235 Leading the Village to Prosperity
「On the second day, early in the morning.」
Wang Fuhai arrived quite early, bringing along two horse carriages. The carriages were fitted with cages, much like prisoner transports, but designed for pigs.
The carriages were parked right next to Zhao Dong’s residence.
After Zhao Dong inford the villagers, it didn’t take long before a considerable number of them arrived, leading their pigs.
The first to arrive was Shi Tou’s family. He had raised three pigs in total: one sow and one boar with excellent features, reserved for breeding. The remaining pig had been castrated and fattened.
Wang Fuhai sat at the entrance to Zhao Dong’s residence, surrounded by four or five burly n who had a large scale with them.
When he saw Shi Tou leading his pig, Wang Fuhai stood up to inspect the pig. Confirming that it was healthy, he instructed the burly n to lift the pig and start weighing it.
"Butler, in total, it’s one hundred and forty-three jin!"
Zhao Dong hurriedly took notes.
Zhao Zhitong was having a day off, and she stood next to Zhao Dong, watching the lively scene. Hearing the burly man call out the weight, she quickly did the calculations and said in her childlike voice, "That’s 4,290 coin money."
Wang Fuhai was still clicking away on his abacus when he heard Zhao Zhitong’s childlike voice. He instinctively looked up at her and then looked down at the numbers on his abacus.
Indeed, it was 4,290 coins. Wang Fuhai was astonished. This girl calculated so fast, and she didn’t even use an abacus!
He nodded. "Yes, it’s indeed 4,290 coin money."
The surrounding villagers were amazed, showering Zhao Zhitong with praise for her intelligence.
Shi Tou’s wife said, "Well, she *is* the student Scholar ng favors, isn’t she? It’s no surprise she’s so clever."
"Indeed, indeed! Zhao Dong’s ancestral tomb must be emitting green smoke!"
"Hey, you shouldn’t say that. After all, Brother Dong was expelled from the clan by that shrew Mrs. Wang. It has nothing to do with his ancestors; Heaven sees that he’s a good person!"
At this point, a young servant had taken four jars of strung copper coins from the cash box and counted out an additional two hundred and ninety loose copper coins, handing them to Shi Tou.
Looking at the four-plus strings of copper coins, Shi Tou’s eyes widened, and his mouth hung open in a grin he couldn’t contain. He bowed his head to thank the servant and received the copper coins with both hands, feeling their substantial weight. He had never seen so much money in his life! The joyous expression on his face was impossible to hide.
The surrounding villagers stared, their eyes wide.
By then, the next villager ready to sell his pigs had arrived.
The commotion quickly attracted many other villagers who ca to watch. Those who hadn’t joined Zhao Dong in raising pigs were green with envy at the sight of the clinking copper coins, regretting their decision deeply.
Mrs. Zheng hid among the crowd, silently watching everything, her eyes red with envy.
Wang Fuhai stayed at Zhao Dong’s residence for nearly the whole day, only leaving at dusk when all the pigs had been taken away.
The news that villagers were getting rich by raising pigs with Zhao Dong spread throughout the village.
「By nightfall.」
Many villagers ca knocking, bringing gifts.
The first to arrive were Shi Tou and a few others like him. Having earned money, they naturally ca to thank Zhao Dong.
Those who ca next were looking to join the venture.
So villagers weren’t bad people; they just lacked worldly experience, were a bit shortsighted, and sowhat timid, but they were fundantally decent.
Zhao Dong told them that if they wanted to work with him, they had to follow his instructions.
The people readily agreed, promising to be obedient.
Zhao Dong then allowed them to join.
However, when families like Mrs. Zheng’s approached, Zhao Dong categorically rejected them.
He said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, "I’m terribly sorry, but you’re too late. As the Village Chief announced in the village eting earlier, the spots are limited."
"The quota is now full. If we raise more, the price of pork will decrease, which would be unfair to our other partners, don’t you think?"
As soon as he said this, the villagers who had already signed up began to speak in Zhao Dong’s defense.
Naturally, they hoped to earn more money themselves.
"That’s right, Aunt Zheng, you should go back. Besides, didn’t you say you weren’t interested in the money from raising pigs?"
"Exactly! Our crops were destroyed this year, so we’re counting on selling pigs to earn so money for the New Year. Aunt Zheng, you shouldn’t be so selfish!"
Mrs. Zheng was furious and about to say more when Shi Tou’s wife tutted, "Aunt Zheng, they’re being polite to you. Don’t push your luck!"
"When the idea of raising pigs was opposed, your voice was the loudest. I don’t know how you have the gall to co here. If it were , I’d find a crack in the ground to disappear into. How could you have the face to ask to join?"
Another villager added, "Exactly! So shaless!"
Scolded until her face was flushed red and pale, Mrs. Zheng finally snorted coldly. "My wanting to join is doing *you* a favor! You ungrateful lot! If you don’t let join, I couldn’t care less! I can raise them myself!"
"Then go ho and raise them yourself! What are you doing here?" soone retorted.
"Yeah, yeah! Get lost!"
Finally, thoroughly humiliated by the scolding, Mrs. Zheng ran out, her face beet red. Of course, this wasn’t from sha—she didn’t know the aning of the word. She was simply rendered speechless and exasperated by the tirade.
Seeing Mrs. Zheng unceremoniously driven out, those who had previously clamored for Zhao Dong to be drowned didn’t have the audacity to speak up and gradually left Zhao Dong’s ho.
In the end, Zhao Dong’s pig-raising partnership added five more families, bringing the total to twenty-six households, which was sufficient.
Anyone who ca later was turned away by Zhao Dong, who stated that the roster was full.
Consequently, Mrs. Zheng, Mrs. Wang, and a few others went to the Village Chief to air their grievances.
After hearing their complaints, the Village Chief replied sternly, his voice grave, "I told you all at the village eting that the spots were limited. You were all indecisive and wary, unwilling to trust Zhao Dong back then, so you missed the opportunity. Now you’re envious, but who can you bla?"
The Village Chief not only didn’t help them but reprimanded them instead. The villagers left, disgruntled.
As a result, so of these villagers with their own agendas, like the Wang and Zheng families, gathered two or three other like-minded families, intending to raise pigs themselves.
Mrs. Zheng declared vehently, "I refuse to believe we can’t raise them!"
"Indeed! What’s so difficult about raising pigs? My family has always raised them!"
Mrs. Zheng said fiercely, "They won’t let us join because they’re afraid we’ll do better and steal their business!"
"That’s right, Aunt Zheng! We’ll join you. Let’s raise them ourselves and steal their business!"
"Yes, steal their business!"
Thus, these birds of a feather flocked together, confidently plotting to snatch the business.
Other villagers who had failed to secure a spot returned ho, unwilling to get involved with Mrs. Zheng and her group.
And so, Zhao Village was divided into three factions.
The Zhao Family led one faction, Mrs. Zheng and Mrs. Wang led another, and the last group consisted of neutral villagers who took no sides.
Upon hearing that Mrs. Zheng and her group also intended to raise pigs, Zhao Dong rely chuckled, not taking them seriously at all.
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