Chapter 110: Chapter 109 Sweet Fruit
Housekeeper Tang sat opposite the village chief, and his wife served them some coarse tea, saying:
“Housekeeper Tang, we don’t have fine tea in the countryside, all our tea is homemade, picked from the mountains. I hope you won’t mind.”
“That’s fine, don’t worry about it, sister-in-law,” Housekeeper Tang said to the village chief’s wife before addressing the village chief’s earlier remark.
“Village chief, we came to you seeking help to negotiate the purchase of those cultivated dry lands at the entrance of the village.”
The village chief had also watched the delivery of timber at Hongji’s gate earlier, and had guessed that Housekeeper Tang was intending to build houses.
“Those lands were cleared by everyone. In Nanyue Country, law encourages clearing new lands. Farmers who clear lands can pay a small fee to the court, and the lands will then belong to them.
If someone else wants to buy their land, they must obtain the farmers’ consent, provide a fair price, and register it at the government office, paying a small tax.”
After listening to the village chief, Housekeeper Tang asked, “Do you know if all the cleared lands in your village are registered? Are there any that are not registered?”
“If it’s land in the distant mountains, it might not be registered. Even if the court reclaims it, the farmers might not care much. The lands at the village entrance, being at the crossroads, those who cleared them would be willing to spend a little money to register them at the county office and would also come to me for help registering. They’re probably planning to use them as foundations for buildings.”
“Oh, Village Chief, with what you have said, are these lands likely to be sold at a high price?”
“Not really. The lands were initially registered at a low cost, and there were no taxes collected. If someone wants to buy these lands, they’d just need to pay a bit more than the registration costs, then a deal might be possible.”
“Old man, don’t speak so casually. Most people might agree, but if one or two holdouts ask for a high price, it would be difficult for you, having promised so confidently now.”
The village chief’s wife had not gone far and was quietly listening at the door. Hearing their discussion, she couldn’t help but step in and speak.
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“Sister-in-law, don’t worry, there’s always a solution. If they ask a bit more for the dry land, surely it can’t be priced like top-grade paddy fields? Aren’t you afraid we’ll go to the government?”
“It’s easy for you to say, Housekeeper Tang, but transactions involve both parties. You can’t just ignore others’ unwillingness to sell just because you have money and want to buy, can you?” the village chief’s wife added.
“I am here to bring prosperity to your village. By buying land and building houses here, we’ll surely hire masons and laborers, and employ some people as workers and apprentices at the ranch.
If we buy land at the entrance to your community, your villagers will be the first to be hired. If you disagree, we’ll have to go to the next village to buy land, which might benefit other families.”
Housekeeper Tang had observed that this village led to the neighboring town and it was less than one tael of road to the village of the next town.
On the opposite side, there was constant strife over water rights with another village in the same town, often leading to brawls.
On another side, the fields continued into the next village; one could say that Bushen Village was connected with three other villages to the east, west, and north.
Only to the south, separated by several large mountains, was another village that lacked a highway connection, making it difficult to cross the mountains to reach that side.
“Housekeeper Tang, well spoken. By benefitting the people, our villagers will surely be grateful. We haven’t discussed it with them yet, but once we convey your words, they will definitely agree. How much land are you thinking of buying, and what price are you offering? I’d like to relay that to the villagers,” the village elder said.
Having spoken those words, Housekeeper Tang was very confident. If the village chief weren’t foolish, he wouldn’t let such a good opportunity go to someone else.
He then continued discussing with the village chief; he had inquired about the dry land prices in the county, and was willing to compensate a bit more if people were to sell their lands.
He even had priority to become a construction worker in their house building projects or a worker in the lumber mill. Those without any skills could only become laborers, starting as apprentices.
Upon hearing this condition, the village chief thought his own boy could also apply to become an apprentice.
Hongji was able to make so many wooden sculptures for sale and always had work in their circle. He was a person many in the village envied and admired.
The village chief then wanted to send his son to apprentice, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask, as the other father and son were unwilling to take on apprentices, leaving him no options.
Now the opportunity had come, and he had to push this matter forward.
Hongji was holding his younger daughter, sitting on the side, just listening to their conversation without being able to chime in.
Ye Shiqi’s round big eyes shifted from one person to another, realizing this was how people in ancient times did business and bought land.
Siwa was just beside his father and sister, behaving very sweetly.
“Siwa, Wuyi, this is a little brother. These are the green dates and sweet fruits you picked from the mountain. Mother-in-law has washed them. You can eat them…”
Only then did the older woman recall that there were children around lately, and she hadn’t served the guests with their gifts, which she was reluctant to use, preferring to save them for visiting during the New Year.
“Thank you, Mother-in-law,” Siwa said happily and politely.
Then, holding the green dates and the tiny sweet fruits, he softly told his sister, “The big fruit here has a pit, and the tiny fruit also has a pit. Little sister, be careful and spit the pits out when you eat.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Ye Shiqi nodded in understanding. She had never seen such tiny sweet fruits before, though she had seen green dates. These wild small green dates from the mountains were smaller than the cultivated ones but were pesticide-free and healthy.
She first tried the tiny sweet fruit, tasting a sweet flavor in her mouth similar to eating dry hay, perhaps salted, and not at all astringent.
The taste of the sweet fruit filled her entire mouth.
Then she tried the salinated small green date, enjoying it thoroughly. Eating these pesticide-free fruits from ancient times felt completely natural.
“Thank you, Madam, the children like them very much,” Hongji thanked the village chief’s wife.
“Hehe, don’t mention it, we only have these inexpensive things to offer. Housekeeper Tang, feel free to try some if you don’t mind.”
“Alright, the old man will try some too,” Housekeeper Tang said, seeing the joy on the children’s faces and also drooling a little. He picked up a green date and a sweet fruit to taste.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had such fruits,” Hongji said as he also partook of the fruits.
“Our mischievous boy went to watch the cattle up the mountain. Hongji, you have work to do and no time to gather such fruits. By the way, Hongji, if the lumber mill starts and you’re taking in apprentices, please take in our boy!”
The village chief saw the opportunity and promptly marketed his own son.
“Hehe, village chief, if I do take on apprentices, I will surely consider your nephew, but he must study diligently. That’s my only condition.”
Hongji could only politely agree.