Chapter 206: Rice Prices

Chapter 206: Rice Prices

Li Chunmiao broke into a cold sweat at the thought of her suspicion, no longer able to spare a moment's pity for others.

Quick-witted, she immediately asked, "A Shu, since the cave was discovered by your A Ye and he led everyone there, do you think he could take my husband into the mountains ahead of time to bring back our stored grain?"

Lin Shu replied, "Of course, but Aunt Li, the people who collected the grain that day know how much your family stored. This can't be kept secret for long."

Li Chunmiao's heart sank slightly. "I know, but it's still better than having everyone see it."

When storing the grain, each family handed over their own portion without knowing how much others contributed. But when the grain is brought back from the cave, the villagers will surely gather to look, and everyone will be watching to see how much grain her family has!

Lin Shu thought for a moment and said, "I have an idea. The collectors only know your family stored a lot of grain, but they don’t know what kind of grain it was. Auntie, you could do this..."

Li Chunmiao was delighted upon hearing this. "A Shu, I’ll trouble you and A Ye with this matter!"

To reach the mountains, they had to pass through the village, and passing through the village meant it was impossible to hide from everyone. So, it was best to do this openly.

That evening, Zhou Ye and Lin Shu each carried a backpack into the mountains, not avoiding anyone. When asked, they answered directly.

Zhou Ye explained, "Most of our family’s grain is stored in the cave. The remaining grain at home has been completely eaten, and we don’t even have anything for tonight’s meal. A Shu and I have big appetites and can’t stand hunger, so we want to go to the cave early to retrieve some of our stored grain. Uncle, do you want to come along and get some too?"

The man who asked quickly declined.

It was almost dark, and he didn’t want to risk stumbling or getting injured on the mountain path. If he accidentally broke a leg, it wouldn’t be worth it.

Zhou Ye was known in the village as an honest man. Knowing that he and Lin Shu were going to the cave to retrieve their stored grain, the villagers weren’t worried he would steal others’ grain. Besides, everyone remembered how much grain each family had contributed that day, and they had put their own marks on their sacks. If anyone tampered with them, it would be noticeable.

Most importantly, back then, the majority of villagers didn’t believe a flood would occur, so they hadn’t stored much grain in the cave. Most of their grain remained at home and was brought along when they evacuated to the mountains.

Just like that, the two of them smoothly entered the mountains.

Zhou Ye and Lin Shu’s backpacks weren’t empty; they were filled with some dried goods they had sun-dried on the back mountain over the past few days. However, both were strong, and the dried goods were light, so from a distance, it looked like they were carrying two empty backpacks.

When they reached the cave, Zhou Ye replaced Wang Yingen’s large basket of rice entirely with dried mushrooms and wild vegetables, then evenly distributed the contents between two baskets so they weighed about the same. As for their own family’s grain, they took as much as they could carry, leaving behind the dried goods and miscellaneous items they had originally brought.

"A Shu, it’s done," Zhou Ye said. The two backpacks of dried goods they brought back had been replaced with heavier grain.

Lin Shu murmured in agreement, but her gaze paused on several bundles of dry firewood in the corner of the cave.

These were prepared by A Ye when he left the cave earlier, in case continuous rain made it hard to find dry firewood. Although they weren’t needed, A Ye’s preparedness was priceless.

It was almost dark, so the two didn’t dare delay. They took their things and left.

On their way back, they heard another woman wailing loudly, her cries heart-wrenching and unsettling.

Lin Shu remained silent, and Zhou Ye was equally quiet throughout the journey. He thought to himself, this was only the beginning—things would only get worse from here...

As soon as they reached the courtyard gate, they heard voices from inside, and someone sobbing softly.

It was Third Aunt Zhang Qiaohua.

Third Aunt and Third Uncle’s thatched house had been completely washed away, leaving them with nowhere to sleep. They would have to spend the night in the mountains again. Passing by Lin Dashan’s house, the two couldn’t help but stop in to chat a bit.

Zhang Qiaohua had also heard about the events outside. Feeling a sense of belated fear, she grew even more worried about Lin Yushu, who was studying in town. Mentioning it brought tears to her eyes. "...If I had known there would be a flood this year, I wouldn’t have let Yu Shu go to town to study. When he left, he only took two sets of clothes and half a string of cash. He has no acquaintances in town to look after him, and he’s still so young. If anything happens to Yu Shu, I don’t want to live anymore, boo-hoo..."

He Guixiang hurriedly comforted her, but as an outsider, she couldn’t truly understand Zhang Qiaohua’s feelings. Back when A Shu had a high fever in the middle of the night, He Guixiang had been terrified, let alone facing a flood of this scale.

Seeing Lin Shu return, He Guixiang quickly shot her a look.

Her third sister-in-law was more willing to listen to A Shu. A few words of comfort from A Shu would be far more effective.

Lin Shu asked Zhou Ye to put their things away first, then said to Zhang Qiaohua, "Third Aunt, don’t worry yet. The muddy paths in the village have only just become passable. The people who came today are all from nearby villages. Jingxi Town is far from Sweetwater Village, and the road is full of potholes and difficult to traverse. The flooding in the downstream villages is certainly worse than ours. It will probably take a few more days for the roads to become passable. Cousin Yu Shu is a promising young man whom I’ve got my eye on. The virtuous have heaven’s protection; he will be fine. Besides, the village chief’s eldest grandson is also studying in town. Aren’t his family waiting calmly too?"

After Lin Shu’s words, Zhang Qiaohua gradually calmed down.

A Shu was right. The village chief’s precious grandson was also in town, and Old Man Liao and Lin Zhaodi’s family were also stuck there. If she was anxious, surely others were too? But anxiety wouldn’t help.

She stopped speaking, choosing instead to pray silently in her heart.

But some things are better left unsaid. Early the next morning, Old Man Liao’s oxcart returned!

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Qiaohua and Lin Dashan hurried to the village entrance.

Old Man Liao’s oxcart was carrying quite a few people. Besides Lin Zhaodi and Zhao Laosan, there were also Lin Yushu and a young scholar. The scholar wore a blue fine-cloth long robe and a square scarf, looking quite cultured and handsome. He was none other than the village chief’s eldest grandson, Zhang Zongyao.

Zhang Zongyao’s return drew quite a crowd among the Sweetwater Village villagers. The village chief’s treasured grandson was a marvel to see every time he returned—nothing like the rough men who toiled in the fields. Not only was he handsome, but he was also well-educated. Because he focused on his studies, he only returned during the harvest season each year, so even Ping Er rarely got to see him.

The news spread quickly, and it wasn’t long before Lin Shu and Zhou Ye arrived with Liao Dunzi.

Liao Dunzi had been staying with Lin Dashan’s family these past few days, so they all received news together.

The oxcart stopped at the village entrance, surrounded by several layers of villagers.

The cart’s wheels were caked with thick yellow mud, looking soggy. It was clear the muddy road was deep and filled with puddles, making the journey arduous for the group.

The tables and chairs Lin Zhaodi had taken with her were gone. On the cart were only two wooden buckets filled with odds and ends, a basket, and an overturned wooden basin on top, so you couldn’t see what was inside. Next to them was a book box filled with books, likely belonging to Zhang Zongyao.

Old Man Liao’s oxcart wasn’t large to begin with. With these items and four people on board, it was packed tight.

By the time Lin Shu and the others arrived, Third Uncle and Third Aunt were already pulling Lin Yushu over, asking him how he was and what he’d been through over the past few days.

Zhao Laosan and Lin Zhaodi were in relatively good spirits and volunteered news of the outside world with the surrounding villagers.

Zhang Zongyao, however, was the most weary-looking of the group. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept properly in days, and his expression was troubled, as if worried about the aftermath of the flood.

When his gaze inadvertently met Lin Shu’s unfamiliar face, he paused slightly, frowned as if remembering something, then looked away, whispering something to the village chief and his family nearby.

Lin Shu also frowned.

This was the first time someone had taken an instant dislike to her upon first sight. This Zhang Zongyao was indeed an admirer of Lin Yao and, because of that, held no fondness for her, the impostor who had usurped Lin Yao’s place.

However, he wasn’t quite what she had imagined. He seemed like a diligent, earnest scholar, and most commendably, he cared about the common people’s troubles. His character likely wasn’t bad.

As she was thinking this, Zhou Ye suddenly took hold of her hand.

Lin Shu looked at him: ??

Zhou Ye explained, "A Shu, the ground is slippery. Let me hold your hand."

A cultured, handsome scholar who hadn’t worked out in the wind and sun, his skin was fairer than that of many farmwives. Zhou Ye didn’t know what was so special about him to hold A Shu’s attention for so long.

Of course, he wasn’t jealous for no reason. He knew full well that A Shu preferred someone like him. He just didn’t want A Shu noticing anyone else.

Just then, a sudden cry rose from the crowd surrounding Lin Zhaodi and Zhao Laosan.

"What? Zhao Laosan, how high did you say the price of rice has gone?"

Zhao Laosan sighed and replied, "You heard right. The price of rice in town has already risen to one hundred and twenty wen per dou. The prices of flour and other grains have also increased significantly."

The rice mentioned here was, of course, unpolished rice. Before the flood, a dou of unpolished rice cost only seventy wen. In just a few days, it had already risen so much!

The villagers were stunned upon hearing this.

They had land and could produce their own grain, so in the past, they only sold surplus grain and never had to buy from town. But this time, with the flooding submerging their fields, their household grain stores wouldn’t last long. They had been thinking of using their savings to buy some grain in town to stock up, but at one hundred and twenty wen per dou, who can afford that? And the real problem is, a dou of rice doesn’t last long!

Zhang Zongyao suddenly spoke up to remind them, "The price of rice and all kinds of other grains in town will likely continue to rise. If you want to buy grain, it’s best to do so as soon as possible."

The villagers all wore bitter expressions. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to buy—it was just that the price was too high.

They thought it might be better to wait a little longer. Surely the government wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing while merchants raised rice prices so steeply—would they just let common folk starve to death? They’d buy when prices dropped.

But Lin Shu and Zhou Ye exchanged a glance—buying grain couldn’t wait!

Zhou Ye had experienced famine before and knew what would happen after a disaster. If they delayed any longer, rice prices would only climb higher, possibly even double, triple, or quadruple. Unless the government issued timely policies to strictly control the surge in grain prices, the cost of rice and other staples would continue to skyrocket.

"Old Man Liao, are you driving your cart today? I’d like to take your ox cart to town to buy grain," Lin Shu asked.

Old Man Liao had already learned from Liao Dunzi about what had happened over the past few days and felt grateful to Lin Shu’s family. Hearing her request, he immediately replied, "No problem! Let this old man and my ox rest a bit, eat and drink our fill, and we’ll set off right away!" He had left in a hurry that morning and hadn’t even had breakfast.

A villager hesitantly asked, "Lin Shu girl, grain is so expensive right now. Is your family really going to buy?"

Lin Shu replied earnestly, "Even if the authorities intend to control grain prices, if the disaster is severe enough, they might not be able to control it. Historically, it’s not uncommon for grain prices to triple or quadruple after a disaster. The longer you wait, the more expensive grain will become. If you want to buy, it really is best to act early."