Shen Yun had a prior conflict with Huang Yuanxiang at the Gongyuan, so he had already been wary of him.
Therefore, before Huang Yuanxiang could make a move, Shen Yun had already foiled his scheme.
As a result, Huang Yuanxiang had no opportunity to harm Shen Yun, and was instead dealt with by Shen Yun.
There was no chance for the matter to reach Su Xiaoqi.
However, even if Su Xiaoqi knew about it, she would only sigh over his misfortune for having an opponent like Shen Yun.
By the end of October, the bitter buckwheat that had been planted earlier was almost harvested. Su Xiaoqi, as before, went to Zhao Family Village to tell them she was buying bitter buckwheat.
However, after receiving the news, many villagers wore expressions that were hard to describe, only saying that they would not sell their bitter buckwheat.
"Not selling?"
Su Xiaoqi muttered, and looking at their demeanor, she realized something.
She didn't say much and turned to leave, walking around the village.
She discovered that the mule carts outside the village were empty when they arrived, but they were loaded to the brim when they left, deforming the wheels.
It was obvious that these mule carts were here to transport things.
What could there be in Zhao Family Village at this time that needed to be transported?
Su Xiaoqi stared at the mule carts in confusion.
Recalling the expression on Zhao Siliang's face when she told him she was buying bitter buckwheat at the village entrance just now, she quickly understood.
Approaching the mule carts, she saw a few small yellow particles fall from the shafts and let out a soft snort.
As expected.
It seemed someone had set their sights on the newly produced bitter buckwheat, offering a higher price than her and snatching her business.
She wanted to know who was buying, so she immediately called Li Shushao, who was driving the mule carts and following her from a distance.
"Go and follow these mule carts."
Li Shushao looked at her, worried that she would have no car to ride back, and hesitated.
Su Xiaoqi knew what he was worried about and pointed at Guo'er, "The manor isn't far, I'll walk back with Guo'er later."
She didn't plan to return to the manor for the time being; she still wanted to tour the village.
To gauge their thoughts and see how much bitter buckwheat they had sold.
Su Xiaoqi originally intended to go to Shen Yun's maternal grandfather's house.
But thinking of Madam Qian's character, she ultimately did not go, but turned and walked towards Zhao Huzhi's house.
As soon as she reached the door, she saw a mule cart parked there, and a steward-like person was persuading him, "The price Madam Shen paid for bitter buckwheat before was only two or three wen. My master is paying ten wen for bitter buckwheat.
Do the math yourself; this is a good business that's hard to find even with a lantern. What are you still hesitating for?"
Zhao Huzhi shook his head, "I can't. When I first got the bitter buckwheat seeds, I promised to sell them to Madam Shen.
It's probably not right for you to come and buy now." Zhao Huzhi shook his head in disagreement.
"My dear, this is ten wen per jin, much more than Madam Shen gave.
Our parents are both ill, and our family is in urgent need of money right now. Why don't we..." Zhao Huzhi's wife, Madam Xu, quietly persuaded her husband.
"Stop talking. I'm not selling. If I promise something to someone, I will definitely do it. For these small profits, one shouldn't lose their principles." Zhao Huzhi's face darkened, and he turned to scold his wife.
Madam Xu's face turned red, and she lowered her head, turning away and quietly wiping her tears.
Zhao Huzhi had already started to dismiss the steward who came to buy bitter buckwheat. "Alas, so stupid." The steward was also unhappy, cursing quietly with a sullen face.
He didn't even know the difference between two wen and ten wen; he was irredeemably stupid.
Su Xiaoqi, standing behind the wall, saw all of this.
She looked at Zhao Huzhi with surprise.
Previously, she had only treated him as an ordinary villager of Zhao Family Village.
But his impression on her was more profound than that of ordinary villagers.
She remembered that several times when she acted in the village, he was the first to agree.
It couldn't be denied that he was a very smart and far-sighted person.
Just like renting her the fish pond, and being the first to believe her words and go to Yuanbao Mountain to pick bitter buckwheat.
He was also the first to ask her for corn and potato seeds.
But seeing this scene, Su Xiaoqi felt that she might need to re-evaluate this person.
Taking advantage of the steward who had come to buy bitter buckwheat and was driving away, she hid in the alley between the two houses and took ten eggs out of her space.
She added a packet of millet cakes she had placed inside earlier, and called Guo'er, who was standing not far away, to walk slowly towards Zhao Huzhi's house with her.
Zhao Huzhi's house was a mud-brick tiled house.
He had two sons and one daughter, and besides himself, he had a younger brother and a younger sister. Both parents were alive, but neither was in good health.
His father had fallen down a slope while hunting in the mountains and broken his right leg. Now he could only walk with a limp and a cane.
His mother had lost a lot of blood after giving birth to his younger brother and had been weak ever since. She had no extra money to buy nutritional supplements.
Her body was weak and she fell ill easily, often needing medicine.
Although Zhao Huzhi was capable and could earn money, the family's burden was too heavy, and their conditions were not good.
That's why Su Xiaoqi had given him ten strings of cash directly last time after using his pond.
It was out of sympathy and a desire to help him.
She had been delayed for a while when she was retrieving items from her space. Zhao Huzhi and his wife had just entered the courtyard and were about to close the door.
"Brother Zhao, Sister-in-law Zhao." Su Xiaoqi hurried forward and called out, catching the couple's attention.
Zhao Huzhi looked up and saw it was her. He joyfully opened the door and led her into the courtyard.
"Madam Shen, are you here to buy bitter buckwheat?" Zhao Huzhi invited her to sit on a stone bench in the courtyard and asked Madam Xu to bring some tea to entertain the guest.
Madam Xu obediently agreed and soon brought the tea, handing it to Su Xiaoqi.
She looked down at her: The woman in front of her wore a light blue fine cotton long gown, her skin was fair, and her appearance was beautiful. She carried an elegant aura that they, as village women, could never match.
But that aura was not sharp; instead, it carried a gentle warmth, like a spring breeze.
It made people unconsciously want to approach her.
Madam Xu was somewhat surprised by the change in her thoughts.
Before this, she had disliked this woman somewhat.
It was because of her promise that her husband refused the high price offered by that steward.
Their family had harvested over two thousand jin of bitter buckwheat this year.
At ten wen per jin, that would be twenty strings of money.
If they insisted on selling to this Madam Shen at two wen per jin, it would be at most four strings of money, a difference of several times.
It wasn't that Madam Xu was greedy for money, but rather that the family was truly short of money.
Her parents-in-law's monthly medicine expenses alone amounted to two strings of money.
Moreover, Zhao Huzhi's younger brother, Gouzi, had just gotten married, and the family was already in debt.
And she herself had been feeling unwell lately. She only thought that her husband was working too hard and didn't want to say anything to him that would make him worry.
But it was impossible to say that she didn't resent Su Xiaoqi.
However, to her surprise, as soon as she saw Su Xiaoqi, the slight displeasure she had just felt dissipated on its own.
This was truly a marvelous thing.