23: Chapter 23 Auntie might not be able to keep quiet...

"Knock, knock, knock..."

A crisp knocking sound echoed outside the quiet courtyard, accompanied by Su Yourong's voice, which sounded gentle yet tinged with a hint of urgency.

Inside the room, Qin Feng and Bai Yuhe exchanged a glance.

"Master, is it someone you know?" Bai Yuhe lowered her voice, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed as a trace of vigilance flashed in her eyes.

"Go open the door and see what's going on." Qin Feng casually tucked the servant coins on the table into his robe, his expression calm as water.

Bai Yuhe acknowledged him and walked quickly to the courtyard gate, pulling open the heavy, red-lacquered wooden door.

Outside the door, Su Yourong's voluptuous and alluring figure was wrapped in a slightly loose purple skirt. Although her face was pale, the mature charm of a woman between her brows was still unmistakable.

Beside her, Su Aili looked completely unwilling, her eyes red and swollen, like a stubborn little beast that had been dragged here against her will.

"Brother Qin, sorry for the intrusion."

Seeing Qin Feng walk out of the main room, Su Yourong forced a smile, her attitude very humble.

"Auntie Yourong, what a rare visitor."

Qin Feng leaned against the doorframe, his gaze sweeping over the two of them as he asked, "How is Old Su's injury? Why aren't you taking care of him at the Management Hall instead of running to my little courtyard?"

"Let's not beat around the bush."

Su Yourong took a deep breath, lowered her voice, and said, "Brother Qin, I heard... that you have top-grade blood ginseng in your possession? And more than one stalk?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Bai Yuhe, who was standing behind, suddenly turned cold, and the Qi and blood within her body showed faint signs of churning.

Qin Feng, however, waved his hand calmly, signaling Bai Yuhe to step back.

"Top-grade blood ginseng?"

Qin Feng then raised his eyebrows in feigned surprise, spread his hands, and laughed, "Auntie Yourong, did you find the wrong person? I'm just a newcomer who just settled down in the Intermediate Laborer District. I only received ordinary blood ginseng seeds to plant yesterday; where would I get top-grade blood ginseng? You think too highly of me."

"Stop pretending!"

Before Su Yourong could speak, Su Aili exploded like a lit firecracker, angrily cursing, "The shop assistant at the Trading Shop told us everything. We followed that woman here secretly. If you don't want to sell, then don't! With money, we can buy things anywhere!"

"Shut up!"

Su Yourong's expression changed drastically. She whipped around and slapped Su Aili hard across the face.

"Slap!"

The crisp sound of the slap left Su Aili stunned. She covered her rapidly swelling cheek, looking in disbelief at her stepmother, who had always doted on her.

"Mother... you hit me?"

"I told you to shut up! If you dare to spout nonsense again, you can just watch your father die."

Su Yourong's voice was trembling; she knew too well the dangers of the Servant District.

If someone with ulterior motives discovered that good item, there would be many people eyeing it, and there would be nothing left for her and her daughter!

After scolding her stepdaughter, Su Yourong took a deep breath, turned her head to look at Qin Feng, and her eyes had changed.

No longer the gentle plea from before, they now revealed a ruthlessness born of being backed into a corner.

"Brother Qin, could we speak in private?"

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes, nodded, and walked to an old locust tree in the corner of the courtyard.

Su Yourong followed him gracefully, a pleasant, mature scent of powder wafting over.

The two were very close, close enough to feel the temperature of each other's breath...

"Brother, don't blame Auntie for being heartless."

Su Yourong stared fixedly into Qin Feng's eyes, saying word by word, "Old Su's life is hanging by a thread; I have no way out. If you don't sell to me, I might not be able to keep my mouth shut about you possessing such a good item."

"The Servant District has rules, but you and I both know that rules cannot stop trouble. It's not the thief stealing that's scary, but the thief coveting..."

She paused deliberately, her red lips curving into a dangerous arc. "I guess you don't want to flaunt your wealth, right?!"

The air seemed to freeze in that instant.

"Are you threatening me?" Qin Feng's expression changed instantly, his voice icy.

"Brother, I have no other choice!"

Su Yourong's eyes were red, and she didn't budge an inch, yet she was afraid he wouldn't agree, so she promised with a trembling voice, "Don't worry, as long as you agree to sell, 150 servant coins per stalk—I'll pay the same price you sold them for today. And I swear on my life, I will never leak a single word to anyone!"

A slap, then a sweet treat.

It must be said that for Su Yourong to be thriving in the Servant District, her courage and methods were indeed not something an ordinary woman possessed.

Qin Feng stared at the other party for a full ten seconds, the murderous intent in his eyes gradually receding.

He knew very well in his heart that if he didn't agree, and word got out, he would definitely be in trouble.

Besides, 150 servant coins per stalk was a truly tempting price.

"How many do you want?" Qin Feng asked coldly.

"Ten stalks." Su Yourong let out a long breath and said.

"Fine."

Qin Feng agreed decisively, "Tomorrow night at midnight, bring the money, come back to this courtyard to pick up the goods. Remember, don't say a single extra word..."

"Don't worry, I understand the rules!"

Su Yourong nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of gratitude and relief.

With the matter settled, Su Yourong dragged Su Aili, who was still wiping her tears on the side, and hurried away from Courtyard No. 77.

Watching their figures disappear into the night, Qin Feng turned to close the courtyard gate, the coldness on his face instantly turning into deep helplessness.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, feeling a massive headache.

He had agreed readily enough, but that was ten stalks of top-grade mutated blood ginseng!

Planting five stalks before had caused the soil to turn gray and crack. If he planted another ten, what would happen to the spirit field?!

"I definitely can't plant them in my own field..."

Qin Feng sat by the stone table, fingers tapping gently on the tabletop, calculating frantically in his mind.

After thinking it over and over, if he wanted to safely accelerate the growth of these ten mutated seeds, he could only think of the safest and most devious method.

Use the cover of night to sneak them into someone else's field!

Borrowing a knife to kill, and stealing along the way.

Anyway, as long as he could successfully accelerate their growth and harvest them, as for which unlucky person would be left to take the blame for the patch of dead, nutrient-drained land, that would just depend on who had the worst luck...

Having made up his mind, Qin Feng looked up at the sky, which had completely darkened.

"Bai Yuhe, stay here and keep watch. Don't open the door for anyone."

Qin Feng stood up, retrieved ten mutated seeds covered in golden patterns from the room, hid them close to his body, and changed into black clothes.

"Take care, Master." Bai Yuhe nodded obediently.

Like a nimble night cat, Qin Feng vaulted over the courtyard wall and silently merged into the night of the Servant District.

...

At night, Servant District 666 was filled with a repressive, deathly silence amidst the quiet.

Aside from the occasional cry of a night bird, there were only the faint sounds of shady dealings coming from the dark alleys.

Dressed in black, Qin Feng relied on his keen senses as a Level 5 Mortal to cleverly avoid a patrol of guards from the Management Hall.

He now needed to find a suitable "victim."

The spirit field needed to be large enough so that the damage caused by the ten stalks of blood ginseng wouldn't be immediately obvious...

Unknowingly, Qin Feng wandered outside a rather spacious courtyard.

This courtyard was a size larger than Courtyard No. 77, and the towering walls were even topped with broken porcelain shards to deter thieves—it was clearly the place of someone well-off.

"Creak—"

The courtyard gate was suddenly pulled open from the inside, and a beautiful figure wearing a thin gauze dress walked out carrying a wooden basin, seemingly intending to dump water.

By the dim moonlight, the two bumped into each other head-on.