Chapter 3: Land Holdings

The grain from thirty mu of farmland was generally enough to feed over ten people.

The remaining money could be saved to buy an internal energy manual.

Internal energy manuals also had distinctions in quality.

Superior ones cost one to two thousand taels, while ordinary ones also required seven to eight hundred taels.

Xu Chuan naturally wanted to purchase a superior internal energy manual to lay a good martial foundation for his family in the future.

As for the even more precious innate manuals, he could only consider those after someone in the Xu family became an innate martial artist.

"The county registrar personally coming down to handle affairs, that's truly rare. Is it political strife?"

After making up his mind, Xu Chuan timed it right and headed directly to the village entrance to wait.

At this time, in Dongxi Village.

The wealthy households with thick family assets didn't want to go out unless necessary, given the hot weather.

At the entrance of Dongxi Village.

Xu Chuan saw two government runners wearing soap-pod colored uniforms and a scholar in green robes walking from a distance.

He hurried forward, and after inquiring about their purpose, proposed purchasing Uncle Yu's rice paddies.

"You want to purchase fifty mu of rice paddies?" the green-robed scholar asked in surprise.

"Yes. May I ask what rank this lord holds? Can you make this decision? If not, I'll make a trip to the county government myself."

"I am the county registrar of Qingjiang. I came on this trip precisely to handle the matter of the Yu family's farmland after their deaths."

"Greetings, County Registrar." Xu Chuan quickly cupped his hands, thinking to himself that it was indeed the registrar.

Qingjiang County Registrar Yang Zhao looked Xu Chuan up and down. Seeing his coarse cloth and linen vest, he felt the person before him should be an ordinary commoner from Dongxi Village.

Fifty mu of rice paddies was no small amount for an ordinary commoner.

"Are you certain you can afford it? Don't toy with this official, or the consequences won't be something you can bear."

His mood wasn't particularly good at the moment, and his tone carried severity.

"How would I dare!"

Yang Zhao pondered for a moment, then said, "Since that's the case, the rice paddies will be priced at ten taels per mu. How about it?"

"No problem."

Xu Chuan agreed immediately, then pulled out a bank note.

The August weather was truly unbearably hot.

Yang Zhao glanced at it indifferently and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Having completed half of the county magistrate's assigned task just upon entering the village, his mood improved considerably.

Although he knew the county magistrate was deliberately targeting him, this newly arrived registrar, an official one rank higher could crush those below.

If he couldn't complete this today, he would definitely be targeted upon returning.

"What's your name?"

"Xu Chuan."

"Check."

"Yes, Registrar Yang."

The tall government runner took out the land registry to search for Xu Chuan's recorded property, while the other government runner with a rounder face similarly took out the population register to look for Xu Chuan's name.

"Found him. Xu Chuan, a person from Dongxi Village, should be twenty-six this year, has one wife and two sons."

The round-faced government runner looked at Yang Zhao and pointed out Xu Chuan's name in the population register.

"My lord, I found it too. Xu Chuan currently owns ten mu of rice paddies and ten mu of forest."

The tall government runner similarly pointed out the discovered content to Yang Zhao.

"Mm, indeed a person from Dongxi Village, with priority purchase rights."

Yang Zhao accepted the five hundred taels bank note, then helped Xu Chuan register and file it, having him sign his name and press his handprint.

"This is your proof of purchase for the rice paddies. From this moment on, Yu Hou's fifty mu of rice paddies belong to you."

"Thank you, Registrar Yang."

Xu Chuan carefully stored the rice paddy certificate on his person. Just as he was about to leave, Yang Zhao unexpectedly called out to him.

"You're Xu Chuan, right? That you and this official could meet at the village entrance is also fate. Since you're from Dongxi Village, you know where the Yu Hou family's farmland is located, don't you?"

He wants me to lead the way?

Forget it, I can't afford to offend an official.

Xu Chuan nodded and took the initiative to offer to lead Yang Zhao and the others to inspect the farmland.

With Xu Chuan's help, Yang Zhao completed the task assigned by the county magistrate in half a day.

The Yu Hou family's remaining thirty mu of excellent rice paddies and thirty mu of forest all had new owners.

"Alright, with this matter concluded, you need not accompany us further."

"I, Yang Zhao, will remember this favor. If you have troubles, you can come find me at the Qingjiang County government."

"These are but small matters, Registrar Yang need not keep them in mind."

"When I tell you to remember, remember it. I, Yang Zhao, am clear about gratitude and grievances. However, I'll say this first, if you violate the laws of the Great Wei or do something unconscionable, there's no need to come find me."

"If you dare come, this official will be the first to have you arrested and thrown in prison."

"This commoner understands."

Xu Chuan watched their departing backs, muttering in his heart, does a county registrar really have such confidence?

No!

It must be that his backing is solid.

Today, having purchased fifty mu of rice paddies and inexplicably gained a small favor, it could be considered a great harvest.

Returning home, Xu Chuan told Bai Jing about today's events.

"Fifty mu? Husband, didn't you previously plan to only buy twenty to thirty mu?"

"It's both fate and destiny."

Xu Chuan spoke mysteriously, then took out the rice paddy certificate.

Bai Jing took it and looked, her face also showing delight.

"Wonderful! For a very long time afterward, we won't have to worry about grain, and we can even sell the surplus for silver."

"Put it away and place it in the usual spot."

…

In the afternoon.

Xu Chuan went to the threshing ground to check on the harvested rice.

He checked how the sun-drying was going. If it was sufficiently dehydrated, he would need to begin threshing, removing impurities, and then storing it after drying. Next, he went to inspect his family's forest.

The green jade pears here were of utmost importance and could be harvested in just over a month.

To prevent anyone from coveting and entering, he had initially planted a large amount of thorn vine around the farmland.

This vine grew very easily, and its sharp thorns, when breaking the skin, had a paralyzing effect on the human body.

The thorn vines intertwined with bamboo poles, and over several years, formed a thorn wall four to five meters high and about a foot thick, leaving only one door.

Xu Chuan had set up some simple mechanisms.

Every evening, after Xu Chuan's final inspection, he would lock the door and activate the mechanisms.

At night, the forest was pitch black with poor visibility.

If anyone really harbored ill intentions and forcibly broke through the door, they would very likely fall into a trap.

Over a month passed in the blink of an eye.

The many processes for the rice had long been completed and stored at home.

Xu Chuan began handling the fifty mu of rice paddies that had come into his possession.

After deducting the portion to be paid in taxes from the rice planted in the fields, the rest belonged to his family.

…

Evening.

Chen Ergou suddenly ran hurriedly to the rice paddy, calling out breathlessly, "Brother Chuan, sister-in-law is about to give birth!"

Xu Chuan's face lit up with joy. Without another word, he took off running toward home.

"Wait, let me catch my breath first."

Chen Ergou was out of breath, but seeing Xu Chuan run off into the distance, he could only steel himself and follow, his front limbs swaying in a dog-like crawl.

Before even reaching the door, he could hear Bai Jing's painful cries from inside the house.

Chen Ergou's wife, Xu Yan, was helping inside. She came out and ran into Xu Chuan trying to enter, so she quickly stopped him.

"Cousin, the midwife has already arrived. You shouldn't go in."

"It's inauspicious for men to be present during a woman's childbirth."

"Here's what you do, go boil a few more kettles of hot water, the more the better."

Xu Chuan only wanted to check on Bai Jing's condition, but now wasn't the time to fuss over this.

He immediately ran to the kitchen, lit the firewood, and began boiling water.

This wasn't Bai Jing's first time giving birth but for a woman, regardless of which time, it was a matter of life and death.

There was no such thing as getting used to it after giving birth several times.

Naturally, Xu Chuan felt nervous in his heart.

After Chen Ergou arrived, he helped himself to a bowl of water and drank it down in one gulp.

Seeing the worry on Xu Chuan's face, he immediately said, "Brother Chuan, don't worry. Sister-in-law has always been healthy and will surely give birth to the child smoothly."

"Moreover, I brought a Qi and Blood Pill from home, just in case."

Chen Ergou handed Xu Chuan the small porcelain bottle containing the Qi and Blood Pill.

"Very thoughtful of you."

Xu Chuan didn't decline and directly accepted it.

Having experienced Bai Jing giving birth a few times, Xu Chuan had also prepared some medicinal materials to replenish qi and blood but compared to a Qi and Blood Pill, they were all quite inferior.

He felt slightly more at ease and, remembering something, asked, "Where are Shitou and Ahyuan?"

"I brought them to my house. They're probably having a great time playing with my boy."

Xu Chuan nodded and looked up at Chen Ergou, "Ergou, I'll remember this favor. If there's anything I can help you with in the future, just say so."

"Actually, there really is one matter I'd like to ask Brother Chuan to help me with."

"However, right now sister-in-law's childbirth is most important."

"Alright."

Xu Chuan responded, his mind not on this matter.

Heaven and earth were vast, but nothing was greater than his wife giving birth!