All Heavens: From Joy of Life to The Great Feng Night Watchman

Page 484

Li Chang'an scratched his head and did some quick calculations; there were still more than two months until Officer Xu could travel through time.

I originally intended to leave the chicken essence for him, but Song Qing managed to get it out of him. Song Qing is following in Xu Qi'an's footsteps.

However, Li Chang'an still left Officer Xu many options, such as the periodic table, Constable Lü of the prefectural government, other courtesans in the brothel, and Xu Lingyue's little mare...

Whether he can seize the opportunity or not depends on him.

Chapter 291 Changqing Trading Company, Xu Qi'an Imprisoned!

Another month passed, and Xu Lingyue came to the palace to request an audience with Princess Huaiqing.

Huaiqing has been very busy lately, with many things to keep an eye on in the court, so he hasn't been to Li Chang'an's residence for a long time.

"Lingyue, what brings you here? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Huaiqing looked at Xu Lingyue with a slightly tired expression, then said to the palace maids, "You may all leave now."

"Get up and talk."

Only after receiving Huaiqing's permission did Xu Lingyue dare to stand up. "Young Master has a message for the Princess."

Then, Xu Lingyue handed a note to Huaiqing. After Huaiqing opened it, he saw the words, "I grow thinner and thinner, yet I have no regrets, for I am wasting away for her."

When Huaiqing saw this sentence, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, but he forced himself to suppress it.

Hmph, it's only been a month since we last met, and you're already acting all sentimental. You, Li Chang'an, certainly don't lack women around you.

"Has your young master lost weight? He looks very haggard. Has he been going to the brothel too much?" she asked casually.

Xu Lingyue replied truthfully, "You haven't lost weight; you've always been strong and healthy."

Huaiqing took a deep breath, rolled her eyes, and knew that Li Chang'an was teasing her. Only Li Chang'an would dare to openly flirt with the princess.

She glanced suspiciously at Xu Lingyue, whose face was slightly flushed. Li Chang'an is very strong, how does your maid know so much about him?

"Li Chang'an sent you here just to deliver this message?"

Xu Lingyue replied, "There is one more thing. Young Master recently worked with Mr. Song from the Imperial Observatory to develop a lead type printing technique and printed a book. Please take a look, Your Highness."

As she spoke, she handed Huaiqing an ordinary thread-bound book and then explained the principles of lead type printing to him.

It's essentially an alchemical process where commonly used characters are made into individual fonts and arranged into sections, with a dozen or so commonly used characters available for backup.

Li Chang'an also made an unexpected discovery: the Great Feng world did not yet have movable type printing technology.

Because he wanted to write some storybooks to make a long-term income, but found that woodblock printing was extremely expensive, he told Song Qing about the principle of movable type printing.

Song Qing was once again captivated by Li Chang'an's imagination. For an alchemist, refining lead blocks with writing on them was incredibly simple, but he had never imagined that it could be used to improve printing technology.

"Type...printing..."

As Huaiqing listened to Xu Lingyue's introduction, her gaze gradually became fixed on him; she knew all too well the effects of this technology.

This printing technology meant that books would circulate more widely, and that more people would be able to read books. This was a great undertaking that would benefit countless people for generations to come.

"Why is it that whatever he does, it's always earth-shattering?" Huaiqing muttered to himself.

Xu Lingyue continued, "Your Highness, the young master wants to combine the businesses of calligraphy and painting, MSG, and storybooks to establish a trading company."

Huaiqing was somewhat puzzled, "Your young master is someone who can live a carefree life, yet he still has worldly pursuits for money?"

After she finished speaking, she immediately thought of Fu Xiang. Li Chang'an was also a human being and had normal human needs. Since he was lustful, it was understandable that he would also seek wealth.

"The young master said he would like Your Highness to name the trading company."

Huaiqing suddenly sat up straight, making her breasts appear even more prominent, which made Xu Lingyue secretly envious.

"Your young master... wants me to name the business?"

Xu Lingyue blinked her big eyes. "Yes."

The quick-witted Xu Lingyue, observing the situation, added another sentence.

"Young Master said that His Highness is very knowledgeable, so the name of the business shall be decided according to His Highness's opinion."

Huaiqing felt comfortable, completely relaxed. She had just been wondering if Li Chang'an had also asked Lin'an for her opinion, or the opinions of other women.

"Since it's your young master's business, let's call it Chang'an Business."

Huaiqing didn't think much of it, but after repeating it to himself a few times, he felt something was off.

Chang'an, Chang'an, is it the "An" of Li Chang'an, or the "An" of Lin'an...?

"and many more!"

Xu Lingyue, who was almost out the door, had no choice but to come back. "Does Your Highness have any further instructions?"

"Let me think about it some more."

Huaiqing was shrewd enough to realize what was going on quickly.

If it's called Chang'an Trading Company, Li Chang'an can decide for himself, why bother asking her?

Now, having her personal maid ask for her thoughts is a privilege no other woman receives. It seems that in Li Chang'an's heart, she is indeed different from other women.

However, this is understandable; one can only hope that the young girl from Lin'an could come up with a good name.

Huaiqing smiled slightly and said, "Chang...Qing, let's call it Changqing Trading Company, which means lasting good fortune and peace for the country."

Xu Lingyue's eyes darted around, and she understood. It was the "Chang" of Chang'an and the "Qing" of Huaiqing.

Your Highness is indeed talented, to be able to come up with such a high-sounding reason. It seems that His Highness Huaiqing is quite fond of the young master.

However, Princess Lin'an's feelings for her were more obvious; were the two princesses vying for the same consort?

Xu Lingyue then breathed a sigh of relief, not caring at all.

No one's competing with me for the position of a maidservant; we're not in the same league.

With the official establishment of Changqing Trading Company, Li Chang'an's wealth began to snowball once again.

Li Chang'an focused his energy mainly on cultivation, especially Taoist arts, which required a lot of time.

One day, more than a month later, at the Chang Le County Government Office.

A group of constables and yamen runners from the Ministry of Justice arrived at the county government office, looking fierce and menacing.

The county magistrate, with a forced smile, had no idea what major case had occurred in his jurisdiction that had alarmed the Ministry of Justice's constables.

"My lords, please feel free to ask if there is anything you need my cooperation in the investigation."

The head constable adopted a businesslike attitude, saying, "Does your county office have a quick-witted officer named Xu Qi'an? Tell him to come out!"

The magistrate was somewhat surprised that Xu Qi'an, a ninth-rank martial artist who could be beaten into silence, had actually committed a serious crime!

They really do big things quietly!

"Someone, bring Xu Qi'an here, quickly!"

Before long, a tanned, terrified man was pulled up by the county magistrate.

Xu Qi'an was still confused about the situation. He was just slacking off normally, so how did he get arrested?

With a thud, Xu Qi'an was pinned to the ground by the county lieutenant, an eighth-rank martial artist.

"You are Xu Qi'an!"

The constable from the Ministry of Justice, his face ashen, asked menacingly.

Upon hearing the voice and seeing the Ministry of Justice yamen runners carrying shackles and cangues, Xu Qi'an's legs went weak.

He's always the one making arrests; he's never been arrested himself. The other party is a constable from the Ministry of Justice; they only arrest people for serious crimes.

Xu Qi'an really couldn't understand what heinous and immoral things he had done, what he had done to bully men and women. Even if he wanted to do it, he didn't have the ability to.

"My lord, I am Xu Qi'an..."

"Are you the nephew of Xu Pingzhi, a centurion of the Imperial Guard?"

When Xu Qi'an heard his second uncle's name, he felt relieved, after all, his second uncle was a member of the Imperial Guard, serving in the capital.

"Yes, yes, yes! Xu Pingzhi is my second uncle."

The Ministry of Justice constable nodded. "Then it's correct. Xu Pingzhi, a centurion of the Imperial Guard, lost tax silver. His crime is unforgivable. His Majesty has ordered his execution. His three generations of relatives will also be punished: the male members will be exiled to the frontier, and the female members will be sent to the brothel!"

Three generations were wiped out!

Xu Qi'an's vision went black, and he almost fainted. He never imagined that he would be implicated because of his second uncle's case, even though he had practiced martial arts with the support of his second uncle!

They were exiled to the frontier, a desolate and uninhabited place with a harsh climate; those exiled there generally did not survive more than ten years.

Many more people will die from accidents and diseases before they even reach the border regions.

The constables from the Ministry of Justice swiftly handcuffed Xu Qi'an, and the county magistrate and clerks of Changle County didn't dare utter a single word.

Losing tax silver is a serious crime, a crime personally designated by the emperor. Now Xu Qi'an is completely finished.

Xu Qi'an sat in the prison cart, in a daze the whole way, completely unable to save himself.

His greatest support was his second uncle, but now his second uncle is in an even worse situation than him, and is about to be beheaded.

When Xu Qi'an arrived at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice prison, he saw his aunt and Little Pudding crying their eyes out.

This aunt still retained her charm, but she was far too harsh on herself. Xu Qi'an couldn't bear to think that she would end up in a brothel in the future.

And then there's that five-year-old Pudding Xu Lingyin, whom I haven't seen much of. To be sent to the brothel to be trained from such a young age is simply inhumane.