CHAPTER 627: CHAPTER 627: THE FAMOUS BACHELOR

Jiang Qi had become a County Captain two years ago, while the position of Company Commander in the Military Department was given to Old Zhong. However, Old Zhong fell into a trap during a night training session at the Prefecture Garrison Camp last year, sustaining serious injuries.

Although he did not die, he lost a leg and his health greatly deteriorated; he had to retire early from the Military Department.

Jiang Qi had always admired Qin Family’s third son. After speaking with Old Yu, he promoted Qin San Lang to Company Commander of the Military Department, putting him in charge.

Before he confirmed this decision, he discussed with Old Yu because Old Yu and Old Zhong had been serving for the same length of time. After Old Zhong stepped down, it would have been proper for Old Yu to succeed him, but Old Yu was also advancing in age. Meanwhile, Qin San Lang had many commendable achievements. For three consecutive years, he had made great contributions during the prefecture’s night training, showing promising potential, which made it only fitting to promote him.

Qin San Lang knew how to handle relationships well. After being promoted to Company Commander of the Military Department, he showed great respect to the senior members like Old Yu, who truly acknowledged his leadership.

Upon hearing Gu Jinli’s words, Xiao Ji commented, "Young Master, you’ve grown up, you shouldn’t always play with Qin Family’s third son. It’s not good. Villagers will gossip about you."

Gu Jinli laughed: "Who in the village dares to gossip about me?"

In the past three years, she had managed to keep the people of Da Feng Village in line so well that even though she was close to Qin San Lang, no one dared to spread rumors.

Was she no longer interested in selling Mingya Grass? Didn’t she want silver anymore?

Seeing that she wasn’t listening, Xiao Ji brought up Nanny Tao and Mrs. Cui: "Nanny Tao spoke to Dong Family’s Madam, saying that as the Young Master is now grown up, the slave should look after you, so you shouldn’t always meet external men. If you must meet, it should be in the presence of elders."

Gu Jinli replied, "I’m only turning fifteen next March, how am I considered old? You speak as if I’m about to be buried."

Xiao Ji gravely said, "Next year you’ll be fifteen, old enough to marry and bear children. Cousin-in-law Ping was fifteen when she married Big Cousin Ping, and now she’s pregnant."

This Cousin-in-law Ping was Mo Qinzi.

Mo Qinzi was arranged to marry Qi Kangping at thirteen and after her coming-of-age ceremony at fifteen, she married Qi Kangping that same year. Now nearly seventeen, she had just become pregnant a few months ago, far surpassing Mo Chunyue.

Speaking of Mo Chunyue, she too was considered infertile. Having been married to He Sanlai for nearly four years without conceiving, the villagers gossiped and laughed about her.

Thankfully, He Sanlai treated Mo Chunyue very well. Whenever he heard anyone call Mo Chunyue an infertile woman or a hen that couldn’t lay eggs, he didn’t care who it was; male or female, he would take a stick and beat them.

Mo Chunyue was so touched by this that she had cried several times at the spice workshop, declaring that marrying He Sanlai was worth her life.

He Sanlai, upon hearing about this from He Dazhuang’s wife, was overly delighted and bragged everywhere that marrying Mo Chunyue was his good fortune from a past life.

Village Chief He, as the He Family Patriarch, initially had reservations about Mo Chunyue’s inability to conceive for four years, but seeing He Sanlai and Mo Chunyue caring deeply for each other, he no longer spoke on the matter.

Gu Jinli replied after listening, "One isn’t considered old until they’re below thirty."

Xiao Ji was shocked, staring at her as if she was a monster: "Young Master, Luo Family’s Brother Wu is almost twenty-two and still unmarried, and people are already talking. Thirty years old? My God, people who die young can’t even get married and have children."

He added, "Speaking of Luo Family, it’s really strange. Their whole family isn’t in a hurry at all. When people express interest in Brother Luo Wu and propose marriage, Aunt Luo even rejects them; doesn’t she want grandchildren? Their Brother Wu is already known as a bachelor throughout our ten villages and eight hamlets."

But he is a bachelor that everyone vies for.

Luo Wu isn’t worried about finding a wife, with the earnings from the workshop, Luo Family’s days are getting better and better. Last year, he even bought a shop in the county, and he himself is a constable squad leader. In the entire county, aside from daughters of the County Magistrate, Deputy Magistrate, and County Captain, every girl wants to marry him.

But he didn’t want to, Xiao Ji thought Luo Wu was sick, and seriously ill at that, the incurable kind.

Gu Jinli knew what Luo Wu was thinking; he only wanted to marry Gu Jinxiu and no other girl, no matter how good, interested him.

Du Fu from Chen Village had set her sights on Luo Wu for two years, but Luo Wu paid her no mind. At the end of last year, no longer being able to hold off due to her age, she ended up marrying the son of the new village chief of Chen Village, and her life has been quite decent.

Du Fu was able to marry the village chief’s son largely due to the Mingya Grass.

Since three years ago, when the Du Family began planting Mingya Grass, they have been earning ten taels of silver each year, and this year, after buying some barren land, their earnings soared to thirty taels.

The people of Chen Village were so envious, they also started planting Mingya Grass, but Gu’s Workshop would only buy from the Du family, and they were left with no options.

The standing of Du Family People had significantly increased because of the Mingya Grass.

Meanwhile, Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui were increasingly anxious as Gu Jinxiu was growing older, and the Luo Family had shown no intentions, which made them desperate.

Lady Xia was quite pleased, already planning to arrange a marriage for Gu Jinxiu.

Xiao Ji added, "There’s also Qin Family’s third son, he’s eighteen already and still the only child, Elder Qin hasn’t arranged a marriage for him either. Nowadays, some women in the village say he has bad fortune and fears he may remain a bachelor for life."

Gu Jinli was furious: "Who said that? What business is it of theirs whether Brother Qin marries or not? Aren’t they afraid of Mrs. Fourth Son He’s lesson? Do they want to be dragged to the He Family Ancestral Hall and publicly slapped?"

Mrs. Fourth Son He was famously tactless. A couple of years back, because Gu Jinli didn’t buy her family’s Mingya Grass, she spread bad words about the Gu Family in the village. He Dazhuang’s wife overheard it and hurriedly informed Village Chief He.

Village Chief He had Mrs. Fourth Son He tied up and taken to the ancestral hall, then summoned all He Family Members and even summoned Lu Family People to watch the punishment outside the ancestral hall’s courtyard. The entire village witnessed Mrs. Fourth Son He receiving twenty slaps, swelling her face.

Since then, many women in the village were afraid and dared not gossip about those families anymore. So who was bold enough now?

Xiao Ji, who loved gossip, leaned in with a smile and said, "It’s He Daqian’s wife."

Gu Jinli nodded in understanding; these two women were indeed among the biggest gossips in the village.

"Once we get back, have Qiu Lang and the others haunt He Daqian’s house a few times." People from Great Chu are afraid of such things; Gu Jinli had used this ploy a couple of years ago, and members of He Daqian’s Family all thought it was the ghost of He Dacai returning, terrifying them.

"Alright, I’ll let Brother Lang handle it once we are back," laughed Xiao Ji, clearly delighted to take on this task.

"You can go now; I need to take a bath." After sending Xiao Ji away, Gu Jinli comfortably took a bath and washed his hair, which sadly took another 30 minutes.

It was almost dark when Xiao Ji brought over dinner: "Young Master, time for dinner. Today we have stir-fried chicken, it’s very aromatic."

The Manor raised free-range chickens with delicious, tender meat. Every time Gu Jinli came to the Manor, he would have chicken killed; one to stir-fry and another for making soup, much to the dismay of Old Lady Mi who subtly suggested, "Young Master, the Manor has a fish pond too. Perhaps try some fish?"

Why always harm her chickens that haven’t fully grown yet?

Every time Gu Jinli heard this, he would laugh and say: "Raising them for two years, the chickens would be old, half a year old chicken is perfectly tender."

Every time she heard this, Old Lady Mi felt heartache, forced to nest the mother hens yearly to raise chicks, fearing Gu Jinli might eat the Manor’s chickens to extinction.