The steward from “Fengyu Grain Store,” Manager Zhou, was led in by Aunt Mei.
He was a lean man in his forties, dressed in a silk robe, with the polite smile typical of a businessman—though his eyes revealed sharp calculation.
“Miss Chen, I’ve long heard of your reputation,” Manager Zhou said with a cupped-hand salute and a smile. His gaze swept across the tidy courtyard and drifted toward the workshop, where the faint aroma of braised goods lingered. “At such a young age, you’ve built up such a business and even grown an auspicious yield of six dan per mu. Truly, a heroine who rivals men.”
“You flatter me, Manager Zhou,” Chen Zhiwei replied calmly, returning the gesture. “May I ask what brings you here today?”
“A straightforward person doesn’t beat around the bush.” Manager Zhou sat down on a stone stool and gestured for his attendant to place a small box on the table. “Open it and take a look.”
Chen Zhiwei opened the box. Inside were two gleaming silver ingots—twenty taels in total. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
“Our master greatly appreciates your talent,” Zhou said with a smile. “These twenty taels are a deposit. Our grain store wishes to purchase all the soybean products from your workshop exclusively. We’ll offer a price ten percent higher than what you currently get from the restaurants. The condition is that you supply no one else. What do you think?”
Chen Zhiwei sneered inwardly. Exclusive? This was clearly an attempt to cut off her newly established sales channels and turn her into a dependent supplier. The ten percent increase sounded generous, but in reality it would bind her completely—pricing and production would all fall under their control.
“I appreciate your kindness, Manager Zhou,” she said, closing the box and pushing it back. “But this is a small business. I prefer steady, long-term growth. I’m currently working well with several restaurants and shops, so I have no plans for exclusive supply.”
The smile on Zhou’s face faded slightly. “Miss Chen, the county town is not like the village. In business, one must follow certain rules. With backing, the road is smoother. Our Fengyu Grain Store has operated here for many years—our connections and channels are not something a young lady working alone can match. Cooperating with us will only benefit you.”
The words were polite, but carried a clear undertone of threat.
Chen Zhiwei’s expression remained unchanged. “Thank you for the advice, Manager Zhou. I understand the rules. As for backing…”
She lifted her gaze, her eyes clear. “The county magistrate recently commended me for my contributions to grain production and encouraged me to continue my work. I believe that in this county, as long as one does business lawfully, one won’t go wrong.”
With ease, she invoked the magistrate as her support. Zhou’s eyes sharpened as he reassessed the seemingly delicate village girl before him. He hadn’t expected her to be so difficult—not only rejecting him outright but also knowing how to leverage authority.
“Heh, you’re right,” Zhou said with a dry laugh, putting away the silver. “Since you have other plans, I won’t force the matter. But the business world is unpredictable. If you change your mind in the future, Fengyu Grain Store’s doors will always be open.”
With that, he stood to leave, though his gaze had turned noticeably colder.
..
After seeing him off, Uncle Zhang Meng and Aunt Mei came forward, worry written on their faces.
“Zhiwei girl, Fengyu Grain Store is powerful. If we offend them, I’m afraid…” Aunt Mei trailed off.
“Soldiers come, we block them; water comes, we dam it,” Chen Zhiwei said calmly. “Our goods are good—we won’t lack buyers. The most urgent matter now is securing raw materials. Uncle Zhang, please visit more villages and see if you can collect soybeans. We can raise the price a little. Aunt Mei, increase production these next few days—we need to build up inventory.”
She knew Zhou wouldn’t let this go easily.
Sure enough, over the next few days, Uncle Zhang traveled all over the surrounding villages—but couldn’t buy a single jin of soybeans.
Either they had already been bought up by Fengyu Grain Store, or the farmers hesitated, not daring to sell to her. Even households that had been friendly before found excuses to refuse.
As the workshop’s supply dwindled, Aunt Mei stared at the nearly empty bean jars, sighing constantly. Uncle Zhang sat at the doorway, smoking his pipe, his brows tightly furrowed.
“Zhiwei girl, all the soybeans within miles have been cut off by Fengyu Grain Store,” he said tiredly. “They’re trying to drive us into a dead end.”
Chen Zhiwei showed little panic. “Uncle Zhang, Aunt Mei, don’t worry. I’ll go farther out and take a look.”
“Farther? Where would you go?” Zhang Meng clearly thought it pointless.
“We have to try. Wait for my news.”
That very day, after eating, Chen Zhiwei set out.
When Chen Zhiyi returned home from school that evening and saw the empty house, he once again felt a surge of frustration at his own helplessness. He couldn’t help his sister at all.
The young boy nearly crushed his bowl in his grip—but quickly steadied himself. He ate, washed the dishes, and studied.
Anger was the act of the weak. He would study hard, earn an official title, and support his sister—rather than rage uselessly.
..
As for Chen Zhiwei, she had no intention of actually going far away to buy beans.
That very day, she went to the county and found a secluded inn. Staying in her room, she entered her “space” and busied herself planting mung beans.
With the aid of the spirit spring, the beans would mature rapidly—at most three days, at least two.
Reflecting on it, her journey since transmigrating had been too smooth. She had neglected to prepare contingency plans—but fortunately, she had the space. This time, she wouldn’t let herself fall into a passive position again.
She didn’t just plant beans—she also planted rice, wheat, and even the medicinal herbs she had dug up from the mountains. Though the land was limited, the rapid growth made up for it.
Once the beans matured, she quickly bought an ox cart. After all, the goods needed a proper cover story.
Driving the ox cart slowly back, she only needed to pass the checkpoint before nightfall.
The cart creaked along the dirt road, loaded with beans and grain harvested from her space. With food in hand, she felt much more at ease.
As she neared the village, before it grew completely dark, she drove the cart into a small forest, hiding it among dense foliage. She planned to wait until most villagers were asleep before returning home.
Leaning against the cart shaft, she closed her eyes to rest. After a day of running around, she was indeed tired.
But not long after she closed her eyes, a faint groan reached her ears.
She instantly became alert, holding her breath as she listened. The sound was intermittent, coming from deeper within the woods—mixed with pained gasps. Not an animal… more like a person.
After a moment’s hesitation, she gripped her hatchet tightly and moved silently toward the sound.
Pushing aside thick bushes, she saw a figure curled beneath an old locust tree in the dim light.
It was a man, dressed in black fitted clothing—but now soaked with blood and dirt beyond recognition. His head hung low, long hair obscuring most of his face, his body trembling faintly in pain. The heavy scent of blood filled the air.
Chen Zhiwei’s heart tightened. This man was badly injured.
She looked around to ensure no one else was nearby before approaching cautiously.
“Hey… are you alright?” she asked softly.
The man barely responded.
Her gaze fell on his chest. A ghastly wound lay there, roughly bandaged with torn cloth, but dark red blood continued to seep through, soaking it completely. The flesh around the wound had turned an unnatural bluish-black.
“Poisoned?” she thought, her heart skipping a beat.
This injury… this situation… it was anything but simple.
If she saved him, she might bring great trouble upon herself.
If she didn’t, he likely wouldn’t survive the night.