"Grains and vegetables are all good things; this girl knows a thing or two."
Magistrate Zhu's small eyes lit up, and he called over a servant boy, instructing him:
"Go and keep an eye on her secretly, see where she buys things from."
Grains and vegetables can't just appear out of thin air, can they?
The servant hurriedly went out, but Magistrate Wen disapproved and advised:
"Sir, what you are doing is wrong."
"What's wrong with it?"
"It's her skill that she managed to get it. But if she finds out we sent people to follow her and she actually went to the next county to sell things, wouldn't our people be in trouble..."
As a county magistrate, if he could reduce the number of deaths among his people during a famine, and then report it to the higher authorities, it would be a great achievement, potentially leading to a promotion or even a higher rank.
"Keep an eye on her and don't let her leave."
Magistrate Zhu wasn't worried at all. It was just a little girl and a young man; what was there to be afraid of?
"What about the collaboration?"
"I'm helping her make money, so asking for half the profits isn't unreasonable, is it?"
Seeing that he persisted, Magistrate Wen sighed helplessly, feeling that what he was doing was not quite right.
...
"This magistrate is really greedy," Han Yuchen said with a sneer as he stepped out of the gate.
“Yes, we don’t necessarily have to do business here. Brother Chen, we’re not far from the capital. With Zhuifeng for transportation, I’d like to go to the capital for a visit.”
Han Yuchen's heart skipped a beat; he hadn't expected Han Luoxue to be going to the capital so soon.
He cannot go to the capital city for the time being.
It's all that greedy magistrate's fault. If it weren't for her, Han Luoxue wouldn't have wanted to go to the capital.
"Should we still keep the shop open?"
Han Yuchen didn't want to stop him, and his tone was a little downcast.
“Go ahead and open it. The town is so chaotic right now, we can just open it for a little while each day. Everyone will be in one place then. I’ll design the shop and make some minor renovations.”
Han Luoxue thought about it for a moment, and only then did she realize that she had been too naive. She had only focused on exchanging food for money, but forgot that hungry people were capable of anything.
It seems that in the future, when selling grain in other places, we should still find large-scale farmers to cooperate with. One person can't earn all the money. Cooperation and win-win is the way to long-term development.
Just like in Wuling Town, she could have approached the former grain merchants and leveraged their influence to help them make money as well.
"Okay, whatever you say."
Han Yuchen's face remained calm, but his heart was in turmoil. He didn't know how much Han Luoxue possessed. He wanted to buy the grain and send it to his maternal grandfather, but he didn't know how to ask.
Moreover, sending so much stuff there is also a problem. There are so many people watching my grandfather now. If they find out, there will definitely be many ambushes on the way, which would be another disaster.
However, my maternal grandparents' family also runs a grain business, so if all else fails, we could find someone to come and talk to.
When the two returned, the carriage had already arrived. Han Luoxue recounted the events at the county government office. Han Mingyuan sighed.
"People can really go crazy when they're starving. Xue'er, maybe we shouldn't open this shop for now?"
He also wants to make money so his family can live a better life, but safety comes first.
"Xue'er, I think that makes sense too."
Yunniang wholeheartedly agreed; since her parents had said so, Han Luoxue could only nod in agreement. The group tidied up the backyard; the shop would remain idle for now, as it hadn't been expensive when they bought it. Once the harvest was good and business in town recovered, they could do whatever they wanted.
After a long day of travel, everyone was tired, so they quickly made themselves a quick meal and went to bed early.
...
After moving to a new room, Han Luoxue hadn't even lain down when her parents came in. Seeing them carefully close the door, Han Luoxue knew they had something to say to her.
She wasn't in a hurry and waited quietly for them to speak.
"Xue'er, I think we need to think about selling the grain more carefully. If we put out the grain, it will definitely be looted. There are too many starving people outside, and they won't think rationally when they see grain. I don't think even if the constables are there to keep an eye on them, they'll have a hard time controlling them. Besides, how are you going to get the grain out? You can't just conjure it up out of thin air, can you?"
Han Luoxue had also considered this problem. The best solution was to find a secluded place to use as a warehouse. The shop's wagons would go out to haul grain every day. However, this would eventually attract attention.
A perfect solution to the food supply problem requires careful consideration. They also have to take Magistrate Zhu's suggestion into account.
“I remember there was a house in Wuling Mountain, not far from the town, about half an hour’s walk away. No one usually lived there, but it could be used as a temporary place to store grain.”
Han Mingyuan used to enjoy hunting, and no one in the entire Wuling Mountains knew it better than him.
"But your father wouldn't feel comfortable letting you go alone. How about letting Han Yuchen go with you? But if he comes along, your secret won't be kept."
Han Mingyuan was in a real bind. The fewer people who knew his daughter's secret, the better. But his leg was still weak, and there were some things that his daughter and Yunniang couldn't do on their own.
"Hey, Brother Yuan, do you think Han Yuchen is stupid? He guessed Xue'er's secret a long time ago, but that child is considerate, so if we don't tell her, she won't ask."
Yunniang glared at Han Mingyuan.
Han Luoxue knew what was going on, but she didn't want to confess yet. Han Yuchen also had a story, and she wanted to hear it first.
"Xue'er, I feel that Yu Chen is a pretty reliable child. You have two choices now. First, tell him your secret, which will test his character. He's doing well now, but no one can guarantee that he won't be tempted after knowing your secret."
What Han Mingyuan didn't say was that human nature is the most vulnerable to temptation.
"Secondly, you should go out and contact other buyers yourself. If you don't have much stock in your storage space, you can sell it slowly in town. Sell the grain as soon as possible. Although it's for profit, it can also save more people."
Han Mingyuan's words made Han Luoxue think deeply. She recalled the jade bracelet Han Yuchen had given her; he must have hesitated before giving it to her, after all, a jade bracelet of this quality was not something an ordinary person could possess.
"Alright, it's getting late, let's go to sleep early. We'll close the shop tomorrow. Let's rest for a few days, tidy up, and get the shop and our accommodation sorted out."
Han Luoxue nodded and watched her parents leave.
She lay in bed, looking at the large amount of food in the room, and felt a tightness in her chest when she thought about how many people outside were hungry and not getting enough to eat.
They were none of her business, yet she had things to offer but didn't share them, watching helplessly as some people starved to death. Even so, she felt incredibly distressed.
"Space, when will you upgrade again, or give me endless power?"
With power, she could protect herself and her family.
Han Luoxue took the little tiger cub out and held it in her arms.
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