After being wrongly married, I stabbed my husband to death and became famous throughout the world.

Gu Zongrui didn't care about any of that. All he knew was that he had blocked the city's food supply, and it would be just as difficult for the bandits to get food. Their supplies would eventually run out, and they couldn't outlast him!

The people in the city were suffering terribly.

Li Shu held a large pile of grain in her hand. She originally thought that the grain merchants owed her a favor, so she should ask them to sell the grain slowly.

But now, even these people might not have the guts to do it.

However, Master Wu, who had previously rejected Gu Zongrui, has been struggling lately. He still sells a fixed amount of grain at the same price as before in his grain shop, but the quality of the grain is not very good; it's all old stock and he certainly won't last long.

But for Li Shu, Master Wu was a good choice.

So she went directly to this person.

To Li Shu's surprise, Master Wu was ill, and his only daughter was in charge of the household.

When Miss Wu, dressed in men's clothing, saw Li Shu, her eyes lit up, but then she became somewhat flustered.

"Commander Li, you came to see me because you wanted to ask about the grain?" Miss Wu spoke first, then continued, "This batch of grain was secretly obtained by Young Master Gu when he was hoarding grain. It's not much, and it probably won't last more than a few days..."

"Miss Wu, aren't you afraid of offending him?" Li Shu asked curiously.

"Afraid?" The sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl snorted. "My dad said this guy is a big parasite in the granary, and he should be killed on the spot as soon as he shows his face. But everyone is afraid of this parasite's fangs and doesn't act, and we don't have the power to do so... But even if we don't have the power, we can't do nothing. As long as my family still has grain to sell, maybe there will be fewer people forced to their deaths outside..."

"What's your name, young lady?" Li Shu looked at her and thought that this person was of truly noble character.

That's far more enlightened than her.

“My name is Wangzhi. I am the only child in my family, so my father often says that he raised me to be too arrogant and ignorant. That’s why I have such a straightforward temper. If there is anything wrong with me, Commander Li, please don’t hold it against me!” Wu Wangzhi said frankly.

This little girl is very lively and seems quite courageous, but you can still see a blush on her face.

She was dressed in men's clothing, trying her best to straighten her back. The occasional awkwardness she showed revealed that she was also forcing herself to be brave.

"Miss Wu, how many grain shops does your family own?" Li Shu asked.

“There were five in the city, but now only one remains; the others can no longer operate,” Wu Wangzhi said regretfully.

The family's situation is not good now, after all, the food was secretly hoarded during the most difficult time, and it cost a lot of money.

“Starting tomorrow, open them all up. I’ll provide you with grain and send people to protect the grain shops. You’ll be in charge of selling them. Is that alright?” Li Shu said, grinning as he looked at the girl in front of him with great admiration. He was almost ready to become sworn brothers with her.

Wu Wangzhi was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed: "Commander Li, you have grain?!"

“How much? Is it enough for the people in the city to eat? You don’t know, ever since my father learned about that beast Gu’s behavior, he has been so worried that he has fallen ill!” she added.

"Yes, it should be... enough, right?" Li Shu wasn't too sure either.

There are currently about 40,000 to 50,000 shi of grain in the space.

She had recently planned to go to the Zhao family to take away the grain that Gu Zongrui had hoarded, but he had learned his lesson. The granary was a heavily guarded place, not even a fly could get in, and the amount of grain delivered to the grain shop for sale each day was not much. It was also guarded by special personnel, so she couldn't get close to it.

But she had thought it through; her food supplies could solve her immediate problem first.

Once the enemy realizes this tactic won't work, food should gradually be able to enter the city.

Moreover, she could use this time to find another way to get her hands on Gu Zongrui's grain.

She would use his resources to break his plans; in short, she wouldn't suffer any loss.

Even to Wu Wangzhi in front of him, Li Shu did not tell her exactly how much he had.

Seeing her ambiguity, Wu Wangzhi thought for a moment and realized that it was indeed not good to ask too many questions. If she found out and revealed it, it would be bad.

“I am willing to sell the grain, and my Wu family will not take a single penny of the money from it. But… Commander Li, what about the workers in your household…” Wu Wangzhi said, her face turning a little redder.

She didn't want to ask for money, after all, it was a matter of saving a life.

But things are not the same at home now. She originally planned to lay off the workers after the grain was sold out.

“Of course I will give you that. You can take 20% of the proceeds from the sale of the grain, Miss Wu.” Li Shu said decisively.

"Not... 20% of the profits?" Wu Wangzhi was a little confused.

Doesn't Li Junsi know how to do business?

"Twenty percent of the grain price," Li Shu told her definitively. "At this time, being willing to sell grain shows a sentiment far more valuable than the price itself."

Wu Wangzhi's eyes gleamed: "What would be a suitable price for grain?"

Li Shu thought about it carefully.

Too low is definitely not good, Gu Zongrui is rich, he might even spend money to send people to hoard it; but it can't be too high either, the common people can't afford it.

“Based on the grain prices before the floods in the south,” Li Shu replied after a moment’s thought.

Wu Wangzhi was very sensitive to grain prices. As soon as Li Shu mentioned it, she immediately recalled the prices at that time and was even more shocked: "At that time, the price of rice was about three taels of silver per shi (a unit of dry measure), and the price of other grains was even lower. Commander Li, are you sure?"

She was genuinely afraid that the person in front of her would lose money.

"What is the price of the grain that Gu Zongrui hoarded?" Li Shu asked her.

“Each shi is about two liang… In our area, the price of grain has never been low since the year before last. This price is only because of his status. If it were based solely on each family’s ability, the purchase price would be much higher,” Wu Wangzhi said honestly.

When the bandits were granted amnesty, the price of grain rose to seven or eight taels per shi (a unit of dry measure).

Later, when the new grain came in, the price dropped considerably, but it was still higher than Li Shubiao's price.

“Then this price is quite reasonable.” Li Shu thought for a moment and then said, “Let’s launch another batch of special-priced grain, mix some wood ash and gravel into the grain, mark the price down, and sell it to those who need to save their lives.”

Among the city's residents, some of the slightly wealthier families who own land have a habit of stockpiling grain. Aside from these people, the grain she has is enough for at least two and a half months.

Wu Wangzhi nodded repeatedly.

It should be noted that the grain Gu Zongrui is selling now is not only expensive, but also not available to everyone. There is a daily limit on the number of people who can buy it, and others who want it have to exchange it with bandits.

If he continues to cause trouble like this, the whole city will probably be overrun with bandits.

In order to survive, there's no doubt that some people might use the head of a three-year-old child to impersonate a bandit.

Without delay, after Li Shu left, Wu Wangzhi immediately arranged for the other four grain shops to open.

Li Shu kept his word and had provisions delivered to the grain store.

When the price was announced, many anxious people covered their faces and cried. Although rice prices were still high, they could still buy some other grains to fill their stomachs!

Moreover, there were mixed grains mixed with other things next to it!

Even if it contained only some gravel and wood ash, or even if it contained things that could kill people, people would still gamble when they were starving!

Nobody wants to starve to death!