Lock and secure

Bei Zhenqing's people went to the market early in the morning to buy vegetables, and Luo Yao and Li Xian slept until noon.

After waking up at noon, the vegetables bought by the secret guard were neatly placed in the kitchen. Since they got up late, they just made some simple mixed noodles. It was a rare opportunity for the two of them to set up a table in the courtyard to eat.

Today is the day when Zhou Yu's merchant ship crosses the river. Li Xian wants to go and see Zhou Yu's treasures. After eating the noodles, he ran away.

Luo Yao knew what he was doing but didn't care. After finishing his noodles slowly, Luo Yao leisurely lay on a lounge chair under the shade of a tree in the yard and enjoyed the warm afternoon sun.

The sun in the arid eastern part of the state isn't as scorching as the sun in the Midwest; it's just the right amount of sunshine, shining warmly on the body, giving the feeling of being wrapped in a light, warm, and soft blanket.

Luo Yao slept for the whole afternoon. In the evening, the sun was setting and the sunlight moved away from Luo Yao. Feeling the coolness, Luo Yao opened his eyes.

Li Xian hasn't come back yet and the yard is very quiet.

Luo Yao stretched and yawned as he walked into the kitchen. He picked out the ingredients needed for dinner from a pile of vegetables, put on his clothes and started cooking.

Two people couldn't eat much, so we cooked rice, three simple dishes and a soup.

Steamed pork with rice flour, mapo tofu, sweet and sour pork ribs, three-fresh vermicelli soup, looking at the small table filled with food, Luo Yao felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart.

After dinner was ready, they waited for Li Xian to come back for dinner. After waiting for a long time, it was already dark and there was still no sign of Li Xian. Luo Yao served the meal and started eating by himself.

As I picked up my bowl to eat, Li Xian suddenly appeared from nowhere and sat down in front of the table sleekly, looking like someone who had experienced many ups and downs in life.

"What's wrong?" Luo Yao served him a bowl of rice.

Li Xian stared at Luo Yao blankly, and suddenly there was light in his eyes. For a moment he forgot to address him as "Young Master".

"Master, how long has it been since we last had potatoes?"

Luo Yao picked up a piece of shiny pork ribs and put it in the bowl. After thinking for a moment, he said, "A few months."

Li Xian: "That's right! We haven't eaten potatoes for a long time. Do you know what Brother Zhou Yu sent?"

"Could it be that Zhou Yu sent potatoes?"

Li Xian angrily took a mouthful of rice and said, "That's right!"

"I asked around, and I found out that all that potato has already been bought! He won't sell it to me even at a high price!"

Luo Yao was completely bewildered. The only people in the country who had potatoes were Heli Village in Daci Mountain and the Royal Agricultural Bureau. It was impossible for the Agricultural Bureau to do so. Without two or three years of breeding, the Emperor would not be able to distribute potatoes to the people.

There is no need for the potatoes from Dacishan to go all the way to Zhejiang and cross the river. There is only one possibility that these potatoes came from Licun!

The potatoes in Li Village could only be Bei Zhenting’s doing!

Why did Bei Zhenting do this?

Bring it to Hanzhou for breeding? It's possible, but Luo Yao doesn't believe it if it's for eating. After all, the emperor hasn't started promoting potato cultivation yet.

Among the four classes of people, scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, agriculture was considered very important in ancient times. Whenever a crop with huge yield appeared, it would be recorded in history books.

Potatoes are so precious that Bei Zhenting is reluctant to eat them before he has enough seeds...

But Bei Zhenting must be very busy recently... Why send it at this critical moment?

"Young Master, how about I grab two bags and let's fry them up!"

Seeing that Li Xian was about to go out and rob, Luo Yao hurriedly stopped him, "Calm down... We can't reveal our identities now..."

"I worked so hard to grow potatoes! And you sold me out before I even had a chance to eat them?!" Li Xian jumped up and down, "Master! Aren't you angry?"

As the two were arguing, the door was gently pushed open. A man in black entered the room and whispered something in Luo Yao's ear.

Luo Yao's pupils widened as he looked at the man in black in disbelief, "Really?"

The man in black nodded. Luo Yao lowered his eyes uncertainly, a different emotion flashing across his eyes. "Put it away first and move it into the underground passage. Send someone to guard it tonight. I'll inspect the goods tomorrow and then move them."

The man in black left after receiving the order. Li Xian looked at Luo Yao doubtfully, "What happened?"

Luo Yao: "A large batch of goods has just arrived..."

possible……

Luo Yao's suspicion was confirmed the next day. The two looked at each other in surprise as they looked at the familiar boxes piled up in the underground passage.

Bei Zhenting sent it! Sulfur and saltpeter from Yuelou!

The box was loaded onto Zhou Yu's merchant ship, but before it crossed the river, it was robbed by the people Luo Yao sent to protect Zhou Yu...

Bei Zhenting definitely knew his whereabouts! He used the gimmick of Zhou Yu getting something good to attract his attention, and then secretly delivered the things to him. Zhou Yu probably thought that this batch of... potatoes was in a hurry!

Looking at the contents underneath the potatoes, Luo Yao felt mixed emotions...

He has already revealed his identity, so what is Bei Zhenting doing? Why would he help him if he doesn't like him?

I have no idea what Bei Zhenting is thinking...

Zhou Yu and his group had just landed at the Liu County Wharf under the jurisdiction of He County.

Last night, before they reached the dock, they were robbed by gangsters on the river. He lost several bags of food and most of his treasures.

If he hadn't placed half of his treasures on his private boat, there would probably be nothing left now!

Looking at the direction the murderer left by boat, Zhou Yu didn't dare to dock at all. He temporarily turned the boat around and changed the dock to go ashore, and went downstream to Liu County at night.

Sailing at night is dangerous, let alone sailing south along the turbulent Anxi River at night. When they finally reached the shore and got off the boat, everyone's faces turned pale as they had been extremely nervous all night.

"Wait... I know who is so blind as to steal my Zhou's things. I will make him pay for it without leaving anything behind!" Zhou Yu was vomiting and cursing at the dock.

Luo Yao, who accidentally robbed his friend's cargo ship, didn't feel anyone scolding him at all. He was in a good mood as he watched his men picking out the potatoes from the surface of the box.

He picked up two sacks of potatoes, loaded them onto a cart, and used a few cabbages and radishes as cover. Luo Yao and Li Xian leisurely pushed the cart home.

In September of the eighth year of Mingxu, Princess Yong'an returned to Luofu in Zhejiang Province from the south.

Fish-patterned 19th Li Xian was ordered to stay in Hanzhou and act according to circumstances, while Fish-patterned Li Er went north to meet the princess who was heading south.

The princess encountered several dangers on the way south. After nearly two months of wandering, she and her subordinate Li Er finally returned to Lin'an County, Zhejiang Province.

As November approaches, the weather becomes freezing cold, and cold air moves southward, covering the entire Dacheng.

The night market in Lin'an County was not affected by the cold. It was bustling with the hawkers' cries on the street.

In a bustling tavern, Luo Yao sat alone in a corner drinking.

He had originally planned to go south from Hanzhou to pick up his brother and grandfather. However, the journey south was not peaceful. A group of people were secretly looking for him. Everything went wrong, and now he has become a street wanderer with no home to return to.

He had noticed it since he left Yuelou and arrived in Yuanzhou. At first, he didn't care and wasn't sure if they were looking for him, but after passing by those people several times when he went south, Luo Yao was very sure that they were looking for him.

At first, it was just a group of people looking for him, and their murderous intent was not obvious. After returning to Yuanzhou from Hanzhou, he could feel the obvious murderous intent hidden in the crowd when walking on the street.

In the past few days, herbalists have appeared outside the Baibing Forest. What herbalists are they? They are just exploring Qingye Valley under the guise of collecting herbs.

Although he didn't know whether the incident in Qingye Valley had been discovered, Luo Yao had been very worried about the safety of his grandfather and brother since he received a letter from Du Bing two days ago and learned that someone had broken into the inner layer of Baibing Forest.

Li Village and Luo Mansion in Lin'an County were under surveillance, and he could not even stay in an inn now. His residence in Lin'an County was a shop temporarily rented from Li Er's friend in Qinglou. The outside was doing inconspicuous traditional business, and the courtyard inside was the residence of Luo Yao and Li Xian.

Given his current situation, he has no home to return to and can barely protect himself, let alone go and pick up his younger brother and grandfather.

In the past two years, he has met many people and made many friends. However, in recent days, he has increasingly felt that he has actually been a rootless person from the beginning to the end.

After leaving the Moon Tower, he changed a lot. He couldn't tell his friends his true identity, couldn't tell them about his predicament, couldn't ask for their help...

Because he vaguely knew that this matter was not simple, and the people looking for him were not just enemies.

Although there is no definite evidence, Luo Yaoluo's intuition tells him that those people are likely related to the current emperor...

It’s too dangerous… I don’t want to bring danger to others, so I can only escape alone.

During the past two months traveling south, I've come close to danger several times. Because I want to go home, I have to live in a world of murderous intent, and I live in fear every day...

No matter how hard he tried, he could be easily wiped out by this world silently and without leaving a trace... The countless times he was almost exposed only deepened this idea in Luo Yao's mind.

Sometimes, when his heart suddenly becomes fragile, Luo Yao can't help but think of Bei Zhenting...

Thinking of the letter I wrote to Dr. Ye but never received a reply... Thinking of the saltpeter and sulfur that were inexplicably sent to He County and looted without anyone tracking them down...

Why is it that she is clearly watching him... and clearly helping him... but would rather use tricks and other people's hands than talk to him?

For a long time after the gunpowder was delivered, he was expecting Bei Zhenting to come see him or write to him...

But no...

Please, don't give him hope anymore!

Please, stop expecting anything from others!

Luo Yao, Luo Yao, why can’t you learn it?

A weak hatred made his chest feel suffocated. The sound of guests toasting, playing drinking games and boasting was amplified in his ears. Luo Yao sensitively caught a vague inquiring look from among the guests.

Contrary to his usual behavior, Luo Yao looked at the guests at that table provocatively, and the sneer on the corner of his mouth disappeared silently like ripples on the lake.

Under the vigilant gazes of several martial arts people, Luo Yao raised the wine jug high and poured a glass of cold wine. He picked up the cold wine and drank it all, picked up the long sword standing by the table, stood up and left.