The shopkeeper agreed to take Shen Qing to find the silk farmer.

Shen Qing returned to the inn, pondering how to negotiate with the silk farmers the next day.

She wasn't worried about the price.

Those foreign compradors must have bought the raw silk at extremely low prices, and on that basis, she could offer the silk farmers several times more than the compradors.

The fear is that the silk farmers have signed some kind of agreement with the compradors, so that they will have to give the raw silk to them for the next few years.

If there's an agreement controlling the silk farmers, then things will get complicated.

The next day, the shopkeeper took Shen Qing to a local silk merchant in Nanxun.

Upon hearing that Shen Qing could offer more than three times the price to buy raw silk, the silk farmers were overjoyed and immediately agreed.

Shen Qing felt that it was impossible to snatch business from foreign compradors so easily, so he asked the silk farmers, "Did the people who came to buy raw silk earlier make you sign any documents?"

The silk farmer thought for a moment and said, "Yes! I can't write, so I'll just put my fingerprint on it!"

"Show me the agreement right now!"

The silk farmer quickly sent someone to fetch a crumpled piece of paper.

The document lists the unit price of raw silk, delivery time, location, and quantity, and most importantly, it stipulates that silk farmers must supply all their raw silk to the other party in accordance with this agreement for the next ten years.

The agreed-upon quantity each year is almost the saturation point of the silk farmers' annual production, leaving them unable to supply raw silk to other shops.

Shen Qing could tell at a glance that this was an unfair agreement, and he would win every time he sued.

She frankly told the silk farmers, "This is an agreement that controls your raw silk supply for the next ten years, and the price will remain unchanged for ten years. Now I have a way to cancel this agreement. Are you willing to cancel it?"

The silk farmer seemed to understand but not quite, and asked the question that concerned him most: "If it's canceled, will you really give me three times the price?"

"Yes! The first year will be three times the price in this agreement, and next year, four times! It will double every year!"

The silk farmer was overjoyed: "Then I'll give you the raw silk! I won't sell it to that fake foreigner anymore! I'll sell it to you!"

Shen Qing nodded: "Then give me this agreement. After I've resolved this, we'll sign a new one!"

Silk Farmer beamed and said, "Take it! I don't understand this fake foreign devil's stuff anyway!"

Shen Qing, clutching the agreement, boarded the carriage and headed to the next silk farm.

Using the same method, she negotiated a year's worth of procurement rights for the entire Nanxun area at three times the price.

They also collected a thick stack of agreements.

Before getting into the carriage, she said, "Old Xu, to the Textile Bureau!"

Both Lao Xu and Jiang Shen were somewhat surprised.

Old Xu asked, "You've been running around Nanxun for quite some time now. Why don't you go back to Jiangzhou to rest for a few days before going to the Imperial Textile Bureau?"

Shen Qing waved the agreement in his hand: "I don't have time to rest. If we can't buy top-quality raw silk, we can't produce good silk, and our quota will soon be taken away. We must solve the raw silk problem first."

"Okay!" Old Xu understood, jumped into the front of the car, and prepared to leave.

Jiang Shen silently put away the wooden footrest that Shen Qing had been using, and then jumped into the front of the car.

The carriage left Huzhou City.

Having witnessed the entire negotiation process between Shen Qing and the silk farmers over the past few days, Jiang Shen asked through the curtain, "What do you plan to do?"

Shen Qing's expression was solemn: "Logically speaking, the procurement of raw silk involves the quality of the silk supplied to the Qing court, and thus falls under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Textile Bureau. Since the silk farmers were deceived by the compradors into signing these obviously unfair agreements, the Imperial Textile Bureau should naturally uphold justice for the vast majority of silk farmers!"

Jiang Shen thought it made sense and didn't ask any more questions.

Old Xu, holding the reins, asked Jiang Shen, "What constitutes manifest unfairness?"

"Terms that are significantly below market price and are absolutely unfair to one party."

Old Xu sighed softly, "That Boss Shen is really clever! She even thought of this! No wonder Mr. Cheng is fond of her! I've known Mr. Cheng for a long time that he likes smart girls..."

Shen Qingquan heard it from behind the curtain.

A moment of sadness washed over me.

Did Cheng Zhiwen truly love her?

She didn't think so.

If you truly love her, why don't you listen to her? Why don't you stay with her forever?

Knowing full well that she hates the traitors, he could be with her if he simply quit his job.

But he would rather not see her than continue his traitorous acts!

Perhaps one of his people was among those compradors who bought raw silk at low prices...

With Old Xu's swift horse, Shen Qing arrived at the textile bureau before nightfall.

She lifted her skirt and ran to the gate of the Weaving Bureau, raising her hand to knock on the door.

The door opened, and the constable asked menacingly, "Who's knocking?"

Shen Qing held up the agreement with both hands, cupped her hands and said, "I am the head of the Gao family silk shop, and I have a grievance that I need your help!"

"Boss Shen?" the constable suddenly lowered his voice, "What brings you here?"

Shen Qing was startled and looked up, but did not remember knowing this person.

The constable smiled and pointed to himself: "Me? I used to work at the Jiangzhou Prefectural Government! When you went to visit Lord Qi, you even bought me some food!"

Shen Qing: ? ? ?

When she used to visit Qi Zhenheng at the prefectural government, she would often bring some pastries for the officers on duty.

Thinking about it, I do seem to have some recollection of the constable in front of me.

She asked in surprise, "What are you doing here? Weren't you in the prefectural government before? Were you transferred?"

The constable laughed and flung the door wide open: "If you have any grievances, come in quickly!"

"Okay, thank you!"

Shen Qing quickly beckoned Jiang Shen to come inside, and they headed straight for the Weaving Bureau's office.

From afar, she saw a man who looked like a clerk come out of the courtroom to greet her, and he hurriedly said, "Ms. Shen, what brings you here?"

Shen Qing recognized this as Qi Zhenheng's advisor and was even more shocked: "What are you doing here?"

The clerk said, "Lord Qi was transferred to the Imperial Textile Bureau some time ago, and I came with him."

"Huh?" Shen Qing was shocked. "Qi Zhenheng is no longer the prefect, but the textile commissioner?"

The advisor smiled and said, "Exactly."

Shen Qing suddenly understood why the Gao family was able to restore their share of silk supply to the Qing court.

Because Qi Zhenheng is now the head of the textile industry.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and got back to business: "Is Qi Zhenheng here? I have something to say to seek justice!"

"Lord Qi is in the study. Please come this way, Mr. Shen."

Shen Qing followed the clerk into Qi Zhenheng's study.

The door opened, and Qi Zhenheng was seen sitting in front of the crane painting, dressed in a dark blue official robe and wearing a black official hat. He sat upright at the table, writing something with his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed.

The advisor smiled and said, "Sir, Boss Shen has arrived."

Qi Zhenheng looked up.

Upon seeing Shen Qing standing behind the door, he was taken aback. His already bright and spirited eyes widened even more, and he quickly placed the brush in his hand on the brush holder to meet her.

Shen Qing went into the room and cupped his hands in greeting: "Congratulations on your transfer, Lord Qi."

Qi Zhenheng smiled and said, "It's just a lateral transfer, nothing to congratulate me on."

Shen Qing joked, "But the Textile Bureau is under the Imperial Household Department, so you'll still have the opportunity to join the Imperial Household Department in the future!"

The Imperial Household Department—that meant lots of money to be made.

Qi Zhenheng seemed not to understand her meaning. His bright eyes were fixed on her as he softened his voice and asked, "How have you been lately?"

The advisor tactfully left the study and closed the door tightly.

"This isn't good." Shen Qing unfolded a stack of agreements in his hand. "Take a look at this. This is why I came to see you today."