0p0 Chapter 250: Stocking up before winter
Chapter 250: Stocking up before winter
Hearing this, Lu Tianfu, Zhuzi's father, the village chief, Wang's father, Lu Tianxin, Bai Xing'er, Lu Laosan and others raised their hands.
Lu Tianming looked at the remaining people who had not raised their hands, including County Magistrate Yao, Lu Qingqing, and Master Yan. The situation was pretty much as he expected.
"Everyone knows our current situation. To be honest, the firewood piled in the yard is enough for normal years.
We're preparing some firewood now, just in case.
I will now tell you what I have decided to do: I will buy some firewood from these villagers.”
As soon as Lu Tianming finished speaking, Tianfu Niang muttered softly:
"I've been in the city for so long I've forgotten how farmers live. Firewood is everywhere in the mountains and plains, but farmers don't buy it. It's a complete waste of money!"
Although the voice was not loud, Lu Tianming heard some of it.
Seeing that the others had similar expressions, he continued:
"I know that everyone doesn't want to pay for it. If you want to resolve this matter today, go to Village Chief Yang and he will intervene.
But, we are living in the empty house in this village, which is already a big favor to us.
Yongyan is a very honest kid, but we can't always take advantage of him."
As he spoke, Lu Tianming looked at the others and continued:
"Everyone knows what the situation is like outside right now. The plague in that town might spread to Pingtong County at any time.
If we are forced to leave here and travel in winter, people will die if we are not careful.
Therefore, even if everyone wants to leave, they have to wait until spring when it gets warmer.
We all want to spend the winter in this mountain village, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to spend a few copper coins to buy some firewood."
After these words, Lu Tianxin, the village chief, Wang's father, and Bai Xing'er gritted their teeth and said in unison:
"Okay, buy firewood!"
Although the village chief felt sorry for the money, he still said:
"Cousin, we all know what you said, we just didn't understand it at the moment.
Indeed, it is not worth bothering Village Chief Yang for that little money for firewood!
Besides, we're living in someone else's house and haven't paid for it, so just consider this as paying the rent."
After hearing this, the others nodded as well.
In the crowd, only Lu Tianfu, Zhuzi's father and Lu Laosan did not respond, and all three of them lowered their heads.
They also know that it is not good to bother others all the time, but it really hurts to ask them to pay for firewood.
It would be fine if I could just spend money to buy some dried vegetables, but why would I need to buy firewood?
Seeing that most people agreed except for these three, Lu Tianming stopped trying to persuade them.
He had been leading the group for so long that he had a general understanding of the temperament of the people in the team.
It may not be easy to persuade these three people to pay money.
It wouldn't cost much anyway, so instead of wasting time talking, he might as well just give it to him directly.
Lu Tianfu and Lu Laosan are brothers after all, so just consider it as helping cousins!
Thinking of this, Lu Tianming said:
"That's it, I'll go over and talk to them."
After saying that, Lu Tianming walked towards those men. After saying a few words, he saw that those men were obviously happy.
Not long after, Lu Tianming came back and said:
"Okay, I've made a deal with them. Firewood is six cents a load, delivered directly to the yard. Each household has been ordered to pay one load."
After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
For County Magistrate Yao and his family, not having to go up the mountain to chop firewood was something they had always wanted.
In the years before, not only were they required to do tasks like chopping wood, but even their clothes and meals were prepared by servants, and they only had to enjoy them.
After fleeing famine for so long, they have become accustomed to doing all kinds of work, but why should they bother themselves with something that can be done with a small amount of money?
In addition to County Magistrate Yao, Lu Qingqing also wanted to give her full support to the idea of spending some money to buy firewood.
After chopping firewood in the mountains these days, she and Qin Lang were both exhausted and thin.
People say that you should stock up on fat before winter, but they actually lost a lot of weight.
It’s good to buy firewood. After she doesn’t have to chop wood, she and Qin Lang can concentrate on growing things in the space.
She had bought a lot of seeds in Pingtong County before, but she hadn’t had time to plant them yet!
After everyone returned to the yard, they cleaned up the house.
At noon, the young men came over each carrying a load of firewood.
Their expressions were completely different from that in the morning. There was a hint of uneasiness in their expressions, as if they were afraid that they would not accept it.
You know, when they carried firewood to the town to sell before, those people were not easy to talk to.
Either they complain that the firewood is too wet, or that the thin branches inside are not resistant to burning.
In the yard, everyone gathered around the several loads of firewood in the yard and looked at them.
The firewood was all made of thick branches and was pressed firmly, so there was no problem.
A few people went back to the house, took out the copper coins and handed them to the young men.
They grinned, carefully put away the copper coins, and then left politely.
It was not until the next morning that Yang's father and Yang Yongyan came to their yard with a few men selling firewood.
When Lu Tianming and his group came out, they saw those men with their heads hung, as if they had done something wrong.
When Father Yang saw them coming out, he stepped forward and said:
"Brother Lu, I heard they sold you firewood. Is it still six cents a load?"
Seeing Lu Tianming nod, he said with some shame:
"These guys are not usually cunning, I don't know what happened, but they actually cheated you out of your money!"
As he spoke, the men lowered their heads even more.
Lu Tianming and his group were a little puzzled. They looked at the firewood and found that it was thicker than the branches they had cut themselves, so there was no problem.
When Father Yang saw this, he thought they were too embarrassed to speak, so he said to everyone in the yard:
"Everyone, I'm so sorry, these young guys are so greedy that they insist on selling firewood to you, and even charge an extra copper coin for each load!"
Then he continued:
"I've already told them that they won't dare come here to sell firewood anymore. I've also asked them to refund you the money they paid for the firewood!"
As he said this, he lectured the men:
"You guys, why don't you return the money to them!"
After hearing this, the woodcutters lowered their heads and walked up to Lu Tianming, wanting to stuff the copper coins in their hands into his hand.
Lu Tianming waved his hand and said:
"We've already used all the firewood, so there's no reason to return it. Besides, the firewood they gave us was good."
When the men heard this, they all looked over.
They were caught by the village chief today. They thought that the firewood they chopped yesterday was in vain. They didn't expect that these outsiders didn't even want to return the coins.
It seems that these people are indeed honest people as Yongyan said.
Thinking about how I had asked them for more money before, I felt a little ashamed for a moment.
Father Yang saw that they really had no intention of returning the firewood, so he said to the young men:
“Brother Lu and his group are kind-hearted and didn’t bother with you.
Don't do such conscienceless things again in the future.
It doesn't matter how capable a man in our Yang family is, if he has bad character.
The elders and I will not allow them to stay in the village and bring disgrace upon it!"