TFS – Chapter 73 The Rules

Tang Chunming couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the village head’s remarks. Elder He, who was listening nearby, chimed in. According to Tang Chunming, Elder He was also a member of the family and naturally had to participate in major family matters. He was granted both decision-making and veto power. The two had already discussed the matter of winemaking with Elder He, and he agreed with their approach. As long as the critical core remained under their control, everything would be fine. Involving others could promote the development of the winemaking industry and help Ping Shan Village prosper. Why not? If they kept everything tightly restricted in their own hands, it might instead invite disaster.

Of course, not many people could manage such an open-minded perspective. Not everyone could let go and see the bigger picture. For this reason, Elder He was willing to continue living here. He hoped Ping Shan Village would not descend into chaos over financial and profit issues. By making money together, most households could remain united. As for the few who might cause trouble, there was no need for Li Feng or Tang Chunming to intervene. The village head and others would likely resolve the issues first and prevent troublemakers from causing problems at Li Feng’s doorstep.

Elder He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of family could raise someone with Ming Ge’er’s disposition. He had met Wang Ying, who wasn’t difficult to understand, but Wang Ying still carried the mindset of a rural villager. As for the Tang family’s original head, he didn’t seem like someone with a broad vision either. The fact that he chose to ally with the Zhao family through marriage didn’t strike Elder He as particularly impressive.

Elder He had always been curious about Tang Chunming, but his curiosity remained confined to his own musings. Over time, he began to see himself as part of the household. He helped with the children and observed the simple, happy life of the couple. Watching their days unfold often brought a smile to his face, leaving no room for melancholy. His health improved significantly; even the minor ailments he used to suffer from hardly troubled him throughout the winter.

When the village head glared at Tang Chunming for laughing, Li Feng and Tang Chunming quickly explained their intentions.

To develop the winemaking industry, relying solely on their family would not only be exhausting but also inefficient. Even if they worked tirelessly all year, how much wine could they produce? Li Feng couldn’t bear to see Ming Ge’er endure too much hardship, and Tang Chunming himself valued comfort. If he had to devote all his time to winemaking, he’d rather abandon the craft entirely or simply make a small amount for personal use.

“Uncle,” Tang Chunming explained, “there are two critical aspects of winemaking: distillation and the fermentation starter. The first can be shared without consequence. Even after the distillery is built, I won’t disclose the recipe for the starter. If the distillery wants my fermentation starter, they’ll have to pay for it. So you don’t have to worry that I’m being too altruistic and not considering my own interests. Honestly, I just want to take it easy—it’s much less work to produce the starter than to be heavily involved in winemaking.”

“In the future, even if outsiders master distillation, their raw materials won’t compare to ours. That’s why I’ve encouraged everyone to buy sorghum seeds from me. On top of that, our fermentation starter will give our wine a distinct advantage. The wine we produce in this village will always be a cut above the rest. We’re not trying to monopolize the winemaking industry. We just aim to dominate the mid-to-upper range of sorghum wine. Let outsiders brew their wine—it won’t affect us. As long as we stay united and keep the distillery running, I believe Ping Shan Village can one day rival the towns and county in terms of prosperity.”

Li Feng and Tang Chunming broke down their plan for the village head, with Elder He occasionally chiming in. Gradually, the village head began to understand their intentions. While they emphasized that their core fermentation starter recipe would remain secret, he was deeply grateful. If someone else had such a secret recipe—himself included—would they share its benefits with the entire village? He wasn’t sure he would, and certainly not with the generosity shown by Li Feng and Ming Ge’er.

Ming Ge’er, in particular, amazed him. The decision undoubtedly came from him since the recipe was his creation. For someone of his status to be so broad-minded was humbling, even for the village head. He felt ashamed remembering his initial discomfort about Li Feng’s choice to marry Ming Ge’er.

“Alright,” the village head finally said. “I’ll first gather the villagers to sort out the farming arrangements. As for the winemaking, I’ll let the village elders discuss it. Once they agree, the rest of the villagers won’t have much to say. This is far more important than farming or selling vegetables.”

The village head understood the stakes well. If the plan succeeded, it wouldn’t just benefit their generation but generations to come. As long as future descendants weren’t reckless, Ping Shan Village’s reputation for winemaking might echo throughout the entire Da Qing Kingdom even hundreds of years from now.

The village head grew even more excited at this thought. Once Li Feng and Ming Ge’er finished speaking, he practically sprinted away, eager to mull over the matter further. Staying around the young couple only made it harder for him to remain calm.

If this endeavor succeeded, it would bring glory not only to the village but also to his position as the village head. It was under his leadership that the distillery would be established, and failure was not an option. He was determined to make it happen.

Elder He also agreed that there was no need to keep the entire winemaking process tightly within their control. Ming Ge’er’s approach of holding on to the crucial aspects while releasing other parts was the wisest strategy. To gain something, one must be willing to let go of a little. This approach would also help safeguard the recipe for the fermentation starter. After all, fermentation starters were not a secret to the world—many famous distilleries had their own unique recipes. By carefully guarding only part of the process, Ming Ge’er ensured their efforts wouldn’t attract excessive attention.

The very next day, the village head gathered the villagers, requesting each household to send at least one person with decision-making authority to a meeting at his house to discuss the matter. Tang Chunming, unwilling to involve himself in the specifics beyond providing seeds, stayed home with Li Feng and did not attend the village meeting.

The plan had been laid out. If the villagers couldn’t carve a path to prosperity from this, it would only mean there were too many petty-minded people holding them back. Without unity, the distillery might never come to fruition. In that case, their vegetable farming and selling plan could at least serve as a stepping stone. The choice was now up to the villagers—whether they wanted short-term benefits or long-term prosperity.

Tang Chunming also encouraged Zhang Xiu and Wang Mo to attend the meeting. This way, they could work with the village on farming and selling vegetables. As for Teng Yu, they could sign a separate contract with the village. Both families agreed with this approach, seeing it as a way to help Tang Chunming’s family integrate better into village life and avoid unnecessary gossip. As for Uncle Liu, there was no need for Ming Ge’er to persuade him. He joined the village’s efforts willingly and even shared his experience from selling vegetables in town the previous year. The village head was particularly pleased with Uncle Liu, repeatedly praising him as an upright man. “If everyone in the village were like you, we’d get things done!”

Clearly, the villagers needed time to digest this decision. Its effects were already evident, as fewer people visited Li Feng and Tang Chunming’s home. This was a matter that touched on the core interests of every household, requiring careful deliberation. Additionally, there would be debates about who would take on the task of expanding market opportunities. Those with foresight could see the potential for both personal growth and wealth. The job wasn’t just lucrative—it was an opportunity to broaden horizons and gain experience. Young men in the village, inspired by Zhang Changming’s transformation last year, grew eager to get involved. Some, who had previously lamented their inability to connect with Li Feng’s household, now saw this as the perfect chance. While the early stages would undoubtedly be challenging, once the path was paved, it would be like sitting at home and waiting for money to rain down.

Some even visited Zhang Changming’s home to seek advice. If he wasn’t there, they turned to Wang Mo or Zhang Changming’s parents, asking about market conditions in the county. Uncle Liu’s home also became a popular destination for those seeking guidance. On the first day of discussions, Uncle Liu had made it clear that he was too old to take on such a demanding role and that it was better suited for younger people. This prompted many interested villagers to visit him to learn more about the business.

The commotion in the village occasionally reached Tang Chunming through Zhang Xiu and others when they visited. None of these families intended to take on the task themselves. Uncle Liu was getting on in years and lacked the energy, while his children were busy tending to the chicken coops in the back hills. Besides, they were too honest and straightforward, not suited for the job. Zhang Xiu’s household was similar. Dashan, with his methodical nature, could execute tasks flawlessly if given a clear plan. He was excellent at practical work but lacked the quick wit and eloquence needed for selling vegetables—a role that required sharp thinking and smooth talking, like Zhang Changming. Knowing this, Zhang Xiu didn’t push Dashan to take on the responsibility.

However, Dashan’s elder brothers were intent on claiming the opportunity for themselves. They even convinced their parents to summon Dashan back, urging him to approach Zhang Xiu and Tang Chunming’s household for support. They believed that if Tang Chunming and Li Feng intervened, neither the village head nor the villagers would dare to object. To them, this lucrative task seemed like easy money.

Dashan had only one response from start to finish: “No, I won’t ask.”

Zhang Xiu didn’t hold back, snapping at Dashan’s elder brother and siblings: “Li Feng and Ming Ge’er have already said they won’t meddle in the village’s decisions. You still want them to get involved? Do you want them to have a hard time in the village from now on? Don’t think we don’t know how you’ve been jealous of Ming Ge’er’s good life and talking behind their backs. You think those rumors don’t reach Ming Ge’er’s ears? And now you have the nerve to try cozying up to them? I can’t bring myself to stoop this low. If you want to ask, go ahead yourselves. Dashan and I won’t do something so shameless.”

Dashan’s mother immediately slammed the table and scolded, “Is that how you talk to your elder brother and siblings? Do you have no respect for your family, for your father and me? Asking you to speak to Ming Ge’er isn’t for ourselves—it’s for this family, for your brother and nephews. If you won’t help, at least don’t stop them from finding another way!”

It was clear they intended to use their status as elders to pressure Dashan, but he stood his ground, stubbornly tilting his head and saying: “Fine. Go talk to the village head and Uncle Li Zheng first. If they all agree, then I’ll swallow my pride and go beg Ming Ge’er to let my brother take on the job.”

Dashan’s mother was so enraged that she threw things at him, but Dashan was not the type to stand there and let himself be hit. Shielding his wife, he walked out, saying, “Either go fight for it yourselves with the village head and the villagers, or let me speak to Uncle Li Zheng. Instead of scheming all the time, why not focus on doing honest work? If you really want to earn money, just grow your vegetables properly, and you’ll still make silver. Drop all these petty thoughts. Do you think Li Feng and Ming Ge’er are fools? Don’t provoke them, or you’ll end up with nothing. If that happens, Ah Xiu and I won’t have the face to ask Li Feng and Ming Ge’er for anything on your behalf.”

Li Feng and Tang Chunming had long anticipated some discord in the village, which was why they decided to completely step back from the process, focusing only on providing seedlings.

When the village finally finalized their rules and regulations, some families suddenly realized that Li Congen’s younger ge’er had been quietly married off. Only then did the Li clan elders discover that Li Congen’s family had sent their younger ge’er to be a concubine. Outraged, the elders summoned Li Congen and his wife, scolding them harshly. Seeing that the couple showed no remorse, the elders were so angry that they struck their family’s name off the list of approved vegetable growers and informed Li Feng not to sell seedlings to them.

Unexpectedly, the family was not upset by this decision but instead laughed out loud. In front of other villagers, they scoffed, “We’re off to the town to enjoy the good life. Who still needs to dig in the dirt and break their backs just to stay stuck as mud-legged peasants?”

When the Li clan elders heard this from others, they were so furious they almost laughed out of sheer anger. Even those who had previously defended the family felt deeply ashamed. No matter how bad their character was, they were still part of the Li family, and the family had to look out for its own. But sending their younger ge’er to be a concubine? That was utterly disgraceful in the eyes of the elders. Worse, instead of being remorseful, the family treated it as a point of pride, boasting about it throughout the village. The Li clan felt their reputation had been completely ruined by them.

Now, looking at their nephew Li Feng, who was undertaking a project that could benefit the entire Ping Shan village, the contrast couldn’t have been starker. There were even rumors from Li Zheng suggesting that this endeavor might bring even greater blessings to the village, potentially securing prosperity for decades or even centuries. Faced with this stark comparison, the Li clan felt ashamed of how they had handled things in the past, especially with Li Feng.

As a result, some members of the Li family gave up on helping Li Congen’s family any further. Since they were so fixated on their younger ge’er marrying into town as a concubine, whatever fortune or misfortune they faced in the future would be their own business. If they thrived, no one in the Li clan would try to cozy up to them. If they fell on hard times, they would have to bear the consequences themselves—it would serve as a lesson.

While Tang Chunming and Li Feng were reviewing the detailed regulations sent over by the village head, Ping Shan village welcomed a distinguished guest.