Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

In the end, it was the village head's wife who had a keen eye and immediately recognized the timid Zhu Xiaozhen.

"Isn't this the Zhu family's daughter? The one who married into Qingping Village a few years ago? Why is she suddenly back!"

As soon as the Zhu family was mentioned, Hong Lizheng immediately realized who they were.

The Zhu family has been virtually wiped out of Datong Village. It's terrible!

The couple fled famine years ago, bringing with them a son and a daughter. Their daughter married and moved to the next village, and their son tragically died while serving corvée labor. Unable to bear the blows, the elderly couple passed away one after the other.

The Zhu family line ended, and their land was naturally confiscated by the village. Zhu Xiaozhen, a married woman, was left behind; she was taciturn and timid, and the village gave her no compensation.

The Zhu family members were cowardly and incompetent when they were alive, and no one worried that Zhu Xiaozhen would come back to cause trouble after they died. In the end, Hong Lizheng felt a sense of guilt towards the Zhu family.

Although he was thinking of the village.

In an instant, Hong Lizheng switched to a kind and gentle mode, immediately getting up and telling his family to bring out stools and pour hot water to entertain the guest. He kindly inquired about Zhu Xiaozhen, who was clumsy and kept bowing her head.

"Little Zhen, why did you suddenly come back to the village? Is there something you need to see your uncle about?"

He observed the Yu family closely.

He wondered if the Yu family had come to demand an explanation because Zhu Xiaozhen couldn't give birth to a son? Was Zhu Xiaozhen desperate and had no one from her family, so she came to him for help?

That won't work!

If Zhu Xiaozhen wanted to reclaim the land she had previously owned, the village couldn't. But this child was, after all, a resident of Datong Village, and they insisted that she shouldn't be bullied by her in-laws, nor should they be allowed to divorce her so easily!

Yu Wenbin was bewildered by the glare from Hong Lizheng. He thought to himself, "This village head from my wife's hometown is so fierce! Will we be able to have a proper business meeting later?"

"Uncle Village Head, I...I..."

Zhu Xiaozhen's face turned red, and she couldn't utter a complete sentence.

It's amazing that she can't even make a thud after three blows! Everyone's eyes are fixed on her, and she's so nervous that she wishes there was a crack under her feet so she could disappear into it.

Yu Wanran couldn't bear to see her sister-in-law in such a predicament, so she stepped forward and took over the conversation.

“Uncle Village Head, I am Zhu Xiaozhen’s third aunt. I heard from my sister-in-law that your Datong Village has a special kind of red grass mat, and I would like to buy a few hundred of them.”

"Special feature...red grass mat?"

Hong Lizheng's family had never used straw mats woven from red velvet grass.

He was, after all, the village head, and his home was always full of guests. What would people think if they saw the tattered, faded, and utterly unsightly mat on his bed? It would be better to use a plain, unblemished straw mat.

Therefore, when Yu Wanran mentioned the special red grass mat, he didn't immediately understand.

How did something that nobody picked up after being thrown on the street become a unique feature?

“Uncle Village Head, you are a prominent figure in Datong Village and you know the village well. Could you please step forward and purchase these red straw mats on our behalf? We will give the villagers appropriate compensation.”

Yu Wanran wanted to acquire the red grass mats through Hong Lizheng, naturally to save trouble.

Also, they're afraid of causing trouble.

Offering some benefits would bring Hong Lizheng into the fold. Driven by shared interests, Hong Lizheng would be more enthusiastic about the acquisitions than if she were doing it herself. Having long been under Hong Lizheng's control, the villagers dared not harbor any ill intentions.

"Honey, is the mat this girl is talking about made from that red grass that grows in the mountains?"

The village head's wife stood to the side, and after listening for a while, she couldn't help but remind the old man.

Hong Lizheng suddenly realized, looked at Yu Wanran, and couldn't help but be surprised: "That kind of red straw mat? It will fade after being washed, it looks terrible! What do you want to buy it for?"

The village head's wife secretly glared at her husband. "Aren't you stupid? If the other party doesn't know they want to buy, just sell! Why turn away money that's practically offered to you?"

She quickly interjected, "The straw mats did fade a bit after being washed. But freshly woven straw mats are very beautiful. Are you really here to buy red straw mats?"

"Yes, we plan to transport it to other major towns to sell. If it's cheap and of good quality, maybe someone will buy it out of curiosity."

Yu Wanran gave a half-truthful answer.

Hong Lizheng finally understood, and like his wife, his eyes lit up.

"Aren't you Xiaozhen's in-laws? Why did you suddenly stop farming and start doing business?"

When people are in dire straits, they think of ways to change their situation.

Yu Wanran gave a simple reply.

The village head and his wife scoffed. "Stop changing your mind; you'll only become poorer!"

Of course, no one will turn away money that comes knocking on their door.

Having confirmed the truth, Hong Lizheng's mind began to race. Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake; he knew the other party was after his status. Since that was the case, he, as the local bully, would definitely try to profit from it.

How do you plan to acquire the red grass mats?

"Fifteen coins a bed, brand new and unwashed, preferably hand-woven."

Yu Wanran deliberately emphasized the last point to convince people that she had received a "special grass mat" rather than red grass.

Hong Li frowned slightly.

Fifteen coins? That price seems a bit low. Although red straw mats aren't worth much, they require a lot of manual labor. A skilled worker needs half a day to a day to weave a new one.

Moreover, with spring plowing approaching, how many families are willing to put aside their farm work and devote themselves entirely to collecting red grass in the mountains?

Fifteen coins probably won't get you many finished beds. He's running around doing all that, but he won't get much benefit in return.

After some hesitation, Hong Lizheng wanted to decline this troublesome matter. Seeing the expressions on both sides' faces, the village head's wife, unwilling to give up this golden opportunity to make money, offered what she thought was a reasonable price.

“Xiao Zhen’s third aunt, fifteen coins is probably too little. Not many villagers are willing to take on this kind of work. Why don’t you add a little more? Everyone can make a profit so that we can cooperate in the long term!”

Yu Wanran had no intention of cooperating with Datong Village in the long term.

This year we're trying out red velvet grass, and next year we can send our own cultivated kind to the capital. Whether Wei Yu will want it the year after is hard to say. In short, red velvet grass isn't a long-term business.

Of course, it can't be said so explicitly. Offering the lowest price is just to create room for negotiation later.

Seeing that the village head's wife had taken the bait, she deliberately hesitated for a while.

"This red straw mat is actually our family's first time doing business, trying out acquisition. We don't know if the cost is too high and we won't be able to sell it?"

Upon hearing this, the village head and his wife realized that he was indeed a shrewd operator. It would be a shame to let such an unexpected windfall slip through their fingers.

Hong Li was gritting his teeth.

"Add another two or three coins, and I'll take over this deal on behalf of the villagers. Spring plowing is coming soon, and we're short-handed. Without much profit, I'm afraid everyone won't be willing to go into the mountains to cut red grass?"

After much internal struggle, Yu Wanran finally made a firm decision.

"I'll... offer a maximum of twenty coins per bed!"

Staring at the look of ecstasy on the faces of the village head and his wife, he waved two fingers.

"First, it must be made from fresh red grass; second, it must be thoroughly cleaned and not washed; third, the craftsmanship must be excellent. If any one of these criteria is not met, I will not accept the straw mat!"

"no problem!"

The village head's wife was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Xiao Zhen is her third aunt. We've watched Xiao Zhen grow up. She wouldn't lie to the people in her own village. Just wait and see, we'll take care of this!"