Chapter 337: Chapter 330: Buying a Mountain_1

“`

This was to feel out Qin Niu’s intentions.

“I prefer the pastoral life of being a landlord while cultivating.”

Hearing Qin Niu’s response, Yan Ruohai’s eyes became slightly focused, “Since Master Qin yearns for farming, my Yan Family is willing to gift all of our fields in Shuangfeng Village to Master Qin. It’s close to your home, and it would be convenient for you to farm.”

This was an initiative to show goodwill.

It was also a concession.

Yan Ruohai possessed profound wisdom, aware that two tigers cannot share one mountain. The best course of action was to relinquish the fields in Shuangfeng Village, thereby currying favor and avoiding any conflicts of interest with Qin Niu.

When everyone farms together, the competition for water during the peak summer irrigation season can easily lead to conflicts.

At that time, everyone’s fields need water.

Qin Niu’s future father-in-law already had more than ten acres of land in the village, and Qin Niu would undoubtedly purchase more land in the future. It would be quite easy for conflicts over water sources to arise.

Furthermore, there are field ridges dividing the lands.

Farmers could easily encroach upon each other’s side during cultivation, which could also lead to conflicts.

The best solution was to avoid contact.

Proactively offering the fields of Shuangfeng Village to Qin Niu was a very substantial gift. In the future, if Qin Niu wished to expand, he would remember this generous gift and avoid the Yan Family’s territory.

Moreover, with the He Family now destroyed, the vacant fields will eventually be slowly encroached upon and taken by others.

Blatant robbery is generally unlikely.

But purchasing at a low price is very possible.

“Thank you for the kind offer, Elder Yan, but I dare not accept this gift. Being a landlord, the land is one’s lifeblood and foundation. The Yan Family’s fields in Shuangfeng Village amount to at least a hundred acres, nearly ten percent of the total Yan Family land. These assets have been accumulated little by little by generations of your family.

When this household of mine was established, I had already received a generous gift from the Yan Family.

Moreover, when I was still weak, the Yan Family did not oppress me but instead helped me a great deal. That is a bond of gratitude.

Shuangfeng Village can fully accommodate both me and the Yan Family.

If Elder Yan is willing, I would like to buy the back mountain of Shuangfeng Village at the market price,” Qin Niu sincerely said.

“Some hills are not worth much. If Master Qin needs them, I can simply give them to you. We can go to the city today to transfer the title deeds.”

Yan Ruohai, hearing that Qin Niu did not intend to dominate Jade Stream Town and remembered the old kindness of the Yan Family, felt somewhat relieved in his heart.

“I can’t accept a reward without merit. If it is a gift, I will not take it. If the Yan Family is willing to part with it and sell it to me at market price, that in itself is a tremendous act of kindness.”

“Well, all right! As you wish!”

Yan Ruohai did not argue with him any further.

Those hills weren’t worth much, the Yan Family usually just kept them as a place to gather wood, and to plant trees like fir, pine, and camellia.

In the end, both parties reached a deal for 637 Two Silver Money.

The price of mountain land was originally low, and the total area was only three to four hundred acres.

The Yan Family perhaps considered it more of a part sale, part donation.

Qin Niu was now rich to the point of overflowing, paying in cash silver.

The six chests of gold, silver, and jewels looted from the He Family alone were worth a lot of money.

Certainly more than ten thousand Two Silver Money.

After all, it was a traditional family’s accumulation over many years. Even though this old family had declined, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.

Having bought all of the back mountains of Shuangfeng Village, Qin Niu’s plan to build a stronghold could officially commence.

That very day, he went with Yan Ruohai to the city to complete the transfer procedures.

“`

Qin Niu was now a first-class noble, which meant he was exempt from taxes when buying land and houses. This was a significant benefit.

The transaction and deed taxes on land typically accounted for nearly one-tenth of the cost.

In other words, the purchase price for an acre of ordinary good farmland was thirteen Silver Money, with the additional tax to the government amounting to one Silver Money and thirty coins.

By purchasing the back mountain of Shuangfeng Village, on this item alone, Qin Niu saved more than sixty Silver Money in taxes.

During the transfer of ownership, he discovered that Yan Ruohai had wide connections in the city.

The government clerks were quite familiar with Yan Ruohai, and even the wealthy merchants and landlords who came to handle procedures would exchange a few words with Yan Ruohai.

“Brother Yan, have you heard about the recent occurrence? There’s been an outbreak of aphids and mole crickets along the Black Water River. The plants that have just sprouted after being gnawed by locusts are now being ruined by aphids. Many crops in the fields have had their roots bitten off by mole crickets and are dying in patches.”

A portly old man with a square face and big ears whispered to Yan Ruohai.

“It hasn’t spread, has it?”

Yan Ruohai asked, somewhat anxiously.

“There’s a tendency for it to spread, but it’s still uncertain for now. Many are just watching and waiting. I’d only share this with you because we have a good relationship, so that you can prepare early.”

“Thank you so much! I’ll have the farmers in my family make some arrangements as soon as I get back. Alas, if only Insect Masters weren’t so hard to find. My Yan Family has Beast Tamers and farmers, but not a single Insect Master.”

Yan Ruohai shook his head and sighed.

Insect Masters were regarded as a profession with very limited development potential.

And because of their bad reputation, which made them intimidating, not many people chose this career.

Essentially, it was the children from impoverished families who had no other options that would reluctantly choose to pursue this profession.

It must be made clear that wanting to be an Insect Master is one thing, but actually becoming one is another matter altogether.

Despite Qin Niu having a bunch of Grade Three insects, and every expert in the Nine Insect Gang possessing numerous insects of Grade Three and above, these individuals were actually elites among elites.

For ordinary people, without the guidance and help of a skilled Insect Master, becoming one is extremely difficult.

The difficulty is far greater than passing examinations to obtain official titles.

The Yan Family didn’t have an Insect Master, which hadn’t been a problem in the past.

But now, with frequent pest infestations, their situation had become very passive.

“Brother Yan, you need not worry too much, a tall man will deal with the falling sky. We’ve just had a locust disaster; it shouldn’t happen again so soon. I need to go over there to handle the transfer procedures, goodbye for now.”

The portly old man greeted and went to handle the transfer procedures.

Qin Niu noticed that there were quite a few people buying land.

There were also many selling.

He heard several people’s buying price was Twelve Silver Money per acre, which indicated that land prices were starting to fall.

As these large landlords continued to offload, land prices would further decrease.

…

Back in Shuangfeng Village, he had now become the new owner of the back mountain.

All the hill lands combined covered a total area of 426 acres, which the Yan Family sold to him for one Silver Money and five coins per acre.

It was a very low price.

Normally, hills close to a village would typically sell for Two Silver Money per acre.

Because with hard work and proper cultivation, they could be turned into fertile land. Although it’s difficult to grow rice or wheat,

planting sweet potatoes, oil tea, tea leaves, bamboo, or cedar trees are all excellent choices.

After surveying the entire mountain area, Qin Niu already had some plans in mind.

Previously, entering the mountain had required taking the mountain path by Xie Laizi’s house entrance, but now that the back mountain of Shuangfeng Village belonged to him, he could simply open a new path directly from the back of his house into the mountains.