CHAPTER 1111: CHAPTER 607: XU JIANWEN’S STORY (PART 3)

Before his eyes was a courtyard of a government office.

This was the government office that the court had initially set up for the "opening of the market."

It was once bustling and grand. But now it was desolate and rundown, the whole yard silent and all the doors locked, with the rebel army stationed outside day and night.

Feng Ju and a group of government office officials were confined and imprisoned here.

Short of coal and food, this winter was unbearably harsh, with the little food delivered each day barely enough to keep them from starving, leaving them with no strength to escape.

Feng Ju stepped toward the main hall of the government office, pushed open the door, and saw a fire burning inside, the wood used for the fire being the dismantled signboard of the government office.

A group of about ten people, disheveled like beggars, huddled around the fire.

Over the fire was a pot boiling a basin of "soup," which was essentially a thin layer of rice paste, mostly snow water, with some leaves or something.

"You all! How could you burn the signboard!?" Feng Ju’s mind buzzed.

By the fire, a government office clerk weakly revealed a sorrowful expression: "Mr. Feng, the cabinets and tables have nearly all been burned, we can’t dismantle the doors and windows that block the wind and keep us warm, can we? That would surely freeze us to death. This government office is already in ruins, what’s the use of keeping the signboard?"

Another person also nodded: "Yes, yes."

"..." Feng Ju raised his hand weakly to point at them, facing one face after another, finally just let out a deep sigh, waved his hand bitterly: "Forget it, forget it."

As he spoke, he also moved his steps, squeezed through the crowd, and sat down by the fire.

"Mr. Feng, it’s just a plaque, no need to be saddened. If we survive to return to the court, we can build another government office." Across from the crowd, a woman wrapped in cotton clothes weakly spoke.

Although the woman hadn’t had a full meal in months, her face was sallow, she was cleaner compared to the others.

If Zhao Douan were here, he would certainly recognize that this person looked remarkably similar to Yuan Fei in the palace.

She was the concubine and courtesan Lin Susu, seized by Li Yinglong, the "Young Master" back then.

Next to Lin Susu, huddled almost into a ball, was a disheveled man, the merchant Hu Xuezhai.

He was also her husband.

Back then, Lin Susu and Zhao Douan had conspired against Li Yinglong, obtaining a promise from Zhao Douan to find her husband upon returning to Huai River, to become the first Imperial Merchants together.

Riding the tide, their business thrived for a time. When Prince Jing stormed into Hu Ting, Lin Susu and her husband were here, discussing with Feng Ju how to seek refuge.

As a result, they were confined and imprisoned together.

Hearing this, Feng Ju forced a smile, trying to boost morale: "Mrs. Lin is right, the rebel army confines us without killing, because they covet our knowledge of opening the market for trading. They intend to exploit us after seizing the emperor’s throne... However, though the rebels are delusional, we temporarily survive because of this. If we continue to persevere, once Mr. Zhao defeats the rebels and rescues us, Your Majesty will surely see the suffering we endure today, and in the future, there will be..."

"Pah!"

Suddenly, the disheveled Hu Xuezhai spat harshly, sneering as he interrupted Feng Ju’s optimistic pretense: "Mr. Feng, how many times have you said this? Ask yourself, do you still believe it?"

The once genteel and elegant Jiangnan businessman, after months of torment, seemed on the brink of collapse, gritting his teeth as he cursed: "How long have we been imprisoned? If the court could come to rescue us, why hasn’t it? You boast of being in the Direct Lineage of that Zhao Douan, how did it get you this doctor’s position? A few days of glory? Aren’t you now a prisoner just like us?! Still dreaming that surnamed Zhao will rescue us? Are you a fool or do you take us all for fools?"

Feng Ju was stunned.

Beside him, Lin Susu was also stunned, she somewhat frantically tugged at her husband, frowning: "You’re delirious from hunger! How can you slander Mr. Zhao?"

Hu Xuezhai flung his hand, shaking off Lin Susu, revealing a face blue and purple from the cold, with a fierce expression and contemptuous eyes: "Bitch, I always knew you were entangled with that Zhao Douan, and now you’re even defending him!"

...

PS: The plot has been dull recently, I’ll try to restore the update volume