Chapter 346

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Zhongming's doorway was a mess, with spots of blood and signs of a scuffle on the ground.

"Did they really hit that hard?" Chai Xiu said softly, "This Liu Xiaochun is ruthless."

Song Qiushui tiptoed to peer into Chai Zhongming's pitch-black shack: "Tsk, this ruined home... eh? Chai Mi, did something glint in the dirt by the threshold?"

Chai Mi looked in the direction she pointed; the mud beside the threshold, trampled into a mess, was pitch black with nothing there, only a few broken tiles: "Seeing things? Hurry up, let's go home."

"Oh, look, just in case there's something good..." Song Qiushui wouldn't give up.

"Something good?" Chai Mi grabbed Song Qiushui and Chai Xiu as they tried to move forward, her tone unquestionable, "That brute Liu Xiaochun, Chai Zhongming's shack—besides rat droppings, what good stuff could there be? Look at those people poking their heads around like thieves; what fun are we joining? Go! Home! The sacks still aren't sorted this afternoon!"

"Chai Mi! You're so stubborn!" Song Qiushui complained all the way, "Looking doesn't cost money! If there's something valuable, wouldn't our calf's milk powder money be sorted?"

"You go pick it up, don't drag me in." Chai Mi remained unmoved, "I'm warning you, Song Qiushui, don't pull any tricks. Chai Zhongming getting beaten like that is a lesson—penny-wise and pound-foolish. With that time, think about earning more at tomorrow's stall; that's more practical. And, Liu Chunyan's 'treasure'—just listen, don't take it seriously."

Passing by Liu Xiaochun's dilapidated courtyard, they found the courtyard gate tightly shut.

Song Qiushui pouted: "Hmph, this worthless wretch, probably went to the hospital himself."

Chai Mi glanced at the tightly shut door and said nothing.

Back home, Chai Mi called to Chai Xiu: "Xiu'er, come with me to sort out those sacks of seasonings in the storehouse; they're covered in dust, must be done this afternoon."

"Okay!" Chai Xiu answered.

Song Qiushui followed reluctantly: "Chai Mi, you really have no interest in that treasure? Liu Chunyan made it sound so convincing..."

Chai Mi pushed open the storehouse door while saying: "Interested, then what? Can money fall from the sky? Qiushui, what our family lacks now is steady money, not illusory windfalls. Look at Liu Chunyan strutting in leather pants—that's her business. With this mindset, we'd better think about tomorrow's stall; with the new frying pot and that barrel of rapeseed oil, how to control the heat to make the fried chicken skin crispier. And," she pointed to the mountain-like pile of sacks in the corner, "get to work! If you don't sort them right, no dinner for you tonight!"

Song Qiushui looked at the pile of sacks and sighed: "Fine, fine, fine, work, work!"

The two were busy sorting sacks when Su Wan came in carrying a winnowing basket: "Chai Mi, I just remembered, your maternal aunt's side—what should we send as a return gift? Your aunt gave me a box of apples."

"Return what gift?" Chai Mi didn't look up, "Tomorrow I'll just send her a few catties of chicken legs."

Chai Mi and the others finished tidying up in the storehouse, just got home, hadn't even warmed their seats yet.

Liu San and his wife came.

Liu San wore a suit and leather shoes today; even Zhang Hailan looked much neater.

Chai Mi frowned: Damn! Old gun, new cannon? Did these two strike it rich?

Normally, when Liu San and his wife came to Chai Mi's house, they'd just wear work clothes unless it was for giving gift money, then they'd dress more formally.

"Oh, sister-in-law, you two struck it rich. What you're wearing is really nice."

"Struck it rich. My big brother is going to strike it even bigger." Zhang Hailan said happily.

Chai Mi frowned: What does that mean? Could it have something to do with their Chunyan and her husband's treasure hunting...

"Where to strike it rich!"

"That... Chunyan said her son-in-law, Sun Guoyou, is now the captain of our area's archaeological team. They're preparing to dig up that Ming dynasty Zhu San Taizi's tomb... no, that's called a grave. They say the grave is in the big mountain inside Baitaizi. Ordinary people aren't allowed to dig this; Chunyan and her husband spent a lot of money to get that archaeological team captain identity, and they're preparing to buy some tools and such, then go dig. Well... everyone is thinking of pooling money to get an excavator or something; that thing is fast. But that thing is expensive, over ten or twenty thousand... so they're thinking of finding more people to join in. When the treasure is dug up, everyone shares."

Chai Mi said nothing else, first letting them into the house.

Listening to this, it seemed to be the case.

No wonder Liu San and his wife were both taken in.

This kind of scammer is really damn professional; the name they use is raising money to buy an excavator...

So to speak, do they still need to find an excavator driver?

If you're talking about which place has the best excavator skills, go to Shandong to find Lanxiang...

Cough cough...

Inside the house, Chai Mi brewed tea for the two and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, why buy an excavator? Just use people to dig, isn't that done? Saves money and trouble."

"Oh sis, you're such an amateur!" Zhang Hailan sat cross-legged on the kang edge, her western pants fabric stretched tight, "That big tomb! Built with proper blue bricks! Without a machine, you won't dig until the year of the monkey and month of the horse? Sun Guoyou said there's gold and silver treasures everywhere inside; just prying a brick is worth money! Once our excavator starts, 'boom' a few times, and the treasure appears!" She gestured exaggeratedly with both hands, her spit almost splashing onto the kang table.

Chai Mi pushed the tea jar toward her: "Sister-in-law, drink water. That 'archaeological team'—does it have a red-headed document? Is there a seal? Is Sun Guoyou's 'captain' appointed by the county cultural bureau?"

"This..." Zhang Hailan choked, turned to look at Liu San.

Liu San rubbed his hands, smiling all over his face: "Chai Mi, we're family, no need for polite talk. Documents and such... definitely being processed! Guoyou has wild connections, knows people above! We'll start digging first; once the treasure is dug up, the documents will be a natural matter! Mainly now... we need to raise money to buy the machine; once the machine roars, ten thousand taels of gold!"

Chai Xiu was eavesdropping in the kitchen, couldn't hold it in, and rushed in holding a thermos: "Oh cousin and cousin-in-law, dressed so neatly to borrow money? That excavator must be very expensive, right? How much do you plan to contribute? How much should my sister contribute?"

Zhang Hailan was a bit embarrassed: "Chai Xiu, you girl... what do you mean borrow money? This is joining in! It's investment! Profits shared by shares later! We... we will contribute too! Sell the family's cart, then pool together, at least... contribute five thousand!"

"Five thousand?" Chai Xiu exaggeratedly made a "wow" sound, "Sister-in-law, your broken cart is almost becoming a spirit, can it sell for five thousand? How much does Sun Guoyou himself contribute? He's the captain, and it's his discovered treasure site; shouldn't he contribute a big share?"

Liu San quickly interjected: "Guoyou contributes the big share! He mortgaged his house and borrowed a lot! Just lacking this bit from us to make a round sum. Chai Mi, you're smart, your stall makes money fast, you take... take out twenty thousand; when the treasure is divided, you'll hold the biggest share!" He looked at Chai Mi eagerly.

Chai Mi slowly sipped tea, not lifting her eyelids: "Big brother, back in the Ming dynasty, would Zhu San Taizi run to our barren mountains and wild ridges to bury treasure? What for? To have our winter wind give his tomb a style? Besides, if there really was such a good thing, wouldn't Sun Guoyou secretly dig and run away, instead of pulling people all over the world to join in? Is he that stupid?"

"Tsk! Why don't you believe it!" Zhang Hailan was anxious, "Chunyan saw the bronze ware with her own eyes! Green and glossy, carved with dragons! And there were characters! Sun Guoyou had someone look at it; they said it's treasure from the Ming palace! He wants everyone with money to earn together, fellow villagers..."

"Exactly!" Liu San chimed in, "Chai Mi, think about it; your stall, blown by wind and sun, how much hard-earned money can you make in a day? If you dig once and unearth a gold lump, that's enough for ten years!"

Su Wan was a bit tempted; seeing these people all contributing money, she tentatively said: "Chai Mi, why not... we invest a little to try? What if?"

"Mom!" Chai Mi frowned and said, "Don't cause trouble! What did that Sun Guoyou do before? Dealing in rat poison! How could he recognize Ming treasures? I think he's just dealing in 'human' poison! Specializing in poisoning you all who want to get rich and have gone crazy!"

Liu San's face sank: "Chai Mi, your words are too harsh! Guoyou is now a proper..."

Just as they were arguing, Chai Mi picked up the enamel jar and took a sip of water, glancing at Liu San and his wife: "Cousin and cousin-in-law, this matter sounds quite mysterious. You believe in Sun Guoyou, that's your business. Money, I don't have any."

Zhang Hailan got anxious upon hearing this: "Chai Mi! You this..."

"Sister-in-law, let me finish." Chai Mi interrupted her, "The little money my family has is saved bit by bit; it's needed for the calf's medical treatment and for daily living. The stall looks like quick money, but the capital is also large—oil, flour, meat, none of it is free? Also have to guard against someone coveting it. Twenty thousand? I can't even gather two thousand in cash right now. Your path to wealth, I can't afford to mix in."

"Oh Chai Mi, you're so stubborn!" Zhang Hailan slapped her thigh, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Once this village passes, there's no such shop! Can't you think of a way? Borrow from your relatives? Or... mortgage your cow first?"

Hearing about mortgaging the cow, Chai Youqing was unhappy and immediately blew up: "Sister-in-law! What kind of talk is this? Chai Mi almost beat me to death because that calf had diarrhea? How could you think of such a thing."

Liu San's face flushed with embarrassment, and he hurriedly tugged at Zhang Hailan's sleeve: "Enough, enough, say less. Chai Mi isn't willing, we can't force her, right?" He turned to Chai Mi, smiling apologetically: "Chai Mi, don't take it to heart with your sister-in-law; she's just anxious. Then... think about it again? This is truly a great opportunity; missing it would be a pity. How about this: you take five thousand first? Ten thousand? If that won't work, three thousand is fine! Just help your brother and sister-in-law out, make up the number?"

Chai Mi shook her head, her tone leaving no room for negotiation: "Eldest Brother, I really don't have it. I can't squeeze out a single cent. Those few barrels of oil of mine are still on credit; once I set up my stall tomorrow and earn money, I have to pay them back. You should ask someone else."

Zhang Hailan let out a "hmph" in anger, slid down from the kang edge, pulled her Western-style trousers tighter, and wore a long face. Liu San also wilted, rubbing his hands, looking at Chai Mi, then at Chai Xiu with a face full of disdain and Su Wan looking a bit disappointed, knowing that saying more was useless.

"Then... then fine," Liu San said dryly, "we'll... we'll think of another way. You're busy, we'll leave first." He pulled Zhang Hailan, who still wanted to say something, out the door.

"Hey, cousin and cousin-in-law, won't you sit for a while?" Chai Xiu deliberately shouted from behind, "Won't you have some water? Think carefully about how to get that excavator into the mountain?"

Zhang Hailan didn't look back, stormed out of the courtyard gate in a huff. Liu San turned back, smiled awkwardly at Chai Mi, and hurriedly followed her out.

Watching the couple walk away, Chai Xiu immediately sidled up to Chai Mi: "Sister, did you see? Dressed up all fancy, opening his mouth to ask for twenty thousand! Does he think our home is a bank? An excavator, I think they want to dig a hole for their own heads!"

Su Wan was still not quite reconciled: "Chai Mi... what if... what if there really is treasure? Your eldest brother and sister-in-law wouldn't lie to you, would they... besides, Chunyan said she saw it with her own eyes..."

"Saw what? Green bronze ware? Carved with dragons?" Chai Mi imitated Zhang Hailan's tone, "That kind of thing, there's plenty of broken copper and rotten iron fished out of the river! Soak it long enough and it turns green! I think Sun Guoyou is just a big swindler! What 'important people' can his connections know? He might as well know rat poison peddlers! Wearing a suit, combing a big back hair, and he becomes a captain? I'll dress up tomorrow too, and say I'm a high official—would that work?"

Chai Mi picked up the kitchen knife, "clang clang bang" began cutting the scallions on the cutting board: "After I become an official, Xiu'er, right now I am Qin Shi Huang, and I'll enfeoff you as the Grand Marshal of all the armed forces under Tian Xia."

Chai Xiu hehehe laughed: "That would be great! I want to rebuild the Great Wall, lacking bricks, you big fellows give me some money!"

Su Wan sighed: "So that means they were cheated? That girl Chunyan... sigh, what can we do, having such a person at the stall..."

"Did Liu San and his wife get cheated too?"

"Exactly. If Liu San wanted to borrow money for something else, I could lend it. But for this, I definitely won't lend it." Chai Mi said with a smile: "Is there such a good thing that it would fall to us? Besides, if it were really an archaeological team, could the things dug up be sold? Full of holes."

Su Wan remembered this matter: "By the way, that day Chunyan seemed to have taken some document, saying her son-in-law was legal."

"Legal my ass. If he were legal, he'd go straight to the county to find a construction company, have them assign him a few excavators, get a few loaders or whatever, and just go. Would he need to borrow money everywhere to buy an excavator?" Chai Mi laughed: "That thing of his is purely swindling fools."

Su Wan: "Uh..."

Su Wan actually had believed it a bit.

But hearing Chai Mi say that, she didn't believe it anymore.

Chai Xiu also said: "Mom, you don't think about it, we poor country people go ding dang loud. If there really were such a thing, Sister Chunyan would go to the city to raise money. Raising money is faster. How poor we country people are. Liu San's great-uncle is still a loan officer at the credit union; just borrow from him directly, it would definitely work."

"Right. Xiu'er's Make Trouble dai turns fast. Don't think about pies falling from the sky; even if a pie really falls, it might easily smash your head." Chai Mi said: "They might as well go dig up Shisanling; at least Shisanling really exists. That Zhu San Taizi's tomb really doesn't exist."