Chapter 343: Chen Jinhai Blocks the Road

"Shut up, you're all like that, our Chen family would have been gone long ago." Chen Jinhai rebuked angrily.

"Hmph, that's fine, from now on Baiyun Village will be two villages, Baiyun Village and Ye Family Village." Chen Jinshui retorted rudely, "Say it first, I'm going to Ye Family Village."

After saying that, Chen Jinshui didn't care about the remaining relatives, he just left, too lazy to waste time with them; better to go find some fun himself.

On several hundred meters of tidal flat, crowds of people spread out, bent low, slowly moving across the gray-brown mud, iron rakes carving shallow and deep gullies in the mudflat, rising and falling.

Although it was still morning, piles of clams had already been stacked beside him, making Chen Jinhai's eyes glow with envy.

"Jinhai, are you really just going to swallow this anger?" Chen Jinfa said indignantly.

"Nonsense! I'm the village chief." Chen Jinhai shouted sternly.

"They want to cut us off? Then we'll block the road—no money, no passage. Let's see how they sell their clams!"

"That makes sense, Jinhai—let's block the road, set up a toll, if they don't pay they can't get out! Let's see what they do!"

"Come on, call people."

With Chen Jinhai taking the blame, the other Chen family members weren't afraid either; each went home to gather manpower, planning to block the road in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Ye Cheng's side started work at 5 a. m.

Because yesterday's division of labor was clear, as soon as they arrived, everyone went to their respective groups and started working.

They were all from the same village, working while chatting, thinking they still had 100 yuan in wages, so they worked quite easily.

Jiang Yunxiang's side started boiling porridge and steaming buns at 5 a. m., using the village's large steamer for banquet meals, steaming over a hundred buns, then some side dishes.

By 7 a. m., Ye Cheng began organizing people in shifts to eat, in an orderly manner.

Ye Cheng looked at the harvested clams, already piled into a big heap; at this rate, he estimated they'd finish by 5 p. m.

While they were hard at work, the Chen family also began to act.

A few youngsters lifted a large log and headed toward the village entrance; as soon as they placed it in the middle of the road, no vehicle would be able to pass.

Chen Jinhai had also decided on the plan—he would charge a toll of ten thousand!

Not a single cent less.

At noon, Jiang Yunxiang and her group prepared three dishes: a braised pork (mostly fatty), a potato beef stew, and a stir-fried bean sprout—two meat, one vegetable—each person got a big bowl.

The men could also pour a shot or two of baijiu, making everyone eat with great enjoyment.

"Guowei, this is much better than what we eat at home."

"Exactly, if anything comes up, just call us—we'll come for this meal even for free, hahaha."

"It's been a while since we've all drunk together like this—come, let's cheers."

The villagers love a lively scene—so many men and women eating together, the atmosphere was incredibly lively.

If Ye Cheng hadn't limited everyone's baijiu intake at noon, this group would have started drinking right then.

"Uncles and aunts, we'll drink less at noon and open up the supply for everyone tonight," Ye Cheng shouted.

"Good! Tonight you brothers can't get away."

"Uncle, first ask your wife whether she'll let you come home if you're drunk," Ye Cheng teased.

"He can go home, but he won't be able to get in bed—he'll be limp," they laughed.

A few risqué jokes kicked off, and everyone was merry.

In the afternoon they were still rushing, so lunch break wasn't long; after eating, Ye Cheng didn't go back with them because Li Quezi came to find him.

"Lao Er, I just went to town to haul goods and saw the Chen family setting up a big log at the village entrance—looks like they're planning to block the road. What should we do? Should we call the police?"

"Blocking the road, heh—go ahead and block it, see if you can actually hold it."

"It's fine, I've got it figured out—you go about your business, and have the evening liquor ready for me?"

"All set, don't worry—two bottles of maotai, five packs of zhonghua cigarettes, the rest is loose liquor."

"However, Lao Er, buying maotai is unnecessary—just drink the local liquor; maotai would be wasteful."

Li Quezi looked at Ye Cheng, who had already paid everyone's wages; it was just a work meal, yet he was also giving maotai—although only two bottles, that's still several thousand.

"This maotai is useful—just buy it and bring it over, I'll settle the account with you later."

Ye Cheng didn't tell Ye Guowei about the road-blocking plan, or else they'd probably have come to blows.

Ye Guowei only needed to ensure the clams were harvested on time.

So far 70% has been harvested; according to Ye Cheng's estimate, they'll finish by 5 p. m., leaving only washing and loading.

Ye Cheng contacted He Lao Ban; they should arrive around 4 p. m. with two small trucks.

It was now 2 p. m.; Ye Cheng made another call to confirm, then leisurely went over to help Jiang Yunxiang set up the tables.

Tonight will definitely be a big feast—they set up seven tables directly in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Chen Jinhai was sitting by the road outside the village exit with his ordinary Chen family brothers.

Beside him was a four- to five-meter-long log pillar, a discarded piece taken from an old house; soon they'd throw it onto the road and his brothers and sisters would step forward.

"Heh, truly one man holding the gate against ten thousand."

"Those idiots are still toiling away under the sun; when they realize they can't pull their cargo out, they'll know how formidable we are."

"Village chief, look at those two trucks!" a youngster exclaimed, pointing excitedly into the distance.

Chen Jinhai stood up and looked—sure enough, it was.

"Such trucks rarely come to the village; these two must be them."

"Hurry, hurry, move the pillar to the middle of the road—if they don't pay, they won't be let through." Chen Jinhai felt quite pleased.

"What is this? This is the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

"This is draining the pot from under the fire."

"This is strategizing behind the scenes, hahaha."

Thinking of how others painstakingly earn money while he just needs to put up a log to make money, Chen Jinhai almost laughed.

"Stop! Stop!!!" Chen Jinfa, with two youths wearing red armbands, stood in the middle of the road and stopped the two trucks in their tracks.

"What's wrong? Did a tree fall?" He Lao Ban jumped down from the car with an anxious look; today such a big business, he definitely has to personally follow along, otherwise he wouldn't be at ease.

"No, now you have to pay a fee to enter our village." Chen Jinfa said carelessly, this feeling is really good.

He Lao Ban was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misheard.

A fee?

You have to pay a fee to enter the village?

Do you think you're some kind of toll‑road bandit? What era is this?

"No, when did Baiyun Village start charging to enter, and who decided that?"

"It was decided by our Village Chief, what's the problem?"

He Lao Ban looked at the unreasonable few before him, then turned his head to look at Chen Jinhai behind them.