deep breath and turned to look at Xiao Lujing, "Therefore, before the situation is clarified, you must not act rashly."

Upon hearing that the Fusang People also had Explosives, Qin Zhan's expression changed as well.

"No way, weren't Explosives invented by Shennü Daren? How could these Fusang People know how to make Explosives?"

Bai Wei had already calmed down from her surprise, "These Fusang People came to Daliang and also hoarded a large amount of iron ore and Saltpeter, which shows they know the use of these minerals. Explosives were not invented by me; in the world I come from, many people know how to make Explosives, and it is possible the Fusang People have also mastered the method of making Explosives."