Volume 1, Chapter 71: Xiao Ruoqing with a Heart as Clear as Orchid and Mind as Sharp as Sage-Heart

Liu Wenyans group fled in panic and disgrace.

Village Chief Zhao had no intention of letting them off. Brandishing a carrying pole, he led the villagers in hot pursuit, chasing them just like a pack of rabbits.

They did not stop until they had driven them all the way out of Green Woods Village!

"Little bastards!"

Village Chief Zhao cursed angrily, "How dare you run to our Green Woods Village to cause trouble! If I ever see you around here again, I'll break your legs!"

In the Great Yin Dynasty, government runners and bailiffs were only found at the county seat.

As for the outer villages, the residents had to rely on themselves for protection, which was why every village had its own spontaneously organized security team.

Back at the Fan residence.

Fan Xiu bowed and said, "Village Chief Zhao, fellow villagers, thank you all."

Village Chief Zhao waved his hand and replied, "You are too polite, Scholar Fan! This is only what we should do. Are you planning to move away?"

"Yes, Village Chief Zhao."

Fan Xiu smiled apologetically and said, "We are planning to move to the horse ranch on the east side of the county town, and we were just hoping to ask for your help."

Village Chief Zhao sighed and replied, "Moving there is fine too, there is much more space! I will have the villagers help you out, and I can also borrow a few horse-drawn carts for you."

Fan Xiu knew that Village Chief Zhao did not want him to leave.

However, if he wanted to expand his business, he had to move out of Green Woods Village. Staying here would impose too many restrictions on him.

Fan Xiu bowed and said, "Thank you very much for your care, Village Chief Zhao."

While they were packing their belongings.

Fan Xiu walked over to Fan Tie and praised, "Fan Tie, I had no idea you were so strong."

His second uncle, Fan Shouyan, chimed in from the side, "This brat has no other skills whatsoever, except for being immensely strong. How else do you think he manages to eat so much?"

Fan Xiu nodded in deep agreement.

He had already noticed that Fan Tie had quite an appetite.

While everyone else usually ate one portion, Fan Tie would eat two, and sometimes still remained hungry.

However, Fan Xiu was not short of that little bit of money, so he always made sure he was well-fed.

He simply had not expected that, aside from being able to eat, Fan Tie possessed such terrifying strength.

Fan Tie scratched his head in embarrassment and asked, "Scholar Fan won't look down on me for this, will he?"

"Why would I look down on you? Being strong is a great thing!" Fan Xiu smiled.

An hour later.

The East City Horse Ranch.

" Wow!"

Li Chuntao looked around her in all directions and said in amazement, "This is huge! You can't even see the end of it with a single glance!"

Fan Shoucheng pinched his aged face, muttering to himself in disbelief, "Am I dreaming? Is a place this massive really going to be our home from now on?"

The second uncle and his wife had also tagged along.

They were equally stunned by the sheer scale of the horse ranch.

Spanning over a hundred mu of land, the massive horse ranch featured not only a two-story pavilion in the center, but also numerous thatched huts that had previously been used to house horses.

Fan Xiu said, "Naturally! From now on, this place will be our home. However, we'll need to clean it up properly. After all, it used to be a horse ranch, and many areas were constructed specifically for raising horses."

Village Chief Zhao looked around the ranch and sighed in admiration, "This ranch is practically bigger than our entire Green Woods Village!"

He had known of the ranch's existence, but he had never stepped foot inside before, only knowing that it was very large.

Yet upon entering, he realized it was far larger than ordinary imagination.

At that moment,

a young man in charge of moving goods walked over. His name was Zhao Wenlong.

"Scholar Fan,"

Zhao Wenlong asked, "Where should we unload these things?"

Fan Xiu pointed toward the central pavilion and said, "Put them inside there first."

"Understood."

Zhao Wenlong acknowledged the instruction and led the men to start moving the items.

Meanwhile, Village Chief Zhao walked over to Fan Xiu.

"Scholar Fan, since you have such a massive place and a business to run, will you be needing extra hands going forward?" Village Chief Zhao asked tentatively.

Fan Xiu blinked, not quite catching his drift at first.

Right then,

Xiao Ruoqing walked over and smiled, "Village Chief Zhao, Fan Xiu is currently lacking someone to keep accounts. I wonder if Village Chief Zhao might be willing to take on the role?"

Hearing this, Fan Xiu instantly understood.

Could it be that Village Chief Zhao had no intention of returning to Green Woods Village?

At that moment,

Fan Xiu suddenly recalled that the position of village chief in Green Woods Village had always been fiercely contested between the Lin and Zhao clans, especially by Lin Tianlei.

During the previous election, Lin Tianlei had narrowly missed becoming the village chief.

Over the past two years, Lin Tianlei had bribed numerous people, and his prestige in the village had skyrocketed, eventually surpassing even Village Chief Zhao.

He had even resorted to extortion and coercion to seize a large amount of farmland from the villagers, gradually turning himself into a major landowner in Green Woods Village.

The next village chief position would undoubtedly never fall to Village Chief Zhao.

More importantly, the position of village chief came with no official salary, yet demanded endless attention to tedious matters.

Village Chief Zhao was getting old, and he probably no longer had the energy to keep fighting the Lin clan.

Xiao Ruoqing was truly a woman of keen intellect; she had managed to see right through this. In this regard, he, a grown man, truly could not compare to her.

Hearing Xiao Ruoqing's words, Village Chief Zhao revealed an embarrassed and awkward smile. "This old man does know a few characters, but as for keeping accounts, I'm afraid I might bungle Scholar Fan's affairs."

Fan Xiu hurriedly said, "Not at all. I trust Village Chief Zhao. If you are willing to help me, I will offer a salary of three taels of silver per month."

Village Chief Zhao's expression shifted in shock.

Three taels of silver?

An old codger like him could actually earn three taels of silver?

"This..."

Village Chief Zhao exclaimed in astonishment, "I am willing to take charge of the accounts, but three taels of silver is still far too much. One tael is more than enough."

Fan Xiu laughed heartily and said, "Three taels it is, and that is final! As for the other Zhao clansmen in Green Woods Village, as far as I know, some of their lands have already been forcibly taken by Lin Tianlei. If any of them wish to come work at the ranch, they are more than welcome to do so!"

A look of joy washed over Village Chief Zhao's face. He then bowed deeply to Fan Xiu and said, "On behalf of those villagers, I thank Scholar Fan."

Fan Xiu chuckled softly. "There's no need for Uncle Zhao to be so polite. However, you should know my requirements: whoever comes here comes to work. If anyone disobeys the rules, I'm afraid I won't be able to spare their feelings."

Village Chief Zhao quickly replied, "Scholar Fan can rest assured on that score. I will certainly keep a strict watch!"

As they were talking, Zhao Wenlong walked over with the villagers.

"Scholar Fan, we've finished moving everything over. Do you need us to help clean up the ranch?" Zhao Wenlong asked.

"Wenlong, come over here for a moment," Village Chief Zhao said. He then led Zhao Wenlong and a few others to the side, where they began whispering in hushed tones.

Fan Xiu did not know what they were discussing, but judging by Zhao Wenlong's constantly changing expression, combined with their earlier conversation, he could roughly guess what it was about.

Fan Xiu was quite satisfied with these people.

They were all carefully selected by Village Chief Zhao—honest, hardworking, and reliable individuals who had been helping Fan Xiu make cold skin noodles over this past period.

As for anyone from the Lin clan, Village Chief Zhao had not brought a single one.

He was afraid there might be spies sent by Lin Tianlei among them.

Soon,

Village Chief Zhao returned with Zhao Wenlong and the others.

"Scholar Fan, I've spoken with them. Zhao Wenlong and these few are willing to stay, but the rest still wish to return to Green Woods Village," Village Chief Zhao reported.

Fan Xiu nodded and said, "Very well. For those who are willing to stay, I will not treat any of you unfairly. Starting today, each person will receive two taels of silver per month! Furthermore, your wives and children at home—as long as they are capable of working, they will also be paid wages!"

A look of pleasant surprise crossed Zhao Wenlong's face as he asked, "My wife can work too?"

In the Great Yin Dynasty, men took care of matters outside the home while women tended to domestic affairs. Women were simply not permitted to go out and work for a living, let alone earn silver.

Yet Fan Xiu was actually offering silver here?

Fan Xiu nodded, "Of course!"

"Thank you!" Zhao Wenlong said immediately.

At that moment, the villagers who had previously refused to stay suddenly began to feel a wave of regret.