The grain produced from thirty mu of farmland was generally enough to feed over ten people.
The remaining money could be saved to buy an Internal Force Secret Manual.
Internal Force Secret Manuals also varied in quality.
There was a significant price difference between high-grade martial arts manuals and low-grade ones.
【If you've read up to this point, I hope you'll keep our domain name in mind. To read Taiwan novels, your first choice is Taiwan Novel Network, twkan.com, read anytime.】
Of course, Xu Chuan guessed that this must be the price for ordinary commoners, meant to keep it out of their reach, similar to how poor students in his past life's ancient times could not afford to study.
The influential families controlled martial arts also to force people to go to martial arts halls.
To achieve anything in martial arts required at least a decade of practice, during which Medicinal Cuisine and other things to replenish qi and blood could not be interrupted; this was also a slow, continuous drain on one's finances, like being cut with a blunt knife.
Xu Chuan did not want to be held back. Since his family now had the financial means to buy one, he naturally wanted to obtain a good Internal Force Secret Manual to lay a solid martial foundation for his family in the future.
As for the even more precious Innate Secret Manuals, that would have to wait until someone in the Xu family became an Innate martial artist.
"For a Chief Secretary to personally come down to handle matters is truly a rare occurrence. Is it some official infighting?"
Having made up his mind, Xu Chuan timed it right and headed straight to the village entrance to wait.
Meanwhile, in Dongxi Village.
The ordinary commoners were busy with various tasks after harvesting the rice.
The wealthy households with deep pockets did not want to go out unless absolutely necessary, given the hot weather.
At the entrance of Dongxi Village.
Xu Chuan saw two yamen runners in black uniforms and a scholar in a green robe walking toward him from not far away.
He quickly stepped forward, and after asking about their identity, proposed to buy Uncle Yu's rice fields.
"You want to buy fifty mu of rice fields?" Yang Zhao, the Qingjiang Chief Secretary, asked in surprise.
He sized up Xu Chuan, and seeing his coarse hemp vest, felt that the man before him must be an ordinary commoner of Dongxi Village.
Fifty mu of rice fields was no small amount for an ordinary commoner.
"Are you sure you can afford it? Do not make a fool of this official, or the consequences will be more than you can bear."
He was not in a very good mood at the moment, and his tone carried a hint of severity.
"How would this lowly one dare!"
Yang Zhao pondered for a moment and gave a fair price.
Xu Chuan paid the full amount for the rice fields on the spot.
Had it been one of the greedy Chief Secretaries from before, it wouldn't have been surprising if they raised the price to over twenty taels per mu.
But had that been the case, Xu Chuan definitely would not have bought it. His money did not grow on trees, and currently, every single coin had to be spent where it mattered most.
The August weather was truly unbearably hot.
Yang Zhao cast a faint glance and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Having completed half of the task assigned by the County Vice-Magistrate just after entering the village, his mood improved significantly.
Although he knew the County Vice-Magistrate was deliberately targeting him, the newly appointed Chief Secretary, a higher Level crushed those below.
If he failed to finish today, he would definitely be targeted upon his return.
"What is your name?"
"Xu Chuan."
"Look him up."
"Yes, Chief Secretary Yang."
The tall yamen runner pulled out the official land register to look up Xu Chuan's registered property, while the other runner with a rounder face pulled out the population register to flip to Xu Chuan's name.
"Found it. Xu Chuan, native of Dongxi Village, should be twenty-six this year, with one wife and two sons."
The round-faced runner looked at Yang Zhao and pointed to Xu Chuan's name on the population register.
"My Lord, I found it too. Xu Chuan, currently has ten mu of rice fields and ten mu of mountain forest under his name."
The tall runner also pointed out his findings to Yang Zhao.
"Hmm, he is indeed a native of Dongxi Village, so he has the right of first refusal."
Yang Zhao accepted the banknotes, registered Xu Chuan in the records, and had him sign his name and leave a thumbprint.
"This is your deed for the rice fields. From this moment on, the fifty mu of rice fields belonging to Yu Hou's family are yours."
"Thank you, Chief Secretary Yang."
Xu Chuan tucked the deed safely into his clothes and was about to leave when Yang Zhao unexpectedly called out to him.
"Xu Chuan, is it? It is fate that you and I met at the village entrance. Since you are a native of Dongxi Village, you must know where Yu Hou's family's fields are located, right?"
*He wants me to lead the way?*
*Forget it, I cannot afford to offend an official.*
Xu Chuan nodded and offered to lead Yang Zhao and the others to inspect the fields.
With Xu Chuan's help, Yang Zhao completed the task assigned by the County Vice-Magistrate in just half a day.
The remaining thirty mu of prime rice fields and thirty mu of mountain forest belonging to Yu Hou's family now had new owners.
"Alright, our business here is done. There is no need for you to accompany us further."
Xu Chuan nodded in agreement.
Returning home, Xu Chuan told Bai Jing about what happened today.
"Fifty mu? Husband, didn't you plan to buy only twenty or thirty mu before?"
"It was fate and destiny."
Xu Chuan spoke mysteriously, then took out the deed to the rice fields.
Bai Jing took it and looked, a look of joy also appearing on her face.
"This is wonderful. For a long time to come, we won't have to worry about grain, and we can even sell the surplus for silver."
"Put it away in the usual place. In a couple of days, I'll need to find some people to help. Managing fifty mu of land will keep us busy for a while."
In the afternoon.
Xu Chuan went to the threshing floor to check on the harvested rice.
He checked how well it was drying in the sun, which would make threshing easier later.
Without modern industry, they could only use primitive methods; after all, every household did the same.
Next, he went to patrol his mountain forest.
The Azure Jade Pears here were of utmost importance, and they could be harvested in a little over a month.
To prevent people from peeking or trespassing, he had planted a large number of thorn vines around the fields from the very beginning.
This vine grew very easily, and its thorns would scratch the skin, causing a paralyzing effect.
The thorn vines wrapped around bamboo poles, and over several years, they had formed a thorn wall four to five meters high and about a foot thick, leaving only a single gate.
Xu Chuan had set up some simple mechanisms.
Every evening, after his final patrol, Xu Chuan would lock the gate and activate the mechanisms.
At night, the mountain forest was pitch black, and visibility was poor.
If someone truly harbored ill intentions and forced their way in, there was a high probability they would fall into the trap.
A few days later.
The various processes for the rice were completed, and it was stored at home.
Xu Chuan began hiring people to tend to the fifty mu of rice fields he had acquired.
Excluding the portion to be paid as tax, the rest of the rice grown in the fields belonged to his family.
At dusk.
Chen Ergou suddenly ran to the rice fields in a hurry, shouting breathlessly, "Ch-Chuan... Brother Chuan, Sister-in-law is about to give birth!"
Xu Chuan's face lit up with joy. Without a word, he bolted toward home.
"Wait, let me catch my breath first!"
Chen Ergou was out of breath, but seeing Xu Chuan run off, he could only steel himself and chase after him, arms swinging like a dog paddling.
Before even reaching the door, he heard Bai Jing's painful cries coming from inside.
Chen Ergou's wife, Xu Yan, was helping inside. She came out just as Xu Chuan was trying to enter and quickly stopped him.
"Cousin, the midwife is already here, so don't go in."
"It's bad luck for a man to be present when a woman is giving birth."
"How about this, go boil a few more kettles of hot water. The more, the better."
Xu Chuan just wanted to check on Bai Jing's condition, but now was not the time to argue.
He immediately ran to the kitchen, lit the firewood, and began boiling water.
This was not Bai Jing's first time giving birth, yet Xu Chuan still felt nervous.
After Chen Ergou arrived, he poured himself a bowl of water and gulped it down in one breath.
Seeing the worry on Xu Chuan's face, he immediately said, "Brother Chuan, don't worry. Sister-in-law has always been in good health; she will surely give birth to the child smoothly."
"And I even brought a Qi-Blood Pill from home, just in case."
Chen Ergou handed the small porcelain bottle containing the Qi-Blood Pill to Xu Chuan.
"That is very thoughtful of you."
Xu Chuan did not refuse and accepted it.
Having gone through Bai Jing's childbirths a few times, Xu Chuan had also prepared some medicinal herbs to replenish qi and blood.
But compared to the Qi-Blood Pill, they fell far short.
He felt slightly relieved, then remembered something and asked, "Where are Shitou and Ayuan?"
"I took them to my place. They're probably having a blast playing with my boy right now."
Xu Chuan nodded and looked up at Chen Ergou. "Ergou, I will remember this favor. If there's anything I can help you with in the future, just say the word."
"Actually, there really is one thing I'd like your help with, Brother Chuan."
"But... right now, Sister-in-law's childbirth is the most important thing."
"Alright."
Xu Chuan replied, his mind elsewhere.
Nothing in the world was more important than his wife giving birth!