I'm incredibly ambitious after being reborn.

Chapter 27 The advantage is mine
Whether a local notable is truly virtuous or not depends on their reputation.

It must be universally recognized.

As for who is generally agreed upon, that's for further discussion.

Negotiations between Zhangshi Village and Taojiazhuang Village ended at the temple, which is the Zhang family temple and the hall is the Zhang family ancestral hall.

The diplomatic maneuvering before various military exercises still needs to be done.

Currently, Zhang Daxiang and his generation, with the character "Da" in their names, have the moral high ground, and the two generations before them have no objections. After all, Taojiazhuang is in the wrong. If Tao Xingfa's actions are brought up for public discussion, no one in Taojiazhuang will have the confidence to speak out.

It's basically shameful.

They breached contracts, defaulted on debts, bullied teenagers, and abused their seniority... they did all of these things.

As for whether Zhang Daxiang should have "used words, not fists," or whether his actions were more egregious or serious in terms of public order and good morals... sorry, in the rural society based on personal relationships, Zhang Daxiang was simply responding to grievances with straightforwardness, and he did it admirably.

Even the people of Taojiazhuang would think so.

Therefore, this "strategic consultation meeting between the two villages" ended with the untold story of Tao Xingfa and the big beech tree. If he wanted to continue pursuing the matter, whether it was to stop the sedan chair to plead for justice or something else... as the saying goes, there must be a public opinion.

“I will not take advantage of you by renting fifty acres of land in Taojiazhuang. First of all, the rent is negotiable. I will pay Tao Xingfa ten percent more for the rent in Taojiazhuang. Secondly, for the families who rent the land to me, I will give priority to training suitable laborers to work at ‘Shizipo’ or ‘Zhangjia Canteen’.”

"Zhang Family Canteen?"

The old men of the Tao family called a car and took Tao Xing, who was still groaning, to the town hospital, and then continued their negotiations with Zhang Daxiang.

Negotiations with Zhang Daxiang now are a matter for after "diplomatic relations," "military exercises," or even "conflict." In terms of morality and strength as a "comprehensive strategic competitor at the village level," the Zhang family has a clear advantage. If Taojiazhuang stirs up trouble again, Zhang Daxiang can have his patriarch pass on the message, "Don't say we didn't warn you."

They valued both farming and scholarship, and were still respectful of etiquette.

Of course, those who know proper etiquette are the old men in the main or secondary branches of the business.

"At the end of the month, there will be a fast food restaurant at the North Gate, with the storefront called 'Zhang Family Canteen.' If business is good, we will open another one at the West Gate or in the west of the city. As I said before, Grandfather, I am very sincere and will do business in a fair and square manner. If my Zhangshi Village can make a fortune, it is impossible for us to turn a blind eye to our relatives in Taojiazhuang. We should strengthen the relationship between the two sides and share the benefits together."

"What about the salary? How much is it approximately? I'd like to discuss it with the Tao family."

"A minimum of four hundred yuan."

"Hmm...that's good, I understand now."

The old man of the Tao family nodded. Now that Tao Family Village had bowed its head, there were some benefits to it as well.

First of all, the land rent is 10% higher than Tao Xingfa's, which is enough to entice many people. There's no other way; farming is simply not profitable. Moreover, even for farmland used for food, the cost of fertilizers and pesticides is not low. It's better to buy rice directly from local large-scale grain producers. If you want to eat new rice, you can eat new rice; if you want to save money, you can buy a year's worth of rice.

Secondly, the job offer is very attractive, which can make those who are reluctant to give up their farmland stop farming.

If you can work in "Shizipo", all three meals will be provided. The old men and women in the surrounding villages such as Wujiatan, Taojiazhuang, and Chengjiazhuji all know this very well.

News dissemination in the countryside is limited to this. Every now and then, old men and women go to "Shizipo" to collect bottles. As long as they are not the "big green bottles," they can collect any other transparent bottles, whether they are glass or plastic.

Another reason is that older relatives can simply go over and take leftovers from the food buckets without any problem. This is also the source of Zhang Daxiang's inspiration for setting up a midnight buffet at "Zhang Family Canteen".

At the end of the day, there are always a few dishes left over. For example, braised duck parts, which locals don't eat much, are often left over, but only the drivers staying at the hotel will watch TV and drink with them in the middle of the night.

For an elderly person, getting a duck leg lunchbox only costs one or two yuan.

Basically, they eat whatever is left over from the day. The old folks aren't picky, and "Shizipo" is generous. With this reputation, they could beat Tao Xingfa ten times and still have leftovers.

Because there was a widower in Tao Xingfa's generation, who would come every other day to pick up a boxed lunch and help clean up "Shizipo" in the first half of the night.

Within the Tao family, some might look down on this old widower, but outside Tao Village, it's a matter of honor and disgrace. Ultimately, in the customs and traditions of rural life, "reason" may not always be effective, but "propriety" certainly is.

If Zhang Daxiang were to keep the old widower from Taojiazhuang at "Shizipo," wouldn't the entire Taojiazhuang village be blown up?

It will take at least eight to ten years to reverse public opinion.

As for Zhang Daxiang...

Great good man!
He must be a great philanthropist!
These successive tactics left the old men of the Tao family completely bewildered.

There was no room for them to retaliate unless it was a legal battle, a contest in court.

However, this involves another gamble: just how ruthless Zhang Daxiang and his cronies and nephews can be.

It's better to be safe than sorry. What if a tiny kid comes along and slits their throats? Who could stand that?
After all, Zhang Daxiang's persona is that of someone who "failed to get into university." If he just spends his days wasting time in arcades or engaging in petty theft, that's fine. Such a trashy person won't amount to anything.

But just like any other "spirited young man," Zhang Daxiang is particularly spirited!
The art style is completely different from the common "yellow-haired" characters.

The principle of "bullying the old but not the young" applies worldwide; who knows if you're dealing with some brave young person?

If Zhang Daxiang had only attended a junior college or even a university, those old men in Taojiazhuang who had once held official positions wouldn't be so conflicted...

They genuinely want to live to be a hundred years old; it's only a matter of ten years or so. There's no need for them to haggle over the rent for these few dozen acres of land with the younger generation.

The land belongs to the public, but one's life is one's own. Of course, priority training and job placement opportunities should still be given to one's own nephews and nieces.

After the people from Taojiazhuang left, Zhang Daxiang paid out of his own pocket to give red envelopes and cigarettes to the younger brothers and nephews who had appeared that day. Of course, Zhang Damiao, who was the first to do so, got slapped by him.

"Study hard and get into a top university for me someday!"

"So you didn't finish high school and go on to university?"

"I can get a diploma from a private university just by donating some money, who do you think you are?!"

"..."

Zhang Damiao, who was still unconvinced, covered the back of his head, but after hearing what Zhang Daxiang said, he immediately admitted defeat.

If the reasoning is sound, he will listen.

Despite Zhang Damiao's fierce demeanor, he is not a school bully or troublemaker. On the contrary, he is quite well-behaved at school and consistently ranks among the top three in his class academically.

Because in school, as long as you have good grades, you have all sorts of privileges. Being late, leaving early, or not doing homework are no big deal. As long as you pass the exams smoothly, that's fine.

As for why Zhang Damiao had this awareness, it was naturally because he followed his brother Zhang Daxiang's example.

Now my brother says that you can get a diploma by donating money to a private university, and since he can't study there, he's convinced.

After distributing red envelopes and cigarettes, Zhang Daxiang did not disperse the crowd. Instead, he jumped up the steps and shouted at those who had taken action earlier that day, "There is one more thing to announce!"

"Once 'Zhang Family Canteen' at the North Gate is on track, the store manager and lobby manager will be chosen from among you as soon as the branches at the West Gate or the West of the city open!"

Upon hearing this, the uncles of the "Zheng" generation trembled, and the cigarettes they were smoking fell to ashes.

Mother's...

If I had known, I would have yelled along with these youngsters!
(End of this chapter)