The village chief thought for a moment, suppressed his pounding heart, and said, "Master Liu, since we trust you, we'll leave these matters to you. But there's one thing I need to say."
“Okay, village chief, please go ahead.” Liu Zhiheng nodded, guessing it was about the price.
Sure enough, the village chief said, "Regarding the price of the winter melon and the cantaloupe, although we've been growing them for more than half a year and have suffered a lot, we don't want to sell them for too high a price. Or rather, we're willing to sell all these winter melons and cantaloupes to you at a reasonable price. As for what price you sell them for after you take them away, even if each winter melon sells for a gold ingot, we won't be envious."
This was completely unexpected for Liu Zhiheng; everyone hopes to become rich overnight and rise to the top in one step.
But why did the people of Broken Gold Beach push away the gold they had already obtained?
“This… Village Chief, things are valued for their scarcity. It’s easy for these cold melons and cantaloupes to fetch an astronomical price. If you push them out like this, the losses will be substantial.”
The village chief shook his head with a smile, "Others may not know, but we know it all too well. We're just a bunch of peasants who were lucky enough to escape here to survive. Since we got the hot spring valley, people have been envious and jealous of us, and we've caused Mr. Wen and the Marquis a lot of trouble."
"If these cold melons and fragrant melons are sold at exorbitant prices again, we're likely to face even more trouble. The Marquis is away on campaign, and Mr. Wen has just entered the court. We don't want to burden them with any more worries. Money is useful, but we need to be alive and have a peaceful life to spend it properly."
Li Lao Er echoed, "If a young child carries gold in his hand and walks through a bustling market, he will most likely not be able to keep the gold, and may even risk his life. We are just ordinary people who only want a stable and prosperous life. We don't want to be treated as tempting pieces of meat by everyone, ready to be bitten at any time."
After sending winter melons to the Liu family, the village chief discussed the matter with several team leaders, including Li Lao Er, Liu Biao Tou, and Li Lao Si.
Silver is a good thing, but the village is temporarily unable to protect itself and mostly relies on the Marquis, Mr. Wen, and Mrs. Cui.
If one is too greedy, one will eventually invite disaster, harming both oneself and others.
It would be better to just take what they deserve, and that would give us peace of mind.
The village chief continued, "So, of the melons and cantaloupes in our fields, after deducting those that are offered as tribute to the palace, we'll set a simple price for the rest and give half to Master Liu to sell. Even if it brings in a fortune, we'll only keep our share. The other half will stay in the fields to supply the valley and add to the festivities."
Liu Zhiheng listened in silence for a long time, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
At first, he just thought that the people of Suijintan were simple and kind-hearted. His sworn sister would stay here, and at most, he would contribute some food and supplies. He simply wanted to find a place to relax and stay for a while. It was safe and reassuring.
Only now do I realize how shallow he was. These people may not have read many books, but they are rare in their clarity and understanding.
Taking only what is rightfully yours, without greed or arrogance—these are simple things to say, but the hardest things to do.
He stood up and solemnly bowed to the village chief, Li Lao Er, and the others, saying, "I, Liu, have learned a great deal today. Thank you all!"
The village chief and the others hurriedly helped him up, laughing and saying, "We're just timid and afraid of causing trouble. We don't know any grand principles, so we can't offer any guidance."
Li Lao Er also said, "In addition, once these cold melons and cantaloupes are sold, I'm afraid many people will want to try planting them next year. Our village doesn't plan to keep it a secret. Anyone who asks about the planting methods will be taught a few things. If Master Liu has riverbank land, it would be good to plant a few acres."
Liu Zhiheng thought for a moment and then nodded. “Once these cold melons and cantaloupes are sold, the seeds are really hard to control. Everyone wants to try. If you don’t teach us, it’s easy to make enemies. Alright, my family will also plant a few acres. We’ll have to trouble the village to send someone over occasionally to give us some guidance.”
"Of course, it's nothing," the village chief readily agreed.
The matter was settled, and Jiayin was happy to hear it all.
She had initially worried that the villagers were blinded by their sudden wealth, but to her surprise, the village chief and her second uncle remained as clear-headed as ever.
It's like a big cake that everyone wants a bite of. Rather than holding it tightly in your arms and being schemed against and coveted by others, it's better to share it with others.
This way, you can keep a larger piece and take it safely.
Naturally, everyone felt the pain of losing the portion that was given away, but ultimately, Suijintan was still too weak, and seeking stable development was the top priority.
That night, Liu Zhiheng stayed at the Li family's house. The third branch of the family had just moved to Luo'an, so the room was empty and convenient for him to stay.
Mr. Wen arrived early the next morning.
After discussing it with Liu Zhiheng, they decided to present fifty cold melons and one hundred fragrant melons as tribute.
This number isn't much, but it's not small either.
The village hurriedly went to Dahuaishu Village and bought a lot of small baskets. Each small basket contained one winter melon or ten cantaloupes, making them look much neater and more exquisite.
When picking melons, the village chief specially carried Jiayin to the melon field.
Although he learned from him yesterday, he was still afraid of picking the wrong thing because it was so precious.
Jiayin ran around in the field, pointing to whichever spot the village chief pointed to, and the village chief would lead people to pick that spot.
Liu Zhiheng was surprised and asked Madam Cui, "This little girl from the Li family is only two years old, isn't she a bit too..."
Madam Cui had watched Jiayin grow up, so she wasn't surprised. She smiled and said, "Fu Niu is smarter than ordinary children, and she's naturally greedy, so she's superior to others in this respect. Yesterday, she snatched the first melon from the field mouse's mouth. It was not only ripe, but also especially sweet."
Liu Zhiheng clicked his tongue in amazement. Could this place, Broken Gold Beach, really be some kind of auspicious place? It seemed extraordinary in every way.
Clearing barren mountains can yield hot springs. Even the worst riverbank land can grow winter melons and cantaloupes.
Even the little kids we raise are so smart...
Soon, both the winter melon and the cantaloupe were picked.
Some villagers wanted to wash the dirt off the winter melons and cantaloupes, but Liu Zhiheng stopped them, saying, "Don't wash them. They won't keep well if you wash them. They'll look fresher this way. Just put the clean ones on top, and stuff some melon vines into the basket."
Everyone nodded repeatedly, and after a flurry of activity, they finally got the cold melon and the cantaloupe onto the carriage.
The village chief and Li Lao Er changed into clean clothes, feeling a mix of trepidation and excitement, and followed Liu Zhiheng and Mr. Wen into the palace to present the melons.
The villagers worried about it all day long, and while working, they would always look towards the crossroads.
All the elderly and children in the village who didn't have important work to do were scattered in the melon fields.
No outsiders are allowed to approach, and any small animals or field mice are to be killed without exception.
At dusk, the carriage finally returned.
The village chief and Li Lao Er were so happy they were practically walking on cotton.
The villagers surrounded them, bombarding them with questions: "So, what happened? Did the Emperor eat our winter melon?"
Mr. Wen, fearing that the village chief and the others might not understand, said with a smile, "The Emperor not only ate them, but was also very pleased. He said we are good people of Tianwu, having built our own new homes and grown such fine fruits. The Emperor named the cold melon 'Jade' and the fragrant melon 'Golden Fruit'."
Liu Zhiheng continued, "Don't be fooled by the fact that the Emperor didn't bestow any gifts; these two names alone are priceless treasures. From now on, every household in Tianwu will grow cold melons and fragrant melons, and yours from Suijintan will be among the best. You won't have to worry about selling them, and they'll definitely fetch a high price."
The villagers were overjoyed and knelt down in the direction of Xindu, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Emperor! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Jade melon! Golden fruit! Your Majesty really knows how to name things."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com