Chapter 25: Two Little Mice

Sheng Dashan was panting with rage, his broom having snapped in two from the force of his fury. During the slack season, he would work for wealthy families in town; apart from the silver he was required to hand over to the family coffers, he would give everything else to Liu Juan. He estimated he should have had over two taels of silver saved, but now only one remained—the rest had all been siphoned off by Liu Juan to support her brother’s family.

Previously, he had looked down on his second brother’s wife, despising her for helping her maiden family. Well, now look at this—his own wife was no better. At least the second sister-in-law kept her actions somewhat visible and dared not resist once Mother Sheng put her foot down. But his own wife? She played her underhanded games right under his nose, all while acting superior to others, yet she was just as guilty of funneling money to her own kin!

"Master, I had my reasons. My nephew was ill and begged me for help; I had no choice. You wouldn't have me just watch my nephew die of sickness, would you?" Liu Juan sat on the floor, her face completely swollen, a testament to how brutally she had just been beaten.

"And so you thought you could just watch your own daughter die? I am not wasting any more breath on a spendthrift woman like you. I am going to the medical clinic to pay the money now. If I return and find you haven't come up with the rest of the funds, I will divorce you on the spot and send you packing right back to where you came from!"

Sheng Dashan stormed off, leaving Liu Juan sitting on the floor, clutching her face and sobbing. The household was truly destitute now. That damned Sheng Zhaodi—why didn't she just get killed by a wild boar? That was ten whole taels of silver! And that wretched Sheng Wanqiu, with all that money, what would it have hurt to give some to her family? As for that old hag, she was biased to the bone!

Sheng Wanqiu, however, couldn't care less. She was currently sipping tea in the Apricot Grove Medical Clinic.

"Little ancestor, I really don't have any left! This is a pharmacy, not a grain shop. Where do you expect me to find seeds?" Ding Dali’s beard was practically bristling with irritation. Since becoming the shopkeeper, he had never encountered such a shameless person. The moment she walked in, she ate the fresh pork wontons he had just bought, then used his teapot to brew his most precious tea leaves. Once she was stuffed, she started rummaging around for seeds. The watermelon and carrot seeds from last time were things he had swiped from the princess's gardener; he truly had no more.

"Where did you get those seeds last time? Can’t you help me get some more? If you help me find them, I’ll give you a grand gift!"

Sheng Wanqiu leaned back, looking unbothered as she sipped her tea and made her request with a cheeky grin.

"A grand gift? What kind of gift?" Ding Dali’s interest piqued; he knew this girl surely had good things in her possession.

"I won't tell you yet, but I guarantee the value of this gift won't be any less than that ginseng from before!"

Ding Dali immediately swapped his expression for a flattering smile, rushing over to pour her more tea with great enthusiasm. "May I ask what kind of seeds you want, young lady? I will certainly do my best!"

Sheng Wanqiu glanced at him and remarked, "I actually preferred you when you were being defiant just now."

Ding Dali looked embarrassed, his smile freezing, but he became even more servile, bustling about with tea and water like a dedicated servant.

"Anyway, I want any kind of rare seeds you can find—you handle it! Once the seeds are in my hands, I'll deliver the gift." Sheng Wanqiu’s eyes curved into crescents, looking every bit like a cunning little fox.

"Alright! Come back in three days, and I’ll definitely get them for you!" Ding Dali promised, patting his chest.

Satisfied, Sheng Wanqiu finally picked up her bamboo basket and left. As soon as she departed, Ding Dali immediately wrote a letter. Whatever it contained, he pulled a pigeon from a cage in the back courtyard and tied the message to its leg.

Sheng Wanqiu went to a grain and oil shop to ask if they had any grain, fruit, or vegetable seeds. She actually managed to find several types, though they were all common varieties—leaf mustard, cucumber, pumpkin, and green onions. Still, something was better than nothing, so she spent a coin and bought them all.

After leaving the grain shop, she headed straight for the yamen. She was there to get her documents stamped so that the land deeds would take effect. She understood the principle that a local official is more powerful than a distant one. Upon arriving at the yamen, a string of copper coins loosened the gatekeeper's tongue, and he led her directly to the yamen secretary, who handled such document stamping.

Money makes the ghost turn the mill; seeing the red envelope handed over, the scowling secretary’s face creased into a smile. She didn't even have to wait in line; *thwack, thwack, thwack*, both land deeds were stamped. The gatekeeper even personally escorted Sheng Wanqiu out, his attitude remarkably polite, devoid of the usual arrogance he showed commoners.

"Big sister!"

As Sheng Wanqiu strolled down the street, she heard someone calling her. Turning around, she saw the little beggar who had guided her last time.

"It’s you!" Sheng Wanqiu walked over with a smile, patting the little beggar on the head without a hint of disgust. Seeing how thin the boy’s face looked, she felt a pang of sympathy. Though she wasn't exactly a saint, she still had a shred of humanity in her. "Are you hungry? Come on, big sister will take you to eat something good!"

The little beggar shook his head, leaned in closer, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Big sister, there are two people behind you. They've been following you since you entered the city. You need to be careful!"

After saying this, the little beggar darted away.

Sheng Wanqiu pretended to crouch down to adjust her skirt, glancing back. Sure enough, two sneaky figures were trailing her.

Damn it! When had her vigilance become so low? It seemed one really couldn't let their guard down. She had assumed that in this era, without zombies or the like, there was no need to stay on high alert, but she had forgotten that scum existed in every era. If not for the little beggar’s warning, she might have been caught off guard.

It seemed she really couldn't flaunt her wealth. She had only shown thirty taels and this was already happening; if they knew she had four thousand, they would have carried her away along with her bed in the middle of the night! Did they think that because a tiger didn't show its claws, it was just a sick cat? Fine, fine—today, she would let these bastards see what death looked like!

Sheng Wanqiu began to browse the streets with a feigned casualness, looking at this and tasting that. She visited almost every shop, buying plenty of small items to fill her bamboo basket.

"Damn, why can this wench shop so much? My legs are sore—how much longer is she going to wander around?" a short, sleazy-looking youth in grey clothes cursed, his eyes locked on Sheng Wanqiu as she nibbled on a candied hawthorn.

"What's the rush? Just wait until she enters an alley, then we move!" said the older, dark-faced man in blue clothes. He looked confident, an oily, covetous grin plastered on his face.