Qiao Xin’s arrangement was quite comprehensive.

Exchanging grain for firewood seemed like a loss for Qiao Xin, but in reality, her family could use this opportunity to obtain the resources they lacked the most while also gaining a good reputation and integrating into the local community as quickly as possible.

For the villagers of Lao Hu Town, they lived near the mountains—firewood was abundant, even if other resources were scarce.

As long as they didn’t deliberately destroy the forests and only collected dead branches, the government generally wouldn’t intervene.

Before winter arrived, the villagers’ main activity was gathering firewood from the mountains or hunting to exchange for essential supplies.

Most families had already built multiple stacks of firewood, enough to last the entire year.

Now that they could exchange firewood for grain with the Qiao family, who would refuse such an offer?

After hesitating for a moment, Li Zhong stepped forward and looked at Qiao Xin. “Madam Qiao, can other families also exchange with you?”

Qiao Xin was puzzled. “Other families?”

Li Zhong nodded, looking a little embarrassed.

After a brief silence, he explained, “I mean the families who couldn’t participate in this hunt. There are only seventeen households in Lao Hu Town, most of them hunters who moved here from remote mountain villages, hoping to claim some land under the new policies.”

“Uncle Mo is different; he wasn’t originally a hunter. Normally, when people fall ill, they don’t even call for a doctor—they rely on him for treatment.”

“For hunters, injuries are commonplace. Minor wounds can be dealt with, but severe ones have to be endured. Life as a hunter is even harder than that of a farmer.

Uncle Mo stayed in the village because he provided medical help. People would exchange food with him for medicine.”

“He has a grandson who was injured by a wild boar while hunting a few days ago. He’s been recovering at home, but since everyone went to town, no one has exchanged food with him lately…”

Qiao Xin understood now—her actions yesterday had unintentionally taken away someone else’s livelihood!

Li Zhong continued, “Then there’s Shiya and his grandmother. His father was killed by wolves last spring. The old woman and the child barely survive, and the villagers help them whenever possible. Could you let them trade firewood for supplies first?”

Qiao Xin understood Li Zhong’s concerns.

However, simply giving them grain wouldn’t be enough—these struggling families might not survive the winter!

She respected the village head’s kindness.

Even though he himself hadn’t solved his own food problem, he still worried about others.

It showed his good character.

However, Qiao Xin had her own plans and decided to meet these people first before making a decision.

“Er, come with me. Our family needs extra hands for work. According to Li Zhong, this doctor only wants a meal in exchange for his services. Why not give it a try?”

Qiao Yunqing saw through her thoughts immediately. “If you want to help them, just say so. I won’t object.”

“Hehe, I wouldn’t say it’s charity. I’ll see for myself first—I’m not a pushover! Besides, in this weather, finding people willing to work here is almost impossible!”

“Mother, whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”

Qiao Xin looked at him and said, “You need to step away from these trivial matters soon. Pick up your books and earn your title. That’s the only way to secure the family business I’m working so hard to build. Your elder and younger brothers also need to act—one must study literature, the other martial arts. I have a feeling our peaceful days won’t last long.”

“Mother, are you worried that our original family will find us?”

“That’s not for us to decide, is it? Ever since Heng Wen’s incident, if anyone wants to find us, it wouldn’t be difficult. We didn’t even try to hide. We saved Heng Wen’s life, and this is how the Dingbian Marquis repaid us. If they try to reclaim you all one day, who knows what tactics they’ll use?”

Qiao Yunqing hadn’t expected his mother to see things so clearly.

In his previous life, wasn’t this exactly how they ended up?

His brothers had either died or been ruined, all because they were manipulated into turning against each other.

If only their mother hadn’t been blinded by fleeting wealth and status—if only the brothers had stood united, with one excelling in literature, the other in martial arts, and their ties to the imperial family forming a strong triangular alliance—then they wouldn’t have been so easily defeated!

Uncle Mo’s home was right behind Qiao Xin’s house, just a short walk away.

Although the two homes were close, their living conditions were worlds apart.

Lao Hu Town’s population had declined, but good houses were still not freely available.

Most of the houses had owners, and even those without owners were managed by government-appointed brokers.

These brokers would inspect them regularly, and anyone found occupying an empty house without permission would be arrested, sentenced to prison, and forced into hard labor to pay for their lodging.

The shacks where Uncle Mo lived had originally been built as temporary shelters for passing horsemen.

After so many years, they had fallen into severe disrepair, with only a few barely standing structures left. People like Uncle Mo, who couldn’t afford rent and had nowhere else to go, could only stay here to avoid being driven out.

Upon hearing unfamiliar footsteps, Uncle Mo tensed up immediately.

He instinctively gripped the iron hairpin hidden beneath his straw mat.

Before he could react, the straw curtain was lifted, revealing Li Zhong, followed by a strange man and woman.

In the cramped ten-square-foot room, the presence of three more people instantly made it feel overcrowded.

Li Zhong greeted him naturally, “Uncle Mo, how’s Jiaquan doing? This is Madam Qiao—she just moved in, right in front of your house. I already told her about your situation. She’s willing to trade grain for firewood.”

Uncle Mo remained cold and wary, instinctively shielding the person lying under the straw mat.

He listened to Li Zhong in silence, then turned away and continued grinding herbs in his stone mortar.

Li Zhong grew anxious.

He knew Uncle Mo was being stubborn again.

Did he not realize how dire their situation was?

They were starving, yet he was still clinging to his pride!

It was obvious that Uncle Mo wasn’t interested.

Qiao Xin was willing to help within her capabilities, but she had no intention of warming up to someone who clearly didn’t appreciate it.

Without saying a word, she turned to leave.

Seeing her actually walk away, Li Zhong panicked. “Uncle Mo, think about Jiaquan!”

Uncle Mo’s body stiffened.

He seemed to lose all strength in an instant.

With trembling lips, he finally spoke, “I don’t have extra firewood. Jiaquan is injured—he won’t be able to gather any this winter. I’m just an old man; I can’t go up the mountain. But if you can provide Jianxue Qing (a medicine for stopping bleeding), my grandson and I will sell ourselves as servants to your household!”

“What do I need servants for? That would just be more mouths to feed! You help me, I pay you. We each get what we need—no debts between us. I do have Jianxue Qing, but why should I give it to you?”

The moment Uncle Mo heard she had the medicine, he no longer cared about anything else.

He immediately stood up and paced excitedly. “You really have it? Good, good! My son is saved! I can read, and my family has practiced medicine for generations. My son inherited some of my skills. People always get sick—I might not be able to cure everything, but I can at least treat common ailments!”

Qiao Xin, purely out of curiosity, blurted out, “If you’re a doctor, how did you end up in such a miserable state? Did you offend someone?”

At this, Uncle Mo’s expression darkened.

His eyes widened in anger, his thin cheeks puffed as if recalling a painful memory.

He turned away without saying a word.

Qiao Xin hadn’t expected such a strong reaction.

She realized she had overstepped.

Scratching her nose awkwardly, she took out a pill from her pouch and handed it over. “Give this to bring down his fever. If he keeps burning up like this, he’ll be brain-damaged. The snow is getting heavier—move over as soon as you can.”

Leaving the medicine behind, she exited without further delay.

Qiao Yunqing followed in silence, his footsteps heavier than before, making it impossible for Qiao Xin to ignore.