The Xue Family dared to directly acquire Mo's rice shop simply because they regarded the small Mo Family as easy to deal with. Even if the Mo Family had been weakened by the moldy grain incident, a dying camel is still larger than a horse, and ten Mo Families wouldn't be a match for them.
To get the Xue Family to drop the idea of acquiring the rice shop or investigating the source of the grains, one must find a force powerful enough to crush the Xue Family and make them wary of acting rashly. The most influential people Mo Yan knew were Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu.
Even though Xiao Ruiyuan was in Jing City, she would still turn to Yan Junyu for help. For one, she had a deal with Yan Junyu, so there was no psychological burden in asking for his help; second, Xiao Ruiyuan had too many troubles, and seeking his help might bring even bigger problems.
Having made up her mind, Mo Yan found the Punishing Shopkeeper and asked him to help relay a message to Yan Junyu.
