Xu Fan's expression, however, remained calm.
He looked at Zhang Desheng, not immediately agreeing, nor refusing, but merely asked indifferently:
"Steward Zhang, Chen Family Village is so big, this job won't be easy."
Zhang Desheng was a shrewd man; he caught the hidden meaning and quickly said, "Young Master Xu, rest assured! As long as you can help the Chen Family overcome this calamity, my Landlord will definitely not treat you unfairly!"
He extended five fingers and said in a deep voice, "After it's done, the reward will be five hundred taels of silver!"
"Hiss—"
A collective gasp of cold air resounded.
Five hundred taels!
Xu Chang's legs went soft, and he almost lost his balance.
Five hundred taels of silver was an astronomical sum that farmers like them couldn't earn in ten lifetimes!
Everyone thought Xu Fan would gratefully accept.
However, Xu Fan shook his head.
"Steward Zhang, money is a small matter."
The wild joy on Xu Chang's face instantly froze, turning utterly pale.
He was so anxious he almost jumped up, and just as he was about to say something, Xu Fan silenced him with a calm look.
That look seemed to say: Father, just watch.
Zhang Desheng was also stunned; the smile on his face became unnatural, then returned to normal, though the probing look in his eyes intensified.
He had been in business for many years and had met all sorts of people, but it was his first time seeing someone indifferent to five hundred taels of silver.
"Then... what does Young Master Xu mean?" Zhang Desheng asked tentatively.
"Money will eventually run out, but some things are the Foundation of a Family," Xu Fan said unhurriedly.
His gaze swept over the crowd, looking towards the undulating land behind his own courtyard that stretched all the way into the forest.
That land was full of strange rocks, overgrown with weeds, and had barren soil; let alone planting crops, even for firewood, the villagers disliked it.
"I don't seek gold or silver, only convenience," Xu Fan retracted his gaze, returning it to Zhang Desheng's face. "I want to ask Landlord Chen for help to transfer that barren land behind my house, and the abandoned farmland at the west end of the village, all under the name of my Xu Family."
As soon as these words were spoken, another uproar broke out among the crowd.
"What does he want that broken land for?"
"He's crazy, truly crazy! Exchanging five hundred taels of silver for a pile of wasteland?"
"Even rabbits don't poop in that place; no one would want it even if it were given away for free!"
Xu Chang was sweating profusely, his lips trembling; he couldn't understand what his son was thinking.
Zhang Desheng was also taken aback; he followed Xu Fan's gaze, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He hadn't expected the other party to make such a strange request.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Young Master Xu, this matter is probably not difficult. Those lands are originally ownerless wastelands; if you want them, you can just tell the village chief and then file a record at the county yamen. It won't cost much to acquire them."
"It's not the same," Xu Fan shook his head, his tone firm. "The land I want is too much. From my backyard, a radius of three li, all encompassed."
"Such a large area of land, even if it's all wasteland, the village chief cannot make the decision. If I were to report it, the government might not approve it."
He looked at Zhang Desheng, his eyes holding a calm insight into human nature: "But if it goes through Landlord Chen's hands, under the guise that Chen Family Village needs to expand, it should be much easier."
Zhang Desheng's pupils suddenly constricted.
He finally understood.
This seemingly ordinary farm boy in front of him was not plotting for immediate gain.
Five hundred taels of silver was just a number to him.
And land, especially in the hands of someone who could turn stone into gold, was the hen that could hatch golden eggs!
What he wanted was the Chen Family's 'influence'!
It was the weight of the Chen Family's words before the officials!
This boy, so young, his foresight and cunning were simply terrifying!
When Zhang Desheng looked at Xu Fan again, his gaze had changed from mere admiration to solemnity.
He realized that he was not facing a country boy who had a bit of luck, but a latent Dragon with grand ambitions.
"Young Master Xu, this request of yours... I cannot decide," Zhang Desheng said in a deep voice. "I must go back and report to my Landlord personally."
"That's as it should be," Xu Fan nodded, as if he had long anticipated this outcome. "I can wait. However, time waits for no one. The land of Chen Family Village probably cannot wait too long."
The implication was, you'd better make a decision quickly.
Zhang Desheng's heart tightened, and he cupped his hands: "Young Master Xu, rest assured, I will give you an answer by noon tomorrow at the latest!"
With that, he said no more, turned and hurriedly got into his carriage, and sped away.
In the courtyard, only a group of villagers whose minds hadn't yet caught up remained, along with a frantic Xu Chang.
"Fan'er!" Xu Chang rushed to his son, grabbing his arm, his voice trembling, "You... you're confused! That's five hundred taels of silver!"
"How could you... how could you trade it for those few patches of broken mountain land..."
"Father," Xu Fan supported his father, looking at his anxious face, and said earnestly, "Believe me, those lands are worth more than five hundred, a thousand, or even five thousand taels of silver."
"They are barren land now, but in my hands, they will become fertile fields, pastures, and a granary that our Xu Family will never exhaust."
Xu Chang stared blankly at his son, looking into his eyes, and for a moment, he couldn't find words to refute.
[You have successfully engaged in a high-stakes business gamble. Oratory skill +10, Business Acumen skill +15]
[Oratory (Beginner 45/100)]
[Business Acumen (Beginner 83/100)]
Zhang Desheng's carriage had gone far, but the commotion left in the Xu Family courtyard had just begun.
The villagers dispersed in twos and threes, still chattering animatedly about what had just happened, each feeling they had witnessed a momentous event.
At dinner, white rice and a plate of stir-fried greens were on the table, which in normal times would definitely be a delicious meal worth cheering for.
But today, no one could eat.
Xu Chang squatted on the doorstep, head bowed, thinking about something, his expression unclear.
Yan Aini sat at the table, sighing constantly, her eyes red, occasionally glancing at Xu Fan, wanting to speak but holding back.
The younger siblings also felt the oppressive atmosphere, each burying their heads, not daring to make a sound.
Only Xu Chengbo, although he also found his elder brother's decision incredible, had an almost blind trust in Xu Fan.
He just quietly ate his rice, occasionally looking up at his elder brother, his eyes full of inquiry.
Finally, Yan Aini couldn't hold back; she put down her chopsticks and said with a crying voice, "Fan'er, tell your mother the truth, are you... are you mad at the Chen Family?"
"That's Landlord Chen, the richest man in Qingyang Town; we can't afford to offend him!"
"What if his Family gets angry and sends people to cause us trouble? What will we do?"