After leaving the house, she did not stop and went straight to the village chief's house.
The village chief sighed when he saw her, “Do you want to buy that piece of land?”
Li Qinghe nodded, “I decided about it a long time ago.”
Hearing this, the village chief became more serious, “For a normal fertile piece of land, you need five taels to get three or two mǔ*. You want the barren mountain, where there is nothing on it, so it just costs one or two taels for a mǔ. However, you have to properly think about it. After you get the land deed, if you can’t sell it, you won’t be able to get your money back. "
(TN: mǔ is a unit of area equal to one-fifteenth of a hectare. 1 mǔ = 0.0667 hectare = 667 m²)
“I understand.” Li Qinghe replied casually, secretly calculating her savings. In the past two years, she has saved four taels of silver, plus the twelve taels over there, which can buy ten acres of land, but now Mrs. Qian wants her to marry, so she has to leave a way back for herself.
Although Li Qinghe did not marry the right person in her last life, she was not averse to marrying someone, as long as the person was right, then life would not be difficult.
“Troubling you to take me to town to write the land deed, and then find bīng dà gē* to measure the land.”
(TN: government official brother the eldest brother soldier/boss)
The village chief frowned, “Buying land is a big deal, It's not a little bit of money. Don't be in such a hurry or later you will regret it.”
“I won’t regret it.” Li Qinghe pursed her lips. “Today, Aunt Qian arranged someone to come as a blind date match for me. It is Wanwan's cousin.”
“Nonsense!” Although many outsiders were living in the village, the village chief was a member of the Li family and by all accounts, he was also the cousin of Li Qinghe's grandfather, a very close elder, so he was a bit angered, “Don't worry. I will talk to your grandfather about this, he won't let your father find your in-laws so indiscriminately.”
Li Qinghe hurriedly said, “Don't bother grandpa. After all, it's all because of the silver. I never heard that Aunt Qian wanted to help me negotiate a marriage, but today she suddenly called someone to come... Wait for me to get the land deed in my hand, they will stop, and if it doesn't work then I will go beg grandpa to do it.”
They went to go to town using Zhou Chengkang’s carriage, and the village chief also kept trying to dissuade her along the way, “Won’t you reconsider it? The land is useless.”
Li Qinghe's mind was already made up so she said with certainty, “I want to buy the deed. The silver can easily be taken away, but the deed is in my name and will always be mine.”
This was indeed the truth. The owner's name is not written on the silver. Whoever has it will count as the owner. But a land deed is not like that.
All the land in the town is under the control of the mayor. The village mayor had told him the price earlier. Although the mayor was doubtful, he did not ask much. In the end, this kind of wasteland cannot be sold and Li Qinghe was willing to buy it. This money does not need to be recorded. In other words, as long as no one asks for the money, it is likely to fall into the mayor's private house.
Li Qinghe didn't care about this. Anyway, the land deed was real. After getting the piece of paper with ten mǔ of wasteland, and seeing the signature in the corner, she was relieved.
Then, two more government officials followed the carriage back to the village, with a measuring bamboo pole and began to measure the land. Li Qinghe stuffed two cents of silver for the two of them and after that, the land measurement was relaxed. The village chief also followed. The two and the village head seemed to know each other. They talked and laughed all the way and finished measuring the land. Of course, it was more than ten mǔ. Li Qinghe chose the flattest piece, which was deserted and no one came over after the measurement.
Zhou Chengkang sent the two government officials back to the town, and Li Qinghe returned to the village with the village chief and the land deed.
The village chief's house was at the entrance of the village and he had to pass by Li Qinghe's house to go home. When he arrived at her door, he paused, “I haven't been to your house for a long time, so I'll go in and take a look.”
This was intended to warn Mrs. Qian to back off so Li Qinghe was grateful and hurriedly led him in.
She didn't feel it when she was walking outside, but she found it lively in the yard. Mrs. Qian smiled and came out carrying the teapot, apparently planning to add hot water. When she saw the village chief and Li Qinghe walking in, her complexion became stiff but she quickly recovered her smile, “Third Uncle is here, hurry in and sit.”
Then she instructed Li Qinghe, “Qinghe, pour tea for your third grandfather.” After saying that, she pulled her into the kitchen.
The tone was close and casual. Although their family and the village chief were related by blood, they were not that close. As for the reason...we have to start with Li Fu and Mrs. Qian.
When the two separated, it was no big issue. Unmarried men and women loved each other, but sometimes the marriage was not destined to happen. It was not strange, but after Mrs. Qian who became widowed ran to hook up with Li Fu, many people couldn't accept it.
The first time Li Qinghe's grandparents let Li Fu and Mrs. Xǔ get married, Li Fu became angry with his parents and moved out. After Li Fu got married, they didn't have much contact with each other. However, when he hooked up with Mrs. Qian, they completely broke off contact with each other.
This is also the reason why Li Qinghe refused the village chief's offer to let her grandfather come plead for her. They had no contact with each other. For him to look for his son again, this was beneath him.
“Where have you been? You didn’t ask the village chief to help decide for you, right?” Mrs. Qian added water to the pot while saying, “My nephew is two years younger than you, but he has been learning carpentry for over five years. After you marry him in the future, you won’t live a hard life. I’m also doing this for your own good. But you have such a big reaction. You can tell me if you are not willing, there is no need to run out like this. Just now your aunt brought him and you’re not here. How embarrassed I am.”
Li Qinghe was irritated when she heard her talk endlessly without getting to the point. “You asked for the embarrassment. Why didn't you tell me earlier about this? I think you’re being secretive.”
Mrs. Qian frowned, “What are you talking about? Don't talk like that even if you're not happy.”
Li Qinghe picked up the cup, “Okay, then I'm telling you now. I don't agree to this marriage. I am not happy with anything from your Qian family, is that okay?”
Mrs. Qian tugged at her, looked at the yard, and lowered her voice, “Keep your voice down. You’re a stubborn child. You can't refuse a good marriage because you hate me. It's hard for a peasant girl to marry someone with skills and if it weren't for our relationship, you wouldn't be able to get such a good opportunity. I may harm you but your father will not, right? This marriage your father also felt was good ...... ”
These kinds of people, no matter what others say to them, they would only listened to what they want to hear. The rest are as if the wind blew past their ears. Li Qinghe became impatient, “You can marry him if you like! I won't marry anyway!”
Mrs. Qian frowned, “Don't think I don't know what's on your mind. That Zhou boy, where is he good? The family is so poor that they all have to wear the same clothes, and he has been running around you recently. This was all just for your silver!”
“The silver is gone.” Li Qinghe said casually.
Hearing this, Mrs. Qian froze for a moment and her voice raised in urgency as she said, “Where did you spend it?”
Looking at her anxious face, Li Qinghe was pleased, “Anyway, I spent it all.”
After speaking, she took a cup of tea into the hall and poured tea for the village chief.
Mrs. Qian who was left in a daze murmured, “It's gone, it's gone. How can it be gone? Twelve taels ah...”
Li Qinghe was in a good mood and when she was pouring tea, she heard someone say from behind her, “As expected of a child raised by my sister, she knows how to do things and is quick to do them. Who would be lucky to get this daughter?” The person who spoke was Zhao Wanwan's aunt.
The village chief immediately answered, “She is still young. There’s many things she doesn’t know how to do.” A modest tone of the elders, and the young age mentioned also has the meaning of refusing the marriage.
The first thing is, she is young, why discuss marriage? If she is a sensible person, she won't intentionally mention it here.
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