The villagers were eager to know the outcome of the conversation between the clan chief and the city lord.

Chief Pan glanced at his grandson and shook his head helplessly. "The city lord didn't agree."

The villagers were quite disappointed when they heard that their request had been rejected.

Pan Qingfeng crossed his arms and watched from the side, sneering, "Now that you remember me, you have food to eat. In less than half a year, you've certainly fattened your appetites."

He glanced at everyone present and said with a warning, "We have signed an agreement with the county government. If we don't work for ten years, the house will not be ours. Don't forget your duty if you're living a comfortable life and don't have any improper thoughts."

Some villagers were indignant and accused, "It's because you climbed up the social ladder by working for the county government that you look down on us."

“We farm every day, and the grain we grow doesn’t belong to us. What’s wrong with asking the city lord to contribute some money to help us repair the ancestral hall?” someone echoed.

"We deserve some credit for the successful construction of the county town!"

After being provoked like this, someone immediately said, "That's right, there are so many shops, but they won't even give us one!"

Upon hearing this, Pan Qingfeng angrily took out the agreement that everyone had signed and threw it on the table.

"The terms and conditions are clearly written above. I read them to you one by one before you signed them, and you agreed to them. Have you forgotten so quickly?"

He pointed to the clauses in the agreement and read aloud, “Those who disobey management or cause trouble will have the agreement automatically invalidated, and the county government has the right to take back their residences. Violators will be expelled from Longtan and will never be employed again.”

The clan chief, Pan, was heartbroken and pointed at Pan Qingfeng, saying, "Our village is almost empty now. Without the blessings of our ancestors, how can our descendants prosper?"

"Feng'er, you must never forget your roots!"

Pan Qingfeng's lips twitched. If he hadn't gone to Shigong City to pick them up, they would still be somewhere in the future.

A glance around at the crowd revealed that most people were still indignant.

A fierce glint flashed in Pan Qingfeng's eyes. He knew that if his clansmen continued like this, it would only be a matter of time before they were driven out of the Dragon Pool.

“Since everyone is not of one mind, let’s put the construction of the ancestral hall on hold for now,” he said.

Chief Pan hurriedly said, "No, it must be repaired. We can't let the souls of our clansmen wander outside."

Pan Qingfeng said, "If you want to repair it, everyone should raise the money themselves; otherwise, there's no point in discussing it."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Chief Pan had no choice but to agree, "Feng'er, your surname is Pan, not Lin, nor Yun, so don't side with outsiders."

These words left Pan Qingfeng breathless. He looked at the clansmen who had endured the hardships together and said in a deep voice, "The county government won't give us the money even if it has it. There are so many villages under Longtan's jurisdiction. If each village were to build an ancestral hall, you can calculate how much money that would cost."

“If the city lord had been so strategic and diligent in managing things, you would probably still be private slaves under the control of the major families.”

Pan Qingfeng's words were resounding, and he glanced at the villagers who had fallen silent instantly, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment.

“Think carefully about what kind of life you want to live,” he said, then turned to his grandfather and said, “Grandfather, you are getting old. From now on, you should leave all matters, big and small, to my father. If you do not accept this, I will have the county government terminate the agreement with you.”

His father is a reasonable person, but sometimes he is too indecisive.

After giving his instructions, Pan Qingfeng slammed the door and left, leaving a room full of villagers looking at each other in bewilderment.

Since the city gates were opened, villagers from nearby villages have been bringing their own homegrown vegetables and fruits, as well as various homemade snacks, to sell every now and then.

The town of Longtan was bustling with people, presenting a prosperous scene.

Zhou Yong and several other men from Dongwang Village carried radishes and cabbages grown at home to sell.

Although radishes and cabbages are cheap in winter, my family planted quite a lot on the wasteland, and the large quantity brought in a considerable income.

They sold all their vegetables to the Longtan Canteen. When the city gates opened, a notice was posted that the canteen was buying up large quantities of radishes and cabbages.

A group of men walked down the street, laughing and carrying empty baskets. One of them asked, "Brother Yong, how much did you sell today?"

"Not much, less than two hundred coins. Brother Zheng sells the most," Zhou Yong said with some envy.

The good-looking ones at home have been mostly sold, and his mother and sister-in-law said they would keep the ones bitten by insects for themselves.

The man called Zheng Ge grinned foolishly, "I'm strong, so naturally I carried more vegetables than you guys."

Just then, a patrol of soldiers passed by the group.

The men stared intently at the soldier's brand-new, thick cotton-padded coat, their eyes filled with envy.

One of the men said, "Brother Yong, didn't you want to join the army? Why don't we go to the county government office and ask?"

Zhou Yong's eyes lit up immediately, and he urged, "Let's go, let's go ask."

The group of men, swinging their empty loads, walked briskly toward the county government office.

After a busy day, Lin Yinan left the county government office and prepared to stroll around the streets.

As she stepped out of the county government office, she saw several young people walking towards her.

They were stopped by the guards. "Didn't you see the notice? The county government doesn't open until tomorrow. What are you doing here?"

Zhou Yong stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Sir, we've come to inquire when the county government will be conscripting soldiers?"

His question stumped the guard, who remembered that the notice didn't seem to mention any conscription.

Just as he was deep in thought, Lin Yinan said, "You want to enlist?"

The group nodded. "I heard that recruits receive 600 coins a month, plus clothes for all four seasons."

Lin Yinan understood immediately; it turned out they were interested in the benefits of military service. She said calmly, "Daily training after enlistment is very tough."

A man laughed and said, "How can this be as hard as farming?"

Seeing them still chatting and laughing, as if enlisting meant only training, eating, and sleeping, she immediately turned cold and said solemnly, "Enlisting involves more than just training. In the event of war, people will die. Are you prepared to sacrifice yourselves?"

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