Chapter 351 Envy and Jealousy

On this day, County Magistrate Lv Desheng met with the wealthy landlords of Houcheng at the County Magistrate's Mansion, with the purpose of repaying the money and paying the interest.

It was still the same hall where the money was borrowed, and the same people.

Lan Bingrong and Geng Yuan, two sworn enemies, looked at each other, and their eyes met and then left.

Everyone present was uneasy. As wealthy landlords, they were most afraid of being invited to tea or banquets by government officials. As the saying goes, there is no good banquet.

Before Lord Lv arrived, they couldn't help but whisper to each other.

"Will Lord Lv be short of money again?"

"But everything in Houcheng is thriving."

"Are you stupid? It is because Houcheng is thriving that Lord Lv is short of money."

"But, the money we borrowed last time hasn't been returned yet--"

Just as everyone was waiting anxiously, Lv Desheng appeared.

Everyone stood up to greet him.

As soon as he sat down, he gestured, "Everyone sit down."

After everyone sat down, he got straight to the point and said, "Didn't I borrow a sum of money from you when I first took office?"

Lan Bingrong, Geng Yuan and others all stared with wide eyes. Is Lord Lu so direct? What kind of reaction should they give?

But their Lord Lu didn't need them to react at all, and continued, "I will pay you back today. You can take the loan note to the account office to settle later."

Many people were like ducks with their necks strangled. They had just thought about how to cry and what posture to cry in, so that they would look pitiful and not hateful. They never expected that the purpose of the government inviting them here was to pay them back? Damn it!

Someone replied dryly, "Lord Lu, we are not in a hurry for this money."

The rest of the people stared at the one who spoke. He was not in a hurry for money, but they were. OK!

Lv Desheng waved his hand and said, "Stop being polite and just do what I say."

This matter was decided after the father and daughter discussed it.

As the saying goes, if you borrow, you must pay back, and it is not difficult to borrow again. Let's build trust first.

Everyone looked at each other, and finally stood up and folded their hands to Lv Desheng, "Thank you, Lord Lv."

Lv Desheng said, "You're welcome, this is what you deserve."

Geng Yuan exchanged glances with the acquaintances next to him. They all heard the rumor that the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce made a lot of money in the south, and it seemed to be true.

The Liaodong Chamber of Commerce was established after Lord Lv came to power. Even a fool could see that the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce had an official background.

Perhaps for Lord Lv, this silver was just a transfer from the left pocket to the right pocket.

After Lu Desheng finished speaking, he wanted to leave, but suddenly he thought of something and stopped, "By the way, is Lan Bingrong here?"

"Sir, I'm here!"

"I heard that your family has a lot of land?"

"Yes-yes." I don't know what Sir Lu meant by asking this? Lan Bingrong was very nervous.

Lu Desheng glared at him in dissatisfaction. Why stutter? Is he scary?

Lu Desheng didn't expect that his glare would make the other party's legs tremble and speechless, so he quickly said, "The Liaodong Chamber of Commerce has decided to lend you ten pedal threshers. Do you want them?"

Lan Bingrong was refreshed when he heard this, "Yes, of course!"

He heard that the threshers are very useful, but unfortunately all the goods have been sent to the south, so he can't buy them even if he wants to.

The autumn harvest is coming soon, and if there are ten threshers, it will be a great help.

Lv Desheng: "Okay, you can prepare to receive the goods when you go home!"

"Sir, can I pay for these ten threshers?" Lan Bingrong asked boldly. His family has a lot of land, and if the thresher is really useful, it can be of great help. After all, it is better to have this thing yourself. You can't borrow it from the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce every autumn harvest, right?

Lv Desheng pondered for a moment and said, "Well, you go home and prepare to receive the goods first. If you really want to buy it, I will ask someone to quote you the price later. If you can accept it, you can buy it. If you can't accept it, this thresher will still be lent to you for one month."

"Thank you, sir." Lan Bingrong hurriedly thanked him.

After the matter was done, Lv Desheng left.

Geng Yuan and others were shouting in their hearts when he left, Lord Lu, their family also has a lot of land, and they also need threshers!

But it is obvious that their Lord Lu did not hear their inner shouts.

Geng Yuan and others looked at Lan Bingrong, the lucky guy, with complicated eyes! It's really enviable and jealous.

They all knew that this was a reward from Lord Lu to Lan Bingrong.

When Lord Lu went to beg for alms for the first time, it was Lan Bingrong who generously donated 20,000 taels. At first, they thought it was a waste of money, so they were unwilling to lend a lot of money to the government and only donated two or three thousand taels. Even though they took the initiative to lend money because Lu Desheng became the governor of Liaodong. It is estimated that in Lord Lu's mind, Lan Bingrong, this fool, is more important than them.

Later, Lan Bingrong came out of the governor's mansion in a daze, and the government actually paid back the money and paid them interest!

Geng Yuan also got back the principal and interest. After coming out of the gate, he took a last look at Lan Bingrong, shook his head and left. It was really a good thing for a fool.

…

On the streets of Houcheng, Ji Da Shao and Gu Er Shao were fanning themselves and strolling leisurely.

"Gu Er Shao, this Houcheng is so lively." Ji Da Shao sighed as he looked at the crowded streets.

Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and the people are rushing to the big and small markets that are held every three days. It is very lively.

Gu Ershao nodded. Compared with the dire situation in the south, they felt more deeply.

Ji Dashao asked him, "How is your work going?"

Second Young Master Gu did not hide anything from him, "The Liaodong Chamber of Commerce has not produced many threshing machines at present. Moreover, Liaodong County is preparing for the autumn harvest, and they also need threshing machines, and they cannot supply all of them to our Gu family."

“But they promised that before the next rice harvest, they would drive out the threshing machine we wanted and send it to Southland.”

What Gu Ershao didn't say was that people from the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce told him privately that there was not enough iron ore in Liaodong County. If they could provide iron ore, Liaodong County would charge some processing fees and labor fees. If not, the number of threshing machines provided to them will have to be cut in half, and the price will be much higher.

Young Master Ji said, "I think this proposal is acceptable."

In the south, rice is harvested twice a year, but in Liaodong County, rice is harvested once a year. Of course, people have to worry about themselves. Besides, the summer harvest in the south is over, so the need for threshing machines is not that urgent.

Second Young Master Gu smiled and said nothing more.

As they walked, they arrived at the Xijiao Industrial Park.

Gu Ershao pointed to a commercial building engraved with the emblem of the Ji family and asked, "Is that building your Ji family's?"

Young Master Ji followed what he pointed at, looked over, and nodded happily, "Yes."