Chapter 136: Building Connections
Li Yi only learned of the matter after Lao Fang and the others returned from Qing’an Prefecture.
As for that fool who foolishly tried to block Li Xuan’s carriage, Li Yi could only silently mourn for him in his heart.
Initially, Li Yi had thought that once the shops operated by the Prince's Manor opened, those coveting Ruyi Dew would naturally back off from their ill-intentioned plans. However, with that scoundrel stirring things up, it seemed the news had already spread far and wide. Now, no one would dare harbor any more designs on Ruyi Dew.
Calming his mind and thinking it over carefully, the conclusion he arrived at left him sighing.
If he hadn’t known Li Xuan or partnered with the Prince's Manor to do business with Ruyi Dew, even a minor County Captain could bring him a lot of trouble.
After all, he was a commoner, and they were officials. The troublemakers who came to his door last time to falsely accuse him, along with the constables colluding with them, were likely acting under the orders of that County Captain.
In this day and age, being an official truly had its advantages. If he were the County Captain, wouldn’t these issues have simply disappeared?
Of course, even if offered the position, Li Yi wouldn’t want to be a County Captain. A meager salary for so much work—it just wasn’t worth it.
Instead, wouldn’t it be better to cling tightly to the figurative “thigh” of the Prince's Manor? That would be far more effective than being some underpaid County Captain!
Still, one cannot rely on distant water to quench immediate thirst. Li Xuan wouldn’t always conveniently appear whenever something happened. If he could secure another “thigh” to cling to, wouldn’t he then have an additional option in emergencies?
Thus, when the female Constable, Li Mingzhu, passed by the shopfront while patrolling, Li Yi greeted her warmly:
“Constable Li, out patrolling again? Would you like to come in for a drink of water?”
“Do you have wine?”
Dressed in a light blue uniform, Li Mingzhu raised an eyebrow and asked.
“Yes, I do!” Li Yi replied with a smile.
The wine was a distilled spirit he had crafted—strong and fragrant, unparalleled in Qing’an Prefecture before the liquor shop he was collaborating on with the Prince's Manor opened.
Of course, where there was wine, there needed to be food.
Times were different now compared to when he first arrived. With money in hand, he no longer had to live those days of sparse meals. Two cold dishes and two hot dishes, all prepared personally by Li Yi, were perfect for accompanying the wine.
“Constable Li, please.”
Li Mingzhu looked at the wine and food spread out on the table, a trace of surprise flashing across her charming face.
Didn’t he say it was just for a drink of water?
No matter how she looked at it, this scene seemed far too well-prepared.
She glanced at Li Yi but still sat down casually.
Whatever his intentions, at the very least, the wine and food before her seemed quite decent. It was evident he had put some effort into it.
She picked up her chopsticks, tasted a bit of the small dish that smelled intriguing, and found herself quite satisfied with its unique flavor.
“If you have something to say, just say it.” After taking another sip of wine, she glanced at Li Yi indifferently.
In truth, she did admire this scholar’s capabilities to some extent. Considering the effort he had put into this meal, if his request wasn’t overly excessive, she might be willing to entertain it.
“Constable Li, you misunderstand. If not for you last time, Ruyi Fang would likely have been dragged into a lawsuit it couldn’t avoid. This small offering of wine and food is merely to express my gratitude.” Li Yi smiled, his expression sincere.
For now, he truly didn’t have anything to ask of this female constable.
Even if he did, it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring it up directly.
As the saying goes, “One must repay the kindness of a meal.” The Yamen was just a short distance from his shop. If this young lady from the Prince's family ate and drank here a few more times, could she truly stand by and do nothing if trouble arose in the future?
For now, he was merely laying the groundwork to build a relationship. Naturally, he couldn’t casually make any requests yet.
“It was my duty—there’s no need for thanks,” Li Mingzhu replied, giving him a glance before continuing to eat and drink at her own pace. She couldn’t deny that the wine and dishes suited her taste quite well.
“I hear you’ve partnered with the Prince's Manor for the Ruyi Dew business?”
Li Yi nodded. News traveled fast—it was only the second day, and she already knew about it.
“You’re quite shrewd.” By now, the wine Lao Fang had secretly stashed away was nearly gone, yet Li Mingzhu’s expression remained unchanged. She looked at Li Yi with rare approval in her eyes.
There was no denying that Ruyi Dew was a remarkable product. The immense profit it promised was a temptation few could resist. Without sufficient power, one couldn’t hope to protect such a treasure. It wouldn’t be long before the vultures would leave nothing but scraps.
The smartest move was to align oneself with a greater power, surrendering a portion of the profits in exchange for security.
She hadn’t expected, however, that he had the capability to ally himself with the Prince's Manor. It seemed his relationship with her cousin wasn’t ordinary either.
As this thought crossed Li Mingzhu’s mind, someone entered through the door. A moment later, Li Xuan stepped in, looking somewhat surprised to see her.
“Mingzhu, what are you doing here?”
No sooner had he spoken than he sniffed the air and asked, “What smells so good?”
Following the aroma, his gaze landed on the wine and dishes on the table.
Moments later, another pair of chopsticks had joined the fray.
Li Xuan cast a curious glance at his cousin, puzzled as to why she was here, but his attention was quickly diverted by the enticing food before him.
Pouring himself a full cup of wine, he was about to take a sip when he remembered that he had come here for official business. Hesitating for a moment, he set the cup down and turned to Li Yi.
“You said the land beneath our feet is round. Do you have proof?”
“No,” Li Yi answered simply, taking a sip of tea.
Given Li Xuan’s relentless curiosity, if he began explaining, Li Xuan would bombard him with endless questions. It was better not to give him any opportunity at all.
“Then about what you said last time—why do leaves fall to the ground, why does water reflect like a mirror, and…” Li Xuan trailed off, no longer fixated on the previous question. After all, he had plenty of other mysteries to ask about.
Li Yi’s expression froze for a moment before he looked at Li Xuan with a serious face. “Let’s go back to the matter of the earth being round.”
Li Xuan raised his head, waiting for an explanation.
“Strictly speaking, it should be a sphere, though not perfectly round…”
This wasn’t a difficult concept to explain. The curvature of the sea’s horizon, the fact that ships coming from afar reveal their masts first, or even how the heavens appear curved—all these everyday phenomena served as proof.
Even simple analogies could suffice: if the moon and the sun were round, why should the land beneath their feet be square? Wouldn’t that make it oddly out of place?
But Li Xuan had never seen the ocean, and even after running to the courtyard to observe the sky, he failed to notice any curvature. He couldn’t comprehend how the moon and sun related to the land beneath them. Li Yi was beginning to develop a headache.
“I’m off to patrol the streets,” Li Mingzhu finally said, standing up.
She had come to understand why the two of them got along so well. Two people who shared such peculiar notions naturally found each other to be kindred spirits…