Chapter 53 pt 1

The gong in front of the Zheng Lizheng’s house sounded again. Unlike Zheng Lizheng's joy before, he was obviously much more haggard this time.

This time it wasn't him who led the ringing, but it was Patriarch Xue who replaced him.

On the steps in front of the main house, a few chairs were placed, and all of them were the most respected people in the village. Only Patriarch Xue was standing with a pipe in one hand and speaking solemnly to the densely packed villagers below.

"Let’s not mention the previous matters. Who does not do something wrong once in a while. Old Zheng really wanted to do something for everyone. I will testify about this matter. There is nothing true about him being greedy for money and not sharing with everyone. Look and see. I came to him before, and for a few days, he has been lying on the kang from illness."

Suddenly, countless eyes were all looking at Zheng Lizheng, who was sitting above them. There was nothing bad in their eyes, most of them were pitying him and controlling their own emotions.

But this pity and sorrow was placed on Zheng Lizheng's head, which made him feel uncomfortable. It's just that he can't blame anyone, who can he blame? Patriarch Xue's words really let the villagers' grievances disappear. Even if the other party really has some thoughts, he himself was not careful and was fooled by the nobles, and now he is ridiculed by an old adversary.

"Let's not talk about anything else. It made everyone waste their efforts and no one would like it. Now that things are like this, it's no use just complaining. Now that there is such a thing in front of us. Some people want to buy this mountain. Still should we sell or not sell? If you sell, the price is definitely not as high as the price paid by the rich man, but everyone knows that the broken mountain is not worth that much money. So this thing tells us, don’t be greedy for those things that you did not deserve. It’s never so easy for money to fall from the sky. It’s best to be honest and work-oriented."

"The patriarch is right. If we were not greedy for the money, we wouldn’t have been fooled by the nobleman."

"We were greedy."

This sentence was full of lament and sorrow, but it also seemed the lament and sorrow was for Zheng Lizheng. They obviously didn't mock him, but it seemed to be to him. Really, shrewd for a lifetime yet stumbled in front of the old horse, exposing his shortness in front of the old opponent, who was still talking about the length to the villagers as if to show the public.

Just as Zheng Lizheng sighed to himself, there were already villagers on the field asking who wanted to buy it and how much silver they would take out.

Patriarch Xue showed a smile, first raising his hand to quiet down the crowd. After the villagers calmed down, he said: "We all know this person. He is one of our own. It won't be the same as that of the outsider, who was able to fool us. After all, we know him very well."

"Then Patriarch, please tell me, who is it?"

"Yeah, who would pay such a big sum of money to buy this place?"

Patriarch Xue said: "It's Gouzi from the second family of Xue Lianxing's ¹ family. He is willing to pay a hundred liang silver to buy this mountain."

There was a surprised panic below.

"Gouzi from Lianxing's second family?"

"Didn't that kid go to school?"

"Why does he want to buy the land?"

Patriarch Xue raised his hand to quiet the crowd again and then said: "Well, I can't tell you clearly, so let Gouzi himself come and talk to everyone."

Following his voice, a young man walked up from the side. It was Gouzi from the second family of the Xue family.

But this Gouzi seems to be different from the previous Gouzi. Xue Gouzi has been seen by many villagers before. How to describe this child. His appearance is not bad, but he doesn't like to talk. He just walked in the village with listlessness and lack of energy like the countryside dogs that are everywhere in the village.

Now it is different. The waist is straightened, and the style is different. Anyway, the villagers didn't know any complicated words, and they didn't know how to describe it. It felt like he had changed from a countryside dog to a hunting dog specially raised by hunters. The energetic temperament and aura is different from the people in the village.

He went to study in town and was completely reborn!

Of course, some people recalled the previous match at Xue Lianxing's house. At that time, this Xue Gouzi showed an extraordinary appearance. Ordinary people would not let the two elite masters boast about. It's just that it didn't matter to them at the time, but now it does. Seeing Xue TingRang who stood in front of a crowd of people without showing any timidity, they felt even closer to him.

After Xue TingRang stood still, he first bowed to Patriarch Xue and other village veterans. This caused several old men to all stroke their beards and nod. Then he turned to face the villagers below.

"Hello folks and elders. This kid is here to greet you politely." He politely said while bowing, and then after straightening up his back, he smiled shyly: "Actually, my patriarch asked me to say something, but I can't say anything important. I feel that everyone has spent so much effort, and it’s a pity. It happened that I have two classmates, and their family is in business. I took the lead and dragged them into a business partnership to buy this land. Even if I can’t grow wheat, I will just grow vegetables, or raise chickens and ducks, or plant some fruit trees. That way the money won’t be wasted."

After a pause, he said again: "Of course, if there are other plans from the village, then just pretend that this kid hasn't said this. Everything should be based on the interests of the village."

When he finished speaking, he stepped aside, and Patriarch Xue said again: "It's just like this. This time, it can't be like the last time. One or two people can not make a decision, and everyone should have a say in this matter. This kid is also helping everyone solve their problems. Even if they do business with classmates, where can they not do business? Yet he chose to come to our village. The Shangshui village in front and Niujiaoling further front both have better land, but they chose to come to us. For them to find us, it is all Ting Rang's efforts."

The following was a burst of talk and whispering.

After a long while, someone said, "Why don’t we just sell it. Even without five hundred liang, one hundred liang is also good. We can always divide it among ourselves."

"It's a useless hill anyway and we are also worried that little children will be cut by thorns there."

"Don't say I exposed it myself, those stupid thorns cause too much smoke to be burnt as firewood. It disappears after it is dried and ignited."

If someone takes the lead, there will naturally be more people who follow.

Patriarch Xue asked again if someone had objections. Where did the villagers have any objections? Although a family is less than two or two cents, a few hundred wen is also a silver coin. At least it is better than working for so many days and not getting anything in return.

"Since everyone agrees, I will let Ting Rang take the silver to Lizheng. When Zheng Lizheng goes to get the deed, everyone will come here to collect the silver."

"Fine, the old patriarch has spoken, so what else can we say? This time we are blessed by Gouzi."

"Why are you still calling him Gouzi? He changed his name. Call him TingRang." Someone interrupted.

"Yes, yes, it's called TingRang. TingRang is really capable now. He found two classmates randomly and could still raise a hundred liang silver for us to solve the problems."

"This is what you call the younger generation having more possibilities."

This is the case every time the village is finished discussing things. They chatter when the business is finished, talking about everything, but today there is a central figure, that is, the TingRang of Xue Lianxing's second family.

Naturally, some people compare Xue Juncai from DaFang and Xue TingRang. Not to mention that Juncai lost to TingRang before, and now they are even more incomparable.

In the corner of the crowd, the Xue family stood there.

Xue Qingshan's face was full of disbelief, not to mention that Yang shi's eye sockets were almost about to fall out, and Father Xue's expression was also very complicated. Xue TingRang didn’t even mention such a big matter to the family and actually went to talk to the patriarch.

Sun shi looked at the DaFang couple, and said to her own man: "TingRang is really capable of doing practical things, unlike those people who only make false claims."

When the voice fell, someone walked over to talk to Elder Xue.

"Lian Xing, your grandson is really amazing, and he will definitely be a great talent in the future."

"With the ability, the future is limitless."

"Lian Xing will enjoy a great blessing in the future."

It was a few old men in the village who were speaking, either about the same age as Elder Xue or the elders of the same family. Elder Xue could only smile and deal with it vaguely.

By the side, the faces of the Dafang couple were even more ugly.

1. Xue Lianxing is the name of Elder Xue ↑