"Village Chief, you have to be fair. Why can they reclaim the wasteland on the west side?" The high-pitched female voice seemed to be that of the Hua Family's eldest daughter-in-law.
"This … I did agree." Village Chief Wang Gengfa said in a low voice.
"You agreed?
Village Chief, you've been the village chief for so many years. Which family hasn't supported you?
But … they're outsiders after all!
When the time comes and they buy all the wasteland in our Blossom Town, what will we do? "
"Isn't that perfect? Wasteland is a wasteland."
"Aiya, Village Chief, why are you so muddle-headed? The land is already theirs. Blossom Town only has so much land. If he becomes a landlord, won't we all become his tenants?"
"Hua Family's daughter-in-law, your words are unpleasant to hear.
What do you mean he'll become a landlord after buying the wasteland?
If you want to buy it, there's still a lot of empty land on the west side … "
"Isn't that nonsense!
Three taels of silver for one mu of wasteland, why would I buy it?
It's not like it can grow food … "
"Then it's settled. They'll just build a house after buying it."
"There's only two people in their family. Why would they build so many houses?"
"Then don't worry about it. It's normal for them to have relatives and move here.
It shows that our Blossom Town is becoming more and more famous. "
The village chief stroked his goatee and smiled, fantasizing about the day when Blossom Town would become the number one town in the Dahui Kingdom.
"Tsk, settling in our Blossom Town for the beautiful scenery doesn't necessarily mean they'll make any contributions …"
"Hua Family's daughter-in-law, what do you mean by that? Could it be that everyone who settles in our Blossom Town has to make some contributions?
Speaking of which, when the Hua Family settled here, our great-grandfather didn't ask your ancestors to make any contributions. "
"Village Chief, you …"
"Enough, Hua Family's daughter-in-law, why do you have to be like this? Every family in our Blossom Town wasn't born and raised here for generations. They all moved here from different places. It's just a matter of time.
Now that our lives are better, Ah Yao is willing to spend a few dozen taels of silver to buy land and build a house, and he doesn't need your permission. "The village chief saw that the words of the Hua Family's eldest daughter-in-law were becoming more and more outrageous, and he couldn't help but become dignified.
"I was just saying …"
"There's no need to make irresponsible remarks.
Everyone, listen up. If anyone is lacking land, you are welcome to choose the wasteland on the west side. Three taels for one mu, and the money will belong to the village.
Now that the profits are good, let's invite an opera troupe to our town for the Lantern Festival tomorrow. "
The village head no longer paid any attention to the talkative Hua Family's eldest daughter-in-law and spoke to the villagers who were surrounding the ancestral hall to watch a good show.
"Okay!" The eldest daughter-in-law of the Hua family, who thought that she would refute, didn't expect everyone to agree.
These … these people were previously crowding around the big pond, whispering about the Lin family buying land to build a house. They even said that they were going to complain to the village chief.
In a moment of passion, she took the lead. She didn't expect that after the village chief said this, they would all change sides at the last minute. It was as if she was the only one who had refuted the Lin family buying land to build a house.
Bah, what kind of situation was this!
She looked around. Wow, among these villagers, apart from a few who had neglected and distanced themselves from the Lin family, they all seemed to have received great and small favors from the Lin family.
For example, that Fang Family's daughter-in-law was still doing woodwork for the Lin family.
Of course, she was eager for everyone to buy land to build a house. The more houses they built, the more woodwork her daughter-in-law would receive. With people building houses every year, Fang Family's daughter-in-law would be able to work non-stop.
Looking at the other families, they more or less received gifts from the Lin family when they paid their New Year's greetings at the beginning of the year.
But then again, their family's very good chopping board was obtained from the Lin family.
Thinking about this, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Hua family rolled her eyes. That's right, the Lin family's woodwork was endless, so there should be a lot of wood … Since the village chief was determined to let them buy land to build a house, they might as well ask for some leftover wood to make a few small stools for their son.
Humph, it would be a waste not to take advantage of this opportunity …
…
"What?
School … school? "The village chief heard this and almost fell off the kang bed.
He had indeed passed on the villagers' words earlier and said that everyone's opinion was correct. He also hoped that Lin Siyao and his wife could do something practical for the village so that they could shut the mouths of the villagers who were gossipy and biased.
However, he never expected that Lin Siyao would have a plan now, and it was a piece of shocking good news: he said that he wanted to build a school for Flowering Town.
A school, ah, how much money would he have to take out from his wallet!
"Yes.
After the new house is ready and we move in, this house will be converted into a school. As for manpower, materials, etc., I'll have to trouble the village chief to make a spending plan so that I can discuss it with Shuiche. "Lin Siyao sipped his tea and said slowly.
Originally, he wanted to discuss this matter with the village chief after the new house was ready and the old house was demolished and rebuilt.
However, some villagers actually went to the village chief to discuss the matter of buying six mu of wasteland to build a house.
He didn't care, but he was worried that the gossip would spread to Shuiche's ears and affect her pregnancy.
Therefore, he told the village chief his plan — to build the first school in the history of Flowering Town.
Moreover, it was a good deed that was personally funded and benefited the whole village.
Of course, Lin Siyao's first consideration wasn't for the children in the village who ran wild, but for the children in Shuiche's belly and the children that would belong to him and Shuiche in the future.
After many years, there had to be a place to teach them the Four Books and Five Classics.
He hoped that his children would be as well-educated and elegant as their mother.
On one hand, rather than sending them to the school in Fanluo City, which was dozens of miles away, it was better to manage them under his nose.
On the other hand, he also thought that if Shuiche didn't take on embroidery in the future, she could teach the children how to draw when she was free.
After all, he always felt that embroidery was too taxing and laborious.
Moreover, when they had children, she would be busy enough taking care of the family's clothes. In his opinion, she might as well not take on the work of the chief embroiderer.
Of course, this matter would have to wait until the one-year contract between her and the "Joyous Cloud Embroidery House" expired.
Therefore, Lin Siyao had long thought of converting the old house into a school.
In the whole of Flowering Town, there were only a dozen children between the ages of five and ten.
If the villagers from the two nearby towns also wanted to send their children to Flowering Town to study, he wouldn't refuse them.
However, the distance to study in another town was far, and it was inconvenient for them to rush home for lunch. They still had to take care of their own lunch.
Either they paid a few copper coins to eat in the school, or they brought their own steamed buns and dry food.
But in short, this was a matter that benefited the villagers of Flowering Town and the surrounding towns.
There was no doubt about it!
After listening to Lin Siyao's brief explanation, the village chief nodded at him affirmatively.
Lin Siyao didn't think much of it. The silver he had saved in this remote village was enough for him to spend in several lifetimes. It was better to take a part of it to benefit his children and grandchildren.
It was fine to say that he wanted to use this to accumulate some good karma, or to seek some good fortune for his children and grandchildren.
In short, he didn't want his children and grandchildren to suffer some innocent retribution because of his bloody hands.
This desire became stronger as Shuiche's belly grew bigger and bigger.
In the end, he admitted that he was afraid now.
He was afraid that everything warm and beautiful in front of him would be destroyed because of his previous work and bloody journey.
"Good job!
Good job! "The village chief, Wang Gengfa, was not stingy with his praise other than nodding his head.
Opening a school in Flowering Town, and it was free. If this advertisement was released, who would have anything to say?
Who wouldn't be convinced?
Not to mention that it was free, even a private school that paid for tuition could not be opened in this town.
First, no family was willing to pay for a teacher. Second, the tuition fees were far from enough to cover the long-term operating expenses of a private school.
Over time, no one in the town mentioned opening a private school.
If the family had a few copper coins, they would send their children to the school in the city for a year or two to learn a few words. This was already considered a big deal.
Those who didn't have the means would naturally bring their younger siblings to play in the mountains and fields. When they were older, they would follow their parents to work in the fields.
This time, if everything went smoothly, this Flowering School could be opened next year.
The residents of Flowering Town, big and small, would be so excited.
No matter which family it was, there would always be children of the right age who needed to go to school to learn how to read.
Moreover, what did Ah Yao say just now?
Hire a teacher to teach the children how to read, recite poems, and teach them etiquette, justice, integrity, and shame.
Listen, what a proper plan, what a grand goal!
Wang Gengfa was even more convinced that this small Flowering Town would definitely become famous in the Dahui Kingdom in the near future.
Wang Gengfa walked home on the village road, his mind still filled with the information that Lin Siyao had just revealed to him. Open a Flowering School.
All the expenses would be paid by Lin Siyao. As the village chief, he only needed to hire a teacher with both ability and integrity, as well as prepare the necessary teaching materials.
Wasn't this simple?!
As long as it was something that could be done with money, to him, it was not a problem at all.
However, come to think of it, where did Lin Siyao get so much money from?
The village chief stroked his shoddy but unique goatee as he walked, frowning as he pondered.
After thinking a hundred times and being unable to figure it out, he simply attributed it to their family.
That's right, ever since the couple Lin Siyao and Su Shuiche came to Flowering Town, had they ever been worried about a lack of money?
No!
Although one had extraordinary skills, and the other had excellent embroidery skills.
Based on the identity that the two of them displayed through their actions, they must have come from a wealthy and influential family.
Perhaps the two of them had an argument with their family and eloped here.
Didn't they say that a while ago, two luxurious carriages with four horses came to the Lin family's doorstep?
That's right!
Their family must have found them and given them money to sponsor the two of them.
This wealthy family might have given them over a hundred taels in one go!
Tsk tsk!
The more Wang Gengfa thought about it, the more he was right. In the end, he couldn't help but nod his head, confirming his wild guess. He also found the most suitable reason for Lin Siyao to take the initiative to open a school in Flowering Town.
(To be continued.
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