If the beautiful prospect merely stirred some interest in the Lizheng.
What truly moved him was what Song Chongjin said: If the tea plants could indeed be successfully transplanted, when the tea from Qilidun matured, Wang Yongzhu would naturally find a way to sell it.
If the quality of the tea was good and it became famous, Qilidun would also gain renown.
The Lizheng would then have considerable credit, and he might even be remembered in the county annals.
In the future, when people talked about it, his family would be considered prestigious. Most importantly, this kind of fame would be a great help if his son wanted to pursue the imperial examination route.
This point alone made the Lizheng seriously consider it.
His family was no longer lacking in food and clothing, and he was the Lizheng, respected in Qilidun. Though his words weren’t absolute, few would oppose him.
For a typical country man to achieve this level, he would be content.
But the Lizheng was not one to be easily satisfied. His son, Li Zhidong, had some talent for studying, so he was determined to support his son, hoping he would become a Scholar, a Graduate, and if lucky, attain an official position. Their Li Family would then break away from the peasant status and be considered a family of scholars.
In these peaceful times, scholars were naturally more esteemed.
As long as his son became a Scholar, he wouldn’t have to toil in the fields and could live like city folks.
Moreover, what man doesn’t have some ambition?
To be remembered in the county annals, for the Lizheng, was once an unreachable dream, now seemingly within grasp – he had to strive for it.
Therefore, in front of the clerk, he was measured. A few words raised Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu high without overtly elevating himself.
The clerk’s eyes sparkled, slapping his thigh, "What a pity! Who knew Brother Song and his wife had such a benevolent heart? Shows my own pettiness! If we truly can grow tea, not only would Qilidun benefit but also Shiqiao Town!"
Sincerely, places famed for tea and salt inevitably became important towns.
If Qilidun could produce tea, coupled with the abundance of mountain goods and tea, Shiqiao Town’s prosperity would be just around the corner.
The clerk and Lizheng were drawn in by the grand vision painted by Song Chongjin, unable to resist imagining a bright future.
Meanwhile, Wang Yonggui reminded Wang Yongping on their way, "When you measure later, take a few extra steps in the direction indicated by our brother-in-law."
Wang Yongping scratched his head, chuckling, "Third Brother, do you mean?"
In peasant families, it was common to secretly build their houses a few feet beyond the marked land.
Not to mention, if two families’ fields were adjacent, it was an unspoken rule to encroach a bit each year.
With such a large mountain, Wang Yongping thought they shouldn’t just take a small area given Wang Yongzhu would be spending so much silver.
He nodded enthusiastically, "Don’t worry, Third Brother, I got this!"
Song Chongjin, overhearing, couldn’t help but laugh and cry.
This Dahei Mountain was remote and not worth much.
However, he appreciated the intent of his two brothers-in-law.
When they arrived at the site, the three each took a direction and split up to measure.
Measurement was simple, with 240 steps equaling an acre.
Based on their walking pace, measuring the whole mountain, including valleys, flatlands, forests, and rivers, they roughly estimated around 150 qing.
If it were fertile land, 150 qing would equal 15,000 acres, which would be a fortune.
But for mountain forests, it was just a small hill.
By dusk, the clerk finally saw Song Chongjin and the Wang brothers emerging from the forest.
Wasting no time, the five immediately headed back to Qilidun.
The clerk, having rested, felt a bit more energetic. He ate some bread and meat sauce while waiting, no longer hungry.
Eager to return, he worried that nightfall would bring out wild beasts from the forest.
It took two hours up, but only one hour down to get home.
Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu had hot water ready, and upon their arrival, immediately ushered them to freshen up.
Cleaned and changed into fresh clothes, the clerk finally felt alive again.
Song Chongjin and others were waiting for the clerk to report the measured steps and boundaries.
The clerk quickly filled a sheet with notes.
Before he could calculate, he was called to dinner.
The dinner was lavish, with several drinks offered, causing the clerk, who wasn’t a heavy drinker, to collapse.
By the next morning, the sun was already up.
After a restful sleep, the clerk woke up refreshed.
He noticed the data-filled papers still untouched on the table.
Approvingly, his view of Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu further improved.
Carefully calculating the data, he cross-checked the boundaries, noting any landmark trees, stones, or river bends.
Effortlessly, he reduced the 150 qing of forest to 135 qing.
When Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu received the final figure, they understood at once.
Gratefully thanking the clerk, they personally drove him home, along with many packages of mountain delicacies.
After dropping off the goods at the clerk’s home, they went to the yamen, based on the clerk’s measurement, confirming the 135 qing as wasteland.
In prosperous times, there were incentives for reclaiming wasteland and growing crops.
Such buyers received various benefits, including ownership of the developed land after three years and tax exemptions for the first three years.
The clerk also spoke favorably on their behalf, knowing Song Chongjin was a Scholar and potential future Graduate or official.
Hoping to build good relationships, others eased the process, thinking it was better to sell barely marketable wasteland rather than let it sit unsold.
So they readily confirmed a final measure of 100 qing, priced at 500 taels of patterned silver, and sold it to Song Chongjin.
The red official deed ready, when filling the name, Song Chongjin stopped them.
Secretly handing the clerk a tael of silver, "Please write my wife’s name. She earned the money for this land, so it should be in her name."
Impressed, the clerks saw him as a true gentleman, remaining unmoved by significant wealth.
Easily changing to Wang Yongzhu’s name, they stamped the deed and entered it into records, finally securing the 150 qing forest for Wang Yongzhu.