Chapter 3: Stockpiling

Now it is autumn, and soon the grain will be ripe, but no one expected a locust disaster; many places in Qi Guo suffered, the crops failed, and a flood of refugees poured into Jingcheng.

As the saying goes, blessings never come in pairs and calamities never come alone; this winter was especially cold, with several heavy snowfalls, and the deep snow crushed houses.

Thus more people arrived in Jingcheng; her biological parents came at that time as well. When the Jiang Clan set up tents and served porridge, they saw Meng Qinghe, and it is said they recognized at a glance the child who looked exactly like her in her youth.

After investigation, it was discovered that she was actually the Minister's Residence's daughter who had been wandering outside.

From this moment on, the original owner began her darkest, most miserable life.

Before being retrieved, Meng Qinghe was called Chi Qinghe and lived with the Chi Family in a place called Yuping Village. Yuping Village was not wealthy; the land was barren, and its inhabitants mainly farmed. Households with many men would, after farming, go to town to do odd jobs to supplement income, while women did needlework. Yet even so, many families in Yuping Village still could not pay taxes.

The Chi Family had a large population; three generations lived under one roof.

There was an elderly woman, the Chi couple, who had three sons and a daughter. The eldest son was already married; the other two sons were still unmarried. After Meng Qinghe returned to the Meng Family, she kept complaining to them about how her adoptive parents mistreated her. In fact, the Chi Family treated her well; she was the only daughter. In Yuping Village many girls married at eleven, but the Chi couple kept her until she was fourteen, never considering using her as a bride price for the remaining two sons.

Even those who came to propose marriage were turned down by the Chi couple, stating they would only consider a match after she turned sixteen.

Whenever there was tasty food at home, they would snatch it for her.

The three older brothers cherished Meng Qinghe as if she were in the palm of their hands.

It was genuine affection.

Even so, Meng Qinghe still felt the household intended to mistreat her, so after returning to the Meng Family she sought revenge on the Chi Family. The Chi Family could not obtain relief grain in Jingcheng and had to beg on the streets; the elderly woman starved to death, the pregnant sister‑in‑law miscarried, and, weakened, died shortly after.

According to her own ending in the previous life, the Chi Family members would mostly accompany her to the funeral.

Meng Qinghe truly carried Meng Family blood, a pure white‑eyed wolf.

Chi Nan Yi looked at the mysterious space, a smile lifting the corner of her mouth.

In this life, let me protect her true family!

I must take advantage of the time I still have now to make all preparations.

"But now, how do I get out?"

As soon as the words fell, she was already back on the bed.

"Could it be that just by thought it works?"

At that moment, a voice came from outside the door, Jiang Mama: "Miss, the old servant has brought a maid for you."

Hearing Jiang Mama's words, Chi Nan Yi suddenly recalled that in her previous life it was around this time that a maid named Cai Pin came to her side; the original owner, finding her pretty and agile, kept her as a personal maid.

She had valued her greatly, and when she married the Crown Prince as a secondary consort, she also took her along, assuming she was utterly loyal, but never expected that she, like Meng Qinghe, was a white‑eyed wolf.

She not only sneaked onto the Crown Prince's bed, but also colluded with Meng Qinghe to plot against the original owner.

A maid like that, kept, is also a disaster.

She was about to expel Cai Pin, but then thought that if such a person were left to Meng Qinghe, perhaps her future would be quite eventful.

According to Meng Qinghe's temperament, the maid beside her would climb onto the Crown Prince's bed, not knowing how to cause a ruckus.

Thinking of this, the corner of her mouth twitched; Meng Qinghe wanted to snatch the original owner's belongings the most, didn't she?

If so, she must value Cai Pin even more than in the previous life.

When Meng Qinghe picks up a stone and smashes her own foot, there will be a moment when she goes mad.

"Thank you, Jiang Mama. I am unwell; please have you arrange for these servants. Later, please return to mother. Thank you, mother, for your care."

"Yes, the old servant has noted it. Miss, rest well; the old servant will now take leave."

After Jiang Mama left, Chi Nan Yi rose from the bed.

She counted the days; the current Chi Family should still be in Yuping Village.

She must, while they have not yet arrived in the capital, quickly make all kinds of preparations.

Now the locust disaster is unavoidable; the priority is to stock up on grain.

She opened the box; inside were several silver ingots and two gold bars. Her monthly stipend was fifty taels of silver; this amount could sustain an ordinary family for several years, yet it was still insufficient each month, and sometimes buying a set of head‑wear jewelry cost several hundred taels.

All these years the Meng Family never lost money on her, so her purse remained fairly wealthy.

"These items could buy a lot of grain, but they are still far from enough to get through the disaster year."

Chi Nan Yi hurried to the dressing box, took out all the gold and silver ornaments, among which two sets of head‑wear were custom‑made and extremely luxurious. She had always been reluctant to wear them; in the previous life the original owner had both sets taken by Meng Qinghe.

"If these head‑wear were sold, they could fetch several hundred taels, perhaps even a thousand, but they are so conspicuous that a little investigation would reveal I sold them, and then I couldn't explain it."

Chi Nan Yi thought for a moment, stored those two sets of head‑wear in the space, and selected from the other ornaments some that were more commonly circulated to pack separately.

"Sell these, and we can get a good amount of silver, which will be used to buy grain and medicinal herbs, then seeds and daily necessities; we must get through this disaster year no matter what." Determined, Chi Nan Yi scoured the room again, gathering everything sellable into the space, waiting for a chance to slip out of the residence.

In the previous life, Chi Nan Yi was extremely obedient, never resisting any request from the Meng Family, so the Minister Meng Hui and the Jiang Clan trusted her greatly and no one kept a close watch on her.

The newly arrived maids, knowing she was unwell, dared not approach. When they went to deliver food, Chi Nan Yi ate and then went back to sleep, telling them no one was allowed to disturb her. She was still the legitimate daughter of the Minister's Residence, so those maids naturally said nothing, not even knowing when the room would be empty.

Chi Nan Yi was dressed in men's clothing, which she had made in idle time for her older brother Meng Jue, who was often away. The original owner did not know how tall her brother had grown; the clothes had been ready for a long time but never sent, and now she found it perfect to wear them.

Looking at the bustling street, Chi Nan Yi took a deep breath.