Sister Han is good at farming

Chapter 114 Buying charcoal?

After Ruan Qingqing's gaze swept over Fu Yuanhao and his group, her face darkened and her voice became distant and cold.

"Where are you from, my guests? What brings you to Zaoziling?"

Everyone's eyes were focused on them, with expressions of surprise, curiosity, anger, ill intent... and so on.

Entering without an invitation, it was the first time for them to be rude. So Fu Yuanhao was very polite.

"I am Fu Yuanhao, the county magistrate of Qingshui County. I am here for a walk. I heard that there is a talented person who can make charcoal here, so I came to visit him. I was attracted by the story you told me. If I have offended you, please forgive me."

His voice was neither hurried nor slow, and he kept a very low profile.

"It turns out to be Magistrate Fu. My apologies!" Ruan Qingqing bowed.

"You're welcome! There are no officials or civilians here today, only outsiders and hosts." Fu Yuanhao said politely with a smile.

"Ah! Our county magistrate is so handsome! He looks even younger than the former Lord Zhou!"

Someone was whispering.

"The people around him look decent, but their manners are not as decent as the county magistrate's!"

Fu Yuanhao clenched his fist with one hand, put it to his lips and coughed a few times, "In the future, we will inevitably have to deal with everyone in this industry, so why not take this opportunity to get to know everyone?"

"I couldn't ask for more!" Ruan Qingqing bowed again.

Fu Yuanhao signaled to his people with his eyes.

"Hehe, I'm Yuan Pingzhang, the county magistrate of Qingshui County. Little girl, you tell stories well and you're even more agile!" After Yuan Pingzhang introduced himself in a respectful manner, he raised his eyebrows and smiled at Ruan Qingqing.

"You're too kind, County Magistrate Yuan. It's just the flattery from the neighbors!" Ruan Qingqing replied calmly.

"Little girl, don't be modest. What kind of storytelling have we not heard in the capital? But I have never heard such a fascinating, strange and interesting story as the one you told today. Oh, let me introduce myself. I am Wang Sibo, the current chief clerk of Qingshui County."

Wang Sibo straightened his clothes and said politely.

"Mr. Wang, you are too kind." Ruan Qingqing nodded to him.

"I say, you are so rude, little girl! Don't you know to kneel down when you see us?" Shen Zhizui said impatiently.

"I don't know who this gentleman is..."

"I am Shen Zhizui, the patrol inspector of the patrol inspection department. I am in charge of arresting thieves, questioning treacherous people, and maintaining local public order."

"Master Shen is polite! Didn't the county magistrate just say that there are no officials or civilians here today, only foreign visitors and hosts? I personally think that since they are foreign visitors who come to Zaoziling as guests, we, the hosts, can just treat them sincerely and there is no need to kneel down and bow."

Shen Zhizui was speechless due to Ruan Qingqing's neither harsh nor soft words, and his face showed some anger.

"Haha, Shen Zhizui, you wanted to show off your power here, but you didn't expect to be rejected, did you?" Yuan Pingzhang laughed loudly.

"Yuan Pingzhang, didn't you get a bad reception when you went here to reward the storytellers?" Shen Zhizui responded bluntly.

"Alright, alright, both of you, please stop arguing. Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth!"

"Why are you, a ninth-rank deputy inspector, meddling in other people's business!" The two men turned around at the same time and scolded Deputy Inspector Zhang Qiuming.

Zhang Qiuming smiled awkwardly at everyone and said, "I am Deputy Inspector Zhang Qiuming. If you have any grievances in the future, you can come to me."

"Hello, Master Zhang!"

"I'm Zhao Zhen, the ambassador of the Taxation Department in charge of collecting taxes. I'll probably be dealing with you all often in the future." Zhao Zhen grinned.

"Hello, Lord Zhao!"

Everyone smiled respectfully, but their hearts sank. These officials didn't look like good people. They were all very young and didn't look calm or stable. How could they manage their county like this? Don't let them bully them.

The more they thought about it, the more panicked they became.

After a few polite words, Fu Yuanhao once again emphasized the purpose of his and his companions' visit.

"I wonder if the legendary charcoal burning master is here?"

Mr. Ruan stood up and walked over to them. "Hello, adults! I can make charcoal, but I'm not a celebrity. It's just a lucky coincidence!"

"Father-in-law, do you have any extra charcoal? We can buy it from you or exchange it for food!" Zhang Qiuming said first.

"How do you want to change?" Ruan Qingqing asked.

"How about one pound of rice or flour and five pounds of charcoal?" Zhang Qiuming asked tentatively.

"Master Zhang, the price of charcoal in winter has never been this low, has it? Moreover, it is a winter with a snowstorm. The price of charcoal will increase by dozens of times, or at least by a lot, right?"

The expression on Ruan Qingqing's face was surprisingly calm, but her tone was extremely cold.

"I'm telling you, little girl. I'm already giving you face by not using my authority to give you free stuff. You're actually trying to raise the price here. You're like an old man hanging himself - you're dying!"

Shen Zhizui threatened with impatience.

Ruan Qingqing smiled slightly, "Lord Shen may not know the people of Zaoziling very well. Now we are almost unable to survive, what is the point of maintaining face and the illusory care? These things are not edible, not wearable, and not useful. They can't help us survive this cold winter, let alone a spring with no food stored."

"You poor and unruly people just want to raise the price! What excuses are you looking for?" Shen Zhizui said with contempt.

"We didn't force you to change with us, did we? Why did you have to be so aggressive? Could it be that you got angry because of the intimidation?"

"Puchi!" This time it was Wang Sibo's turn to laugh the loudest.

"Mr. Wang, what are you laughing at?" Shen Zhizui glared at him fiercely several times.

"Little girl, someone is just angry because he failed to intimidate others!" Wang Sibo's fox eyes curved, with a light flickering in them.

"My Lords, please understand that we are not raising the price. The charcoal we have is not easy to make. We are not intentionally deceiving you!"

Mr. Ruan didn't want to offend them too much, so he explained.

"This is no different from other charcoal making. First you have to find a good place, usually a hill that is sheltered from the wind. Then you have to dig a kiln and chop down trees. The trees are also very particular and must be as thick as a bowl. So it takes a long time to find trees for a charcoal kiln."

"Old man, stop fooling us. You are already digging a charcoal kiln on the mountain. Are you afraid that you won't be able to find thick trees?" Shen Zhizui asked suspiciously.

"If the charcoal kiln is built on a mountain with trees as thick as bowls, it must be deep in the mountains and old forests. Then it will be even more difficult for us to carry the charcoal down after it is burned."

Mr. Ruan sighed.

"This year, when we were burning charcoal, it snowed, and my four sons and four grandsons almost died outside. Sir, we really earn our money through hard work. Besides, we burn less to begin with, and only for our family. Now that we are selling it to you, we have to reduce it a little and save some for you."