Gu Qinlan's face turned cold, and she said resolutely, "Since you insist on doing this, then go ahead and crash into it. I want to see if you really have the courage."
Shuangjiang stared at her in shock, her eyes filled with incomprehension and astonishment, clearly not expecting Gu Qinlan to be so heartless.
Gu Qinlan urged impatiently, "What are you still hesitating about? If you don't make up your mind, I'm leaving now."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Qinlan handed the box to Jiang Ye and turned to leave.
Fuyu followed closely behind, casting a mocking smile at Shuangjiang: "Who do you think you are? The Crown Prince used to have you guard the private treasury because he was not yet married at that time and no one was there to take care of these trivial matters for him, so he instructed you to guard the treasury strictly."
"To put it bluntly, you're nothing more than a gatekeeper. Now that the mistress has entered the household, and the heir has handed over all the power of the Duan Prince's Mansion to her, you must obey her every command. Everyone knows your filthy thoughts, so there's no need for you to keep them to yourself, to pretend you're special, or to be ridiculed."
Shuangjiang's face was as pale as paper, but she still stubbornly retorted, "I was just following the prince's orders to guard his private treasury. Don't even think about smearing me!"
Fuyu sneered repeatedly and retorted, "The young master once said that he would hand over the entire Duanwang Mansion to the madam, and that you could freely allocate everything in the private treasury. Why didn't you hear these words?"
"You shameless woman, you'd better recognize the situation. Even if you want to curry favor with the young master, you should wait until he returns before making any plans. Now everything in the manor is in the Madam's hands. If you dare to offend the Madam, see if we will let you off!"
After saying that, Fuyu waved her fist and exaggeratedly frightened Shuangjiang, causing her to involuntarily take two steps back.
Fuyu gave a disdainful snort, then turned and strode away.
...
Gu Qinlan handed half of the silver notes from Zheng Dinglian's box to Jiang Ye, saying firmly, "Take this money to buy grain, any kind, the more the better. Remember, go to Nan Shu."
Located on the northeastern border of the Western Wei Dynasty, Nan Shu was far from the Jin capital. However, Nan Shu was a rich grain-producing country, with lush and vibrant crops in the fields all year round.
Although relations between Southern Shu and Western Wei were not harmonious, and the two countries did not openly engage in trade, some audacious merchants still chose to conduct transactions privately. The courts of both countries adopted a passive and permissive attitude towards this.
Jiang Ye asked, somewhat taken aback, "How do you know these inside stories?"
This cousin is just a woman who lives a secluded life; how could she possibly know these little-known secrets?
Gu Qinlan smiled gently, her tone calm: "This is just a rumor we overheard; it's nothing earth-shattering. Once the grain is purchased, there's no need to rush to transport it back. Head north to find a secluded place to store it properly. Remember to keep a low profile and try to avoid revealing your whereabouts."
Jiang Ye asked curiously, "Could you reveal a thing or two about the true purpose of this grain?"
Gu Qinlan nodded slightly, gesturing for him to come closer, and then quickly and quietly whispered a few words in his ear.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ye's face showed a look of astonishment, and he stared at her intently.
Gu Qinlan smiled and said, "This is just a precaution I took in advance. If the thing I'm worried about doesn't happen, this food will naturally not be wasted. But if it does happen, this food will be of great value."
Jiang Ye couldn't help but exclaim, "If you weren't a woman, you would surely have achieved great things..."
Gu Qinlan shook her head dismissively: "What's wrong with women? Women can achieve great things too. Cousin, your views are far too outdated."
Jiang Ye laughed out loud: "Indeed, I was too prejudiced. Your foresight is something that many men would find hard to match."
Gu Qinlan sighed softly: "However, being a woman does have its inconveniences. There are many things I cannot do myself, and even if I could participate, I would always have many concerns."
If she were a man, she would certainly be able to act more freely.
There are far too many restrictions placed on women in this world.
Just as Gu Qinlan had predicted, the severity of this natural disaster far exceeded that of her previous life.
In the previous life, Jindu City was minimally affected, with only a few low-lying areas being flooded. But in this life, nearly half of Jindu City was submerged in floodwaters, and almost all the farmland and households in the suburbs suffered catastrophic destruction.
“Girl, the crops in several villages have all failed, and the tenants are extremely anxious. The wife of a tenant named Lu, unable to bear the blow, chose to hang herself.”
When Hongye reported the news, her tone revealed deep sorrow.
After listening, Gu Qinlan remained silent for a long time, her heart heavy. After a moment, she slowly spoke: "Send five taels of silver to that family so they can properly bury the peasant woman. At the same time, notify all the tenants on the estate that their rent for the first half of this year will be waived. Once the floodwaters recede, sow some short-cycle crops as soon as possible. If you're really unsure what to plant, then plant vegetables."
Hongye looked puzzled: "Growing vegetables? Girl, our several estates together have nearly a thousand acres of land, all of which are used to grow vegetables... Not only will the supply fall short of demand, but we may also face difficulties in selling them."
Gu Qinlan smiled slightly, her gaze firm: "Sometimes, what we need is not just immediate benefits, but long-term planning. Vegetables may be small, but they can save lives, especially in this year of famine."
When we understand the essential difference between grains and vegetables, we should know that grains will not spoil even if they are stored for a year or two; they will only taste slightly inferior.
However, once the vegetables are picked, they will rot in just two or three days.
Gu Qinlan pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Grow the vegetables, then make them into dried vegetables for storage. Next year, these dried vegetables will be of great use."
A glint of light flashed in Hongye's eyes: "That's right! It can be made into dried vegetables! How could I have overlooked that!"
With this year's disasters being so severe, food prices are bound to skyrocket next year.
It's obviously too late to plant grains now, but it's the perfect time to plant vegetables. Once the vegetables are harvested, the wheat can be planted.
Gu Qinlan continued, “We can plant some root vegetables, and we can also try some beans. Although leafy vegetables have a shorter growth cycle, their returns are not as high as these. I don’t know much about farming, so you just need to convey my ideas to the tenants and let them decide for themselves. As for the dried vegetables harvested, after deducting the rent they have to pay, the rest belongs to them. If they want to exchange the dried vegetables for grain, that’s fine too.”
Hongye said gratefully, "Young lady, you are kind-hearted. These tenant farmers are truly blessed to have met you."
Gu Qinlan smiled and shook her head: "We must always leave a way out for others."
Moreover, doing these things will earn her a good reputation, so why not?
Red Leaf hurriedly went to the estate with the good news from its master.
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