The Blessed Beauty Returns with a Dimension-Chapter 962 - 938: Refugees

"Mr. Jiang, Li Tieniu, honest people speak frankly. Before, it was my mistake, Lin Dawang’s mistake; my vision wasn’t great. But the villagers of the Li Family Village did nothing wrong. Let’s not talk about the past. I only hope that in the future, Mr. Jiang and Li Tieniu can join us in doing business together.

We can all earn silver together. Mr. Jiang, I know you have great skills, and we are just ordinary common folk. We humbly ask for your guidance. In the future, our two villages can support each other, truly becoming brothers.

Facing wealth and hardship together."

Lin Dawang was straightforward and frank.

He poured out everything at once.

Leaving Li Tieniu with nothing to say.

Just now, Lin Dawang seemed ready to demand justice, but he suddenly became humble.

It was quite an impressive tactic.

Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at Lin Dawang with interest; this Lin Dawang seemed to be talented.

Entirely different from Li Tieniu.

Such a person, if used well, is like a blade; but it’s uncertain to whom the blade will point.

Now, as they are still very weak, avoiding trouble is truly better than causing it.

Of course! Jiang Xiaoxiao thought further ahead.

If there really were a large group of bandits or foreign invaders, relying solely on Li Tieniu wouldn’t ensure victory every time.

Eighteen people are still too few.

No one has survived a massacre by hundreds of bandits.

Survival isn’t about fighting alone.

If Lin Dawang wanted to join them to form a united front, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

"Brother Lin, I can offer guidance, but this means following my lead. I wonder if Brother Lin is okay with that? If you don’t follow my instructions, you won’t make money, and might even face life-threatening risks—this is not to scare you."

Jiang Xiaoxiao wasn’t opposed to helping.

But whether Lin Dawang would listen was another matter.

No one can make all the silver at once.

Lin Dawang perked up as soon as he heard this; since Mr. Jiang agreed, things would be easier.

"Mr. Jiang, rest assured, everyone in Li Family Village will listen to you. Whatever Mr. Jiang says, we’ll do."

He thought of the white snowflake salt; for the sake of silver, listening was not a problem.

Even if it meant calling Mr. Jiang "ancestor" as a sign of respect, it wouldn’t be an issue.

Jiang Xiaoxiao smiled, "Brother Lin, don’t sell any more of the private salt you have left."

Lin Dawang was puzzled, don’t sell!?

"Mr. Jiang, we still have two thousand jin of private salt. You know that the last time we brought back a large amount of private salt. In the past few days, we’ve only sold around two thousand jin in total; if we don’t sell the remaining two thousand, it’s like having a bomb sitting at home.

It’s not safe to keep it at home; one careless move, someone could report us, and the whole village might lose their heads, even if there is no report, tax needs to be paid soon; these salts can’t be kept."

Lin Dawang was agitated and anxious.

Who would dare to keep private salt at home without fearing losing their heads?

"Li Tieniu, take two people to teach them how to make snowflake salt, and then deliver it to the Wu family for silver, and build walls just like us."

Li Tieniu agreed readily, without feeling bothered by Jiang Xiaoxiao’s words.

"Alright, Brother Lin, let’s go."

Lin Dawang asked foolishly, "You know how to make snowflake salt?"

Who would you fool?

If Li Family Village knew how to make snowflake salt, would they have declined to this state?

Li Tieniu pulled him along, "Come with me, find two smart, meticulous lads, and I’ll teach you how to make snowflake salt. The idea comes from Mr. Jiang."

It’s said to be recorded in ancient books; we’re all illiterate, no wonder we didn’t know. People say scholars are powerful, now I believe it, Mr. Jiang’s knowledge makes earning some silver seem easy.

Following Mr. Jiang, good days lie ahead for everyone, listening to Mr. Jiang won’t lead you wrong."

Lin Dawang was bewildered, feeling thunderstruck.

Mr. Jiang is truly incredible!?

A day later, looking at the bright white snowflake salt produced by his hands, like frost and as white as jade, Lin Dawang excitedly slapped his thigh.

"Mr. Jiang, a miraculous person!"

Jiang Xiaoxiao specifically instructed Lin Dawang not to reveal their identity when delivering the salt.

Lin Dawang agreed wholeheartedly.

The two thousand jin of private salt turned into eighteen hundred jin of snowflake salt, partly because some of their people didn’t believe it and wasted a vat of saltwater; otherwise, there could have been more.

Even now, it’s enough to excite anyone.

With silver at ten liang per jin, the calculation is enough to drive one mad.

Lin Dawang and Li Tieniu delivered the salt, while Jiang Xiaoxiao accompanied them to the city, heading to East Market.

It’s where the refugees gather now, around the run-down Temple of the City God, all in tattered clothes. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Jiang Xiaoxiao was accompanied by five young men from his own village, all sturdy lads around seventeen or eighteen years old.

At the mention of work and food included, they were immediately surrounded by people, each eager to follow Jiang Xiaoxiao.

Jiang Xiaoxiao still selected a few people carefully. Among the refugees were also some unproductive folks and slickers, as well as big men looking to loaf around. He chose those from families with dependents to take back.

Such people would work hard for their families.

He selected eighty households in total, four hundred people.

Once it was mentioned they would follow Jiang Xiaoxiao, there was not a hint of hesitation.

They weren’t worried about being tricked. Even if they were tricked, what could be taken from them?

Nearing starvation, if they got a meal out of a deceit, it was a deception they’d accept.

Jiang Xiaoxiao didn’t want to pick people like livestock, but others lacked this perspective; they were recruiting workers, not adopting them as grandfathers.

The other five picked people, as their village had experienced selling family members and had learned the art of selection.

Imitating what they’d seen, they made their choices.

Jiang Xiaoxiao and his group returned with the people; the carts were meant for salt, so even if some appeared about to faint, Jiang Xiaoxiao steeled his heart and didn’t let them ride.

Carts couldn’t solve the problem.

Upon returning to the village, some had already rushed ahead with the carts.

Several village aunts had already prepared rice porridge, neither too thin nor too thick, in large pots at the threshing ground, and those arriving were taken for a hot bath.

Then, having a bowl of hot porridge, each held their bowl sobbing, almost wanting to kneel in gratitude to the villagers.

However, they were clearly instructed: one bowl per person, half a bowl per child.

The aunts serving porridge made it clear it wasn’t limiting food, but acknowledging their long hunger, preventing overeating.

In truth, these aunts felt sorry, as the grains were newly harvested from other villages bought by Li Tieniu.

They didn’t have the luxury to eat like this themselves, yet here they were providing for the refugees.

Recalling their own families faced such famines before.

Escaping was no different.

That night, the refugees were settled into the empty houses in the village.

Bedding was, of course, unavailable, but what they brought could suffice.

It wasn’t quite winter yet, so people wouldn’t freeze.