Chapter 1180: Chapter 1180: There Must Be a Huge Conspiracy Behind This

Xia Ruqing spoke out about the unusual prices in Jinling City in detail.

She complained while speaking.

"Just a silver twisted silk bracelet, and yet it’s priced at twenty taels of silver!"

"With twenty taels of silver, I could make four or five of them myself!"

Zhao Junyao, although somewhat ’disdainful’ of her pettiness,

still perceived something unusual from her description.

"Is it really that exaggerated?"

"Yes, indeed!"

Xia Ruqing continued complaining as she picked bones from her fish.

"Last night, I just ate some snacks and spent more than ten taels!"

"It’s just too expensive!"

"No matter how prosperous Jinling City is, it shouldn’t be like this..."

Due to her identity, Xia Ruqing didn’t feel right to speak too freely.

Nevertheless, Zhao Junyao started paying attention seriously.

He frowned slightly, remaining silent for a moment.

Seeing him deep in thought, Xia Ruqing stopped speaking and focused on eating.

After dinner, Zhao Junyao summoned Li Shengan over.

He inquired about how many taels of silver were spent on his meal last night.

He asked how much silver the inn charged per day.

He further asked about the local prices.

Upon discovering,

the inn he’s staying at, including people and horses, costs over a thousand taels of silver a day. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

He was utterly shocked.

The most luxurious Taihe Building in the Capital City costs just over a thousand taels.

Yet, a mid-sized, unassuming inn in Jinling City also requires over a thousand taels.

Although they booked the entire inn, it is not large, with only a few rooms.

Zhao Junyao faintly sensed that something wasn’t right.

He immediately dispatched an Imperial Censor to investigate the matter.

...

Two days later.

The Imperial Censor reported the investigated information.

"Your Highness, the prices in Jinling City are different from elsewhere! Around six times that of the Capital."

"A steamed bun selling for one wen in the Capital, here sells for six wen!"

"A dou of rice selling for twenty wen in the Capital, here sells for one hundred and twenty wen!"

Zhao Junyao’s pupils suddenly enlarged.

"Six wen?!"

"One hundred and twenty wen?"

Although these numbers appear small,

food is the primary need for the people, and these prices of rice and grain affect the basic necessities of life.

Without rice and grain, the populace cannot live well.

Minor disturbances might lead to rioting, severe ones to unstable governance, neither of which he wishes to see.

Zhao Junyao realized the seriousness of the situation.

He immediately ordered with a stern face.

"Investigate! Conduct a thorough investigation for me!"

"Why are the prices nationwide almost similar, yet Jinling City is so distinct?!"

"Additionally, check if other places are similar!"

"Yes!"

The Imperial Censor received the order and withdrew.

...

In the following half month,

Zhao Junyao was simultaneously keeping an eye on the reconstruction progress of the Wei River levee and the grain prices.

Fortunately, the situation there has stabilized, and water levels continue to remain steady, with circumstances favorable.

Thus, he shifted his focus to the prices in Jinling City.

The Imperial Censor has finished the investigation.

Apart from Jinling City, several nearby towns also have such a situation with prices significantly higher than other places!

Zhao Junyao sat at his desk, his gaze coldly fixed on the map in front of him.

"These places? Do they have any commonalities?"

Zhao Junyao once again sensed a hint of conspiracy.

Xia Ruqing brought him a bowl of iced lotus seed soup.

Noticing that he had been staring at the map for a long while, she couldn’t help but ask.

"What are you looking at, Your Highness?"

"By the way, Emperor, with the rising prices, who ultimately gains?"

Zhao Junyao casually took the bowl of soup, drinking and responding indifferently.

"Naturally, it’s the wealthiest local merchants who profit!"

"Once they reach a certain level of business, they can manipulate trends and dominate all the market rules!"

"They control the prices of a city, making them several times higher than elsewhere!"

"Then they purchase goods from elsewhere and sell them to the city’s populace!"

"Among these, the huge profits..."

Xia Ruqing understood.

In essence, the marketplace is just a place where big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp.

As for whatever fats and riches, naturally, those at the top of the food chain benefit.

Jiangnan is so prosperous.

If those giant merchants and wealthy traders do it this way, wouldn’t they be rich enough to rival nations?

Xia Ruqing dared not think further, but she also understood why the Emperor looked so grim.

Involving enormous funds.

Behind it, there must be a huge conspiracy.

It seems... the previously peaceful court is about to experience another storm.

’Could there be another rebellion attempt this time?’

Xia Ruqing prayed inwardly.

She couldn’t control whether there was a rebellion, but hoped the people would no longer suffer.

The previous riot led to two cities being slaughtered.

The brutality was indescribable, and no one wished to witness it twice.

...

Speaking of the three major families of Jiangnan.

These are wealthy merchants and traders rich since the Late Emperor’s time.

The combined wealth of these three families can rival nations.

But since they are engaged in trading after all.

They don’t steal or rob, no matter how wealthy, the Emperor has no authority over them.

Moreover, families with businesses at this level aren’t foolish.

For one:

They maintain an exceptionally respectable public image, so much so that no fault can be found with them. Even their businesses are reputable places that are fair and wide praised by the populace, offering no trace of blemish.

For two:

Such wealthy merchant families have some connections with the government office, this is what is known as the mutual protection of officials and merchants.

These are commonplace indeed, after all, anyone else in such a position would find it unavoidable! Some folks only act once they’re well-fed!

As long as these matters aren’t excessive, Zhao Junyao generally doesn’t interfere.

But now...

With such a matter arising!

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

This was absolutely zero tolerance, once found, it would be a capital offense implicating nine generations of the family!

Zhao Junyao knocked lightly on the table with a single hand, the corner of his lips raised in a smile reminiscent of an Asura from hell.

’Unexpectedly, coming to Jiangnan has hooked a big fish!’

Xia Ruqing couldn’t comprehend his thoughts.

Feeling a bit bored, she sat aside and wrote a letter home to report her safety.

Finishing her letter, she was about to ask him if he wanted a page added.

Right at that moment, she caught sight of Zhao Junyao’s Asura-like smile.

Startled, her hand shook, dropping the letter paper onto the ground, even making her feet go weak.

"Emper... Your Highness! You..."

Zhao Junyao snapped back to reality, collecting the chill in him as he looked at her.

"What’s the matter?"

He quickly stood up and aided her shaky body.

"What’s wrong with you? Are you unwell anywhere?"

Xia Ruqing rubbed her eyes, looking at the husband in front of her who had a gentle, fond expression just like before, incredulous.

"Earlier ... you ... frightened me!"

Zhao Junyao laughed heartily.

"You scared me too just now!"

Xia Ruqing felt quite uneasy, quickly wriggling out from his embrace, standing firm.

"It’s nothing, I’m alright!"

Resolving internally:

’Next time when the Emperor is working, I should never come in!’

’Otherwise, I’ll end up getting scared into heart disease, won’t I?!’

"Are you sure you’re alright? Should we call the Imperial Physician?"

"No, no!" Xia Ruqing shook her head firmly.