Chapter 1799: Chapter 1799: Passing the Test

Qin San Lang nodded and followed Uncle Mao into a room.

One wall of the room had collapsed, yet there were still more than a dozen straw mats laid out inside, with several people lying motionless on them.

Uncle Mao shouted toward an old woman lying in the corner of the room, "Sister, get up quickly, you have hope now. Company Commander Qin said he will buy all of us and will also find you a doctor to treat you. We are going to live good days ahead!"

Upon hearing this, the old woman, startled, clutched the hand of a girl beside her, struggled to sit up, and stared at Qin San Lang. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to flow profusely.

...Although his appearance had changed since childhood, Nanny Yu had cared for Qin San Lang since his birth. At a glance, a familiar feeling came over her, making her realize that this young man was indeed the Marquis’s beloved youngest son, the Brother Mu whom Madam could not stop worrying about even on her deathbed.

Nanny Yu cried rather tragically. Qin San Lang, fearing that she might be too emotional and arouse suspicion, called Si’an from behind him: "Check her health to see if she has contracted any contagious disease."

"Yes." Si’an responded, put on cloth gloves, checked Nanny Yu’s pulse, inquired further, then took out a silver needle along with some utensils for poison testing. After performing a bloodletting test for poison on Nanny Yu, he said to Qin San Lang: "Sir, this old woman is not suffering from any contagious disease; rather, she was so hungry that she ate toxic beans to stave off hunger, which has corroded her spleen and stomach. She needs to take medicine for a few months and be nursed for another year or so to recover."

Boss Feng, standing next to them, felt it was a loss. To spend money on medicine for an old lady who was nearly at death’s door for a craftsman who can dig deep wells seemed too costly! Still, Master Yan’s craftsmanship was indeed exceptional.

Qin San Lang said: "Then give her some cheap medicine to eat because, after all, she has to take it for several months, and the cost will be considerable."

"Yes." Si’an agreed and immediately performed acupuncture on Nanny Yu to alleviate her abdominal pain.

Uncle Mao gathered his family and friends together to meet Qin San Lang.

Boss Feng, seeing these thirteen people, one of whom had a lame leg, felt heartache for Qin San Lang once again. This was a bunch of defective goods! This is likely going to be a loss!

Boss Feng reproached Uncle Mao: "Master Yan, this is excessive. It’s one thing to buy your sister’s family, but then you include your friend’s family, and your friend is even a cripple. How could you be so deceitful?"

Master Yan replied: "Old Lv’s family are also craftsmen, skilled in carpentry and masonry. The lid for your well was made by Old Lv and his two sons. You still owe them twenty jin of dried soybeans."

Uh, Boss Feng was embarrassed. When he was clearing the old well at his new residence, the wooden cover that kept out rain had broken, so he wanted to replace it with a new one. Master Yan had used grass rope to measure the dimensions, saying he would visit the deserted house to find a friend to make it for him, and in just two days, it was completed.

The old well now had a new wooden cover pavilion, which looked quite nice.

Qin San Lang ignored Boss Feng’s words and, after routinely inquiring about these thirteen people’s situations, said: "Well then, it’s time. If you’re willing to sign life contracts, come with me to the government office so that this matter can be settled before it closes today. We’ll depart for Gu Family Village early tomorrow morning."

"We’re willing!" the thirteen people answered in unison.

Boss Feng, hearing this, inwardly despised them again. You are a nearly starving group of refugees, so when someone is willing to buy you, of course, you agree.

However, he said on the surface: "Let’s go then; I will act as a middleman for you."

"Hmm." Qin San Lang nodded, instructing someone to carry the lame Master Lv and the poisoned Nanny Yu on wooden planks to the county government.

People from the deserted house, seeing them leave, cried and knelt to cling: "Military Officer, Military Officer, don’t go, please buy us too. We don’t need silver, just a mouthful of food will do!"

The ones crammed into the deserted house were refugees who had lost their household registrations and had no money to replenish them. They could not go to the government for relief grain, which was reserved first for those with household registrations.

Qin San Lang did not agree but gave them one sentence: "Wait a little longer, and you will all have a way out."

A report regarding the great migration has already been sent to the Capital. Before the end of the year, a decree to move refugees, those without land, and beggars to the Northwest to increase the population there will be issued, giving all these people a path to survival.

"Military Officer, Military Officer, let my daughter/granddaughter go with you. She is beautiful and knows how to serve people. Please take her in!" The people in the deserted house pushed their daughters forward, thinking this would stop Qin San Lang.

But the accompanying soldiers drew their swords, frightening those who wanted to entangle from coming any closer.

Qin San Lang and his group managed to leave, walking for nearly an hour, reaching the county government slightly past the end of the afternoon hours. They sought out Company Commander Xiao Yue, who took them to the Civil Affairs Office to process the life contracts.

In less than 30 minutes, they had the life contracts for thirteen people in hand.

"Thank you, Company Commander Xiao Yue," Qin San Lang said, "I want to visit Vice General Ma and General Ge to bid them farewell as we’re returning to Gu Family Village tomorrow."

"Sure," Company Commander Xiao Yue knew that both Ma and Ge valued Qin San Lang, so he did not delay, taking him to meet them.

General Ge was meeting with Master Jiao at the time, who was the master well-digger that Qin San Lang had found. General Ge was about to notify Qin San Lang at the Shuifu Inn but was surprised to learn that Qin San Lang had already arranged everything.

After hearing about it, General Ge had Qin San Lang bring the thirteen in to meet them personally, frowning and asking: "Why buy such elderly and sickly people?"

Qin San Lang explained the reasons to him.

General Ge frowned; yet, given the state of the world, people selling themselves with relatives in tow was not uncommon. Master Jiao had dragged his son-in-law’s family, a total of nine people, to sell themselves together.

He looked at Uncle Mao: "You can dig deep wells? How is your skill?"

Uncle Mao knelt and replied: "Reporting to the General, this is a skill passed down from my ancestors. I dare not boast, but I can surely find a water source and bring out water."

General Ge was ignorant of well digging and pointed at Master Jiao, saying: "You two have a discussion and see whose methods are better?"

"Yes." Uncle Mao got up and, after greeting Master Jiao, started discussing well-digging techniques. He even used charred sticks to draw well-digging diagrams on the ground.

In no more than 30 minutes, Master Jiao was convinced, saying to General Ge: "General, this Brother Yan’s skill surpasses mine. I can’t compete."

General Ge, hearing this, asked about Uncle Mao’s family, Master Lv’s family origins, how their household registrations were lost, and how they arrived at Gaoshui County.

Uncle Mao and others had prepared a good excuse long before and had rehearsed their lines dozens of times, answering in a way that seemed reasonable and acceptable.

General Ge, after listening, and hearing from Boss Feng, who served as a witness, was reassured and said to Qin San Lang: "Since you’ve already found a master well-digger, I’ll keep Master Jiao."

"Thank you, General." Qin San Lang expressed his gratitude, stating that they would return to Gu Family Village in the morning and set out for Daokou Gully the day after tomorrow: "I’ve already lost considerable time in Gaoshui County, so I need to make haste."

He further inquired when the two generals would set out.

General Ge replied: "We will continue to hold our positions and depart with the group being given titles. You should proceed first."

Qin San Lang was eager to go, and after exchanging a few words with Vice General Ma, he took his leave.

Vice General Ma personally escorted Qin San Lang out, leaving Boss Feng ecstatic... Good heavens, I just wanted to curry favor with a Company Commander, and you’ve sent me not one, but two Generals, confidants of Great General Xu. This is forcing fortune upon me!

Boss Feng felt surreal until the very moment they parted, as if the day had been a dream.

However, today he had been manipulated, maneuvered into being a witness for Uncle Mao and the others.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.