The fake daughter married into the mountains and had meat to eat every day during the famine

Seeing Jiang following behind him and giving instructions, Song Yuntang turned around and took her hand.

"Mom, it's really nothing serious. I've run a shop in Cile Town for a long time, so I'm not completely without foundation. I'll be back as soon as I've finished dealing with things over there."

Jiang was still worried, but she didn't say anything else.

It was not until Song Yuntang and Mu Dong drove away in their mule cart that Xu Yongwang came running home with his back hunched like a thief.

Jiang hurriedly pulled him into the courtyard, closed the gate, and asked, "What did Master Lin say to Tang'er? She didn't look well."

"We were standing far away, so we could only see the people and couldn't hear what they said. I think Mr. Lin said something to make the maid angry, and he's already asked Wencheng to go outside the Tang Mansion to arrest Qingye." He then pointed in the direction of the courtyard gate and asked, "Why are they in such a hurry? What are they going to do?"

Jiang looked worried.

"He said there was an emergency in Cile Town and he needed to go take care of it."

"Is it serious?" Xu Yongwang asked.

"She said it was a small matter." Jiang frowned and said, "But I'm still a little worried. When Qingye comes back, I have to ask him to ask Mr. Tang for leave to go back."

Xu Yongwang nodded.

"We have to go. We're running so fast. Maybe the situation is more serious than we think."

.

The mule cart arrived at the county government office first.

As soon as Song Yuntang got off the mule cart, a yamen runner greeted her.

"Brother Luo, is Lord Zhu here?"

"Master Zhu is discussing the case with Master Qin in the backyard. Miss Song, do you want to talk to him?"

"It's something."

"Then wait for me, girl. I will report to the master and then take you in." Luo Gang saw that she looked a little hurried, so he did not delay and trotted into the backyard.

Seeing this, Mu Dong was a little surprised.

Are the county yamen runners so enthusiastic nowadays?

The attitude of these yamen runners towards Miss Song was a little too nice.

In a short while, Luo Gang ran out of the yamen.

"Miss Song, the master said you should come in."

Song Yuntang thanked Luo Gang, lifted her skirt and ran into the yamen. When she arrived at the backyard of the yamen, Master Qin was waiting at the door of Mr. Zhu's study.

He made a gesture of invitation towards the study.

"Miss Song, please come in."

Behind the desk, Zhu Deming, who was standing with his back to the desk, seemed to have calculated the time precisely and turned around as soon as Song Yuntang entered the door.

"Miss Song, are you here today for the Huang family's land?"

Song Yuntang bowed to him.

“That’s indeed the reason.”

Zhu Deming pushed a large wooden box on the table towards her.

"The Huang family's land is all here. There are 2,243 acres of paddy fields, 300 acres of dry land, 600 acres of forest, and 12 fish ponds, totaling 29 acres. According to the current market price, it can be sold for about 18,000 taels. However, considering that Miss Song has done a good job in reporting the Huang family, if you want the whole thing, I will give you a discount, 16,000 taels of silver. What do you think?"

These words were spoken very fluently and without any hesitation, as if they had been waiting for her here.

Profiteer!

This was the first thought that popped into Song Yuntang's mind after hearing what Zhu Deming said, and she pretended to be embarrassed.

"To be honest with you, Master Zhu, I can only afford 10,000 taels of silver right now."

Zhu Deming looked at her.

"Then why don't you leave some for Miss Song?"

Nowadays, there are not many people who can come up with ten thousand taels of silver at a time, especially when it is used to buy land.

But now the border war has broken out again and the national treasury is short of silver. The prefect has ordered him to collect 20,000 taels of silver as soon as possible and send it to the provincial capital.

The economy is not good this year, and people are starving everywhere. If taxes are increased again, and it gets even colder, people in the mountains and fields won't be able to find food, and I'm afraid there will be corpses everywhere.

Fortunately, at this time, Song Yuntang pushed the Huang family to the forefront.

The Huang family is also a loser.

Despite having so much land, they only found nearly four thousand taels of silver during the house search.

But it's no wonder.

This year, the people couldn't get food from the fields, so naturally they couldn't pay the rent to them in time.

Now he only needs these 16,000 taels to complete the task.

Song Yuntang looked at him.

"Master Zhu, I'm a businessman and I come from a farming background, so I naturally know what the current market price for farmland is. The price you quoted is indeed a bit too high. Even if you gather all the merchants in the county together for an open auction, the best you can get is only 1,800 taels of silver. Any higher and people will think it's not worth it. It's better to find another way to make a living."

"What's more, those merchants who have won the bid may not necessarily treat the villagers in those villages well."

Zhu Deming laughed and looked at her.

"The little girl is quite courageous. She has learned to threaten others, hasn't she?"

Song Yuntang pursed his lips.

"How dare I threaten you, sir? I'm just telling you the truth."

"Then how much do you think these fields should be sold for?" Zhu Deming asked tentatively.

"Twelve thousand taels." Song Yuntang quoted a price.

Zhu Deming shook his head and said, "No, at least 15,500 taels."

"Thirteen thousand."

"Fifteen thousand!" Zhu Deming followed.

"Thirteen thousand five hundred, I still have to find a way to raise the remaining thirty thousand five hundred taels. If Master Zhu offers any higher, it will be beyond my reach, and I'm afraid I can't keep this land."

Song Yuntang retreated to advance.

Hearing her say this, Zhu Deming thought for a moment and then agreed.

"Okay, thirteen thousand five hundred is thirteen thousand five hundred."

Song Yuntang smiled and took out a handful of silver bills.

"This is ten thousand taels. The remaining three thousand five hundred taels must be brought to Lord Zhu within five days."

Zhu Deming nodded and signed a contract with her in the name of the government, agreeing that after all the land deeds of the Huang family were changed to new names, he would pay the remaining balance of 3,500 taels of silver in exchange for the goods.

After signing the contract, Song Yuntang bowed to Zhu Deming.

"There is something I would like you to do for me right now."

"What's the matter?" Zhu Deming raised his eyebrows. "Could it be that someone is bullying you?"

Song Yuntang looked aggrieved. "The shop I worked so hard to open in Cile Town was smashed. I beg you to seek justice for me."

Zhu Deming's expression became serious.

"Who is so bold as to smash your shop?"

"It was Lin Zhaozhao who was just released from prison." Song Yuntang said truthfully.

The last time Lin Zhaozhao was thrown into jail, Zhu Deming had a thorough understanding of the grievances between her and Song Yuntang.

I didn't expect that girl to be so brave.

Just after getting out of prison, he dared to do evil again.

Now that Song Yuntang has stepped forward to rid the people of harm, and with so many people in Cile Town signing the joint petition, her fame must have spread throughout the entire Cile Town.

He certainly couldn't let anyone bully such a good girl for no reason.

"Luo Gang, take a few brothers with Miss Song to Cile Town. Miss Lin must compensate Miss Song for the damage she caused. Otherwise, the county jail will be opened to her again."

"Yes."

……