Chapter Twenty-Five: Are You Out of Your Mind? (Please Recommend and Add to Favorites)

Qin Zhiyu thought the idea was excellent and said to Granny Liu resentfully, "We must find more people, preferably to Xinghualou, so that she can suffer a fate worse than death."

Granny Liu obediently agreed, "Madam, Miss, please rest assured. My husband's distant cousin is the guard at Xinghua Tower. I will go find him right away and make sure that the Second Miss never returns from this trip."

A conspiracy targeting Qin Zhining thus quietly began.

Unaware of the situation, Qin Zhining, along with Qin Xiaoxiao, was in a good mood heading towards the morning market in Lincheng County.

At this moment, the early spring morning light has just spilled over the city wall crenellations, and the morning market is already bustling with people.

As the two women, mistress and servant, entered the morning market, the shouts of fishmongers, the sizzling of oil in woks, and the laughter of children filled the air.

The lively sounds, mixed with the smells of fish, noodles, and herbs, filled the cool air with the bustling atmosphere of home cooking.

As Qin Zhining and Qin Xiaoxiao walked, they took in the vibrant morning market.

Soon, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of an old man selling wild vegetables squatting in the corner, with a small bundle of lamb's quarters in front of him, its leaves wilted and curled.

[Ding—A human-grown plant has been discovered. Scientific name: Chenopodium album, common name: goosefoot, 50 coins per pound]

Before Qin Zhining could even get close to the gray-leaved vegetable, the spatial system excitedly shouted.

Qin Zhining saw the old man squatting by the vegetable stall with his brows furrowed in the distance, so she walked over quickly.

In the bamboo basket in front of the old man, there were some wilted lamb's quarters, the edges of the leaves already curled and yellowed.

He propped himself up on his knee with one hand, repeatedly slapped his thigh with the other, stared at the vegetable basket with his cloudy eyes, and sighed incessantly.

"Ugh, this awful heat is unbearable; the vegetables are practically wilting. If we can't sell them soon... what are we going to do about the money for my wife's medicine?"

A thought struck her, and she took out two white steamed buns from her cloth bag.

This was the breakfast she brought from the county magistrate's residence this morning, and it was one of the few things she could freely use right now.

"Uncle, how much is this lamb's quarters?" she asked softly as she stepped forward.

The old man looked up and saw a young woman. He quickly said, "Miss, do you want to buy them? If you want them all, just give me ten coins. That's enough for two meals for your family."

"I didn't bring any copper coins, can I use this to exchange for them?" Qin Zhining handed over the steamed bun.

White flour steamed buns were very precious these days, and ordinary families might not even be willing to eat them during festivals.

The old man looked at the soft, snow-white steamed bun, and his Adam's apple bobbed noticeably.

"This...this is too valuable."

The old man rubbed his hands together, his eyes filled with longing yet hesitant to accept, "Young lady, my wild vegetables aren't worth that much..."

Whether it's worth it or not is up to me.

Qin Zhining stuffed the steamed bun into his hand, then picked up the bundle of lamb's quarters herself. "My mother used to make lamb's quarters dumplings all the time. I'm craving them now. Uncle, you can have them, otherwise I won't take them."

The old man held the steamed bun, his eyes reddening, and thanked her repeatedly, saying, "What a kind person you are, young lady, you are such a kind person."

He hadn't eaten anything this morning. With these steamed buns, he wouldn't go hungry anymore, and he could eat one himself and save one for his wife to try.

When Qin Zhining handed over the two large steamed buns, she didn't notice that Qin Chengxuan and several young playboys were walking towards them.

Qin Zhining's act of bartering sparked a flurry of discussion among those around her.

"Is this girl crazy? Trading two steamed buns for a bunch of tattered wild vegetables?"

"They look unfamiliar, they're probably from out of town, and they don't even know they've been scammed."

"You didn't recognize her? This is the eldest daughter of Magistrate Qin's family, who just returned from the countryside yesterday."

"The Qin County Magistrate's family?" This remark sparked even louder discussions.

"Is she the eldest daughter whose birth mother died young, and who was cruelly sent to her ancestral home by her own father and aunt to fulfill her filial duty in place of her father?"

"No wonder... They must have been raised in the countryside and become stupid, trading gold buns for grass to eat."

"I heard that her father and her half-siblings have almost squandered her mother's dowry. How could they possibly give her anything good? I bet they stole this steamed bun to exchange for something to fill their stomachs."

"Tsk tsk, the eldest daughter of the county magistrate's family has fallen to this state, it's truly pitiful."

The gossip came like needles. Although Qin Xiaoxiao was mute, she was not deaf. Hearing these comments, she turned pale with anger and clenched her fists, ready to argue.

Qin Zhining gently pressed her down.

She didn't care about the comments; let whoever wants to say it, say it.

Just as he picked up the bundle of asparagus and was about to leave with Qin Xiaoxiao, an angry figure suddenly pushed through the crowd and rushed over.

"Qin Zhining, are you crazy?"

Qin Chengxuan was wearing a royal blue silk short jacket today, with a jade belt around his waist, clearly dressed up carefully.

Last night, Aunt An secretly gave him five taels of silver, which healed his fragile and easily hurt little heart.

So, early in the morning, I dress myself up like a fighting rooster, tail held high, and happily head to the morning market for breakfast.

But just after finishing a big bowl of wontons, he bumped into Qin Zhining exchanging large steamed buns for amaranth, and he was immediately furious.

"Qin Zhining, are you out of your mind?"

He looked at the steamed bun in the old man's hand, then at the asparagus fern Qin Zhining was carrying, and his forehead veins throbbed with anger.

"Two big white steamed buns for this bunch of rotten vegetables? Have you been kicked in the head by a donkey, or have you gone stupid from staying in the countryside? Get them back right now!"

His voice was loud and urgent, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

The old man selling vegetables already felt he had gotten a good deal, but he was so frightened by this scene that his face turned pale, and he hurriedly stuffed the steamed bun into Qin Zhining's hand.

"Miss! I can't take this steamed bun. Please take the vegetables back, I don't want the money, really." His hands were trembling, afraid of getting into trouble with the county magistrate's office.

Seeing that the old man knew what was good for him, Qin Chengxuan became even more smug and glanced at Qin Zhining, "Did you hear that?"

Everyone knows they shouldn't take advantage of a fool like you, so hurry up and take the steamed bun back! It's so embarrassing!

Qin Zhining frowned.

This was the second time she had a direct confrontation with her half-brother since returning to the mansion.

In the original owner's memories, Qin Chengxuan bullied the original owner a lot, relying on Aunt An's power.

Now it seems he's still the same spoiled and arrogant person he always was. The lesson she taught him yesterday wasn't profound enough.

Thinking of this, she handed the amaranth to Qin Xiaoxiao, raised her hand to press down the steamed bun the old man offered, her voice not loud but clear and strong.

"Sir, please take this. In this market, buying and selling are voluntary, a transaction between mutual consent. There's no such thing as one party taking advantage of the other."

She turned to Qin Chengxuan, her eyes turning colder. "I'm exchanging my own things for the food I want. What's it to you?"

"Qin Chengxuan, instead of meddling in my affairs, why don't you go back and see if your aunt is eyeing my mother's dowry again, or keep an eye on your sister and stop her from daydreaming about stealing other people's marriages?"

These words were like a slap in the face to Qin Chengxuan.