Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 41 - 40 Buying Land

Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Buying Land

Chapter 41 -40: Buying Land

Before setting off for the neighbouring county, Shen Chengyao decided to inform the village chief about his intention to buy land.

So, he took a basket of fruit to the village chief’s house early in the morning to discuss the matter.

In the west wing, Jingrui and Jinghao had been practicing calligraphy for two hours every morning since they got their brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The weather had become quite cold, causing their hands to turn red from the chill each morning after practicing.

Despite the hardship, they seemed to enjoy it.

Mrs.

Liu, moved by their shared commitment, thought about making mittens for them.

Yet they claimed that wearing mittens would inconvenience their writing and make it harder to improve.

Xiao’er sat on the kang bed making small rag dolls and silk flowers, followed by Mrs.

Liu’s example.

Baby sister, now pleasantly plump and fair, lay beside Mrs.

Liu, swinging her arms incessantly.

The baby, especially obedient, could play on the kang bed or in her cradle with her rattle for half a day if her diaper was clean and she wasn’t hungry.

After playing, as long as she wasn’t hungry, she would go to sleep on her own.

As long as her belly was full, she could sleep through the night.

Of course, Mrs.

Liu would change her diaper once in the middle of the night.

Now, whenever Shen Chengyao held his baby sister, he would say, “Little sister is growing so well.

None of her brothers and sisters have ever been this chubby.

They all share credit for this.”

In fact, the water that the family drank each day was replaced by Xiao’er with spring water from her secret space.

They often ate food from her secret space too.

Everyone’s complexion had improved a lot.

However, Xiao’er felt that these changes should be gradual so as to draw less attention, hence she was careful with how much she used from the secret space.

The seeds given to her by Manager Chen last time were successfully grown in her secret space.

She had hyacinths, tulips, lavenders, and Haitang.

Xiao’er replanted the seeds she harvested in her secret space outside and watered them each day with water from her secret space.

They had already sprouted.

When she went to collect the wine jars in a while, she could bring these along to Manager Yao and ask him to deliver them to Manager Chen.

Every day the sun would rise from the east and set in the west.

The pheasants, hares, and chicks that they had been raising had also grown significantly thanks to the nourishing food from her secret space.

There were small changes every day at home.

As Xiao’er looked at her beloved family, she suddenly felt content and driven to work hard to make their lives even better.

While contemplating and carrying on with her tasks, Xiao’er kept an eye on the movements outside.

Finally, she saw Shen Chengyao and the village chief passing by the door.

She quickly put down her work, made sure that no one from the main house or the east wing was watching, then called Jingrui and Jinghao to follow her to the entrance of the village.

When the three of them arrived, the village chief and Shen Chengyao were pointing at a pond, discussing something.

After they politely greeted the chief, who nodded his acknowledgement, he asked, “This wasteland, look at these grassroots, they are denser than hair, and there are as many stones as stars in the sky.

It will be even harder to take care of than your ancestors.

With such a big pond taking up at least half an acre, what use will it be?

Are you really sure you want to buy this whole piece of wasteland?”

Xiao’er and her siblings couldn’t help but laugh after hearing the village chief’s description.

He definitely had a talent for dramatic descriptions, Xiao’er thought inwardly, giving him a point in her mind.

Shen Chengyao glowered at the three children.

The village chief was not someone to be laughed at!

He nodded at the village chief and said firmly, “Our family has already decided.”

Sometimes, the village chief was truly frustrated by his stubborn friend.

When it came to other people’s requests, Shen Chengyao was quite agreeable.

However, when it came to things he believed in, no amount of persuasion could change his mind.

Even if she was jumping with frustration, he would let her finish and then persist with his point of view.

“Fine, buy all of it!

With such a cheap price for land, not buying it would be a waste.” The village chief was so angry he found himself using reverse psychology.

Xiao’er stared at the wasteland across them for a while and asked, “Uncle Village Chief, is that piece of wasteland also part of our village?”

The village chief glanced across them and replied, “Twenty acres belong to our village; the rest over ten acres do not.”

“Father, why don’t we also buy the thirty something acres across?

It will be easier to take care of when it’s across our house.”

Shen Chengyao pondered and agreed, worrying about the complications if someone troublesome were to move in across them.

Seeing them everyday might be too much to bear.

“Village chief, could we also purchase the thirty-some acres of land across us?”

“Sure.” The village chief lost his temper.

These father and daughter seemed to deliberately oppose him, the more he tried to discourage them from buying so much land, the more they ended up buying!

“However, even if it’s for wasteland, it would cost one tael of silver per acre.

In total, it would cost over eighty taels of silver.

And you guys are sure you can manage such a large area?

Once you purchase the wasteland, besides the homestead, there will be a tax on the rest of the land after three years.

If you fail to cultivate the land for three years, it will be confiscated.”

“Xiao’er sold two drawings a few days ago and made some money.

We thought about buying more land.

After all, fertile land is too expensive.

This wasteland is more affordable.

Her mother and I are young; we can take care of it bit by bit.

We are sure we can get it all done in three years.” He was aware of the rules pertaining to the purchase of wasteland.

The village chief said nothing upon hearing this, knowing that the couple was famously diligent, always working as if their lives depended on it.

“Uncle Chief, how are those two hillsides sold?” Xiao’er asked, pointing at the two small slopes in the distance.

The Chief looked over and frowned even deeper.

Those two hillsides were even harder to manage.

Growing crops would require exhausting labor, even water-carrying could kill a person.

Plus, one of the hillsides was full of stones that would take significant time and effort to clear.

“You all want to buy it?”

Xiao’er nodded, “If it’s cheap.”

“Then I will ask about it when I go to the Government Office to help you draft a contract.”

“Thank you very much, Uncle Chief.”

“Let’s return to my home first to draw up a contract.

Then, I will try to get a land deed for you from the Government Office as soon as possible, ideally today.”

“Alright, thank you for the trouble, Chief.”

The chief waved his hand dismissively, “What trouble?

I should do this.

Even though I hate you, being as stubborn as a dead ox, refusing to bend your neck, I am happy and willing to help you.”

Back in the chief’s home, he wrote a legally binding agreement, three copies of it.

Both Shen Chengyao and his wife pressed their fingerprints on it.

Then, the chief got Lin Dashu and Lin Dashi to also leave their fingerprints as witnesses.

Upon knowing that Shen Chengyao was buying so much wasteland, Lin Dashi and Lin Dashu both tried to dissuade him.

Shen Chengyao was unmoved, insisting that he could definitely transform the wasteland into fertile land.

All three of them thought he must have gone mad.

Shen Chengyao took out a silver banknote worth 100 taels and handed it to the village chief, “Use the remaining silver to facilitate things at the Government Office.

Secure those two hills in advance.”

“Secure them in advance?

You think there’re treasures on those hills,” scoffed the Chief as he rolled his eyes.

Reluctantly, he agreed, “Alright, almost booked, almost booked,” he ground these last three words between gritted teeth.

Shen Chengyao promptly took his three children and left with a courteous farewell.

Upon returning home, Shen Chengyao showed the contract to Mrs.

Liu.

Mrs.

Liu, whom Shen Chengyao had taught to recognize a few characters, scanned it.

She didn’t get every word, but she understood that they had bought over eighty acres including the land opposite their current one.

Mrs.

Liu didn’t see anything wrong with this.

They would just have to work even harder clearing the fields in the future.

Every farming household wished for more and more of their own land anyway.

Mrs.

Liu carefully stored the contract away and asked Shen Chengyao when he planned to set out for the neighboring county.

Shen Chengyao replied, “I’ll prepare to leave now.”

He sat for a moment, drank a bowl of water, and picked up the belongings and dry food that Mrs.

Liu had packed for him.

Xiao’er also gave him a basket of fruit, a jug of spring water, and a banknote worth one hundred taels.

However, Shen Chengyao only took ten taels, insisting that he would not take any more regardless of what anyone said.

Xiao’er told Shen Chengyao to rent a carriage in town.

Shen Chengyao acknowledged her suggestion and then set off.