Chen Changyuan squatted on the ground, sweat beads escaping from his forehead, and steam came out of his head.
He threw the backpack on the edge of the ground and took out a few pieces of straw paper covered with dense handwriting. He squinted his eyes and saw that they were all the names of medicinal herbs and their planting requirements.
The village now is really a place where people are beating gongs with their eyes closed - Wang Fugui is talking nonsense and encouraging villagers to raise pigs, and he is also talking about "oil coupons" and "dividends", as if it were pie in the sky.
But Chen Changyuan thought that something was not right. This poverty alleviation was probably not helping the poor.
He shook his head, crumpled up the paper, stuffed it into his sleeve, and walked towards Lao Yuantou's house.
Although Uncle Yuan is quite old, his knowledge is definitely far superior to the average level of the villagers.
When Chen Changyuan needed to find a way out, he was the first person he thought of.
Furthermore, Lao Yuantou has a good reputation in the village, and everyone believes whatever he says.
When he pushed open the gate, he was greeted by the faint fragrance of tea and rolling mist.
Old Yuan shook the teapot, his withered face hidden in the mist. He squinted his eyes and jokingly said, "Xiaoyuan, why are you in such a hurry? Have you found some new trick to make money?"
Chen Changyuan smiled as he sat down on the stone bench and spoke in a low voice, "Uncle Yuan, it's not that I'm just speculating, but Uncle Fugui is trying to get the whole village involved in pig farming! He says he wants the whole village to get rich by raising pigs, but—pigs are so difficult to raise. Can the risks be minimized?"
The old man patted his ashtray with some disdain. "Well, our village used to dabble in pig farming, and it's not like we haven't touched baldness before. Pig farming requires supervision, feed supply and disease prevention and control are all critical!"
This remark echoed what Chen Changyuan had been thinking, and he quickly took over the conversation: "Uncle Yuan, I'm looking for your help with this matter. I heard that there's an old forester living in the woods to the east, and that he was once a famous breeding family in the village. I'd like to go there and ask for some advice, but I don't have much influence in the village, so I think you'd better do me a favor and take me with you to make things easier."
Old Yuan laughed heartily, shaking the teapot so hard that the water seemed about to spill out. "Well, that's no big deal! I'll drag you to see Lin Tou this afternoon. Just ask and you'll get it done!"
After the two of them reached an agreement, Chen Changyuan felt relieved.
Later, he found a few reliable villagers and started working on his own plan under the pergola.
Er Shuanzi looked at the suggestion of small-scale breeding, slapped his thigh and shouted, "Great! If we really want to breed a big mess, we still have some room for buffer!"
But Old Yang frowned after hearing this: "It sounds reliable, but the village chief's thoughts are too annoying. We need to make everything clear before we do anything!"
Chen Changyuan nodded silently, but an undercurrent was brewing in his heart.
This is not just an economic calculation, but also a game of social etiquette in the village - facing Wang Fugui, he cannot use brute force.
After the plan was finalized, Chen Changyuan packed some dry food and left the village, heading straight for the neighboring village.
As soon as you step into the neighboring village, you will see mud-walled and stone houses arranged in an orderly manner, and the villagers' division of labor is as clear as pouring beans from a bamboo tube.
The teahouse at the east end was the busiest place in the village. Chen Changyuan ran over and ran straight towards a familiar figure - Old Cai, who was drunk.
Old Cai leaned lazily on the chair, holding a pipe, looking calm and composed.
He heard footsteps and asked with half-closed eyes, "Young man, are you here to pick up the goods?"
Chen Changyuan hurriedly bowed and smiled sincerely: "Uncle Cai, I'm here to look for someone, and I have to travel a long way to do something. I heard that Uncle Ma San from the neighboring village is a skilled dealer in mountain products, and I want to ask where he is - can you please point me in the right direction?"
Old Cai narrowed his eyes, stroked his pipe, and pondered for a moment before speaking, "Third Uncle is a elusive figure. He usually hangs around Dongzui Mountain. You might as well try your luck. Whether you can find him depends entirely on your luck."
Chen Changyuan's heart tightened, and he thanked Lao Cai loudly. He also handed him some cigarettes and candies as a token of his gratitude. This favor made Lao Cai's brows relax.
After leaving the teahouse, he walked faster - finding Uncle Ma might be the key step in selling medicinal materials.
However, just as he was about to set foot on Dongzui Mountain, a stranger blocked his way.
The man had a sack on his shoulder and a gun in his hand, his face as fierce as the frost in the coldest days of winter - Chen Changyuan's heart suddenly tightened, and the oppressive atmosphere hit him, making him feel like he was in the smoke of gunpowder, and he didn't dare to breathe too hard.
Chen Changyuan took a few steps and suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on the unfamiliar figure in front of him.
The man looked thin, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, but he was quite strong.
His face was wary, like a frightened hound.
The sack hanging on his shoulders was soaked with sweat, with damp marks sticking to the edges of the cloth.
What is even more eye-catching is the old-fashioned hunting rifle under his armpit, with the muzzle pointing downwards, but vaguely revealing a sense of threat.
Although Chen Changyuan's heart was beating fast, his feet were steady.
He bowed slightly, put on a half smile and spoke.
"Brother, I don't mean anything else! I want to ask for directions—Dongzui Mountain, how do I get there?"
The other person's face darkened and he snorted coldly, his tone as hard as a shovel scraping against the wall.
"Dongzuishan? You're a kid from another village, what are you doing here?"
Chen Changyuan swallowed, lowered his voice, and slowly explained, "I'm from Qingshui Village. I heard that Uncle Ma San is often active in this area, so I went to him to discuss the business of mountain products and medicinal herbs. Brother, I'm speaking the truth, believe it or not."
The man didn't respond immediately, but instead looked Chen Changyuan up and down.
He raised his hunting rifle slightly and snorted coldly, "How would I know if you're doing business? There are scammers everywhere. How are you any different from them? Besides, you mention Third Uncle so casually. Who knows if you're here to cause trouble or to collect a debt?"
These words hit Chen Changyuan in the face, but he didn't even frown. He was neither annoyed nor in a hurry to explain.
He took two steps back and stood deliberately under the light, making sure he was completely empty, with his hands spread out as he spoke from the heart.
"Brother, look at my clothes. What earth-shattering things can I do? If I really wanted to do something bad, I wouldn't have wasted my time arguing with you. Besides, everyone in the village says that Uncle San is an open-minded person. I came here for his reputation, to enlighten him, to do some small business that goes smoothly, and to talk about some serious business."
The owner of the hunting rifle narrowed his eyes when he heard this, but his face remained guarded. "A merchant doing business, do you think it's okay? Everyone in the village is just after the benefits, so where's the righteousness? Boy, tell me your name, and see if you can get any clues."
Chen Changyuan didn't hesitate and directly threw out a name: "Chen Changyuan! My mother is Fang Suxia. If you are still worried, then there is no problem with me going back to the village to investigate."
The man's mouth twitched, and he stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly grinned as if amused. "Okay, quite interesting! You can still hold your ground, it really is like sitting down with me, Old Ma, and chatting about family matters."
As he spoke, he flicked the hunting rifle on his shoulder, revealing a hint of probing: "That's all I can say. If you really think highly of me, what medicinal herbs did Qingshui Village rely on to turn things around? Tell me."
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