Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Sin of Gender 69

”Shuangshuang sister, my grandpa asked me to come over and tell you that the court-sent soldiers have escorted the refugees here! Now all those refugees are gathered at the marketplace, waiting to find some work. Grandpa wants you to hurry up and gather, so everyone can go together to pick some workers!”

After shouting loudly, Da Hu turned around and ran off again, probably to notify others.

Upon receiving this good news, Qin Shuangshuang’s mood lifted instantly. She was getting fed up with spending every day weeding in the fields, and now she was finally about to be freed.

Qin Shuangshuang hurried back to her family’s tent, changed into some outdoor clothes, and called her mother and Miao Miao, Yaoyao. When she came out, she happened to meet her master, Fang Zhongyi. Fang Zhongyi wasn’t as strong as Qin Shuangshuang and didn’t have as much land as she did, but he also had over a hundred acres of land, so he also needed to hire some farmers.

The atmosphere in the border city was more open-minded, with fewer rules. Here, widows remarrying or couples divorcing weren’t looked down upon or gossiped about. With Fang Yaoyao residing at Qin Shuangshuang’s place every day and Fang Zhongyi being Qin Shuangshuang’s master, the two families were close enough that Fang Zhongyi didn’t particularly avoid suspicion as he used to and directly chose to live next to the Qin household, making daily interactions more convenient.

Qin Shuangshuang and her group reached the marketplace. Qin Shuangshuang didn’t want her mother staying cooped up at home all the time; the outside world was so vast that one ought to explore more to make life worthwhile!

After spending several months traveling from Qin Family Village to the border city, Qin Family Village’s people had long been accustomed to women showing themselves publicly, and the gender barriers had also relaxed a lot. Plus, they were unconsciously influenced by the open-minded atmosphere of the border city, and their thoughts had changed a lot.

Even Mrs. Bai herself, after a few months on the road and seeing various local customs and beautiful scenery outside the disaster area, had come to enjoy going out. So when Qin Shuangshuang suggested it, she changed her clothes and went along, instead of making excuses as she once did in Qin Family Village.

When they arrived at the gathering place, the village chief and others were already waiting there. Those gathered were families who had opened up more land, and along the way, the people they met looked at Qin Shuangshuang’s spirited group with envy in their eyes!

They regretted not trusting Qin Shuangshuang’s analysis back then and resolved that next time they wouldn’t hesitate. Whatever Qin Shuangshuang told them to do, they would follow her lead. Even if they didn’t understand, they wouldn’t question it, because following Qin Shuangshuang would definitely not lead to a loss!

The marketplaces in the border city were numerous and large, each with no fewer than a hundred vendors selling all kinds of goods. Upon entering the marketplace, everyone found their eyes overwhelmed; the items in the border city were different from those inland, with many furs, and even the household utensils were different, less refined but more grand.

The group was excited at the sight and couldn’t help but want to pull out their money bags and start buying! After some eager discussion, they decided to buy things first and then gather at the front of the marketplace to find long-term workers, so they divided and went their separate ways.

Actually, ever since getting a taste of the marketplace’s bustle in the border city, everyone had wanted to explore the marketplaces. However, they were too busy recently building an academy and opening up farmland. After opening up the land, it was immediately time to plant, weed, and they were as busy as spinning tops, with no time to wander around. Even their grain was bought by gathering contributions of an ounce of silver from each family to purchase and bring back from the grain shop.

Meals were also prepared by a few efficient wives, cooked for everyone to eat together. While none of the houses were yet built, the villagers decided to eat communal meals like this, then build houses one by one together, thus saving time from having to cook at home, so they could get their houses up as soon as possible. Having one’s own house was more important than anything.

Among these people, Qin Shuangshuang and Fang Zhongyi were definitely the wealthiest. Back in Qin Family Village, Qin Shuangshuang had always felt unsettled, thinking that Qin Family Village wasn’t a place for her to stay long-term. Knowing a disaster would come, she dared not spend money recklessly, always saving instead.

Now in the border city, Qin Shuangshuang felt at ease and thus became generous. Seeing her mother Mrs. Bai and Qin Miao’s bare heads, Qin Shuangshuang headed straight to the jewelry shop; she wanted to buy some fine jewelry for her mother and Qin Miao.

As for Fang Yaoyao, Fang Zhongyi was quite willing to spend money on her, so she lacked no accessories, though they were all kept tucked away in boxes.

Fang Yaoyao was quite wild, like Qin Shuangshuang, practicing martial arts every day energetically, unable to keep jewelry on, and if she insisted on wearing it, she’d lose it in her leaps. Therefore, neither Qin Shuangshuang nor Fang Yaoyao wore jewelry! Buying it would just be a waste, better not to buy.

The jewelry in the border city had a kind of rugged style, not that the craftsmanship wasn’t fine, just that the styles differed from those inland. Qin Shuangshuang quite liked it and chose a pair of solid golden hairpins and silver hairpins for both her mother and Qin Miao, along with a couple of larger beautiful golden hair clips and two pairs of floral gold earrings.

Qin Shuangshuang spent a total of 117 ounces of silver on all these purchases, which had Mrs. Bai and Qin Miao’s hearts aching as they kept pulling at Qin Shuangshuang, trying to stop her from buying!

Qin Shuangshuang just laughed and pushed their hands away. Her past reluctance to spend money didn’t mean she was a miser unwilling to spend. Moreover, making money to spend on family was a joyful thing.

The shop owner was even happier, as big customers like Qin Shuangshuang were rare. When settling the bill, the owner was all smiles, seeing only teeth but no eyes, and he specially gifted her two exquisite large jewelry boxes!

This shop owner really knew how to do business; these two boxes were marked at five ounces of silver each, made of real rosewood and top-quality. Giving away ten ounces’ worth in one go made Mrs. Bai and Qin Miao, who were initially displeased with the owner for constantly providing Qin Shuangshuang with jewelry, immediately happy!

Mrs. Bai and Qin Miao not only lost their discontent; as they exited the shop, they were expressing heartache over the spent silver while also praising the shop owner as open-handed, saying he was an honest man who knew how to do business.

The four hadn’t walked far when they ran into Fang Zhongyi coming out of another jewelry store, and Qin Shuangshuang found it strange. What was her master doing at a jewelry store? After all, Fang Yaoyao didn’t wear jewelry!

Getting closer, they saw that Fang Zhongyi was holding a stack of boxes. When he approached, he distributed one to each of Qin Shuangshuang, Fang Yao, and Qin Miao. When Qin Shuangshuang opened hers, she found a pair of intricately crafted golden sparrow hairpins!

Judging by the workmanship and materials, plus the exquisite tassels below, the pair of golden sparrow hairpins must be worth at least over thirty ounces! A glance at Fang Yao and Qin Miao’s boxes revealed equally exquisite golden sparrow hairpins inside, with different floral patterns but equally costly.

Qin Shuangshuang’s gaze fell on another larger box in Fang Zhongyi’s hand, knowing that the item inside must be even more valuable by its size!

Seeing Qin Shuangshuang eyeing the box in his hand, Fang Zhongyi coughed and handed it to her, saying, ”This is a gift for your mother, to thank her for always taking care of my Yaoyao!” After speaking, he coughed again, appearing a little awkward.

Qin Shuangshuang raised her eyebrows and opened the box in her hand directly, gasping in astonishment!