Ruan Qian looked at his younger brother and sister, his opinion clear. Seeing that no one objected, he then addressed the village chief of Fengjia Village:
"Village chief, we'd like to visit Fengjia Village. Do you agree?"
The village chief of Fengjia Village took a close look at the Ruan family. He had just noticed that this family had an outstanding temperament and a sense of righteousness, so he smiled and nodded.
"Of course you're welcome!"
Seeing this, the Fan family stepped forward, saying, "We want to go too!"
The village chief nodded with a smile.
With that, Fengjia Village was considered full in terms of its population, and the village chief led the people back home.
Although the village chief was thin, he was agile and quick.
In less than half an hour, they brought the person back to the village.
The village chief looked at the three families and said, "Fengjia Village doesn't have a large population, just over two hundred households, scattered far apart, some of whom are still working in the mines."
"We won't make a big fuss by gathering all the villagers and introducing ourselves to you. Now that you've been assigned to Fengjia Village, this will be your home from now on."
“The villagers are not having an easy time. They don’t have any extra houses, so you’ll have to make do with these abandoned houses and thatched huts for now.”
"It's not too late to build my own house after I go fishing on a boat or collect some fish and shrimp from the beach to sell."
"By the way! Your three families happen to be among those designated by the imperial court to serve in the mines. According to regulations, all male members must go to the mines. But the Southern Island is remote, and the imperial court hasn't been involved that far..."
"There's an unwritten rule on the island that everyone has to pay two taels a month, and the mine will arrange for someone to do it for them. So, if you don't go to the mine, try your best to earn more money."
The village chief's gaze swept over Ruan Qian, the eldest son of the Ruan family. The Ruan family members understood that the village chief was kindly reminding them.
Ruan Meng asked, "Thank you, village chief! May I ask, where can I sell the fish and shrimp I catch while beachcombing?"
The village chief pointed to the side, "This road leads directly to the county seat. There's a temple in the county that's very popular with worshippers. The kind-hearted magistrate discussed it with the abbot and allowed the villagers to set up stalls and sell their goods in front of the temple..."
“The men in the village either work in the mines or go out to sea to catch big fish. The women have to take care of the children and can't catch much from the beach, so they rarely go to the city. They only go to the city to exchange the fish that the men catch for other goods.”
Ruan Meng nodded and continued, "Besides beachcombing and fishing, what other ways are there to make money?"
Hearing that the seemingly most foolish girl was suddenly so keen on making money, the Song and Fan families couldn't help but smile kindly.
The village chief patiently explained, "There are wild animals on the back mountain, but it's also very dangerous. Little girl, if you want to go up the mountain, you'll need your brothers to accompany you!"
The Ruan brothers thanked the village chief together.
The village chief led the three families to the designated meeting place in turn.
The Fan family was taken to a dilapidated house. The village chief explained, "The original owner of this house went out to sea to fish and never came back. The house has been exposed to the elements and is now empty. You can stay here without worry."
"My house is right behind the locust tree. I'll bring you some blankets and food later."
The Fan family expressed their gratitude repeatedly.
The Song family was led to a thatched hut next to the locust tree. The village chief pointed to his own house and said, "There's really no room in my house, so please make do. If you have any questions or need anything, feel free to ask."
The Song family was extremely grateful.
Finally, the village chief led the Ruan family to a dilapidated stone house by the sea.
"This place was originally where the villagers observed typhoons. But later, everyone learned to identify the wind direction and stopped using this house."
"The house is a bit small, so please make do with it. It's close to the sea and has survived several typhoons. Although some parts collapsed, it's still more sturdy than other houses."
Ruan Qian and his family expressed their gratitude, and the village chief pointed to a house not far away, saying, "Grandma Liu lives alone and is a very kind person. If you need anything, she will help you."
After saying that, the village chief prepared to go home and deliver bedding and other items to the three families.
After the village chief left, Ruan Yicai couldn't wait to ask his elder brother, "Brother, why did you suggest choosing Fengjia Village?"
Ruan Qian's eyes were clear as he patiently asked, "Do you remember what Feng Daxian said, that the village chiefs should settle us in?"
The three siblings nodded.
Ruan Qian then asked, "So, why did Feng Da suddenly announce that the Song family would be assigned to Feng Family Village?"
Ruan Yi and Ruan Zheng thought for a moment, and Ruan Meng remembered that it was after the village chief of Wanjia Village kept staring at the Song family girl.
Ruan Zheng gave the answer, Ruan Qian nodded, and Ruan Yi understood:
"So, elder brother thinks that Lord Feng is a good person, and that his arrangements will be good?"
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