Chapter 23 A Turn of Events

Manager Zhang watched Qin Ruo and her group leave, snorted coldly, and turned back to continue checking the ingredients.

The large households in Taihe County, all the restaurants and eateries, had their own fixed suppliers.

The things those country folk brought weren’t few, besides the Fumanlou, who could eat them all at once?

If they came back later and begged him to take them, it wouldn’t be this price.

Manager Zhang was sure that Qin Ruo wouldn’t be able to sell her goods and would definitely come back to him.

He had already prepared himself mentally for how to humiliate and suppress her when that happened.

After Qin Ruo and her group left the Fumanlou, Qin Zimu’s excitement from easily selling his mushrooms had vanished.

He sulked and said to Qin Ruo, “Sister, our things are clearly good. That Manager Zhang was clearly, clearly deliberately making things difficult for us.”

Zhou Dazhu chimed in, “I think that Manager Zhang, his words were hinting at wanting a bribe.”

Qin Ruo gave Zhou Dazhu an approving look.

She understood the implication of Manager Zhang’s words, but before she could speak, she was stopped by a hurried call from behind.

“Miss Qin, Miss Qin, please wait.”

It was Qing Sheng, the Fumanlou’s waiter, who ran up in a hurry.

Qing Sheng first looked cautiously behind him, and seeing that there was nothing unusual, he led Qin Ruo and her group to a secluded corner.

Then he whispered, “Miss Qin, I just went to the kitchen to urge the dishes and saw you, I quickly found a chance to come out.”

“Mr. Chen from the Fumanlou was transferred a while ago, and before he left, he specifically told me to let you know if you came.”

Qing Sheng glanced at the heavy baskets on Qin Ruo’s group’s backs and sighed.

“The ingredients you brought were underpriced, weren’t they? Since Manager Zhang came, he has replaced all the merchants and farmers who used to supply rice and ingredients to the Fumanlou.”

“The Fumanlou is no longer the same Fumanlou it used to be, even our waiters are having a hard time. Miss Qin, you should make plans as soon as possible.”

Qing Sheng said with a troubled expression, hinting at the situation.

“Thank you, Brother Qing Sheng, I understand.”

Arbitrarily suppressing farmers and cooperative merchants, abusing his power, and lining his own pockets.

Qin Ruo instantly understood several layers of meaning.

She smiled and thanked Qing Sheng.

Qing Sheng waved his hand and told Qin Ruo that he couldn’t stay out for too long, then he hurried back to the Fumanlou.

Qin Ruo wasn’t in a hurry, she couldn’t bear to sell at such a low price.

She might as well keep it for herself, if she couldn’t eat it all, she could pickle it.

As for making money, she would figure out a way later.

After leaving the alley, the group walked along the bustling street and slowly returned to the area where the vendors were gathered.

Qin Ruo and her group put down their baskets, set up their stall, and were about to shout out their wares.

A nanny dressed in fine clothes, accompanied by a young maid of about thirteen or fourteen years old, hurried over.

The nanny didn’t say anything, she squatted down and carefully examined the things in front of her, nodding repeatedly as she looked.

The nanny’s surname was Zhang, she was the personal nanny of the old lady of the Xie Mansion in Taihe County.

The old lady was weak and had been suffering from a cough since the beginning of winter, her appetite had been poor and her spirits had been low.

Nanny Zhang had been anxious and worried, her mouth was even blistered.

So, she brought her maid, Mingyue, out personally, she wanted to find some fresh things for the old lady to try.

She had walked through several streets and hadn’t found what she wanted, there were fewer people selling game in the dead of winter.

There were also many wealthy families in Taihe County, many of them could afford game.

So, basically, as soon as they were put out, they were snatched up.

Nanny Zhang had searched several streets and hadn’t found what she wanted to buy.

Just when she was disappointed, she saw Qin Ruo and her group selling game.

Wild chickens and rabbits were nothing special, but the roe deer meat was rare.

Nanny Zhang was overjoyed and casually asked about the price.

“Little girl, how much do you sell your game for?”

“The wild chicken is one hundred and twenty coins each, the wild rabbit is two hundred coins, and this roe deer is two taels of silver, what do you think?”

Qin Ruo looked at the nanny’s attire and knew that a big customer had arrived. The price she quoted was based on what she had learned along the way.

Nanny Zhang heard this and thought the price was reasonable, so she bought all of Qin Ruo’s goods.

Besides what she would eat herself, give to the Zhou family and the driver, Uncle Yang, and what she had sold in Datong Township,

The remaining five wild chickens sold for 600 coins, and the four wild rabbits sold for over 800 coins.

The roe deer was given two taels of silver according to the original price.

So Nanny Zhang paid very readily, she didn’t even haggle with Qin Ruo.

After paying, Nanny Zhang asked Qin Ruo to follow her and deliver the goods to the Xie Mansion.

The old lady and the young master of the mansion both loved to eat game, and in the dead of winter, this kind of thing was rare.

Qin Ruo quickly packed up her basket and took Qin Zimu and Zhou Dazhu with her, following the nanny forward.

After passing through several bustling streets, Nanny Zhang stopped at a side gate of a grand mansion.

“Just leave the things here…”

“Qionghua, you’re always busy! I’m old, it’s normal to have some minor ailments, why are you making such a fuss in this cold weather?”

A slightly reproachful voice interrupted Nanny Zhang.

Qin Ruo looked up and saw an old lady dressed in a dark purple brocade cloak, wearing a crescent-shaped white fox fur collar around her neck, her hair adorned with gold hairpins, exuding an air of nobility.

She was walking slowly out of the gate, supported by a maid and several servants.

“Old Lady, why did you come out? Go back to your room, be careful of catching a cold.”

“Qiu Yue, how do you serve the Old Lady? I was only gone for a while, if something happened to the Old Lady, I’ll skin you alive.”

Nanny Zhang ignored Qin Ruo, hurried forward to support the Old Lady, and then reprimanded Qiu Yue, who was beside the Old Lady.

“Don’t scold Qiu Yue, it was me… cough, it was me who wanted to come out, cough cough…”

The Old Lady covered her mouth with a handkerchief, bent over slightly, and coughed violently.

She coughed so hard that she could barely breathe.

“Old Lady, Old Lady… Qiu Yue, quickly, quickly go and call the doctor.”

Nanny Zhang’s face was tense, she shouted for Qiu Yue to call the doctor, and the servants were in a panic.

Zhou Dazhu and Qin Zimu, facing this situation, looked at each other, standing there not knowing what to do.

It was the first time they had interacted with people from a wealthy family, they were afraid of accidentally angering the noble lady and causing trouble for Qin Ruo.

So, they both moved to the side, Qin Ruo put down her basket, quickly stepped forward, grabbed the Old Lady’s hand, and gently pressed on her Hegu point.

Nanny Zhang’s face changed drastically, she was very angry at Qin Ruo’s inexplicable rudeness.

“You’re out of line…”

Nanny Zhang’s reprimand to Qin Ruo had just begun, but she saw that the Old Lady’s coughing gradually subsided.

Nanny Zhang was not a fool, when she understood Qin Ruo’s actions, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She gave Qin Ruo a grateful and apologetic look.

“I see that the Old Lady’s cough has been going on for some time, she should also have insomnia, pressing this point can relieve it…”

Qin Ruo said calmly, and after the Old Lady stopped coughing, she stepped back to the side.

“Little girl, do you know medicine?”

Nanny Zhang was overjoyed, her voice even rose a few pitches.