If the business woman does not help the poor, the villain's dream of prosperity will be shatter

Qin Shu's eyebrows sank, and she lowered the curtain and was about to get off the carriage, but Zhou Wan grabbed her and whispered, "If you don't want to see her, don't bother with her."

Qin Shu curled the corners of her lips slightly and gently patted Zhou Wan's hand.

Zhou Wan's heart moved, and she followed Qin Shu out of the carriage.

When Mrs. Cheng saw Qin Shu coming over, she immediately smiled broadly and helped Cheng Zonghao to come over, "Shu'er..."

Qin Shu smiled slightly and asked, "Madam, are you here to find Qin Shu to return the money?"

Mrs. Cheng's smile froze, and she didn't react for a moment, "W-what?"

Qin Shu's lips curled slightly, her eyes slightly cold, "Madam, have you forgotten that at the end of last year, you borrowed 150,000 taels of silver from Qin Shu. The IOU written by Madam is still in Qin Shu's hands."

Mrs. Cheng's face turned pale instantly, "This, I, that..."

Qin Shu tilted her head in confusion, "Isn't it? Then the lady called Qin Shu to ask for advice?"

She suddenly smiled widely, "Maybe Madam feels that with the passage of time, there is still room for renewal of friendship between our two families?"

Cheng Zonghao was furious. He stepped forward and shouted, "Qin Shu! Who gave you the courage to speak to my mother like that?!"

Qin Shu's face suddenly turned cold, and she said coldly: "Who gave you the courage to speak to the imperial envoy like this?!"

Cheng Zonghao immediately wilted, and after enduring for a long time, he finally said with a humiliated voice: "Please forgive me, sir. I was the one who offended you."

Qin Shu snorted coldly.

Mrs. Cheng clutched her handkerchief and sobbed, "Shu'er, your mother and I have known each other for decades. I have watched you grow up since you were a child..."

"Mrs. Cheng."

Qin Shu interrupted Madam Cheng's reminiscence and said sarcastically, "My mother has only been dead for a year. Qin Shu's memory is not that bad. I don't need Madam Cheng's help to recall the past."

She looked at Madam Cheng's pale face and continued, "However, since Madam Cheng wants to reminisce about the past with Qin Shu, then Qin Shu will reminisce with Madam."

"My parents had just passed away, and during the funeral, Lord Cheng and Qin Jingchang agreed to marry me off. Before my parents' bodies were even cold, the Cheng family took the lead in breaking off the engagement. At that time, Mrs. Cheng might not have remembered her friendship with my mother, right?"

"How come it's only been less than a year, and Mrs. Cheng feels that this friendship can be remembered again?"

She tilted her head and smiled, with a slightly naughty expression, "Is it because Qin Shu is no longer the little orphan who was bullied by others? Or is it because Qin Shu is now on an imperial mission and her parents have been posthumously conferred the title of Marquis?"

She spread her hands and said with a smile, "Madam, you don't think that by building a friendship, you don't have to pay back the 150,000 taels of silver, do you?"

Mrs. Cheng was both ashamed and angry. She held the handkerchief and pointed at Qin Shu's hand, which was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

He covered his chest with his other hand, closed his eyes, and fell limply to the ground.

Cheng Zonghao quickly supported his mother and shouted angrily, "Qin Shu, how dare you! If anything happens to my mother, I will not let you go!"

Qin Shu laughed and asked, "Mr. Cheng, what you said is very strange. It was you who stopped me and insisted on reminiscing about the past with me."

"I just mentioned some of the things you did in the past and mentioned the debt you owed me. How could that be considered presumptuous?"

"Then according to Master Cheng, if you come to me to reminisce about the past, I will have to put aside my past grudges and give up everything to accompany you to reminisce; if you are unhappy because you owe me money, I will tear up the IOU to make you happy, right?"

She stopped smiling and looked at Cheng Zonghao arrogantly, "Who do you think you are?"

Zhou Wan couldn't help but laugh.

Cheng Zonghao's face was so dark that it seemed like water could be squeezed out. He bit his teeth hard and uttered a low voice like the tongue of a poisonous snake, hissing out from between his teeth, word by word, "Qin Shu, don't be so arrogant! You are just a villain who has achieved success!"

Qin Shu sneered, flicked her sleeves lightly, turned around and walked towards the carriage, saying as she walked: "A villain is successful? If a villain is successful, he must have the ability to succeed. Do you have it?"

As she stepped onto the riding stool with her skirt in hand, Qin Shu stopped herself and turned to Cheng Zonghao who was helping Madam Cheng onto the carriage and said, "Oh, by the way, don't forget to return my money. If the Cheng family hasn't returned all the money to me before the end of the year."

Qin Shu curled her lips and said slowly, "I will go to the governor's office and beat the drum to report the incident." After a pause, she continued, "Or, I can file a complaint with the emperor. That's not impossible."

This time, Mrs. Cheng slipped directly from Cheng Zonghao's arms to the ground and fainted completely.

After getting on the carriage, Zhou Wan suddenly hugged Qin Shu and said in a sob, "Wow, Sister Qin, I just realized that it's been so hard for you to get to where you are today! I suddenly feel so distressed. What should I do?"

Qin Shu patted Zhou Wan's hand and wanted to smile, but her eyes suddenly turned red.

In fact, it doesn't matter. After this year, she has long been accustomed to the warmth and fickleness of human nature in this world.

What she was not used to was the sincerity given to her by others.

The most difficult times have already passed, so what does this little thing matter?

And after today's conversation, Mrs. Cheng would probably never come to her to discuss their friendship or mention the past again.

To be honest, Mrs. Cheng herself didn't feel embarrassed, and she even felt embarrassed for Mrs. Cheng.

What kind of people are these!

When they arrived at the governor's mansion, Zhang Mao and his wife came out to greet them.

Not only Zhang Mao, but other officials who attended the banquet also brought their families.

After the banquet, Zhang Mao called Qin Shu to the study.

Leaving behind an aide named Liang Ju'an, Zhang Mao sent away all the servants in the study.

As soon as the door closed, Zhang Mao gestured to Liang Ju'an, "Brother Ju'an?"

Liang Ju'an coughed lightly and said, "Miss Qin is following the imperial order to promote the planting of new grains, which is a great and virtuous deed. Food is the foundation of a country. If there is enough food, the people will be safe. But does Miss Qin know whose interests will be affected by your large-scale planting of new grains this time?"

Qin Shu thought for a moment and replied, "Grain merchant?"

Behind every country's grain trader there is a powerful backer.

The first impact of growing new grain is the interests of grain traders.

That is the interests of the backer behind the grain merchants.

Liang Ju'an gently stroked his beard and nodded slightly, "Miss Qin is indeed a heroine. Her vision and knowledge far exceed those of ordinary women."

"That's right. Every winter and spring, only one in ten grains on the market remain. When there is a shortage of food, the price of grain will rise sharply."

"The grain merchants hoarded grain in late summer and early autumn, and raised grain prices in winter and spring to make huge profits. When the grain was hoarded and transported, the Cao Gang benefited greatly from it."

"If the new grain is successfully promoted, the demand for grain in winter and spring will be greatly reduced. The income of grain merchants will drop sharply, and the business of the grain transport gangs will also be affected."

"Also, not only Jin, but the entire land of the Great Zhou is most likely in the hands of high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen. Miss Qin should be aware of this."

Qin Shu nodded: She had countless pieces of land and properties under her name.

"Once the price of food drops, the income of these people will also drop sharply." Liang Ju'an's eyes were burning. "Miss Qin, you should know how many people don't want you to succeed in your promotion, right?"

Therefore, the emperor stripped her of her real power as Jiedushi, and instead gave her the post of Censor, who could submit secret memorials directly to the emperor.

The emperor wanted to see who belonged to whom here.

Who represents whose interests?

Qin Shu's heart moved: King Jin would not ask her to do this for no reason.

Could it be that Prince Ning is behind this grain merchant?