The words spoken were reasonable and logical. In ancient times, people indeed liked to band together, emphasizing clan ties, and villagers would unite against outsiders.
With the kimchi business now so prominent, it was likely that people from other villages were eager to get a share of the profits. However, due to the existence of Xinghua Village, they were still hesitant and dared not act too openly.
Qi Zhenzhen cast a deep glance at the person speaking. It was a young man from the main Song family, in his early twenties. He had been away for a long time and had only returned at the beginning of the year. He was somewhat knowledgeable and knew how to put pressure on Qi Zhenzhen.
If she were so easily pressured, would she still be herself!
“Grandpa Lizheng…” Qi Zhenzhen pouted, her eyes welling up with tears, feigning a wronged expression. “The kimchi business can only be done in winter. When we started this year, winter had already arrived, and I didn’t expect this business to take off, so I didn’t think too much about it. After finalizing the deal with the general store, I became a little anxious. I discussed this matter with my mother, and she said that this year could only be this way. We are thinking of building a workshop next year. At that time, we will prioritize hiring people from our village. In addition, I ask Grandpa Lizheng to help gather everyone to plant cabbage. As long as they grow it well, we will buy it at one cent per head. Every household has land. After harvesting the grain, it’s perfect for planting Chinese cabbage. It won’t interfere with growing crops and can provide an additional income…”
Song Lizheng nodded continuously. This method was excellent. Planting a season of Chinese cabbage could bring in several taels of silver in extra income. This way, it would not only resolve the envy of the villagers but also ease the relationship between the Qi family and the village. In other words, the larger the Qi family’s business, the higher their profits would be.
This would improve the overall living standards of Xinghua Village, far surpassing other villages, and also bring him, as the Lizheng, honor.
“Look at yourselves, look at yourselves! You came here to pressure me for your own benefit, but you are judging a noble person with a petty mind. The Qi family has already thought of a solution! You! Alas, you have made me lose all face!” Song Lizheng stomped his feet, sighing lamentably.
The people who had come pondered this and their faces lit up with joy. Who couldn’t grow Chinese cabbage? They could grow it in the fields, in their vegetable gardens, and if they worked diligently, they could even reclaim some mountain land to grow it. By next winter, having a few extra taels of silver in their hands would allow them to stand taller during the New Year. The children of suitable age in their families had already started thinking about preparing dowries!
The young man who had spoken looked thoughtfully at Qi Zhenzhen, secretly sighing that this little girl was truly not simple. With just a few sentences, she had appeased the villagers. Moreover, the method she proposed was feasible and easy to implement. One truly couldn’t underestimate her.
“Uncle, everyone was just anxious today. I apologize to Miss Qi on behalf of everyone. We didn’t mean anything else; we’ve just been through too much hardship.” The young man who had spoken earlier said apologetically.
Song Lizheng glanced at him and said, “Song Yan, it’s cold. You should hurry and help your grandfather back to hibernate. He is old, and you shouldn’t get involved in village affairs.”
Song Yan responded and indeed helped the oldest elder to leave. As he passed by Qi Zhenzhen, he gave her a meaningful look.
After Song Yan left, the others also dispersed.
Qi Zhenzhen poured Grandpa Song a bowl of hot tea and sat beside him, smiling as she began, “Grandpa Lizheng, about this matter…”
Song Lizheng looked embarrassed. “You were also implicated by me in this matter. Song Yan wants to become the Lizheng. Besides the appointment from the county office, the Lizheng can also be nominated by the villagers. If everyone in the village benefits from your kimchi business, his popularity will naturally be very high, and the position of Lizheng will definitely be his.”
As expected, she was not simple, and his ambition was not small.
Qi Zhenzhen had originally thought that it was the young wife working in the family who had instigated people. It turned out that it was this person, who seemed to have no connection with her family, who was behind it. The saying “the bird that is shot is the one that flies high” was indeed true. When everyone was living a hard life, small frictions were insignificant. However, as soon as one family started to prosper and stand out, the rest would unite against them and find ways to bring them down.
“Grandpa Lizheng handles affairs fairly and has a good reputation in the village. Please continue to hold this position, Elder.” Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile.
Song Lizheng nodded. “Zhenzhen deserves great credit for this matter.”
The girl’s words just now had greatly satisfied those people. Furthermore, the girl had directly stated that she had already intended to discuss it with him. Naturally, others assumed that he, as the Lizheng, had fought for these benefits. Regardless of what Song Yan had promised them, the benefits had to be realized to be counted.
Qi Zhenzhen had not initially intended to advance and prosper together with the village. These people’s actions had served as a reminder. Binding the village’s interests with her own would mean that in the future, she would not face any difficulties alone, but with the entire village. For her, this was a great thing.
“Uncle Lizheng, my mother, my brother, and I have settled in our village, thanks to your care and the tolerance of the villagers. This kindness is like a rebirth to us. Now that the kimchi business has taken off, my mother and I have discussed it. We are thinking of allocating ten percent of the profits from the kimchi to do some good deeds for the village.” To prevent future troubles of this kind, Qi Zhenzhen thought of a permanent solution and an idea flashed through her mind.
Song Lizheng’s heart suddenly leaped with excitement. Ten percent of the profits! He had heard from Mingyue’s mother that they were currently supplying to the general store and restaurant in Cuiping Town, eight hundred catties a day, which was nearly two taels of silver in profit. He heard that general stores in other towns and even the prefectural city were starting to order their goods, bringing in tens of taels of silver per day. At least a thousand taels of income per month. If they didn’t overestimate, the kimchi business only operated for four months a year, which would be over four thousand taels of income.
Ten percent would be over four hundred taels. How could he not be excited? He had never seen so much silver in his life.
Song Lizheng felt his lips trembling, and he could not speak clearly. “Zhen, Zhenzhen, is what you said true?”
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. She had already calculated it in her mind. Although it was a considerable sum of money, it was truly nothing to her now. Two days ago, Manager Lin had personally delivered a contract, stating that their owner found it delicious and this was his additional gratitude.
Ten percent of the profits from the sale of kimchi in all northern and southern general stores.
Compared to this, Qi Zhenzhen’s promise to the village of ten percent was like a drop in the bucket, not even in the same league.
Although Qi Zhenzhen had not figured out why the owner of the general store was so generous and extravagant, there was no reason to refuse the money when it was delivered, right? This was not something to be ashamed of.
Four days ago—