【The Song of the Six Dynasties】(Episode 18, Chapter 5)

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Chapter Five

Inside the fortress, in the dead of night, Cheng Zongyang swiftly made his way to the wall, leaped onto the wooden ladder, threw out the rope, and rappelled down. Jumping down a two-zhang-high wall wasn't difficult, but Yun Ruyao would inevitably be jolted. As soon as he landed, the rope on the wall was spotted, and several torches were thrust out, shouting, "Who's there!"

Cheng Zongyang ran frantically, taking a few strides towards the moat. The guards on the wall yelled, "Fire! Fire!"

With Yun Ruyao on his back, if any fool were to shoot an arrow, he and Yun Ruyao would be dead! Cheng Zongyang could only shout, "It's me! Young Master Cheng! You don't recognize me after taking the money during the day?"

A flurry of panic ensued on the wall, but thankfully no one dared to fire arrows carelessly. Seizing the opportunity, Cheng Zongyang leaped across the moat in one breath, reaching the edge of the woods. Just as he concealed himself, the drawbridge snapped open, and a troop of men galloped out. Cheng Zongyang turned his head and saw that the two leading the way were Yun Xiufeng and Yun Cangfeng, both barefoot and wearing only underwear, clearly having been woken up in the middle of the night.

Just by looking at their disheveled state, Cheng Zongyang knew things were going badly, so he quickly took a detour, circling far away towards Wudu.

While Cheng Zongyang took the detour, the Yun family didn't. When he reached the city walls, he saw a group of people carrying torches, patrolling the area near the city wall where he and Ao Run had agreed to meet, with some even climbing up ropes.

Ao Run peered out, looking completely bewildered, his heart pounding: Why is Cheng Zongyang's elopement causing such a commotion? Did he suddenly change his mind and decide to lead an attack on Wudu?

Cheng Zongyang glanced at the still clueless Ao Run from afar, thinking: Old Ao, good luck! If the Yun family catches you, you'll only get a beating at most, but luckily you're thick-skinned and can withstand it.

This wasn't the time for chivalry. Cheng Zongyang turned and ran upstream along the Wuyang River towards Shouyang Mountain, thinking to himself as he ran: "Elope, elope, no wonder it's called 'running'! How could I run if I wasn't strong enough?"

Fortunately, Cheng Zongyang had the foresight to close his eyes and concentrate his energy after being kicked out of the Yun family, so he could still hold on.

He finally reached Shouyang Mountain, and calculating his exercise, he realized he had run a marathon in just one hour. Cheng Zongyang's injuries hadn't fully healed, and he felt restless and his dantian's energy was showing signs of losing control again. He gritted his teeth and left the main road, heading into the secluded mountain forest.

With the help of a flashlight, Cheng Zongyang found a sheltered spot in a mountain hollow before setting Yun Ruyao down and unzipping his pants.

Yun Ruyao had already wiped away her tears, her eyes clear and bright, and now, looking at him, they were full of smiles. Cheng Zongyang hugged her and kissed her, then said, "They won't be able to find us for a while. Look, there's something fun."

Cheng Zongyang took out an egg house, and in the blink of an eye, a house appeared nestled in the mountain valley. Due to the narrow space, the egg house was somewhat deformed, squeezed among the rocks and trees, but it was enough for two people to fit in .

Yun Ruyao said in surprise, "Is this the house used by immortals?"

"That's right," Cheng Zongyang said. "I found three in total. One was broken, one was given to Brother Yun, and the other one is here."

Cheng Zongyang led Yun Ruyao into the house and locked the door. The surroundings became quiet, and the entire egg house seemed to float in a separate space in the mountains, secluded and warm.

Yun Ruyao touched the wall, "The wind outside can't get in, but it doesn't feel stuffy at all, it's so magical..."

"There are tables, chairs, windows, and a bed here." Cheng Zongyang turned on his flashlight to act as a lamp, then leaned back on the bed, panting exhaustedly. He then sat up and said seriously, "Yao'er, I must tell you, the reason why Sixth Brother and the others disagree is because there are two other women I must marry. Sixth Brother only agreed to one of them as a secondary wife, with the same status as you. The other one's background is a bit... Sixth Brother absolutely refuses to agree to it. That woman is like you, and I don't want you to suffer any grievances. If you don't like her, I will send you back."

"I was thinking, perhaps you already have a wife at home, and if you marry me, I can only be a concubine, which is why you don't agree, brother." Yun Ruyao smiled slightly and whispered, "I already thought about it on the way here, even if I were a concubine, I wouldn't regret it."

Cheng Zongyang put his arm around her slender waist, "I'm just afraid it would be unfair to you."

Yun Ruyao whispered in his ear, "As long as I'm by your side, let alone a concubine, even a maidservant to warm my bed would be something I'd like..."

Cheng Zongyang smiled, "Really?"

A blush rose on Yun Ruyao's face, and she lowered her head shyly.

Cheng Zongyang's heart fluttered slightly, and he opened his arms to embrace her, lowering his head to kiss her red lips. Their lips and tongues met, and they reluctantly separated after a long time. Cheng Zongyang took out a jewelry box with two hearts connected together, "This is for you."

Yun Ruyao opened it and exclaimed, "So beautiful..."

Inside the box was a pair of dragon and phoenix rings, exquisitely crafted. The dragon and phoenix scales on them trembled slightly and rotated slowly on the rings at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. Every detail was exquisite, captivating the eye at first glance.

Cheng Zongyang placed the phoenix ring on Yun Ruyao's left ring finger, then sighed, "Perfect."

Yun Ruyao watched his gesture, her face filled with sweet happiness, and then hugged him tightly.

In their tender embrace, Yun Ruyao's fox fur coat slipped open, scattering papers from her bosom, but neither of them noticed. Only when their lips parted did Cheng Zongyang notice the papers on the ground. Curious, he picked one up. "What's this?"

Yun Ruyao quickly covered it, "Don't look!"

"Ha!" Cheng Zongyang held up the paper. It depicted a young man with a mischievous smile, his features lifelike—clearly a portrait of him. The problem was that the man in the picture was not only shirtless, revealing eight-pack abs, but also had a very imposing thing erect below, giving him a menacing air.

"Wow! Did you draw this? Yao'er, you're drawing erotic pictures! What is this?" Cheng Zongyang picked up another piece of paper covered in tiny scribbles. "This is... a handwritten copy of *Jin Ping Mei*? No! Haha! You wrote it!"

The writing on the paper clearly imitated *Jin Ping Mei*, but the descriptions were so bold that even *Jin Ping Mei* paled in comparison. However, the author was obviously not very familiar with matters between men and women, and the words were full of imagination. Cheng Zongyang had been laughing as he read, but gradually his laughter subsided. He could imagine how Yun Ruyao, in her loneliness and pain, poured all her longings into her writing, revealing everything about herself to him through words and pictures.

Yun Ruyao bit her lip, her blushing face seemingly about to bleed.

Cheng Zongyang said softly, "If this is a love letter, it's the most beautiful and passionate love letter I've ever seen."

Yun Ruyao loosened her fox fur coat, revealing a thin undergarment. Cheng Zongyang felt a surge of emotion. He opened his arms and embraced her smooth body, whispering, "You just had a miscarriage, don't catch a cold."

Yun Ruyao asked in surprise, "I didn't have a miscarriage!"

Cheng Zongyang's expression changed several times. Damn it! He'd been fooled by that bitch again!

Yun Ruyao said, "For several months after you left, my cold poison didn't flare up. Later, my body grew colder day by day. Third Brother was worried, so he found an old woman to take a look. That old woman prescribed a remedy, and I took a few doses. For some reason, I became increasingly craving sour foods and my menstrual flow stopped. I only felt better after I stopped taking the remedy. But a few months later, someone suddenly said I had miscarried and used a remedy to induce labor. When I looked for that old woman again, she was nowhere to be found. But I couldn't hide the fact that I had lost my virginity any longer..."

Cheng Zongyang understood. The old woman had obviously noticed the signs that Yun Ruyao had lost her virginity but hadn't made a fuss. Instead, she suddenly revealed it during the height of the Jiangzhou battle. A scandal that had been brewing for months was revealed at the most crucial moment to maximize its effect—a typical tactic of that vile woman, Kendama-hime.

"So be it, I've been tricked. I don't care about settling scores with that bitch anymore."

Cheng Zongyang felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. "You scared me to death! It's so good you didn't miscarry! I was just worried about your health." Cheng Zongyang wrapped one arm around her slender waist, his gaze involuntarily falling on her soft breasts. Then, he opened his hand and slid it inside her clothes, cupping her smooth, slightly cool breasts. Yun Ruyao trembled, turning her face away shyly.

Cheng Zongyang chuckled softly in her ear, "Yao'er likes this, doesn't she?"

He flicked his fingertip, pinching her nipple and kneading it between his fingers. Yun Ruyao let out a soft "Ah!" and gasped, "My lord... how did you know..."

Cheng Zongyang smiled wickedly, "I also know that Yao'er likes things a little rougher."

He applied a little force with his fingers, and Yun Ruyao's slender body trembled. She lay weakly in Cheng Zongyang's arms, "I, Yunying, lost my virginity before marriage. In the eyes of the world, I am nothing but a shameless harlot. But my lord, I have no regrets at all."

She raised her face and looked at Cheng Zongyang with longing. Then she spread her hands, and the thick fox fur coat slipped to the ground. She then unbuttoned her close-fitting undergarment, revealing her jade-like body. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "This body of mine already belongs to my lord. Even if my lord laughs at me and treats me as the most lewd servant, I will not regret it..."

Yun Ruyao bit her lip, her eyes watery and seductive as she looked at him. Suddenly, she slid down and knelt between his legs.

"Yao'er..."

"I have already left the Yun family, and from now on, my eyes and heart will only have Cheng Lang." Yun Ruyao said softly, "My lord must be tired from the journey, so let me serve you."

Yun Ruyao undid Cheng Zongyang's clothes, not minding that his lower body was still unwashed, and opened her small mouth to gently suckle. Her lips and tongue were cool and smooth. At first, she was a little clumsy, but soon she learned the technique on her own and sucked more and more smoothly.

After a long while, she spat out his penis, rubbing her flushed cheeks with one hand. "My mouth is so sore."

Cheng Zongyang had a smitten expression on his face. "Yao'er, how did you know to use your mouth?"

"It's all because of that book you took. There are so many different styles in it..." Yun Ruyao said softly, her face flushed. "I think about you every day, and I couldn't stand it, so I wrote it down... and you saw it all."

Cheng Zongyang grinned mischievously. "Shall we try all the styles in it?"

Cheng Zongyang picked up Yun Ruyao and placed her on the bed. Then he gently spread her snowy buttocks apart with both hands.

Yun Ruyao's skin was as smooth as ice and jade, like a baby's. Her delicate vulva between her buttocks bloomed softly, as crystal clear as an ice sculpture. With her

private parts exposed to the air, Yun Ruyao's body trembled, and her body temperature began to rise. She had been suffering from a cold poison for many years, and her skin was icy cold, but she had an inner charm. With just a little teasing, she would be aroused. Knowing that Yun Ruyao hadn't miscarried, Cheng Zongyang cast aside his worries. These past few days, he'd been crammed with a dozen or so bachelors, and the occasional cuddling with the girl only fueled his rage. Now, with her beside him, his manhood was already rock hard. He straightened up, his penis pressing against the girl's tender opening, slowly penetrating.

Yun Ruyao tilted her head back, feeling her lover's tender and meticulous entry, her body involuntarily tensing.

The hot penis penetrated deeper and deeper into her tight honeypot, the thick, hard shaft seemingly radiating boundless heat, making Yun Ruyao's entire body feel as if it were melting.

Yun Ruyao shyly closed her eyes, her body trembling slightly as she murmured, "My love..."

Yun Ruyao's murmur seemed like a signal; Cheng Zongyang's body suddenly sank, his hard penis pressing against Yun Ruyao's body, all the way to the very end of her honeypot. Yun Ruyao felt as if her delicate honeypot was being torn apart by the penis, and she couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

Cheng Zongyang lay on Yun Ruyao's smooth, jade-like back, his abdomen pressed against her soft, snowy buttocks, his engorged penis thrusting forcefully into her delicate honey hole. Yun Ruyao's hair was disheveled, her body so soft it seemed boneless. Her smooth, snowy buttocks slid back and forth like jade balls under Cheng Zongyang's weight, her tender honey hole filled to the brim with his penis, tightening with each thrust.

Although Yun Ruyao was delicate and timid, she was unrestrained and bold in bed. Her tender honey hole, already overwhelmed, even raised her snowy buttocks to allow him to penetrate even deeper.

Cheng Zongyang reached down on her body, then lifted her up into a lotus position. Yun Ruyao leaned against his chest, her two jade-like legs resting on his knees, her beautiful honey hole exposed. One large hand reached into the cleft above her honey hole, teasing her clitoris, while the other hand embraced her body, kneading her smooth, snowy breasts.

Yun Ruyao's eyes were alluring, her slender neck resting on Cheng Zongyang's shoulder, her jade cheek turned to one side as he kissed her red lips, her whole being like melting honey. The jade

body in his arms reacted more and more passionately, and suddenly Yun Ruyao barely parted her lips, "Wait..."

Yun Ruyao loosened her long hair and separated a strand, softly tying it together with the end of Cheng Zongyang's hair.

"What is this?"

"Tying our hair together, sharing the same pillow, becoming friends in the Yellow Springs..."

Cheng Zongyang understood, and chuckled, "This should be our bridal chamber, but unfortunately there are no candles, only a... cough, a flashlight."

Yun Ruyao pressed her face against his neck and said, "It's too bright..."

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Are you afraid I'll see?"

Yun Ruyao shyly turned her face away, "My lord is still inside me."

The girl's soft jade body was like spring water, exuding a faint fragrance. Under Cheng Zongyang's teasing, Yun Ruyao's body quickly trembled, and suddenly her honey hole tightened, her flower core twitching, and a chill surged from the depths of her body.

Although the cold poison within Yun Ruyao's body was strange, it posed no threat to Cheng Zongyang, who possessed the Root of Life and Death. The pure yin cold energy flowed into his dantian like a clear spring, calming his burning yang energy.

Cheng Zongyang placed his hands on Yun Ruyao's knees, lifting her buttocks slightly, and then thrust upwards, deliberately maintaining a rhythm until Yun Ruyao's body trembled again before ejaculating.

A trace of warmth emanated from Yun Ruyao's icy body, but her delicate frame had already succumbed to the effects of two consecutive orgasms, and she curled up in Cheng Zongyang's arms, drifting into a drowsy sleep.

Holding her slender body, Cheng Zongyang felt a sense of peace and joy; as long as he hadn't betrayed Ruyao, he was willing to face the wrath of the Yun family.

The two spent another day together, only emerging from the mountains at dusk.

Cheng Zongyang had expected the Yun family to be heavily fortified, determined to capture him, but to his surprise, he hadn't seen a single person.

They returned to Wudu without incident, but Cheng Zongyang felt uneasy. Yun Ruyao was wrapped in a sleeping bag from head to toe on his back, only her round eyes peeking out as she curiously gazed at the thatched hut before them.

"Are we staying here?"

"It's rented," Cheng Zongyang said. "The conditions are a bit basic, nothing like your embroidered pavilion."

Yun Ruyao smiled sweetly, "It's what I like."

Fu An was drinking tea when he saw him and breathed a sigh of relief. "Young Master Cheng."

Cheng Zongyang asked, "Has anyone from the Yun family arrived?"

"Um... Old Ao is inside."

Cheng Zongyang's heart tightened. "Is Old Ao injured?"

"No! No! He's fine."

"It's good that he's alright. We'll talk about it later."

Cheng Zongyang led Yun Ruyao inside, worried that she wouldn't be used to the humble mud-walled, thatched-roof room, so he opened the egg-shaped door and let her in. "Wait here for me for a while."

Ao Run had already crawled out of the house and was waiting in the courtyard. He whispered, "Chief Cheng."

Cheng Zongyang looked him over. Apart from a swollen bump on his forehead, Ao Run was perfectly fine. Cheng Zongyang looked at him suspiciously, "Old Ao, why do you look so guilty? Did the Yun family beat you up?"

"No." Ao Run rubbed his hands together with a worried expression. "Chief Cheng, this matter... is troublesome."

Cheng Zongyang frowned. "Tell me in detail."

"Yes." Ao Run said, "Last night I was waiting at the corner of the city wall. In the middle of the night, I heard some noise. I thought you had come, Chief Cheng, so I quickly threw down the rope. But when they started climbing, I realized something was wrong, and it was too late to pull the rope back. I was afraid that no one would be there to help you when you came, so I didn't dare to hide. Those people came up and beat me to the ground with a flurry of punches and kicks. I didn't even dare to fight back. They tied me up with ropes and took me back to the fortress."

"The Yun family asked me a few questions and then threw me into an empty house, ignoring me completely. I heard people shouting and horses neighing outside, it was as chaotic as a battle, but then suddenly all the sounds stopped in the middle of the night," Ao Run said, still shaken. "My heart was pounding, I didn't know what had happened. It wasn't until almost dawn that someone from the Yun family came and said that Third Master wanted to see me."

Ao Run swallowed hard. "Third Master was very kind, all smiles, saying that last night was all a misunderstanding and that Young Master Cheng shouldn't take it to heart..."

"Anything else?"

Ao Run stammered. "Second Master Yun said... that their family doesn't even have a Miss Yao, that Young Master Cheng misunderstood before, and that he doesn't need to visit again."

Cheng Zongyang understood. The Yun family was truly enraged after seeing Yun Ruyao leave a letter and run away, so they decided to sever ties and no longer acknowledge Yun Ruyao as a member of the Yun family. He had originally wanted to force the issue, but who knew the Yun family would just throw the pot away!

Cheng Zongyang shook his head. Although he felt somewhat apologetic towards Brother Yun, he didn't regret it at all.

"Where's Zi'er?"

"She went out with Master Zhu early this morning, probably to find you." Ao Run said, "Boss Cheng, should I arrange a carriage?"

Back to Lin'an? If the Yun family came to demand her, the farther the better. Now that the Yun family had directly kicked her out, there was no point in running anymore. It was better to stay in Wudu, where it would be easier to find a way to mend the relationship.

"Find a better house." Cheng Zongyang said, "We'll be staying here for a while."

Upon learning that Yun Xiufeng and Yun Cangfeng no longer recognized her as their sister, Yun Ruyao couldn't help but burst into tears. Her brothers were much older than her, and although they were siblings, they were like father and sister.

Cheng Zongyang offered a few words of comfort, and Yun Ruyao choked back tears, saying, "Even though I've been abandoned by my father and brothers, I have no regrets... It's just that I've brought shame upon our family... and broken the hearts of my brothers..."

"Sixth Brother and the others are only angry for a moment; they'll be fine in a few days." Cheng Zongyang embraced her waist. "If it really doesn't work, we'll wait until you give birth to a big, healthy boy and bring him back to your parents' home. I guarantee Brother Yun will be overjoyed."

Yun Ruyao was amused by his words and started to laugh through her tears, then burst into tears again .

Just then, a soft laugh came from behind. "Head of Cheng, you're teasing me again."

Cheng Zongyang turned around and saw that the door was open, and Xiao Zi was smiling at him from the doorway. Her gaze then fell on Yun Ruyao. Xiao Zi

smiled and said, "What a beautiful bride."

Yun Ruyao stopped sobbing and widened her beautiful eyes in surprise, stunned by Xiao Zi's beauty.

"This is Xiao Zi, this is Ruyao."

Yun Ruyao suddenly realized, "So it's Little Sister Xiao Zi." She made no attempt to hide her admiration.

Xiao Zi laughed, "Then I'll call you sister."

Cheng Zongyang had been harboring anxieties, worried that the meeting between the brat and Yun Ruyao might lead to some bloodshed. Unexpectedly, the two women hit it off immediately, getting along famously and eventually kicking him out.

"What kind of mess is this?"

Cheng Zongyang muttered as he left the house, seeing Old Zhu squatting under the old locust tree, boasting to several Imperial Guards.

Cheng Zongyang wanted to ask where he and Xiao Zi were going, but preoccupied with his own thoughts, he shook his head and went to the quiet room, seeing their lively conversation.

"I plan to stay in Wudu for a few more days, and I'll definitely return before the New Year."

Qin Huizhi's face was somewhat blurry in the water mirror. Lin Qingpu was also somewhat exhausted from using the water mirror technique repeatedly these past few days, but even with the blurriness, he could still see the bitter smile on his treacherous brother's lips.

"Master, the times are turbulent, and the Chamber of Commerce still needs your presence."

"I believe you can handle things in Lin'an. As for the financial pressure... I plan to acquire the copper mine at Shouyang Mountain."

Qin Huizhi was startled. "Master, you are wise! Mining requires recruiting a large number of craftsmen, even building roads through mountains, and the transported ore will need to be sorted and refined. Even if you can acquire the copper mine, the Chamber of Commerce currently lacks the funds to invest in it."

"I understand," Cheng Zongyang said. "Therefore, I need you to do something in Lin'an: raise funds."

Qin Huizhi frowned. "The shareholders' meeting just took place; it's probably not a good time to add more people." "

This share issuance is different from adding shareholders to the Chamber of Commerce; to be precise, it's equivalent to bonds," Cheng Zongyang said. "It was already approved at the shareholders' meeting. The funds needed for the copper mine are not large, so I can make the decision. Now I've decided to establish a trading company under the Cheng Clan Chamber of Commerce, specifically to manage this copper mine business, and allocate 100,000 gold coins from the Chamber of Commerce as capital."

Qin Huizhi pondered for a moment. "I'm afraid that won't be enough."

"Therefore, we need to issue another 100,000 gold coins worth of bearer shares, with each gold coin representing one share. These shares are limited to the copper mining business of the merchant guild. They do not participate in management or have voting rights, but they can receive profit dividends, with an annual interest rate of 50%."

Qin Huizhi nervously calculated. A 50% interest rate wasn't high; in general, private lending rates were two or even four times higher. However, private lending mostly took place within familiar circles, and lending to strangers was far too risky.

The most important question was, "May I ask, Master, who will these shares be sold to? Even Grand Commandant Gao could only get a maximum of 10,000 or 20,000 gold coins."

Cheng Zongyang shook his head. "We don't need to go to wealthy families; we'll issue them to the citizens. Anyone who can come up with two strings of cash will receive one share. After one year, they can collect dividends with the share, and the principal and interest will be fully repaid within three years."

Qin Huizhi pondered for a long time. "I'm afraid the citizens might not be willing to buy them."

Cheng Zongyang said with utmost sincerity, "Brother, this depends on you."

Qin Huizhi smiled bitterly and cupped his hands, saying, "I dare not disobey."

Cheng Zongyang wasn't worried about the shares not selling. Lin'an was different from other major cities; its people were wealthy, and one or two strings of cash weren't much for ordinary families. Besides, he trusted Qin Huizhi's abilities; it was hard to say where else, but in Lin'an, he could certainly cause trouble. All he lacked was an opportunity.

"Old Ao! Prepare the horses!"

Ao Run ran over. "Chief Cheng, it's almost dark, why are you going out?"

"There's still a while before curfew, I'll just walk around the city."

Old Zhu hurriedly ran over. "Me! Me! Me too!"

"You don't need to lead the way. We're going to..." Many cities in the Six Dynasties had curfews. The city gates were closed after the evening drum and reopened after the morning bell. There were constables and patrolmen patrolling the city. Therefore, wandering knights like Yi Zong could only rob outside the city.

Cheng Zongyang had been in Wudu for seven or eight days, and this was his first time strolling through the streets. He was immediately struck by how different it was from what he had imagined. Wudu's commercial atmosphere was far inferior to Qingzhou, Lin'an, and even Jiankang. The city was neatly divided into twenty-four wards, each separated by high walls. There was no concept of shops facing the street. Whether it was slaughtering chickens and dogs or selling grain, rice, cloth, or wine, all commercial activities were concentrated within a single ward. Within each ward, there were very few shops—aside from a tavern, a blacksmith's shop, and five or six small shops.

Cheng Zongyang stood there for a long time, wondering, "Don't the people of Wudu buy anything?"

"Little Cheng, you don't know, do you?" Old Zhu said smugly, pointing, "See that over there?"

Cheng Zongyang looked towards a nearby market ward. The ward was filled with tall rooftops stretching to the edge of the ward walls, and then a bridge spanned the street between two wards, connecting it to another market ward.

"See that? Guess how many people are inside?"

"About... five or six hundred households?"

"Hehe!" Old Zhu held up one finger, "Just one household, the Pi family, the Marquis of Pingting. Besides the Pi family, there are more than a dozen local powerful families in Wudu. The smaller ones occupy half a ward, while the larger ones, like the Pi family, occupy two wards, together occupying most of the city. These dozen or so households have at most a few hundred people. Although they have tens of thousands of servants, those servants live in their masters' homes from birth to death, so why would they need to buy anything? Besides these powerful families, there are also officials in the city. Half of the officials' salaries are in coins, and the other half is converted into grain, cloth, charcoal, and spices, so why would they need to buy anything? Even the common people in the city mostly have their own land, can grow crops and spin hemp, so they really don't need to buy many things."

Cheng Zongyang then realized that although Wudu was a large city, most of the residents were self-sufficient and could live their own lives behind closed doors. No wonder commodity trade was so underdeveloped.

"I don't believe they don't spend money, Old Ao. Are there any brothels here?"

"Yes," Ao Run said, "but Cheng, you might not find one you like."

"Where are the best ones? Don't those young masters go to brothels?"

Ao Run honestly replied, "I've never seen any."

Old Zhu said, "Those wealthy families keep hundreds of courtesans at home. They entertain themselves in their own residences. Why would they need to go out for entertainment? Their dancing is already quite good, and they also have a few taverns and inns. Little Cheng, do you think everywhere is like Lin'an?"

Cheng Zongyang said after a long while, "No wonder I was wondering why the Yun family's ancestral business was in the Han Kingdom, but all their assets are in the Jin and Song Kingdoms? It turns out they have no business to do! That's not right! I heard in Lin'an that there are some big merchants in the Han Kingdom, and the place is prosperous, no less so than the Song Kingdom."

"That's the Wanluo area. Back then, the Emperor relocated all the wealthy and powerful clans in the land to Luodu. Many of these powerful families originated from Wan County. The population around Wanluo is less than 30%, yet they hold 70% of the wealth of the Han Kingdom. Wudu is the former territory of the Jin Kingdom, which Emperor Wu conquered during his southern campaign. The local powerful clans were all relocated long ago. Now, these powerful clans have all moved from elsewhere. How can they compare to those major cities and towns?"

No wonder the Yun family was so low-key in Wudu. Cheng Zongyang finally understood. Wudu is located on the border of the Han Kingdom. Due to the ravages of war, it is sparsely populated, and much of the land is occupied by powerful clans. Its commodity economy is practically nonexistent, probably not much better than Canglan.

Old Zhu had been waiting for this moment. He wanted to teach this kid a lesson with harsh facts first, and then advise young Chengzi not to be so focused on business. A real man should focus on doing serious business. He was about to speak with a smile when Cheng Zongyang suddenly laughed.

"The commercial sector here is completely untapped! Fantastic!" Cheng Zongyang cracked his whip and laughed triumphantly, "This entire market is mine!"

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【The Song of the Six Dynasties】(Episode 18, Chapter 5)

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