Volume One, Chapter Fourteen: The Lin Family's Massive Grain Hoarding and the Horse Bandits' Raid on Peach Blossom Village

Qingzhou.

To prove her ability to foresee events, Lin Wanwan told Lin Wufeng about two major incidents soon to occur in the city.

The first was that the city’s top tavern had unexpectedly been sold at a low price to their third brother, Lin Wuzhou’s pawnshop. The Lin family knew that behind this tavern stood the private property of an imperial favorite consort. Even the Lin family, Qingzhou’s foremost lineage, dared not compete with the tavern for business. Such a profitable establishment being sold off so inexplicably surely signaled something suspicious.

The second was a government notice posted by the local yamen, announcing increased taxes on all the province’s residents. The entire northern region was suffering a severe drought; this summer’s harvest had been utterly lost. The court not only refused disaster relief but also seized grain from the people, revealing deep troubles. If Qingzhou were not so distant from the capital, their second elder brother, an official there, would surely have sent news by now.

Lin Wufeng paced restlessly, burning with anxiety.

Sure enough, the following day both events were confirmed.

At this point, Lin Wufeng was half convinced of Lin Wanwan’s prophetic talent.

There was little time left for the Lin family to maneuver. He immediately instructed third brother Lin Wuzhou to sell the tavern and other less profitable assets at a low price to exchange for cash notes.

Lin Wufeng himself once held many fixed assets, but unfortunately, all the deeds and contracts for those properties had been stolen by thieves. Even if the authorities recognized the assets as his, without proper documentation, he could not legally transfer or sell them for cash.

At the same time, he borrowed a large sum of silver from Lin Wuzhou to manage liquidity and dispatched agents to quietly purchase grain from Qingzhou and the surrounding counties at the lowest possible prices.

The illicit businesses under Lin Wuzhou’s control were backed by powerful patrons; lending such a vast sum without interest was a favor too great to publicize. He dared not let the Lin family’s name be associated with these covert operations.

Within just five days, a mysterious buyer bought up significant grain reserves from major grain depots and merchants at high prices. Not only grain but all edible foodstuffs and ingredients available were snapped up by the Lin family.

Yet the Lin family remained unaware of the consequences.

Their ruthless monopoly swept the market clean of all grain, causing prices to soar once more.

No matter how much money the common folk had, grain was simply unavailable.

In the unseen shadows, countless villagers who should have survived starved to death.

A terrifying rebellion was quietly brewing.

***

Peach Blossom Village.

As soon as Shen Shuli and Shen Yuehua entered the village, Su Ping’an ran toward them.

“Mother, um… Father told me to wait here for you. He said if you don’t return tonight, he’ll come to your maternal family’s house to fetch you tomorrow morning,” Su Ping’an said sheepishly.

“When did you all get back?” Shen Yuehua knew her son still had some reservations about her daughter and did not press further.

“We returned at noon today.”

“Why so early?” Shen Yuehua asked, surprised.

“Ah, there were some complications. We went through three county towns but could only buy about eight hundred pounds of grain. I heard some wealthy family in Qingzhou is purchasing grain from every county at high prices, not sparing even the towns.”

“Luckily, we set out yesterday and managed to buy some. If we had waited even one day longer, we wouldn’t have been able to get a single bushel!” Su Ping’an couldn’t help but feel relieved thinking of the desolation they’d witnessed in the county towns.

Thankfully, this timely intelligence brought by the younger sister saved them; otherwise, starvation would have been inevitable in the coming days.

“Now you understand how important the news your sister Ali brought back is, right? By the way, where is your father?” Shen Yuehua asked, noticing her husband’s absence at home.

“Oh, he went out to see which families are willing to join us on the journey.”

Shen Yuehua nodded. “Get yourself and your brothers ready; we leave early the day after tomorrow.”

“Got it, Mother.”

After staying one day at the Shen household, Shen Shuli didn’t forget to use the spring water with spiritual properties. The bruises on her face had mostly healed, with only two or three spots still dark and swollen, unsightly but expected to fully recover in a day or two.

“You little rascals! I’ll break your legs for you!” Su Yunhai’s booming voice echoed throughout Peach Blossom Village.

Shen Shuli was curious—her usually gentle, courteous father was raging like a tempest. The roar rivaled that of a thunderous tiger.

She hurried outside to witness Su Yunhai chasing two unruly sons wildly around the village.

Su Chang’an and Su Ding’an scattered in different directions, but Su Yunhai, only able to keep pace with the physically weakest eldest son Su Chang’an, pursued him relentlessly.

“Su Chang’an! Stop right there!” Su Yunhai bellowed.

“Father! Father! Father! Don’t hit me! I’m still a scholar; have some respect for me!” Su Chang’an was kicked to the ground and struggled to get up.

Su Ding’an had long vanished; Su Yunhai did not bother chasing him, knowing he would return home sooner or later. Where else could he run?

Shen Shuli and Shen Yuehua exchanged glances and approached Su Yunhai to inquire.

“Father, what’s wrong? Why are you so angry?” Shen Shuli asked with concern.

Su Yunhai’s foot pressed down on Su Chang’an’s backside; his face was dark with fury.

“These two scoundrels have been stirring trouble in the village, persuading people not to listen to us or join the evacuation. They’ve even slandered and defamed your reputation!”

“I came back today hoping to reason with those families unwilling to leave, but everyone is resolute; no matter what I say, they refuse to go.”

“These two will cause the deaths of many villagers! How could I not be angry?”

Shen Shuli sighed. Things had been progressing smoothly until now.

Villagers who went out to purchase grain with Su Yunhai had seen the outside conditions and would surely convince most of the others upon returning.

But these two troublemakers had sabotaged those efforts.

Their punishment was fully deserved.

“Alright, Father, don’t be angry. It’s hard to reason with damned ghosts. Let’s put aside our urge to help and respect others’ fates,” Shen Shuli advised.

“Rumble rumble.”

As she spoke, Shen Shuli faintly heard a rumbling sound, like the approach of many horse hooves.

She furrowed her brow and exchanged a worried glance with Su Yunhai.

“Mother, you all go back and secure the doors and windows. We’ll go check at the village entrance!” she said, and father and daughter hurried toward the village gate.

At the end of the road outside the village, dust billowed, blotting out the sky.

Shen Shuli immediately took out a military-grade telescope from her space pouch.

The telescope could see up to five kilometers.

Encased in dust was a group of horse bandits riding large steeds, brandishing huge sabers, their faces fierce and menacing.

The bandits were now less than three kilometers from Peach Blossom Village.

She quickly handed the telescope to Su Yunhai and said urgently, “Father, it’s bad! Bandits! At least twenty or thirty, all wielding sabers! They’re heading straight for the village!”

“How can bandits suddenly appear? You go back and tell everyone to hide! I’ll set up a watch at the village entrance!” Su Yunhai grabbed Shen Shuli’s hand and rushed back.

These bandits were skilled fighters; the two of them alone couldn’t handle them.

“Father, I have a replica ancient bow and arrows here, far more powerful than the common ones. If necessary, use the gun. Don’t worry about being exposed; safety comes first!”

“Thanks, daughter!” Su Yunhai grabbed a copper basin and ran shouting through the village.

“Clang clang clang clang clang!”

The sound of a copper gong rang out.

“Bandits are coming! Bandits are coming!”

“Young and able-bodied men, grab your weapons and defend the village entrance together!”

“Don’t think you’re safe hiding inside your homes!”

“If bandits break in, everyone will only face death!”

Su Yunhai’s voice, hoarse yet commanding, quickly spread throughout Peach Blossom Village.

The old village chief, hearing the commotion, hurriedly sent his son up a tree to scout.

Seeing the large group of bandits at the gate, Li Rui was so frightened his whole body stiffened.

“Father, the bandits have really arrived!”

“Quickly organize the able-bodied men to resist them! Scholar Su cannot face them alone!”

“Understood, Father!”