Grain Merchants Cause Trouble Again, the Wise Woman Cleverly Responds

Chapter 145: Grain Merchants Make Trouble Again, The Wise Woman Responds with Skill

Following the official into the granary, Lin Shiya found that what should have been mountains of grain was now completely empty, with only a few scattered sacks lying in the corners under a thin layer of dust.

The air was filled with the scent of dry grain, yet it was so faint that it felt as if it could dissipate at any moment.

She reached out and touched the granary wall, the rough texture adding a fresh layer of unease to her heart.

"Lady Lin, as you can see, we truly have no grain left," the grain merchant Zhang said with a mournful expression, his tone carrying a trace of hard-to-conceal smugness.

He was dressed in a lavish silk robe, creating a stark and glaring contrast with the ragged disaster victims surrounding him.

Lin Shiya noticed that despite his pitiful guise, his eyes darted shiftily, avoiding her direct gaze.

Old Man Chen, the representative of the refugees, rubbed his hands anxiously, his wrinkle-lined face full of worry. "Lady Lin, what are we to do? The autumn harvest is just around the corner. If we have no grain, how are we going to survive this?" The refugees beside him chimed in one after another, their noisy clamor echoing in the granary like a depressing, muffled thunder.

Lin Shiya looked around, taking in everyone’s expressions.

She took a deep breath, fighting down the anger in her heart, and asked in a calm voice, "Merchant Zhang, are you certain you have allocated all the grain? The imperial court's ledgers clearly record that you still have a substantial reserve."

Merchant Zhang straightened his back, his eyes flickering. "Lady Lin, the court's ledgers are rigid, but people are adaptable. Over these past few months, the disaster has been severe. To provide relief for the refugees, I have already given away all my grain. Truly, not a single bit remains now."

Lin Shiya’s gaze was like a sharp sword, piercing straight into Merchant Zhang’s eyes. "Merchant Zhang, you should know that hoarding goods for speculation and driving up grain prices is a capital offense."

Merchant Zhang sneered. "Lady Lin, you can speak carelessly, but you cannot speak recklessly. I am a law-abiding, upstanding merchant who never breaks the law or violates discipline. If you have no evidence, do not wrong an innocent person."

Ignoring his sophistry, Lin Shiya turned to Old Man Chen and said, "Old Man Chen, rest assured, I will definitely find a way to resolve this grain shortage."

With that, she walked straight out of the granary, leaving Merchant Zhang behind to chuckle smugly.

"Milord, where shall we go now?" asked the accompanying official.

A trace of an imperceptible smile touched the corner of Lin Shiya's lips. "To visit an old friend."

A cool, detached smile curved Lin Shiya's lips. Instead of directly confronting Merchant Zhang, she led her accompanying officials into a secluded alleyway.

Deep within the alley stood a dilapidated teahouse, its sign faded and swaying precariously in the wind.

Inside, an elderly man sat with his eyes closed in meditation. Hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes, a flash of shrewdness passing through his clouded gaze.

This man was none other than the accountant whom Lin Shiya had previously contacted in secret, who held many of Merchant Zhang's secret ledgers.

Waving away her guards, Lin Shiya stepped forward and spoke in low tones with the old man for a few moments.

The old man handed her a thick ledger. Lin Shiya took it, flipped through it carefully, and the smile on her lips deepened.

The ledger clearly documented the hard evidence of Merchant Zhang hoarding goods for speculation and his various illicit misdeeds in secretly manipulating grain prices.

Armed with irrefutable proof, Lin Shiya returned once more to Merchant Zhang's residence. This time, a faint mockery rested upon her face.

"Merchant Zhang, did you not claim to be law-abiding? Then how do you explain this ledger?" She hurled the ledger viciously before Merchant Zhang, the crisp sound echoing through the quiet hall like a sudden clap of thunder.

Merchant Zhang's complexion turned instantly pale, and fine beads of sweat oozed across his forehead.

With trembling hands, he flipped through the ledger, growing increasingly terrified with every page.

He knew that if this ledger were submitted to the authorities, he would undoubtedly face imprisonment, and his family might even be utterly ruined.

"Lady Lin, this... this must be someone framing me!" Merchant Zhang defended himself in a panic, his voice cracking slightly out of tune.

Lin Shiya sneered, her eyes as sharp as blades. "Framed? With conclusive evidence, you still wish to quibble? I advise you to honestly sell the grain at market price; perhaps you can still leave yourself a way out."

Cowed by Lin Shiya's formidable presence, Merchant Zhang dared not act arrogantly any longer, knowing full well that he had truly kicked an iron board this time.

In the end, he was forced to bow his head in admission of guilt and agreed to sell the grain at standard prices.

Soon, the granaries were restocked with grain. The refugees cheered with jubilation, filled with boundless gratitude toward Lin Shiya.

Seeing their emotional expressions upon receiving the grain, Lin Shiya felt a slight sense of comfort in her heart.

However, just as the grain transport convoy was about to reach the refugee settlement, an accident occurred.

Several masked figures dressed in black suddenly rushed out, brandishing swords and sabers, and surrounded the transport convoy tightly.

They hacked and slashed frantically, ripping open the sacks filled with grain. Pure white rice grains spilled all over the ground, mixing with the mud in a scene of utter devastation.

Panicking and fleeing in all directions, the refugee guards threw their hands over their heads as chaos engulfed the scene.

The men in black escaped amid the confusion, leaving behind a trail of torn sacks and scattered grain, while the air filled with a suffocating sense of despair.

At that moment, the urgent sound of approaching hooves drifted from afar, accompanied by a faint whisper carried on the wind: "The real show has only just begun..."

Hearing the commotion from a distance, Lin Shiya’s heart tightened, and she thought to herself that something was amiss.

She immediately led Old Man Chen and several sturdy refugees on horseback, galloping toward the scene of the incident.

Upon arrival, she was met with utter wreckage—grain littered the ground, and the men in black were attempting to flee.

"Stop right there!" Lin Shiya cried out sharply, her voice clear and powerful, instantly cutting through the chaotic din.

She leapt down from her horse, a whip appearing in her hand as if by magic. Like a nimble serpent, it lashed out, striking toward the nearest man in black.

The cracking sound of the whip cleaving the air was piercing and sharp, carrying a fierce gale that directly knocked the blade from the man's hand with a crisp *clang*.

Seeing this, Old Man Chen and the other refugees picked up wooden sticks from the ground and joined the fray.

Ragged though they were, to protect their grain, they erupted with astonishing strength.

Though the men in black had initially hoped to rely on their numerical advantage to counterattack, under Lin Shiya’s leadership, they were swiftly routed and driven into continuous retreat.

Agile and possessing exquisite whip techniques, Lin Shiya accurately struck her enemies' vital points with every lash.

Her eyes blazing like torches, she calmly commanded the crowd, subduing the men in black one by one.

Within moments, those once-arrogant men in black were entirely captured, collapsing onto the ground like dead dogs and groaning in agony.

"Tie them up and guard them strictly!" Lin Shiya gave the cold command with unassailable dignity.

Stooping down to pick up a slashed sack, she looked at the grains of rice scattered in the dirt, a burning rage kindling within her.

She knew these men in black must have been directed by someone whose goal was to sabotage the relief effort and plunge the refugees into even deeper misery.

To deter anyone else with malicious intentions, Lin Shiya severely punished the captured men in black right in front of all the refugees.

She had them tightly bound and displayed publicly before the crowd, announcing on the spot that anyone who dared to obstruct disaster relief in the future would be punished without mercy.

Her iron-fisted methods chilled those who had harbored opportunistic thoughts, forcing them to lower their heads and never dare make another reckless move.

Witnessing Lin Shiya's decisive actions, the refugees held her in even higher respect, placing their complete trust and gratitude in her.

At that moment, an attendant hurried over to Lin Shiya and handed her a letter.

The envelope bore no signature, but at a single glance, Lin Shiya recognized Murong Fu's handwriting.

A warm sensation bloomed in her chest as she carefully opened the envelope, finding the letter filled with his care, encouragement, tenderness, and profound affection between the lines.

The corners of her mouth curved slightly upward, and a happy smile bloomed on her face.

Stashing the letter away with utmost care, she looked toward the distant horizon and murmured inwardly, *Rest assured, I will never let you down.* Then, turning back to Old Man Chen, she said, "The grain has been reloaded. Let us set out at once."

Old Man Chen acknowledged her, but just as he was about to lead the refugees forward, he suddenly paused, gazing into the distance and muttering to himself, "No, that sound... it seems, something is not quite right..."

Lin Shiya led Old Man Chen and the rest of the refugees as they rapidly transported the reloaded grain toward the disaster-stricken zone.

Along the way, sunlight fell upon her resolute face, casting a golden radiance that highlighted the unyielding flame in her eyes.

From time to time, she turned back to inspect the wagon train, ensuring every single sack of grain arrived safely at its destination.

Finally, the convoy reached the core area of the disaster zone. The crowd erupted instantly, cheers rising wave upon wave like long-awaited rain falling upon a parched earth.

Looking at the mountains of grain, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

The refugees swarmed forward; ragged though their clothing was, their faces beamed with long-absent smiles.

Standing beside the piles of grain and surveying her surroundings, Lin Shiya watched as Old Man Chen stepped forward gratefully and said, "Lady Lin, thanks to you, we have this day. You are the great benefactor of us all!"

Lin Shiya smiled faintly and patted Old Man Chen's shoulder. "Old Man Chen, that everyone can safely weather this ordeal is the result of our collective efforts. I will continue to see through every single matter on your behalf."

Yet, just as a fleeting sense of ease washed over her, Lin Shiya’s brows gradually furrowed tight.

She knew that while the grain issue had been temporarily alleviated, the corruption of local officials remained like a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any moment.

She resolved that she must conduct a thorough investigation and completely resolve this issue; otherwise, the refugees could never truly escape their sea of suffering.

Night fell, moonlight washing over the silent streets. Lin Shiya walked alone into a secluded study.

She lit a candle, its flame swaying in the slight breeze and illuminating her determined countenance.

Opening a ledger densely filled with writing, she began to flip through it with meticulous care.

Her fingers brushed gently across the paper; every page recorded various illegal acts committed by Prefect Li and his subordinates.

Suddenly, a faint footstep sounded outside the door, and Lin Shiya instantly grew alert.

She quickly closed the ledger and concealed it in a hidden compartment.

From outside the door came a low, gloomy voice: "Lady Lin, so late, and still hard at work?"

Standing up, Lin Shiya responded calmly, "Prefect Li, is there something you need?" Her voice carried a hint of coldness, her gaze piercing like a torch, capable of cutting through any facade of hypocrisy.