When Qin Yining arrived at the side hall, Manager Zhong was pacing around with a grave expression. Upon seeing Qin Yining enter, he immediately hurried over anxiously, saying, “Boss, something terrible has happened.”

“What is it? Sit down and tell me slowly.”

Qin Yining led Manager Zhong to take a seat. Song Lan served tea to both of them and then withdrew.

Manager Zhong couldn’t care about etiquette and gulped down most of his bowl to moisten his throat, which was nearly on fire from anxiety.

“Recently, more and more people in the city have been fleeing for their lives. Those who previously mortgaged their properties and storefronts to borrow money from us have all abandoned their houses and run away! I took people to search for them house by house, but not a single family followed the rules. They all just left caretakers behind, and most of them left us letters and property deeds.”

Qin Yining was stunned and took the stack of letters Manager Zhong handed her to look through.

Their meanings were all similar – those people no longer cared whether the borrowed silver could match the actual value of their storefronts and properties. Due to urgent family matters or various other reasons, they were desperate to leave the capital. They were treating the borrowed silver as if Qin Yining had bought their shops and storefronts, and all those storefronts and properties now belonged to Qin Yining.

What was this? Forced buying and selling?

In peaceful times, where could one find such good deals? Not to mention this stack of property deeds, even just one of them would require tremendous effort for Qin Yining to acquire. By peacetime calculations, Qin Yining had gotten a great bargain!

But the problem was that in these times, storefronts and shops were utterly worthless!

Given the Huben Army’s brutal behavior in Xihua City, it was hard to guarantee they wouldn’t charge into the capital in the future. What if the capital fell and the Huben Army burned, killed, and pillaged throughout the city?

Storefronts and houses were dead assets. These people fleeing with their families couldn’t take houses and land with them, but they could take silver. Once they reached new territories, they could still rely on this silver to support their families.

But what use were so many dead assets in the capital to Qin Yining? They couldn’t be eaten or used, and if the Zhou people invaded, a single fire would leave nothing behind.

No wonder Manager Zhong was so anxious.

Qin Yining sighed deeply. “Such are the times. Being anxious now is useless. Looking at the bright side, at least we’re left with these shops and houses. If I had so many storefronts in the past, just renting them out would provide enough to last a lifetime.”

“Boss can still joke at a time like this.” Manager Zhong sighed and said, “Boss hasn’t been out to see recently. Not only do these merchants have foresight in choosing to flee early with their silver, even ordinary commoners are selling houses and land to leave. There are quite a few large estates in the suburbs all trying to sell, but in these chaotic times, who doesn’t know to keep some silver for escape? Who would want farmland that can’t be eaten or used?”

Manager Zhong shook his head, pointing in the direction of Great Zhou and cursing, “Tell me, how can those bastards be so untrustworthy? The peace talks went well, the treaty was signed – we ceded territory and paid reparations, all so the common people could have a few peaceful days. Now we’ve given the silver and ceded the land, yet they turned their backs and refused to acknowledge it! Yes, our emperor is incompetent and muddled, but though the emperor is worthless, what fault do the common people have? Now ordinary folk are selling land to flee for their lives. I think it won’t be long before they start selling children, daughters, and wives.”

Qin Yining naturally knew what kind of life common people lived during wartime. Not only were enemy armies detestable, but those bandits who couldn’t get food and turned to brigandage were even more detestable than enemy troops – burning, killing, raping, and committing every evil, truly frightening people so much they dared not close their eyes when sleeping. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had to hide alone in the mountains back then.

“Manager Zhong, with the world in such chaos, have you arranged your family affairs properly?”

Manager Zhong nodded. “I’ve already had my son arrange everything for retreat.”

“That’s good. Regardless of the outcome of this war, making preparations in advance is never a bad thing. Manager Zhong’s family might as well head south to avoid trouble. If the capital remains safe, that’s naturally good, and you can return anytime. If something really happens, you can avoid disaster. The city hasn’t reached martial law yet, so why not leave quickly while you can? If the Zhou people really lay siege to the city, escaping won’t be so easy. Manager Zhong is a smart man and should arrange for his family early.”

Manager Zhong nodded repeatedly, moved as he said, “It’s rare to find such an honorable boss. This old man heard the other day that you let the manor’s servants go free, giving them silver to escape. Now many people praise the Marquis Anping Manor’s benevolence. It’s just that His Majesty is blind and treats Marquis Anping so poorly.”

Qin Yining waved her hand helplessly. “Both thunder and rain are imperial grace. Since my father is wholly loyal, he must naturally bear it all. I simply don’t want to implicate innocent people. Since they have the intention to leave, I needn’t force them to stay. Now that Manager Zhong has arranged his family affairs, when the time is right, you should also leave the capital with your children. During this period, Manager Zhong can begin transferring the accounts to me.”

Manager Zhong had just deliberately avoided answering, wanting to dodge this issue.

But Qin Yining’s wholehearted concern for him made him unable to avoid facing the current reality.

“Boss, it’s easy for me to leave, but what about you?”

“Me?” Qin Yining smiled slightly. “I am the daughter of the Qin family. Even if Great Yan’s sky falls, I will remain in the capital to advance and retreat together with my father.”

Qin Yining rose and paced to the rear window, looking at the lush green grass and dense small grove outside, where several birds perched, chirping cheerfully.

Such peaceful scenery – who knew if it could still be seen in the future?

Thinking of those citizens in the city who were exhausted from fleeing but lacked travel funds, Qin Yining thought for a moment and said, “Manager, I have one last matter to trouble you with. After you arrange it, you can leave the capital with your family.”

Manager Zhong asked puzzledly, “What are your instructions, Boss?”

“My silver, aside from supporting those refugees at Ningyuan, should still have a surplus, right?”

Manager Zhong nodded. “The fortune Duke Dingguo’s wife left you was quite substantial. You’ve only spent ten thousand taels – even spending vigorously, how much could you use?”

“Good, having a surplus is fine. Since common people in the city are selling land to flee for their lives, Manager Zhong should arrange for people to quietly purchase those fields.”

“What!” Manager Zhong stood up in shock. “Boss, the land they’re selling is just like the houses left by those who mortgaged and borrowed – completely useless to you! Once the city falls, those lands become wasteland. Then we won’t even know whose country it is, let alone who will farm the unworked fields! If you spend this silver, it’s like throwing it into water!”

“I understand everything Manager said.” Qin Yining turned around and smiled. “But I just don’t want to benefit the Zhou Emperor.”

Manager Zhong was stunned.

“If Great Yan falls, with no country being country and no home being home, not only my Zhaoyun Company, but the entire Qin family and the entire Yan Dynasty’s treasury will fall into the Zhou Emperor’s hands. I have no say over the national treasury, the Qin family’s silver isn’t much and isn’t mine to decide, but my own silver – even if I throw it away, I don’t want to benefit the Zhou Emperor!”

“Boss…” Manager Zhong suddenly felt his eyes grow hot and his nose sting, tears nearly flowing out.

“I definitely cannot escape. Once the country truly falls, my possessions will all become the Zhou Emperor’s. While the silver is still under my control, why not exchange it to help common people escape? At least it’s being used on Yan Dynasty’s people – that’s not wasteful. Otherwise, benefiting the Zhou Emperor for nothing in the future would truly pain my heart.”

“Boss shows great righteousness.” Manager Zhong bowed respectfully with admiration. In an instant, as if something had been decided firmly, “Good, since Boss has decided, I’ll handle this matter.”

Qin Yining smiled. “Remember, this matter cannot be publicized. It must be arranged level by level so no one can trace it back to me.”

“Why doesn’t Boss take this opportunity to gain more reputation? You’re truly doing things for the common people.”

Qin Yining pointed upward and smiled. “Don’t forget, His Majesty has been watching my Zhaoyun Company. If he found out, wouldn’t he angrily seize it back? Then nothing could be accomplished.”

Thinking of the foolish emperor, Manager Zhong was filled with anger, but he was just a small commoner with no other options. What he could do now was ensure Qin Yining’s silver achieved maximum effect.

“Good, Boss can rest assured. I’ll arrange everything perfectly so even investigation won’t trace back to us.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Manager. I think this matter will be completed in about three to five days. When the silver is spent, give me the house deeds, land deeds, and field deeds, then you can leave with your family.”

Manager Zhong looked at Qin Yining’s sincere smiling face, simply shook his head, bowed farewell, and turned to leave.

Qin Yining watched Manager Zhong depart, then returned to the fish pond to continue talking with Qin Huaiyuan.

Five days passed this way. Seeing it was nearly July, this year had little rain and hot weather. The sun grew more scorching each day, making people feel stifled.

On this day, Qin Yining was hugging Er’Bai, planning to take an afternoon nap, when Song Lan quickly entered and said in a low voice, “Miss, Manager Zhong has come.”

Qin Yining was startled, hurriedly got up to re-pin her hair, and went downstairs, heading straight to the front courtyard’s side hall.

Manager Zhong still had sweat on his forehead, his face shiny with oil. In just five days, he had gotten somewhat tanned, though his spirits looked very good.

“Why has Manager come at this time? Has the silver been used up?”

Manager Zhong said, “Boss, someone wants to do big business with us! I couldn’t decide myself, so I hurried to get you.”

Qin Yining was puzzled. “At a time like this, what business could there be?”

Manager Zhong’s eyes were bright with crystal clarity. Qin Yining could tell from his expression alone how excited he was.

He lowered his voice and said, “Boss, those shops and houses in the city that were mortgaged to us – someone wants to buy them!”