Because inns and taverns needed staff, many rchants recruited talent locally, sparking a new source of livelihood for the villages near Yanghe Town.
Yet that extrely annoying Fancy Red Pavilion fell into a deep silence. The group of n in black seed as if they had never been to Mianyang, maintaining a low profile to the extre. Their silence was so pronounced that Yang Chuxia began to doubt whether they were actually a cohesive group.
What was more, amusingly, it had paid its taxes in advance. The establishnt hadn’t even been open for half a year, yet it had voluntarily sent silver to the county office for taxes, which was both laughable and baffling.
However, it was good that they were not causing any trouble, at least it allowed people to focus on other matters.
In Ye Zi’an’s plan, there were still two agenda for Mianyang: one was constructing the official road, and the other was raising living standards in Mianyang County.
The first task was manageable. Co September, Ye Zi’an had people purchase gravel and such to get started, using the sa group as before. So of those convicts had actually served their sentences, but were reluctant to leave. As for the beggars, they had nowhere to go; by working they earned silver, so they waited to finish the job and the governnt to arrange for them to beco permanent residents of Mianyang.
As for the second task, it wasn’t sothing that could be changed overnight; it had to be approached gradually.
Luckily, this year’s autumn harvest was good. The people of Mianyang grew rice, and those who planted late rice to miss the rainy season were not affected by the rains, producing a bumper crop of plump rice.
When it ca ti to submit the taxes, none of the events of the previous year occurred; all the villages duly turned in their share.
Co December, the Capital City delivered New Year’s gifts. As usual, there were two portions from the Mu Family, one for Mu Shaoling and another for Mu Shaofeng, plus gifts from Old Mu and Baili Yan.
Another surprise was that Luo Linhao, stationed far away with the military, also sent gifts and a letter.
Yang Chuxia examined the items sent—local specialties, mostly for daughters-in-law, sisters, and nephews.
This lad even boasted that he was doing well in the military, having now beco a colonel. Considering his age, he was indeed a young general.
By mid-December, Yangshu Village’s New Year goods had arrived, with contributions from both the Ye Family and several branches of the Yang Family.
What surprised Yang Chuxia was that her little brother, Yang Qingtong, had actually followed the delivery to Mianyang.
"How did you get here?" The siblings hadn’t seen each other for a year or two and were very excited at the reunion.
With tears in her eyes, Yang Chuxia hugged her brother who had grown half a head taller than herself.
"Sis, I ca to see you and brother-in-law and my little nephew." Seeing his usually formidable sister crying, he was slightly at a loss. After a mont of hesitation, he awkwardly said, "Sis, I won a lot of fistfights with our brother to get permission to see you. Aren’t you happy to see little ? No need to cry, right?"
"Nonsense, I’m just happy," she said, quickly ushering her brother into the yard. "Co in quickly. Your brother-in-law doesn’t know you’re here; he’s still in the office. I’ll have soone call him."
"Bro!" While the siblings were talking, Yang Xiayun ca running from afar. When she got close, she gave Yang Qingtong a big bear hug, "Little brother, I missed you so much."
"Ouch!" Yang Qingtong pretended to be displeased as he was embraced by her, "You little brat, if you missed , why didn’t you co ho to visit? You dare to say you missed . Every ti sister sends a letter ho, why didn’t I see you include one to send back?"
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