Chapter 634: First Volume_Chapter 634: Qin Family Distress

First Volume_Chapter 634: Qin Family Distress

This kind of question didn't need Qin Feng to explain at all.

Even Qin Xiaofu, standing nearby, could see through the stakes involved.

"Little Marquis, this Yanshou County is no simple matter."

"It's itself a north-south grain transit station. Whether upstream grain merchants or downstream grain merchants, they all have to pass through Yanshou County."

"A tiny Yanshou County is the contested ground that every grain merchant in the entire North and even the Central Plains must fight for."

"Yanshou Village cannot afford the slightest mishap."

Qin Xiaofu had been following at Qin Feng's and Yan Ruyu's side, learning the art of commerce, for quite some time now.

From the bootlicking scheming servant he once was, he had already transformed into a shrewd merchant.

Qin Feng was gratified. After all, the Qin Family's operation was so vast that even if he had three heads and six arms, he couldn't possibly look after everything.

Someone had to help Qin Feng shoulder the pressure.

Of course, the main reason for stealing time from his busy schedule to make this trip to Yanshou County—

—was the Zhao Clan.

After all, the Zhao Clan had the shadow of the Central Plains Imperial Party behind it, and had to be taken seriously enough.

"The Zhao Clan actually disregards the common people of Shedynasty's food and clothing, and has come after my Qin Family Grain Shop."

"I'd like to see exactly what kind of clever scheme the Zhao Family is plotting!"

……

By this time, the entrance of the Qin Family Grain Shop was already packed with people.

Not only Northern Grain Merchants, but even people from the major firms in Yanshou County came swarming over one after another.

Seeing he had successfully drawn everyone's attention, Zhao Zan grew even more brazen.

"Everyone, open your eyes wide and look carefully!"

"This Qin Family Grain Shop has been swindling people for more than a day or two."

"First they put out word that they'd purchase grain at fair prices, no cheating of young or old."

"Then once merchants come from thousands of miles away, drawn by their reputation, they pull this quota purchase stunt."

"Only five thousand catties a day—that amount isn't even enough to fill a tooth gap!"

"The grain hauled in by merchants from everywhere is already lined up from North Street all the way outside the city. Altogether, if it's not five hundred thousand catties, it's at least three hundred thousand catties!"

"Once the Qin Family Grain Shop finishes buying all the grain, the shortest wait is two months, the longest… heh heh, who knows what year and month that'll be?"

"What the Qin Family Grain Shop is betting on is that none of you can hold out, and you'll sell your grain at low prices. Surely you can't haul the grain all the way back, can you?"

Zhao Zan's speech successfully stirred up intense discussion among the crowd.

Lin Ziyi was so angry her little face flushed red. She'd seen shameless people before, but never anyone this shameless!

Zhao Zan had performed the phrase "the guilty party files the suit first" to absolute perfection.

His remarks just now were plainly the Zhao Clan's scheme and trickery, yet he forcefully slung the dirty water onto the Qin Family Grain Shop.

But then again…

There really were those clueless merchants who took it as truth.

For a moment, the scene was filled with an unbroken buzz of heated discussion.

"Who would have thought, this Qin Family Grain Shop is actually this shameless!"

"We traveled thousands of miles, drawn by their reputation, and ended up falling into a swindler's trap."

"More than shameless? Simply scoundrels! The grain prices in this Yanshou County are enough to affect grain fluctuations across half of Shedynasty."

"This Qin Family Grain Shop, in pursuit of profit, is truly trying to drive everyone to a dead end!"

"Scheming over grain—aren't they afraid the Ministry of Works will send people down to investigate?"

"Ministry of Works? Heh! Have you forgotten what great figure stands behind the Qin Family Grain Shop? Even if the Ministry of Works comes, what could they do?"

"This Qin Family Grain Shop is vicious!"

The merchants were filled with righteous indignation, and the looks they gave Lin Ziyi were full of resentment.

Lin Ziyi, afraid the Qin Family Grain Shop's good name would be ruined, hurried to explain.

"Everyone, don't be taken in by Zhao Zan's demon words bewitching the masses."

"Those who buy low and sell low are the grain merchants led by the Zhao Clan."

"Their goal is to squeeze the Qin Family Grain Shop to death. Once they do, they can brazenly prey on the upstream and downstream grain merchants."

Lin Ziyi argued loudly, but sadly, her single voice was far too small.

It simply couldn't stir even a ripple in the chaotic scene.

Even those who heard Lin Ziyi's defense not only refused to believe her, but angrily rebuked her instead.

"At a time like this, you still have the nerve to shamelessly quibble."

"If the Qin Family Grain Shop is truly innocent, why not lift the quota?"

"Whatever reasons you have, you shouldn't be driving us to a dead end. After being played like this by the Qin Family Grain Shop, every road before us leads to death either way."

"Either haul it back and have the grain stuck in our own hands, or sell at a low price and lose every last coin."

"Exactly right! If the Qin Family Grain Shop is truly innocent, why not just take all the grain? Otherwise, no matter how many pretty words you say, it's meaningless."

Lin Ziyi was left speechless.

Right now the entire branch had only one thousand taels of silver left. How many more days it could hold out, even Lin Ziyi herself couldn't say.

She and her father had been entrusted to manage affairs within the Qin Family Grain Shop because they had earned the Qin Family's trust.

If the branch collapsed in her hands, how would she face the Qin Family in the future?

The road before Lin Ziyi had only two options.

Either gamble everything, spend this entire Qian Liang Silver, buy as much as possible.

Try to win back the merchants' goodwill.

But if so, where will tomorrow's grain purchase money come from?

Or continue enforcing the purchase quota — although it can hold out a few more days, it will completely infuriate all the North merchants.

What awaits the Qin Family Grain Shop is surely a dead end.

Even her father Lin Qihai couldn't bear this enormous pressure and collapsed from illness on the spot.

Such a heavy burden was pressed entirely onto Lin Ziyi's slender shoulders.

Lin Ziyi only felt waves of tightness in her chest, several times wanting to flee.

But at the final moment, she endured it all.

She must not betray the Qin Family's trust!

"Shopkeeper Chen, ever since the Qin Family Grain Shop opened in Yanshou County, we've been old customers."

"You should understand that our Qin Family Grain Shop is absolutely not as rotten as Zhao Zan made it sound."

Chen Kang wasn't so easy to fool; he naturally understood that Zhao Zan's words just now were nothing more than Thief Catching Thief.

If the Zhao Family hadn't played dirty, how could Yanshou County have fallen into such chaos?

But...

What meaning did it have whether Chen Kang believed it or not?

Merchants travel thousands of miles to Yanshou County caring about only one thing — whether they can make money.

After all, many merchants have staked their entire fortune on the grain.

Returning empty-handed is still fine — at worst, they can make a comeback on East Mountain.

But if they even lose their capital, then they'll never be reborn for all eternity.

Those merchants can't be blamed for being fair-weather friends; their families are small, their businesses are small, they can't afford such turmoil, nor bear such risk.

"Young Mistress, I really can't figure out — why must you insist on the purchase quota?"

"If you say the Qin Family Grain Shop has run out of money, I wouldn't believe it even if you beat me to death!"

"Who exactly is the person behind the Qin Family Grain Shop — you and I both know perfectly well."

Lin Ziyi had her grievances but couldn't speak; she and her father had already sent several urgent letters to Jingdu.

But they all vanished like Stone Sinking into the Sea, with no response whatsoever.

Combined with the recent series of major events in Jingdu, Lin Ziyi truly didn't dare use such "trivial matters" to trouble that great figure of the Qin Family...