FID – Chapter 376

 Chapter 376: Dumped a burden

  The corners of Qian Wanjin’s mouth curled up, and his eyes flickered: “Since Your Excellency is so forthcoming, I will be straightforward. First off is the taxes on the winery. I hope that you can reduce the taxation of the winery to the maximum extent. We won’t be pocketing what’s left of the profit without sharing with anyone else. It will be used as year-end dividends for the workers of the winery, so that the people will be more appreciative of your kindness. Secondly is the construction site of the winery. The biggest purpose of our expansion is to help the people, so I hope that when delimiting the land, Your Excellency can be more generous and try to give us better land and some concessions in price.”

  ”Young Boss Qian, you are a famous rich merchant in Nanling. The money you spend for a piece of land to be used to establish a wine shop is but a drop in the bucket for you. Do you still have to save on this?” Kang Shiming laughed and teased.

  ”The money for a piece of land is not much for me, but ten, eight, or more, add up to a tidy sum. The more affordable the budget for building a winery, the better. What say you, Your Excellency?”

  His words made Kang Shiming’s eyes light up. He looked at Liu Yusheng and said, “Miss Liu, Young Master means that you’re not just building three wineries, is that it?”

  Liu Yusheng nodded: “We discussed last night. The number of people affected by the disaster in Xiangshan is large, so building three wineries can only help a small number of people. Since we have decided to go for it, then we might as well make it bigger and help more people.”

  ”Okay, good!” Kang Shiming smiled freely: “I want to see with my own eyes how the Xinghua Village wine gains great success in Xiangshan County!”

  ”One more thing, Your Excellency, this matter requires your personal intervention.”

  ”What is it, Young Boss Qian? Do say.”

  ”Now that the entire Xiangshan is disaster-stricken, Your Excellency is sparing no effort for the people and love your subjects as if they were your own children. This is something I admire. However, the people of Xiangshan are in the same boat and should help each other. Even ordinary Xinghua villagers are able to spare no effort for disaster relief, spontaneously organize collection of supplies, send soup and medicine, and contribute to the reconstruction. So, it’s time for others to join in the effort. With everyone working together for one purpose, Xiangshan will become a better place. There are many wealthy merchants in the city who’re unwillinging to contribute. They ought to pay, too. The pacification of the victims, and even the reconstruction of the affected places, all need money. If they contribute generously, the people will certainly be grateful to them in the future. Such a good deed should be done together. One flourishes when others flourish. One dies if the other dies. This principle is applicable everywhere.”

  Liu Yusheng’s eyelids kept jumping as she listened to Qian Wanjin’s bursting flowery speech, accompanied by awe-inspiring righteousness.

  People who came out of merchant families were really no fools.

  It was originally what Feng Qingbai had entrusted him to do. But with a turn of his head, he found an excuse and handed it to others. For the sake of righteousness, Kang Shiming, a parental official, couldn’t refuse. This was really what he should do.

  After a trip to the Yamen, he only gave up a few key concessions, but also dumped his burdens.

  He was really terrible.

  Anyone who took Qian Wanjin for a fool again in the future would be the fool.

  When the two walked out of the Yamen, they harvested a lot.

  Only the equally shrewd and worldly County Magistrate Kang was pitted a little.

  Except for better performance results in the coming year, he really did not gain himself any benefits.

  But for those in office, political performance was what mattered most to them.

  If they want to be promoted, they must produce visible political achievements.

  So, Kang Shiming did not suffer any loss.

  Moreover, the Kang Shiming would tolerate them and try to relax the preferential policies given to them. Perhaps, these were also all due to Feng Qingbai.

  With Kang Shiming’s shrewdness, he must have guessed that Feng Qingbai stayed in Liu’s house before. Then, the subsequent imperial edict appointed her as the Disaster Relief Ambassador. As long as the wineries were built, and the people gained tangible benefits, Liu Yusheng’s fame among the people would reach an unprecedented high in an instant.

  Now, it seems that the imperial decree was more like specially crafted to support and protect Liu Yusheng.

  ”Lucky Nannan, we’re on a rare trip to the county. Shall I take you around?” Qian Wanjin was so relaxed and in a good mood that he proposed with great interest.

  Liu Yusheng glanced at him and said, “What shopping can you do in the freezing weather, ah? There are few people on the street, so let’s hurry home.”

  ”Don’t. There’s nothing to do when we get back. The moment you enter the Liu family courtyard, you’ll only nest in the small consulting room immediately and can’t get out. Let’s go back later and let Xue Qinglian be busy. He obviously has excellent medical skills, yet he doesn’t know how to help you. He will be lazy. Moreover, someone takes care of his food and drink for free. Cool of him.” 

  ”You just took refuge in his room last night, yet you’re bad-mouthing him today, so you’re returning the favor with ingratitude.”

  ”Listen to yourself. What refuge? I was afraid of him being alone, alright? So I went to keep him company,” Qian Wanjin stubbornly denied with a huge hand wave, quite majestically: “Let’s go. I’m in a good mood today, so let’s buy gifts for Grandparents!”

  When in a good mood, Young Master Qian was willing to lose money.

  Liu Yusheng smiled and followed him. The two of them swept various cold stores in the street. It was only when it was getting late that they finally drove home with a full load.

  In the backyard of the Yamen, Qian Wanjin and Liu Yusheng had just left when someone emerged behind the screen of the living room.

  ”Father, you are at least the parental official of Xiangshan, so why are you afraid of a merchant? How come you agreed to everything they asked for? When this matter ends, you won’t get any benefit, yet you have to work hard to deal with those old fogeys in town who are as slippery as loaches. Don’t you mind how it lowers your status?”

  Since when did parental officials turn around and try to please their own subjects?

  In her opinion, Qian Wanjin and Liu Yusheng  clearly held the excuse of helping to solve livelihood problems of the people and demanded an exorbitant price in turn from her father. They weren’t satisfied with small gains.

  ”How short-sighted.” Kang Shiming looked at his daughter: “Is the surface all that you can see?”

  ”They’ve gone too far. Father, you are committed to working for the people and are a rare good official. If they can see clearly, they should spare no effort for Xiangshan with you, instead of taking the opportunity to coerce you and seek benefits for themselves,” Kang Ziyu said, “They should be thankful it’s you. If it were someone else, do you think they could ask for half the benefits from others? Who in the surrounding counties can scrape off a layer of skin from the people to…”

  ”Shut up! The more you talk, the more nonsensical you are!” Kang Shiming shouted, “Where is your mother? How did she teach you? Is this the kind of virtue she has taught you? I can’t see the least bit of education and reason from before. Also, don’t shoot your mouth off and say whatever comes to mind without thought!” 

  Kang Shiming reprimanded his daughter. Seeing her flushed eyes, pouting and aggrieved, as she stood there motionlessly, Kang Shiming helplessly rubbed his brow. “Retreat. Think twice before speaking in the future. I’m not scolding you but teaching you.”

  ”I understand, Father.”

  When his daughter went out, Kang Shiming let out a long sigh.

  If that incident hadn’t happened, Ziyu wouldn’t have become what she was now.

  In the end, it was him, the father, who harmed her.

  The following day, an official decree from the Yamen was posted and reached all the towns and villages under its jurisdiction.

  The entire Xiangshan County was abuzz with excitement.