Chapter 121 Village Chief Lao Ma

As soon as the white fox Yaoyao arrived here, he met an old man.

The old man was the head of the slum. He was holding a bowl of black noodles and was planning to send it to his son's home.

"Old man, I'm looking for the head of the village here. Do you know where his home is?" Baihu Yaoyao didn't know the head of the slum, and she didn't recognize the person standing in front of her.

Ma Lao was stunned. "The girl is looking for me?"

"Are you the head of the village?"

The white fox blinked. Isn’t this too much of a coincidence?

Ma Lao nodded and pushed open the dilapidated fence door in front of him. "Please come in, young lady! I am the head of the slum. I was just about to go to my son's house. Since you are looking for me, please come in first."

The head of the village brought the white fox Yaoyao to the main hall.

The headman put down the bowl in his hand, looking very cautious, fearing that the black noodles in the bowl would spill.

The houses in the slums are all made of adobe, and in winter they are as cold as ice cellars without a fire.

The lighting in the room is not good either, it is always gloomy and it feels like night in broad daylight.

This is the situation in the village head's house.

Baihu Yaoyao couldn't help but frown when she saw this, and she made up her mind to change the lives of these people.

"Miss, is there something you want to talk to me about? Only one in ten people in Taohua Town has escaped. Why don't you leave? Why do you come to look for me?" Old Ma folded his hands and curled up on a small stool.

The cotton lining of his cotton coat was exposed, and the black cotton could no longer keep him warm.

It's also very cold to wear.

Baihu Yaoyao sighed and explained her purpose with a smile, "Village Head, the snow has melted and the land in our town has been abandoned for a long time. I would like to ask you to help me buy all the land that can be traded. I would like everyone to help me farm the land. I want to make Taohua Town a true paradise and ensure that the people of Taohua Town can have enough food to eat."

If it weren't for the desire to gain more power of faith, she would have just provided food and opened an affordable grain store.

However, after she practiced the Five Elements Technique to the hundredth level, the power of faith required was so huge that she began to doubt her life, so she had to find another way.

She knew that the power of faith came from public opinion, so she started with the people.

Ma Lao opened his mouth wide, and it took him a long time to recover from his shock. "Girl, you are not kidding, right? People in the northwest can't even afford to eat these days, and you still want to buy land?"

He thought the girl was stupid.

The Northwest today is no longer the same as it used to be. Last year there was a drought and the people’s crop yields were reduced by half. After paying taxes, there was not much food left.

After finally snowing in the winter, a heavy snowstorm hit, and many people's houses were collapsed, leaving them homeless.

We can farm after the snow melts, but the seeds have all been eaten as life-saving food, so how can we farm?

Just after the Chinese New Year this year, the court issued a notice that taxes had increased by another 10%, now to 4% of every 10 taxes.

The common people have no way to make a living, and this girl still wants to buy land?

"I'm not kidding, Village Chief. I know you're from Taohua Town and you don't want to leave. This spring I wanted to plant some crops but I had no seeds. I felt it was a waste to have so much land sitting idle. I bought the land with the idea that I would provide the seeds and you would help me plant the crops. I'll also provide you with food and pay you two taels of silver per person per month."

"My only request is that you farm according to my method."

The Northwest is not suitable for growing crops like rice, but is suitable for growing crops like sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and wheat.

Unfortunately, there are no such things as sweet potatoes and corn in this world.

Most of the crops grown in the northwest are rye and low-yielding dry rice.

In the future, she plans to plant high-yield wheat in the northwest so that everyone can have white steamed buns to eat.

Ma Lao stood up in shock. "Girl, are you really going to do this? Aren't you afraid that you won't be able to grow any food?"

"If you really do this, you will be our savior! Everyone in our slum will listen to you!" Old Ma was excited.

They really have nothing to eat now. If someone can provide them with food, they would work for them for free.

Not to mention, each person received a salary of two taels of silver per month.

This is more than what you can earn working for those wealthy families.

"As long as you follow my method, the grain yield will only increase. If you think it's feasible, you can gather people to discuss it. I want to buy all your land."

The people who own the most land in Taohua Town are those living in the slums.

They live on the land passed down from generation to generation. They will not starve to death, but they will not get rich either.

If she bought the land, managed it in a unified way, and cultivated it in a unified way, perhaps these people's lives would be much better.

These people are grateful to her, and that is why they have the power of faith.

Ma Lao thought for a moment and said, "Miss, I want to discuss with them first. If there is a result, how should I contact you?"

He had never seen this girl in this town, and he always felt a little uneasy.

If he knew where the girl lived, he would have some sense of propriety.

"I'm the owner of the Youkai Restaurant. If you all agree, come find me at the restaurant."

The white fox stood up and said, "Then I'll take my leave first."

It was not until the white fox had been gone for a long time that Mr. Ma finally reacted.

"She is the owner of the Monster Restaurant? She is the daughter of Lu Laosan?" Mr. Ma found it unbelievable.

When did Lu Laosan's daughter become so capable?

After knowing that she was Lu Laosan's daughter, his confused heart finally settled down, which meant that this girl was not trying to fool him.

He didn't care about anything else and ran to the slum square to ring the alarm bell for the summons.

"What's going on? Hasn't the bell rung in years?"

"Let's go! Let's go see what's going on."

"It's time to sound the alarm. Are there refugees coming to Taohua Town?"

The leaders of every household put on their clothes and went to the square shivering.

Soon, more than fifty people gathered in the slum square.

These people are the pillars of their families.

"Head, it's so cold, why did you call us out?"

"Yes, headman! We haven't cooked at home for a few days. We haven't even had a bite of food. If we go out again, we'll freeze to death."

Everyone's face turned pale and they were talking at once.

The reason their faces are blue is that they are hungry.

The village head's face flushed with excitement. "I called everyone here today because I have good news to announce."

"Chief, please stop joking. The best news is that we didn't starve to death."

"That's right! Could it be that relief grain from the imperial court has arrived?"

"You wish! Where can we get relief food in the northwest every year?"

For a full fifteen years, the imperial court never intervened in the entire northwest, whether it was in times of disaster or peace.

It was the King of Zhenbei who took care of the common people like them.

The entire continent is short of food now. How could the emperor be so kind as to give them relief food from the northwest?

The village head pressed his hand, signaling them to be quiet, "This is better than the relief food."

"Today someone came to buy our land, and then he hired us to farm it. He will pay us two taels of silver per person per month, and he will provide food for three meals a day. I just want to ask you, are you willing to sell the land?"

The village head's words fell.

The square was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

They thought they were hallucinating. How could such a good thing exist in the world?

There will be another chapter at noon, so stay tuned.

(End of this chapter)