Chapter Thirty-One: Stockpiling Grain

Upon returning to the courtyard, Su Yang glanced at the mind-controlling parasites he had been nurturing. They were now in the final stage, and in a few days would be fully mature, ready for experimentation. If they truly worked, he would bribe someone from the public mortuary to help collect brain-eating worms for him.

Afternoon.

Zhou Family Marketplace.

Now the only market in Yanggu County, it was bustling, though most transactions were for necessities. Common goods were rarely sought after; firewood, rice, oil, and salt were the most traded items.

Back then, Su Yang had never imagined firewood would become such hot business. But as farmers from outside the city couldn’t bring in their chopped wood, every stick burned was one less for the future—it had become a non-renewable resource in Yanggu. However, in time, as more townsfolk perished and houses stood empty, there would once again be firewood to burn.

Besides necessities like food, salt, and medicine, there were also cloth, tea, poultry, fish, fruit, buns, dumplings… Apart from these daily goods, there was a special section for human trade—wives, daughters, and household slaves, marked with straw, waiting for buyers. Business, however, was bleak; few wealthy patrons even glanced that way.

Su Yang used his aura-sight to scan the area. All he saw were threads of white fortune; the women were of no particular beauty. He decided to check back after some time.

“How much for your chickens?” Su Yang approached a middle-aged man and asked.

“Two taels of silver per chicken, no bargaining.”

“So expensive?” Su Yang couldn’t help but exclaim. Each chicken weighed around four catties, two taels was two thousand copper coins; that’s five hundred per catty. Before the chaos, it was only fifty per catty—ten times the price!

“Rice has gone up tenfold, firewood dozens of times—why shouldn’t my chickens rise too? Besides, these chickens lay eggs, and the eggs can hatch more chicks…” The man snorted coldly.

“Fine, you’re right. I’ll take all ten. I’ll go buy some pork first; wait here.”

“Alright,” the vendor nodded.

Su Yang then walked to the pork stall, intending to buy lard and meat. The chicken seller was right—chickens that lay eggs were the most cost-effective. With plenty of grain stored at home, he could raise a flock of hens; their eggs, rich in nutrition, would be ideal for the pregnant women in the house.

This was his first time at the market; he planned to bring more men next time and buy in bulk—perhaps even disguise himself.

Almost all the pork was sold by the Zhou, Feng, and Wei families. Ten catties of pork for two taels of silver, pork fat a bit pricier—three taels for ten catties.

He bought a whole pig, around three hundred catties, totaling sixty-seven taels. The clinking silver poured out of his leather pouch. In the past, that much could have bought ten pigs.

Ten chickens cost twenty taels, making eighty-seven in total!

He slung the pig over his back, carried a sack of ten chickens, and swaggered out of the Zhou Family Market. Many along the way eyed him, but seeing him enter the Wang family gates, they shook their heads and left. Large households like these were not to be trifled with.

Besides household servants and martial retainers, the family also had a ninth-rank warrior in residence.

Back home, Su Yang set up a courtyard to keep the chickens for laying. With so many mouths to feed, ten was still too few; he’d buy more next time.

The next day.

After breakfast, Su Yang brought up Mei Hua’s pregnancy.

“What?”

“Pregnant again?”

“How is that possible?”

Liu Wenxiang, Wang Xiahé, and Wang Chunxiao exclaimed in disbelief, mouths agape.

The speed of these pregnancies was astonishing. Could it be that every attempt resulted in success?

“Brother-in-law, you’re incredible!” Wang Xiahé’s bright eyes widened, gaze drifting down toward Su Yang’s lower half. For a future husband, she would have to find someone like him.

“These are the children of our family, the continuation of our line. We should be happy. Son-in-law, you’ve worked hard.” Liu Wenxiang looked at her daughter Wang Chunxiao and sighed deeply. She couldn’t fathom what her daughter had been thinking—now look at this mess.

Both concubines pregnant—what status would her daughter have in her husband’s eyes now?

“Thank you for your concern, mother-in-law. How has your health been lately? Allow me to stay after breakfast and massage your shoulders?” Su Yang’s gaze lingered on Liu Wenxiang.

“No need!”

“After breakfast, I’ll do it myself for mother.”

Seeing Su Yang’s greedy look at her mother, Wang Chunxiao’s heart jolted. She quickly refused, troubled beyond words. She’d initially sent Mei Hua to keep the lecherous scholar occupied, to prevent any scandals involving her mother or sister, never imagining Mei Hua would get pregnant so quickly.

With Mei Hua unable to serve now, he was turning his attentions to her mother. This must be prevented. She recalled Aunt Liu’s advice: only two options.

Either she became his woman herself—

Or she found a maid to do so!

But this time, Wang Chunxiao was worried. What if the new maid got pregnant within days again? Would the whole courtyard be full of pregnant women in a year?

“Fine, another time then. I’m full, I’ll be off.” Su Yang turned and left.

“Chunxiao, what do you plan to do about your brother-in-law?”

“Mother, shall we find someone else?”

“Sigh…”

…

“Mother-in-law, I forgot to mention one thing,” Su Yang returned just then.

“What is it?” Liu Wenxiang asked.

“In the Zhou Family Market, a pig costs over sixty taels, a chicken two taels—prices have risen dozens of times.”

“What? Dozens of times?”

“Such a steep rise?” Liu Wenxiang and Wang Xiahé were astonished.

“With rebels besieging us, nothing can be brought in. Everything consumed is non-renewable. I suspect prices will climb higher, so I plan to buy more chickens to raise.”

“And to stock more pork, sausages, and cured meat in case of need,” Su Yang added.

“With so much silver, are you planning to keep a concubine?” Wang Chunxiao asked through gritted teeth.

“Chunxiao, enough nonsense. If it weren’t for your brother-in-law, who knows if our family would still exist. Show more respect in the future, understood?” Liu Wenxiang gave her a stern look, then said, “I’ll get you the silver.”

“Good!” Su Yang nodded, grateful his mother-in-law was sensible.

Soon, the graceful Liu Wenxiang returned with a pouch. “Here’s a hundred taels.”

“Mother-in-law, a hundred won’t be enough. I intend to buy at least twenty more chickens and three pigs—about two hundred fifty taels.”

“So much...?” Liu Wenxiang frowned. Since they’d stocked up on grain, the family funds were running low; their property in Jiangnan was unsellable.

“Useless scholar, what do you need so much silver for? Since we listened to you and spent all our savings on fifteen hundred dan of grain, we’ve been out of money.”

“Now the silver’s gone, and the grain was burned in a fire. If not for your reckless advice, would our Wang family be so poor, struggling even for a few hundred taels?” Wang Chunxiao’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice trembling.

That money had been her father’s hard-earned savings. Who knew, listening to Su Yang, it would all be wasted. If her father were still alive, he’d be furious.

“Enough!”

In the next instant, Liu Wenxiang erupted like a lioness, roaring at Wang Chunxiao: “Even if your brother-in-law has faults, you needn’t speak so.”

“Since I’ve let him manage the household, all matters are his to decide. If I hear such words again, I’ll see you punished.”

“Mother?”

“You…” Wang Chunxiao stared at her mother in shock and disbelief—she couldn’t believe her devoted mother would say such things, all for a son-in-law?

“Forgive her, son-in-law. She’s been spoiled since childhood. I’ll fetch more silver.” Liu Wenxiang spoke softly, then sashayed off to get it.

The true story behind the burned grain was known only to Su Yang, Xi Liu, and herself. The fire was only a ruse, to avoid suspicion and envy. The fewer who knew, the better.

From the day Su Yang entered their home, every decision he made was steady and prudent, saving the Wang family from many disasters. That was why Liu Wenxiang trusted him so.

In her eyes now, Su Yang was fully worthy of her daughter—nothing like the weakling rumored at first. She needed to find a chance to convince her daughter not to miss out on such a rare man.

Though Wang Chunxiao had spoken out of ignorance, she had wronged him, and Liu Wenxiang would defend him fiercely.

As her mother’s figure receded, Wang Chunxiao looked at Su Yang’s scheming smile and felt a chill.

Why was her mother so protective of this son-in-law? Could it be…?

A bad premonition crept into her heart. This scholar never quit—was he not afraid of exhausting himself?

Looks like she needed to find a suitable maid quickly.

…

With the silver in hand, Su Yang accepted it. Though nearly thirty, his mother-in-law was still charming, and her hand was soft and warm.

Leaving the house, Su Yang took two guards and servants, disguised himself, and bought everything on the list. Salt alone cost quite a sum—over three hundred taels were gone in a flash.

All in all, he bought over thirty chickens and four pigs, already butchered. They would need to be cured into sausages and preserved meat as soon as possible, ensuring ample nutrition for the pregnant women in the house.

Yanggu County Office.

The magistrate’s brother-in-law, Constable Liu, stretched, tossing the last deed into a box. “All done?”

“All done, boss. Three families need a lesson from us; the other five are sensible.”

“Which three?”

“The Wang family with the son-in-law, the widow Xue’s family, and the Huang family.”

“The Wang family has only women, a ninth-rank son-in-law, two servants, and two guards—five men in all. With the city under threat, the magistrate plans to conscript again in three days. This time, not just grain, but also militia quotas—the Wang family can send six or seven men.”

“In that case, every man in the Wang family, including the son-in-law, will be sent to defend the walls. If the son-in-law refuses to hand over their two houses, we’ll find an excuse to kill him—frame him as a traitor, perhaps. The women left behind won’t dare defy us.”

“If they still resist, we three brothers can have some fun. I hear both the Wang family’s second miss and the lady of the house are beauties.”

“As for the widow Xue—she escaped the massacre by spending the night at a friend’s house, leaving only her alive. She’s too stubborn.”

“We thought to let her keep a small house, but she wants to claim all her family’s property. The deeds are with us at the office. We'll drug her, have our fun, then plant her with some unlucky man and catch them in bed.”

“Into the river basket with her, and she’ll hand over everything willingly. I’m sure she knows what’s best.”

“As for the Huang family nephews, send them all to defend the walls. If they’re still difficult, kill them all and frame them as traitors.”

In the room, a ninth-rank constable’s eyes flashed coldly.

“Good, that’s settled.”

“In three days, we’ll take the men from the Wang and Huang families. Widow Xue will be handled sooner and with care,” said Constable Liu.

…

Three days passed.

These days, Wang Chunxiao had been in a foul mood. She’d summoned the maids several times, but none pleased her—she still hadn’t chosen a new concubine. Xichun was worried as well; her lady never considered her in these matters. She had to discuss this with her master: if her lady gave another maid to him, what would become of her?

Morning.

“In just three days, prices at Zhou Family Market—be it grain or meat—have risen fourteenfold. It’s outrageous! If not for our master’s foresight in stocking up, we’d be eating gruel now,” Liu Wenxiang said proudly, glancing at Wang Chunxiao. “That’s what makes a good head of household.”

Wang Chunxiao’s frown deepened.

Whose husband was he, hers or her mother’s?

“Indeed, brother-in-law is amazing. My maid, Xi Xia, has admired you for ages,” Wang Xiahé chimed in sweetly.

Wang Chunxiao was brimming with jealousy, losing her appetite.

What was so good about this lecher of a scholar?

In the midst of breakfast, a servant came to say a group of constables had arrived. Su Yang hurried outside, knowing these officials were the hardest to deal with.

At the door, it was none other than Constable Liu he’d met a few days prior. He stepped forward, “Constable Liu, what brings you here?”

“The county office has issued a notice: everyone must do their part to defend the city. Based on each household’s situation, we have assigned quotas.”

“According to our records, the Wang family must send seven able-bodied men to the city walls.”

“Scholar Su, hand them over.”

With that, he produced a register, listing each family’s required contributions—grain, silver, labor, all different.

For the Wang family: seven able-bodied men.

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PS: Many readers have said one chapter isn’t enough. Let me explain: each chapter is four thousand characters, which would normally be split into two chapters of two thousand, same as other novels during the free period. Once the book officially launches, there will be ten thousand characters per day. That’ll be in at most two weeks, so please be patient!