Chapter 383: Village Funds

“Big Brother, it really wasn’t that I intentionally kept it from you. Xiao Er’s mother was the first to know, and she kept me completely in the dark. It was only later, when the whole village was fleeing the famine and our family was eating together, that she told me the truth. I didn’t believe it at first, thinking it was some kind of joke. But after observing for a while, I realized it was actually true…”

Yan Lao’er wiped his face, speaking with a very bashful expression. “Before, when we went to Gufeng and Guiyuan, didn’t we always travel at night when no one was around? Well, when there was nothing else to do, I let Xiao Er handle the poles for a bit, just to test if her strength was real and exactly how strong she was…”

“Brother, as for Xiao Er… there’s no problem at all with her poling the raft back from Guiyuan by herself…”

Yan Huaiwen understood his sister-in-law’s actions; it was simply the heart of a protective mother.

No wonder Tianyou loved taking Xiao Er out with him. He had thought it was because Xiao Er was clever and Tianyou couldn’t bear to see her potential wasted, taking her out to see the world while she was still young and her gender was hard to distinguish. It turned out there was another purpose…

Or perhaps, it was both?

“Is Xiao Er unaccustomed to anything in her daily life?” Yan Huaiwen turned to ask Yan Yu.

Yan Yu had an innocent look on her face. “I’m not unaccustomed to anything, Uncle. Being strong is great; I can do so much work. It’s just that Dad and Mom won’t let me use my strength in front of people. But when the Northern Rong came this time, I… I couldn’t help myself.”

She asked cautiously, “Uncle, in the future, can I be like the uncles from the Qi family and use my strength whenever I want?”

Thinking about how Xiao Er had revealed herself before everyone because of the Northern Rong attack, Yan Huaiwen sighed inwardly. Now, it would be truly difficult to hide.

He was not a pedantic man who couldn’t stand a woman being physically strong. Rather, it was because Xiao Er was already so clever, versatile, intelligent, and bold. Combined with this strength, what kind of heroic young man would ever be a worthy match for her in the future…

“You must still exercise restraint. Do not use it in front of others unless absolutely necessary,” Yan Huaiwen urged her earnestly.

Yan Yu nodded very obediently.

Looking at his niece like this, Yan Huaiwen felt both relieved and a bit of a headache.

Speculation was one thing, but actual confirmation was another.

The family had no surplus wealth now, but in the future, he would still need to arrange some properties for the younger ones. For Xiao Er… he would have to add a few more layers of security.

…

After her confession, Yan Yu felt refreshed all over and slept exceptionally well.

When she got up early the next morning, she was full of energy.

In contrast, Daya had not slept well that night.

First, Xiao Er had come to deliver six taels of silver. Later, Second Uncle had brought another ten taels, making it clear that she wasn’t the only one; Heng’er, Xiao Er, and even the baby in Aunt’s belly each had a share.

She had tossed and turned all night, thinking about how she had lost her mother at a young age and how her aunt had raised them with her own hands. Before Xiao Er was born, her aunt only had her and Heng’er by her side and had cared for them with all her heart. It was only because household matters were busy and her energy was limited, and because she and her brother grew older day by day, that her aunt had gradually let go…

Dazed until morning, Daya had just gotten up when her father called her into the room and gave her another ten taels of silver.

Daya told Yan Huaiwen about how Xiao Er, Second Uncle, and Aunt had all given her money.

Yan Huaiwen fell silent for a moment.

“Just accept it. It is a gesture of kindness from your second uncle and the others.”

The family’s foundation was thin, and suddenly having this windfall of external wealth led them all to the same thought.

…

After getting up early, Yan Yu went to the Qi family first.

She discussed with Grandma Qi about buying the woodland to the south. Once that forest was theirs, not only would it be convenient to harvest, but they could also manage it properly, replanting as they cut.

Previously, they didn’t have the conditions for this, so they just blindly cut trees to make charcoal to put money in their pockets first. Now that they had surplus funds, it was better to fill this gap.

As usual, she gave Fourth Uncle Qi special treatment, bringing him a small basin of spinach and fish ball soup.

Old Mother Qi watched the commotion, feeling completely helpless.

Whether she spoke plainly, dropped hints, or pulled a long face, she couldn’t stop Yan Yu from feeding Qi Si…

She could only turn a blind eye and pretend not to see.

Old Mother Qi asked, “That woodland is a huge area. If we buy it all, will the villagers be willing? What if the villagers want to cut some firewood in the future?”

“They can just cut what they need for their own use. Once we’ve planned it all out, for every tree we cut, we’ll plant two more. Looking back after a few years, we’ll have made a profit,” Yan Yu said. “Besides, only the families living near the woods come this way. The families to the north all go into the mountains; the walk is shorter.” They could also find other things in the mountains along the way, which was more convenient.

Old Mother Qi was a decisive person. Upon hearing this, she said, “That’s fine then. Xiao Er, wait here, Grandma Qi will go get the silver.”

As she spoke, she was about to go back and get the money.

Yan Yu hurriedly said, “Grandma Qi, no rush. Wait until my dad goes back to Crouching Tiger and let him ask the Magistrate what the price for that woodland is. If the price is reasonable, we’ll buy it before winter sets in.”

It was still autumn now, and the nights were already chilly. Her family burned the charcoal bed every single day. If it was like this now, what would it be like once winter arrived? The charcoal business had great potential.

Old Mother Qi, however, was a woman of action. When she said she would get the money, she got the money.

The reward silver the Qi family had just received the night before was stuffed into Yan Yu’s arms.

Yan Yu couldn’t refuse, so she thought, fine, let her father take the silver with him. Once the deal was negotiated, he could handle the paperwork directly, saving them from making a second trip.

Yan Yu then took her ledger and found several Village Elders.

Setting up her stance, she began to go over the accounts.

Yan Lao’er stood to the side to back her up.

Village Chief Luo and the others listened to her chatter with smiles on their faces.

Things like the money for buying bamboo should be paid by the village; the previous batch and the ones they planned to buy in the future should all go on the village’s tab…

The medicine used by Physician Cui, although found by villagers in the mountains, had all been recorded as work points. Now that it was used, it should be paid for, just as if it were sold, and then converted into work points later…

The aunts and sisters who boiled porridge and medicine worked hard, tending the fires and looking after the wounded. Although they weren’t fighting the Northern Rong, their work was closely related. Shouldn’t the village give them some subsidies…

And the rice and dried meat used for the porridge, the door panels damaged by each household, the things destroyed, and so on—shouldn’t all of that be cleared from the village’s accounts…

Speaking of the wounded, on a small scale, they were their own injuries, but on a larger scale, weren’t they sustained to protect the village? The village really ought to pay them a visit of condolence…

Old Man Song had been nodding the whole time, clicking his tongue incessantly. Hearing this, he asked in confusion, “What’s a visit of condolence?”

“It’s when you respected elders go to the homes of the injured to see them, giving them some money, food, and useful items, and saying a few words to tell them to be careful in the future, recover well, and put their minds at ease.” Yan Yu spoke fluently and added another sentence: “The expenses will also be covered by the village.”

The old men understood.

The earlier points were about taking money out of the village accounts.

This last point was even clearer to them.

Take Village Chief Luo, for example; whenever a family had a major or minor issue, he would go to see them. For those having a hard time, he would contribute a few coins out of his own pocket as a gesture of kindness. However, it had always been from his own money.

The village having money… that was something that only started after they arrived here in Guanzhou.

These were common customs.

Generally, villages where clans lived together operated this way.

The old Xiao’an Village had been too poor to establish such customs.

Now, though they didn’t share one surname, they were closer than if they did. It truly should be so.

“There’s a need for money everywhere. Is the village’s money enough?” Village Chief Luo asked.

He then heard Xiao Er rattle off a whole bunch of calculations for them.

The old men listened cheerfully, nodding one moment and saying “good” the next, but they didn’t agree to everything.

They couldn’t yet accept Yan Yu’s proposal that the village should cover every household’s losses.

Yan Lao’er chimed in from the side: “Uncle Luo, think about it. If the village compensates for these losses, then when the Northern Rong come, everyone won’t have anything to worry about, right? They’ll definitely all be of one mind to beat them to death.

If each family has to bear it themselves, might someone think: ‘My house is fine, why should I care about others’…”

(End of Chapter)