Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1501: Xiao Bei Village

Company Commander Liu also looked worried, saying, "Yes, San Lang, it’s already past the hour of Shen. In just another hour or so, it’ll be dark. Where can our nearly three thousand people find shelter?"

Company Commander Cao didn’t ask, because since Qin San Lang wanted to be the leader of this army, he had to solve these issues. If he couldn’t even find a place to set camp, he wouldn’t be qualified to be a leader.

Qin San Lang pointed to the area opposite the inn and said, "Take the small path and, after walking for a little over two moments, there’s a clearing where we will set up camp."

Company Commander Cao was surprised and furrowed his brow, asking, "San Lang, what are you saying? You mean there’s a clearing on the right path? How can that be? Even if there is a clearing, it would have long been occupied. With so many soldiers here, the land around the inn within a three-mile radius has been fully taken. How can there be a spot left for us?"

"Old Cao, why are you asking so much? Aren’t you glad there’s a place to camp? Let’s move quickly." Company Commander Jin trusted Qin San Lang wholeheartedly; the young fellow was very reliable and never lied. Hearing this, he led his soldiers immediately to secure a good spot.

Sure enough, Qin San Lang didn’t deceive them. After taking the right small path and walking for a little over two moments, there was indeed a large clearing.

Rather than calling it a clearing, it was actually a village close to the Prefecture, but Uncle Mu Tong had rented the empty land here in advance for fifty taels of silver, reserving it for a month.

The successful rental of this land was because Uncle Mu Tong, while looking for land, coincidentally saved the village chief’s young son.

The village chief of Xiao Bei Village, Village Chief Wan, had his son late in life, over fifty years old, and he doted on him extraordinarily. But just a few days ago, the son suddenly fell ill, becoming feverish, covered in rashes, itchy, and even fainted from breathlessness.

He was about to lose his life when Uncle Mu Tong, searching near the village, happened upon the situation. After some acupuncture and medicine, he saved the child’s life.

Village Chief Wan was very grateful, but Xiao Bei Village did not want to get involved in the matters of the Kangrong army. Since someone from the Wan family was working at the Beicang Prefecture Government Office, they had the ability to protect the village, thus never allowing passing armies to camp within the village.

Solders are violent and have blood on their hands; Xiao Bei Village didn’t want such dangerous people entering the village.

However, Xiao Bei Village did engage in business with passing merchants, allowing merchants to stay in the village.

Firstly, merchants had money; a night’s stay could bring the village dozens of taels of silver. Secondly, merchants, unlike soldiers, didn’t carry many weapons and dared not act recklessly in the village, ensuring better safety for the villagers.

But Uncle Mu Tong saved Wan Liubao and promised that the soldiers would not enter the village, wouldn’t trouble the villagers, would only camp on the clearing before the village, and would only draw water from the old well next to the village entrance, so Village Chief Wan agreed.

"Oh, is this Brother Bucket from the Gu Family? Did you find this place? I told you, with Brother Bucket around, there’s no way the brothers wouldn’t have a place to set up camp!" Company Commander Jin immediately greeted Uncle Mu Tong warmly, offering some compliments before pointing out the largest and best piece of land, saying, "This must be reserved for our Military Office, thank you, Brother Bucket!"

Uncle Mu Tong felt it was difficult to express, but he was experienced, not allowing Company Commander Jin to take advantage, and said, "Company Commander Jin, our family master has divided the lands for everyone. This is the map, and the names marked here show who can camp where."

He handed a map over for Company Commander Jin to see.

Company Commander Jin was unhappy, saying, "Old Mu, this is not fair. We soldiers follow the rule of first-come, first-served. I ran the fastest, why can’t I choose a piece of land myself?"

Uncle Mu Tong said, "Our master said, ’without rules, nothing can be done.’ The military values rules the most; everything must be done according to regulations. Please do not make things difficult for a humble servant."

Company Commander Jin was quite displeased; he ran fast hoping to secure a good spot, but the land had already been divided, and it was Qin San Lang who decided, leaving him no chance to oppose.

But he was a bit afraid of Qin San Lang, who was like a god of death, not someone to antagonize. He dared not disobey Qin San Lang’s orders.

"Alright then." Company Commander Jin could only accept, then pointed to a large area of Dead Tree Forest in the distance, asking, "Is that forest claimed? Can we go there to chop firewood? In such cold weather, without wood to burn, we’ll freeze to death."

"That’s the village’s forest; an agreement with the village has been made. We can go and chop wood, and the cost is included in the land rent." Uncle Mu Tong detailed what the soldiers could and couldn’t do.

Company Commander Jin listened and found it reasonable, and agreed: "Alright, Bucket, thank you."

He then called to his soldiers, saying, "Hurry, go to our place and set up camp, quick action, it’s going to be dark soon!"

"Yes!" The soldiers under Company Commander Jin shouted and rushed to their assigned area to set up camp.

Niu Dabao and his group arrived second, laughing heartily upon seeing Uncle Mu Tong, "Brother Mu, so it’s you! Thanks to you, otherwise we’d have trouble finding a place to camp. Beicang Prefecture is too competitive, there are not only soldiers but many merchants as well, people have taken up all the land."

Uncle Mu Tong felt some internal relief that someone finally called his name correctly, saying, "Company Commander Niu, this is where you can set up camp, right next to our camp, close to the forest."

Niu Dabao looked at the map and was pleased, saying, "This spot is nice, convenient for chopping wood, and visiting your master for drinks."

He then called to his sons, "Da Jin, Er Jin, Sanjin, quickly lead everyone to the camp, and after settling in, go to the forest to chop wood, fetch water from the old well."

"Alright, got it, Dad." The three Jin led the soldiers to the campsite immediately.

Soon after, Mrs. Kuang arrived, lifting the curtain of the carriage and asking Uncle Mu Tong, "Brother Mu, I heard you saved the village chief’s son in Xiao Bei Village? That’s a life-saving grace; won’t the village chief thank us with some rice, flour, meat, and vegetables?"

Niu Dabao glared with eyes like copper bells, cursing, "What gratitude? Go back and settle those women. Brother Mu saved the child; if the village chief wants to thank us, he’ll go to the San Lang couple, not you!"

Mrs. Kuang snorted, saying, "I was just asking, what if the village chief is generous and wants to give us some rice, flour, meat, and vegetables?"

Niu Dabao said, "Stop dreaming such dreams; there’s no such good fortune!"

Uncle Mu Tong knew Mrs. Kuang was fiery and loved to gain small advantages, so he specifically told her, "Mrs. Niu, Xiao Bei Village is different from other villages, being close to the Prefecture, and the clan leader’s eldest son works at the Prefecture Government Office. Therefore, the village places great importance on rules, and has traditionally prevented soldiers from camping within the village. We are able to camp here because I saved Village Chief Wan’s son, and Chief Wan finds it hard to refuse us."

Uncle Mu Tong exaggerated Village Chief Wan’s difficult nature, the heavy village regulations, and the consequences of breaking them would lead to being driven out of the village.

Mrs. Kuang was shocked, saying, "What? Such strict rules in this lousy village? It’s more troublesome than dealing with the Emperor!"