Transmigrated into a fat wife, farming, raising children, and picking up husbands

Inside the main hall, Wu Shih-ren was holding a teacup, sipping it intermittently, his face looking rather pale.

He had naturally heard the rumors about the desolate garden in the west of the town and the Black Fish Gang, and he was feeling quite uneasy.

On the one hand, he was furious that Master Mei had been embezzling money behind his back, causing him to receive far less tribute.

On the other hand, I was secretly relieved that the petition was lost and the case was not actually heard in court.

Otherwise, if I really went along with them, wouldn't I have already become involved with the Black Fish Gang and that haunted house, and become an accomplice?

Sigh, no matter how I think about it, it doesn't seem worth it.

"Dong Weng".

Master Mei carried the official documents to the desk, respectfully put down the stack of documents, and deliberately placed the document about the sale of the abandoned garden on top.

Wu Shiren glanced at it and frowned when he saw the words "selling off the town's official property".

With a displeased expression, he said, "That run-down garden again? Why have you brought it up again?"

Master Mei bowed slightly, his face showing just the right amount of difficulty and seriousness: "Reporting to the Master, thirteen taels was indeed extremely low."

"However... after last night's events, rumors are spreading throughout the town. Now, with Mr. Liu from the teahouse telling stories, the reputation of that garden being haunted has been confirmed."

"The officials then pondered the matter and realized that if they still priced it at thirteen taels, not only would no one be interested, but it would also provoke criticism from the villagers, who would say that the government was not investigating the facts and was forcibly selling a haunted house."

He paused, observed Wu Shiren's expression, and continued, "In my opinion, this garden has become a troublesome matter. Keeping it will only bring more trouble."

"It would be better to... drastically reduce the price, mark it with a symbolic price, and attach the actual details to show the government's honesty."

"If we can get rid of it, we can avoid future troubles and prevent it from damaging your reputation."

He phrased it tactfully, but his meaning was clear: this garden is a hot potato, very unlucky, so we should get rid of it cheaply as soon as possible and not keep it to cause trouble.

Upon hearing this, Wu Shiren's face darkened further.

He certainly knew that Master Mei was right.

But the thought that his own money, which might have belonged to the government treasury, had shrunk in the blink of an eye, still pained him.

Frustrated, he picked up the document, his gaze sweeping over the altered base price and the annotations beside it.

"Three taels?"

Wu Shih-jen's voice rose involuntarily, filled with disbelief and deep heartache.

"Such a large area, and you're only selling it for three ounces?!"

He thought that if he rounded down from thirteen taels, he could at least lose ten taels and recover some of the loss.

Unexpectedly, it was changed directly to three liang (a unit of weight), which was an insult to his authority as the village head and the government's assets.

Master Mei smiled bitterly to himself, but on the surface he became even more respectful and said in a low voice, "Sir, you are wise. This is not the price of the land, but rather... the price for disposal. Firstly, to quell public opinion, and secondly... to prevent future troubles."

"The condition of that garden is now common knowledge in town. My annotation, 'The rumors of it being haunted have intensified recently,' is simply stating the facts to avoid future lawsuits. If the price is too high and it remains unsold for a long time, the annual inventory checks will only become a burden."

He specifically emphasized "preventing future troubles" and "avoiding future lawsuits." Wu Shih-jen's eyes flickered when he heard these two words.

Yes, that place is really sinister now; the Black Fish Gang is a prime example.

What if something really happens to this dilapidated garden in the future, or if some stubborn person buys it and gets into trouble, and then comes back to cause trouble for the government...

That's the real trouble!

Although three taels of silver is pitifully little, it's still better than having a "haunted house" blatantly displayed in the official property register.

At least it's been dealt with on paper, so if any problems arise later, it won't be Wu Lizheng's fault.

The annotation is clearly written: "Buyers should know this for themselves!"

Wu Shiren remained silent for a long time, his facial muscles twitching a few times. Finally, he reluctantly let out a heavy "humph" through his nose, which was considered his acquiescence to Master Mei's decision.

He didn't say anything more, nor did he care to look at the other documents. He just waved his hand impatiently: "Alright, alright, do as you say! Get things settled and quiet!"

Master Mei sighed inwardly, knowing that the matter was settled.

He quickly replied, "Yes, Your Excellency obeys. I will draft a formal notice based on this shortly. If any... if any ignorant outsiders or those who are bold enough to disbelieve ask questions, this will be the official document."

Wu Shih-jen ignored him, picked up his teacup again, and looked out the window, lost in thought.

Master Mei did not linger any longer. He picked up the stack of documents and silently withdrew from the main hall.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

Lin Xiuer and Ping An, as usual, pushed their cart to the market entrance of Peach Blossom Town.

Now that the Black Fish Gang is no longer a threat, she is happier than anyone else, and she has prepared more ingredients than usual.

Even before getting close, you could feel that the atmosphere at Caishikou today was noticeably different from usual.

In addition to the aromas of various foods, the air seemed to be filled with a particularly lively and cheerful noise.

The vendors selling vegetables, meat, needles and thread, and breakfast snacks all wore exceptionally relaxed smiles.

They greeted each other warmly, shouts rose and fell, and their voices were lighter than usual.

People seemed to have shed an invisible layer of defense, revealing its inherent hustle and bustle and vitality.

"Aunt Zhang, the vegetables are so fresh and delicious today!"

"Brother Li, this tofu looks even softer than yesterday's!"

"Uncle Wang, you seem to be in good spirits!"

"Sister-in-law Zhao, these eggs are all the same size!"

His words carried less apprehension and more of a pure, lively, and composed air of everyday life.

"Fresh pork! Just slaughtered, from fat pigs, with belly, tenderloin, and hind leg meat—choose whichever you want! Fair prices, no cheating!"

From afar, Hu Yidao's loud, cheerful voice could be heard piercing through the morning mist.

A crowd had gathered in front of his stall. Hu Yidao skillfully cut pork with his cleaver while chatting and laughing with regular customers.

His face was radiant, and he smiled at everyone he met, clearly in a very good mood.

He glanced up and saw Lin Xiuer and the others pushing the cart over. He grinned and waved vigorously across the crowd.

Their eyes were filled with a kind of exhilaration that only they could understand.

Lin Xiuer and Ping An exchanged a knowing smile.

I had just parked the cart in its usual spot next to Hu Yidao's meat stall, and hadn't even had a chance to get everything in order.

Regular and new customers who had been waiting there swarmed around.

"Lady Lin! You've finally arrived! Quickly, give me two egg pancakes, with extra meat!"

"I want a jianbing guozi! Extra crispy fried dough sticks!"

"Queue up, queue up, don't push, I was here first!"

"Hey Lin, is there enough batter today? I'm waiting for it!"

The familiar clamor, now even more lively and untroubled than usual.

People no longer need to worry about those few scoundrels suddenly appearing and ruining their business and mood while buying food.