Liú Xiǎomǎn’s fingertips traced over the fifty heavy taels of patterned silver; the rough grooves dug into her palm, causing slight pain, yet they reminded her of the invisible weight resting on her shoulders.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she inhaled the unique mixture of dust and food aromas in the air of Qīngshí Town, turned decisively, and headed straight for the town’s largest marketplace.
Time was of the essence—she had to make every second count.
At that moment, the market in Qīngshí Town was bustling with people, a tide of human activity surging like waves.
Calls from vendors rose and fell, pork sellers shouted about freshly butchered meat, and small traders hawked homemade pastries. The air was thick with a mingling of rice, flour, spices, and sweat.
Yet Liú Xiǎomǎn’s gaze only cut through the noise, precisely capturing the hanging signs of each grain store, her eyes shimmering with an unusual intensity beyond her years.
She headed directly to the edge of the market where ox-carts were rented, immediately spotting two seemingly sturdy carts with drivers of honest appearance.
Approaching them, she spoke with a crisp but firm tone, negotiating with the drivers.
She paid a deposit above market rate and promised a greater reward once the task was completed, on the condition that the transported goods and routes remain strictly confidential.
Liú Xiǎomǎn understood that such large-scale procurement was abnormal in this era, easily attracting attention and unnecessary trouble.
Her extraordinary sense of crisis spun rapidly in her mind, like a precise scale constantly weighing risk versus reward.
Thus, she had to be extremely cautious, devising a meticulous plan for procurement and transportation, dispersing all potential risks.
She first entered several smaller grain stores, which were usually fairly busy.
Facing the inquisitive eyes of the shopkeepers, she remained calm, weaving a flawless explanation.
“Shopkeeper, the Wang family in town is preparing a wedding for their daughter, and I was specially sent to purchase grains for the feast.”
Assuming the identity of a “large household buyer,” she tentatively bought small amounts of polished rice, flour, and some coarse grains, carefully observing the reactions of the shopkeepers.
“Shopkeeper, these must be delivered urgently; the Wang family is waiting to make pastries.”
Her tone carried a subtle arrogance, cleverly blended with the shrewdness of a procurement agent, as she pointed to the freshly weighed grains.
“I may need more later, to be delivered in batches. Please assist with the errands.”
Upon hearing it was a large order from the Wang family, the shop owner’s face brightened with joy, nodding repeatedly, feeling the deal was worthwhile.
After confirming that the shopkeepers did not suspect anything, Liú Xiǎomǎn moved through the market with the confidence of someone in a vacuum, beginning her sweeping procurement.
She no longer confined herself to one store, spreading her purchases across more than ten grain shops in Qīngshí Town.
Each purchase was enormous enough to delight the shopkeepers but carefully controlled within the stores’ inventory and sales capacity to avoid panic or excessive attention.
When she entered the large grain store named “Fùkāng Grain Company,” the clerk immediately recognized the Huíchūn Hall VIP token, showing far more respect.
Liú Xiǎomǎn opened her request: to buy an astonishing quantity of sorghum and beans. The clerk was flabbergasted—such a bulk order was beyond his authority. Wiping sweat from his brow, he hurried to consult the store manager.
Soon, the manager of Fùkāng Grain Company emerged from the account office.
He was about forty, wearing a dark long robe, eyes sharp as an eagle, calmly examining the seemingly delicate girl before him.
Though Liú Xiǎomǎn’s unusual buying behavior was cleverly disguised, it still aroused his suspicion.
The manager said little, simply nodding subtly, mentally noting her actions and presence.
Facing his scrutinizing gaze, Liú Xiǎomǎn remained unflustered, calmly explaining:
“Manager, I am acting under my master’s orders to stockpile provisions for the upcoming expansion of our estate. These grains are the first batch. You see, our family purchases with real silver, no fear of overstocking here.”
She then took out a ten-tael silver ingot from her pouch as a deposit, projecting wealth and easing the manager’s doubts.
Soon, carts after carts of grains, oils, salts, and various seeds were loaded onto the hired ox-carts.
Liú Xiǎomǎn’s gaze was steady, strictly following the categories on her internal checklist.
She prioritized drought-resistant grain seeds such as sorghum and millet, along with large quantities of coarse grains, and easily storable items like salt, dried vegetables, and beans.
Each item was meticulously selected, as if preparing thoroughly for an impending battle.
She moved through the market, aware of curious, envious, and even slightly disdainful glances.
Those eyes seemed to ask: Where does such a young girl get so much money? Which wealthy family’s daughter is out here training?
Yet none of it disturbed Liú Xiǎomǎn.
Her mind focused only on the satisfaction of filling each basket and the rare sense of security that came from control.
When the last ox-cart was fully loaded, the evening sun stretched the town’s streets long and golden.
Liú Xiǎomǎn inhaled deeply, personally handing a few silver ingots to the two cart drivers; the soft texture of the notes lifted her spirits.
She then walked at the front, guiding the carts along a secluded path, avoiding the main streets, toward the secret location she had precisely planned through the system.
The fortress in the waterfall cave of the back mountain of Liú Village awaited them.
After Liú Xiǎomǎn left Fùkāng Grain Company, the manager remained at the store entrance, staring thoughtfully at the departing carts.
He stroked his chin and whispered to the clerk beside him:
“This young girl seems unfamiliar around here, yet spends so freely, buying only ordinary items. We need to investigate—what family background could allow such expenditure around Qīngshí Town?”
A gleam appeared in his eyes.
Night had already fallen.
Liú Xiǎomǎn sat inside the waterfall cave fortress, looking at piles of rice, flour, coarse grains, oils, salts, various seeds, and daily necessities, finally feeling a sense of relief.
The damp air carried the unique aroma of grains, allowing her tense nerves to relax slightly.
Yet in her mind echoed the investigative gaze of the Fùkāng manager and the reminder of rising grain prices casually mentioned by Qián Zhǎngguì.
She knew that today’s stockpiling was only the beginning.