The Farm Girl’s Charismatic Fortune
Chapter 147 - 143 Land Buying Controversy

Chapter 147: Chapter 143 Land Buying Controversy

After the carriage left the city, Ruo Shui also made a point to stop and have a look at the notice.

There was not only the notice but also the layout of the moat, with the red lines depicting the canal that the Governor’s Office planned to dig.

This moat would run from east to west, drawing water from the Xishui River to flow from the east to the west—providing a water source for the wasteland near the East City Gate and facilitating irrigation for the dry lands, wasteland, and hills to the west. It could be said that once this moat was excavated, it would transform tens of thousands of acres of wasteland into fertile fields within a few years!

Truly a deed that benefited the people.

"Xuanbao, you really made the right purchase with this land. I was worried there was no water source here, and nothing much could be grown, but to think the Imperial Court would suddenly build a moat. With the moat, it will be so convenient to draw water for irrigation," Ruo Shui said happily.

Ruo Xuan had always believed she wouldn’t make the wrong choice, and she excitedly said, "When we get home, let’s ask the villagers to start clearing the land. Once the New Year is over, spring will arrive, and it will be perfect for planting flowers."

Hearing this, Ruo Shui also understood why Xuanbao wanted to plant flowers—probably because she was moved by the flowers from previous years.

As for whether she could grow them, Xuanbao had managed to cultivate fruit saplings, so how could she not know how to plant flowers?

He said without hesitation, "Alright, I’ll have the villagers come over after I get back, to start clearing the land ahead of time."

Granny Lei also went to look at the layout. She said, "With the moat, many nearby wastelands will become prime lands with convenient water access. Old Fourth, let’s hurry home and tell your older brothers about it. See if they are interested in buying some wasteland."

The wasteland purchased by Xuanbao would belong to her alone, and no one else should even think about it.

The family tree was growing branches, with several sons and grandsons who would eventually separate into their own households. Now, there was a rare opportunity for good land. These days, the eldest brother wasn’t in a frenzy, the second brother’s feet were healed, and the third brother’s eyes were better. They no longer needed to spend money on medicine and had made quite a sum of silver. With good wasteland available, they would all probably want to buy some.

Although they lived far from this side, they also owned a mansion bestowed by the Emperor in the city. During the busy farming season, they could hire people to help; it was enough to have one family member stay in the mansion to watch over things.

Moreover, as Xuanbao had said, with the few brothers studying in the city, it would be a good idea to clear one or two courtyards from that mansion for them to live in.

"Alright," Ruo Shui agreed upon hearing the plan, and he immediately sped up to go back and inform his older brothers.

The notice had just been posted, and it would take him a quarter of an hour to return home, half an hour for the round trip. He wasn’t sure if they would make it in time.

After all, once the notice was out, everyone would think to buy up land near the moat. After all, with no worries about water for irrigation, the land would become fertile after a few years of cultivation.

With this thought, he truly felt that Xuanbao had an amazing foresight!

An entire month earlier, she had bought a vast expanse of wasteland outside the city gate. If they waited until now, it’s unlikely they would have their chance.

After all, they didn’t live in the city, and their information wasn’t as up-to-date as the city dwellers’.

Today was just a stroke of luck.

Ruo Shui cracked his whip, urging the horse to run even faster.

In less than a quarter of an hour, they had returned to the village. As soon as the carriage stopped, Ruo Shui began unloading the goods while shouting, "First Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Sixth Brother...come out quick! We’re going to buy land! Hurry up!"

Ruo Zhou and Granny Lei also helped unload the carriage.

Their shouts brought the family members running out of the house.

"Buy land, what land?"

"There’s no need to rush to buy land, right? The land isn’t going anywhere!"

"Aren’t you supposed to be in the city? Why have you come back talking about buying land?"

....

Granny Lei and Ruo Shui took turns explaining the situation with the moat.

The brothers all felt the land was worth buying once they heard, and they were afraid if they were too slow, it would be gone!

"Let’s go! Let’s go buy it quickly!"

"Stop talking, let’s check it out first. We can talk on the way! Let’s secure the land first."

.....

So the brothers got back on the carriage, heading into the city.

Xuanbao did not follow them. The layout of the moat had been revealed, and it was clear at a glance which lands were good and which were not.

The only question was whether her uncle and the others would still be able to buy any.

If they couldn’t, it wouldn’t matter. She had bought so much, she could distribute some to everyone.

In the Governor’s Office of the county city, the place was packed to the brim.

Many people, who saw the moat layout map posted at the Governor’s Office, thought of buying land immediately.

The wastelands near the red line could all be purchased.

The city was not short of rich and noble families, all thinking of making the first move to secure a good position.

Especially the waste grounds outside the East City Gate—how convenient they were! They could be used for farming or vegetable gardening.

Most of the city dwellers relied on purchases for fresh vegetables. If there was a plot of land just outside the city gate for vegetable gardening, they could easily pluck a handful of fresh vegetables as soon as they stepped out of the gate. It couldn’t be more convenient.

Moreover, as the wasteland was cheap, with a buy-one-get-one-free deal, the majority of the city’s people surged to the Governor’s Office, clamoring to buy land.

Several officials and government runners were busy attending to the citizens coming to purchase land.

"It’s gone, the wasteland outside the East City Gate is gone—it was sold a month ago! For other wastelands, the Lord County Magistrate said that the villagers near the wastelands will have priority to purchase. Each household will be allowed to buy an acre first. If the nearby villagers don’t want to buy, then it will be made available to other citizens."

"Really, that piece of land outside the East City Gate already has an owner! There’s no way to sell it!"

....

Upon hearing that the land had been sold, some citizens left disappointedly, but others were not willing to give up.

Especially those who were wealthy and had relatives in high places.

They suspected that the people at the Governor’s Office had gotten wind of the news in advance and had either bought the land themselves or tipped off friends and family.

They even suspected officials of taking bribes, deliberately selling the land early, and keeping the Imperial Court’s silver for themselves.

After all, the price of these lands had now soared to two taels per acre, and there was no more buy-one-get-one-free offer.

Some people couldn’t stand watching such a juicy piece of the pie getting sliced without getting a piece themselves, so they deliberately stirred up trouble: "Why is it that as soon as the notice is posted the land is already sold, and a month ago at that? Who would buy a plot of barren land that wouldn’t even grow weeds a month prior? Isn’t it because someone in the Governor’s Office leaked the news about constructing the moat in advance, allowing people to snap up all the good land beforehand?"

As soon as these words were spoken, those who had planned to buy land and were thinking of leaving stopped in their tracks.

Indeed!

If it weren’t for prior knowledge of the construction of the moat, who would buy that piece of land?

It didn’t even grow thick grass!

Someone in the Governor’s Office must have sold the news in advance!

They had thought the Lord County Magistrate was an upright official, only to find out he was a great corrupted one!

The more people thought about it, the angrier they became, and they couldn’t help but curse: "That vast stretch of barren land without water, where even the grass grows poorly! Why does it so happen that it was all bought over a month ago, when it’s been unsold for years? It must be that you Governor’s Office people took someone’s silver and sold the land early, pocketing the money! This isn’t fair, that land should have been sold on a first-come, first-served basis when the notice went up!"

"Exactly! The way the Governor’s Office is doing this is unfair to us ordinary folk; the plots should have been sold when the notice was posted, first-come, first-served! Selling the best plots in advance like this is unjust!"

"It’s unfair! You can’t sell in advance; we want to buy the land! You corrupted officials must have bought the land for yourselves."

...