The Little Life of a Big Landlord

Chapter 22 Grand Gathering

Yang Ming returned to Zhengjia Village at around 4 a.m. After arriving home, he didn't even say hello to Wei Qingqing and the others before going into the west room and lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) to think.

"What exactly did Aunt Zhang mean? Was she implying I should lower the price? Impossible, they don't need that kind of money, they're definitely making more... So, someone has actually noticed me? But what's the use of noticing? You don't even know where I got my goods... If they come looking for me, I certainly won't tell them. Who would reveal their money-making secrets to others? What if they use some underhanded methods? Arrest Qingqing..." Thinking about it, Yang Ming felt a chill run down his spine. "If I had known, I wouldn't have been so ostentatious... It's no use. In this society, information is everywhere. What secret can be kept? As long as you have money and power, if they want to investigate you, they can find out everything about you, even your ancestors for eight generations, unless I don't sell them at all... But why should I? It's my stuff, I can sell it if I want..."

Yang Ming suddenly sat up on the kang (a heated brick bed), his mind entering the farm space.

"Ya Ya, in the 'Selling System's' labor menu, do you sell bodyguards?" Yang Ming asked.

"Bodyguards?" Ya Ya was taken aback. "No, bodyguards can't farm. Harmony is the first principle of this product, and we do not encourage the use of violence by our lords."

"What if someone tries to harm me? What if I can't fight back? At the very least, you have to ensure my personal safety, right?" Yang Ming said.

"If the owner's personal safety is threatened, this product will activate the automatic protection function."

"What if it were my family members who were in danger?"

"There's no need to worry about that. The owner can raise excellent livestock. For example, among the five domestic animals on Earth, there are cattle, sheep, dogs, chickens, and pigs. Among them, dogs are the best bodyguards and the most loyal to their owners."

"What if the other side has a gun?" Yang Ming asked.

"Well...theoretically, we could use a swarm of dogs..." Ya Ya said.

"Does the sales system sell livestock like dogs?" Foreign monks can chant sutras, and foreigners always bring a sense of mystery. Yang Ming felt that if there were dogs on other planets, they would definitely be more powerful than dogs on Earth.

"Let me check..." Ya Ya began to look at the menu of the sales system.

"In reply to you, sir, although there are livestock calves on the menu, they are mostly edible livestock that produce meat and dairy products, and they are not aggressive," Ya Ya said.

Since they weren't available in the sales system, they could just buy two at the market today. If that didn't work, their big yellow dog back home had nine puppies, so bringing two wouldn't be a problem. Having figured that out, Yang Ming said, "Then forget it. Ya Ya, plant some sweet potatoes and potatoes in the field. As long as you can harvest 10 kilograms of each in three days, that'll be enough." There were still quite a few sweet potatoes and potatoes in the warehouse, and with another 10 kilograms, that should be enough for the 10th.

"No problem, although the land is a bit tight, it's still possible to plant," Ya Ya said.

When Yang Ming came out of the farm space, it was already bright outside. He had no desire to sleep, so he put on his shoes and got off the kang (a heated brick bed). He still needed to prepare the cart for today's market trip.

Yang Ming carried the hand tractor to the backyard. The donkey cart in the shed was made of solid wood, two meters wide and five meters long. The wood was fine and dense, and extremely sturdy. Anyone with a keen eye would have exclaimed that this cart was made entirely of huanghuali wood. Just for its size, it could sell for nearly ten million yuan by weight. The two large wheels were also made of huanghuali wood, with iron strips wrapped around them. These iron strips looked like gears, with bumps and lumps. These kinds of wheels are used for cars.

With great difficulty, Yang Ming pulled the donkey cart out of the shed and placed the hand tractor in front of it. At the rear of the hand tractor, there was a latch for connecting the plow and the cart body. By turning the latch, it could be either single or double, used to pull a cart with one or two shafts. Yang Ming turned the latch into a double-shaft configuration, secured the donkey cart shafts and latch, and then adjusted the height of the chassis, making the donkey cart level.

I took a broom and cleaned the donkey cart. I also got some vegetable oil and greased the axle. A cart without rubber tires is bound to be bumpy, so I need to put something on it. It would be best to get some firewood, put it in a chicken skin bag, stack it neatly on the cart, and then put a thin blanket on top so that people sitting on it won't be bumpy.

"Hmm! You're up early. What time did you get back last night...?"

Yang Ming was about to go find some firewood and make a few mats when a voice sounded behind him. He turned around and saw that it was Aunt Liu carrying a chamber pot out to empty it.

"Oh! I got back around four o'clock. Aunt Liu got up early too!" Yang Ming said.

"Hmm!" Aunt Liu carried the chamber pot to the toilet to empty it, then went to the donkey cart and looked at it carefully. Seeing Yang Ming searching everywhere, she asked, "What are you looking for?"

"I'll find a bag, stuff some firewood in it, and put it on the donkey cart as a cushion, otherwise it'll be jolted to death!"

"Would a burlap sack work? I remember there are several burlap sacks in the side room of the front yard, but no chicken skin sacks. Thirty years ago, chicken skin sacks were very rare, and even if there were, they would be rotten by now. If you really need chicken skin sacks, we have a few at home. I'll go get them for you in a bit. The firewood is right outside my door; just tear off as much as you need."

"It would be even better if there were burlap sacks, those things are sturdy..." Yang Ming was overjoyed and hurriedly went to the front yard. Sure enough, he found several large burlap sacks in the side room, all of which were still brand new.

Firewood is everywhere. In the mountains, people mostly burn wood for fuel and use firewood to feed livestock. Although these days we advocate green living and tree planting and prohibit cutting down trees, people are still not enthusiastic about firewood. Firewood is too fluffy and burns out quickly. If you only burn firewood, it won't last long.

Yang Ming filled three large sacks, making them bulge, tied their mouths shut, carried them back to the backyard, stuffed them onto the donkey cart, secured them with ropes, and then brought out a thin quilt from the house and laid it on top.

Breakfast was the reheated food from last night. Eight dishes were made last night, and there was a lot of leftovers, which were all put in the refrigerator. After breakfast, Yang Ming sat on the donkey cart, started the hand tractor, and drove out through the back door, turning onto the gravel road. Four women, three adults and one child, were already waiting at the front door, which was locked.

Wei Qingqing and Sun Fangfang both had shoulder bags slung over their arms, while Aunt Liu had a small cloth bag slung over her arm.

"This vehicle is really strange. I wonder what you'll do when you make a sharp turn!" Sun Fangfang laughed at the donkey cart's design. A hand-held tractor doesn't have a steering wheel, so you have to control the steering lever to turn. If you make a sharp turn, Yang Ming will definitely have to jump off the vehicle.

"That's easy!" Yang Ming said, pressing the steering wheel down and gently twisting it to the left. The tires turned a full 90 degrees to the left.

"How advanced!" Sun Fangfang climbed into the car and sat down. Wei Qingqing, Aunt Liu, and Zheng Bao'er also got into the car.

With people sitting in the vehicle, the sacks were flattened and wobbled, providing even better shock absorption than a car's.

"Did you bring any money?" Yang Ming asked.

"I brought them. I took all the zeros from the briefcase you brought back last night," Wei Qingqing said.

"Alright, we're off. Hold on tight to the ropes, don't fall off." Yang Ming said, putting the tractor in gear, and the donkey cart sped off.

Majia Gou is located in a small mountain valley, northwest of Zhengjia Village. It is separated by several mountain gullies, the narrowest of which are only 4 or 5 meters wide, making it impossible for large vehicles to pass through.

Zhengjia Village is in Huaishu Township, but Majia Gou is in the neighboring Datongzi Township. The reason why Majia Gou was able to become a market town is that three years ago, the village raised funds to build a road that leads directly to the township, making transportation relatively convenient. As a result, Majia Gou gradually became wealthy.

To get to the market from Zhengjia Village to Majiagou, one usually has to go through mountain valleys. Because there are many mountains in this area, taking the highways from Huaishu Township and Datongzi Township would be too far, requiring one to go around several mountains. Moreover, because the mountain roads are difficult to widen, traffic jams often occur, sometimes lasting for most of the day. By the time one arrives at Majiagou, it is almost noon, and the market is about to close.

Quite a few people from Zhengjia Village go to the market in Majiagou, mostly by donkey cart. However, their carts all have rubber tires, and only Yangming's family has car wheels.

Along the way, surrounded by green mountains and shady trees, Yang Ming arrived at Majia Gou at 8 a.m. The Majia Gou market was already packed with people.

There are designated parking areas at the market, with people watching over your car. They put a sign on your car and you hold another sign in your hand with two identical numbers on it. When you leave, you check the signs and pay a two-yuan parking fee. Yang Ming parked his car, got a sign, and then took the four women to the market.

"The livestock market is at the very back! If you want to buy tarpaulins, look for them at the tool stalls..." Aunt Liu was quite familiar with the area.

"Brother Qian, go buy some tarpaulins. We women can play around at the market for a while, and then we'll meet up at the livestock market, okay?" Sun Fangfang suggested, looking at the bustling scene where people were packed together.

If a group of people are squeezing and pushing their way through the market to buy something, they won't be able to have any fun today, it'll just be a waste of time. Yang Ming quickly agreed: "Okay, you guys go have fun, I'll go buy tarpaulins, we'll meet at the livestock market."

People come to the market carrying baskets made of woven packaging bags. These baskets are quite sturdy, but they can be quite scratchy when they brush against people. Yang Ming, wearing short sleeves, already had several white marks on his arm from the lace trim of these baskets. This kind of thing is very common at the market, and you're too embarrassed to argue with people, otherwise you'll definitely get a dirty look: "Why are you doing this? A couple of scratches won't kill you. Even the little kid didn't say a word, and you, a grown man, are really shameless."

"Grandpa, do you have any tarpaulins?" Yang Ming asked at a tool stall.

"What size?" The old man didn't answer whether he had any or not, but directly asked what size it was.

"It's about 5 meters square!" Yang Ming said.

"25! No bargaining..." The stall owner handed him a neatly folded tarpaulin.

"..." Yang Ming hurriedly took out his money, then glanced at the stall again. "Grandpa, how much are these clips?"

A trap is used by hunters to set traps. They dig a shallow hole in the ground according to the size of the trap, carefully open the trap and place it in the hole. They then cut a piece of paper the same size as the trap and place it on top, then sprinkle some fine sand on top to cover the trap. It is best to set it up to match the outside environment. If prey steps on it, its legs will be broken. Some hunters even put a dead mouse on top. In winter, some falcons will come down to eat when they are starving, and then they will get caught and can never escape.

Some of the clamps even have iron teeth; once they clamp down, flesh and blood are mangled.

"Ten yuan for the big ones, five yuan for the small ones..."

"Do you have any with teeth?" The clamps on the stall were made of thick iron wire, which meant that the prey caught in them was likely to break free.

"That thing is too powerful, they won't let us sell it..."

"Then give me two big ones and two small ones!" Yang Ming said.

"30".

"Here's your money!" Yang Ming took out another 30 yuan.

"If there are any bad ones, come back and exchange them with me at the next market... I come to the market in Majiagou every time..." the stall owner said.

Does it also come with after-sales service?

"Sure! I'll come and replace it with yours as soon as it breaks!" Yang Ming said.

"If you break it yourself, I can't guarantee a replacement..." the stall owner quickly added.

"become!"

As Yang Ming was about to leave, the stall owner stopped him: "Hey, young man, when you use the trap, remember to attach a chain, otherwise the prey will take the trap with it. A rope won't work; the prey will bite it and break it."

"Thank you, sir."

The market was bustling with people, and as the sun climbed higher, the crowds grew even larger.

At first glance, an old man with a small basket in front of him appeared before him. Inside the basket were four or five black puppies.

"Sir, are you selling these puppies?"

Yang Ming squatted down beside the small basket, looking at the puppies inside, and even picked up their hind legs to check if they were male or female.

There are five puppies, two males and three females. They are all small, black dogs with shiny, glossy black fur. They are round, chubby, and adorably cute. Their eyes are open, clear blue, with some eye discharge at the corners. Their noses are moist, which is a sign of good health.

"Hmm!" The old man didn't say much, just nodded.

"Why don't you go to the livestock market to sell them?"

"Silly dog, it's not worth it, just sell it." These few silly little dogs weren't expected to fetch much money; as long as they could be sold, it would save them from having to eat food at home.

"How much is one?" Yang Ming asked.

"20".

"Alright, you don't need to stay here anymore, I'll take care of everything for you..." Yang Ming said, taking out a 100-yuan note from his pocket and handing it to the old man.

The old man took it and stared at it intently, sweating profusely. He rarely handled banknotes of such high denomination and couldn't tell if they were real or fake.

"Grandpa, do you see this portrait of Chairman Mao? Try scratching his clothes with your fingernail. If you can feel the texture, it's probably real," Yang Ming pointed out.

The old man ran his fingers along the collar, felt the texture, and couldn't help but laugh, nodding repeatedly: "Now that you mention it, I just remembered. My daughter also told me how to tell the difference between real and fake by scratching the collar."

The old man got Yang Ming a chicken-skin bag, put all five puppies inside, and then happily went home with the basket on his back.

The sun was already high in the sky when Yang Ming, carrying a tarpaulin, a pair of tongs, and his dog, began his journey towards the livestock market.

Right next to the livestock market, there were several vendors selling baby chickens, ducks, and geese. These baby chickens were mostly in baskets, and they came in all sorts of colors. They were clearly hatched by farmers themselves. There were also adult poultry vendors. The chickens, ducks, and geese were put into cages and could only curl up, unable to move. Perhaps they sensed their impending fate, because their cries were filled with desolation.

There were several pigeon collectors nearby. In the cages, some were young pigeons with small, pointed quills, while others were adult pigeons with large plumage. They were all different colors, red, white, black, gray, and yellow. Some were chirping, while others were purring. It was quite lively. These pigeons were generally destined to be eaten.

Further over there, there were stalls selling livestock: horses, cattle, sheep, donkeys, dogs, pigs, rabbits, and so on.

Wei Qingqing, Sun Fangfang, Aunt Liu, and Zheng Bao'er were haggling over the price of a chick seller.

"What did you buy?" Wei Qingqing was the first to spot Yang Ming. She quickly came over, stuffed a string of candied hawthorns into his mouth, took the chicken skin bag, and curiously opened it.

"Oh! It's a dog..." Wei Qingqing exclaimed in surprise, put the bag on the ground, and took out a small dog from it.

"What did you buy?" Yang Ming asked.

"I didn't buy anything? It's all food, like candied hawthorns, popcorn, and two donkey rolls and donkey meat sandwiches. I saved one for you," Wei Qingqing said.

"It's getting late, the market will close around noon soon. Let's buy some chicks and ducklings and go home," Yang Ming said.

"Hmm!" Wei Qingqing put the puppy back into the chicken skin bag, rolled it up with the opening open to prevent the puppy from feeling suffocated inside, and then carefully picked it up.

"How do you know if this chick is male or female? How do we know if you're lying to us?" Sun Fangfang said to the stall owner selling chicks.

"I can't be sure either! It's just a matter of luck!" The stall owner said helplessly. He was an amateur chick seller, and the chicks were all hatched by his own hens. How could he tell the difference between male and female?

"Let them walk a few steps on the ground and look at their footprints. The ones that walk straight are males, and the ones that walk in a messy way are females," Aunt Liu interjected.

"Alright! You can choose yourselves. Our chickens are strong and healthy, they won't get cold," the stall owner said.

P.S.: Please recommend and add to your favorites...