Ch 160: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Previously, visits to the prison had been forbidden, so Zhou Shi had never imagined that those two wretched girls were involved in this mess. Her eyes turned red with fury, and she kept pressing for details, insisting she would go confront them.

Shen Jiayao, still aching from the beating he had endured, didn’t dare let his family stir up trouble. If they angered the Li family again and he was given another round of beatings, he might not survive it.

However, he was also unwilling to just sit in prison. Having been reborn, he refused to accept such a miserable fate. So, he pulled Zhou Shi closer and whispered, “I plotted against Shen Yunxuan, and she found out. The Li family punished me harshly to give her an explanation. But Shen Yunxuan is backed by the county magistrate—we can’t touch her. Listen to me…”

Shen Jiayao’s plan was for the family to plead with Shen Yunxuan and Shen Fu. After all, blood was thicker than water. If the old couple knelt and begged, could Shen Fu bear to refuse them? Could Shen Yunxuan really remain unmoved?

Additionally, he suggested sending Old Lady Shen to beg Old Madam Li, whether through making a scene or throwing herself on the ground in supplication. The goal was to leverage the old favor of saving her life in exchange for leniency from the Li family. As long as Shen Yunxuan relented, the Li family would no longer pursue the matter.

Zhou Shi was stunned and didn’t fully understand. “You said you schemed against Erya? Didn’t you say we shouldn’t provoke her, that she would bring misfortune upon herself? Why would you scheme against her? What exactly did you do?”

Shen Jiayao snapped, humiliated, “Why are you asking so many questions? The most important thing right now is getting me out! Tell Shen Yunlian to do her part too. Blood ties don’t break easily—she wouldn’t want her future son to have an uncle who’s been in prison, would she? It’d be a disgrace if I came knocking on her door someday!”

Zhou Shi was startled. “Alright, alright, I won’t ask anymore. Don’t get mad. I’ll go back and tell them right away. You just wait here and take care of yourself. Don’t worry, even if I have to risk my life, I won’t let you rot in jail.”

Only then did Shen Jiayao nod in satisfaction. “Go quickly. There’s still room for negotiation since the formal sentencing hasn’t been issued yet. Once I’m officially convicted, it’ll be too late.”

Zhou Shi hurriedly left, keeping her head down. The prison was dark, cold, and terrifying—if not for her son, she wouldn’t have dared step foot there again.

When the Shen family heard Zhou Shi’s account, their reactions varied. Shen Cai and Liu Shi were furious. “He warned us not to provoke Erya, yet he went ahead and stirred up a hornet’s nest himself? He’s always looked down on us poor relatives, but now that he’s in trouble, he wants us to step in? What a joke!”

Zhou Shi was anxious. “Daya doesn’t have any brothers. If anything happens in the future, won’t she have to rely on Jiayao? If she has a son, does she really want an uncle with a criminal record? Brother, Sister-in-law, you can’t be so heartless. You always said that once Jiayao passed the exams, he’d take care of you. Now that your daughter has climbed the social ladder, are you really going to kick us aside?”

She then added, “Daya only got into the Li family because of Jiayao!”

That was something undeniable—no matter what else was said, Shen Jiayao had indeed helped Shen Yunlian get into the Li household. The eldest household couldn’t refute that. However, they had no interest in getting involved in this mess. The family had already split, and from now on, they would only drift further apart. If Shen Yunlian truly became rich and powerful, she might even take them to live in the county. They would have nothing more to do with the second household—so why should they go out of their way to help?

But Old Man Shen saw a glimmer of hope. The method Shen Jiayao suggested—pleading—was humiliating, but not impossible. As long as Shen Jiayao wasn’t formally convicted, there was still a chance for him to take the imperial exams.

No matter what, the only male heir of the Shen family could not go to prison.

Old Man Shen immediately decided, “We must save him! How will we know if it won’t work if we don’t try? Pleading won’t kill us. Think of all the sacrifices we’ve made to support Jiayao’s studies. We can’t let it all be for nothing. Your mother and I will put aside our pride…”

Liu Shi coldly retorted, “If you want to do it, do it yourselves. I’m not going.” With that, she slammed the door and went inside.

Before Old Man Shen could explode in anger, Shen Cai also stood up and said, “We’re already split from the family. If you and Mother want to help the second household, that’s your business. Our branch won’t get involved. Jiayao schemed against Erya—how could we possibly face the third household? Don’t bring us into this.”

Shen Dong was outraged. “Brother, we’re blood brothers! Do you have to be so heartless?”

Shen Cai replied indifferently, “When you bullied the third household, did you ever remember that we were blood brothers? Enough, I won’t argue with you. In any case, we won’t interfere in the second household’s affairs. And don’t drag Yunlian into this. I warn you, if you ruin her standing in the Li family, then the Shen family will truly be finished.”

With that, Shen Cai went back inside. Liu Shi, after thinking for a moment, said, “Maybe we should adopt a son. Pick a sturdy boy who can rely on Yunlian in the future. Even after we’re gone, with a proper heir, Shen Jiayao’s branch won’t have any excuse to come back.”

Both of them found the idea appealing and began considering which relative’s child they could adopt, or whether they should consult Yunlian about finding a child in the county. With that, their household would be complete, and the second branch would be completely cut off.

Meanwhile, Old Man Shen and Old Lady Shen led the second household to Yunlai Eatery. This time, they finally listened to Shen Jiayao’s warning—they couldn’t provoke Shen Yunxuan or make a scene. So, upon entering, they went straight to Wang Xinghua at the counter and spoke in hushed voices.

“Xinghua, we need to see Erya… no, Yunxuan. It’s urgent. Please take us to the back to talk.”

Wang Xinghua instinctively tensed upon seeing the two elders but quickly regained her composure and said calmly, “Our families should have no dealings with each other, and there’s nothing important to discuss.”

The once-overlooked Wang Xinghua dared to speak to them like this? Old Man Shen immediately wanted to lose his temper, but remembering that his grandson was still in prison, he suppressed his anger and said, “We have a request to make. Or would you rather have us kneel here before you?”

This truly startled Wang Xinghua. No matter how thoroughly they had severed ties, no matter how justified they were, they couldn’t let their elders kneel before them. That was something that would invite divine punishment and the condemnation of the entire village. She hurriedly led them to the backyard and informed Shen Fu and Shen Yunxuan.

When Shen Yunxuan saw them, she suddenly thought that her family should really learn some self-defense. Not that they needed to be great fighters, but at the very least, they should be able to hold their own in a scuffle. Being ordinary folk was inconvenient in that they had no guards or gatekeepers to keep out those who insisted on barging in.

She said coldly, “If you’re here for Shen Jiayao, then you might as well leave now. I will never forgive him.”

Zhou Shi grew anxious and pleaded, “Erya, you can’t be this heartless. No matter what, Jiayao is your cousin. Even if he made mistakes, he’s suffered enough after being locked up for so long. He even got beaten by the Li family—over ten strikes! And besides… besides, nothing really happened to you, did it? You’re all fine!”

Old Madam Shen also put on a sorrowful face. “Family fighting against family—no matter how it happens, it still hurts. My good child, you’re living better than anyone now, enjoying blessings. Don’t hold grudges against us poor old folks.”

Old Madam Wu snapped, “You old wretch, you’re starting with that sour tone again! Have you forgotten the slap from last time? Want me to help you remember?” As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves, scaring Old Madam Shen into hiding behind Old Man Shen.

Shen Yunxuan said indifferently, “Enough with the useless nonsense. The fact that we weren’t affected was our own doing. If it had been someone else, being falsely accused of selling food that could kill people would have ruined them completely. They would have lost everything and shut down.”

Old Man Shen looked at Shen Fu, only to find his expression cold and detached. Anger burned in his heart, but he clenched his teeth and bent his knee, about to kneel.

Shen Yunxuan suddenly said icily, “Don’t try that trick on me. If you kneel today and try to force my hand, I will make sure Shen Jiayao dies. Try me if you don’t believe it.”

This was the first time Shen Yunxuan had spoken so ruthlessly. Not only were the Shen family members stunned, but even Shen Fu and the others were momentarily caught off guard.

Shen Fu quickly came to his senses and angrily pointed at Old Man Shen. “Are you trying to force me to my death? If you kneel before me, what does that make me? I see now—you didn’t come to plead for mercy; you came to make enemies!”

Shen Yunxuan added, “And if we become enemies, who knows what will happen to your family in the future?”

Old Madam Shen couldn’t help but tug on Old Man Shen’s sleeve, and his expression also soured. They were truly frightened. The two of them couldn’t just think about the second branch of the family; they had to consider the eldest branch as well. If they truly angered Shen Yunxuan, not only would the second branch be finished, but even the eldest branch could suffer. They hadn’t forgotten that Shen Jiayao had said Shen Yunxuan’s backing was none other than the county magistrate.

Seeing Old Man Shen hesitate, Shen Fu directly pushed them toward the door. “Don’t come back. Your family’s problems have nothing to do with us.”

Zhou Shi, unwilling to give up, said, “Then we’ll go to the Li family and beg them. If we manage to get Jiayao out, can you at least promise not to pursue him any further?”

Shen Yunxuan smiled and said generously, “Of course. That matter is over. From now on, we go our separate ways.”

With a loud “bang,” the back door shut. The Shen family stood in the alley, exchanging bewildered glances. They couldn’t believe it was that simple. Shen Yunxuan truly didn’t care—she had completely dismissed the matter. She didn’t even need them to kneel or beg. She simply didn’t think they were worth her time.

Zhou Shi hesitated and asked in a hushed voice, “Is this real? What if she’s tricking us?”

Shen Dong wiped his face. “And if she is, what can you do about it? Either way, we’ve got no leverage here. Let’s go to the Li family and beg Old Madam Li.” He turned to grab Old Madam Shen. “Mother, Jiayao’s only hope rests on you. He’s your own grandson, your only grandson—the one who will carry on the Shen family name!”

Old Madam Shen felt nothing but fear and reluctance. She had done a good deed, yet now she had been reduced to this—begging shamelessly, groveling, stripped of all dignity. How had it come to this?

But the Shen family wouldn’t hear her objections. They dragged her straight to the Li household.

Back at Yunlai Eatery, Shen Fu watched them leave through a crack in the door. He turned to Shen Yunxuan and asked, “You said the matter is settled. If they actually manage to get Shen Jiayao out, won’t you feel bad?”

“Not at all,” Shen Yunxuan replied with a smile. “Let’s focus on running the shop.”

She understood the Li family too well. They had risen to power by being extremely cautious and rarely making mistakes in external affairs.

Take this incident, for example—Li Yuanwai had thrown Shen Jiayao into prison just to appease her. Even if Old Madam Shen went to the Li family, trying to leverage past favors or threaten their reputation, they wouldn’t simply let Shen Jiayao go.

At best, the Li family might drop their official charges out of consideration for the past, framing it as a misunderstanding. But behind the scenes, they would surely teach Shen Jiayao a lesson severe enough to keep her satisfied. That way, both sides would be appeased.

Sure enough, when the Shen family arrived at Old Madam Li’s residence, they put on a full performance—crying, wailing, and making a scene. Old Madam Shen threw away all dignity, sobbing and recounting a life of hardship, from childhood hunger to present-day struggles. She painted their family as destitute and tragic, lamenting that their one and only heir had been thrown into prison by the Li family.

These words almost painted the Li family as ungrateful and heartless. Old Madam Li had a terrible headache from all the fuss and, utterly exasperated, simply ordered the steward to go to the magistrate’s office in person and declare that the whole situation was a misunderstanding—the stolen items had already been recovered.

Naturally, handling a case required evidence and witnesses. Now that there was neither, Shen Jiayao’s charge of theft could not be upheld, and he was released without conviction.

The Shen family was overjoyed. They had never imagined things would go this smoothly. Overwhelmed with excitement, they welcomed Shen Jiayao home, believing that the heavens had finally shown them mercy.

Shen Jiayao, too, was full of smug satisfaction, finally relishing the advantage of being reborn. He had always believed that not just anyone could be granted a second life. If fate had given him this opportunity, then he must be destined for greatness, blessed by the heavens. See? His luck had finally turned!

But just days after recovering from his injuries, when he grew tired of the cold treatment from the eldest branch of the family and decided to head to town to find a job, he was ambushed on the road—and had his legs broken!

Both of them!

The shocking news sent the Shen family into despair. They rushed him to a clinic in town, only to hear the doctor’s grim diagnosis: his legs were too severely shattered. Even if they healed, he would be crippled for life.

A cripple couldn’t take the imperial exams. A cripple couldn’t work or support a household. In the end, the “root” of the Shen family was completely destroyed!

Old Man Shen was so struck by the news that he collapsed on the spot, his face turning purple. The doctor barely managed to save him, but when he awoke, one side of his face was paralyzed, his mouth twisted, and his eyes drooped—he had suffered a stroke.

Shen Cai and Shen Dong ended up in a violent brawl, blaming each other. In the end, they still had to drag Old Man Shen and Shen Jiayao home. They had no money for proper treatment, so they made do with the cheapest medicine.

Shen Jiayao remained in shock, unable to accept his fate. He kept mumbling to himself, “Impossible… This is impossible. How could my legs be broken? I’ve never broken them before. No matter what happened in my last life, I was always whole. How could I become crippled this time?

No, no, this isn’t right. Who did this? Was it Shen Yunxuan? Or the Li family? Why did they attack me? Didn’t they say it was all in the past? I never actually harmed anyone… so why?”

No one knew why. They could only speculate. There was no evidence, no clues. The attackers had appeared out of nowhere, beaten him brutally, and vanished without a word.

He hadn’t even seen their faces. Maybe they weren’t even from the county. Who could he go after? No one would admit to it.

Shen Jiayao hadn’t been afraid when he was demoted from a scholar’s assistant to a mere errand runner. He hadn’t been afraid when the Li family threw him into prison. But now that his legs were broken, he was truly terrified.

His chosen patron, Li Yaosheng, would never support him now. He had to find another path. But every road required a healthy body. Now that he was crippled, where could he go?

Shen Jiayao was on the verge of collapse. He wouldn’t listen to anyone, couldn’t hold a normal conversation, and acted like a madman. Shen Cai and Liu Shi, disgusted, hastily built a fence in the courtyard that very day, completely cutting themselves off from the second branch of the family. They made it clear—they wanted nothing to do with them.

The Shen family became the village’s biggest laughingstock. People had grown tired of their constant misfortunes. They marveled at how one disaster followed another, like an ongoing drama—one so unpredictable that no one could guess what humiliating spectacle would happen next.

A servant from the Li family relayed the whole fiasco to Shen Yunxuan, almost as if telling a joke. After listening, Shen Yunxuan simply nodded, thanked him for the information, and showed no further reaction.

When the servant returned to the Li household, Li Yaosheng immediately asked, “Did you deliver the message to Boss Shen yourself? Was she happy or afraid?”

The servant quickly replied, “Third Young Master, Boss Shen didn’t seem to care. She showed no emotion and spoke in a calm tone.”

Li Yaosheng frowned. Old Madam Li, however, let out a sigh of relief. “That means she has truly let go of the past. We can rest easy—she won’t be causing us trouble with Magistrate Lin. Yaosheng, you should go back and study properly. Once your grandfather secures a favor from Magistrate Lin, we’ll see if we can buy you an official post. Perhaps you can even take over Magistrate Lin’s position when he is transferred.

Don’t be impatient. There are many intricacies at play here. This is an enormous opportunity—you must not miss it.”

Li Yaosheng was already feeling restless and irritated. He barely responded before heading back to his room. Every time he faced Shen Yunxuan, it felt like punching a pillow—frustrating and ineffective. And yet, she had never deliberately provoked him. He had involved himself in her affairs several times, but she had never even acknowledged him.

Shen Yunlian poured him a cup of tea and smiled. “Young Master, what’s wrong? Did Old Madam tell you to study again? I think it’s a good idea. If an opportunity arises in the future, you’ll be able to seize it.”

Becoming an official, becoming an official—why was it always about becoming an official? Was he even cut out for that?

Li Yaosheng was growing increasingly impatient. But then, suddenly, he thought of something—wasn’t Shen Yunxuan’s biggest supporter that county magistrate?

Just now, Old Madam Li had said something… that they were working to place him in the magistrate’s seat?

Li Yaosheng’s frown suddenly lifted. Yes, he would become the magistrate. Then, he’d see just how Shen Yunxuan had managed to secure the county magistrate’s favor. Would she come begging him for protection?

He knew his reasoning was irrational, but somehow, fate had played a joke on him. Every time he got involved in Shen Yunxuan’s affairs, he ended up losing. He had, in some way, locked horns with her, and now he was determined to make her yield.

Actually, he had no idea—he would never get this opportunity. Because at the same time, Shen Yunxuan was at the Lin residence, bringing up the Li family to Magistrate Lin.

“Not long ago, a servant from the Li family told me that Shen Jiayao was beaten so severely that both his legs were broken, leaving him crippled for life. Old Man Shen was so enraged that he suffered a stroke and is now bedridden. Who would have thought that after escaping prison, Shen Jiayao would face such a disaster?”

Magistrate Lin furrowed his brows and stroked his beard. “This Li family doesn’t seem as gentle and virtuous as they appear. I heard that Old Madam Shen once saved Old Madam Li? Repaying kindness with betrayal.”

He shook his head, clearly no longer considering the Li family as a promising connection for collaboration or support.

Seeing this, Shen Yunxuan smiled. “Let’s not dwell on this. I have something important to report to you today, and it concerns food.”

Magistrate Lin was surprised. “Oh? What is it?”

Shen Yunxuan took a bright red fruit from her basket, and Magistrate Lin immediately recognized it. “Isn’t this a fan persimmon? My mother kept a couple of potted ones a few years ago, but she prefers vibrant flowers, so she didn’t bring them along when we moved here.”

Shen Yunxuan explained, “I previously hired a security escort agency to help me search for recipes and new ingredients from different regions. They happened to see some animals eating these fan persimmons and potatoes in the mountains, so they brought back a whole sack for me. After several days of experimentation, I have confirmed that both are excellent food ingredients!”

“What?” Magistrate Lin was skeptical. “Persimmons are ornamental plants. Who would associate them with food?” He hesitated, looking at Shen Yunxuan. “Are you sure about this, Boss Shen?”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “I’m certain. Magistrate Lin, you don’t have to find it odd. Flowers can be made into pastries, like osmanthus cakes. Why should it be strange to eat Persimmons? I specifically brought two dishes today. You can have someone taste them.”

She then took out a plate of sugar-marinated persimmons and another plate of stir-fried fan persimmon with eggs. Chunxing, who deeply admired and trusted Shen Yunxuan, was the first to volunteer.

Under Magistrate Lin’s watchful eyes, she took a bite of each dish and was immediately amazed. “It’s really edible! I used to take care of the persimmons in the residence, but I never thought they could be eaten. The sugared persimmons are delicious—sweet and sour with a refreshing taste. And the stir-fried persimmon with eggs—this completely transforms the flavor of eggs. It’s wonderful!”

Magistrate Lin saw that Chunxing was fine after eating and was already curious himself, so he took a few bites. He was astonished—not because the dishes were particularly exquisite, but because this meant there was another source of food.

For generations, food scarcity had been a major issue. Every year, countless people starved to death. Discovering a new food source could mean saving countless lives. As this realization hit him, Magistrate Lin felt his heart race with excitement. He quickly asked, “You mentioned potatoes earlier—are they also an easy-to-use food?”

Shen Yunxuan nodded and took out another item. “Sir, please take a look. This is a potato. I have also prepared some dishes with it: vinegar-braised shredded potatoes, fried potato chips, braised pork ribs with potatoes, and roasted potatoes.”

Chunxing was eager to try and tasted each dish before exclaiming, “This is the best wild vegetable I’ve ever eaten!”

Shen Yunxuan picked up a roasted potato and said, “There was a day when I ate just two roasted potatoes and wasn’t hungry for the entire day. I believe potatoes can be used as a staple food.”

Magistrate Lin was taken aback. A staple food? That would be even more valuable than persimmons! He tasted each dish and found them truly delicious. Instantly, his mind raced with the implications—introducing these two food sources could bring about a massive transformation, and the credit he could gain for this would be immeasurable.

“Boss Shen, where exactly were these foods found? Do you have more? Aside from cooking, what else do you know about fan persimmons and potatoes?”

Understanding his eagerness, Shen Yunxuan carefully answered each of his questions. Magistrate Lin immediately dispatched two trusted aides to investigate the mountain area where the foods had been discovered. He also personally visited the vegetable garden behind Yunlai Eatery to inspect the plants.

There were still many unknowns—could these plants grow in fields or only in the mountains? What kind of environment did they need? There was much research to be done, but even these initial findings were already a groundbreaking revelation.

Shen Yunxuan also introduced the security escort leader to Magistrate Lin, allowing him to recount the events in detail. The escort leader hadn’t expected Shen Yunxuan to develop so many ways to prepare these ingredients. He thought to himself that he had truly placed the right bet—if he had left these plants in the mountains, their value would have been lost forever.

At the same time, in the imperial palace, the emperor, who had just begun implementing compressed rations in the army, received another memorial. As he read through it, he was surprised.

“That girl from Qingshan Village again?”

Curious, the emperor went through the report from the beginning. It turned out that Shen Yunxuan had now become “Boss Shen” and had discovered two new food sources, even developing new dishes from them.

The emperor suddenly stood up. “New foods presented with the memorial? Someone! Quickly bring me the items sent by Minister Lin!”

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