Chapter 1800: Chapter 1800: Uneasy

When General Ge was inquiring Uncle Mao and the others, Vice General Ma didn’t say a word in support of Qin San Lang, but after returning to the county office, he took the chance to tell General Ge, "Old Ge, enough is enough. Don’t drive away such a promising young man."

General Xu asked them to investigate Qin San Lang, but not in this manner. Even getting involved when he buys a few servants is indeed too excessive.

"I’m worried that the people he bought are spies, that’s why I asked around." General Ge knew he shouldn’t vent his anger towards Qin San Lang because of Chou Manwu’s matter. Seeing Vice General Ma upset, he promised, "Don’t worry, this will be the last time. As long as there is nothing unusual found at Xiaoqin Gully Village, I will treat him normally in the future."

Vice General Ma was relieved, "I will remember this, you better stick to your words."

After saying this, they moved on to discussing the issue of distributing food to the refugees in the county town.

The Northwest lacks military resources; we can’t let the refugees in the county town starve to death. We can’t just distribute Insect Attractant, we have to give them some food to eat. Once they survive, it will be beneficial to the Northwest.

...

Not long after Qin San Lang returned to Shuifu Inn, Boss Feng brought two carts full of grain and vegetables, saying he wanted to give them to Qin San Lang.

Boss Gao was overjoyed, quickly welcoming them in, and sent his eldest son to the back yard to call people.

"Company Commander Qin, Boss Feng from the county’s Carriage Inn has brought grain and vegetables for you, a full two carts!"

Little Pingxi and the others were in the backyard practicing their arm strength and were thrilled to hear this. Grain and vegetables delivered for free – that’s a win!

But despite their excitement, they didn’t dare to move, since Uncle Qin had set a practice end time that hadn’t arrived yet. They could only hold stone-filled baskets and shout, "Uncle Qin/Company Commander Qin, the grain and vegetables have arrived!"

One even yelled, "The sucker is here!"

Well, considering Boss Feng was used for a ruse today and still found it amusing, he really was a sucker.

The one who said this was a little girl named Liu Danxia, who looked quite good and had a somewhat fierce personality. At nine years old, she was from Longshan Prefecture, escaping from a military disaster when the area was ravaged.

But her parents had unfortunate fates, killed by stray arrows, and her younger brother died from poisonous insects. Her aunt and uncle thought she was burdensome and left her behind while running away, and now their whereabouts are unknown.

She told You An not to bother finding kin and asked that once Company Commander Qin and the others finished their work, she be sent to live with Ms. Gao Lei.

Originally, she wanted to stay with Company Commander Qin. Mrs. Qin was a good and generous person, giving them lots of delicious food. If she could live with Company Commander Qin at the garrison and serve Mrs. Qin, it would be a good future.

But Company Commander Qin said that anyone who stays long-term with them must sign a death contract, otherwise, they wouldn’t accept them.

Company Commander Qin also told them if they went with Ms. Gao Lei, once they came of age they could get a new household registration and become citizens with a good register, which was better than being servants under a death contract.

Liu Danxia was a thoughtful child. After considering it, she chose the latter.

But if life as a citizen with a good register turns out bad, she could still sign the death contract to be a slave.

There were seven other children like her who didn’t need to find relatives.

Company Commander Jin, hearing the commotion, was delighted and laughed, "Ha ha ha, what a good thing! Is there any meat sent over?"

Even though they had eaten salted meat stewed with soybeans, there was too little and too lean salted meat for over a hundred people. Even though he’s a Company Commander, he’d only get four thumb-sized pieces, and now his stomach lacked oil, which was quite pitiful.

Gao Dakun replied, "Nowadays, meat is scarce; Boss Feng doesn’t have any meat to eat either, but he sent a basket of eggs."

"A basket of eggs? That’s something!" Company Commander Jin was pleased. Seeing Qin San Lang come out of the room, he asked him, "San Lang, Boss Feng brought us grain today, should we accept it? I wonder if he’s here to ask us for a favor?"

If that’s the case, we need to clarify what he’s asking for first; otherwise, it’s hard to accept the grain.

Qin San Lang nodded, "Accept it."

They had already helped Boss Feng get introduced to Vice General Ma and General Ge, so accepting the grain in return was entirely reasonable.

The children were all very happy, and their eyes gleamed brightly as they looked at Qin San Lang.

Qin San Lang said, "Go move the grain."

"Ow, let’s move the grain!" Dou Chengzi was overjoyed, leading the charge, followed by Little Pingxi and the others.

As Little Liu Danxia was about to run, she heard Xiao Xinghua whisper, "The grain is heavy, I can’t move it."

"Can you eat it?" Little Liu Danxia retorted, grabbing Xiao Xinghua, "Hurry and go move the grain, and save your airs of a lady for when you find your rich parents."

Xiao Xinghua was eight years old and had lost sight of her family at seven, having survived a severe illness, so she doesn’t remember much about her family.

But she believes that since she’s so pretty and eats delicately, she must be the daughter of a prominent family!

"You shouldn’t be lazy, or you’ll likely be thrown out by Company Commander Qin. He doesn’t like spoiled children, you need to be useful."

She’s not Company Commander Qin’s sister or daughter, so why should he keep a lazy, spoiled brat?

Xiao Xinghua, although spoiled, was smart. Realizing crying didn’t work, she obediently went to work.

Boss Feng watched as this group of little rascals came to move the grain and hurriedly said, "Be careful, it’s heavy."

Don’t get crushed to death.

However, these clever kids used four people to lift a sack of soybeans, and if they couldn’t lift it, they’d open the sack and scoop the grain into baskets, two at a time.

Boss Feng watched and wondered... aren’t there many soldiers, can’t a few come over to help?

No, Qin San Lang wanted to train them.

But Boss Feng had no time to worry about these things, since Qin San Lang came out. He hurriedly approached and said with a smile, "Thank you, Company Commander Qin, for your help today."

He was referring to the introduction to Vice General Ma and General Ge.

He then added, "Is there anything else Company Commander Qin needs me to do? Just say so, I will try my best to help."

Since you said so, Qin San Lang wasn’t polite, and said, "Boss Feng, does your family have any live poultry or livestock? I’d like to buy some to breed at Daokou Gully."

Boss Feng’s expression changed upon hearing this, but Qin San Lang asked, so he couldn’t refuse. He could only say, "We have some breeding poultry and livestock, but not much."

Company Commander Jin was excited to hear this: "Just tell us how many you can spare, we’ll pay silver to buy them!"

Boss Feng felt the pain, a feeling of being robbed washed over him.

But thinking of Qin San Lang’s great future, he gritted his teeth and replied, "I can provide ten brooding hens, three pairs of pigs and sheep, but no more."

He still needed to keep some to impress Vice General Ma and General Ge, after all, the Northwest lacked both grain and breeding poultry and livestock.

"Alright, thank you, Boss Feng," Qin San Lang gave Boss Feng a silver note worth a hundred taels: "Is this enough?"

Boss Feng wanted to cry. In the past, that would be more than enough, but nowadays, with the scarcity of grain and live poultry and livestock in the Northwest, it’s just paper!

Seeing he wasn’t satisfied, Qin San Lang took back the silver note and called Zhang Zhong over, handing Boss Feng three large knives and three bows: "Consider these as your payment."

The Northwest has frequent battles, and commoners can keep weapons to defend against enemies, but no more than three, or they will be caught.

Boss Feng’s eyes lit up; these were good items. Although his family had money, getting permission for knives from the government office required pleading, bribing, and praying for approval. "Thank you, Company Commander Qin!"

The deal was made with mutual satisfaction, and Boss Feng hurriedly delivered the ten chickens and three pairs of pigs and sheep before nightfall, and gave an extra rooster and a basket of eggs.

Early the next morning, Boss Feng brought his son to bid farewell to Qin San Lang and the others.

Luckily he got up early; otherwise, he would’ve missed them.

"Company Commander Qin, Company Commander Jin, have a safe journey, hope to see you again!" Boss Feng, accompanied by his sons, bid Qin San Lang and the others farewell.

And when the people of Gaoshui County saw them sending off a group of soldiers, those who thought of stealing from the Feng family, seeing how these soldiers were close allies, changed their minds... better not steal, or getting caught would be troublesome.

"Take care." Qin San Lang gave Boss Feng a respectful gesture before riding out of the county, eagerly heading towards Gu Family Village.

He’d been away for three days, and he missed Xiao Yu.

Uncle Mao and Nanny Yu were anxious.

They knew the Young Marquis had married, and his wife was very skilled, making medicine like the Insect Attractant. However, her father’s family was not well-regarded, and it was said she had a fiery temperament. But the Young Marquis especially adored her... what if she wasn’t satisfied with them and decided to drive them away?

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