Chapter 2312

Chapter 2312: Equal Price

Zhang Yanhong had always known she was not Broken Zhang’s biological daughter. Broken Zhang had loved her dearly since childhood, but Zhang Yanhong was never satisfied with just her affection, because she had no money.

Although Zhang Yanhong and Shi Xiong did not acknowledge each other as family, they could cooperate to make some money. Shi Xiong told her that the Zhu Shun Yao family was the wealthiest in the Four Towns. She also knew that the Ruyi Space belonged to Zhu Yanyi. She suggested that since others were forbidden from entering the Ruyi Space, it likely contained treasures.

After thinking it over, Zhang Yanhong began to feign illness. Broken Zhang, hearing words from people arranged by Shi Xiong, secretly entered the Ruyi Space. He discovered ginseng inside and stole one root, but he was caught.

From that day on, Zhang Yanhong realized it was not easy to get things from the Ruyi Space. To prevent Broken Zhang from revealing that she had sent her to steal, she visited her every day. On the surface, she played the role of a filial daughter very successfully.

Shi Xiong was纠缠 (pestering) Zhang Yanhong this time because she had sold the ginseng she got from Broken Zhang and had some money. Since Shi Xiong was out of money, she naturally had to pester Zhang Yanhong.

"Boring." After reading the report, Zhu Yanyi shook her hand, and the document instantly turned to ashes.

Yan Aohan smiled lightly beside her. "The seeds left by the Zhu family's fourth branch don't seem to be very good."

"What about Zhu Jinguai and her family?" Zhu Yanyi asked Yan Aohan.

Yan Aohan indeed knew their situation. "After Gan Juhua died, Zhu Yinguai was sentenced to prison. Zhu Jinguai was terrified and her mental state deteriorated. After treatment, she has recovered somewhat, but she still needs medication daily. Zhu Jinguai’s children despise her, but relatively speaking, their family conditions are still decent. They produce oil pumps and are small bosses."

Hearing this, Zhu Yanyi raised her eyebrows slightly. "It seems the Zhu family's fourth branch is truly finished. However, Zhu Jinguai is quite selfish. Even if she were sane, she would not sacrifice major interests for minor gains. She values her own benefits above all else."

"So her children are selfish too. By this logic, Zhang Yanhong’s selfishness is actually inherited from her mother," Yan Aohan concluded.

Zhu Yanyi shrugged slightly. "As long as it has nothing to do with our family, it doesn't matter who Zhang Yanhong resembles. But Zhang Yanhong said she wants to pay her debt with goods. What does she plan to give us?"

Yan Aohan said, "Broken Zhang is famous for scavenging, but occasionally he finds good items, which you call 'picking up leaks,' such as ancient calligraphy or paintings. I suppose it must be these kinds of things."

Zhu Yanyi was curious. "If Zhang Yanhong has these things, why did she target my ginseng?"

Yan Aohan replied, "If she hadn't targeted the ginseng, how would she have known from Broken Zhang that there were still good things at home?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yanyi understood. It was clearly a matter between Broken Zhang and Zhang Yanhong. Zhu Yanyi had absolutely no interest in interfering.

"Then I’ll wait for Zhang Yanhong to bring the goods. I’m curious to see what she will bring," Zhu Yanyi smiled slightly.

Having formed an answer in her heart and understood Zhang Yanhong’s calculations, Zhu Yanyi put the matter out of her mind.

No matter how capable Zhang Yanhong was, she was still a girl under twenty. There were some things she could not do, even if she tried.

The next day, after waking up, everyone’s work was to wrap candies.

Xie Xinlian was impressive. She simply spread a cotton mat in the center of the hall, poured all the candies onto it, and then everyone sat on the mat to wrap them. However, only the young people wrapped the candies. Zhu Shun Yao helped seal the candy bags, and Xie Xinlian helped count them.

The elders did not intervene this time; they were just playing with the three children from Little Northwest.

Zhu Yanyi, Zhu Yanli, Yan Aohan, and Taishu Yuanxiang worked quickly and cooperated well.

"Actually, I think everything about marriage is good, except wrapping candies is troublesome," Zhu Yanyi said, casually peeling a chocolate and putting it in her mouth. This was probably the only benefit of wrapping candies.

Yan Aohan smiled slightly. "Fortunately, we don’t need to perform traditional wedding ceremonies here, otherwise it would be even more troublesome."

Zhu Yanyi nodded. "Actually, I think a destination wedding is better. I regret it now. If we had traveled for our wedding, it would have been so much better."

Zhu Yanli laughed loudly beside her. "It’s too late for you to regret it now."

Zhu Yanyi just made a funny face at Zhu Yanli.

"Fortunately, we have plenty of time. Take your time wrapping. We are not in a rush," Xie Xinlian said, offering some comfort.

"Mom, have you forgotten that the New Year is coming soon? We need to finish these things early to prepare for the New Year," Zhu Yanyi reminded her.

"I know. I was just being polite. If I tell you to take your time, do you really think you will?" Xie Xinlian snorted, looking at Zhu Yanyi and the others.

Zhu Yanyi gave Xie Xinlian a thumbs-up. "Mom, you are indeed ruthless."

The people nearby laughed heartily.

"Since I came here, I smile every day. Life is indeed happy," someone nearby said.

Everyone was happy, so they had no objections. Just as they were talking, Zhang Yanhong arrived. She held a square box, about a foot long and wide. She placed the box in front of Zhu Shun Yao and the others. "Uncle, this is something from my family. I am willing to exchange this for my father’s release."

Her sincere little face might have deceived them if Zhu Yanyi and the others had not already known Zhang Yanhong’s character.

Zhu Shun Yao put down what he was holding and opened Zhang Yanhong’s box. Inside was an inkstone, very square and regular.

It was carved with dragon and phoenix patterns, but due to the passage of time, some parts of the patterns were slightly damaged.

In the center of the inkstone, there was a faint trace of scenery.

"Ani, come and look," Zhu Shun Yao called his daughter directly.

Zhu Yanyi went over and took a look, her eyes flashing with surprise. "Dragon and Phoenix Gold Thread Inkstone?"

"Ani knows this item. Is it worth three thousand?" Xie Xinlian asked.

"If it were complete, a Dragon and Phoenix Gold Thread Inkstone would be worth it. However, the dragon’s tail and the phoenix’s eye are somewhat worn, and there is a small defect in the bottom right corner of the inkstone, so the price will be discounted. But if there is a matching gold thread ink stick, the price would be justified. I see a set of gold threads in the middle of the inkstone, clearly ground down. So, there should be the ink stick as well, right?"

Zhu Yanyi looked at Zhang Yanhong as she spoke. "Yanhong, if you truly want to save your father, you should be more sincere with the items you bring." The implication was clear: do not hide the gold thread ink.

Zhang Yanhong did not expect Zhu Yanyi to know she still had the ink stick.

That was correct. Zhang Yanhong had the ink stick, but only half of it remained.

When ground, this ink stick emitted a faint fragrance, so Zhang Yanhong had originally not planned to bring it out. But now that Zhu Yanyi mentioned it, she gritted her teeth and took a handkerchief from her pocket. Unfolding it, there was half an ink stick.

"Although it is only half, it is indeed a gold thread ink stick. Combining the two items, the current market price for this inkstone is about two thousand to two thousand five hundred. The ink stick is five hundred to one thousand. I will give you a high estimate. Let’s say three thousand five hundred. My ginseng is worth three thousand. After deducting that, there is five hundred left. Dad, give her five hundred," Zhu Yanyi said casually, stating the price and the conclusion.

Zhu Shun Yao nodded, took out his wallet from his pocket, and handed ten fifty-yuan bills to Zhang Yanhong.

Zhang Yanhong did not think twice. She took the money and said, "When will my father be released?"

"Since you have paid the debt, rest assured. Your father will be released tomorrow," Zhu Shun Yao said.

Zhang Yanhong hummed, bowed to everyone, and left.

"If this girl did not have such deep schemes, I would think she was quite good," Old Li sighed.

"It is not bad for a girl to have some schemes. Besides, she has nothing to do with us," Zhu Yanyi did not take the matter to heart. She only said to Yan Aohan, "Remember to tell Zhou Feng."

Yan Aohan nodded. "Don’t worry. He will definitely be released tomorrow. Zhou Feng complained to me a few days ago that Broken Zhang has a good appetite, eating three bowls of rice every meal. He has gained a circle of fat while detained. He even asked me when he could be released. Now he can finally go."

Zhu Shun Yao looked at Zhu Yanyi and said, "Ani, once Broken Zhang is out, you need to be careful. They may find out that there are high-quality medicinal herbs in your Ruyi Space."

"It doesn’t matter," Zhu Yanyi waved her hand. "I will just collect all the medicinal herbs. They are already mature. Grandpa Chun and Grandpa Zhang both want private land, right? Let them plant in the Ruyi Space."

"That is good. Your Ruyi Space is a greenhouse, so anything can grow there. How about giving it to me?" Old Zhang said. "I can cultivate some flowers inside."

"Sure. Then I will go collect all the medicinal herbs tomorrow, and that place will be yours," Zhu Yanyi said directly.

The next day, Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan went to her Ruyi Space.

"It has been so many years since I last came. The security provided by the Azure Sovereign Qingdi is truly excellent," Zhu Yanyi praised.

This place needed someone to weed regularly. However, because these were medicinal herbs, the weeding had to be done by hand. Because these were medicinal herbs, Zhu Yanyi did not trust others, so she entrusted this place to the Azure Sovereign Qingdi security team.

The people from Azure Sovereign Qingdi security did indeed do a good job. They worked very seriously. At least in Zhu Yanyi’s eyes, they did, because the medicinal herbs here grew very well.

The medicinal herbs in the Ruyi Space grew well because a little Xirang (Self-Growing Soil) had been added.

Zhu Yanyi transplanted all the medicinal herbs here into her space. Seeing the bare ground, she thought for a moment, walked to the center, and looked at the Xirang (Self-Growing Soil) she had buried previously. After thinking for a while, she collected most of the Xirang (Self-Growing Soil), leaving only a piece the size of a finger, and placed it back into the soil. In this way, this piece of land would still be good. Of course, Zhu Yanyi’s purpose in doing this was to make it easier for Old Zhang to cultivate things.

Elderly people only want a peaceful place to spend their retirement. What Zhu Yanyi could do was naturally to maintain this peace.

Seeing that everything was prepared, Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan left the Ruyi Space together.

Walking out of the Ruyi Space, Zhu Yanyi sighed.

Yan Aohan held her hand tightly. She understood Zhu Yanyi’s thoughts. She knew that by giving this Ruyi Space to Old Zhang, Zhu Yanyi would never want this Ruyi Space again, and she would come here less often in the future. Even if she wanted to live in seclusion in the future, she probably would not come here.

Zhu Yanyi was a cultivator. Her appearance and wisdom stopped at her most brilliant time. Therefore, Zhu Yanyi was destined not to stay in one place for long.

Of course, Zhu Yanyi could also use illusion magic to make people feel that her appearance would change and she would slowly age. However, the mindset of a cultivator is different from that of ordinary people.

Zhu Yanyi smiled brightly at Yan Aohan. "It’s okay. I just felt a little sentimental. Since I have embarked on this path, I will not think too much."

Yan Aohan’s eyes were full of relief. "Let’s go. Your family is waiting for you. Now is the time for you to enjoy."

Hearing this, Zhu Yanyi smiled gently. Indeed, even if she would have many thoughts in the future, she did not have so many thoughts now. At least at this moment, she was still enjoying herself.

When Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan returned home, Zhu Yanyi gave the key to the Ruyi Space to Old Zhang. "Grandpa Zhang, I have already collected the medicinal herbs in the field. The ground is now bare. You can go see it tomorrow. The Ruyi Space is a greenhouse. It would be good to plant some green vegetables now."

Old Zhang glanced at Zhu Yanyi. "I will decide after I see it tomorrow. However, I will plant some green vegetables. I also want to plant some spinach, lettuce, etc. It would also be good to bring back some shepherd’s purse seeds."

Hearing this, Zhu Yanyi blinked. "Grandpa Zhang, didn’t you say you wanted to cultivate plants? Why are you ending up cultivating shepherd’s purse?"

"I like to eat it. Besides shepherd’s purse, I also plan to grow some caltrop and plantain. They are all good," Old Zhang said with a smile. "You girls won’t understand. Our generation ate a lot of these things in the past. Now that we are old, we miss them." Old Zhang talked for a long time about missing the taste of wild vegetables.

"If you want to eat wild vegetables, it’s not difficult. The Azure Sovereign Qingdi Group has a wild vegetable base. I will have someone send some over tomorrow," Zhu Shun Yao said nearby.

"Of course I will eat what you send, but I also want to eat what I cultivate myself. You children don’t understand, so don’t interfere. Anyway, the land is mine. Don’t bother me about what I plant," Old Zhang said willfully.

Zhu Yanyi smiled helplessly. "Okay. Then think about what seeds you want, make a list, and I will have someone get them for you tomorrow."

"En." Old Zhang was satisfied with this point.

Old詹 came out from the side and said, "We have come out. Has anyone told Old Yun?"

"No, I haven’t said anything," Old Li said.