Ning Yao covered her mouth and laughed: "So we'll grow our own cotton, and that will infuriate the people of Sheng, making them realize that their proud skills have been learned by other countries. Then we'll see them jumping up and down in frustration, is that right?"
Ning Wenyi's ears turned red: "Although it's a bit underhanded, that's how I think. Whether I can avenge myself depends entirely on you, my daughter!"
"Alright, alright! Don't worry, Dad!"
As night fell, dark clouds loomed over the city, and a new round of rain began to fall.
For nearly half a month, it has been raining intermittently in Licheng, which has thoroughly dried up the parched fields.
Liu Zi and Song Wu's recruitment of long-term laborers in the city is in full swing.
As Ning Yao prepared the first batch of seeds, the list of farmhands was also delivered to her at the same time.
"Third Miss, these are the workers that Shuiyunjian and Yingkelai have recruited during this period."
Ning Yao nodded: "Let me take a look first."
Liu Zi said, “There are 350 people in total. Most of them are from the same family and are mostly from the surrounding villages. Although the heavy rain has fallen, the seedlings cannot be planted in time, so they want to come and work to make a living.”
"Sure, no problem. Has the selection of the agricultural servant been made?"
"We selected two families, both of whom are well-known farming experts in the area. Before the drought, these two families had the best crops."
Ning Yao closed the booklet and said, "Since Shuiyunjian and Yingkelai will have to close for a while, you and Song Wu will be in charge of the long-term workers. Just do as I say, and you don't need to tell me everything."
"It's already mid-April. Tomorrow, have someone come and get the seeds from my maid, Zhilan. I want to see all the Ning family's fertile fields planted within a month. There will be a reward if you do well!"
Liu Zi was slightly startled. As far as he knew, the Ning family had tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, and completing it all within a month was no easy feat.
However, as Miss San said before, if we focus on farmland, we can hire more farmhands.
"I understand, Miss. Don't worry!"
"Okay, go ahead and get busy."
—
Zhilan rushed in, her brows furrowed: "Miss, the human traffickers from the city have arrived."
Ning Yao looked up: "What's wrong?"
Zhilan said, "I heard that there was a problem with the rented house."
"Let him in."
Zhilan went out and soon brought back human traffickers.
"This humble servant greets the Third Miss!"
"Get up and speak. What happened?"
The broker looked troubled: "That young master wanted to buy a house. After looking around, only your house was suitable. I had to beg and plead with them to rent the three-courtyard house instead of selling it. They've only lived there for half a month before they've said they've finished their apprenticeship, claiming the house is haunted again! The old lady and young lady who came with us are demanding compensation, saying we're heartless for renting out a haunted house!"
Ning Yao frowned: "Haunted? I've never heard of this before. Explain yourself more clearly."
The slave trader recounted the story in detail.
The three-courtyard house is located in the west of the city, not far from Pinglan Tower.
At that time, the house did not belong to the previous owner; it was built by a nouveau riche from the countryside.
That family must have had some incredible luck; they made a fortune.
When you're poor, no one cares even in the bustling city; when you're rich, even distant relatives come to visit.
Unable to stay in the countryside any longer, the whole family moved to the city and bought this house with their windfall.
After moving in, life became more and more prosperous, and everyone in the family, whether they were doing business or studying, had smooth sailing.
At its peak, the family even produced a scholar who passed the imperial examination.
For a time, he was the most popular person in Licheng.
Suddenly, tragedy struck. The beautiful and well-educated daughter of the scholar married a thug who beat her to death while drunk.
The scholar's son was born with a congenital deficiency. He sought medical help for many years without success. The child was intelligent and could speak eloquently at the age of three or five, but he still died on the day he passed the imperial examination.
His brothers and sisters, all of whom lived in the house, had good lives, but some fell ill, some had accidents, and none of them had a smooth life.
They all seem to happen normally, but when you look at them all together, there are too many instances of underdrinking and unusual occurrences.
"Everyone says it's a blessed house, but no one knows that a wandering Taoist priest once said that they used their lives to enjoy the house's blessings, and they will have to pay it back later."
"A wandering Taoist priest? How did you know that?"
The slave trader laughed and said, "My ancestors were all in this line of work. This happened when my father was a slave trader, so he told me this himself."
“My father never lied in his life and had a good relationship with many of his old customers in the city. But there was this one thing that made them not believe him.”
"A life of rapid advancement is something that anyone would envy, and the previous owners of this house were among them."
"The family of the scholar fell ill and died, and within ten years, their fortunes declined, and their house was sold to the previous owner."
"The previous owner moved in and lived there for less than half a month before moving out in a hurry. At that time, the manor was also built, and it was said to be a move to a new house, but the reason for it is unknown."
"Later, the house was put up for rent here. Over the years, it's not that no one has considered it, but the previous owner's intention was the same as yours: to rent it out, not to sell it. There have been people renting it over the years, but no one has gotten into trouble. This is the first time."
Ning Yao asked, "You just said it was haunted again, which means it's not the first time."
Upon hearing this, the slave trader straightened his expression and said mysteriously, "It's the former owner's family. They only mentioned it to me when they were selling this house."
"They said that crying could be heard in the house every night, starting at midnight and ending at dawn the next day, disturbing everyone's peace. That's why they moved out after only half a month."
Ning Yao asked again, "Has anyone been killed? Or injured?"
The slave trader replied, "No, but even if nothing bad happens, the constant crying in my ear in the middle of the night is enough to give me a headache."
"The young master who rented the room this time brought an elderly woman, a young woman, and a child. They all said they heard crying in the middle of the night and it was very noisy, so I came to find you."
Ning Yao sorted out the whole story.
Everything went wrong from the moment the scholar's family received an unexpected windfall.
Do you know why that scholar made his fortune?
The human trafficker shook his head: "I don't know about this one."
"Go back and ask your father or anyone still alive from back then if they have any memories. I'll go to that house tonight."
The slave trader nodded: "Alright, I'll go back and ask. But why are you going at night? It's not safe there at night..."
Ning Yao shook her head: "I don't believe in ghosts and gods. Even if such things exist, they can't get into my body. You just do your thing."
"Should we notify the tenants?"
"No need, let me find out the results first!"
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