C165

Song Xiangsi lowered her head to collect her emotions. When she looked up, her eyes had already regained half of their calmness.

Song Xiangsi coughed and changed the topic. "After you left, I went out to take a look. I found many strange things here."

Holding his chin and looking at her seriously, Meng Fangxuan indifferently asked, "What's strange about that?"

"The street outside the courtyard is filled with flowers and people coming and going, but a village nearby is in ruins. Some of the people inside could not even eat their fill and ended up in a miserable state." Song Xiangsi told him about what happened today bit by bit.

"The more I understand it, the more I realize that the people there are very different from the people here, the more extreme they are separated from each other." Song Xiangsi frowned as she continued.

"Later on, I wanted to continue investigating, but a little thief interrupted my plan. I caught up to him, but I was tricked by him and took some time to get back." The more Song Xiangsi thought about it, the angrier he got. He had to be on full guard against that little thief and let him escape. If he met him again, he would definitely not let him off.

Meng Ling Xuan frowned. He got up and sat beside Song Xiangsi. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. Meng Ling Xuan checked her body a few more times, then let her go with a sigh of relief.

Song Xiangsi said calmly, "Don't worry. Those people can't do anything to me."

Meng Liangxuan paused for a moment before explaining, "Although Qing He County seems peaceful on the surface, in reality, it is extremely chaotic. All kinds of forces are moving around here. It is this that makes this area a bit rich. "

Song Xiangsi looked at him and said determinedly, "Actually, you're the one that makes me feel even weirder."

"Me?" Meng Liangxuan raised an eyebrow.

Song Xiangsi had doubts in her heart from the beginning, but she did not know where this strange feeling came from. Now, it seemed that she had finally thought it through.

Unwilling to keep such feelings in her heart, Song Xiangsi asked him, "You told me that you came to investigate the corruption of the officials. However, after observing the entire journey here, I feel that it's not because of this matter."

Meng Ling Xuan looked at her and smiled without saying a word.

"You said that there are a lot of corrupt officials here, but what I saw here was rich and prosperous, and the people on the streets were all well-dressed. This doesn't seem like a county that was governed by a lot of corrupt officials."

"But didn't you also find a lot of poor people in a nearby village?" Meng Fanxuan said.

Song Xiang thought for a while and continued, "This is indeed very strange, but I don't think it has anything to do with what you have said."

"Then what do you think I'm here for?"

Meng Liangxuan picked up the porridge in front of him and began to sing. He felt that the porridge tasted good.

"I don't think you're here to investigate corrupt officials. It seems more like you're here to investigate the smuggling of weapons." Song Xiangsi looked at him, trying to see something in his face.

Today, when she was walking on the street, she discovered many workshops that were used to make weapons. Although some of them were hidden, she was still able to see clearly what was going on inside.

At first, she didn't feel anything was amiss, but after talking to Meng, she found out that he had a special understanding of the complicated forces here.

This not only made her suspicious.

Meng Liangxuan paused and then said, "I do have a lot of things to do this time, but you can rest assured that I will take care of them."

"Is it dangerous for you to do this?" Song Xiangsi was slightly worried.

However, Meng Ling Xuan caught the worry in her voice and asked, "Do you feel sorry for me?"

Song Xiangsi said stubbornly, "Who cares about you? I was worried that you would implicate me."

Meng Fanxuan smiled. "Don't worry. Everything is within my control. Even if something happens, I will definitely protect you first."

Meng Huaxuan held her hand and looked at her with blazing eyes.

Song Xiangsi withdrew her hand embarrassedly and said, "Hurry up and drink the porridge. It's not nice to drink it when it's cold. I'll go back first." With these words, she fled.

Returning to his room, Song Xiangsi closed the door and breathed heavily. She fanned her hands because she had just been heated up by Meng Ling Xuan.

The next day, Song Xiangsi left her room early in the morning.

Walking in the busy district of Qinghe County, Song Xiangsi looked around every storefront from time to time.

This place was indeed worthy of being called the most bustling street. Every storefront had the characteristics of every shop. Song Xiangsi was rather satisfied with the place as she walked over.

After walking for a long time, he finally saw a room in front of him that he needed to rent. Song Xiangsi walked into the room.

Inside the store, there was a wealthy merchant dressed in rich clothes bargaining with a man. If he was not mistaken, that man should be the owner of the mansion. Song Xiangsi stood aside and listened.

She saw the shopkeeper reach out a hand to the merchant, who shook his head, "Your rent is too expensive, can it be cheaper?"

The storekeeper said, "This is the price. If it wasn't for something in my hometown that requires me to sell this shop as soon as possible, I wouldn't agree to this price."

The businessman frowned and said, "Why don't you give me a few more days' time. I'll make up for it when I have the money."

After continuously haggling, the shopkeeper had a slightly impatient look on his face as he coldly said, "Boss Li, although I'm in a hurry to sell, I don't have to choose you. If you can't give me a satisfactory price, then there's no need to continue the discussion."

Watching the man leave with a sigh, Song Xiangsi walked in slowly.

"Manager, how much are you selling this mask for?"

When the shopkeeper heard the voice, he turned to look at her. "Why is the lady so interested in me?"

Song Xiangsi smiled but did not say anything. The owner extended his hand again and gestured to her: "If you can do this, I will give you my face."

Song Xiangsi felt her heart tighten when she saw the price he offered, but she did not reveal it on the surface. From his conversation with the merchant just now, he could tell that this door was quite valuable. He didn't expect that the price offered by the shopkeeper was even more shocking.

Song Xiangsi smiled faintly, "Shopkeeper, aren't you afraid that no one will come to buy your face at such a price?"

The innkeeper scoffed, "Little girl, you don't understand these rules when you first come here, right? Go out and find out. My offer is already very cheap."

Song Xiangsi frowned and walked out. Every single store on the street was bustling with business, and every single one of them was packed with people.

Just as he walked into a fabric shop, the waiter at the door saw Song Xiangsi and immediately ran over to greet her. "Look miss, these are all top quality fabrics."

The waiter kept bragging to her about his family's fabric, his face revealing a confident smile. Song Xiangsi touched the fabric with the armrest. Although the fabric was not bad, it was not as amazing as he said.

Seeing her put down the fabric, the waiter quickly picked up another piece of new fabric and said, "Miss is looking at this. All the good fabric in Qing He County is here. You can have anything you want. I'll definitely find it for you."

Song Xiangsi paused before asking, "All of them?"

The waiter said, "Yes."

Song Xiang thought of something. She put down the fabric in her hands and walked out of the shop. After she went into a few more shops, she found out from their conversations that most of the goods here relied on monopolies to make huge profits.

She couldn't help but think that it was no wonder that when she first arrived in Qinghe County, the area around her was in a state of desolation. It was very different from that area.