"It's alright!"
Jiang Ming laughed and said, "Let me tell you, from now on, the entire Dukang County will have to listen to your husband, me."
"What do you mean?" Murong Xue asked, completely bewildered.
"Heh..." Jiang Ming smugly pulled her into his arms, undressing her as he said, "You have to learn to be the behind-the-scenes manipulator. Only a fool would be the agent in the open. The one who controls things from behind the scenes is the real master!"
......
Early the next morning, Jiang Ming strolled around the village, inspecting how each household was handling their hides.
Every family in Chenjia Village received wolf pelts, but the tanning process was quite complicated and took time; it couldn't be completed in just a few days...
An ordinary wolf pelt can sell for 7-8 taels, not to mention that wolves in late autumn are at their fattest and strongest, with thick fur, and can sell for at least 10 taels.
Each family had at least 10 taels of silver, which not only covered their taxes but also allowed them to live comfortably through the winter, so the villagers worked exceptionally hard.
Jiang Ming noticed that the women processing the leather were all listless and sleepy, and some of them even walked with an awkward gait.
"Hey! What's wrong with you guys? You're all so listless? You're not happy even though you're making money?" Jiang Ming asked with a smile.
The women all blushed and remained silent, heads bowed.
"Chief Jiang, I know what happened?"
The village's old bachelor, Liang the Drunkard, laughed and said, "Wolf meat is just as nutritious as dog meat. These old women are really tormented by their men at night. They scream and howl, making a huge commotion, like they're being rammed. Didn't you hear it last night, Jiang Tingzhang?"
"Liang, you drunkard! You bastard who was splattered to death! What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Pah! Shameless bastard!"
"He deserves to be childless for life!"
......
The women were enraged and began to curse him.
"Hey? You bunch of old hags, is it wrong for me to tell the truth? Chief Jiang, there's no law that says it's wrong to tell the truth, right? Widow Sun, it's one thing for them to insult me, but you actually insulted me too? Don't you know your own situation? Are you just jealous and resentful? Are you blaming me for not spending time with you last night?"
I'll tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!
"Oh, widows are chasing bachelors!"
...
As the villagers were making a fuss, laughing and cursing, Pavilion Chief Chen Dazhuang ran over, looking very nervous, and said, "Pavilion Chief Jiang, something terrible has happened! People from the prefecture have come to forcibly collect hides. They want to take them away for 5 coins a piece, and they even beat up our people!"
"Who the hell is so arrogant?" Jiang Ming asked angrily.
Chen Dazhuang swallowed hard and said, "I heard they're related to the Prefect, or even the Prefect's wife..."
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