After walking around the town, Chu Xun and Li Shoutian both locked onto their targets.
Among them were properties confiscated from the Lin family, as well as those others were anxiously trying to sell off.
Even Zhang Sanchun "borrowed" several dozen taels from Chu Xun and bought a dium-sized shop, planning to open a roasted nuts and seeds store in the future.
Every decided shop had a wooden plaque hung at the door with a na written on it.
This indicated that it already had an owner, and others wouldn't co to look at it anymore.
It would be considered a done deal once it was reported to the county office, the silver was paid, and the signatures and fingerprints were affixed.
After all the wooden plaques were hung, Lin Qiaoxi, who had been hesitating to speak, appeared depressed.
Especially when passing by the Lin family mansion, she couldn't help but look over.
The once familiar vermilion doors were already crooked.
The door panels were full of marks from things thrown by others, and soone had used charcoal to write many ugly words.
Thinking back to the past, the threshold of the Lin family mansion had to be repaired once a year.
Because there were too many visitors, even though Lin Guiwan was only a collateral relative, it was still like this.
But now, even "you can catch sparrows on the doorstep" was not enough to describe its desolation.
Everyone kept a respectful distance from the Lin family's belongings, unwilling to buy them no matter how cheap they were.
This mansion had been listed for a long ti and only cost a re thirty-seven taels of silver, yet it was harder to sell than the forr thirty-thousand-tael shops.
At this ti, Zhang Sanchun suddenly walked over and took down the wooden plaque hanging at the door.
Returning to Lin Qiaoxi's side, he said in a low voice, "I don't know how to write, you write it."
Lin Qiaoxi was stunned. Write?
Write what?
Zhang Sanchun scratched his head and said, "Ah Xun said to lend another forty taels to buy this mansion. When we open the roasted seeds and nuts store in the future, we won't have to go back to the village."
Lin Qiaoxi froze. She had indeed thought about buying this mansion, but her purse was too flat.
Having already borrowed several dozen taels from Chu Xun to buy a shop, she really couldn't open her mouth to borrow more.
But without her needing to ask, how could Chu Xun not know her thoughts?
So he gave Zhang Sanchun an extra few dozen taels in advance, telling him to take down the plaque and leave his na when they reached this mansion.
Lin Qiaoxi turned her head to look ahead and saw that the others had already stopped.
Chu Xun was looking over with a smile, his expression gentle and natural.
A warm current surged in Lin Qiaoxi's heart. She walked over quickly and was about to kneel down to Chu Xun.
Chu Xun hurriedly helped her up, "Sister-in-law, there is no need for this."
Lin Qiaoxi's eyes were red as she said, "Little Uncle's great kindness is hard to repay even if I work as a horse or a cow. I really don't know how to express my gratitude."
Chu Xun said, "Wealth is nothing but worldly possessions. It only has value when spent on aningful things. Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law have walked hand in hand along this journey with many hardships. Just consider this my token of goodwill."
He really didn't plan on having Zhang Sanchun repay the money; the days ahead were still long.
He could live for a very long ti, but what about Zhang Sanchun and the others?
One day, they would be white-haired, dust to dust, ashes to ashes.
Chu Xun cherished his current life very much, and hoped even more that the people around him, like him, could leave not too many regrets on the path of gradually growing old.
However, although he thought this way, it was absolutely impossible for Lin Qiaoxi to just let it go.
Zhang Sanchun also ca over and insisted that this silver must be repaid no matter what.
He also knew he didn't have much ability, so he said, "If I can't repay it in ten years, then twenty years. If I can't repay it, my son will repay it, my grandson will repay it. It will be paid off eventually."
Huan'er, with his horn-like braids, chewed on his fingers and pulled the corner of Zhang Anxiu's clothes, looking left and right, seemingly curious about what the elders were saying.
Although Chu Xun didn't lack silver, he knew that the most precious thing for poor people, and the thing no one cared about, was this bit of dignity.
He didn't insist anymore, only saying, "Since Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law have said so, I won't be hypocritical. Let's do it this way."
Li Shoutian smiled from the side, "No wonder people say fools have foolish fortune. Sanchun, your fortune is not shallow."
He married a good wife and had a good brother like Chu Xun to help him.
Thinking about himself again, the large family around him didn't give him peace of mind. Only his son Li Guangmao was sowhat like him and didn't cause so many annoying troubles.
Zhang Sanchun scratched his head with an honest smile. Although he didn't speak, everything was understood without words.
Afterward, Lin Qiaoxi found a brush, personally wrote Zhang Sanchun's na on the wooden plaque, and solemnly hung it back on the doorfra of the mansion.
Without reporting to the county office, entering the mansion casually was not allowed.
Lin Qiaoxi stared at the crooked and dirty door for a mont before leaving with tears in her eyes.
The next day, Chu Xun, Li Shoutian, and Zhang Sanchun went to the county office together to report, pay the silver, and sign and affix their fingerprints.
Unexpectedly yet reasonably, County Magistrate Tang Shijun personally handled this matter.
He wore a round-collared cyan official robe with egret patterns embroidered on the chest and back.
On his head, he wore a two-ridged black gauze hat with wide wings on both sides.
Although he was a seventh-grade official, he was already a "high official" rarely seen by ordinary commoners.
A seventh-grade official standing by your side, handing you a brush, grinding ink, and dipping the inkpad for you.
Such a special honor made Li Shoutian tremble with excitent.
After signing, he knelt down and forcefully kowtowed a few tis to Tang Shijun.
Tang Shijun helped him up, smiling like the spring breeze, "Village Chief Li, there is no need for such formality. This official still has to thank everyone for generously opening your purses to share the state's burdens."
Saying this, Tang Shijun looked at Chu Xun, who had already completed this set of procedures first.
After sizing him up, he praised, "General Guest Chu, with the strength of one family, reclaid thirty acres of wasteland. You are young and promising. You should continue to make persistent efforts in the future, and you will definitely achieve great things."
Village Honored Guests were also divided into upper and lower ranks, totaling three grades.
First-grade Grand Guest, second-grade Secondary Guest, third-grade General Guest.
Tang Shijun's words were mostly polite, but they were not without approval for Chu Xun.
Chu Xun looked unfazed by favor or disgrace, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your absurd praise, My Lord. Receiving Your Lordship's compassion for the villagers, this grassroots commoner is grateful in his heart and will naturally do his best."
The tall and thin Registrar Zheng Xiuwen beside them frowned upon seeing this.
An ordinary commoner, receiving the County Magistrate's praise, not to ntion kowtowing to thank for the grace, should at least have tears in his eyes to show solemnity.
Chu Xun being neither haughty nor humble naturally displeased the officials.
There were others coming to make purchases later, so the three of them, Chu Xun, took the farmland deeds and land deeds and took their leave.
After they left, Zheng Xiuwen stepped forward and said, "My Lord, this Chu Xun seems to have so arrogance. You praised him so much, yet he remained indifferent. I'm afraid he will be a troublemaker."
Tang Shijun put the writing brush into the water basin and washed it carefully, lest the next person co late and the ink dry on it.
Zheng Xiuwen's words didn't make him change his expression. He only said indifferently, "This person lost his parents in childhood and grew up eating als from a hundred families. Now he is only twenty-five, yet he sits on a hundred acres of fertile farmland and hundreds of feet of shops. A thousand taels of silver, not to ntion ordinary commoners, even you and I couldn't take it out relying solely on our official salaries."
"Being so young and promising, so what if he has so arrogance?"
He took the washed brush, wrapped it in linen, and waited for it to absorb the moisture inside.
After putting it back on the brush rack, Tang Shijun wiped his hands, the pair of hat wings trembling slightly with his movents.
He looked at Zheng Xiuwen and said, "If we are talking about arrogance, I am a hundred tis prouder than him! What he wants is nothing more than imnse family wealth and a life without worries about food and clothing. But what I want is smooth administration and harmonious people, clear rivers and peaceful seas, a rich country and a strong people!"
"If he really has great abilities, no matter how arrogant he is, this official will treat him like a brother. If he has no abilities, even with a heaven-defying background, I will turn a blind eye!"
Being young and frivolous is not uncommon.
Recognizing characters at the age of two, writing poetry at six, and speaking in literary compositions at nine.
Passing the imperial examinations all the way, overcoming all obstacles, and gloriously becoming the new Second-Place Scholar, he had the capital to be arrogant.
His arrogance, ambition, and aspirations were never concealed.
So Tang Shijun wasn't afraid of anyone being a troublemaker, nor would he feel displeased because of others' arrogance.
In Zhangnan County, he only looked at results.
As long as they could help him realize his ambitions, so what if he poured tea and served wine for them.
The more arrogant a person is, the more they like capable people, and the less they will be constrained by worldly rules.
[End of Chapter]
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