Chapter 34: Someone’s Sabotaging

Chapter 34

Jiang Sheng was in very high spirits these past few days.

Although she had spent lavishly, for the twenty-eight taels of silver it was merely a flesh wound.

The chickens and ducks she bought back were, under the skillful hands of big brother Xu Mo, turned into pot after pot of delicious food that truly satisfied her cravings.

If she wasn't worried about money, Jiang Sheng even thought about eating a whole chicken every day.

Of course, that was just wishful thinking.

Now that it was cold, no business was doing well, and some families had even holed up for the winter.

The few diligent ones, like Zheng Ruqian, still went out to collect vegetables despite the cold winds.

But it had been three days, and he hadn't collected a single vegetable.

Today was another fruitless return.

Jiang Sheng held a bowl of hot water, welcoming second brother who was covered in frost. "Is it because with the cold weather everyone has no vegetables to eat, so they can't sell to you?"

Zheng Ruqian downed the bowl in one gulp. "Impossible. Even though there are no more eggplants or string beans, there's no shortage of cabbage and radish. I was still able to collect them a few days ago, how could there suddenly be nothing left."

It wasn't that one family had none, but every household had none.

It was as if they had collectively agreed to it.

Zheng Ruqian muttered to himself.

Chang Yan beside lifted his head. "Second brother, tell us from which day you weren't able to collect vegetables."

Zheng Ruqian racked his brains. "From...the second day after selling the tiger skin."

Jiang Sheng gave a start.

The second day was nothing unusual. It was the day they sold the tiger skin that they offended a yamen clerk.

Although at that time the clerk was driven away by the eldest young master of the Jiang family, it didn't mean he wouldn't hold a grudge.

Yuan Ran Ju couldn't afford to offend him, so he could only pick on the soft persimmons.

The Jiang siblings were these soft persimmons.

Zheng Ruqian also thought of this, and hesitantly spoke up. "It can't be... I've collected vegetables from the villagers for so long, they wouldn't do this..."

Whether they would or not could be found out with a test.

Jiang Sheng found a familiar beggar, gave him one set of the brothers' clean clothes and two coins, and told him to collect some cabbage from the village.

After not too long, the little beggar came back to the broken temple hugging two heads of cabbage.

Zheng Ruqian froze.

He hadn't expected that after calling those aunties "sister" for so many months, they would betray him at the drop of a hat.

They clearly had vegetables but wouldn't sell to him. After ten days, what would he deliver to Yuan Ran Ju?

This good business of making money was just ruined like this?

Zheng Ruqian was a little dazed. He had actually thought of going to the neighboring county, but humans always feel a twinge of fear towards the unknown.

He was afraid the common folk of the neighboring county would not be reasonable.

Afraid that the black hand behind this had also covered the neighboring county.

Afraid some problem would crop up along the back and forth journey.

Most afraid was that he wouldn't be able to do it.

Zheng Ruqian's heart was filled with turmoil.

He was afraid of this, also afraid of that, but thinking it over, what he feared most was becoming useless.

Especially compared to his brothers, he didn't want to be ordinary, and even less so mediocre.

After much deliberation,

Zheng Ruqian clenched his fist and stood up. "I'll go."

"I'll go right now."

After saying that he grabbed his coat, took two taels of silver from Jiang Sheng, and rushed onto the donkey cart without looking back.

Fang Heng hurriedly went up to drive the cart.

Just a moment ago he was still struggling and conflicted, but in a flash the man had run off.

Jiang Sheng was left staring dumbfounded at the disappearing donkey cart.

It took her some time before she slapped her thigh. "Second and third brother, you took away the donkey cart, what about big brother?"

And wasn't the new year almost here?

By nighttime, Jiang Sheng knew what to do.

Zheng Ruqian had actually asked a friend he knew from collecting vegetables to fetch and send Xu Mo every day, for only two coins a day.

For them right now, it wasn't a big sum, it was acceptable.

It was just that big brother Xu Mo had to shuttle back and forth with the vegetables each time, quite tiring for him.

And so, Zheng Ruqian and Fang Heng disappeared for seven to eight consecutive days.

Seeing the entire town taking on an increasingly festive atmosphere for the new year, every family slaughtering pigs and chickens, frying dumplings and vegetables, children changing into new clothes and shoes.

Only the broken temple remained calmly bleak.

After eating her fill everyday, Jiang Sheng calculated when the two brothers would be back, and how many vegetables they could bring.

By the end, she didn't even dare hope the brothers could bring vegetables back.

Little Jiang Sheng sincerely prayed to Buddha, asking as long as the brothers came back safe and sound, she had no other wishes.

This time, Buddha answered her prayers.

After being gone a full ten days, Fang Heng and Zheng Ruqian, in an evening glow, slowly returned, their cart filled with goods, having braved the winter chill.