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Day and night alternated.

After breakfast, Chu Xuhua and Li Zhangjie, each accompanied by two workers, left to deliver goods. With their departure, the Chu family’s day became busy.

Li Qingyu stopped Chu Qingzhi, who was preparing to go to the workshop. “Qingzhi, do you need soybeans? If not, when the soybean collector comes, I’ll sell them, okay?”

Soybeans? Of course, they were needed. “Mother, how many soybeans do we have?”

Li Qingyu sighed, “The harvest wasn’t good this year, only about three hundred catties.”

“Keep them, Mother. I’ll use them to make soybean paste.” Soybean paste could be used in dishes like steamed fish, braised eggplant, braised pork trotters, and noodles – all very delicious. The soybean paste itself was also tasty, definitely sought after by restaurants.

Li Qingyu readily agreed, “Alright.”

After finishing her workshop tasks, Chu Qingzhi went to the old house’s storeroom to collect all the soybeans. She hired three people to help clean the beans of impurities and soak them in water.

While she was busy with this, a group of constables, led by a government secretary, arrived at Chu Village and went straight to the village chief’s house.

Soon, the village chief came out to announce, “Everyone, get your tax grain ready, or you can prepare silver. The secretary will be coming to each household to collect taxes.”

Aside from families with scholars, hearing about tax collection, they all felt a headache coming on.

Daling was relatively better, without excessive levies or miscellaneous taxes, only the regular taxes. After paying, although people might go hungry and live frugally, they could still get by.

This year, the villagers of Chu Village didn’t grimace at the mention of taxes as they did in the past; they calmly went about their business.

“I’ll pay with silver this year, not grain. I’m keeping the grain for my family.”

“I plan to pay with silver too; I’ve prepared it already.”

“I’ve stored all my grain in the warehouse, too lazy to move it out, so I’ll pay with silver.”

The secretary, accompanied by the constables, first collected taxes from the village chief’s house. The village chief’s family, with several members working for the Chu family, had saved quite a bit of money and directly paid in silver.

Actually, the secretary preferred receiving silver as it was easier to carry than grain.

Seeing the silver, the secretary chuckled, “Your Chu Village has become quite well-off, huh!”

The village chief straightened his back and smiled. “With the help of Qingzhi’s family, the villagers’ lives have improved a lot.”

“You’re lucky,” the secretary noted down the village chief’s tax payment details and led the constables to the next house. For ten consecutive houses, everyone paid in silver.

One constable couldn’t help but comment, “Are all people in Chu Village this wealthy?”

Another replied, “It seems so. They all pay with silver, which wouldn’t be possible without some savings.”

The secretary said, “Miss Chu’s business has lifted the entire village. How could they not be wealthy?”

Jokingly, a constable said, “Secretary, can we move to Chu Village now? Is it too late?”

The secretary replied, “Don’t even think about it. The county magistrate won’t agree.”

The constable sighed, regretfully saying, “Why wasn’t I born a Chu? If I were, 1 wouldn’t need to move.”

“Going by that logic, 1 should say, why am 1 not the brother or sister of Miss Chu?”

“Hahaha…”

Everyone chatted and laughed as they arrived at Chu Qingzhi’s house.

Li Qingyu had also prepared silver. Their family being large, they paid more taxes – a hefty bag of silver, which pained her to part with. “Secretary, thank you for making the trip.”

The secretary politely replied, “This is our duty, no need for thanks, madam.”

Chu Qingzhi approached, having a question for the secretary, “Secretary, is the tax collection going smoothly?”

The secretary held great admiration for Chu Qingzhi. Thanks to the food festival she organized, the county office’s tax revenue from business had increased by a whopping one hundred thousand taels, an unprecedented achievement. Coinciding with the end-of-year performance assessment, the county magistrate’s achievements were undoubtedly first-rate.

This meant that the county magistrate’s promotion was not far off, and with his promotion, the secretary would also rise in rank.

“Your village is doing very well, I’m not sure about the others yet.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled, “Secretary, I’d like to inquire about something.”

The secretary politely responded, “Please go ahead, Miss Chu.”

Chu Qingzhi asked, “Is there any farmland for sale near our village?”

The secretary thought for a moment and then shook his head, “No, Miss Chu, are you looking to buy land?”

“Yes, but it’s okay if there’s none.” Her family needed a large amount of grain, and she thought of growing some themselves since they were in the village.

After a moment, the secretary understood her intention and offered a suggestion, “Miss Chu, I guess you want to buy land to grow grains for your business. How about this: when I collect taxes, I’ll speak to the village chiefs and ask the villagers to grow more, then sell it to you. How does that sound?”

That sounded good to Chu Qingzhi, who smiled and thanked him. She then handed him a list of grains, “Thank you for your trouble, Clerk.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” the secretary said, bowing to Chu Qingzhi. “Miss Chu, we won’t disturb you further. You must be busy.”

“Secretary, take care.”

Li Qingyu, who had overheard their conversation, approached, “Qingzhi, we won’t be able to manage if we buy more land.”

Chu Qingzhi replied, “It’s okay, Mother, we can hire people to farm it.”

Li Qingyu pondered for a moment, “Then 1’11 take people to clear some wasteland. There’s a large patch next to the herb garden. Once it’s cleared, it becomes ours, and we don’t have to pay taxes on it for three years, which is very economical.”

Wasteland sounded promising, but such land typically had poor soil quality; otherwise, it would have been cultivated already.

However, Chu Qingzhi wasn’t deterred. Hearing Li Qingyu’s suggestion, she said, “Mother, let’s go have a look.”

Li Qingyu glanced towards the old house, “Aren’t you busy with the beans?”

Chu Qingzhi, leading Li Qingyu towards the wasteland, replied, “Some aunts are helping with that; 1 can spare a moment.”

Li Qingyu smiled and followed her daughter.

Reaching the herb garden, Chu Qingzhi looked at the lush medicinal herbs and then walked towards the right, where the wasteland lay.

The land, about five acres, was flat like a plain but covered in thick grass, now somewhat yellow and full of seeds that would fall to the ground upon touch.

Chu Qingzhi suggested, “Mother, we can burn the grass on this wasteland. Next year, there won’t be as much grass, and the ash will be good for fertilizing.”

Li Qingyu nodded in agreement, “1’11 find some people to help clear it right away. We’ll plant vegetables first to nourish the soil, then start growing grains next year.”

Chu Qingzhi said, “Thank you, Mother.”

The clearing of the wasteland was settled, but in the end, Li Qingyu didn’t hire anyone. The family elders took on the task themselves.

Chu Qingzhi let them proceed while she went to the county town to buy seeds and water tanks..