Chapter 38: A Fruitless Visit

Within the city of Jiangyang, Ning Ye and his companions had been waiting at the inn for a day. Unfortunately, when Zhang Zihe returned early the next morning, he looked utterly despondent.

Without needing to ask, Ning Ye knew that Zhang had likely failed to even catch a glimpse of the person he sought, perhaps not even making it past the gates of the Sun family estate.

"Mr. Zhang," Ning Ye began, "I have three solutions for this matter. I wonder which one you would prefer to choose."

Zhang Zihe struggled to summon some spirit, muttering, "I have already made myself so clear. Why would they refuse even a single meeting? Why must they be so heartless?"

Ning Ye slightly raised his hand. "Mr. Zhang, if you cannot listen to reason right now, I wouldn't mind slapping you to help you regain your senses."

Alas, Zhang Zihe was beyond hearing anything; he continued to mumble to himself, his composure clearly shattered.

Ning Ye was not one to make empty threats. He delivered a swift, forceful slap, causing Zhang Zihe’s face to swell instantly. Only this sharp, stinging pain finally brought Zhang back to his senses.

Ning Ye repeated his offer.

As if grabbing onto a life-saving straw, Zhang Zihe clutched Ning Ye’s hand. "Young Master, please! If you have a way for me to see her, I am willing to do anything."

The nearby guards were also curious about how Ning Ye would handle this, as such situations were all too common. Throughout history, such tropes had been written to death in plays; unless Zhang Zihe could achieve great success and earn the Emperor's favor, such a meeting was virtually impossible.

Ning Ye cleared his throat and said, "The first way is to disregard Miss Sun’s reputation and spread the word that she is already carrying your child. I assume the family would find such a thing absolutely unacceptable."

Zhang Zihe shook his head frantically. "No, absolutely not! If Qingyu were to stop loving me because of this, then I would be ruining her. I am not that kind of man."

"Then there is the second method. I have a concoction here that induces a state of feigned death. Once consumed, you will be indistinguishable from a corpse for a full day."

"As for the third option, I can simply take you to the Sun residence myself, and we can decide our next move after you have seen her."

"If you can do that, Young Master, there would be nothing better. But what if you are discovered? Wouldn't that bring trouble upon you?"

Ning Ye smiled faintly. "Rest assured. As long as I wish to go unnoticed, no one can detect me—unless they possess the sight of the gods."

Ning Ye was not joking. While he might not be able to infiltrate the heavily guarded Imperial Palace without leaving a trace, sneaking into the Sun family’s courtyard should be no problem at all.

"The day is still early," Ning Ye added. "You may rest for a while. We shall set out tonight; after all, people are not blind in broad daylight."

Zhang Zihe nodded and turned to head to his room.

Ning Ye took a few pieces of broken silver from his robes and tossed them onto the table. "Don't just hole up here. Go out and look around. It’s not easy to come all this way, so you shouldn't waste the trip. If you see anything you like, buy it."

After thanking Ning Ye for his generosity, the guards left the inn.

As for Ning Ye, he naturally intended to explore Jiangyang City as well, but before leaving, he needed to check the items the system had refreshed for the week.

[This week’s shop items have been randomly refreshed.]
[Multi-function Night Vision Goggles: 10 taels of silver.]
[Large Hot Air Balloon (capacity: 20 people): 20 taels of silver.]
[Set of Miniature Listening Devices (solar-powered with built-in batteries): 100 taels of silver.]
[Deluxe Edition of "The Plum in the Golden Vase": 10 copper coins per copy, infinitely restockable.]
[High-Potency Adrenaline: 30 taels of silver.]

The system's nature remained as predictable as ever, though this time the items seemed to lean toward high-tech gadgets. Though the quantities were small, each item held immense utility.

As a man of integrity, Ning Ye felt compelled to sternly criticize the fourth item. He was a decent man, after all—what use was such a thing to him?

However, after holding the copy of *The Plum in the Golden Vase* and reading a few pages, he realized it was entirely different from the versions he had seen before. Could it be that he had been reading bootlegs all along?

Just as Ning Ye finished checking everything and prepared to leave, he discovered that the fourth item could still be purchased repeatedly. Once he bought another copy, he realized that as long as the shop didn't refresh, he could buy as many copies of the book as he wanted.

Entertainment was scarce in ancient times, and books like *The Plum in the Golden Vase* could sometimes fetch a considerable sum of real money. Though it might be a bit beneath his dignity, who would ever complain about having too much money?

Ning Ye immediately decided that once he finished his business here, he would stock up on a large batch. He would make a tidy profit, or else he would be wasting the system's "good intentions." If the system could speak, it would surely call him an expert at changing faces.

If there was one thing worth praising about the Great Qian Dynasty, it was its relatively open culture. Women here had few qualms about walking the streets, and they could freely open shops or conduct business; there were even female officials in the imperial court.

It was said that this rule was established by the founding Emperor specifically to honor his Empress, which was why the women of the land could pursue their own interests without restraint.

After feasting his eyes on the sights of the street, Ning Ye wandered until he reached a teahouse, where the sound of storytelling drew a lively crowd. He paid a few coppers for a cup of tea and found an empty seat.

The storyteller on the stage was an elderly man with white hair and beard, recounting a tale of romance. Such stories inevitably followed clichéd plotlines, yet the audience remained utterly enthralled.

This made Ning Ye realize that the entertainment industry might be a wide-open market. He wouldn't need anything complex; even a few simple innovations would likely leave these ancients stunned. Since he had time to kill, he listened patiently.

Unfortunately, no matter where one went, there were always restless individuals who made it difficult to relax.

Not far away, a young girl serving tea lost her grip, spilling the liquid onto a customer. The man, Zhang Ji, was exposed—and given the quality of his clothing, he was clearly a man of means.

Seeing this, the elderly storyteller on the stage jumped down with surprising agility and hurried to the girl's side.