Chapter 21 - 21 0021 Finding Treasure in the Trash 1_1

Chapter 21: Chapter 0021: Finding Treasure in the Trash 1_1 Chapter 21: Chapter 0021: Finding Treasure in the Trash 1_1 Feng Qingxue felt a pang in her heart. So, the old woman dared not go? That indicated a dire family background and if discovered trading jewelry for bank services, it would certainly become a target of envy and endless hassles. Since the founding of the country, combat against landlords and land redistribution had been carried out with immense momentum, resulting in many wealthy families losing their fortunes. Although the true catastrophe had yet to come, everyone had been categorized due to their social class and life was difficult for those of lower status. Feng Qingxue’s grandmother belonged to the underprivileged class and had suffered a great deal during this era. The so-called underprivileged were mainly those from families of merchants or large landlords who owned a lot of land. They were referred to as capitalists exploiting the laboring masses, as vampires that needed to be defeated. Besides them, the intellectuals were derogatively called the ‘stinky old nines’. ‘Stinky old nines’ was an offensive term. Looking back at the history of a thousand years, only during the Yuan Dynasty had intellectuals been ranked lower than courtesans. Well, everyone was equal. Courtesans too were pitiful and shouldn’t be discriminated against. But that doesn’t mean one should offend intellectuals. In fact, every era witnessed turbulence following the establishment of a new dynasty. All things considered, it was a struggle for power and a clash of social classes. Most importantly, Feng Qingxue hailed from the 21st century and thus, unlike the people of this time, did not despise those from a lower social class. She put the small black bag into her own pocket, signaling that the transaction was successful. Seeing this, the old woman was overjoyed, “Thank you, thank you, my dear girl!” Without uttering a word, Feng Qingxue unloaded her bamboo basket, taking out three bags of grain, one of black flour, one of cornmeal, and one of wheat bran. Like before, every bag weighed between six to eight, even up to ten pounds. Considering the weight and exquisite craftsmanship of the gold bracelet she had received, she also took out some soybean oil and eggs, and after reaching into the basket and mentally preparing herself, she pulled out a cured meat stashed away in her space. It weighed about two pounds. Upon seeing all these items, the old woman was startled, “My dear girl...” Feng Qingxue smiled, “Madam, I know the value of things too. You traded such an item for grain while risking so much. It is clear that you are struggling to get by. I have ways to obtain these items and I lack nothing. You take these, I assure you that with those two bracelets, I am not at a loss.” “Thank you... thank you...” The old woman clasped her hands, tears glistening in her eyes. Feng Qingxue stuffed everything, including the oil can, into the old woman’s basket and covered it with a piece of worn cloth that she initially had in her basket. “Madam, I felt a closeness towards you the moment I saw you. You should also stop trading with others for grain to avoid being anonymously reported and implicating your family. If you trust me, I can come again tomorrow before dawn. However, we must arrange to meet in a different location.” The old woman was overwhelmed with emotion, “Okay, my dear child, I will bring my husband tomorrow. Let’s avoid going under the bridge to escape the risk of being discovered.” “Alright, let’s meet under the large elm tree. Not many people pass by there and it’s quite open. We’ll be able to spot anyone coming from afar. Madam, whatever you need, I’ll try my best to arrange it.” “Times are tough, grain is the most important thing,” the old woman sighed. “Indeed,” Feng Qingxue nodded. The old woman clutched her hand, “My dear girl, my family’s surname is Guan and my husband’s family name is Xu. You can call me Madam Xu.”