Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 967: Chapter 70: The Miracle of Swamp Prefecture (Part 2)

The main street was bustling with people, some were locals of Swamp Prefecture, others were from other states in Lingnan, some were inland people, and others were foreigners. On the street, you could even see Western Regions people with high noses, deep-set eyes, and blue eyes.

Many shops on both sides of the street were already open, and many people were setting up stalls to sell things. Although there was a language barrier, everyone was able to trade through gestural communication.

The stallholders were selling goods from their own homes, like homemade dried fruits, medicinal wine, sugar water, and other items. These items were unique to Lingnan and very attractive to outsiders.

In recent days, the faces of Swamp Prefecture’s people have been adorned with happy smiles. Firstly, because the Prefecture has never had so many visitors, including foreigners. Secondly, because they have earned a lot of money.

In the eyes of the people of Swamp Prefecture now, these outsiders and foreigners were all money.

Uncle Gao and the Guard Commander walked and chatted.

"When I first came to Swamp Prefecture, it was not only rundown but also desolate," the Guard Commander couldn’t help but sigh as he looked at the bustling scene before him, "In the past, you could only see people on the streets during the daytime, and by night, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. Now there are more people in the daytime and even more at night."

Uncle Gao looked at the beautifully lively scene before him and marveled, "This is all a miracle created by His Highness."

The locals on both sides of the street greeted the Guard Commander with clumsy official language.

The people of Swamp Prefecture recognized some of the servants from the Han Prince Mansion, as they often saw them.

"Mr. Gao, when we first arrived, the eyes of Swamp Prefecture’s people were void of light, and their expressions were numb. As His Highness said, they were like living corpses." The Guard Commander pointed to a nearby stallholder gesticulating to a foreign guest to introduce his goods. His face was full of smiles, and his eyes sparkled. "Look how happily they smile now."

"It is His Highness who gave them hope." Uncle Gao said with a smile, "This is only the beginning; they will have even better days in the future."

"Yes, after the trade conference ends, Swamp Prefecture will become even livelier and more prosperous." The Guard Commander had personally witnessed Swamp Prefecture’s changes and was full of admiration for Zhao Yao, "His Highness is truly remarkable."

"Only His Highness in this world could create such a miracle."

Ahead, several guests were arguing with a stall owner. The Guard Commander quickly went over and asked what was happening.

The stall owner, seeing the Guard Commander, quickly said that these inland customers were bullying her, forcing her to sell her goods cheaply.

These inland people, seeing the Guard Commander, became even more arrogant, saying that buying her goods was her honor. They also said they had come from afar, and the people of Swamp Prefecture should serve them well. Only if they were pleased would they be willing to spend money to buy things and do business here.

The stall owner, though she didn’t understand what these inland people were saying, knew from their condescending and disdainful expressions that they were saying nothing good.

In recent days, the Guard Commander had seen many such people and, without bothering to waste words, directly had them taken away. These people were still dissatisfied, shouting and yelling.

The Guard Commander scolded them directly, saying that anyone coming to Swamp Prefecture must follow the rules. He also said not to think that just because they were inland people, they were more noble than Swamp Prefecture’s people. Here, no matter who it is, even if Prince Han buys something, they must pay obediently. He would not use his status to have Swamp Prefecture’s people sell cheaply or give it to him outright.

The stall owner quickly thanked the Guard Commander.

The Guard Commander told the stall owner, in clumsy Swamp Prefecture language, that if she encountered such people again, she should report them to the authorities, and they would stand up for her.

The stall owner, looking touched, said she would definitely report to the authorities if she met such a customer again.

The Guard Commander also warned the stall owner to be honest in business and not to cheat outsiders or foreigners by random pricing or selling bad goods. If she did, no one would dare to buy her things in the future.

The stall owner respectfully said she dared not deceive anyone and definitely wouldn’t cheat outsiders.

Before outsiders and foreigners came to Swamp Prefecture, Zhao Yao had issued an order: If vendors were found inflating prices, selling inferior goods, or passing fake goods as genuine, they would be severely punished, either fined dozens of times over, flogged, or imprisoned.

The people of Swamp Prefecture had already witnessed Zhao Yao’s methods and dared not ignore this order.

Of course, this order was not only aimed at the people of Swamp Prefecture but also the merchants coming here to trade.

The Guard Commander reminded a few more words before continuing to patrol with his men.

Uncle Gao and the Guard Commander patrolled for an hour, dealing with a few minor conflicts and disputes. They sat down in a teahouse to have a cup of tea and rest. In another hour, the curfew would take effect, and then they would continue patrolling.

In the teahouse, the storyteller was passionately narrating famous stories or strange tales from various parts of Lingnan, and the patrons were listening intently.

These storytellers were local and spoke both the local dialect and the official language. Before, people from the Ministry of Rites had specifically sought them out, asking them to tell Lingnan stories during the trade conference and introduce Lingnan’s specialties to help outsiders learn more about Lingnan.

During the day, the teahouse also hosted learned talks. The speakers were unsuccessful scholar candidates who had come to Swamp Prefecture. Foreigners were very intrigued by the Great Zhou’s Confucianism, so these talks were specially arranged.

After drinking tea in the teahouse, Uncle Gao and the Guard Commander continued their patrol. By this time, the vendors on both sides of the street were gradually packing up. With the curfew about to start, they needed to hurry home.

Visitors from other regions and countries were also preparing to return to their lodgings or taverns. If they lingered on the streets during curfew, they too would face severe punishment.

The laws in Swamp Prefecture were very strict, and if they didn’t follow them, they would first be issued a stern warning, then fined, and on the third offense, expelled from Swamp Prefecture.

Some people had already been expelled from Swamp Prefecture.

Swamp Prefecture’s laws were not to be violated by anyone. Even those from foreign royal families, if they broke Swamp Prefecture’s laws, would be punished just the same.

In Swamp Prefecture, the law applies equally to everyone, including emperors.