Su Qingyu casually picked up a piece of thousand-layer cake, took a bite, and asked, "What's the matter?"
Judging from the solemn look on my second cousin’s face, it’s probably not a trivial matter.
Lin Wenbo pondered and said, "The capital city has already collected grain from the people. One stone of grain is charged at four taels of silver."
"Many families have already sold the two dan of grain they bought with their household registration, making a net profit of five taels of silver."
Su Qingyu was not surprised at all. Her idea at the time was just to appease the anger of the court.
Nowadays, the price of grain in several prefectures around the capital has risen to seven or eight taels of silver per stone. In the capital, the price for people with household registration is one tael and five cents of silver per stone, and for those without household registration, it is five taels of silver per stone.
Someone must have taken the grain from the capital and taken it to other prefectures, or even shipped it directly to the northwest to sell. Now, grain stores were afraid to sell too much, and at noon, all grain stores in the capital closed directly.
Su Qingyu thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry about them. If they sell the grain, they won't have anything to eat themselves, and the price of grain in the capital will soon go up. We've done what we should do, and the court can't say anything more."
At this point, Su Qingyu asked in surprise, "Cousin, what do you think those people are thinking? Aren't they afraid that their families will starve?"
Lin Wenbo's face was slightly furious as he said, "I've actually checked this out. Someone spread the word during the grain collection process, saying that grain from Jiangnan has been delivered. In a few days, grain prices will return to normal."
Su Qingyu said in a deep voice: "Isn't this a rumor? The first few batches of grain from Jiangnan were to be shipped to the northwest for disaster relief, and there's still more waiting in the capital."
"These people are really unscrupulous in their pursuit of making money."
Lin Wenbo lowered his head and rubbed his swollen forehead, looking tired. Su Qingyu stood up and said goodbye, telling him to get a good night's sleep before leaving.
By the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the price of grain in the capital had risen to eight taels of silver per stone, and people had to queue up every day to buy it.
However, these had little impact on the aristocratic families in the capital. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, many people went to the Huguo Temple to pray and burn incense as usual.
Today, as usual, the old lady of the Su family took the female family members to the Huguo Temple in a carriage.
Su Qingyu looked outside through the gap in the car curtain. The next half month would be the most difficult time for the capital because refugees would be entering the capital soon.
The carriage stopped at the gate of Huguo Temple. The Su family had already reserved the courtyard for rest. As soon as everyone arrived at the gate, they ran into the Shen family who were also going to enter the courtyard.
Another round of greetings and greetings was inevitable.
Su Qingyu took a quick look and saw that the people coming from the Shen family this time were Old Madam Shen, the First Madam Chen, the Second Madam Yang, the Third Miss Shen Yue, the Eldest Master Shen Zhao, and Cheng Rujin.
"Cousin, I was wrong before, please don't be angry with me. After this incident, I have come to my senses. It was my own fault, and I shouldn't blame you."
Cheng Rujin stepped forward and carefully apologized to Su Qingyu.
Su Qingyu raised her eyebrows slightly. Cheng Rujin apologized? This was really new.
but……
If she believed it, God would not be able to bear it and strike her to death, right?
"Cousin, you don't have to apologize. It's normal for cousins to have some rifts between them." Su Qingyu said perfunctorily with an indifferent expression.
Cheng Ruijin didn't say much, but after Su Qingyu entered the house, she followed her in.
Su Qingyu was startled, frowned and asked, "Cousin, is there something wrong?"
Cheng Ruijin pursed her lips, looking like she wanted to say something but didn't dare.
Seeing this, Su Qingyu decided not to pay any attention to her and turned to walk towards the basin to wash her hands.
Cheng Ruijin quickly took out a pair of jade pendants inlaid together from his arms, took out one and put it in Su Qingyu's hand.
"Cousin, this is the jade pendant I've worn since I was a child. I'm giving you one. If you're willing to reconcile with me, then keep it. If... you don't want to forgive me, then return it to me tonight. I'll naturally understand your thoughts."
After saying that, Cheng Ruijin turned around and ran out.
Manju was impatient and straightforward. She said, "Miss, has your cousin changed her ways? Do you want to forgive her?"
Feicui, who had just brought in some hot water, said, "Why would anyone want to change their ways? I just know that one's nature is hard to change."
Su Qingyu was looking at the jade pendant at this moment, and the sarcastic smile on the corner of her mouth was obvious.
She recognized the jade pendant; it was given to him by Shen Zhao's grandmother.
What does it mean that Cheng Rujin stuffed it into her hands?
Whatever it means, it has no good intentions.
Seeing this, Feicui said, "Miss, would you like me to send it back to my cousin?"
Su Qingyu smiled playfully, "No need, I'll find a good home for it."
After the master and servants finished cleaning up, they went to light the eternal lamp with the old lady.
Su Qingyu took advantage of the situation and pulled Nanny Yuan aside.
"Mammy, I found a jade pendant. Please keep it for me. I'll ask someone to find out who dropped it, and then I'll ask you for it."
As he said this, he handed the jade pendant to Nanny Yuan.
Nanny Yuan didn't think anything was wrong. If it belonged to a young master, it would be right for the young lady to avoid suspicion. She put away the jade pendant and said, "Okay, I'll help keep it for now."
After lighting the eternal lamp, Su Qingyu whispered to the old lady, "Grandma, I'm going to chant sutras for Grandpa."
Behind her, Feicui was holding a stack of "The Sutra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva", which Su Qingyu had taken time to write this year.
Su Qingyu and her grandfather had a deep bond, so every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, she would light a perpetual lamp and recite sutras for him for an hour. She had done this for the past eight years.
The old lady nodded and said, "Go, your grandfather loved you well."
Every time Su Qingyu chanted scriptures, she would go to the reception hall at the back where there were not many people. This was the place where she had performed the salvation for Mr. Shen San last time.
This time, the master and servant went there as usual, but when they reached the door, Su Qingyu suddenly said, "After you go in, you two should find a place to hide. I always feel that running into the Shen family this time is too coincidental."
She brought jade and agate with her today specifically for fear of any uncontrollable accidents.
After entering the main hall, Su Qingyu knelt on the cushion with the copied sutras placed in front of her. After reciting these sutras, they would be offered to the Buddha.
Jade and Agate jumped onto the beam, hid their bodies and looked down.
Su Qingyu looked at the Buddha statue above the hall devoutly and chanted scriptures in a low voice.
After about a quarter of an hour, before the first reading of the scripture was finished, footsteps were heard behind him.
Su Qingyu turned around and saw Shen Zhao and Cheng Rujin walking in together.
As soon as Shen Zhao entered the room, he squatted beside Su Qingyu and said softly.
"Sister Qingyu, cancel your marriage with Third Uncle. He's a dead man and can't give you happiness."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
