The news report about the interview in Jixing Village, Shengba Township, was broadcast on Channel 2 that evening. Zhang Guodong, Li Yun, and others sat in front of the TV and watched the fat man's arrogant behavior.
On the television screen, the fat man spoke eloquently, appearing confident and composed, which surprised everyone.
They all sighed, "This officialdom is truly a test of character."
This broadcast brought Zhangba Township into the spotlight throughout the city. City leaders also learned about Secretary Wang. As for the economic development of Zhangba Township, many more people came to Zhangba Township to explore investment opportunities.
A week later, the swimming pool built by Taoyuan was completed. Once the white tiles were laid on the bottom and walls of the pool, and the pool facilities were in place, it immediately became beautiful.
Once the cement inside has completely hardened, it can be put into use.
Zhang Guodong hadn't expected Zhao Laoliu's cooking skills to be so "good." After nearly a month of working with him, Zhang Guodong didn't intend to use him for nothing. There was no need for gratitude, so Zhang Guodong gave Zhao Laoliu three thousand yuan as his wages—not much. Zhao Laoliu resolutely refused any more.
He only accepted the money after Zhang Guodong mentioned Ya Ya's tuition. He could have forfeited it, but Ya Ya's future was more important. This was what Zhao Laoliu valued most.
Zhang Guodong didn't point it out, but in reality, as long as the medicinal herbs were grown well, Zhao Laoliu's economic situation would improve significantly.
Having dealt with Zhao Laoliu, he also took on some kitchen work. He performed well, showing great strength and doing a good job. He never slacked off. For the past ten days or so, he's acted as Zhao Laoliu's assistant and helper. Occasionally, he'd also help with tiling and mixing cement, without needing Zhao Laoliu's guidance.
This kind of technical work still needs to be done by professionals. Zhang Guodong could only contribute his strength. In terms of strength, Zhao Laoliu and Fandun were completely outmatched; they were both shocked by Zhang Guodong's incredible strength.
Zhao Laoliu and Fandun were already at their limit carrying one bag of cement. But Zhang Guodong, who wasn't that strong, carried two bags at once, looking quite relaxed.
They believe that Zhang Guodong possesses superhuman strength. There have been such figures in history, and the historical records seem to confirm this.
Having received the money, the two also helped Zhang Guodong fill the irrigation ditch with the fresh soil excavated from the swimming pool, building the ditch and dam—all in a single day. Half an acre of new land appeared in front of Taoyuan Xiaozhu's courtyard. Everyone was happy!
With the completion of the Taoyuan Xiaozhu project, the busy farming season in Jixing Village has temporarily come to an end. However, the villagers have not rested, but instead go to the fields multiple times a day to check on the medicinal herb seedlings.
However, the medicinal herb seedlings grew exceptionally well; not only did none of them die, but they grew even longer and stronger.
The news spread very quickly.
The busy farming season at Jixingjing is a major attraction, lasting a week. During this time, it draws people from neighboring villages who come to inquire about the details. Suddenly, the number of visitors from outside the village has increased dramatically.
It's impossible for such a massive, high-profile wealth-generating scheme not to attract attention.
Large tracts of crops were harvested. Then, surprisingly, tender green medicinal herb seedlings sprouted in the fields, a truly peculiar sight.
Zhang Guodong rarely left Taoyuan Xiaozhu and headed towards Zhao Sanshun's house. On the way, he encountered a burly young man with a buzz cut. Zhang Guodong remembered that this man was called Zhao Qiang.
He was said to be the best marksman in the entire village. He had returned from military service, but his marksmanship remained impeccable.
"Guo, Guodong, you've come at the right time. Our village is organizing a late summer hunt tomorrow, are you going to join?" Zhao Qiang asked hesitantly.
He was a few years older than Zhang Guodong, so calling him by his name felt a little strange. Zhang Guodong was a "big boss." Zhao Qiang felt pressured. However, Zhang Guodong generally required villagers to call him by his name, just as he allowed Zhao Laoliu and Fandun to address him as they pleased.
Zhang Guodong was curious. Hunting? He asked and learned it was a village event. Hunting animals for meat wasn't the main purpose. Many people were eager to go into the mountains, but might come out empty-handed.
After all, some animals in the mountains cannot be hunted; they are nationally protected species. Also, it depends on luck.
However, game like rabbits, which reproduce quickly, can be hunted. Additionally, wild boars might be encountered in the mountains. It's said that these boars come from another direction. Every late summer and autumn, the boars sweep through this area, destroying many crops.
Wild animals, such as wild boars, reproduce rapidly, especially after the country issued a gun ban, which led to a significant increase in the number of wild animals.
"How did you manage to get the gun?" Zhang Guodong asked, intrigued. The pleasure of hunting alone is completely different from hunting with a group. Perfect timing, Zhang Guodong had already finished his stockpile of game. Perhaps he could demonstrate his marksmanship sometime.
"There are some air rifles in the village. They're not very powerful, but they're enough to shoot small animals!" Zhao Qiang said with a smile. "Er Leng's family, Uncle Shengli's family, Lao Liu's family, and Uncle San, the village chief's family all have air rifles. I estimate we can collect seven or eight!"
"Alright, I'll participate too. But how do we get a gun? Can we apply for one from the Xiangwulai tribe?"
"No need for that trouble. Uncle San doesn't usually use that air rifle. We can definitely borrow it!" Zhao Jizhi suggested.
"Okay, when do we leave tomorrow?" Zhang Guodong nodded and smiled. He had both pistols and submachine guns, but those couldn't be taken out. He'd never handled an air rifle before.
"Meet at 5:00 AM tomorrow, and leave at 5:30 AM. Meet at the entrance of the village committee!"
When Zhang Guodong arrived at Zhao Sanshun's house after parting ways with Zhao Qiang, Zhao Sanshun was just returning home, his face flushed. He had been invited to discuss business by the village chiefs of the neighboring villages of Xia Village and Shengli Village, and had also had some drinks.
Although the medicinal herb cultivation in Jixing Village hasn't yielded any profits yet, even a fool knows that with the strong support from the township government, the villagers' incomes are bound to increase significantly, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
So Zhao Sanshun has been living a very comfortable life lately. Having served as village secretary and village head for so many years, he's never felt so triumphant. Yang Sheng, the village head of the next village, who usually doesn't interact with him much, now treats him like royalty. Guo Jianguo, the secretary of Shengli Village, feels the same way. When they heard that Jixing Village had established a cooperative company and that villagers would receive dividends, both of them were incredibly envious.
To investigate and understand this matter in depth.
But Zhao Sanshun was shrewd. He said many nice things, but all of them were evasive. Jixing Village had only just started developing medicinal herb cultivation. If another village got involved, it would inevitably compete with Jixing Village. Zhao Sanshun would never open this door. Seeing the two of them looking so eager, Zhao Sanshun felt a sense of satisfaction and wanted to laugh out loud.
All of this is inseparable from Zhang Guodong.
"Guodong is here! Come in, come in quickly!" Zhao Sanshun smiled as soon as Zhang Guodong entered.
This smile comes from the heart.
"Third Uncle, you seem to be in a good mood!"
"Haha, thank you, thank you!"
The two sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), with a table between them. Their aunt served them several cold dishes, seemingly prepared in advance. There was also a bottle of Xifeng liquor and two small wine cups.
Xifeng liquor is a specialty of Shaanxi Province. It is said to have originated in the Yin and Shang dynasties and flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, boasting a history of over 1000 years. As early as the Tang dynasty, it was listed as a precious commodity and is one of the eight famous liquors of China. It is mellow and elegant, sweet and refreshing, with harmonious flavors and a clean, lingering finish.
"Come on, let's have a few more drinks. You've had plenty of Moutai, so it's nothing special for you. But you've probably never tried this Xifeng. I've been storing it for twenty years!" Zhao Sanshun poured drinks for the two of them and said with a sigh.
Zhang Guodong glanced at the bottle and, sure enough, saw the production date marked on it. The packaging also looked rather old, which explained everything.
Zhang Guodong thanked him, picked up the cup, and looked at Zhao Sanshun. He knew Zhao Sanshun had more to say; otherwise, he wouldn't have called him over.
really.
"This first cup of wine is to express my gratitude to you on behalf of all the people of Jixing Village. Your arrival has brought opportunities and hope to the village!" Zhao Sanshun said sincerely.
"Third Uncle, why are you thanking me? I'm just talking about business, I got paid for it, no one owes me anything!" Zhang Guodong said with a smile.
"That's not how it works. The village will really prosper next year, thanks to Secretary Wang and to you. Jixing Village doesn't have a significant advantage in the whole township. For example, villages like Xia Village and Shengli are bigger and have more people than Jixing Village, but you chose to come here, which is the biggest help you can give to the village!"
Zhao Sanshun, however, didn't think so. He had thought about it carefully. This matter was indeed thanks to Zhang Guodong; the relationship between Secretary Wang and Zhang Guodong had deepened further.
Otherwise, once the other villages have Zhang Guodong's support, Jixing Village will be out of the running.
Furthermore, Zhao Sanshun had inquired about the origin of this star grass. Unfortunately, despite using connections and spending money, he had never heard of this medicinal herb. Clearly, it was unique.
Zhao Sanshun had already done all these things before signing the contract. Don't think he and the villagers are easy to fool. Even if the fat man intervened, if they didn't agree, it would be all for nothing.
All of this determined Zhao Sanshun's recognition and gratitude towards Zhang Guodong.
Zhang Guodong offered a few modest words, but his heart remained unmoved. This benefit truly deserved to be credited to him. Otherwise, he might not have cared much about those two or three million yuan.
"Guodong, the village chiefs and secretaries of Xia Village and Shengli Village asked me to inquire with you. Their villages also want to try planting this medicinal herb. I wonder what your opinion is?" Zhao Sanshun changed the subject and raised a question.
question.
Zhao Sanshun seemed eager to know Zhang Guodong's decision. When the leaders from Xia Village and Shengli Village came to his door, Zhao Sanshun knew that he couldn't avoid this matter.
It all depends on what Zhang Guodong says and what Secretary Wang says. Deep down, he certainly doesn't want other villages to compete with his village.
Zhang Guodong was surprised for a moment, then chuckled inwardly. He knew this wine wouldn't taste good. However, he had no intention of spreading the star grass to other villages.
Cultivating millions of medicinal herb seedlings is already a very "troublesome" task. Any more and he simply couldn't manage it all. Even now, Zhang Guodong is starting to regret his decision and has decided to delegate the cultivation work to others in the future.
Otherwise, it would delay his cultivation.
While things may appear calm on the surface in China today, Zhang Guodong can sense it. This is the calm before the storm. It is precisely the time for him to seize the opportunity to strengthen his power.
Zhang Guodong's hesitation made Zhao Sanshun very nervous. The scene was quite amusing. However, Zhao Sanshun, having drunk some alcohol, was a bit oblivious and didn't realize it.
Well, I'm not considering that right now. Cultivating medicinal herb seedlings is a very troublesome matter, and the current cultivation quantity is already at its limit; any more would be practically impossible.
Zhao Sanshun's smile widened even more, and he visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Come on, let's keep drinking. I'll turn them down later!"
Just when Zhang Guodong thought the matter with Zhao Sanshun was about to be concluded, Zhao Sanshun actually discussed a serious matter with him, one that concerned the village.
The village was planning to buy a few evergreen saplings, but they were undecided about which type to buy.
The climate in the north has four distinct seasons, making it really difficult to choose evergreen tree species. There are very few evergreen shrubs to choose from, such as privet, pine, and ironwood. Moreover, these trees are less ornamental.
The village needs to continue road construction. While it doesn't need to be upgraded to a Class II highway all at once, it should at least reach Class III standards. And the landscaping along the roadsides and the trees on the mountainsides—these tasks must be completed.
Secretary Wang had mentioned that 200,000 yuan could be allocated specifically for Jixing Village. However, this money wasn't so easily obtained. While worrying about this, Zhao Sanshun thought of discussing it with Zhang Guodong. After all, Zhang Guodong might have more experience than they did.
"I heard there's a new timber company in the district that deals in off-season tree species, but the prices are a bit high. One of them is a tree called 'Green Leaf Tree,' which is green four times a year and extremely ornamental. Is that reliable? Zhao Ershun, cannon fodder."
"This person is a relative of Shi Tou's aunt in the village."
"Green leaf palm?" Zhang Guodong recalled, but it didn't seem to affect him much. He then shook his head: "Never heard of it. Maybe I don't know it?"
"But it's safer to have someone from the Forestry Bureau take a look!"
"That's the only way!" Zhao Sanshun nodded.
Finally, the two agreed that after the village hunt was over, they would go to the district to make contact with each other.
When Zhang Guodong left Zhao Sanshun's house, it was already getting dark. It was seven o'clock in the evening. Zhao Sanshun's hospitality had led him to drink a little more than usual. However, this amount of alcohol was nothing to him.
Back at Peach Blossom Abode, they were surprised to find Xuan Qing there as well! Xuan Qing usually devoted most of his time to cultivation, not wanting to waste a single moment.
It's a bit of a pity. The spiritual energy here is only thirty times stronger. Even if Xuan Qingban spends more time, the effect will be very slow. Unless she has some kind of fortuitous encounter, reaching level fifty is no easy feat. Even when her lifespan ends, she might not be able to reach it.
"Everyone's here. Have you eaten?" Zhang Guodong looked at the women in surprise as he walked in. The table was spotless. There wasn't a single empty plate, let alone any food.
He had only drunk a lot of alcohol, and didn't like the food, so he ate very little. Therefore, he was still hungry.
Both Dahei and Daqing were there, but they weren't lying down. Instead, they were standing with their ears perked up, looking wary as if facing a formidable enemy.
The strangest thing was that the little bird, which would normally go inside to rest as soon as it got dark, was now perched on Qingzhu's shoulder, but it wasn't sleeping. Its feathers were all spread out in a frenzy. It was as bizarre as could be.
"What's wrong with you all? Who made you angry?" Zhang Guodong was completely baffled. Who would dare to mess with these women? Even he wouldn't dare.
"Just now, Sister Qingzhu spotted a dark shadow outside the fence and it snatched one of her crystals!" Li Yun said, glancing at the furious Qingzhu.
"A shadowy figure? What kind?"
"It was very small, and incredibly fast. I couldn't see it clearly because it was dark!" Qingzhu said angrily. "That's outrageous! It actually stole my crystal. It popped out of the yard and disappeared in an instant."
Zhang Guodong glanced at Qin Lina. He thought to himself, "She even used the word 'crystal.' Doesn't she worry about arousing suspicion?" But taking the thing that had stolen Qingzhu was truly "cruel" to her. It was like tearing a penny from Scrooge.
"Ahem. Are you sure you're not mistaken? Who could possibly snatch something from your hands?" Zhang Guodong suppressed a laugh, trying not to provoke Qingzhu.
Losing just one crystal isn't a big deal. But what's with this little guy's speed? How could he possibly shake off Qingzhu's pursuit?
Although it was dark, to the plant cultivators, within a certain range, even the sound of a pin dropping wouldn't escape their notice.
"I can tell. Humph!" Qingzhu was clearly dissatisfied. She turned to Xuan Qingban for help: "Sister Qingwen, you have to stand up for me! I saw that little thief head towards the back of the house, I can't be wrong. I want to see what dares to plot against me!"
"The direction behind the house? Snake Valley?"
Behind the house lay Little Snake Valley. Could that small dark shadow be a snake? Thinking this, Zhang Guodong suddenly remembered the two small snakes, one golden and one blue, he had encountered in the Dinosaur Mountains.
Although compared to his current self, it was nothing to worry about and couldn't harm him, its speed was the fastest he knew of among all snakes!
Below level 15, you can't defend against their sneak attacks at all; they're too fast.
But the problem is... Qingzhu is a level 28 plant cultivator, far more alert than anyone else. It's hard to imagine any animal managing to "steal food" from her. Because this is Earth, where spiritual energy is scarce, it's impossible for powerful demonic beasts to roam freely.
"Could it be a small snake? Then the insect-repelling herb won't work!" Li Yun exclaimed in surprise.
There are many insect-repelling plants planted behind the house, specifically to prevent insects and snakes from entering. Generally speaking, insect-repelling plants are very effective against insects and snakes, making it unlikely that they could sneak in.
Zhang Guodong kept knocking. It seemed that besides Little Snake Valley, he couldn't think of any other possibilities. He also felt things were getting a bit tricky.
With something like this happening, who can sleep peacefully? If it's a truly strange snake, it might attack you in your sleep; it's impossible to guard against.
Qin Lina looked somewhat nervous. She was also very uneasy. She slept alone, and now she wouldn't be able to sleep soundly.
"After tonight, I'll go into that valley tomorrow and take a look!" Xuan Qinghui finally said.
His tone remained as flat as ever.
"Lina, why don't you stay here tonight too? It'll be safer with more people around!" Zhang Guodong said hurriedly.
“Okay, I’m too scared to sleep alone anymore!” Qin Lina said immediately.
“I’m sleeping with Sister Na, hee hee!” Li Yun exclaimed.
"What if that thing comes to the market while we're asleep?"
It was Qingzhu who said this. She was deeply worried.
Zhang Guodong had planned to keep watch that night. But he underestimated Xuan Qingban. Xuan Qingban took out a small bottle, but what he poured out was a brown powder. He sprinkled some in front of the door and in the cracks. Zhang Guodong's room on the second floor was no exception.
Then he carefully put the small bottle away.
Zhang Guodong wanted to ask, but Xuan Qinghui didn't seem inclined to explain, so he had to give up.
When something like this happens, everyone loses their appetite, eats a little bread, and goes to bed early.
Zhang Guodong couldn't sleep at all during the first half of the night, carefully scanning his surroundings for any sounds, but there was no sound at all during the first half and the second half of the night.
I slept soundly until dawn!
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