Chapter 81

The people of Xishan Township had already arrived.

The task of catching locusts had temporarily come to an end, as all the locusts outside had been caught. With the New Year approaching and little farming to do, the villagers were more enthusiastic than ever about building the school. An Zhongzhi, being a good leader, dispatched additional laborers. Now, in Xishan Township, except for the elderly, women, and children who could not travel far, almost all the able-bodied laborers were here. This meant that each household had contributed about two laborers.

The population of Xishan Township was not large, with about a thousand people. Many of the villages under its jurisdiction were quite far away, and no one from those villages had come. So, the number of people who could come was roughly three hundred, which was already quite a lot.

Since the past few days had been spent leveling the ground, the laborers had brought tools like hoes and baskets. An Zhongzhi apologized to Lin Bei and then walked among the villagers, saying something that Lin Bei couldn't hear. However, he noticed that the enthusiasm of the laborers suddenly became unusually high. Later, An Zhongzhi told Lin Bei that he had informed the villagers about the mountain goods Lin Bei had brought back and that they could collect the goods after work in the evening. This was why the villagers were so enthusiastic.

This was similar to the first day of a new job when one receives their first paycheck—people are naturally in high spirits and full of anticipation, and they work hard. Although An Zhongzhi had not experienced modern paychecks, it was clear that his role as a village leader had not been in vain, and he was skilled at motivating people.

The next task was something the laborers were proficient in. They dug up the gravel and carried it away in baskets, dumping it into the nearby forest. It seemed simple, but with rudimentary tools, the work relied entirely on physical strength, which was why it would take about ten days. What puzzled Lin Bei was that they didn't use oxen. Were there very few oxen?

"How many oxen are there in Xishan Township?" Lin Bei asked Bian Fuzi.

Bian Fuzi looked a bit confused, but Cui Lan quickly answered, "Sir, there are twelve oxen in total, five of which belong to the government. By the way, Jiu Lang's family also has one ox, and that ox belongs to Jiu Lang's family."

"Why don't you use the oxen to carry the gravel?" Lin Bei asked, puzzled, thinking that using oxen would be much faster.

"Sir, we need the oxen for plowing next spring," Feng Xiangyu replied. "The oxen are thin now, and they need to gain weight over the winter to have the strength to plow next year."

Lin Bei could only smile wryly. He had never heard of such a thing, but in ancient times, oxen were indeed very precious animals that small households couldn't afford to keep, so they had to use them sparingly.

"Madam Feng, is this thing not ready yet?"

Feng Nangzi's large pot was still bubbling, and it had been simmering for a long time.

"Sir, this is the leg bone of a wild ox. We need to simmer it until the oil rises to the surface, and then it can be added to the dishes to make them very fragrant," Feng Nangzi said with a smile.

Lin Bei was surprised, "Who taught you this?"

"Doctor Bai said so."

Lin Bei knew Doctor Bai but had never met him. It seemed that Doctor Bai was not only a doctor but also a cook.

At this moment, Cui Lan said to Zhen Ding, "Mr. Zhen, could you step aside for a moment?"

Zhen Ding looked at Lin Bei, nodded, and the two of them went to the side to talk. After a while, they returned, and Cui Lan had a smile on her face, "Thank you, Mr. Zhen."

Zhen Ding looked at Lin Bei and smiled, "Don't thank me. This is also very beneficial for our Zhen Family Business. We are in the business of trade, and we don't refuse any business that comes our way."

"What were you talking about?" Lin Bei asked.

"Sir, Miss Cui just discussed a business deal with me," Zhen Ding replied.

"Oh?"

"Sir, I told Mr. Zhen that some of the villagers would be reluctant to eat the mountain goods and would need a reputable merchant to buy them. Mr. Zhen has already agreed."

"Isn't that normal?" Lin Bei found their conversation strange. One wanted to buy, and the other wanted to sell, which was quite normal.

"Mr. Zhen also said he would send someone specifically to Xishan Township to collect these mountain goods. Sir, usually, if we want to sell mountain goods, we either sell them to traveling peddlers, but the price is lower, or we have to go to Hepu County, where the price is higher but the process is very troublesome. Mr. Zhen's arrangement will truly be convenient for the villagers."

Lin Bei nodded, looking at Zhen Ding and pondering, "Mr. Zhen, as far as I know, there is no branch of the Zhen Family Business in Xishan Township, right?"

"Sir, that is indeed the case," Zhen Ding said seriously.

"Can you open a branch in Xishan Township?"

"Sir..." Zhen Ding's face showed a look of difficulty.

Xishan Township was too small, and the foot traffic was insufficient for a business. As a businessman, Zhen Ding would not do something unprofitable, but his expression was mostly for Lin Bei's benefit.

"If you can agree to this, I will do my best to help you with whatever you need within my capabilities," Lin Bei promised.

The reason for this was that Lin Bei recognized the importance of the Zhen Family Business. If there was a business in Xishan Township, the benefits would be enormous. This was similar to the idea that to get rich, one must first build roads. Both were aimed at accelerating the circulation of local resources. With a business here, the people of Xishan Township or nearby areas wouldn't have to travel so far to sell their goods. Additionally, with the business's supply channels, they wouldn't have to go to Hepu County to buy things, saving a lot of time. In modern times, there are always supermarkets near residential areas, and if the business is compared to a supermarket, the opposite would happen—many residents would move near the supermarket.

Of course, these were all benefits for Xishan Township. For the Zhen Family Business, it was not so rosy. The population of Xishan Township was too small, and no matter how much they tried, it would never match Hepu County. The journey from Hepu County to here took a day, which greatly increased the transportation costs and risks for the business. The profit from the goods collected might not even cover the monthly wages of the employees.

Lin Bei had considered this and thus made a promise to Zhen Ding. Lin Bei believed that in the future, Xishan Township would be more prosperous than Hepu County, but many people often focused on the present. Zhen Ding would certainly not bet on the future of Xishan Township.

When Lin Bei said this, Zhen Ding quickly nodded, "Alright, since Sir has such a request, Zhen Ding will comply."

Lin Bei thought that Zhen Ding's request must be quite challenging, otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed so readily. However, Lin Bei had already stated that he would help within his capabilities. If the request was too unrealistic, like asking for a phoenix, Lin Bei couldn't fulfill it.

"Sir, please come this way to talk." Zhen Ding, despite his constant smile, was actually very anxious. The replacement was almost here, and then the handover of the business would begin. In a month, Zhen Ding would set off for Central China. At this moment, Lin Bei's words were crucial, and Zhen Ding wanted to finalize the matter.

Lin Bei and Zhen Ding went to the side, and the others were considerate enough not to disturb them.

"Sir, do you know the long-nosed beast, which the Nanyue people call the elephant?" Zhen Ding got straight to the point.

Long-nosed beast? Hearing "elephant," Lin Bei understood, "You mean elephants?"

"Exactly, Sir, you are indeed well-versed. I am referring to... elephants."

"What is your request?"

"Can Sir catch five pairs of adult elephants, male and female, and bring them back? If Sir can accomplish this, in addition to the previous request, I will offer a substantial reward," Zhen Ding said solemnly.

Lin Bei looked at Zhen Ding with some suspicion. Zhen Ding's request was not difficult, but what did he need the elephants for?

PS: The number of favorites and recommendations hasn't increased much these past few days. Please give a click if you can.

[AD begins]

[AD ends]