Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 324 Someone Has Ideas: A Well-Intentioned Warning (5)_1

Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Someone Has Ideas: A Well-Intentioned Warning (5)_1

With the city gate less than twenty paces away, amid the sea of people, he still had not found the figure he longed to see. Xiao Ruiyuan’s gaze darkened, unwilling to give up, he glanced hurriedly to both sides, his eyes quickly sweeping over the crowd.

"Commander, is there something amiss?" the deputy commander, who was half a step behind, asked. His right hand already on the hilt of his sword at his waist, he swept his gaze over the crowd with a hint of vigilance.

Xiao Ruiyuan suppressed the disappointment in his heart, about to withdraw his gaze, but he caught sight of that familiar face from the corner of his eye. His vision collided with those familiar, watery eyes, and for a moment, he forgot to speak. A surge of overwhelming joy swept over him.

And the deputy commander at his side, who had not yet stepped back, was shocked to discover that their commander, known for his eternally stoic expression, had actually smiled ... actually smiled!

Mo Yan stood stunned in place, as the clip-clop of horse hooves gradually faded into the distance, her mind still trapped in the smile that had momentarily melted the iceberg ...

By the time she recovered her senses, the man and his horse had already left the city gate and were out of sight. Mo Yan had no interest in what happened next; she walked to another street, hailed a carriage, and headed straight for the grain shop.

As soon as she entered the grain shop, Mo Yan’s sharp eyes detected that Lizhong’s complexion was not good.

Seeing her arrive, Lizhong quickly said, "Yan girl, there’s something I must tell you. Go sit in the small room for a while, I’ll come over after I’ve arranged everything."

Mo Yan felt a sinking sensation in her heart. The matter Grandfather Li had to discuss was certainly not simple. Recalling what Wang Pangtou had said that morning, she suspected it might be related to that client.

Indeed, after Lizhong had finished giving instructions to Tie Tou and Wang Pangtou, he entered the room, his first words were, "Someone is looking to acquire our grain shop."

After hearing the whole story, Mo Yan’s complexion turned ugly. "Grandfather Li, what is the Xue family’s background, exactly?"

The grain shop had been open for less than a month, yet the Xue Family was already envious and impatient. Failing to obtain the right to purchase grain, they went as far as underhandedly attempting to acquire her shop and expected her to obediently work for them. That was a pipe dream!

Lizhong’s expression grew grave as he said, "The Xue Family is an Imperial Merchant, mainly procuring grain and vegetables for the Imperial Family and has been doing so for decades. Even in front of those dukes and nobles, they can hold their own."

On hearing this, Mo Yan found it somewhat incomprehensible. "If the Xue family is so influential, they could simply coerce us, and we would be unable to resist. Why did they just make an attempt and now want to acquire our grain shop directly?"

If it were her, she would have people watch every move of the grain shop closely, and before long, they would be able to trace the source of the grain. Of course, if the Xue family really did that, she would not dare to transport grain out of the Space and store it in the warehouse any longer.

While the Xue family’s approach to acquisition appeared quite gentlemanly, Mo Yan had no illusions about their kindness. Seated as Imperial Merchants for decades, she did not believe the Xue family were good Samaritans!

Lizhong explained, "The Xue family values their reputation highly, and besides, right under the Emperor’s nose, they dare not go too far openly. However, their underhanded tactics are no less ruthless than those of bullies in the market. The acquisition is only a front; if we don’t agree, who knows what moves they’ll make next!"

Mo Yan understood right away that it was nothing other than playing good cop, bad cop. They spoke of acquisition, but if she agreed, who knew how much silver they would offer, and it was certain that once the Xue family figured out the channel for the grain, they would kick them to the curb.

In her past life, she had encountered such situations, so she would never agree to the acquisition.

Seeing that she understood, Lizhong continued, "The affair of the spoiled grain also impacted the Xue family. Had it not been for decades of maneuvering and their firmly established position, they wouldn’t just be able to continue as Imperial Merchants; the family might have ceased to exist. Even so, the incident had greatly diminished their vitality, leading other Imperial Merchants to ostracize them. Now, they desperately need an opportunity to regain the trust of the nobility."