Lian Manman was startled when she saw the two newcomers, one of whom was clearly Lian Shouyi. Only then she remembered that Lian Shouyi’s brother-in-law, He Laoliu, lived in West Village, and the man beside him appeared to be He Laoliu.

By the time Lian Shouyi and He Laoliu approached, Lian Manman could already smell the alcohol on their breath from a few steps away.

"Old Fourth, are you here to buy land?" After exchanging greetings, Lian Shouyi looked at Wu Yugui, then at the waiting carriage, and asked Lian Shouxin. He was somewhat incredulous that Lian Shouxin could afford to purchase land, but since Wu Yugui was a broker and Lian Shouxin had apparently hired a carriage to come here to see the land, it seemed likely.

Purchasing land was a significant affair, naturally impossible to keep secret. However, it would be best if the rest of the Lian Family found out only after the deal was concluded. Lian Shouxin knew his second brother well and worried that telling the truth might lead to complications, but being habitually honest, he found it impossible to deny it.

"Lian Si is just casually looking around," interjected Wu Yugui, who was worldly and experienced. Watching the interaction between the two brothers, Lian Shouyi and Lian Shouxin, he joked from the side.

"Yeah," Lian Shouxin chimed in when he heard Wu Yugui put it that way. "Dad promised to give us enough grain for one year, and after next year, we’ll have to rely on ourselves. Those few acres of land might not be enough to sustain us."

"So you are indeed looking to buy land," Lian Shouyi pressed, staring at Lian Shouxin’s face.

Lian Manman covered her forehead, Lian Shouxin was truly incapable of lying.

"Old Fourth, tell your second brother, where did you get the money?" Lian Shouyi moved closer to Lian Shouxin and asked.

"Isn’t this the land of He Laojiu’s family? Oh, I remember now," He Laoliu suddenly piped up at the side. "He Laojiu lost money gambling and wants to sell thirty acres, which seems to be this piece here. Thirty acres of land, that’s got to be worth one hundred taels of silver."

After speaking, He Laoliu sized up Lian Shouxin from head to toe.

Upon hearing about one hundred taels of silver, Lian Shouyi’s eyes lit up immediately. He scanned Lian Shouxin and then glanced at Lian Manman and the others, as if looking to see if they were carrying one hundred taels of silver on them.

Not seeing any silver, Lian Shouyi still reached out and grabbed Lian Shouxin’s hand.

"Old Fourth, if you have that much silver and want to buy land, you should discuss it with your second brother and our father. Our family has been struggling..." Lian Shouyi spoke with urgency.

"Second Brother, where would I get so much silver," Lian Shouxin tried to shake off Lian Shouyi’s grip, but Lian Shouyi held on tightly.

Lian Shouyi was the kind of man who couldn’t resist the sight of money, even in a frying pan. Hearing that Lian Shouxin could buy thirty acres of land, he immediately became greedy. If he were allowed to continue causing trouble, the land deal might fall through.

Anxiety swelled in Lian Manman’s heart, but her eyes caught sight of He Laoliu, and she quickly hatched a plan.

"Uncle, we’re not here to buy land," Lian Manman said. "Grandfather asked us to come to West Village to visit Old Uncle He."

"What?" Both Lian Shouyi and He Laoliu were shocked.

"Grandfather heard that Old Uncle He’s family has also been making a lot of wine from wild grapes, supposedly having stolen our wine-making technique. He sent us to find out if it’s true," Lian Manman said calmly.

"When did I ever steal your techniques?" He Laoliu immediately denied it. "You brazen girl, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Although the term ’brazen girl’ wasn’t a particularly harsh insult, it wasn’t pleasant to hear. Naturally, Lian Shouxin was displeased. He stood right there while He Laoliu insulted his daughter. Moreover, Lady He had spied on Lian Manman making wine, and Si Lang had opened their wine-making jars in the middle of the night. Subsequently, He Laoliu’s family started making a lot of grape wine, which was clearly a pilfered technique.

"Old Six, when my daughter Manman calls you uncle, how can you speak so harshly to her?" Lian Shouxin shook off Lian Shouyi with a tug and said with a stern face, "Whether your family’s grape wine was stolen from us, we can find out by asking Si Lang."

With Lian Shouxin backing her, Lian Manman felt even bolder.

"My dad said, if Old Uncle He’s family really made the wine, he would come here to talk it over seriously," Lian Manman said loudly. "My dad said, considering we’re family, he wouldn’t take all the wine, but you must give us at least half of it."

Of course, Old Master Lian had never said such a thing, but since Lian Shouyi had previously used Old Master Lian to press his point, Lian Manman followed suit and used Old Master Lian to scare both Lian Shouyi and He Laoliu.

Lian Manman was involved in homebrewing, and Lady He was envious. She didn’t realize that it was Lian Manman’s invention and thought it was Zhang Qingshan trying to support Lian Shouxin. The Zhang Qingshan family had an orchard and lived well, all of which Lady He knew. She assumed it was a path to wealth. Therefore, she watched carefully, thought she had learned it all, and went to West Village to talk to her brother He Laoliu about it.