Chapter 392: Lunch at the Prince’s Manor

Magistrate Tian entered the Prefectural Government Office, while Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu waited outside.

The expressions of the father and daughter looked as if they were cast from the same mold, both unashamedly sizing up this most authoritative government office in Guanzhou.

Fortunately, they knew their limits. After watching for a while, they moved aside and pulled the carriage to the edge.

Yan Lao’er greeted the coachman and then took Yan Yu to the side gate of the office.

Benefiting from their familiarity with the regulations of government offices, the father and daughter planned to wait for their prey at the east side gate.

“Grandmaster really gave us a difficult problem. Even if we find the right person, how do we talk to them? Just open our mouths and say we want to buy grain?” Yan Yu furrowed her brows, feeling this matter was tricky to handle.

Yan Lao’er, however, was not flustered. “This matter isn’t something that can be accomplished all at once. Just watch how your father makes his move.”

Yan Yu perked up. “Dad, you have an idea?”

“Maybe,” Yan Lao’er said, not committing to a definitive answer.

“You two, what are you doing? Do you know where this is? Stay back, stay back.” The gatekeeper had been frowning at them for a while. Finally losing patience, he came out to drive them away.

“Brother, we’re here to find someone.” Before the man could reach them, Yan Lao’er quickly went to meet him. With a flick of his sleeve, a small string of copper coins fell into the man’s hand.

The gatekeeper’s footsteps paused. He asked suspiciously, “Who are you looking for?”

“The headman of the Fast Runners,” Yan Lao’er replied.

“What business do you have?”

“Chai Tou asked me to bring him a message.” Yan Lao’er used someone else’s name without blinking an eye.

“Chai Tou? You know him? What message?” As someone standing guard at the gate of the Prefectural Government Office, this gatekeeper was not so easily fooled.

“I know him, I know him. I ran into him near Changping. He said he was on official business and couldn’t leave. Since it wasn’t an urgent or vital matter, he didn’t want to make his subordinates run the trip. Knowing I was coming to the Prefectural City, he asked me to pass along a few words.” Yan Lao’er spoke with great skill.

The gatekeeper thought for a moment, asked in detail about his background, and then went back inside to pass the word.

When Headman Bao heard the gatekeeper’s report, he was quite puzzled. The Arresting Squad and the Fast Runners usually minded their own business, but he came out anyway, wanting to see what old Chai was up to.

The moment Yan Lao’er saw the man himself, he was very enthusiastic.

“I wonder if it would be convenient to invite you to a tea house for a seat?”

Headman Bao frowned. Was this going to be a long talk?

“I’m busy with work. Speak here.”

“Then please, step aside, let’s step aside to talk.” Yan Lao’er was very attentive.

After leading the man to the side, and before the headman could grow more impatient, Yan Lao’er stated his purpose.

“We want to buy grain… the old grain being replaced from the city granary this year.”

Headman Bao’s gaze instantly became sharp.

He looked Yan Lao’er up and down, his eyes slowly narrowing.

“So, Chai Tou didn’t ask you to bring a message, and the identity you reported earlier was also fake?”

“That part can’t be faked. I am indeed the younger brother of Registrar Yan from Crouching Tiger City. A few days ago, I also took Magistrate Tian as my teacher. I am the only disciple under his tutelage. Today, I accompanied my teacher to the Prefectural City to visit the Prefect, and I stopped by here to try my luck and see if I could meet you.”

“The replacement of old grain in the granary has its own procedures. This matter is not under my jurisdiction. You’ve found the wrong person,” Headman Bao said flatly, wanting to leave immediately.

Yan Lao’er, however, went straight to the point, speaking frankly. “Although Crouching Tiger reported a victory and killed three thousand enemies, it was ultimately harmed quite badly by the Rong rebels…

We don’t mean anything else. It’s truly because too much grain was stolen, and we’re afraid we won’t make it through this winter. That grain… whoever it’s sold to, it’s still sold.

We won’t be short by a single cent, and we know the rules. Cash settlement, we take the grain and leave, traveling through the night without a moment’s delay. The commoners of Crouching Tiger are all waiting for this grain to put in their pots…”

Headman Bao’s eyes deepened.

“You’ve found the wrong person for this. We each have our own duties. How could you bring a matter of the granary to my head?

According to the old precedents of previous years… go ask over at the granary.”

“Oh!” Yan Lao’er pretended to have a sudden realization. “Thank you for the reminder! Otherwise, how would we know the inner workings? I’m deeply grateful, deeply grateful.”

He took a step closer, gripped the man’s hand, and shook it up and down.

Yan Yu stood to the side, stifling a laugh. Her father’s technique for handing over silver and coins had truly reached a level of perfection.

Afterward, Yan Lao’er took Yan Yu around to inquire about the larger grain stores in the Prefectural City.

…

“Boss, that man named Yan took his kid into several grain stores. He used the same rhetoric in all of them, wanting to buy grain and haggling like his life depended on it. If it weren’t for the fact that he wanted to buy a large quantity and actually had cash on him, those grain store managers looked like they wanted to kick him out.”

“Boss, I’ve looked into it. That Yan fellow really did enter the city with Magistrate Tian of Crouching Tiger. As soon as the office opened, Magistrate Tian went to request an audience with our Lord, and he hasn’t come out yet.

They entered the city yesterday before the gates closed and stayed at the Fukang Inn. They booked two superior rooms, requested hot water for bathing, and ordered six dishes: two meat and four vegetable. They didn’t drink. There’s also a carriage driver sleeping in the common ward. Other than that, there’s no one else.

That Yan fellow calls Magistrate Tian ‘Teacher,’ and his kid calls Magistrate Tian ‘Grandmaster.’ The waiter heard it clearly.”

“Where are they now?” Headman Bao asked.

“Estimating that Magistrate Tian is about to come out, they are waiting outside the government office.”

“They didn’t go to the granary?”

“No. They only asked at grain stores. That Yan fellow didn’t even mention the word ‘granary’.”

…

Magistrate Tian emerged from the Prefectural Government Office and went straight into the carriage.

They headed directly for the Prince Ying’s Manor.

Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu continued to follow.

After announcing their arrival at the Prince’s Manor, the three were brought inside and taken to a room to drink tea.

After waiting for a long time and drinking two cups of tea, no one had come to take the teacher to see the Prince.

Yan Lao’er was getting a bit anxious. “Teacher, it’s almost noon. Why hasn’t the Prince seen you yet?”

“Don’t be anxious. The Prince’s Manor has strict rules. A Prince is not so easily seen. Tianyou, keep your composure.”

Magistrate Tian’s ability to maintain his calm was excellent. He sat upright in a formal posture, eyes closed and silent.

Yan Yu rubbed her little belly and asked innocently, “Grandmaster, will someone provide us with food later?”

Magistrate Tian opened his eyes, his tone kind. “Is Xiao Er hungry? Your father has dry rations prepared on the carriage. Let him go get some for you to eat.”

Yan Lao’er was dispatched by his teacher to the carriage to get the dry rations.

He didn’t think much of it. His daughter was hungry, and his teacher had a weak stomach and shouldn’t miss a mealtime. They would have a snack first, and after meeting the Prince, he would arrange for a proper meal for them.

Thus, he hurried along the path, heading back with his head down.

He didn’t notice that he was being watched the entire way.

“That’s him?”

“Yes. Surname Yan. Magistrate Tian just took him in as a disciple.”

Before Yan Yu could even start nibbling, the lunch from the Prince’s Manor was delivered.

“Wow!” She hadn’t expected the manor to actually provide food. She was somewhat pleasantly surprised, watching the food boxes being opened one after another with expectant little eyes.

Uh…

After they were opened, she was a bit disappointed.

Regarding the three elements of color, aroma, and taste^[1], it looked like it touched upon them, but none were outstanding.

It was more refined than the dishes made at home, and the plating was very beautiful, but she had seen plenty of such fancy tricks and felt nothing special.

As for the taste, it was very average.

(End of Chapter)