"If we’re close by..." Wu Lang paused as he spoke.

Lian Shouyi and Lady Zhou both looked nervously at Wu Lang, the words he was about to say would decide their future.

"There doesn’t seem to be any empty houses nearby, and if we want to build new ones, there’s no land left either, right?" Lian Manman said.

She was speaking the truth. The streets around the Lian Family Old Mansion were in the central area of Thirty Mile Camp. The courtyards were tightly packed and occupied by residents. Just like before when Lian Shouli’s Family wanted to build a house, they had to go to the edge of the village to find empty land. Now, unless they build on the riverbank, there’s no land available nearby.

The riverbank is soft sandy soil, impossible to make a solid foundation, and every year during the flood season when the river rises, it’s absolutely not a place to build houses.

"Let him leave Thirty Mile Camp!" Lady Zhou quickly said, anxiously looking at Wu Lang and Lian Manman.

"Or just..." Lian Manman said halfway, looking at Wu Lang.

"Otherwise, you can move to Luo Family Village." Wu Lang said.

Lian Manman didn’t speak anymore. Wu Lang seemed like he suddenly decided to send Lian Shouyi to Luo Family Village, but in fact, this decision had been discussed with Lian Manman long before they came to the old mansion.

Most of the land and tenant farmers in Luo Family Village are under Lian Manman’s family’s control, and Erlang along with Luo Xiaoyan’s family is also in the village. Asking Lian Shouyi and Lady He to move out of the old mansion was not just to satisfy Lady Zhou’s request. Wu Lang and Lian Manman were also thinking of controlling Lian Shouyi and Lady He from then on.

No more mixing with rascals, gambling, no more idling away the days visiting people, such lifestyle won’t be sustainable anymore. Controlling Lian Shouyi and Lady He in Luo Family Village is more feasible and much cheaper than at Thirty Mile Camp.

"Luo Family Village?" Lian Shouyi seemed surprised by Wu Lang’s arrangement, "You mean the only option is to go to Luo Family Village?"

Wu Lang remained noncommittal.

"Well, then let me... discuss it." Lian Shouyi couldn’t figure out Wu Lang’s thoughts, so he took a step back and called Lady He over to discuss.

The couple huddled together and started whispering seriously.

Discussing was just an excuse. In his family matters, Lian Shouyi mainly made the decisions, while Lady He was not a woman with opinions of her own.

"If we move to Luo Family Village, won’t we be living close to Erlang?" Lady He thought of this point and was somewhat pleased.

Lian Shouyi was silent for a long time, thinking more than Lady He. Luo Family Village had Lian Shouxin’s Farmstead, which was said to be very prosperous. Moreover, many tenant farmers on the farmstead depended on Lian Shouxin’s family for their livelihood. Now, with Lian Shouxin’s large and successful family, he rarely visits the farmstead. If Lian Shouyi moves there, as Lian Shouxin’s second brother, Wu Lang’s second uncle, in front of those tenant farmers, wouldn’t he be considered superior, nearly half a master? If he ordered someone, who would dare not listen? If he wanted something to eat, who would dare not give it to him? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The benefits certainly wouldn’t stop there.

Lian Shouyi sat there, feeling more delighted the more he thought about it.

"...I’m truly reluctant to leave our village. But Wu Lang has spoken, I must show respect to this. Luo Family Village it is!" Lian Shouyi said pretentiously.

Lian Manman noticed that Lian Shouyi was almost grinning from ear to ear as he spoke, clearly unable to suppress his joy and quickly deduced why he was so happy.

Let him be happy for the moment. Once he actually moves there, he won’t have it his way. Lian Manman thought to herself, her face showing no emotion.

"Then it’s settled." Wu Lang ignored Lian Shouyi’s smugness and said.

"Let’s hurry and move, today." Lady Zhou urged.

"Where will I live once I’ve moved there?" Lian Shouyi asked.

"You don’t need to worry about that, there will definitely be a house for you to live in." Wu Lang said. Having Lian Shouyi and Lady He live on the farmstead makes it easier for the people on the farmstead to watch over them.

"Wu Lang, you’re giving Second Uncle a house to live in?" Lian Shouyi joked, waving his hand before Wu Lang could reply. "No way, no way. It’s not that Second Uncle doesn’t want your house; Second Uncle doesn’t need it yet. Keep that house for Second Uncle and I’ll definitely need it someday."

"For now," Lian Shouyi turned to Lady Zhou, crossing his legs, "The east wing was left to me by my father. You’re not letting me live in this courtyard, but I can’t abandon the house. I must live in the three rooms my father left me."

Everyone looked towards Lian Shouyi, not understanding his intentions.

"I’ll tear down those three rooms and build identical ones at Luo Family Village. I’ll live in them just like I’m living in the rooms my father left me!" Lian Shouyi said animatedly.

Wu Lang offered him a house, but he refused and chose to go through the trouble of doing so. This was unlike Lian Shouyi’s lazy nature; it was obviously to spite Lady Zhou.

Lady Zhou immediately understood.

"You tear it down, I challenge you to!" Lady Zhou said fiercely, glaring at Lian Shouyi, "The house, the garden, even the pigsty, tear them all down, don’t leave a single grass spike. If you have the capability, scrape off the land as well!"

"Since you say so, I really might scrape it off." Lian Shouyi retorted.

These mother and son harbored deep hatred for each other, and whenever they met, they would inevitably quarrel.

...

There was a small bug in the previous Chapter regarding Manman’s nickname for Shang Baorong, which has now been corrected. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)