Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat points

Chapter 502: Chapter 494: Meeting the Scorpion Demon

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Therefore, a family’s finances should never be lightly entrusted to a woman’s management.

Unless that woman is very steady and frugal, with considerable wisdom; otherwise, if they act on impulse and support their natal family, they become that legendary “brother-supporting demon”.

Or they might be deceived by someone, fall into a trap, and for the family, it truly becomes a disaster.

After Li Shuixiang paid the ransom and redeemed her husband, she initially kept it a secret from Xu Zhenchang and didn’t mention the high-interest loan she had taken to save him.

It was not until after the New Year, when the creditor came to collect the first month’s interest, that Xu Zhenchang learned of his wife’s foolish act.

But by then, it was already too late for regrets.

Even if he had known about the high-interest loan the moment he was redeemed, it would likely have been too late.

Because creditors make their living from high-interest loans, once you’ve signed, they certainly wouldn’t agree to an early repayment by Xu Zhenchang.

Otherwise, how would they earn any interest?

The high-interest loan Li Shuixiang took out was for eleven taels of silver, which to the wealthy was just a trifle, not even enough to buy a pretty maidservant or concubine.

But for the average farmer, it was a huge sum.

After borrowing for only one month, the creditor demanded two taels and eight maces of silver as interest.

And this was just the interest.

High-interest loans really shouldn’t be touched – whoever does, perishes.

When Xu Zhenchang found out, he was petrified.

When he approached Qin Niu’s house with a face ashen from crying, his legs were trembling.

As he entered the courtyard, he directly knelt down with a “thud” in front of Qin Niu, begging for his help.

Xu Zhenchang was more clear-headed than Li Shuixiang, at least he was the village head.

He sold the three acres of good farmland in his home for eighteen taels of silver to Qin Niu.

Then he pleaded with Qin Niu to intervene, which ultimately convinced the creditor to agree to an early repayment. In the end, he repaid the principal of eleven taels of silver, the interest of two taels and eight maces, and a penalty of one tael.

That was because, out of respect for Qin Niu, the creditor agreed to let Xu Zhenchang repay the loan early.

After clearing the high-interest loan, Xu Zhenchang felt disillusioned and deeply affected.

At that moment, Qin Niu extended an olive branch, wanting to hire Xu Zhenchang as a steward in the Qin Residence, to be specifically in charge of over seven thousand acres of good farmland. The salary was also quite tempting, a fixed wage of ten taels of silver per year.

Furthermore, if the harvest was good, there would be additional bonuses.

Xu Zhenchang calculated that working as a steward for the Qin Residence was much better than renting and farming land from the Yan Family.

Renting land from the Yan Family to plant crops meant toiling away for a year, only to earn a sum after avoiding insects, floods, and droughts. After removing various expenses, being left with ten taels was considered good.

If it was a year of disasters, breaking even would already be a stroke of luck.

Now, being a steward for the Qin Residence, he could earn enough in one year to buy an acre of good farmland. Considering the current price of farmland, where one acre was only six or seven taels, working for two years would allow him to buy three acres of good farmland.

And this without any of the risks.

Moreover, managing so many farmers was every man’s dream. Besides, having become a steward in the Qin Residence would greatly elevate his social status.

Despite his seemingly good relationship with the Yan Family.

That was only because he was actively being a sycophant to the Yan Family. In their eyes, his status was not much higher than a house slave, even far below a steward like Yan Qi.

If Xu Zhenchang became Qin Niu’s steward, even the young master of the Yan Family would need to address him respectfully as Steward Xu in the future.

Having realized this, Xu Zhenchang happily accepted Qin Niu’s offer and went to the Qin Residence the next day to become a farming steward.

And it must be said, Xu Zhenchang proved to be extremely loyal, and he had quite the knack for managing farmers.

After all, he was originally a farmer himself.

Not to mention his agricultural skills.

If Xu Zhenchang’s farming skills were poor, he wouldn’t have been able to accumulate wealth or achieve prosperity.

All those talks about hard work leading to riches are but deceptive gibberish.

In Shuangfeng village, there were many hardworking farmers, and aside from Xu Zhenchang, who had earned some money and made a name for himself, the others remained in poverty, with just enough to get by.

With Xu Zhenchang as the steward, the Qin Family didn’t have to worry about farming anymore.

Later on, they could even select some outstanding farmers from among many to become part of the management.

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By that time, the Qin Family’s cultivation talent team would finally take shape.

As for the management of over a hundred shops within the city, a suitable candidate had not yet been found. Wang Wanyan had once suggested her father, Wang Furen, manage them, but Qin Niu had not agreed.

Never employ a relative to avoid poverty, never farm your father-in-law’s land to avoid hunger; this was an age-old good practice.

Whether it was his father-in-law or the big brother-in-law from the Tang Family, Qin Niu never considered letting them manage the Qin Family’s assets.

Human nature was what was most difficult to trust.

If he let them take over now, it seemed convenient, and they were his own people, trustworthy. But if they later embezzled or mismanaged, Qin Niu would have no way to punish them.

If he had to replace them, there was a high chance he would no longer have a relationship with his relatives.

Eight or nine out of ten times, they would become his enemies.

Better to prevent than to mend.

…

“Husband, what about me? Are you planning to leave me alone at home?”

Tang Caixian’s belly was already risen as high as a fist.

When she heard that Qin Niu was going to the Water and Land Dharma Assembly with Wang Wanyan and Xiao Qing, she wanted to join too.

“The Water and Land Dharma Assembly is quite dangerous, and my strength is still very weak. Especially in a place where the strong gather, I simply don’t have the ability to protect you. If something happened that led to the child in your belly being harmed, we would both have lifelong regrets.

I estimate that within two months at the latest, Wan Yan, Xiao Qing, and I will rush back.”

“During this period, you can rest at home and nurture your baby. The shop at home and other affairs also happen to be managed by you. I don’t feel at ease leaving these matters to others; you can take my place in handling all matters.”

Qin Niu said reassuringly as he embraced her.

“Alright then! I will wait for you guys at home.”

She agreed with pursed lips.

As a mother for the first time, she, like the vast majority of pregnant women, was full of maternal love for the child in her womb.

The possibility of harming the child in her belly by attending the Water and Land Dharma Assembly was something she could not accept.

“Cai Xian, during this time I am not at home, if you encounter difficult decisions, you can consult with Tang Yan.”

“Okay!”

Tang Caixian nodded again in agreement.

“You all go about your business, I need to hurry and cultivate my insects. I probably won’t come back in these three days.”

After leaving these instructions, Qin Niu went out with his basket on his back. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The hatching of the two blood silkworms was extremely slow; several months had passed, and they still had not emerged from their cocoons. However, the color of both blood silkworm cocoons had darkened a lot, and the movements inside the cocoons had become much more frequent than before.

Qin Niu believed that in a few more days, the two blood silkworms would emerge from their cocoons.

After leaving the house, Qin Niu headed straight for Liu Shengli’s home.

He saw from a distance that Liu Shengli was saying goodbye to his wife and came out of his home with his hoe on his shoulder. Qin Niu thought to himself, fortunately, he had come early, otherwise, he would have had to go to the fields to find Liu Shengli.

Liu Shengli and Liu Qing had both become the Qin Family’s long-term laborers, responsible for farming.

Qin Niu allowed the two men to return home to live.

Liu Shengli, who couldn’t bear to leave his wife, had agreed with Qin Niu from the start that he would return home to live every day.

And Qin Niu had agreed.

Liu Qing’s wife was Madame Zhao, a woman of strange ways and terrifying strength.

Even now, though Qin Niu was at the Double Spirit Qi Realm, he remained terrified every time he saw Madame Zhao. After witnessing Madame Zhao’s strength that day, he had adopted the strategy of never angering Madame Zhao.

Allowing Liu Qing to return home every day was also a way of showing goodwill toward Madame Zhao.

“Shengli, are you preparing to go to the fields to work?”

“Oh, it’s the master! What brings you here? Please, come in and have a seat!” Liu Shengli invited Qin Niu into his home.

“No need to sit. Bring your tools for cutting wood; today, take me to face that scorpion demon in the mountain,” Qin Niu instructed.