Read Novel Full Chapter 448: A Massive Project ( 1 )
Chapter 448: A Massive Project ( 1 )
After receiving the land deeds and the jade token, Yao Zhi gave Wu Dashu 2 kilograms of fresh vegetables, 2 kilograms of apricots, and 5 kilograms of refined rice.
Since Lu Qianxuan wanted to eradicate corruption, she didn’t give him money.
“Thank you for your hard work, Sir Wu. Please share these with everyone,” she said before leaving the Magistrate’s office.
Wu Dashu didn’t dare to accept the gifts and glanced at Xue Ya’er. Noticing his glance, she said, “Since it’s Young Master Lei’s gift, just accept it and share it with everyone.”
The moment he heard this, he cupped his fists, bent his waist, and said, “Thank you, Madam. Thank you, Young Master Lei.”
They didn’t stay there any longer and left the office.
While Xue Ya’er went to the military camp to inform her husband, Yao Zhi went to the city center.
When Yao Zhi arrived, there were no longer porridge stalls or temporary clinics in the area. What was left was an empty area that had been cleaned.
Seeing this, Ling Ershi asked, “Master, what are we going to do here?”
Yao Zhi looked around and spotted several patrolling guards. She pointed at them and said, “Ershi, invite them over.”
The moment he heard his Master’s words, Ling Ershi nodded and went to carry out his task. Not long after, he returned, followed by the guards.
Seeing that it was Lei Feng who had invited them over, the guards greeted him politely. “Greetings, Young Master Lei.”
Yao Zhi returned their greetings and said, “Sirs, I invited you over to ask for a favor.”
The guards exchanged glances, and one of them asked, “Young Master Lei, what can we help you with?”
“I want to hire people to help me build a wall surrounding my estate. I wonder if I can set up a stall here.”
When they heard this, one of them asked curiously, “Young Master Lei, did you buy land here?”
Yao Zhi didn’t think that this matter needed to be hidden from the public. So, she nodded. “I just bought the entire western outskirts area, the mountain foothills, and the nearby mountains.”
“Before building the estate, I want to build a wall to stop people from entering my private property without permission.”
“Young Master Lei, the nearby mountains… Are you talking about the five dragon mountains?” the guard asked, the shock clear in his eyes.
“Yes. I bought them directly from the Marquis of Zhongyong. The documents were also transferred to my name,” Yao Zhi nodded.
This time, the guards were dumbfounded.
They had heard the rumors about Lei Feng, and one of them was that he came from a very wealthy family. When they heard this rumor, they thought that no matter how rich his family was, he wouldn’t be richer than the national treasury.
Unexpectedly, this young man with ordinary looks was actually able to buy the mountains!
Not to mention the mountains, just the outskirts and the mountain foothills alone covered a very large area. Perhaps the area he bought was at least one-third of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s fief.
After a long silence, one of them finally said, “Young Master Lei, if you want to hire people, you can set up a stall here. But it might not be safe for you. So, I think it’s better for you to visit the General and discuss this matter with him.”
Thinking about his suggestion, Yao Zhi finally nodded. “Thank you for your suggestion, Sir.”
When she finished speaking, she gave them an apricot each and rode her horse to the military camp.
When Xue Ya’er arrived at the military camp, there were several high-ranking military officers inside the General’s tent. This time, there were several high-ranking military officers inside the General’s tent.
When the guard reported her arrival to Lu Qianxuan, he told the guard to invite his wife in. He didn’t avoid his subordinates at all.
The moment the military officers saw Xue Ya’er, they cupped their fists and greeted her, “Greetings, Lady.”
Now that her husband was a 1st-rank Marquis, she was a 1st-rank Lady. So, her rank was high enough for her to use the title of Lady.
She returned their greetings and asked, “My Lord, I hope I didn’t disturb you and everyone.”
Now that they were in public, she called her husband using his official title, My Lord.
Lu Qianxuan walked over, held his wife’s hand, and said, “Wife, you didn’t disturb us.”
Unlike his wife, he didn’t want to call her using a formal title. It made him feel that there was a distance between them.
When Xue Ya’er heard her husband’s intimate address, she blushed and glared at him.
Despite her warning, Lu Qianxuan only grinned and asked, “Wife, what brought you here at this time?”
After taking her seat, she said, “My Lord, I came to inform you about the land matter.”
“Wife, did Young Master Lei agree to the price?” Lu Qianxuan asked.
Shaking her head, Xue Ya’er replied, “I didn’t give any price for the land and asked for her opinion on what price was suitable for the land.”
When the military officers heard this, they exchanged glances. They didn’t know why the Lady didn’t give a fixed price. Wasn’t she treating Lei Feng too well?
Only Fu Chen’an stayed calm. He knew that his wife had a good relationship with the General’s wife, and she wouldn’t take advantage of her friend.
As he had expected, Xue Ya’er continued, “Young Master Lei paid 20 million taels of gold for the entire western outskirts area, mountain foothills, and the Five Dragon Mountains.”
“20 million taels of gold?!” everyone exclaimed in shock when they heard her words.
Xue Ya’er smiled and added, “Not only that, Young Master Lei promised that the Marquisate would receive 5% of the total harvest of her estate as tax. Also, my husband and I will have purchasing priority rights for all of the stores under her name.”
This time, the military officers had no more complaints. Although the tax was low, the 20 million taels of gold alone were already more than enough to cover their military expenses for decades!