Xiao Ming listened carefully, and the two siblings discussed it. Xiao Han said, "Uncle Liu, we have decided to buy one hundred acres of land. Can we buy it for two taels of silver?"
When Liu Jisheng heard this figure, he was so shocked that he dropped the tea cup in his hand and said glumly: "How much, one hundred acres?" Even if it is two taels of silver per acre, it still costs two hundred taels of silver.
"Yes." Xiao Han affirmed.
"Okay! Okay! I'll go to the Yamen and ask someone to come over and let them measure it in the afternoon." Liu Jisheng said excitedly.
"Then I'll excuse you, Uncle Liu, and we'll leave first." The two siblings stood up and left.
After leaving the room, the village chief's wife was sitting in the yard selecting peanut seeds. Seeing Xiao Ming coming out, he greeted with a smile:
"Little girl Xiao, Brother Han has gone back. Come and sit for a while."
"No, Aunt Wang, Yu'er is at home alone. Let's go back first." Xiao Ming said, now she is worried about Xiao Yu staying at home alone for too long.
"That's it, wait a minute, I'll take out the basket." After saying that, he stood up and went into the kitchen. When he came out, he was holding two baskets in his hands, and there was a bowl of croquettes in one of the baskets. "This Xiao An's mother just fried it, it's still hot, let Yu'er have a taste."
"Thank you Aunt Wang, you are so polite." Xiao Ming took the basket and thanked her. Courtesy was reciprocated. She often sent small gifts to the village chief's family to maintain their relationship. She could not keep giving gifts without taking them back, otherwise it would turn into fawning. .
"Why are you so polite? I haven't thanked you yet. Your medicine is really effective. Xiao Anzi's forehead is healed without any scars at all." Mrs. Wang, the wife of the village chief, said excitedly.
After watching Xiao Ming leave, Mrs. Wang entered the house and asked curiously: "Old man, what are you doing here, Miss Xiao, and why are they bringing gifts?"
"The land you came to buy is the wasteland east of Qiaodong." The village chief took out his long-stemmed cigarette and took a puff before answering his mother-in-law's question.
"Buy land? Where did they get the money?" Wang was shocked and said to himself: "Is it really so developed?"
"I don't know if I'm getting rich. This matter hasn't been done yet, so don't go around talking nonsense." The village chief warned, although he knew that his mother-in-law was not a gossip, but he was afraid that she would accidentally let it out.
"Do you know that I am that kind of person?" Wang said nonchalantly, "I have told you to take more care of them. In the future, when they become prosperous, it will be great to support our little An."
"Why didn't I take care of you? When Xiao Dalang and his wife died, I helped them everywhere. Didn't I lend them food last year? Okay, okay, hurry up and cook. I have to go there in the afternoon. Town." The old village chief became impatient. After decades, this woman still likes Long so much.
When she got home, Maomao had woken up and was recovering physically, but she was not in a good state of mind.
Xiao Yu was very diligent in bringing it water and food.
After noon, Liu Jisheng led a man who looked like a master and two government servants to the door.
"This is Mr. Qian from the Yamen, who is responsible for the land management of Ping'an Town. Just pay him directly. These two are the police officers responsible for the quantity." Liu Jisheng introduced Xiao Han.
"Brothers, I would like to thank you for your hard work." Xiao Han bowed and led them into the house to drink tea.
"Easy to say, easy to say. The imperial court encourages farming and you want to buy wasteland. The county magistrate was very happy when he found out and asked you to give it a cheaper price." Mr. Qian, who had a mustache, said politely, his eyes gleaming.
After a few people drank tea, they began to measure the land. When no one was paying attention, Xiao Han secretly stuffed Master Qian with a purse containing five taels of silver. This was what Xiao Ming had told him in advance. There was no harm in doing as the Romans did and building a good relationship.
Master Qian squeezed it and was very satisfied, and directed the two of them to measure it carefully.
Coincidentally, after walking right from Xiao Ming's house to the bamboo forest, it was measured that there were more than 140 acres. Xiao Han and Xiao Ming discussed it and decided to buy it all.
Master Qian waved his hand, and one hundred and forty-two acres of land were directly priced at two taels of silver.
Xiao Han was overjoyed, thanked Mr. Qian again, and paid the money on the spot.
Master Qian collected the money, carefully wrote it down in the account book, and told Xiao Han: "This land deed can be processed in two or three days. Do you want to apply for a red deed or a white deed? The red deed will require an additional eight taels of silver. Specially Go to the Yamen."
Xiao Han took out the gift that Xiao Ming had prepared in advance, which was nothing more than Xiao's souvenir. A basket of vegetables and two bags of chrysanthemum tea per person.
"They are all grown at home. I hope you officials will find it objectionable." Xiao Han handed the basket to them with his own hands.
Master Qian had taken five taels of silver in advance and was very satisfied. The two officials did not expect that they would still have their share. You must know that as long as Master Qian is around, he will get all the benefits.
The village chief Liu Jisheng looked on, nodded, and secretly praised the two siblings for their good conduct. Especially when Xiao Han handled things as the head of the family for the first time, he did it in a decent manner and was teachable.
After seeing off a few people, Xiao Han asked the village chief to sit down and served hot tea again.
"Uncle Liu, Xiao Han still needs your help." Xiao Han said, taking out ten taels of silver and putting it on the table.
"If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need for such nonsense." Liu Jisheng put down his tea cup and looked at the shiny silver, feeling a little unhappy. The two siblings have just bought land. They will open up wasteland and build houses in the future, so they will have a lot of money to spend.
"No, Uncle Liu, I want to ask you to help us go to the Yamen to handle the red deed. My sister and I are small and weak and don't understand the rules inside." Xiao Han said, he and his sister are too young, and there are no relatives who can Make the decision for them.
"In addition to the cost of applying for the red deed, the remaining ten taels of silver will be used by Uncle Liu as extra money." Xiao Han said tactfully.
"Okay, then I'll accept it." Liu Jisheng understood that Xiao Han wanted to give him some money to run away, and he didn't need more than two taels of silver to manage everything in the yamen.
"When do you plan to build a house? There are too many weeds in this land. We need someone to clean it up. If you hurry up, you can grow some food."
"We haven't thought about this yet, we just want to erect the house as soon as possible." Xiao Han said, building a house in the countryside depends on auspicious days, but neither he nor his sister understand.
Liu Jisheng thought for a while, "Now that spring plowing has passed, and every household has nothing to do, how about we start again after the Qingming Festival. Then call all the people in the village to help. Old Li Tou of Lijia Village is an expert at building houses, and he can count the days. When the time comes, Invite him."
"Thank you, Uncle Liu. We will give you fifteen cents a day and take care of one lunch." Xiao Han said gratefully. Without Liu Jisheng, they really wouldn't know where to find someone who could build a house.
"Whatever wages are given to a village, it's enough to provide enough food." The village chief said, secretly blaming Xiao Han for being young and ignorant and giving him such a high wage. In the village, they help each other build houses and take care of meals. You know, you can't earn more than fifteen cents by working as a coolie in the town for a day.
"You have to give it." Xiao Han insisted on giving it. He knew that most of the strong laborers in the village had gone out to work. The people in Liujia Village didn't pay wages and they all helped each other. His family also had a foreign surname, so it was impossible to let them come to his home. Free work.
