My sister broke off her engagement to marry someone richer? My older sister married me and became in

After saying this, Lu Qingshan stopped looking at them.

He picked up the axe again, looked at the remaining pile of wood in the yard, and began chopping away again.

"Clang! Clang!"

The cold, rhythmic sound shattered the villagers' last shred of hope.

Uncle San and the men behind him stood frozen in place, unsure whether to leave or stay.

Lu Changgui threw the trowel in his hand into the bucket, straightened up, his chest heaving, and stared at them with eyes like an old wolf protecting its cubs.

The air was taut like a string about to snap.

Third Uncle swayed and coughed violently a few times, his hunched back looking as if it would break at any moment.

He didn't kneel, but his expression of utter humility was even more heartbreaking than if he had knelt down.

"Aoyama..."

Third Uncle raised his calloused and grimy hand and hastily wiped it on his patched and tattered cotton-padded coat.

"It was Grandpa Third who was confused; it was our fault..."

The old man's voice trembled uncontrollably, and his eyes suddenly filled with murky tears.

"But at home... we're really starving. The adults can manage, but the kids can't. They're all skin and bones, and haven't seen a single drop of oil in months."

"We know we were wrong before, but even a penny can help us eat. We never expected that she, from an entire village, would refuse to give us any."

He wiped away his tears, his voice almost pleading.

"Don't bother arguing with a bunch of starving idiots, okay?"

The villagers behind them lowered their heads even further, some of them shrugging their shoulders, whether from the cold or from crying, it was hard to tell.

Lu Qingshan finally put down his axe.

His gaze swept over his third uncle's tear-streaked face, and then over the others one by one.

"So you've come here today because you want to sell your goods here in the future?"

Lu Qingshan spoke.

His voice was flat, as if he were asking how the weather was today.

Third Uncle suddenly looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. "Yes! Yes! Qingshan, we..."

"Can."

Lu Qingshan interrupted him.

The rest of Uncle San's words were stuck in his throat.

can?

Is it really that simple?

He and the other villagers exchanged glances, all seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.

Lu Qingshan didn't give them much time to process their emotions.

"However, I have three new rules."

He held up one finger.

"First, the prices of all the mountain products collected from Hongshitun are 10% lower than before."

The sound of gasps for air echoed throughout the courtyard.

One ten percent lower!

This is like cutting flesh off your own body!

Something that costs 100 yuan is now 10 yuan cheaper.

"Second." Lu Qingshan extended a second finger, completely ignoring their reactions.

"I personally inspect all the goods. If I see even a trace of dampness or mold, I don't want the entire bag."

Upon hearing this, several villagers turned pale.

To make up for the extra amount, which family doesn't mix in some stale food?

When Lin Xiumei received the goods, she didn't even look at them in order to grab business.

"third."

Lu Qingshan extended his third finger.

"From now on, I will only accept goods from Hongshitun for half a day. From dawn to noon, after that time, I will not accept them no matter how much money is offered."

This caused an uproar in the crowd.

"This...this is too cruel..."

"Yeah, the price is low, but the inspection is so strict..."

A young man couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "These rules are even worse than those set by that woman Lin Xiumei..."

Before he could finish speaking, an older man next to him stomped hard on the back of his foot.

The young man cried out in pain, swallowing back all the words he was about to say.

The man who stepped on him cursed in a low voice, "Are you fucking asking for death? Blackmail? Lin Xiumei didn't give you a single penny, that's blackmail! Lu Qingshan gave you cash!"

The word "cash" was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing everyone's dissatisfaction and resentment.

Yes.

No matter how many rules there are, or how strict they are.

They gave us real money.

What about Lin Xiumei? She talks a good game, but all she gives is an IOU that may never be honored.

The murmurs in the courtyard gradually subsided.

Lu Qingshan observed all the changes in their expressions.

He picked up the axe and weighed it lightly in his hand.

"That's the rule."

"If you're willing, bring the goods over first thing tomorrow morning."

"If you don't want to..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the conflicted faces.

"Then just keep the goods at home and let them rot."

"Or, you can go to the county and find Director Yu to see if he will settle your bill."

These few words, though plain, were like a sledgehammer, shattering the last glimmer of hope in the villagers' hearts.

Is it rotting at home?

Who could bear to part with that? It was all earned by the whole family working hard in the fields and on the mountains.

Should we go find Factory Director Yu?

Even if they had a hundred times the courage, they wouldn't dare to cause trouble at the gate of a state-owned factory.

Third Uncle was the first to react.

"Let's do it! Qingshan! Let's do it!"

"Let's do it your way!"

His statement jolted the others awake, and they began to shout out in unison.

"We're all willing!"

"Qingshan, you can't go back on your word!"

"We'll deliver the goods first thing tomorrow morning!"

They were afraid that if they spoke too slowly, Lu Qingshan's only way out would be gone.

Lu Qingshan looked at the scene before him, his expression unchanged.

He stuck the axe back into the stake and turned to walk into the house.

"First thing tomorrow morning, or you'll be late."

He left those words behind and never looked back.

Lu Changgui watched the group of villagers leaving, thanking him profusely, then snorted heavily and spat on the ground.

"A bunch of ungrateful wretches."

Lu Qingshan went into the house, poured a bowl of hot water, and drank it all in one gulp.

The warmth slid down my throat into my stomach, dispelling the chill outside.

Wang Guifen came out of the inner room, looked at her son, and her eyes were full of heartache.

"Qingshan, why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you getting so worked up over them?"

"Mom, this isn't out of spite."

Lu Qingshan put the bowl down.

"Some dogs won't remember a bone you feed them once. You have to beat them until they're scared and then give them a small piece of bone before they'll wag their tail at you."

"That's just how the people of Hongshitun are."

In the future, his business will grow bigger and bigger.

What he needs is a group of obedient and rule-abiding helpers.

Instead of a bunch of opportunists who might turn on you for petty gains.

These three rules are meant to completely subdue them.

Outside the gate, the villagers helped each other walk away, their steps uneven.

The winter sun shone into the yard, but it wasn't very warm.

Lu Qingshan walked to the entrance of the courtyard and looked at the two roads leading to Baihua Village and the county town.

The supply of goods in Hongshitun has been stabilized.

But from Baihuatun, Old Man Sun sent word that the mountain produce they had collected had already filled two warehouses.

In addition, there's the area around Hongshitun.

How are we going to transport so much cargo to the provincial capital with just one oxcart?

This became a big problem.