Chapter 53: The Divine Doctor Turns into a Demon

The transformation of the divine doctor into a demon was so swift that none of the newly appointed servants, including Wang Qian, were mentally prepared. It was clear that Chen Xie had no intention of giving them any preparation time. After getting dressed, he wouldn't let them wear their cotton coats and started them running. No one dared to complain, as Chen Xie led the way.

After a comfortable period in Zhang Family Village, these guys had somewhat forgotten the hardships of their escape. So, at first, they found it hard to adapt, and some couldn't keep up halfway through. But it didn't matter; Chen Xie would kick their butts with his shoes, urging them to grit their teeth and persevere.

After a five-kilometer run, the servants were exhausted like dead dogs. Just when they desperately needed a rest, Chen Xie delivered an unfortunate message: "You have only a moment to wash up and eat breakfast. If you exceed this time, I will have to be harsh."

Like their butts were on fire, the group grabbed their toiletries and rushed to the water pump. After washing as quickly as possible, they dashed to the canteen (a temporary shed), where they had to queue for breakfast before they could sit down to eat.

An ugly clock sat on the table, its ticking sound like a death knell. Just as they were about to finish eating, Chen Xie appeared: "Time's up, everyone stand up!"

Back in the courtyard, the divine doctor continued to appear as a demon, bellowing at the servants: "Listen up, starting today, I will teach you how to stand, sit, and walk. Here, everything is decided by me. If anyone doesn't comply, I will beat them until they do."

In the cold wind, the 11 servants stood straight. Any mistake would result in a leather belt strike from Chen Xie, leaving no room for negotiation. After standing for two hours, Chen Xie finally dismissed them.

Everyone was almost at their breaking point, collapsing on the ground. Chen Xie then roared again: "Did you forget the soldier's code? What should you say before dismissal?"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone scrambled to their feet, standing straight and shouting loudly. Only then did Chen Xie turn and leave.

At this point, everyone realized it was almost noon.

After lunch, except for Wang Qian, the others were tormented by Chen Xie for another two hours. There was no more running, just practicing how to stand. Those who stood poorly or couldn't stand at all were beaten with the leather belt.

Finally, when it was dark, even more cruel things awaited. After bathing, they had to attend a literacy class, which was truly a nightmare. Among the 11 people, only Wang Qian could read; the others were illiterate. Making them learn to read was a matter of life and death.

You couldn't avoid it; they had to learn five characters every night, or they wouldn't get breakfast.

Chen Xie only supervised the brutal training for one day, then handed it over to Wang Qian. The requirements were clear: Chen Xie would conduct an assessment every seven days. If anyone failed to meet his standards, Wang Qian would be beaten with 30 leather belt strikes first, followed by each person receiving 30 strikes.

The standards were posted on the wall, with clear criteria for each seven-day assessment, which changed every week.

The most hateful part of these standards wasn't the running, standing, or literacy. It was the dozens of internal regulations! There were strict requirements for where to place cups and other items. There was also a system of collective punishment, where if one person failed, everyone would be punished.

Torturing the servants wasn't enough; the divine doctor started a new torment. This time, he gathered the elderly villagers under the old locust tree and instructed each household to plant some crops from America. The divine doctor didn't force them to plant a specific amount, emphasizing that it was voluntary and that the seeds could be planted in less fertile land where even sorghum didn't grow well.

As for how to plant, Chen Xie found a few plots of land and planted each type in a row, demonstrating the process himself.

The land in Zhang Family Village varied in quality, with the best irrigated fields under Chen Xie's name. Some of the poorer fields were less ideal, and if the weather turned bad, they would likely face drought. After a few days of surveying the fields, Chen Xie proposed a new plan.

"I will provide the funds, and you will provide the labor to build ditches and improve water management. For fields that can't be irrigated, we will dig more wells. This year, there's a high chance of drought. If you're willing, let's work a bit harder."

With someone providing the funds, the villagers of Zhang Family Village had no objections. It was for their own benefit, after all. Before the spring plowing began, every household came out to repair the long-neglected ditches and dig wells on higher ground. Digging wells at this time was partly a matter of luck. Chen Xie had gathered all the well-digging craftsmen in Dengzhou to find suitable locations in Zhang Family Village.

Before the spring plowing, the water management facilities in Zhang Family Village were roughly repaired, though not yet perfect. However, they were much better than before. More than half of the non-irrigated fields could now be watered through the ditches, laying a solid foundation for the next year's harvest.

The school construction site was busy, the well-digging craftsmen were busy, the servants' training was ongoing, Zhang Tietou was busy, and the kiln factory was busy.

While everyone was busy, just before the end of the first lunar month, the divine doctor left a message that he was going to sea and then disappeared. In reality, Chen Xie didn't want to go back, but he had no choice. After receiving the title of Militia Commander, recruiting and training soldiers was urgent, and Chen Xie had to solve the equipment problem thoroughly.

During his last trip back to the modern world, Chen Xie had secured flintlock muskets and bronze cannons. At the last moment, Wu Qi reminded him that he still lacked armor. The type of armor to use was something Chen Xie needed to resolve after returning to the modern world. Additionally, he needed to reorganize the military structure, as the Ming Dynasty's system was no longer suitable.

Chen Xie was a layman in military matters, and the training methods for the servants were half-baked. He could only learn on the spot, but there was nowhere to learn in the Ming Dynasty, so he had to return to the modern world.

The first thing Chen Xie did upon returning to the modern world was to find a way to sell the calligraphy and paintings he brought back. Chen Xie was confident in the value of the items from the Ming Dynasty. Even if they were forgeries, they were still Ming Dynasty forgeries.

Chen Xie first went to Qian Sizhang's pharmacy. Qian was not there, and he was about to leave when a red Ferrari blocked his way at the door. The woman in the car, wearing sunglasses, was naturally Qian Sizhang. Seeing Chen Xie from a distance, Qian Sizhang was so excited that she almost hit him. If not for Chen Xie's agility, it might have been a "major" traffic accident.

"You guy, where have you been hiding? I couldn't even reach you on the phone!" Qian Sizhang showed no sign of apologizing. Chen Xie looked at the car wheel by his feet, which almost ran him over, and his anger rose.

"Driving a sports car like a bull? You almost ran me over!" Chen Xie felt a mix of new and old grievances toward this woman who had ruthlessly haggled with him last time. Looking around and seeing no one, he thought about scratching her car with a key. Let her drive her Ferrari and show off.

"Tsk, a real man doesn't hold a grudge against a woman. If my skills were bad, you would have been hit, right? Don't be angry, I'll treat you to a meal as an apology." Qian Sizhang jumped out of the car, took off her sunglasses, and smiled with a pleading look. Chen Xie was taken aback; he had experienced her formidable nature before.

"No, I can't eat your meal. I'm afraid you'll slip something into my food. Alright, let's get to the point. Why did you drive so recklessly and almost hit me?" Chen Xie's anger hadn't subsided, and his words were harsh. Qian Sizhang didn't mind; from the last transaction, she had made over ten million, just by reselling. Such a good deal wasn't easy to come by.

"Ha, a real man holding a grudge against a woman, how embarrassing." She said this without any reserve, reaching out to link arms with Chen Xie. At this moment, Chen Xie was not a person in Qian Sizhang's eyes but a gold mine. A few words were nothing; if the gold mine ran away, she would be truly desperate.

Chen Xie wasn't as agile this time and didn't dodge. In fact, he didn't want to. Although Qian Sizhang was a few years older, she was indeed very attractive. Modern women knew how to dress well, and with a good image designer, their appearance could be significantly enhanced. There was also her demeanor, which came from her upbringing and education, giving her a unique aura that ordinary girls lacked.

With Qian Sizhang's arm linked with his, he was unconsciously pulled into her office. Qian Sizhang took off her light white windbreaker, revealing the fullness of her tight-fitting clothes. At this moment, she looked truly well-endowed, with a very noticeable figure. Unlike in the Ming Dynasty, where even if someone had a good figure, the clothing wouldn't show it.

"Now you can tell me, what did you stop me for?" Chen Xie spoke lazily, deciding this time to make this woman understand his power. He had something others didn't, and she had to behave. This time was different from the last. Last time, Chen Xie was in a hurry for money, but this time, he wasn't as rushed, with over five million in his bank account. He could be more relaxed and let her know that it was a seller's market.

"Alright, I won't beat around the bush. I need wild ginseng and caterpillar fungus." Qian Sizhang was very direct, cleverly sensing Chen Xie's resistance. Clearly, he was still sore from the last time she had haggled too hard.

Chen Xie had come to see Qian to introduce him to some experts in calligraphy and paintings, but since Qian was not there, he had gone to the capital. This matter was delayed. Now, looking at Qian Sizhang, Chen Xie changed his mind about refusing outright.

"I have the goods, and plenty of them, but why should I let you take advantage of me? Because you're pretty?" At this moment, Chen Xie's eyes became very aggressive, his body leaning forward, his gaze fixed on her full chest.

Qian Sizhang instinctively leaned back, but it didn't help much. She felt that the harmless guy from last time now had horns on his head and a pitchfork in his hand, making him a living demon.