Chapter 49 He's got his eye on me

Chapter 49 He's got his eye on me

Jiang Huaiyu instantly became alert, reaching out to shield Jiang Yutang behind her, her eyes fixed sharply on him.

"Who are you? Are you here to cause trouble?"

Could this person be sent by the secret agents? The three of them instantly tensed up.

But the merchant suddenly grinned, his attitude completely changing. He put away his folding fan, cupped his hands to Jiang Yutang, and said, "Miss, please don't misunderstand. I'm not here to cause trouble. On the contrary, I admire your courage. You dare to set up a stall and sell your wares on the road to exile, and you can make ordinary beef jerky sound so special. You're a person with ideas."

He paused, his gaze falling on the beef jerky, and said sincerely, "To be honest, I'm very interested in the beef jerky you're selling. I have several shops in this county and some connections that allow me to travel all over the country. If you trust me, I can help you sell these beef jerky in bulk, and the price will definitely be much more profitable than if you were to sell them on the street."

Jiang Yutang was stunned, looking at the businessman in front of her, and began to have doubts.

How did she suddenly become a supplier?

Both of them felt that the merchant in front of them was too shrewd and unreliable, so they quietly tugged at Jiang Yutang's sleeve, signaling her not to agree.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Yutang realized that at most she would lose the remaining beef jerky, and she could simply go back to restock. However, if they could really cooperate, the subsequent supplies and money would be secured, so this deal wouldn't be a loss.

She composed herself and looked up at the businessman: "Cooperation is possible, but I have conditions."

She held up her fingers and said one by one, "First, we'll split the money from the sale 30/70, I'll get 70% and you get 30%."

The businessman exhaled a breath and nodded: "No problem."

"Secondly, we are leaving with the exiles early tomorrow morning, so you must give us an answer before we leave and send us the money and any unsold goods. Also, I'm worried you might take the goods and run away, so you have to leave something as collateral."

Upon hearing this, the merchant was not angry at all; instead, he laughed even more heartily: "Young lady, you are indeed straightforward! I agree to all these conditions."

As he spoke, he reached out and took off a jade pendant hanging from his waist, handing it to Jiang Yutang.

The jade pendant was smooth and lustrous, with a faint green glow. It was clearly top-quality Hetian jade, and its value far exceeded that of the remaining beef jerky.

"Take this jade pendant. If I don't come tomorrow, consider it compensation for the young lady."

Jiang Yutang took the jade pendant, her fingertips touching the cool jade surface. After confirming that it was genuine jade, she finally felt relieved: "Okay, it's settled then."

The merchant waved his hand, and two servants immediately stepped out from behind him, carefully carrying the remaining beef jerky onto the accompanying cart.

The three of them pushed the empty cart and turned to walk back the way they came.

Jiang Songzhi looked at the merchant suspiciously and lowered his voice: "A merchant would never do a losing business. Either he has absolute confidence, or he has other plans."

"Yes, if he goes back on his word, he'll be in big trouble!" Jiang Huaiyu said indignantly.

Jiang Yutang examined the jade pendant in her hand, her tone relaxed and indifferent: "It doesn't matter. I actually hope he runs away with our beef jerky. This jade pendant looks like it's worth a lot of money."

"You—"

Jiang Songzhi affectionately tapped her head.

All of this was observed by Cheng Lanzhou, who was hiding not far away.

He saw Jiang Yutang outwitting and outmaneuvering the shouting common people, and how she negotiated with the merchants with clear logic and composure.

He snorted and muttered, "Cunning and eloquent." But a hint of admiration involuntarily rose in his eyes.

When the three of them returned, Cheng Lanzhou had already gone back to his original position, as if he had never left.

They pushed their carts, deliberately circling around to a nearby noodle shop, and used the spare change they had earned from selling beef jerky to buy thirteen bowls of steaming hot plain noodles.

We're back!

Several people pushed a cart slowly towards them. Steam rose from the porcelain bowls on the cart, and the rich aroma of noodles instantly filled every corner of the area, attracting the attention of the surrounding refugees.

"This is the best-tasting plain noodles in the county. Everyone, eat it while it's hot! If it's not enough, I'll go buy more!"

Sitting in his wheelchair, Jiang Shengan looked at the bowl of plain noodles with scallions floating on top and couldn't help but ask, "Tang'er, how much silver did you get for that beef jerky?"

Jiang Yutang picked up a pair of chopsticks and handed them to him, pursed her lips, and explained with a smile, "It's uncertain right now, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out. But don't worry, the money will definitely be enough for us to use for a while."

Yun took the noodles, looked at Jiang Yutang, and her eyes softened: "You've gone to so much trouble."

"Mother, this is what I should do."

Cheng Dai'er stared at the steaming bowl of plain noodles in front of her, garnished with scallions, her chopsticks hovering in mid-air, her gaze secretly drifting towards Cheng Lanzhou beside her.

Cheng Lanzhou felt her gaze and shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Catching the tail isn't that easy.

Having gotten used to instant noodles and bland fast food porridge on the journey, a bowl of chewy ramen in my mouth brought a warm feeling that slid down my throat and into my stomach, dispelling most of the fatigue from the past few days.

Everyone quickly finished their noodles. Jiang Songzhi and Jiang Jiuze took the initiative to clean up the bowls and chopsticks and returned them to the noodle shop. After returning, they began to lay out bamboo mats in a corner of the camp to prepare for rest.

Just then, a loud laugh came from the alley entrance in the middle of the night.

The two constables, who had claimed they were going to "handle official business," were walking back with light steps, their faces full of smugness, a stark contrast to their previous impatience.

Their faces were ruddy, and they looked a bit greasy than before. Their eyes still held a lingering excitement, as if they had achieved great satisfaction. Even their gait was somewhat unsteady.

Jiang Yutang looked at the two men with a heart full of doubt. She saw the four constables immediately gather together. The fat constable who had just returned excitedly put his arm around the thin constable who had stayed behind. He didn't say anything, just kept nodding. At the end, he winked and showed an extremely lewd expression.

She instantly realized that these two weren't going to handle official business at all; they were clearly using the "elixir" they'd received from her to seek pleasure!

A wave of nausea washed over her, and she frowned inwardly.

These officials appointed by the imperial court, receiving salaries but leaving their posts without taking office, and immediately squandering the benefits they received—they are rotten to the core.

She lowered her head, turned her back to the people, and quietly spat at the four constables.

She was about to untie the rope from the cart when she vaguely heard Jiang Jiuzhe and Jiang Songzhi talking quietly not far away.

"After you left today, Cheng Lanzhou disappeared without a trace in no time." Jiang Jiuzhe's voice was very low. "Later, Cheng Daier was also helping Lin Shi, and she went out to buy something. She also wandered around outside for a while before coming back. Something just didn't feel right."

Jiang Songzhi was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice equally low: "Cheng Lanzhou has always been distrustful of us, so it's normal for him to keep an eye on us secretly. If we're upright, we have nothing to fear. As long as we haven't done anything wrong, let him keep an eye on us if he wants. If we can put his mind at ease, it will save us from further trouble."

Jiang Yutang felt a pang of anxiety upon hearing this.

Her older brother made it sound so easy, but she was clearly "not upright, so her shadow was crooked"! And at this moment, Cheng Lanzhou trusted her the least, so things were in trouble.