Shun Zi glared at the market scouts who were shoving him around. There were three market scouts who were trying to steal the grain from him.

Before Merchant Yang took him in, he was also a farmer. Because of famine, he lost his family members to starvation, disease, and human-inflicted violence.

In his near death condition, Merchant Yang who happened to pass by, saved him and recruited him as a servant. Although he only became a low-level servant, he was already filled with gratitude.

"Mrs. Zhou, don’t be so quick to refuse. We can discuss the price further if you are not satisfied yet," Shun Zi hurriedly said, his tone a little higher. He was afraid Zhou Anran wouldn’t hear it if he didn’t raise his voice.

After seeing the grain, Shun Zi suddenly had another idea. If he could get Zhou Anran to agree, they might be able to start another business.

Merchant Yang wasn’t among the wealthiest merchants, and he was even struggling with some of his businesses lately. That was the reason he wanted to try his luck in the Capital.

Shun Zi really wanted to help his Master. Besides that, he was also a little ambitious, but not in a negative way. Merchant Yang had a lot of workers around him who were also capable people.

He wanted to be capable people too.

In order to reach bigger goals, they also should have the courage to sacrifice more.

"What kind of low price is that? Miss Zhou, I can raise the price to thirteen copper coins."

The group had a temporary silence as soon as a market scout said this sentence, then the other two also followed.

"Mrs. Zhou, we can also offer you thirteen copper coins per jin," they said at the same time.

The market scout had observed the paddy rice in Shun Zi’s hand. To be a market scout working for their respective merchant, they needed to possess a keen eye for good items.

When Shun Zi was arguing with the auntie earlier, they secretly walked closer to Zhou Anran and Shun Zi to get a closer look at the grain. They already determined that it was of higher quality compared to grains by other farmers.

Hence, they couldn’t wait to get their hands on the goods.

Zhou Anran still stayed silent. It seemed that thirteen copper coins were the highest price they could offer.

This time, no one of the three raised their prices again.

The market scout, believing the winner to be among one of them, didn’t care about Shun Zi at all. After they started raising their price offer to Zhou Anran, Shun Zi had been shouting without raising his price at all.

They patiently waited for Zhou Anran’s decision with some tension.

Shun Zi cleared his throat, and all the three glared at him.

"I can offer you fifteen copper coins per jin, Mrs. Zhou," he suddenly said.

The three widened their eyes in surprise, wondering why this guy was willing to buy it at such a high price.

These market scouts usually would offer to buy the grain around nine to eleven copper coins. Although some grain was of high-quality, in the areas where famine struck, people preferred quantity.

"If you are still not satisfied, we can discuss the price again," Shun Zi added.

The three market scouts looked at Shun Zi as if he had gone mad. They shook their heads with pity and left.

Shun Zi curled up his mouth slightly. His eyes flashed. Among the market scouts, some people were actually middlemen or locals hired by the travelling merchants.

Hence, most of them wouldn’t dare to take risks and focus on temporary profit.

"Let’s go somewhere else to discuss the price if you don’t mind, Mrs. Zhou," Shun Zi offered.

Zhou Anran and Xiao Yuyan agreed, and they followed the man to a teahouse. Once they were inside a private room, Zhou Anran didn’t beat around the bush. "What do you have in mind, Old Shun?"

Shun Zi let out a chuckle and commented, "Mrs. Zhou seemed to have already guessed what’s on my mind."

Zhou Anran fell silent.

Of course, she actually had that idea in mind too, but she was just a woman with a weak background. With so many merchants and farmers around, she couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t be greedy and target her.

But... if her family could work with someone like Merchant Yang, they might be able to realize the idea.

Although merchants often sell the supplies they purchased from areas with adequate harvest to famine or disaster-stricken places, they also needed to have the capital to transport them. In the end, they sometimes didn’t get much profit.

"My Master purchased a shop in this village market before he left. The person who sold the shop was in a dire need for money, so he only asked for a low price," Shun Zi began.

"The shop was originally selling household goods like clay pots, bowls, wooden buckets, and other things. However, before my master left, he hadn’t thought about whether he would continue the same business. He left the decision for me."

Zhou Anran continued to listen. Xiao Yuyan was a little confused, but she already had a vague inkling about where the conversation was heading.

This Old Shun wanted to do some sort of business with their mother, and it involved their grains.

"Mrs. Zhou, what if we sell rice seeds in this shop? You can provide the seed to us and we can buy it at a higher price," Shun Zi finally proposed his idea.

He already saw the paddy rice from other farmers. There was a stark contrast between theirs and Zhou Anran’s paddy rice.

It was as if the pests which usually sucked nutrients in rice, leaving farmers with smaller grain or completely empty husk didn’t target her rice at all.

Could it be that Zhou Anran’s paddy rice is resistant to such pests, and maybe even the birds?

Shun Zi found the idea a little ludicrous. But... he found himself still suddenly asking her. "Mrs. Zhou, your paddy rice is resistant to pests and birds, right?"