In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 229 Shocking Numbers

Chapter 229 The astonishing numbers. The villagers were all dejected, their faces full of sorrow.

The snowfall will affect not only the wheat in the fields, but also the people in the village!

Although they have enough to eat now, they are still short of money and it is difficult for them to buy enough warm clothes.

Good thing...

When Chen Dao distributed money a while ago, many families bought fabric. With that fabric, making a new set of warm clothes shouldn't be a problem.

…………

…………

As the sun began to set, the carriage driven by Zhang He stopped at the border between Taiping County and Ding'an County.

After getting off the car, Xu Zhiwen pointed to the boundary marker with the words "Ding'an County" written on it and said to Chen Dao, "Once you cross this, you'll be in Ding'an County. However, it's still quite a distance from Ding'an County town, about half a day's journey."

Chen Dao nodded, signaling Chen Cheng to gather some firewood to start a fire.

Zhang He then tied the carriage to a tree, took out several blankets from the carriage, and spread them on the flat roadside.

"Your Excellency, Young Master Chen."

As Zhang He spread out the blankets, he said, "It's not suitable to travel at night, so we'll have to rest here for the night."

"Ah."

The two nodded.

Soon after, Chen Cheng brought a campfire, and the four of them sat around it chatting.

Looking at the flickering flames, Chen Dao asked, "Did the county magistrate and the county magistrate of Ding'an County travel to the capital together to take the imperial examination?"

"Not bad!"

A look of reminiscence flashed in Xu Zhiwen's eyes, as if he remembered his former self, full of vigor and ambition. Back then, when he went to the capital to take the imperial examination, he and Li Qingyun were both so full of vigor and youthful arrogance, thinking that as long as he passed the examination, he could take up an official post and realize his ambitions.

Unfortunately, things in this world are not so simple. The imperial examination was indeed fair, giving the two men a leap in social class, from humble scholars to members of the literati. However, it was impossible for them to realize their ambitions of governing the country and bringing peace to the people. Tangible and intangible obstacles from all directions made Xu Zhiwen feel as if he were trapped in a quagmire, unable to break free, let alone do anything or seek the well-being of the people.

"Your Excellency has been to the capital. Could you tell me what the capital is like?"

As soon as Chen Dao said this, Zhang He and Chen Cheng immediately looked at Xu Zhiwen. Clearly, they also wanted to know more about things related to the capital.

"The capital city!"

Xu Zhiwen looked eastward, as if he could see that bustling city: "In my opinion, the capital is a paradise for the powerful and wealthy, a place of extreme prosperity and extreme corruption!"

“There I saw wealthy and powerful young men in fine clothes and horses, as well as beggars who were starving. It was a city with a strong sense of division!”

"I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me for saying this."

Xu Zhiwen smiled and continued, "When Brother Li and I went to the capital to take the imperial examination, we were so poor that we couldn't even afford to stay in a restaurant. We had to rent a room in a commoner's house. Fortunately, the family was kind and didn't charge us too much rent. Otherwise, it would have been a problem if Brother Li and I could have stayed in the capital until the examination started."

"Are the restaurants in the capital really that expensive?"

Chen Dao asked in surprise, "Xu Zhiwen is a scholar. In Xia Kingdom, families that can afford to send their children to school are usually not bad off. Even if they are not extremely wealthy, they are at least well-off. Yet Xu Zhiwen, who comes from such a family, can't even afford to stay in a restaurant in the capital..."

This is truly appalling.

"Ah!"

Xu Zhiwen chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Although I am not from a wealthy family, my family is not poor either. When I went to the capital to take the imperial examination, my parents gave me enough travel expenses. It's just a pity that... the prices in the capital are quite high. Even the most ordinary room in a low-class restaurant costs at least 2 taels of silver. Although my brother Li and I still have some travel expenses left, how can we afford to stay in such a room?"

2 taels of silver?

Zhang He and Chen Cheng couldn't help but widen their eyes. Even the most ordinary low-class room in a restaurant costs two taels of silver. Could it be that the restaurants in the capital are built with gold?

Chen Dao was equally astonished. In Taihua Restaurant, the most upscale restaurant in Taiping County, a superior room only cost one or two taels of silver, while in the capital... even the most ordinary restaurant had a room for two taels of silver. The price difference was truly astonishing.

"Brother Li and I once caught a glimpse of Baijinglou, the most prosperous brothel in the capital, from afar."

Xu Zhiwen continued, "The Baijing Tower is indeed luxurious. Even at night, its lights are as bright as day. The guests who come and go from the Baijing Tower are all dressed in fine clothes and are either rich or noble."

Brothel?

Zhang He and Chen Cheng couldn't help but become interested. Men are all creatures who are interested in brothels, so the two of them focused their attention and prepared to learn more.

Chen Dao then looked at Xu Zhiwen and said, "I'm afraid the prices at Baijinglou are quite high."

"nature!"

Xu Zhiwen smiled wryly, "That's why Brother Li and I can only watch from afar. The tea fee at the entrance of Baijing Tower is at least two taels of silver. Once inside, if you want a girl to accompany you, it will cost at least ten taels of silver. And that's the price for an ordinary girl. If you want to order the most beautiful courtesan of Baijing Tower..."

Xu Zhiwen paused for a moment and then said, "As far as I know, the cheapest courtesan at Baijing Tower charges a thousand taels of silver for a night with a customer!"

One thousand taels of silver?

Zhang He and Chen Cheng exchanged a glance and couldn't help but gasp.

What does one thousand taels of silver mean?

Based on Chen Cheng's current income of two taels of silver per month, he would need to save for a thousand months without eating or drinking, which would take him 83 years to accumulate enough...

This is because Chen Cheng's income is relatively high; if it were Zhang He...

Zhang He works in the government office, and his legal monthly income is less than one tael of silver. If he wanted to hire a courtesan, he probably couldn't afford it even if he didn't eat or drink until he died.

Chen Dao wasn't surprised at all. He knew from Xu Zhiwen's description that Bai Jing Lou was similar to the Heaven on Earth in his previous life, a high-end entertainment venue exclusively for the powerful and wealthy.

These kinds of entertainment venues are always expensive, and ordinary people can't afford them even if they save up for a lifetime.

I once heard someone mention it.

Xu Zhiwen continued, "Ten years ago, the most famous courtesan of Baijinglou had her virginity taken by a powerful young man from the capital for ten thousand taels of silver."

"..."

Chen Cheng and Zhang He fell silent. They could imagine a thousand taels of silver, but ten thousand taels... that was a number beyond their comprehension.

The two couldn't help but think that even a carriage couldn't hold ten thousand taels of silver.