bookrandom Chapter 405 Delivering Grain and Farm Tools
Chapter 405 Delivering Grain and Farm Tools
Her smile was so sincere that, in Scarface's eyes, she looked like a cunning little fox.
Scarface sneered, "I wondered why you were so calm on this mountain. You were coming up with ideas for hunting and fishing, and you even led people with Beard to pick mushrooms and dig for ginseng. Turns out you've come here to do business. I misjudged you this time. I thought you were just an innocent little girl, but I didn't expect you to be so bold, decisive, and intelligent."
At this moment, he looked at Lin Xiaotang with even greater admiration.
"Since you say you want to cooperate, then show me your skills. As long as we can make money, I will give you a share of the profits. As for how much, that will depend on my mood. If we make more, you will naturally get more. If we make less, you need to give me an explanation!"
"make a deal!"
Lin Xiaotang nodded in agreement without hesitation.
Now is not the time to bargain with Scarface. We are outnumbered and the two of them have not yet established a cooperative relationship. If we anger Scarface, we will not gain any advantage.
After the two reached an agreement, Lin Xiaotang gave Scarface another suggestion: to screen his men, select some capable people, divide the rest into several teams, and let the capable people be team leaders to manage their subordinates. As for those who are stubborn and impossible to change, those with murder cases should be sent to the government, and those without cases should be sent down the mountain.
After hearing this, Scarface did not give Lin Xiaotang an immediate reply, but he carefully considered the feasibility of the plan in his mind.
The ingredients used for lunch included a wild boar and a lot of fish, as well as plenty of mushrooms and bamboo shoots. It looks like we can eat them again tomorrow.
Uncle Liang led a few hardworking people to string the fish together with straw ropes and hang them on racks under the eaves to air dry. The pork was also cut into strips and hung up, and the mushrooms were laid out to dry in the open space...
Lin Xiaotang nodded in satisfaction, thinking to herself that not all the people on this mountain were utterly wicked.
The next day, Scarface and Beard disguised themselves and took Lin Xiaotang to the nearest town, where they found a pharmacy and sold the ginseng.
The shopkeeper readily paid eighty taels of silver for the century-old ginseng, and fifteen copper coins a pound for the coarse rice. If all eighty taels of silver were used to buy coarse rice, it would amount to at least five thousand pounds. They couldn't possibly carry all that grain at once, let alone have it delivered. If the shop assistants knew that the grain was bought by bandits, they would have fled in terror by the time they reached the foot of the mountain, let alone deliver it.
So they spent just over two taels of silver to buy two bags of grain, one for Scarface and one for Big Beard, and medicine. They also bought some salt and seasonings from the spice shop before returning to the mountain.
The bandits on the mountain were overjoyed to see that their leader had brought in food. They thought that it was good to live a life where they didn't have to go hungry or thirsty, or risk their lives to rob others.
After some hesitation, Lin Xiaotang finally asked Scarface for permission to write a letter to her father to let him know she was safe.
"You must have noticed these past two days that I have no intention of running away, and I have also given you advice on hunting and foraging for food, and even dug up ginseng to give you money. I am sincerely staying to help you get rich. Please let me write a letter to my parents."
My parents should have arrived in the capital by now. Only when they know I'm safe will they give up the idea of reporting me to the authorities, and we'll avoid a lot of trouble here, right?
Scarface grinned and scratched his head, feeling somewhat irritated.
This girl is such a hassle!
He said somewhat impatiently, "Writing a letter is fine, but you have to let me see it after you're done. Girl, don't do anything to the letter. If I find out, not only will I not let you off, but your parents and younger siblings will also be in trouble. Don't underestimate my methods."
"Natural, that's natural."
Lin Xiaotang was thrilled and immediately agreed, then ran to find Huo Qi.
Huo Qi was an avid reader. Whenever bandits went out to rob and brought back anything, he would keep any writing brushes, ink, paper, or inkstones.
Some of those roughnecks were illiterate, and others knew a few characters but were too lazy to write them, so no one would compete with a weakling like him for these things.
Lin Xiaotang briefly explained her situation, reassuring her parents that they didn't need to report it to the authorities. She also gave them instructions about doing business in the capital before handing the letter to Scarface.
Naturally, Scarface didn't know many words either; he had just been trying to scare Lin Xiaotang. He asked Huo Qi to check the contents of the letter, and Huo Qi said there was nothing wrong with it after reading it.
Scarface then arranged for someone to send the letter down the mountain. He went to town to find a messenger, spent ten coins, and delivered the letter.
A few days later, Lin Xiaotang led the two uncles and Huo Qi and others to pick mushrooms on the mountain for a few days. Scarface and Qu Xiao led two teams to hunt and fish in the river for a few days. They also sent people down the mountain to buy about ten bags of grain and carry them up the mountain. They had enough food for about a hundred people for ten days to half a month.
Some couldn't take it anymore, complaining that they were tired and unwilling to continue. They were given a good scolding by Scarface, which made them behave themselves.
Sure enough, the people arranged by Manager Su delivered the medicinal herb seeds a few days later. Not only that, he also sent a cartload of farm tools.
Lin Xiaotang praised Manager Su for being thoughtful and for helping her solve many problems.
Scarface, Beard, and the others stood around several carts of medicinal herbs, seeds, and farm tools, their faces showing disbelief.
"Boss, Xiao Tang really didn't lie to us. Her father really did arrange for someone to send medicinal herb seeds. She told her father to send seeds but not farm tools. We didn't expect that even farm tools would be sent. We can save money on buying farm tools. This is really great."
Scarface nodded and sighed, "I really didn't expect that the little girl's family was so resourceful. They actually managed to get so many medicinal herb seeds. These are much more valuable than grain. They delivered them without spending a penny. It seems that the little girl is a real gem, and her father is a doting father."
"We've robbed so many times, and we've encountered plenty of families who abandoned their wives and daughters when faced with danger, some even pushing women out to shield them from harm. It's rare to find a father who doesn't favor sons over daughters; this family is quite touching."
Lin Xiaotang laughed and said, "Oh, these things were sent by my second uncle after my father wrote a letter to me. These farm tools were also arranged by my second uncle. Not only does my father love me, but my second uncle is also a very capable and reliable person."
He wasn't her biological second uncle, but he loved her a thousand times more than a biological second uncle.
Scarface was somewhat surprised. Just who was this little girl?
He said, "I underestimated your family. Just who are your father and your second uncle?"
Lin Xiaotang's eyes darted around. "Keep it a secret for now. You're going to lead your men to grow medicinal herbs on this mountain to make a fortune and do business. You absolutely can't mess with my family again."
Now you see, even though they haven't given us a single penny, my second uncle has brought medicinal herb seeds and farm tools. As long as everyone works hard, we won't have to worry about selling the herbs, and we certainly won't lack money."