Chapter Twenty-Six: Good Intentions Misunderstood
Qin Chengxuan was well aware that his birth mother, Aunt An, often secretly took things from the mansion to subsidize her family.
His sister, Qin Zhiyu, was even more smug about having snatched the original owner's good marriage offer and boasted everywhere that she had found a good husband.
If Qin Zhining hadn't made such a scene yesterday, he would have thought, like them, that Hua's stepmother's dowry was only right, and that his sister was honored to have won the favor of the He family's third son.
So, after Qin Zhining's "baptism" yesterday, he realized that these were actually his sore spots.
That's why, when he saw Qin Zhining exchanging steamed buns for asparagus, he realized she had been tricked by the old man, and he decided to meddle and help her.
As a result, Qin Zhining publicly exposed his family's shameful secrets, which made him so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged.
"You...you're talking nonsense." He pointed at Qin Zhining, his hand trembling. "My mother and sister are not like that at all."
Qin Zhining, I kindly advised you, but not only did you not appreciate it, you even dared to slander my mother. You truly don't know what's good for you.
"Whether it's slander or not, we'll know once we go back to the manor and check the accounts," Qin Zhining said calmly. "Every single monthly allowance for the manor is paid using the dowry left by my mother."
"I'm exchanging some of the things my mother left me for some food. Who are you to criticize me for?" She emphasized the words "my mother's dowry" and spoke clearly to make sure everyone around could hear her.
"And also—Qin Chengxuan, stop calling her 'your mother' all the time. She's just a concubine in the county magistrate's mansion."
You lowered yourself to call her "mother" in public. Do you have any regard for the laws of our Great Qi Dynasty or the rules of our ancestors?
Remember this: your legal mother is my mother. Even though she has been gone for many years, she is still your legal mother, your mother, not Aunt An.
Upon hearing this, the onlookers suddenly realized what was happening, and their gazes towards Qin Chengxuan changed.
"So you were using someone else's birth mother's dowry for household expenses..."
"No wonder this illegitimate son is so arrogant; he's not spending his own family's money, is he?"
"The legitimate daughter uses her own mother's money to buy some vegetables, but the illegitimate son jumps out to point fingers. The rules of this county magistrate's mansion are indeed quite interesting."
“Oh my, he calls his concubine ‘mother,’ listen to how affectionately he does it! If you didn’t know better, you’d think the county magistrate’s mansion was run by a concubine, and that the concubine was the mistress of the house.”
"Oh my, is Magistrate Qin spoiling his concubine and neglecting his wife? Has he no shame?"
The whispers pierced Qin Chengxuan's ears like needles. He was both ashamed and angry, but he couldn't refute them. He could only glare fiercely at Qin Zhining.
"Fine! Very well. Qin Zhining, you just wait. I've taken your kindness for granted. I'm never going to get involved in your affairs again."
After saying that, he angrily stormed off, not even bothering to look after the sons of officials who had come with him.
As they watched his disheveled figure disappear, a low chuckle rippled through the crowd.
Someone shouted praises to Qin Zhining, "Well said, young lady. This is a voluntary transaction; no one else has the right to interfere!"
"Exactly. It's only right to exchange your own things for what you want to eat."
Qin Zhining nodded slightly to the crowd, then turned to the old man selling vegetables, "Uncle, don't worry, no one can force you to turn back. Hurry up and finish selling your vegetables and go home."
The old man finally calmed down, clutched the steamed bun tightly, and walked away with his load, expressing his gratitude profusely.
[Host, are you going to sell this amaranth or not?] The system was getting anxious. It had already considered this amaranth as something from its own space and had consigned it to a big shot in the interstellar era via a precision transport device.
With just this little bit of gray vegetables, you can earn 10,000 interstellar currency. How can you not be anxious?
Qin Zhining gave it a decisive answer, "Not for sale. I'm keeping this as a cover—for myself to eat."
"What? You're not even going to make money?" Tongzi was furious. "Honestly, you're not even going to make money. You're such a cheapskate. A bastard wouldn't take money."
Qin Zhining didn't bother arguing with the silly leader, and continued strolling around the market with Qin Xiaoxiao in her hand.
Qin Xiaoxiao's eyes sparkled as she silently looked at Qin Zhining, her face full of admiration.
Miss is amazing! Her words are sharper than knives. She made that annoying playboy run away. Hehe—it didn't take any effort at all.
Seeing the girl looking at her with such admiration, Qin Zhining smiled, ruffled her hair, and said, "To deal with this kind of person, you have to be tougher than him and not hold back with your words."
Qin Xiaoxiao nodded, a layer of sadness appearing in her bright eyes.
Qin Zhining knew what was bothering her and said, "Once I've settled things at the county magistrate's office, I'll find a way to treat your throat. Just wait a bit."
Qin Xiaoxiao's eyes, which had been dull, suddenly lit up again, and she nodded quickly. The surprise on her small, exquisite face was very infectious.
After comforting Qin Xiaoxiao, Qin Zhining walked around carefully observing the surrounding stalls, secretly making plans in her mind.
Although the original owner's birth mother left behind a large dowry, it was embezzled and misappropriated by Aunt An, so there probably wasn't much left.
To gain a foothold in Lincheng County, and even to leave in the future, one must earn money on one's own.
What kind of business is good to start?
As she was pondering this, she caught a glimpse of a stall selling frozen cabbage on the street corner.
It was an old woman wearing patched clothes, guarding a small pile of frozen cabbages, her nose red from the cold, anxiously watching passersby.
Just as Qin Zhining was about to walk over and ask about the price, a familiar electronic voice suddenly rang in her mind.
[Ding-beep! Energy detection in progress... Within three steps, thirty frozen cabbages were detected.]
In the interstellar era, there is a severe shortage of plant energy from parallel worlds. Preliminary assessment: each frozen cabbage head can be exchanged for one tael of silver in the Great Qi Dynasty.
Qin Zhining paused, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.
Very good.
Unexpectedly, the spatial system activated the shopping mall because of a bundle of gray cabbage. What a pleasant surprise!
It is important to know that resources are scarce in the interstellar era, especially plants that contain natural energy, which are extremely rare and valuable.
The Great Qi Dynasty was a vast and resource-rich land, where even ordinary vegetables and fruits were high-priced energy sources in interstellar space.
Just like this frozen cabbage, it costs at most a few coins a piece here, but its value increases a thousandfold in interstellar space.
[Host, do you confirm the exchange? Thirty frozen cabbages can be exchanged for thirty taels of silver.] The system's mechanical voice sounded again.
Qin Zhining snorted coldly in her mind, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the frozen vegetable leaves. "Tongzi, who are you trying to fool?"
Do you think I don't know the Interstellar Alliance's acquisition price? Last year, when I was eating frozen radishes in the Interstellar Mental Hospital, the acquisition station was offering eight taels of silver per radish.
Your price isn't even a fraction of the quote. Five ounces a piece, not a penny less. I'm telling you, this price is a friend's price because we're old friends.
The system was silent for a few seconds, and the data stream rustled in my mind.
[...Host's historical transaction records detected. Price reassessed. Five taels per piece, shipping costs to be covered by the space. Transaction complete?]
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