Do you think they can defeat the Japanese pirates?
Chen Xianming was somewhat uncertain, after all, the Japanese pirates had been lingering around Xihe and Longtan for many years.
Chen Gu was in the prime of his life, full of youthful passion; how could he possibly see that far ahead?
He said with certainty, "It definitely can!"
After listening to his son's words, Chen Xianming gradually calmed down and casually opened the account book on the table.
"Gu'er, what do you think about us selling last year's grain to them at a low price?"
Chen Gu's expression immediately changed. Had his father gone mad?
"How can we explain this to the people over there if we sell us?"
Chen Xianming glared at his son, who had a head full of bumps from Yulin, and said, "We're short of money, what's wrong with selling grain?"
Chen Gu said, "I've heard that powerful families in other cities have taken in many refugees as caretakers, so I'm afraid they'll come to us to buy even more grain this year."
"Just because they buy, does that mean we have to sell? We also support quite a few good slaves; don't they need to eat and drink?"
Ever since he learned from the merchants that the people who had settled in Longtan were from the Yun family, Chen Xianming had been looking for an opportunity to get in touch with them.
Normally, when people from Longtan come here to buy things, the authorities turn a blind eye and even warn the merchants not to raise prices arbitrarily.
“If we sell our grain, we won’t have much left, Dad. We have to be careful when selling grain these days.”
Chen Gu knew that grain was always a hard currency, no matter how chaotic the times.
"Don't worry, the new grain will be harvested in a little over a month. We'll keep half a year's worth and sell the rest to Longtan."
Chen Xianming stroked his newly grown mustache, his eyes resolute. The people of Longtan dared to confront the Japanese pirates head-on, and he was determined to get involved in this connection no matter what.
"Father, you're going to such lengths to befriend them?" Chen Gu wasn't stupid; he quickly understood what the old man was thinking.
Chen Xianming returned to his seat at the head of the table, his perpetually furrowed brows now relaxed considerably.
He said earnestly, "If Longtan can be developed, it will be entirely beneficial to us."
"Alright! Then my son will have the merchant leak the news to Longtan."
Chen Xianming waved his hand at him and said seriously, "No, we must not entrust this matter to others. You must personally go to Longtan and let them see our sincerity."
"Son, go and prepare now. We'll set off tomorrow."
Chen Gu turned to leave, but stopped just before leaving and glanced back at the old man sitting at the head of the table.
She has devoted herself to this family for the past few years, and although she is only in her early forties, her hair is already completely white.
"Father, do you think they'll discover that place on their trip to Xihe?"
Chen Xianming understood what Chen Gu meant.
"It should be possible!"
Chen Gu smiled and went out the door; it was time to get things done.
Isn't Longtan short of manpower? He might as well send Longtan another big gift.
Longtan County.
backyard.
That day, Lin Zhiyan stayed in Lin Yinan's room, saying she wanted to accompany her mother to take care of her younger sister and refused to go to school.
Lin Yinan assumed that she had been frightened by his unconscious state a few days ago, so he let her stay.
Lin Zhiyan is precocious despite her young age, and the longer you spend time with her, the more she will try to climb the social ladder.
"Mom, can I stop going to school from now on?"
"Why?" Lin Yinan was sitting at the table flipping through the account books when he heard this and looked up at her.
Lin Zhiyan clung to her back like an octopus, saying, "I like being with my mother; I don't like studying."
Yunying came in carrying a sewing basket, walked over to Lin Zhiyan, and pinched her nose.
"You little rascal, that's not what you said to me yesterday. Why are you going back on your word?"
Yunying's words contained no reproach, but Lin Zhiyan began to cry, "Auntie, I really don't want to go."
Upon seeing this, Lin Yinan quickly put down the ledger and pulled her into his arms.
"Did any of the other kids at school bully you?"
It would have been better if she hadn't asked; the question only made Lin Zhiyan's tears fall even harder, and she even started sobbing.
Lin Yinan took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and asked her softly, "Tell your mother, who bullied you?"
"Waaah, it's Pan Erya. She said that if my mother gives birth to my sister, she won't want me anymore. She also said that I'm a wild child she picked up."
Lin Yinan coaxed gently, "Silly girl, you believe just because someone says a few words? Don't you remember how your parents treat you?"
Lin Zhiyan lowered her head and rested it on her shoulder, her little mouth close to her ear and said, "Mom, I was wrong. I'll go to school this afternoon and tell them loudly that Mom and Dad love me the most."
As he spoke, he stood up straight and gave a big smile, but accidentally blew out a snot bubble.
Yunying smiled and wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her face. "Tomorrow, Auntie will pick you up from school. If anyone dares to bully you again, Auntie will take you to their door to fight them."
He then brandished his fist at her, saying, "Our fists aren't just for show!"
Children's emotions come and go quickly. While Lin Yinan and Yun Ying were busy, she would lie by the bedside watching the baby and whispering to him.
When Lin Yinan finished looking at an account book and turned back to look at her, she found that she had kicked off her little shoes and climbed into bed to sleep next to the baby.
Lin Yinan smiled slightly as she looked at Yun Ying, who was diligently doing her work.
"Aying, is this for the wedding? Has your mother approved of your relationship?"
Yunying nodded shyly, "Before he left, he asked my mother for help, and she said she would throw a few tables of wine for us when we move into the new house."
Seeing her flushed cheeks, Lin Yinan teased, "Tell me quickly how this unruly playboy Yun Er fell for you?"
"Third Sister-in-law, how can I possibly say this?" Yunying's face was flushed with happiness.
"It must be because our Ah Ying is so intelligent, gentle, and charming..."
Lin Yinan used a bunch of words that suited Yun Ying's temperament, which earned him a glare from Yun Ying that was both angry and shy.
"Third sister-in-law, you're just teasing me. You're making things more and more outrageous."
The two were whispering to each other when Lin Yiheng stood at the door and knocked.
Yun Ying suppressed her smile, tidied up the unfinished female worker's work, and left.
Because Lin Yinan often had to handle matters, Yun Mo had a simple screen made and placed in the room to separate her from the table.
After Lin Yiheng sat down, he handed her an account book. "Anan, take a look at this."
Lin Yinan opened the booklet and quickly glanced at it. "Lychees?"
"The lychees on the thousands of acres of land outside the city are ripe. The orchard has been abandoned for several years, and no one has taken care of the trees. But this year the fruit is growing well, and I plan to have someone pick it," Lin Yiheng said. The fruit is ripe and cannot be left to rot on the branches.
Lin Yinan asked, "With so many fruits, have you decided what to do with them?"
"I came here to discuss this matter with you. I asked the merchants and Liang Wen and the others. At this time of year, lychees are a common sight in the cities of the southern regions. Almost every family with land will plant one or two trees. If you want to sell them, you won't get a good price. Instead, you'll lose money in terms of manpower and resources."
With the north in chaos and people barely able to save their lives, there was no reason for merchants to come and buy lychees.
"No wonder this huge orchard was abandoned so easily; it wasn't worth much after all," Lin Yinan murmured.
Lin Yiheng said, "That piece of land is quite large. Why don't we cut down the fruit trees and use the land to grow some beans, cotton, or something similar?"
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