Chapter 84: Unwelcome Visitors

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First things first, they needed to eat. Chen Xi led Fan Jian and Chen Lan into a tavern not far from the city gate.

As soon as they entered, the waiter ran off yelling, unable to be stopped. Chen Xi looked helplessly at Fan Jian. Was he really that scary? Fan Jian couldn't suppress her laughter, her mouth curving into a smile, and from the other side, Chen Lan's giggles could be heard. She quickly covered her mouth, her body lightly trembling with laughter.

Soon, the tavern owner came running out, his plump body wobbling as he hurried over. Catching his breath, he greeted respectfully, "Welcome, Master Chen."

"Do you have a private room?" Chen Xi asked, glancing around.

"Yes, yes, of course. Gouzi, show Master Chen to the second floor." The owner, glancing at the two women behind Chen Xi, instantly understood and made the arrangements.

Sitting in a private room by the window on the second floor, Chen Xi realized that all the taverns in Fenggao seemed to be owned by the Mi family. Mi Zizhong hadn't engaged in other businesses since arriving in Fenggao; he just set up taverns and then went to Qingzhou to buy fine salt. He hadn't even rested for half a day before heading to Jiangdong to negotiate with the Lu family. But why hadn't anyone informed them about the situation with the Lu family?

Soon, four dishes were served: two cold and two hot, with steamed buns as the main course. Now, steamed buns had become the new staple food, competing even with white rice. It was said that this type of food was spreading across the Central Plains.

Chen Xi couldn't control this spread. One reason was the simplicity of the method, and another was that it was more economical and easier to digest than unleavened bread. Considering that, Chen Xi didn't mind its proliferation.

Chen Xi wished he could produce some vegetable oil, but the time wasn't right. He hoped to use soybeans to make soybean oil. As for removing the beany taste, that was beyond his knowledge. As for the soybean meal left after oil extraction, Chen Xi planned to make soybean meal cakes, a natural and eco-friendly product that didn't even require added oil.

Chen Xi felt his products were much better than those made by unscrupulous modern merchants. Who knew what those people added to their products? At least his were green and harmless.

The food during the Three Kingdoms period was indeed bland. There were few seasonings, and the variety of ingredients was limited. However, it was absolutely safe. Chen Xi could swallow anything dipped in soy sauce, vinegar, and salt. He really wanted to eat beef, but unfortunately, there hadn't been any accidental deaths of cattle recently.

The noblewoman's habit of silence during meals made the dining table extremely quiet. With Fan Jian sitting there, the aura of a thousand-year-old noble family unfolded, leaving Chen Lan with no choice but to eat obediently. Chen Xi could have spoken, but no one would respond, so it was better to stay silent.

"Sigh~" Bored, Chen Xi turned his head to look out the window, wondering if raising such a wife was a good idea. Her presence was overwhelming, making it difficult for him to relax during meals.

Chen Xi leaned against the window, head tilted back, looking at the city gate. He didn't notice the smile on Fan Jian's lips.

"Hmm?" Chen Xi noticed a large caravan below, with a huge "Lu" character on the leading cart's flag. After a moment's thought, he realized these were likely merchants from the Lu family of Jiangdong.

[A "Lu" character flag means they're from the main Lu family. The only person who could come here now would be Lu Jun.] Chen Xi pondered as he watched the caravan below.

"Jian'er, you and Lan'er finish eating and let the owner send you home. I saw something interesting. I need to check it out," Chen Xi said with a smile.

"Alright, Husband, go handle your business. Lan'er and I can go back by ourselves," Fan Jian replied without looking up.

"I'm leaving," Chen Xi said, getting up to leave.

Standing at the tavern entrance, Chen Xi frowned, thinking about the Lu family's actions. He didn't believe Mi Zhu hadn't informed the Lu family to be cautious and avoid getting involved with Taishan. Yet here they were, openly arriving. Something didn't add up.

At that moment, the caravan guards appeared, all dressed in single-layer clothes, exposing their slightly tanned, muscular arms, each with a steel knife at their waist. There were over a hundred of them. Finally, a carriage pulled by a well-dressed man, with a broad five-foot-long sword strapped to his back, and chains rattling with every step, came into view.

[The Lu family is indeed formidable. These guards and their leader are not simple characters. They have the aura of trained soldiers, or rather, they are veterans. Lu Kang has really invested heavily.] Chen Xi thought, scrutinizing the guards. The carts loaded with salt didn't interest him; Taishan wasn't short of salt.

[Salt?] Suddenly, Chen Xi realized something was wrong. The Lu family, even if foolish, wouldn't transport salt to Taishan. It was illogical for a supplier to deliver their own product to the customer. Instantly, his mind raced, and his expression grew serious.

"Gouzi, come here," Chen Xi called to the tavern helper with a smile, finding it really troublesome to be without a bodyguard.

"Yes, Master Chen," Gouzi replied, bowing.

"Fetch me a brush and ink. If there's paper, bring some," Chen Xi said, maintaining his calm demeanor.

Soon, Gouzi returned with a brush and ink but no paper, just a blank scroll.

Chen Xi quickly spread out the scroll and wrote down what he had observed, along with a response plan. He then handed his jade pendant to Gouzi.

"Gouzi, take this scroll to the government office and give it to Zijing, the county deputy. I was so clever to nationalize the houses on the central street. Now we can put them to use," Chen Xi said, muttering things Gouzi couldn't understand.

Watching Gouzi leave, Chen Xi observed the slowly advancing Lu family caravan. Indeed, good visitors don't come, and those who come are not good. Just as Taishan was recovering, someone was eyeing it. It was time for some decisive action.

Did they really think Taishan was defenseless after sending its troops to develop Qingzhou? He didn't care which faction was behind this; they would all be eliminated.

As for the Lu family's role, it would depend on their explanation later. Developing Qingzhou might be difficult, but conquering Yangzhou wouldn't be too troublesome. The comfortable lifestyle and natural defenses of the Yangtze River had long eroded their fighting spirit. Chen Xi was happy to have Liu Bei, a member of the Han family, help his brother Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou. A well-behaved scholar like Liu Yao was much easier to deal with than Sun Ce.

This is a great book. It's just updated slowly. The writing is excellent and keeps you engaged. You might want to check it out.