Chapter 707: Chapter 709: Decision

Lai San knew they had gotten the wrong idea. He chuckled and said, "Xiao Wang is fine. He’s at the clinic right now, and he’ll be better in a few days."

The others present were somewhat skeptical. How could two cuts of meat save a dying man’s life?

Having been out and starving all day, Lai San grabbed the bowl of gruel Lai Dafu had saved for them and gulped it down in a few quick swallows. Only then did he begin to explain on Zeng Dawang’s behalf.

"It’s because we ran into a noble benefactor after coming down the mountain. Not only did he point us to a clinic, but he also lent us silver to pay for Xiao Wang’s treatment."

The crowd stared at him in disbelief. How could such a good thing actually happen?

Shedding the meek, quail-like demeanor he had shown in front of Chief Chen, Lai San gave a vivid and dramatic recounting of their thrilling and tense experience in town, making everyone gasp and exclaim in suspense.

"Is it really as good as you say?" Wu Xiaoliu asked gruffly, noticing that everyone else was already swayed.

"It shouldn’t be wrong. I heard that a good official was recently dispatched from above. He’s the one who proposed setting up new household registries for us and redistributing the land," Lai San replied. "This is our chance. If this lord leaves, who knows what the next official will be like."

Before leaving town, Lai San had privately made some inquiries with Doctor Qian, who had shared all this insider information with him. When they parted ways, the doctor had even urged him to seize this rare opportunity so they could stop hiding and live openly in the light of day.

"Boss, why don’t we all go? We have nothing to lose anyway. If the farming doesn’t work out, the worst that can happen is we come back to the mountain," someone piped up, sensing Wu Xiaoliu’s hesitation. After all, if they could live under the sun, who would want to hide in a dark cave?

Besides, the rainy season was fast approaching. When the torrential downpours started outside, the cave would constantly go DRIP DROP. No matter how strong their bodies were, they wouldn’t be able to hold out long under those damp conditions.

Looking at the expectant gazes of his men, Wu Xiaoliu finally gave a slow nod. Even if he couldn’t be their leader anymore, he didn’t want to lose his brothers’ loyalty. Besides, if their morale crumbled, forcing them to stay on the mountain would only breed resentment and disunity.

Seeing Boss Wu finally agree, the entire group breathed a collective sigh of relief. They quickly crowded around Lai San, eager to squeeze every last detail out of him.

「In the government office.」

Gu Wenheng reviewed the reports submitted from various regions. The subordinate officials had proven to be quite reliable; in less than a month, they had all made distinct progress. However, it still fell short of his expectations. The number of people reclaiming the wastelands and the total area of arable land were still far from enough.

Jin Qianqian glanced at the ledgers he had been working on and pressed a cup of hot tea into his hands. "You’ve been reading for so long, you should take a break. This isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. We have to take it one step at a time."

Gu Wenheng took the cup, cupping it in his hands for warmth. "I’m just anxious. I was hoping for a bigger harvest by the time spring arrives. According to past statistics, there are countless people who couldn’t survive and fled into the deep mountains and old forests. But after all this time, the results are still so dismal."

"It still comes down to a lack of trust in the government," Jin Qianqian said, sitting down opposite him. "The layers of exploitation they’ve suffered are deeply ingrained in their minds. It’ll be incredibly difficult to change that overnight. If you’re really worried, you could dispatch men to various regions to supervise the process."

"Are you saying they might pay lip service while secretly defying my orders?"

Jin Qianqian pursed her lips. "Who can say for sure? News travels so slowly back and forth. Even though those officials smiled and groveled at your feet before, can you guarantee they’ll actually do what you said once they return to their jurisdictions?"

If it were that simple, history wouldn’t be littered with so many corrupt officials.

Gu Wenheng paused. "...I’ll consider it. How is your land in the east of the city coming along? Have you finalized the location?"

Jin Qianqian smiled and nodded. "I’ve already purchased the plot from the government office. I had someone pick an auspicious date, and construction will begin three days from now."

Gu Wenheng couldn’t help but envy the efficiency of his wife’s subordinates. If he hadn’t suddenly remembered to ask today, he might have just received news of the restaurant’s grand opening a few days later.

"Make the most of local resources. Since we’re here, I figured we should focus mainly on mountain delicacies," Jin Qianqian said, having already decided on the restaurant’s theme. She had also reached out to the escort agency, instructing them to transport rare dried goods from various regions during their regular runs.

"That sounds wonderful." Gu Wenheng held his teacup and squeezed onto the seat next to her. "Madam, your husband has a matter he wishes to discuss with you."

Jin Qianqian subtly inched away from him. "Judging by your tone, it’s definitely nothing good. Just spit it out."

Gu Wenheng flashed her an ingratiating smile. "You know I’ve taken on a massive undertaking here. Even with the two hundred thousand taels of silver allocated by the Holy Emperor, my hands are still tied."

He had already crunched the numbers. Even with those two hundred thousand taels of silver as a foundation, there was still a massive deficit.

"You want me to donate silver," Jin Qianqian said, staring at him with absolute certainty. She had guessed long ago that two hundred thousand taels of silver would never be enough to fund such a massive project. In fact, his plea for help came a bit later than she had anticipated.

"Hehe, no one knows me better than my Madam." Gu Wenheng gave a fawning smile. "Of course, I wouldn’t dare ask you to foot the entire remaining bill alone. I was thinking of organizing the local officials and gentry to see if everyone could chip in and do their part."

Jin Qianqian, however, had another layer of concern. "You absolutely cannot be the one to spearhead this. Don’t blame me for being selfish, but we haven’t been in Yi Province for very long. If you make such a massive move so soon, I’m afraid some people will fan the flames and use it against you."

Gu Wenheng chuckled and offered her a compliment. "My Madam truly thinks of everything. Great minds think alike. I plan to have Governor Liang take the lead on this. After all, it’s a matter that benefits the country and the people, so I imagine he won’t refuse."

There were times when one couldn’t afford to steal the spotlight too much. Moreover, they hadn’t yet fully figured out the dynamics of the local aristocratic families, and most ordinary people wouldn’t necessarily give them face. But Governor Liang was different. He had built up his influence here over many years and held a high position; it would be far more appropriate for him to step forward.

"Alright," Jin Qianqian agreed readily. "As soon as he makes a move, I’ll definitely take the lead in donating. But you have to give me a rough idea. How much should I prepare to donate this time?"

Gu Wenheng flipped his hand over, showing his palm. "Your husband is going to have to live off his wife’s wealth once again."

Jin Qianqian certainly wasn’t short on silver at the moment, so she nodded without hesitation. Then she added, "I think it’s best if I wait until everyone else has donated before I make my contribution."

If she donated a massive sum right at the start, it would put immense invisible pressure on everyone else, which could quickly lead to ugly rumors.

Gu Wenheng immediately began showering her with free-flowing praise. "My Madam is so thoughtful..."

「Later, outside the county gates.」

Carrying their meager belongings from the mountain, Wu the Sixth and his group followed closely behind Lai San. They stood outside the county gates, their faces filled with apprehension.

Chief Chen, who had been waiting there for quite some time, broke into a wide grin the moment he spotted them.

"Chief, seeing you so happy today, I thought something great had happened. Turns out you were just waiting for someone," a constable beside him remarked, curiously eyeing the approaching group. He had never heard of Chief Chen having relatives like these.

"You’re finally here! Come over, quickly!" Chief Chen ignored the constable and instead waved enthusiastically at Lai San and the others.

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