CHAPTER 152: CHAPTER 152: PRODIGAL SON

Magistrate Xie coaxed Xiaomi for a bit, and Jiang Hu had already calmed down and reconsidered his wording.

Meanwhile, he couldn’t help but praise Xiaomi in his heart; luckily, Xiaomi spoke up and reminded him.

Otherwise, he would have surely refused outright, and even though Magistrate Xie would not do anything excessive, he would certainly be dissatisfied with the Jiang family.

Once Magistrate Xie had appeased Xiaomi, Jiang Hu also spoke up.

"It’s our good fortune to have a good official like Magistrate Xie in the Cheng County. Actually, you see over there? That’s our new house..."

Jiang Hu briefly explained and then said, "The workers are all Uncle Liu’s men, he won’t let me pay, the only request is that I provide them with the grain and vegetables from my family’s farm."

"Magistrate Xie, tell me, what can I do about this?"

Magistrate Xie understood and also felt a bit distressed: "Twenty or so men, all workers, in two months they might eat over a thousand jin."

Jiang Hu nodded, building a house is exhausting, they eat to their fill, at least one and a half jin of grain per person per day.

Even if they eat just one jin, that’s sixty jin in two months, and twenty-seven people, that’s over sixteen hundred jin!

And this is calculating on the low side!

Each person eating one and a half jin includes adding sweet potatoes, winter melons, and pumpkins to the meal, served in large basins, if they really just ate rice, they’d need two jin of grain each day.

He hadn’t expected so many people; originally, he thought of hiring a few workers, and then finding a few villagers to help, and building a small courtyard, it would be done in a month or so.

This way, the grain consumption wouldn’t be much, and the surplus could be sold to people from nearby villages as seed grain.

But now, after paying the grain tax and leaving two thousand jin of grain for the workers to eat, his family would have just over a thousand jin left...

Magistrate Xie was still distressed: "These over a thousand jin, all used as seeds, would grow how much grain, saving how many people."

Jiang Hu sighed in his heart, Magistrate Xie really has the people’s best interests at heart, he could see it.

Then, Jiang Hu spoke earnestly, "But Magistrate Xie, I also think it’s more important to fill everyone’s bellies first, so how about this, let’s go discuss with Brother Liu."

Brother Liu, whose full name is Liu Zhi, is the robust man who was following Master Liu that day, a nephew from Master Liu’s family, and also the person in charge of the construction.

Magistrate Xie immediately reacted: "Right! Yes, let’s talk to them properly, see if they can buy food in town and eat, and then I’ll decide to give their families seeds for free!"

He then eagerly pulled Jiang Hu along, heading over there.

After just a few steps, Jiang Hu stopped him.

"Sir, we can’t go that way, my chicken coop is blocking it, let’s go this way instead."

Then he led the impatient Magistrate Xie around from the other side.

Zhang Hu, who had divided the tax grain, shook his head, indicating Magistrate Xie was not steady at all, then trotted along after them.

Liu Zhi had just inspected the foundation and told everyone to be careful at work because of the heat, and was preparing to come out for a drink of water.

Jiang Hu had previously sent them a large package of chrysanthemum tea, and they cooked near a shelter where the grain was stored, and Xiaoxue would come over to help boil a few pots of hot water every day, leaving it to cool for them.

The water was drawn from the village well, and a new suitable location for it would only be found after the yard was completed.

"Boss, Brother Jiang is here, and he’s brought two people, it looks like they’re collecting grain tax."

Someone called out to Liu Zhi.

Although Jiang Hu didn’t have to pay a single tael of silver, Master Liu definitely wouldn’t let these people work for free, the wages surely wouldn’t be less.

Besides, the Jiang family’s food is really delicious!

So everyone worked earnestly and diligently.

Liu Zhi drank some water and quickly went out, just as Jiang Hu and Magistrate Xie came over.

"Jiang Hu, what’s going on? Is something wrong?" Liu Zhi didn’t recognize Magistrate Xie, so he didn’t call out to him.

"Brother Liu, let me introduce you, this is the Agrarian Officer from the county, Magistrate Xie."

Liu Zhi was startled and quickly cupped his hands to salute, but was grabbed by the anxious Magistrate Xie.

"Brother, it’s a hot day, let’s not waste time, I’ll get straight to the point."

Zhang Hu, behind them, couldn’t help but hold his forehead, Magistrate Xie, can’t you at least play the part and put on some airs, are you afraid of being rejected?

But Magistrate Xie evidently didn’t think much about it, and he began to explain without hesitation.

Even though Liu Zhi was working to earn money building the house, his home was also in the countryside, how could he not know the importance of seeds?

Not just him, the twenty-some workers began to ponder this after their second day in Fuan Village, planning to buy some seeds from Jiang Hu after the grain tax was paid.

Upon hearing Magistrate Xie’s words, Liu Zhi’s mind immediately became active.

He reacted faster than Jiang Hu, knowing this couldn’t be refused.

However, he couldn’t just agree directly, after all, Jiang Hu had made an agreement with his uncle.

Once Magistrate Xie finished explaining, Liu Zhi said, "It’s our good fortune for the entire Cheng County to have someone like Magistrate Xie who cares for the people!"

Hearing this, Magistrate Xie understood a bit and was overjoyed: "You think it’s possible?"

Liu Zhi nodded: "I won’t hide it from you, sir, we brothers had planned to buy some seeds from Jiang Hu after the grain tax, to plant for ourselves next year."

"As for buying grain to eat, we don’t mind, as long as we fill our bellies. But Sir, I have a small request."

Magistrate Xie was already delighted as soon as Liu Zhi showed no problem, and he gestured generously: "Speak."

Liu Zhi was not polite: "It’s like this, I wonder if we brothers can buy some seeds from Jiang Hu first, not much, five jin of corn and five jin of sorghum seeds each."

Who knows, once the grain is brought to the county, whether their village will get their share, or how much each village will get?

Even though Fu’an Village had a good harvest, compared to the entire Cheng County, it’s a drop in the ocean.

Rather than waiting for the seeds distributed by the county next year, it’s more practical for him to buy some now.

Magistrate Xie easily guessed Liu Zhi’s thoughts, but did not expose him, and even complimented it.

"Here’s the deal, how many people do you have working now? Each person gets five jin of sorghum and corn, no need to buy from Jiang Hu, I will provide it for free, but if there are seeds later, you won’t have a share, is that okay?"

Of course, it’s great!

"Thank you so much, Magistrate Xie!"

Who knows if next year’s seeds will cost money, or if there will be even five jin?

No, even if it doesn’t cost, it surely won’t be as generous as five jin!

Such a great deal, of course they’d take it!

Jiang Hu, besides making the introductions, didn’t say much but was quite surprised at how straightforward Liu Zhi and Magistrate Xie were.

At the same time, he felt a bit sheepish.

Brother Liu didn’t refuse at all, he must have considered Magistrate Xie’s identity, while he nearly foolishly declined directly.

"Brother Liu, the thing I promised Uncle Liu, I can’t fulfill now, but don’t worry, next year after the crops are harvested, I’ll deliver fifty jin of grain to every household, no lies!"

Liu Zhi hadn’t even had the chance to express excitement, when Magistrate Xie got anxious.

With an excited heart, trembling hands, quivering mouth: "You, you..."

"You spendthrift!"