Dong Miao had been beating around the bush for a while and was starting to feel tired.
When two people talk, and one is overly enthusiastic while the other stays indifferent, the mismatch in energy can make the conversation feel awkward after some time.
Dong Miao cleared her throat and got to the point. "Julie, here's the thing. Now that I've taken over, I plan to fix the bad habits in our county. I've always admired you—young and capable. I hope we can get along peacefully and work together to protect Zhangxiang County. If you ever face any problems or difficulties, feel free to come to me. I'll do my best to help."
This was a kind gesture and also a subtle way of saying that she wouldn't tolerate Wei Zhen's way of doing things anymore—at least on the surface.
Words like these are meant to sound sincere and inspiring.
But for Julie, who had lived an extra life, it didn't stir any emotions. It was hard for her to feel any connection to such words.
Did Dong Miao have no personal agenda? That wasn't completely true.
No one invites someone into a private study just to repeat what was already said at the table unless they have a reason—perhaps a thought or worry they want to discuss, or they're hoping to reach some kind of agreement.
Still, when she heard Dong Miao offer help if she had any issues, Julie's eyes sparkled. Since she was already here…
"Thank you, Madam Dong. You can rest assured that I've always valued peace. After hearing your heartfelt words, I'm truly moved. Actually, there is one thing I'd like to ask. Not long ago, I accidentally dug up a hundred-year-old ginseng root in the back hills. After selling it, I've got some extra money. I'm worried I might waste it if I keep it, so I was thinking of buying some property. I heard there's a street in the west market that's been sitting empty. Would it be possible for me to buy that street?"
Since she didn't have any real skills, collecting rent wouldn't be a bad way to make a living.
Two taels of silver a month in salary might be enough for a regular family, but with Julie's generous spending habits, it wouldn't last. Even though she had plenty of silver and gold in her space to live comfortably for a lifetime, without a proper source of income, people might start getting suspicious over time.
Julie had to think about the future.
After all, she couldn't expect to find a magic jade pendant every month.
Dong Miao was briefly stunned but quickly returned to her usual self.
Normally, polite exchanges like this don't lead to serious requests—at least not this fast.
Still…
Dong Miao quickly adjusted and smiled. "Julie, that's some luck you've got. Ginseng like that is very valuable. As for the street you mentioned, yes, it's been empty for a while. The location isn't great, which is why most people prefer the east or south sides for business. Are you thinking of opening a shop?"
Julie didn't answer directly. "It's always good to have a way to earn. If I have kids one day, I can't rely on money just sitting there. That won't support a family."
Dong Miao wanted to mention that Julie already received two taels of salary each month, but seeing the serious look in her eyes, she held her tongue.
It wasn't her money, anyway.
If Julie wanted to buy it, granting the request would be a nice gesture.
That street had been empty and useless for ages. Why say no if someone wanted to invest?
She had done her part by warning her. If the business didn't work out, it wasn't her fault.
Once she sorted through her thoughts, Dong Miao quickly agreed.
"All right. Since you've got the determination and the plan, I support it. Are you planning to…"
Julie pulled out a silver note from her robe. "It's just luck that I happened to bring money today. Let's do it now and save another trip. Sorry to trouble you."
Dong Miao rarely met someone so straightforward.
But she liked that kind of person—no hesitation, no overthinking. It made things easier for her too.
She walked to the desk, pulled out a map and a notebook, and began studying them carefully.
Before long, her fingers started tapping and clicking on the abacus.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she finished calculating the numbers and began writing them down with ink and brush.
Before even half that time had passed, Dong Miao finished writing and stopped.
She handed the paper to Julie to review.
Julie took it and read it seriously.
When it came to money, she was never careless.
The price wasn't too high…
This was a long-term business, not a one-time deal.
The price was only reasonable because the location wasn't ideal—wealthy people lived in the southeast, while ordinary folks lived in the northwest.
If the spot were better, this price wouldn't even be possible.
People in the west part of the market didn't have much spending power, but they still needed daily necessities—rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea.
They still needed fabric and clothing, right?
Normally, they had to walk a full tea's time or half a stick of incense just to reach the east market.
Soon, it would just be a few steps away—who wouldn't choose the closer option?
So it wouldn't be hard to keep the business running.
Success also depended on other things.
Location mattered, but so did reputation and quality.
That's why people say, "Good wine needs no bush."
No one had bought the place yet because everyone was afraid. They were waiting to see what others would do.
No one wanted to be the first to take the risk.
Ordinary people feared losing their hard-earned money.
Rich people simply didn't care about such a location.
After reading the paper, Julie handed over a silver note from her sleeve.
Dong Miao glanced at it—100 taels.
She thought to herself, luck really was something to be jealous of.
Julie could casually dig up a hundred-year-old ginseng.
As for her? She didn't even dare go into the mountains.
And not just her—how many people would go alone?
Forget getting lost.
Even if you managed to dig something up, you might not make it out alive.
There were wild animals up there. If you ran into one, you'd become their dinner.
Unless you were truly desperate, most people wouldn't take that kind of risk.
People preferred to stay safe.
Dong Miao accepted the silver note and told Julie to wait a moment.
She went to call the account keeper.
A short while later, he came in with a money box alongside Dong Miao.
He returned eight taels to Julie.
After stamping the official seal and registering the transaction, he handed over the deed.
Julie glanced at it, slipped it into her sleeve, and tucked it away in her space.
With everything settled, Julie got up, thanked Dong Miao, and took her leave.
Dong Miao didn't insist on keeping her. She simply told a servant to escort Julie out.
Once Julie was gone, Dong Miao let out a quiet sigh of relief.
After Wei Zhen's death, Dong Miao had the entire county office searched inside and out. Not a single clue or piece of evidence was found.
All the valuables had been cleaned out. Dong Miao believed it couldn't have been the work of just one person.
Those four chests alone couldn't be carried by a single person.
It had to be the work of a group, possibly a bandit gang.
Normally, when someone robs and kills, they don't also steal eggs and meat from the kitchen.
That kind of detail was unheard of.
Dong Miao had planned to take advantage of the chaos and snatch up Wei Zhen's hidden wealth. But…
In the days that followed, she had nightmares night after night.
She dreamed of someone breaking in and killing her in the middle of the night.
After all these years, she couldn't honestly say she'd never done anything wrong.
Even if she hadn't wanted to at first, after a while, she'd gotten used to it.
As long as someone else was leading the charge and taking the blame, she didn't worry.
But once that person was dead, she started to panic, scared someone might come for revenge.
She could tell Julie had skills and strength, but probably wouldn't be easily controlled.
That's why she wanted to take this chance to show goodwill and build a better relationship.