Lin Sanqian suddenly panicked, grabbing Lin Feng by the collar and shouting, “What exactly is going on? Didn’t I already tell you to collect the autumn grain?”
Hearing this, Lin Feng’s face turned worried. “I… I… I thought that with this year’s bumper harvest and high grain yield, I could push the price down further, so… so…”
Bang!
Before Lin Feng could finish, Lin Sanqian threw him aside. “Useless! The grain price is already down to six wen—how much lower do you want to push it?”
Lin Feng covered his face, looking aggrieved. “I… I just wanted to earn more. After all, this year’s grain yield is so high. I just didn’t expect someone would dare to snatch the Lin Family’s business!”
“Useless!” Lin Sanqian roared again. “There are plenty of things you didn’t expect! Hurry up and raise the purchase price. Buy back all the remaining grain, as much as you can, at any cost!”
Although Lin Sanqian didn’t know who it was, anyone daring to snatch the Lin Family’s business was certainly no ordinary person. Moreover, this was clearly targeting the Lin Family.
The Lin Family still had many orders waiting for this autumn grain delivery. If they failed to deliver, the breach penalties alone would be enough to bankrupt the Lin Family, let alone their future grain business.
Most importantly, the Lin Family secretly engaged in smuggling grain to other countries. If they failed to deliver grain to those nations and the matter escalated, reaching the ears of the court, it would be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine clans!
Lin Feng also understood the severity of the situation and dared not delay, rushing out immediately.
“Master, look…” The steward on the side tried to speak, but Lin Sanqian cut him off. “How much grain is left in the granary?”
“Reporting to the master, about three thousand catties,” the steward replied.
“What? How can it be so little?” Lin Sanqian’s face suddenly changed.
“Master, have you forgotten? A while ago, there was a large-scale flood disaster in Nanliang, and we sold all our grain. Moreover, we even sold a significant portion of the grain from several nearby official granaries. This time, we must first replenish the grain in the official granaries!” the steward explained.
Hearing this, Lin Sanqian’s expression grew even more grim.
The grain in the official granaries was a massive amount. Combined with the orders from major northern grain merchants and other countries, there was a shortfall of at least ten million catties!
Grain was the foundation of the state, and the nation placed great importance on it. Therefore, censors inspected the official granaries every year, and they absolutely could not be empty.
But in such a short time, where could he find so much grain?
“At any cost, go and buy grain immediately. Buy as much as you can. Also, find out who is trying to destroy our Lin Family!” Lin Sanqian ordered.
“What about Chen Fan…” the steward asked.
“What does he matter now? Hurry and find out who is trying to harm our Lin Family!” Lin Sanqian nearly shouted in anger.
Hearing this, the steward looked helpless and quickly retreated from the courtyard.
Meanwhile, at Chen Fan’s residence.
Chen Fan leaned against Lian Yue’s embrace, enjoying her massage while basking in the sun and watching Leng Hanshuang practice her swordplay.
Leng Hanshuang was exceptionally beautiful, and now, dressed in white, she looked like a cold, ethereal fairy dancing as she practiced.
Chen Fan truly enjoyed it, especially the occasional looks of disgust and disdain Leng Hanshuang shot his way—he never tired of seeing them!
After a month, Leng Hanshuang’s injuries had mostly healed. Today was the first time she had left her room, originally intending to practice her sword to stretch her limbs and get some fresh air.
But who would have thought Chen Fan would keep staring at her, making her extremely uncomfortable. She immediately stopped and turned to head back to her room.
Seeing this, Chen Fan hurriedly called out, “Wait!”
Hearing this, Leng Hanshuang frowned, her face filled with disgust and disdain as she looked at Chen Fan, but she said nothing.
“Are your injuries healed?” Chen Fan straightened up, smiling with concern.
“Yes!” Leng Hanshuang replied coldly.
“That’s good.”
After a brief response, Chen Fan added, “But since your injuries are healed, shouldn’t you keep your promise and start protecting me?”
“What do you mean?” Leng Hanshuang frowned. What did he mean by “start protecting him”?
“It means from now on, you have to protect me without leaving my side! For one year!” Chen Fan said.
“Without leaving your side?” Leng Hanshuang’s frown deepened.
“Of course! To protect me, you naturally have to stay close. Otherwise, what if someone shoots a hidden arrow or ambushes me?” Chen Fan argued.
But upon hearing this, Leng Hanshuang’s expression turned grim.
Without leaving his side—did that mean she would have to follow this lecherous scoundrel around all the time?
Seeing Leng Hanshuang hesitate, Chen Fan deliberately added, “The honorable Heroine Hanshuang wouldn’t go back on her word, would she?”
“You!”
Leng Hanshuang’s expression grew even darker, but she restrained herself. “I, Leng Hanshuang, always keep my word! If I said I’d protect you for a year, then it’s a year!”
As she spoke, her eyes were filled with anger.
But Chen Fan didn’t mind. He smiled and said, “I knew it! Someone as beautiful as you wouldn’t break a promise!”
“By the way, do you like the name I gave you? Xiao Nuan!”
Hearing this, Leng Hanshuang’s expression turned even more unpleasant. “I have a name! I don’t need you to give me one!”
“I know, but isn’t Xiao Nuan just a nickname for you?” Chen Fan said.
“I don’t need a nickname either!” Leng Hanshuang replied coldly.
“Oh!”
Chen Fan gave a simple response but then smiled and said, “Xiao Nuan, you must be tired from practicing your sword just now! Why don’t you come over and have some juice? It’s freshly squeezed!”
“You!”
Leng Hanshuang grew even more furious. Couldn’t Chen Fan understand what she was saying?
But not wanting to waste any more words on him, she said coldly, “No!”
With that, she stood angrily to the side, glaring at Chen Fan.
Chen Fan, however, didn’t mind. Leaning against Lian Yue’s embrace, he stared at Leng Hanshuang and said, “By the way, Xiao Nuan, why did you help the Lin Family try to kill me back then? Do you owe them a favor?”
“What’s it to you?” Leng Hanshuang replied darkly.
“I’m just concerned about you,” Chen Fan said.
“You should worry about yourself! If you dare call me that again, I’ll tear your mouth apart after this year!” Leng Hanshuang threatened.
Hearing this, Chen Fan felt a bit speechless but didn’t mind. He changed the subject, saying, “Xiao Nuan, since you’ve stayed at the Lin Family’s residence, do you know if they have any shady dealings? You could help me deal with them!”
“Why should I tell you?”
Leng Hanshuang replied, exasperated. Even after all she’d said, Chen Fan still dared to call her Xiao Nuan!
“Look, aren’t you supposed to protect me? But the Lin Family wants me dead. If you help me deal with them, wouldn’t that make your job easier?”
“Besides, what if they hire other martial arts masters to kill me, and even you can’t defeat them?” Chen Fan said.
Leng Hanshuang frowned slightly but still maintained her icy demeanor. “I don’t know about other matters, but recently, the Lin Family took advantage of the floods in Southern Liang to sell a large amount of grain, including several official granaries.
Official granaries are the foundation of the state, and the court takes them very seriously. You might be able to start from here!”
Upon hearing this, Chen Fan’s expression suddenly changed, and he straightened up from Lian Yue’s embrace.
“Is what you said true?”
“I saw it with my own eyes!” Leng Hanshuang replied.
“Excellent! Truly, heaven is on my side!”
Chen Fan spoke with excitement, clearly not expecting that the Lin Family would be so bold as to meddle with the official granaries.
“Don’t celebrate too soon. The Lin Family is powerful and well-connected, with collusion between officials and merchants. If they could mobilize the official granaries, they must have had help from officials! Besides, if the Lin Family were so easy to take down, they wouldn’t have the right to dominate Jinling City!” Leng Hanshuang retorted impatiently.
But Chen Fan didn’t mind. So what if they were powerful and well-connected?
After all, those were official granaries. As long as the Lin Family couldn’t replenish them in a short time, which official would dare to protect them!
The question was, how could he make the court aware of this?
Thinking it over, Chen Fan suddenly had an idea and immediately summoned two shadow guards. He instructed them to hire some people and cause a stir in the capital.
Chen Fan refused to believe that once the matter reached the ears of the Female Emperor, she would let the Lin Family off the hook!