“Princess, something happened again at the Lu manor.” Bingtang came in carrying a tray, speaking in a low voice. “Something must be wrong with their household – they punished quite a few maids and matrons, all beaten with rods and thrown out in the heavy rain. Our people who went out to purchase supplies passed by and saw this, so they asked about it, but people from the Lu family came out to stop them, forbidding them from spreading the news.”

Qin Yining put down her embroidery work and stretched her shoulders. “Why does their family always have such incidents? It seems the Lu family doesn’t regard human life as precious at all. Isn’t the Prince still conducting a city-wide search? Go to the front and tell the Prince – please ask him to have his people rescue those servants and send them to a physician when they pass by the Lu manor. It would be good if they can be saved. The silver will come from my account.”

“Yes.” Bingtang smiled cheerfully. “Princess, you have such a kind heart. You’re so much better than that Bian Shi.”

Qin Yining shook her head. “These people truly regard human life as worthless as grass. They’re all born of fathers and raised by mothers. What terrible crime could those who served beside Bian Shi have committed? Even if one or two wanted to assassinate Bian Shi, it’s impossible that all of them would suddenly want to assassinate her. Since they haven’t committed such grave errors, why put them to death? Even if they didn’t want to use them anymore, they could just let them go. But to beat them with twenty strokes and throw them in the rain – this is truly…”

Bingtang also sighed upon hearing this. “Princess, you’ve suffered hardships since childhood, so you understand the warmth and coldness of human relationships and know how to respect others. But both Bian Shi and Earl Lu are the type who were born soaking in honey pots. They treat servants like tables, chairs, and benches – when they don’t want them anymore, they can beat and kill them at will.”

Qin Yining said, “Go quickly and tell them. Perhaps we can save a couple more.”

“Understood.” Bingtang hurried to the front to relay the message.

Bingtang passed the message to Pang Xiao. After thinking briefly, Pang Xiao agreed.

Before long, the Elite Tiger Guards arrived near the Lu manor. Regardless of what the Lu manor’s guards and attendants said, they directly carried the maids and matrons who had already fainted to the medical hall.

Lu Heng soon received the news and sneered coldly. “Tsk, showing off his righteousness. Meddling in affairs all the way to my manor. His people are all crying from hunger, and he hasn’t figured out how to get them grain to eat, yet he’s interfering in other families’ business.”

Lu Wenru lowered his eyes and listened quietly for instructions beside him, not daring to say much.

Lu Heng asked, “Did the shopkeepers from the grain shops and rice stores reply today?”

“Reporting to My Lord, not yet.”

Lu Heng rubbed his fingers together, somewhat impatient. The strategy that had already been decided wasn’t being implemented smoothly, which was truly infuriating.

In the afternoon, Shopkeeper Cui from Huichuan Grain Shop and Shopkeeper Liu from Maosheng Grain Shop discovered something unusual.

In front of the Sitong Trading Company branch in Huichuan County, grass shelters had actually been erected, and they had begun selling grain. The prices were only slightly higher than before, and the grain wasn’t mixed with sand. However, they had one principle: each person could only buy once per day, and only one jin at a time.

Even so, the people of Huichuan spread the word from ten to a hundred, and everyone was overjoyed.

The clerks at Sitong Trading Company were bustling about enthusiastically, and some people even negotiated, “Could you sell me a bit more? I still have elderly parents at home.”

When encountering such situations, as long as they could confirm the person wasn’t lying, the clerks would sell them a bit more while carefully explaining: “Please don’t be angry, brother. We’re also worried. You know that grain prices throughout Huichuan County have more than doubled, and only our shop is still selling at fair prices. Our boss is afraid that some black-hearted, rotten people will come here to buy rice and then go back to sell it at inflated prices to others!”

“Ah, ah, little brother, I understand.” The man who bought an extra jin of rice nodded repeatedly. “Sitong Trading Company is doing great.”

“Hey, although we transport goods, this idea of selling rice at fair prices was discussed between Prince Zhongshun’s consort and our boss. The Princess Consort even contributed silver to cover the price difference.”

“Is that really so?”

The people were all amazed.

“Prince Zhongshun’s consort is a good person. The day before yesterday when such a big incident happened, if not for Prince Zhongshun’s consort pleading for them, many people would have been arrested.”

“Right, the Prince is also excellent. To catch thieves, he has the guards from the Prince’s mansion patrol every day. Now our family doesn’t worry even if we don’t close our doors at night.”

“It’s just a pity that such good people as the Prince and Princess Consort are always being bullied.”

“Sigh, this is what they call ‘good people get bullied’!”

…

The people discussed among themselves, and these words reached the ears of Shopkeeper Cui and Shopkeeper Liu without missing a single detail.

The two exchanged glances, their eyes showing some terror.

“What should we do? Sitong Trading Company is selling grain?”

“If Sitong Trading Company is selling grain, what about all of ours?”

“No, let’s go ask the Earl.”

The two hurried to the Lu manor.

Not long after they arrived at the Lu manor, shopkeepers from several other grain shops also rushed over.

Lu Heng met with everyone in the front hall. Upon hearing the reason why Sitong Trading Company started selling grain, his expression darkened. “Are you certain it was Prince Zhongshun’s consort who contacted Sitong Trading Company?”

“Certain. That’s what the Sitong Trading Company clerk said.” Shopkeeper Cui carefully observed Lu Heng’s expression.

“No wonder the Prince’s mansion hasn’t been urgently coming to us to buy grain. The Princess Consort has already joined forces with Sitong Trading Company to deal in grain. Their manor’s guards certainly won’t go hungry. It’s just that I’ve already raised the prices…” Shopkeeper Liu actually already had some complaints, but he didn’t dare say much in front of Lu Heng.

Originally, when Lu Heng united with them, it was also because they wanted to climb up the big tree that was Lu Heng. Now that problems had arisen, if they dared to question Lu Heng, they would probably offend him completely. Lu Heng wasn’t simply a small county magistrate, nor just a Count of Loyalty and Righteousness – he was the family head of the Lu clan. Offending a county magistrate meant they couldn’t survive in the county. Offending the Lu clan meant they couldn’t survive in the entire north.

Therefore, everyone present didn’t dare make a sound and carefully watched Lu Heng’s expression.

Lu Heng’s originally tense expression suddenly relaxed before long, his eyes becoming gentle and his lips curving into a smile.

So it was her handiwork.

How did she think of transporting grain?

When that brute Pang Zhixi sent people to search the entire city, had she already begun contacting suppliers to purchase grain? Had she calculated that Pang Zhixi’s actions were too aggressive and would definitely displease him, so she was afraid he would cut off grain supplies to her brute husband’s troops?

This intelligent woman was truly admirable and impossible to let go of. How fortunate Pang Zhixi was to marry such a clever woman.

The stirring in Lu Heng’s heart couldn’t be suppressed, especially when compared to Bian Ruohan’s stupid appearance. Qin Yining’s methods could simply be called amazing to Lu Heng.

Just like when Qin Yining had fooled him completely with a fake treasure map, yet he couldn’t get angry at all. Now it was the same – he couldn’t get angry at all, because when the opponent was Qin Yining, even anger became sweet.

However, he knew these people present were already dissatisfied with him.

“Since Sitong Trading Company has started selling grain, our original plan needs to change. Sitong Trading Company really doesn’t fit in with the group.”