I Cultivate in a Government Office

He trailed off, catching the sharp look in his wife’s eyes.

Yang Wenning instantly fell silent, while Yang Wenjian gave his sister a look that clearly said, ’You’ve got some nerve.’

...

After the meal, his mother and Second Aunt went to wash the dishes and clean up.

Yang Wenqing stayed in the main hall to talk with his father, Yang Jianmu, and his second uncle, Yang Jianlin. Meanwhile, his brother Yang Wenjian took their sister Yang Wenning and two younger female cousins out to the courtyard to play.

"Dad, once the Four Seas Trading Company is up and running, I think we can lease out some of the family’s land."

Yang Wenqing suddenly proposed.

Yang Jianmu paused, his cigarette halfway to his lips. He looked up at his son. "Lease it out? Then what would the family eat?"

...

Yang Wenqing explained, "Our family has over ten mu of paddy fields. It’s back-breaking work all year long, and after you account for the cost of seeds and fertilizer, plus the public grain tax we hand over to the town, there isn’t much left for us. My idea is to keep three or four mu of the best land for ourselves. That’s enough to grow our own food and some high-quality vegetables."

"We can lease the rest to families in the village who have little land or a surplus of able bodies. We could collect rent or just take payment in grain. Either way, it’s much easier than farming it all ourselves. That way, you and Mom can take it a little easier too."

He paused, then continued, "With the time and energy we save, we can properly cultivate that plot of dry land near the hillside. We could try planting some low-level Spirit Grass, like Blood Coagulation Grass and Qi-Nourishing Flowers. The market demand for these herbs is stable, and with the trading company’s connections, we won’t have to worry about sales."

"If we manage to grow some high-quality ones, we can save them for Wenjian and Wenning to use for building their foundations. In the early stages of cultivation, the boost from these basic herbs can be quite significant."

Yang Jianmu smoked in silence, clearly mulling over his son’s words.

Second Uncle Yang Jianlin’s eyes lit up, and he chimed in, "Wenqing has the right idea. Farming is for survival, but growing spiritual medicine is the way to generate wealth and nurture our cultivators. The soil on that slope behind our village is perfect for growing that kind of stuff. We just never had the skills or the market to sell it, so we never dared."

Yang Jianmu exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and slowly nodded. "That makes sense. We’ll revisit this once your business is stable. Growing spiritual medicine is delicate work; we’ll need to ask the knowledgeable elders in the village for guidance."

Seeing his father relent, Yang Wenqing felt relieved. He added, "Also, once I’m firmly established in the county seat and the company starts turning a profit, you and Mom could move there too. That way, Wenjian and Wenning would have better conditions for their studies. The resources in the county seat are better than in the village, after all."

Just then, Yang Wenning, who had been peeking around the doorframe, overheard the talk about studying. Her little face immediately fell. "Big Brother," she mumbled, "do I have to study? It’s like those words all recognize me, but I don’t recognize any of them. I get a headache just looking at them."

Before Yang Wenqing could say a word, Wang Qin’s sharp voice came from the kitchen. "You silly girl, stop talking nonsense! Your brother is doing this for your own good! If you don’t want to study, do you want to stay home and farm for the rest of your life?"

Yang Wenning stuck out her tongue, quickly ducked her head back, and scurried off.

Out in the courtyard, Yang Wenjian let out a laugh he couldn’t suppress, then quickly clapped a hand over his mouth.

Yang Wenqing just smiled and shook his head, then turned to another matter. "By the way, Dad, Second Uncle, I can get a good plot of land over in Xiaoqiao Town to build a Spirit Medicine Manor. There are even government incentives—taxes will be halved for the first three years."

He looked at his father and uncle. "Between our Yang Family Village and the nearby villages we’re connected to by marriage, we have a surplus of labor. Rather than have everyone crammed onto their own little plots of land, we could organize a group of trustworthy young people who are willing to work and learn. Our family could take the lead and bring them over to Xiaoqiao Town."

Yang Jianmu and his brother, Yang Jianlin, exchanged a glance. They could both see the flicker of interest in each other’s eyes. This was an opportunity to build a new foundation for the family.

"Are you sure about this...?" Yang Jianmu asked, still cautious.

"My friend, one of the partners in the trading company, is the new security chief over there," Yang Wenqing explained. "This is a county-endorsed policy, so as long as we operate legally, there shouldn’t be any major problems. The key will be choosing the right people and managing the finances well."