Grandpa Gu nodded in agreement.
Gu Qinlan chuckled lightly: "Then has Grandfather considered why the other families in the city haven't taken similar actions? Don't they think of this?"
Grandpa Gu was stunned for a moment.
Gu Qinlan sighed, "The unanimous silence of the other families can only mean that they have formed a secret alliance, or that someone has forbidden them from selling grain. The Gu family and the Zheng family are completely unaware of this. What consequences will it have if we sell grain now?"
Old Master Gu's face turned ugly.
This is clearly problematic, and the problem seems to be specifically targeted at the Gu or Zheng families.
If they were to sell their grain first, they would likely be accused of profiteering and taking advantage of the disaster. At best, the Gu family's reputation would be ruined; at worst, they might face punishment from the imperial court and be convicted of crimes…
A layer of cold sweat broke out on Old Master Gu's back.
Gu Qinlan continued, "We don't know how long the siege by refugees will last. The longer we hold onto our food, the more disadvantageous it will be for us. If the imperial court investigates and finds out we have food but refuse to sell it, what consequences will we face?"
"Therefore, I will donate the Gu family's stored grain. This will not only save the people in the city, but also win the reputation of the Gu family and avoid future troubles. This is the best choice."
“No matter how dire the situation, as long as the Gu family runs out of food, we will not get involved in any trouble. And the people in the city will remember that the Gu family was the first to step forward and give food to save lives.”
"Fifty thousand catties of stored grain is only worth a thousand taels of silver, which is just a drop in the ocean for the Gu family. Even if we sell it at a high price, it will not make us rich. I think it is worth it to exchange this small amount of profit for the peace and good reputation of the whole family."
Grandpa Gu gradually regained his composure, his eyes revealing genuine appreciation: "Your wisdom and foresight are admirable. What you did was truly a wise move."
Unfortunately, she was just a woman.
If she were a man, the Gu family's future would surely be bright and promising!
Gu Qinlan smiled gently and replied, "Thank you for your approval, Grandfather."
Grandpa Gu looked a little tired. "You're busy with your work, go back and take care of it first. If you encounter any problems, feel free to come and discuss them with me."
He clearly didn't trust Gu Qinlan and intended to use her to control the overall situation.
Gu Qinlan maintained her smile: "My granddaughter will remember this."
Wanting her to contribute while simultaneously controlling her is not as simple as it seems.
After leaving the Gu family, Gu Qinlan returned to the Duan Prince's residence. As soon as she arrived at the gate, she heard a commotion.
"I am the sister-in-law of your lady's younger sister. Why won't you let me in? Are the servants of your Prince Duan's mansion so rude and ignorant of etiquette?"
Fuyu gently lifted the curtain and glimpsed a bit. "Miss, those are the first and second wives of the Ji family."
When the gatekeeper saw Gu Qinlan's carriage return, he hurriedly stepped forward to ask for instructions: "Madam, those two people claim to be your relatives and are making a scene, demanding to enter the mansion. I don't know how to deal with them, so I humbly request your guidance."
Since the refugee siege, the Prince Duan's residence has refused all outside visitors. Unless personally invited by the Prince's residence or sent with a visiting card in advance, all uninvited visitors will not be received.
The two ladies of the Ji family arrived at the last minute. The doorman had explained the situation many times, but they seemed not to understand and insisted on seeing Gu Qinlan.
While the gatekeeper was talking to Gu Qinlan, the two daughters of the Ji family overheard them and, disregarding etiquette, turned and ran towards the carriage.
"Sister, you're finally back. The servants in your household have no manners at all."
Madam Ji spoke kindly, reaching out to lift the carriage curtain, but as soon as her hand touched it, she heard a "whoosh" and a sharp sword was placed beside her.
Sang Qian's face was stern, and he coldly shouted, "Insolence! Step back!"
Madam Ji was so shocked that her face turned pale, and she staggered back a few steps, "Sister... Sister..."
A clear voice came from inside the car: "I am the eldest daughter of the Gu family. Please do not mistake me for a sister, madam."
Madam Ji awkwardly changed her address: "Madam Zheng, I am Qin Lian's eldest sister-in-law, and this is her second sister-in-law. We have come today to discuss something. Would you mind if we could come into the residence to talk in detail?"
Gu Qinlan replied, "If it's inconvenient, let's talk here."
Madam Ji seemed a little embarrassed and tugged at her sister-in-law, but the other woman pretended not to notice.
Left with no other choice, Madam Ji had to bite the bullet and say, "It's like this, Madam Zheng, my family has run out of food these past two days. I heard that the Gu family has plenty of food in their granaries, so I would like to borrow some."
Gu Qinlan raised an eyebrow: "How much do you want to borrow?"
Madam Ji hurriedly replied, "No more, no less, one thousand catties."
Gu Qinlan chuckled lightly: "Please go back, both of you. The grain stored in the Gu family warehouse has been fully registered and will be used to cook porridge to relieve the people in the city. Let alone a thousand catties, even ten catties would be difficult to move."
Madam Ji said anxiously, "Madam Zheng, there are at least tens of thousands of catties of grain stored in the warehouse. We only need to borrow a thousand catties. It's not like we're taking it for nothing; we will definitely repay it in the future. After all, we are relatives. You are willing to give grain to strangers, but are you unwilling to help your own relatives?"
Gu Qinlan said firmly, "At this moment, every grain of food stored in the Gu family's granary belongs to every citizen of Jindu. If Madam Ji wishes to borrow grain, I must first seek the consent of those suffering people. If they agree, I will have nothing to say."
After saying this, she turned to Sang Qian and instructed him, "Go quickly to the nearest porridge distribution site and ask the people for their opinions in detail. Make sure you explain everything clearly."
Sang Qian accepted the order and hurried away.
Madam Ji's expression changed drastically, and she interrupted anxiously, "That's enough, we don't need to borrow any more grain."
Gu Qinlan chuckled lightly, her tone teasing: "Don't be in such a hurry. Since we're all family, and you've asked, how can I not do my part? Be patient, and perhaps in a short while, the people will bring the food you need to your door."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Qinlan directed two other guards to drive the carriage into the mansion.
Fuyu couldn't help but chuckle: "Miss, aren't you putting the Ji family in dire straits?"
The people of the entire city are currently relying on that meager amount of food to barely survive. Asking them to borrow food would be tantamount to taking their lives!
The Ji family truly brought this upon themselves.
Given the severe food shortage, their audacity in demanding a thousand catties of grain is utterly shameless.
One thousand catties of grain is enough to sustain ten thousand people for one day!
The Ji family usually only buys twenty or thirty catties of grain. This thousand catties is enough for them to enjoy sumptuous meals every day for several months.
Clearly, their plan is to take advantage of the new grain harvest next year.
Madam Ji was caught off guard by Gu Qinlan's response and panicked. She hurriedly returned home with her sister-in-law.
However, as soon as they stepped into the house, the gate of the Ji family was surrounded by angry villagers.
"Bang bang bang—"
"Open the door!"
"Shameless scoundrels! How dare you make things difficult for the Crown Princess! Open the door at once!"
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