A few days later, at dawn, Qi Huan took out the eleven greenhouse covers she had previously obtained from her spatial storage, and spent 2403 points to repurchase nine more, making a total of twenty covers.
After unpacking the delivery, she recycled the packaging bags into her spatial storage and stacked the greenhouse covers against the wall, waiting for Yan Jiu to send someone to fetch them.
On the way to the farm, she kept thinking about every step of setting up the greenhouses.
However, when she arrived, she realized that she had no practical role to play.
Li Shuchen had already studied the diagrams she had given him thoroughly. He went to the fields and meticulously supervised the tenant farmers in constructing the greenhouses according to the standards.
From digging holes to burying poles, to covering the plastic sheets, he strictly followed the blueprints and gave instructions.
Not far away, on a ridge between fields, the head of the village had arranged a few wooden chairs with backrests in the shade of a tree for the landlord and his party to rest.
Qi Huan chose a spot closest to Li Shuchen and sat down, propping her elbows on her thighs and resting her chin in her hands, gazing at him unblinkingly.
His figure was like a bamboo, his face like a jade carving. Even standing in the mud, he was still as radiant as the bright moon, his brilliance impossible to conceal.
The wives and girls who came from the village to deliver water couldn't help but be attracted by him, their eyes glued to his form as they whispered comments.
The teasing sounds reached Li Shuchen's ears, and he frowned and glanced at Huan, then turned and borrowed Chen Jinyou's mask, putting it on his face.
Chen Jinyou, who was helping to dig holes, had just heard Li Shuchen say "borrowing this" when the mask was suddenly gone from his face.
In the open fields, the breeze blew in his face, and Chen Jinyou felt a little uncomfortable, pursed his lips, and asked, "What do you need my mask for, just like that?"
"I'm too attractive to bees and butterflies, I'm afraid Huan won't be at ease."
Upon hearing this, Chen Jinyou was completely puzzled, "Don't I attract bees and butterflies? ...I'm dangerous too, give it back to me!"
He dusted off his hands, straightened his clothes, took out a folding fan from his waist, and began to fan himself in what he thought was a graceful manner.
He pricked up his ears, hoping to hear people praising him, but to his surprise, all he heard were very superficial comments.
Some praised the fine fabric of his robe.
Others admired the precious jade hairpin on his head.
Not a single person complimented him as handsome and dashing, or elegant and charming.
Chen Jinyou huffed and snapped his fan shut.
He walked over to Qi Huan and plucked a few leaves, frustrated, "Huan, who do you think is more likely to make people uneasy, me or Li Shuchen?"
Understanding his meaning, Qi Huan smiled and unhesitatingly said, "Of course, it's Shu."
She would be jealous if others fancied Shu.
But if others fancied Chen Jinyou, she would just offer them some silver.
With his exceptional hearing, Li Shuchen caught her answer, and the corners of his lips curved into a lingering smile beneath the mask.
As for Chen Jinyou, he hung his head dejectedly, like a wilted eggplant.
Seeing his dejection, Qi Huan thought for a moment and then comforted him, "You're still young, so people are more at ease with you. Why don't you take off the mask? The past is gone, it's time for people to see your handsome face more often."
In a moment, Chen Jinyou cheered up again, happily agreeing, "Huan is right! I'm so handsome!"
Time flew by as they chatted and laughed.
After having lunch and working for half the afternoon, the first greenhouse was finally set up.
Li Shuchen handed the hand-drawn blueprints to Yan Jiu, instructing him to lead the tenant farmers to construct the remaining greenhouses.
A few days later.
With everyone's concerted efforts, the greenhouses were eventually completed, though it took considerable haste.
As for planting vegetables, the village women had more experience than Qi Huan, and each household busied themselves with their assigned tasks.
Once the vegetables were planted, Qi Huan finally had some leisure time.
Every day, she leaned over her writing desk, racking her brain to recall the captivating stories she had read in her previous life. She struggled to organize the language and compose numerous short story pamphlets.
They had one thing in common: the villains who collected protection fees all met tragic ends.
After completing them, she asked Li Shuchen to help polish the writing, and then sent them all to Chen Jinyou.
In return, she exchanged Chen Jinyou's new story pamphlets for his old ones.
Then, she found the strange passages in the old pamphlets, circled them, and folded them up, intending to send them to Chen the county magistrate for his perusal.
When she reached the last volume, Qi Huan was slightly puzzled.
While she was lost in thought, Li Shuchen returned from outside, carrying a package. He walked over to her, glanced down, and instantly blushed as red as dripping blood.
He snatched the picture album from her hands, holding it behind his back, and cleared his throat, his lips pursed as he solemnly said, "Huan, it's too early for you to look at this picture album now."
Qi Huan obediently nodded and picked up the cup on the table, gulping down several mouthfuls of the now-cold tea.
At that moment, Li Shuchen remembered another question, "Where did you get the picture album?"
"From Chen Jinyou."
Upon learning the source, Li Shuchen calmly smiled, but the fingers behind his back clenched tightly.
The next day.
Chen the county magistrate was drinking tea and reading official documents in the county office when he suddenly saw his son sneak in and leave a package.
"What's this?"
"Father, these are some good books I've treasured for years, and I'd like to invite you to appreciate them with me."
Chen Jinyou smiled shyly.
Huan had said that if his father read these story pamphlets, he would understand that collecting protection fees was not entirely Chen Jinyou's fault.
He looked at his father with bright, hopeful eyes.
Seeing his eager expression, Chen the county magistrate first checked which direction the sun had risen, then opened the package.
Well, although the timing and location were not ideal, it was rare for his son to want to read books, and he couldn't discourage his enthusiasm.
Upon opening it, the top book was "The Book of Rites."
There were folded pages in the book, and when Chen the county magistrate opened it, his blood instantly boiled.
The circled part clearly stated: [By relying on the method of collecting protection fees, Liu Yuanshan amassed a mountain of gold and silver. He married one wife and eight concubines, and from then on, lived a blissful life with his beautiful wives.]
Except for the cover, the entire book had nothing to do with "The Book of Rites."
The villain in the book enjoyed impunity and prospered, which infuriated Chen the county magistrate.
He then looked at the next book, "The Doctrine of the Mean." When he turned to the folded page, the circled passage read: [Zhang Xiuquan revealed his identity as the county magistrate's son, and the inn keeper willingly offered him a hundred silver taels. The innkeeper smiled, thinking that a hundred taels in exchange for the young master's protection was well worth it.
After receiving the silver, not only did the young master become financially comfortable, but he also had extra money to help the poor servants, and everyone praised him as a living Buddha.]
Suppressing his anger, Chen the county magistrate flipped through a few more books, all without exception containing content that distorted right and wrong, confused black and white.
"These are the good books you want to share with me?"
"Yes, Father. These are the story books I've read over and over again these years. Aren't they interesting?"
"Interesting."
Chen the county magistrate let out a cold laugh. He never imagined that the Four Books and Five Classics his son was reading would be written like this. His eyes were tinged with coldness, and his heart surged with fury.
No wonder his son had been secretly collecting protection fees behind his back.
He had never thought that someone in Moxian County would dare to challenge his authority.
"Where did you get these books?"
"Xigua bought them for me. When I was little and loved to play, the little servants around me kept being replaced one after another. Eventually, Xigua was assigned to me. He told me that besides the boring classics, there were many interesting story books, so he secretly bought these for me..."
As he spoke, Chen the county magistrate slowly recalled that he had kept Xigua by his son's side because he thought Xigua could coax his son into reading a little.
However, he never expected that the books would contain such content.
When he examined the books, they were normal. His son couldn't recite them, so he had simply thought his son was dull. After he left, the books his son read became these kinds of books.
Chen the county magistrate was furious. He immediately ordered someone to bind Xigua and bring him over.
