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Qiao Mai remained silent, looking at the distant mountains and rivers. The empress rarely came out. She had her maid bring her qin from the ship’s hold.

In such beautiful scenery, how could there be no music?

Qiao Mai closed her eyes, listening intently. The empress’s qin skills were excellent; she must have practiced a lot.

No one spoke; they all listened quietly.

After a while, the empress finished playing. Qiao Mai was the first to applaud.

“Well done.”

“In-law, can you play as well?”

“No, I’m a rough person. Knowing martial arts is good enough for me. Other than that, I’m good at farming and business, not much else.”

“Let’s complement each other. What I don’t know, you do, and vice versa.”

Qiao Mai had a good impression of her in-laws. She was gentle and not imposing, and her words always touched people’s hearts, making them feel comfortable and friendly.

Seeing a fine line at the corner of the empress’s eyes, Qiao Mai took out an exquisitely crafted jade box.

“After washing up in the morning, apply a little on your face. Look, you already have some wrinkles.”

The empress immediately put down the qin and took the jade box. A pleasant fragrance filled the air.

‘”I’ms scent IS lovely. IS It a moisturizer C”

“Something like that.”

“Can I try it now?”

Women naturally couldn’t resist beauty. Upon hearing that it could reduce wrinkles, she couldn’t wait to try it.

After a short time in the cabin, she came out. “In-law, this moisturizer works. I’ve noticed my wrinkles have lightened.”

“It works better with regular use.”

“Thank you, in-law. You’re kind.”

Yuan Jiaqi glared at the empress as if saying, “Of course, my wife is good. There’s no need for you to say it.”

During the journey, the empress behaved like a child. Qiao Mai often fed them in various ways. In over ten days, they gained some weight.

When they reached the Liangzhou border and disembarked, their steps felt light, as if walking on cotton.

Qiao Mai found a secluded place and released the carriages. The group rode the carriage from the dock to Liangzhou.

“Looking at the locals, it seems they haven’t been persecuted,” Yuan Jiaqi remarked.

The emperor snorted. “Smart corrupt officials quietly embezzle silver without attracting attention.”

“Does that mean the magistrate of Liangzhou is smart?”

“Probably. If the people here were complaining, his career would be over. My

Golden Dragon Guards wouldn’t let him off.”

“Officials rarely refrain from corruption. After all, how can the official salary from the court make a large family prosperous?”

“But I haven’t stopped them from doing business. Their women all own numerous shops and properties. Isn’t that enough?”

“Increase taxes, send gifts; none comes without cost.”

The emperor sighed, “It’s hard to eliminate situations like this. As long as they don’t openly oppose me and my Golden Dragon Guards don’t find out, it’s fine.”

As they spoke, the carriage entered Liangzhou City.

“Liangzhou is still prosperous.”

“We’re approaching the West Gate. With visits from four countries and no wars, I’ve opened up border trade. All foreign goods must pass through Liangzhou. Sometimes, goods from other countries are sold out once they arrive here, grabbed by local merchants to resell to the inner regions.”

Qiao Mai nodded. “I assume there are many teahouses, brothels, and gambling dens here?”

“Yes.”

“Brothels are the origin of spreading diseases, and gambling dens are a malicious source of harm to the people. If both are banned, I believe the lives of the commoners would be better.”

“Openly or covertly, even members of the royal family operate brothels. How can they be banned?”

“Yeah, both are lucrative businesses.” “How long will we stay here?”

“Is half a month okay?”

All three looked at Qiao Mai, and she chuckled. “I’ll follow your arrangements. At most, I’m here to keep you company.”

The carriage stopped at the largest inn in Liangzhou. Yubao had booked all the top-tier rooms, a whole floor, showing grand generosity.

This commotion soon caught the attention of someone with a vested interest— the magistrate of Liangzhou, Magistrate Wu.

This inn belonged to his family. As soon as a wealthy or high-ranking guest arrived, he would be the first to know.

“Sir, they’ve booked the entire top floor of the inn. It’s fifty taels per room a day, and there are twenty rooms. They plan to stay for half a month.”

“Who are they?” The magistrate asked, stroking his beard, looking at the chessboard in thought.

“There are two couples, one younger and one older. Twenty guards and a few maids are with them.”

The magistrate’s eyes rolled. “Keep an eye on them. If they’re just here for sightseeing, let it be. If they’re here for business, report it immediately.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Qiao Mai’s group was unaware they had been targeted as soon as they entered Liangzhou.

After drifting on the ship for over ten days, they were too exhausted upon reaching the inn and didn’t even bother with dinner, opting for a good night’s sleep.

Qiao Mai wasn’t bothered, but the three others were tired. Although they could sleep on the ship, the space was small, and the beds were uncomfortable.

The guards they brought took turns on duty. The entrance to the third floor was guarded so well that not even a mosquito could get in.

By nightfall, a thunderstorm broke out with strong winds and heavy rain. The window shutters were almost blown off.

Qiao Mai waved her hand, casting a barrier over the third floor, and everyone finally settled down.

Before dawn, they couldn’t sleep. They sat by the window, watching the rain.

Although ancient cities weren’t as advanced as modern ones, they still had drainage channels. The accumulated water below almost flooded the shops, but they could see the flow direction.

Some naughty children, unable to sleep in the hot weather, came out to play in the water. The carriage passed by them, splashing them with water.

Laughter and curses echoed, creating a lively atmosphere.

The servants went out to fetch food and set up a table for the masters, then

lei L.

The emperor and empress rarely ate alone; they liked to be with Qiao Mai and Yuan Jiaqi, avoiding the need for Yubao to taste the food first and eating with peace of mind.

“It seems we won’t be able to go out today. The rain hasn’t stopped yet.”

“Let’s wait until it stops.”

“But it’ll be stuffy.”

“Then return and deal with the paperwork.”

“Hehe, only you would dare say that to me.”

Qiao Mai and Yuan Jiaqi ignored him and focused on their meal. “In-law, what do you think if I deal with this magistrate?” “Taking action with these guards isn’t advisable; we might lose.”

“What if our in-law takes action?”

“No need to rush. Let’s observe first. Once I have enough evidence, dealing with him will be easy. We’re here for half a month; we can gather enough evidence of his wrongdoings.”

“This guy is too cunning. We might be under surveillance if we act like this.” “Did he see you, the emperor?”

“As a fourth-ranked official, he naturally has the chance to enter the palace and meet me.”

“Don’t keep saying that. People will know who you are. Change the way you address yourself.”

“I’m used to it.”

Qiao Mai finished eating, and Yuan Jiaqi was almost done. He brewed a pot of tea for her, and the emperor watched with envy. Women always served him; he had never served a woman.

But if his woman is as powerful as Qiao Mai, he would gladly serve her as an emperor.

The four of them drank tea, waiting for the rain to stop. At noon, it finally ceased, and the accumulated water outside also subsided.

However, there was still water on the ground. The emperor couldn’t sit still and insisted on going out. Qiao Mai had to buy several pairs of rain boots for them.

After putting on the boots, the emperor happily splashed around in the water, then took off the boots to inspect his feet.

“Haha, not a drop of water. These boots are excellent.”

Qiao Mai paid him no attention. If he hadn’t insisted on going out, would she have to deal with this annoying behavior?

Yubao was also thrilled. He usually stayed by the emperor’s side when going out and didn’t bring any maids. With Qiao Mai present, it was extremely safe.

The five of them, wearing rain boots, left the inn. With the boots on, they walked confidently.

The empress was also excited. Qiao Mai picked a pair of blue rain boots for her, which she loved very much. She walked while looking down.

The two of them walked hand in hand, followed by three men.

“Shall we have lunch first?”

“Sure. Let’s not eat anything time-consuming. We can try some local specialties and then stroll around after eating..”