After listening for a while, when Song Qianning was about to leave the restaurant, Niu Dazhuang appeared with a worried look on his face.
Seeing Song Qianning, Niu Dazhuang forced himself to cheer up: "Miss Song."
Noticing his worried expression, Song Qianning raised her eyebrows: "But what happened?"
"...Hmm." After hesitating for a moment, Niu Dazhuang said with a worried look on his face, "I do have something to tell Miss Song."
Song Qianning intuitively felt that what Niu Dazhuang was about to say was related to the reason for his worry: "Go ahead."
"The prices of vegetables here have skyrocketed in the past few days. The prices of the vegetables needed by the restaurant have increased significantly."
When Niu Dazhuang mentioned this, his brows were filled with even more worry: "It's not just our restaurant, several other restaurants nearby are almost unable to afford food."
"Especially those restaurants that aren't doing well. I heard they're planning to close for a few days. Recently, when I was buying vegetables, the prices the vegetable vendors were asking were shockingly high. Ordinary people can barely afford to eat there."
Upon learning about the recent surge in vegetable prices, Song Qianning frowned.
Vegetable prices also soared for a while some time ago, but that was because there was no rain, which forced vegetable vendors to raise the prices of vegetables.
But the weather has been sunny and favorable recently, and there has been no period of no rain. Vegetable prices should not be raised arbitrarily.
Temporarily suppressing the doubts in her heart, Song Qianning looked at Niu Dazhuang and reminded him: "Even if the price of vegetables soars, you must buy good vegetables as before and not buy bad ones."
"Don't worry, Miss Song. I know everything." Niu Dazhuang nodded. "It's just that the price of vegetables, I don't know when it will come down."
After giving Niu Dazhuang some instructions, Song Qianning left the restaurant.
On the way back from the restaurant, she kept thinking about this.
When passing a street, there was a noise coming from the front. Song Qianning put away his thoughts, looked up and saw a group of people gathered around the notice board in front, pointing at the notice board and discussing something with each other.
With an idea in mind, Song Qianning also squeezed in through the passage between the crowd.
After seeing the new notice posted on the notice board, Song Qianning widened her eyes slightly.
While being surprised, I also had some speculations about the recent surge in vegetable prices.
There was no other reason. The notice posted on the bulletin board was about taxes. It was not about reducing taxes, but about increasing taxes. This was also what the people around were discussing.
"Alas, the imperial court is going to increase taxes again. How are we going to live from now on?"
"It's said that when taxes were increased a few years ago, many people in a nearby village starved to death. I'm afraid another group will starve to death this time."
"Why is the imperial court increasing taxes for no reason? My family's income has been poor in recent years, barely enough to make ends meet. Now that taxes are increased, I wonder what will happen."
"Increasing taxes will only make us ordinary people suffer. My grandmother starved to death a few years ago."
Listening to the discussions of the people around her, Song Qianning pursed her lips slightly.
It’s no wonder that the people are complaining. When taxes are increased, the people are often the ones who suffer and they are the ones who suffer.
It's not so bad for some wealthy families, as at most they will just have to pay a little more tax, which doesn't have much impact on them. But for some ordinary families, especially those in difficult situations, increasing taxes will undoubtedly be like asking for their lives, because there will probably be many people who starve to death due to taxes.
It is not difficult to imagine that vegetable prices will rise.
After the tax increase, not only the price of vegetables will rise, but I'm afraid other things will also rise.
Because it was getting late, Song Qianning didn't stay long. After reading the content on the notice, she left the notice board.
In the evening, Chang Qing came to visit Song Qianning at her home as usual: "Miss Song."
At that time, Song Qianning had just finished her meal with her two cubs and was about to go back to her room after cleaning up the kitchen.
"Master Changqing."
Chang Qing has been coming here often recently, and Song Qianning has gotten used to it.
As she chatted, she recalled the notice she had seen on the street today and mentioned it casually: "The court has suddenly raised taxes. Does Master Changqing know the reason?"
Generally speaking, the imperial court would not increase taxes at will unless something happened.
Hearing Song Qianning's words, Chang Qing paused, his brows filled with surprise.
Chang Qing quickly suppressed his surprise, thought for a while, and said to Song Qianning: "I will find time to investigate this matter."
While talking to Song Qianning, Chang Qing was also confused and puzzled in his heart.
Increasing tax revenue is no small matter, so why hadn't he gotten any information about it before?
…
A few days passed in a flash, and after the tax increase, Song Qianning's daily life did not change much.
That day, when Song Qianning was busy, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her, and at the same time, a familiar voice came: "Miss Song."
When Song Qianning first heard Pan's mother's voice, she almost thought there was something wrong with her ears.
Until she turned around and saw Pan's mother coming towards her, she was surprised and raised her eyebrows and looked over: "How come Madam Pan has the time to come to see me?"
Pan's mother, who always looked arrogant and conceited, looked very bad, with dark circles under her eyes, and she looked much more haggard than before.
When facing Song Qianning, he was not like he was in the past. Instead, he looked excited, as if he had seen a relative.
After calling Song Qianning, Pan's mother stretched out her legs and wanted to kneel on the ground.
Song Qianning had been on guard against Pan's mother, and noticed the moment she wanted to kneel down.
When Pan's mother was about to kneel down, Song Qianning dodged to the side and avoided it nimbly.
"I'm sorry, Madam Pan and I are not familiar with each other. I can't bear such a generous gesture from Madam Pan."
Pan's mother, who had already knelt down, didn't know whether to continue kneeling or not, so she had to get up from the ground in embarrassment.
Thinking of her purpose today, Mother Pan forced a smile, a little flattering: "Miss Song, I came here today specifically to ask for your help."
"I wonder what could have made Madam Pan condescend to come to me?"
With a flattering smile, Pan's mother didn't care about the embarrassment and directly stated her purpose.
"My daughter Ruoruo has recently contracted chickenpox and hasn't recovered. I'd like to ask Miss Song to help cure it so it doesn't affect her marriage."
When Pan's mother first mentioned this, Song Qianning almost thought she had misheard.
Her trick would only make others see that Pan Ruoruo had chickenpox, but would not actually cause her to get chickenpox.
It was not until Pan's mother finished speaking that Song Qianning realized that after she left that day, Pan Ruoruo accidentally contracted chickenpox.
After learning the truth, Song Qianning's mouth twitched and her eyes revealed a bit of strangeness.
Could this be what they call retribution?
Fearing that Song Qianning would reject her, she finished telling Pan Ruoruo about her chickenpox. Pan's mother raised her finger to the sky and swore, "As long as Miss Song is willing to help me, from now on I will definitely control my Ruoruo and not let her cause you any trouble again."
"If not, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death, and then go to hell after death."
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