CHAPTER 102: CHAPTER 96: BROTHER SHOUZHE IS TRULY A DIVINE PERSON_2

The rest of the "local Wang Family members" all started to respond enthusiastically to the young man, affirming that everything he said was true. On average, each household’s yield reduction was about fifty percent.

A Spirit Insect Master? Only a fifty percent reduction? And just slightly tended to?

The self-sufficient farmers from outside the territory remained silent, thinking that the self-sufficient farmers within the Wang Family’s territory gained an additional twenty percent yield this season compared to them.

If they could also have twenty percent more yield, they would have a significant surplus after paying the grain taxes, avoiding the need to borrow grain everywhere to survive the disaster, and avoiding bullying by the noble families.

For a moment, those "external self-sufficient farmers" looked at the locals with envy.

"Not only that, when our Wang Family collected taxes on behalf of the government, the noble family’s tax could be offset directly with cash. This year, we survived the disaster year easily," the young man said with pride. "Just our family has over twenty loads of surplus grain now."

In the bountiful years of the past, having twenty loads of surplus grain at home did not mean wealth.

But this is a disaster year!

The external self-sufficient farmers’ eyes turned red when they heard this number. How could your family be so wealthy and still want to share gruel with us?

"Not only that, I have a buddy in the Wang Family branch who revealed a top-secret message to me. This year, Wang family wasn’t prepared, but starting the next season, all the farmlands in our Wang Family’s territory can be treated by the Spirit Insect Master, with better pest control effects and costing only half of the Insecticide Powder," the young man said mysteriously.

Half the cost of the Insecticide Powder?

Wouldn’t that mean... every acre could save a large copper a year? If a family has twenty acres of land, just the savings on Insecticide Powder would be twenty large coppers a year, which is quite a few loads of grain!

The external self-sufficient farmers felt completely discouraged, feeling that compared to Wang Family’s self-sufficient farmers, they were several notches low.

"Young man, are you married?" one quick-witted external self-sufficient farmer asked with a smile, "We have two girls at home, one is sixteen, and the other is fourteen. We can have a good chat."

"We also have a daughter, who is just fifteen this year."

A group of external self-sufficient farmers with daughters surrounded the young man like wolves, marketing their daughters, even willing to negotiate the bride price.

The young man was terrified, his face turning bright red.

Previously, the family conditions were ordinary, with no savings, and the built house was insufficient. Every time a matchmaker was sent to propose marriage, upon seeing his conditions, they would either directly shake their heads in rejection.

Or they would simply make unreasonable demands, asking for an enormous bride price.

He was already nineteen and still hadn’t gotten a wife. But now, just by being a self-sufficient farmer within the Wang Family’s territory, those external self-sufficient farmers were eager to marry their daughters to him, with some families even willing to pay extra.

Instantly, the young man felt he had stepped into the pinnacle of his life.

Witnessing this scene, Wang Shouzhe couldn’t help but smile.

Unexpectedly, the household registration within the Wang Family’s territory began to increase in value. But this was only natural, as the price of farmlands and houses varies across different places.

For example, certain farmlands and houses near the Changning Guard naturally cost much more than those in Ping’an Town. Even if the output and tax payment were the same, living near the Changning Guard, civilians felt more secure.

Moreover, visiting the city occasionally was more convenient for them than for the civilians in Ping’an Town, and the interpersonal relationships were more complex. Many of the moderately wealthy and wealthy farmers from there would send their children to the city for schooling or have their second sons learn a money-making craft.

This is understandable.

A hundred years ago, the area of Ping’an Town was still a wilderness. If those civilians weren’t living tough lives, why would they migrate to a place like Ping’an Town?

However, after this situation, the land and property prices inside Ping’an Town might change.

"Everyone, don’t rush," Wang Shouzhe said aloud, "as you all have heard, our Wang Family is dredging and filling soil to reclaim farmland. Those future farmland areas are fertile lands with silt as fertilizer. Our Wang Family will soon launch a reclamation period land exchange plan and a pre-purchase plan for period land."

A "period land" exchange plan?

What on earth is that? This was a term countless civilians had never heard of before.

"Simply put, it’s about exchanging your current land and houses in the territories of Liu and Zhao Clans for our newly reclaimed lands and houses," Wang Shouzhe squinted his eyes and said, "Of course, because period lands cannot be obtained immediately, requiring about a two-year period, they’re called period lands. However, currently, we only accept internal workers participating in the reclamation project for period land exchange. If anyone plans to migrate to our Wang Family territory, this is the only way for now."

The external self-sufficient farmers fell silent for a moment.

But soon, someone jumped up and said, "Let’s exchange, why not exchange? Damn it, I’ve had enough of those bastards from the Zhao Family all these years."

"Exchange, as long as the Wang Family gives wages so we don’t starve. It’s just two years; let’s exchange."

"I believe in the Wang Family; I believe Clan Leader Wang won’t let us suffer. Let’s exchange."

Voices of agreement to exchange echoed one after another. The self-sufficient farmers were not fools; they naturally had their own sharpness. Although it seemed like a loss on the surface, if things continued, the household registration within the Wang Family territory would become increasingly valuable.

"The detailed exchange plan will be launched soon, so please pay attention to our Wang Family’s announcements," Wang Shouzhe said after piquing their interest, turning around and leaving.

Not far away, the Liua siblings approached again, both of them looking at Wang Shouzhe with peculiar expressions.

"Yuan Rui, Sister Ruolei." Wang Shouzhe felt a bit uneasy under their gazes and cupped his hands, asking, "Why do you look at me like this?"

"Brilliant, truly brilliant," Liua Yuanrui praised twice, giving a thumbs up, cupping his hands, "Brother Shouzhe’s strategy is truly indescribable. Yuan Rui’s admiration for Brother Shouzhe is as continuous as the waters of the Anjiang. It not only benefits ourselves but also defeats the enemy invisibly."

Wang Shouzhe was a bit speechless by his words.

"Big Brother, all I see is self-interest. Where is there an invisible defeat?" Liua Ruolei asked curiously.

"The self-interest part is quite obvious. Brother Shouzhe’s grand project lacks a large workforce, and using the period land exchange method to involve a large number of farmers in the project is a strategy of leverage. Ultimately, those laborers will all become self-sufficient farmers under the Wang Family’s jurisdiction."

"Secondly, the lands exchanged to the Wang Family originally belonged to the territories of the Liu and Zhao Clans. With simple integration and exchange, they can establish private estates in the enemy’s territory, converting that land into Wang Family property."

"What’s most impressive is that now the wave of migration to the Wang Family has formed, and many people yearn to join the Wang Family’s territory. Brother Shouzhe only needs to follow a step-by-step process, and the territories of the Liu and Zhao Clans will progressively shrink, and the number of civilians under their jurisdiction will drastically decrease."

"Under this invisible vicious cycle, the Liu and Zhao Clans will become weaker and weaker, unable to compete with the Wang Family, and eventually, the two words await them: extinction!"

Liua Yuanrui’s explanation made Liua Ruolei’s eyes sparkle as she praised, "Brother Shouzhe is truly a godsend, and my sister is very fortunate."

"Uh..."

Wang Shouzhe scratched his nose, thinking that maybe he hadn’t initially thought as deeply as Liua Yuanrui had imagined. He simply wanted to solve the labor shortage issue and had no intention to concoct a century-long plan.

But his future brother-in-law really had a good mind, and after hearing his explanation, this plan seemed quite decent.

Also, Ruolei, could you not use that gaze and tone to speak with me? It gave Wang Shouzhe a bit of a chill inside.

At this moment.

A sonorous voice broke through: "Hey, everyone, let me ask. Is our Zhao family really that annoying?"

Zhao Dingteng!

Wang Shouzhe glanced at him, noticing that the swollen venomous lumps on his face had mostly cured, rendering him speechless. This fool’s constitution had an incredible recovery power!

Liua Ruolei and Liua Yuanrui also stared at Zhao Dingteng with strange expressions.

You don’t have any clue about your Zhao Family’s infamous reputation, you simple-minded fool?

...