A group of people was surrounded as soon as they entered the capital.
Amidst the clamor, the words "sweet potato" were repeatedly mentioned.
Without exception, everyone was asking about sweet potatoes.
Xun Geng had returned to the capital with several baskets of sweet potatoes the day before yesterday.
The rumor that sweet potatoes yielded five thousand jin per mu was proven false, as the actual yield was far greater than five thousand jin.
Five thousand jin was considered a small amount.
Xie Jiang opened the car window and glanced out. The old gentlemen were surrounded by an impenetrable crowd, all people specially sent by various households waiting for them.
Although noble families did not lack food, who would refuse more produce from their own land?
Would the old gentlemen return empty-handed from this trip?
Everyone knew the nature of the old gentlemen. Having traveled all the way to Ninghe, how could they not bring back local specialties from Ninghe?
How many sweet potatoes did the old gentlemen bring? Could they spare some so that others could also experience this divine item?
It was only their fault for keeping such good secrecy. Various households only learned that the old gentlemen had formed a group to dig sweet potatoes in Ninghe after Prime Minister Xun brought sweet potatoes back to the capital!
If only they had known, they would have made the trip to Ninghe themselves!
The old gentlemen were too cunning!
But what was the use of saying this now? By the time they sent people to Ninghe again, all the sweet potatoes would have been dug up!
The people sent by various households were afraid of falling behind and not getting any sweet potatoes.
Also, the stewards and juniors sent by the old gentlemen's households to escort them back were making the wide street incredibly lively.
Pedestrians and commoners also took a second look and asked questions upon seeing such a scene. Upon learning that the old dukes and old marquises had brought sweet potatoes back from Ninghe, even those with pressing matters stopped to watch.
In the past two days, the divine reputation of sweet potatoes had not only spread among the nobility. Who wouldn't want to see something related to everyone's stomachs with their own eyes?
"Xie Jiang—"
As soon as she showed her face from the car, someone spotted her.
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi were submerged in the crowd, struggling to get closer but only being pushed further to the sides. They could only jump and wave towards Xie Jiang's carriage.
However, Xie Jiang only glanced out before the carriage curtain fell. Xie Jiang seemed not to have noticed them.
"Xie Jiang—"
Xu Hengyi was still waving his arms and jumping when Xia Zeshi suddenly pulled him to squeeze inside.
Ruan Ziji, shamelessly making underhanded moves, did something that caused the people blocking their way to suddenly cry out and scatter to the sides.
A group of people quickly pushed their way to Xie Jiang's carriage.
The reason it was a group was that behind Ruan Ziji were not only Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi but also his group of dissolute friends.
"Young Master Xie—"
"Xie Jiang—"
Ruan Ziji excitedly pulled open the carriage door, and the next second his smile froze on his face.
Yi Yanguan's cold face, which exuded a profound sense of dignity, was extremely imposing, and his sharp gaze casually sweeping over everyone sent chills down their spines.
The young dissolutes who had been calling out to Xie Jiang with affection found their mouths frozen.
Who would have thought Yi Yanguan would be in Xie Jiang's carriage!
Wasn't Yi Yanguan's carriage in the front?
His carriage, like Yi Yanguan himself, made people instinctively retreat, and even a blind person wouldn't fail to recognize it!
Xie Jiang looked at everyone with a smile, "Are you all here to welcome me back to the capital?"
"Of course! You're finally back! We've been waiting for you to take us out to play!"
As soon as Xie Jiang spoke, the startled crowd finally came alive.
"Young Master Xie, we heard you wiped out the bandits of Huanglan Mountain who have been causing trouble for many years. How did you do it? Tell us properly later..."
"Young Master Xie, why did you only return now? The capital isn't lively without you!"
Yi Yanguan glanced at the person who spoke.
Han Zhao instantly lost his voice. Why was Duke Yi looking at him? Did he say something wrong?
"Young Master Xie, did you bring any sweet potatoes for us? We heard sweet potatoes are divine items from heaven and taste super delicious!"
At the front of the procession, the Duke of Qian spoke a few words, causing the surrounding people to clear the way. The procession, forced to stop, continued to move forward.
Yi Yanguan said expressionlessly, "Don't block the road. We'll talk another day."
Her temper was so foul, yet they still flocked around her!
The carriage door was occupied by Ruan Ziji and his companions. Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi could only stand on the periphery, waving at Xie Jiang.
Ruan Ziji and his companions dared not refuse to make way. They looked at Xie Jiang reluctantly and lingeringly, "Young Master Xie, where are you going? Aren't you coming to play with us?"
Before they could receive Xie Jiang's reply, Yi Yanguan ruthlessly closed the carriage door.
Zhu Zhou jumped up, "Why does he—"
Xu Hengyi rolled his eyes, "Ask him directly in front of Duke Yi. I'm sure Duke Yi will tell you exactly why."
Zhu Zhou said, "Stop being sarcastic. Do you dare say another word in front of Duke Yi?"
After entering the inner city, the old gentlemen returned to their respective residences.
Luo Tie asked Xie Jiang if she was going to Duke Yi's place or returning to the Xie residence first.
The Xie residence in the capital was the house across the street from Chunse Manyuan.
Xie Jiang said to Yi Yanguan, "Are you returning to your residence or going to the palace? I won't be with you. I'll go back to my own place first, and I'll visit your manor when I have time."
Yi Yanguan's eyes were displeased, "What are you going to do?"
Did she want to go hang out with that group of flies who had been following her from afar?
Xie Jiang's conscience was clear and her breathing steady, "I've been away for several months and have just returned. Naturally, there are many things to handle. You've also been out for several days, and all sorts of complicated affairs, big and small, are waiting for you to deal with, aren't they?"
Yi Yanguan knew he couldn't keep her by his side. She was not a woman who could only be confined to the inner chambers.
According to the intelligence brought back from Lanyong a few days ago, the person in charge of the Xie clan in Lanyong was her elder brother Xie Tangqing, but her status in the Xie clan seemed to be no lower than Xie Tangqing's.
She had full authority over matters in Da Yu, and she was considered half the head of the Xie clan.
"His Majesty should summon you in the next couple of days," Yi Yanguan reminded her not to run around.
"I just returned to the capital and won't be going out."
She was in the capital, so where could she go? It was fine for the emperor to summon her anytime.
Yi Yanguan returned to his carriage and bid farewell to Xie Jiang before leaving.
As soon as Yi Yanguan's carriage and horses were out of sight, Xu Hengyi and the others excitedly rode over on their horses. The bothersome people had finally been sent away!
Xie Jiang got out of the carriage to switch to a horse and asked the young dissolute followers, "Where do you want to play?"
Zhu Zhou was still thinking about sweet potatoes, "Young Master Xie, did you bring sweet potatoes back to the capital? Will you treat us to a meal?"
Xie Jiang said, "There are plenty of sweet potatoes. You'll eat them until you're sick of them sooner or later. What's the hurry?"
Xu Hengyi had eaten sweet potatoes. Not only had he eaten sweet potatoes, but he had also eaten dried sweet potatoes. In front of Zhu Zhou and the others, he felt a sense of superiority, "Xie Jiang, where do you want to go play?"
Xie Jiang: "I'm not familiar with the capital, so how would I know where is fun? Didn't you all call for me to go play with you?"
Han Zhao actively suggested several options, all of which were rejected by Ruan Ziji.
Young Master Xie had been traveling for a long time and was tired. They shouldn't consider activities that would expend too much energy. After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about playing dice?"
Xie Jiang: "Gambling?"
Xu Hengyi scornfully said, "Ruan Ziji, are you a tout for the casino? How much benefit did you receive? Are you eyeing Xie Jiang's vast fortune?"
Ruan Ziji wanted to kick Xu Hengyi to death. What nonsense was he talking? Facing Xie Jiang, he put on a benevolent expression, "Young Master Xie, don't listen to his nonsense. If I take you to play dice, I would never let you lose money. I'm going to take you to dominate."
Han Zhao suddenly became a little excited, "Young Master Xie is skilled at everything she does, so she must be skilled at playing dice too, right? Young Master Xie, let's go play dice, let us broaden our horizons!"
Without a single soldier from the imperial court, the bandits of Huanglan Mountain, who had been a menace for over a hundred years, were wiped out in one fell swoop. Wasn't that worthy of blind admiration?