Chapter 52: Husband, Sister Xiuer Is Truly Very Good

At this moment, Li Chen looked at the simple yet passionate and loyal villagers, and his heart was stirred.

Earlier, when he signed that red deed with Lin Ling’er, it had been to guard against the Wu family of Baisha Village reporting him and causing unnecessary trouble.

He had never expected that the red deed would go unused, and instead it was these honest villagers who had forced the County Lieutenant of Pingyang County to retreat.

Deeply moved, Li Chen stood on higher ground, cupped his fists, and bowed to all around him. “Everyone, today you protected me, Li Chen, and my wife, keeping us safe. I will forever remember this kindness in my heart. There’s no need for more words. Chenxu!”

“I’m here, Brother Li Chen!” Liu Chenxu had already put away the Hand Crossbow and ran over.

“Raise the price of firewood. 40 copper coins per bundle of firewood, 20 copper coins per bundle of straw. Recruit 10 more female workers each day, and provide a noon meal!”

Li Chen waved his hand decisively.

“Yes, Brother Li Chen!” Liu Chenxu carefully recorded everything with his brush.

“So generous and upright. Brother Li Chen is truly virtuous!”

“He repays kindness with kindness. Brother Li Chen is honorable!”

Cheers resounded across the village, and the crowd once again erupted with excitement.

The little maid wife’s face flushed red with emotion, as if she had drunk wine.

Work resumed immediately. Following Li Chen’s instructions, Liu Chenxu had the second group of female workers join in, and the villagers began helping to set up additional stoves.

Although the courtyard was spacious, it was still cramped with so many people working at once.

Fortunately, there was a large open space nearby. Though overgrown with wild grass, it could be cleared.

Li Chen simply had the villagers tear down the eastern courtyard wall and expand the yard all the way to the thicket at the far end. Five more large stoves were lined up in a row, and fires were lit to boil salt.

However, Zhao the blacksmith, Hou Xiaobai, and Liu Chenxu suffered the most. They had to carry large buckets of brine back and forth into Yu Qingwan and Liu Chenyi’s workroom to pour in the saltwater.

Eventually, Yu Qingwan became too busy to manage alone and had no choice but to let Hou Xiaobai assist with the salt-refining process.

The remaining village women and men who had no other tasks went off to gather firewood and straw to earn money.

“Brother Li Chen, although today’s crisis has passed, there are still lingering dangers,” Xu Jiang pulled Li Chen aside, his eyes filled with concern. “I sent people to Baisha Village these past two days to investigate. The Wu family there has a notorious reputation. Anyone who offends them is treated like prey by a pack of mad dogs. The entire clan will descend and bite without letting go. They will surely target you again. And now they even have County Lieutenant Wu Chuang backing them. Though you are capable, you can’t guard against thieves every single day. Sooner or later, you must find a way to eliminate this threat once and for all.”

“It’s fine, Uncle Xu. Don’t worry. I have my own plan,” Li Chen replied with a faint smile.

“Oh?” Xu Jiang looked at him in surprise. The County Lieutenant himself was backing the Wu family, yet Li Chen claimed to have a solution.

“I can sell Refined Salt openly. If I had no way to handle matters, would I dare to do so?” Li Chen smiled in return.

“I see.” Xu Jiang nodded in sudden understanding, believing he had grasped the meaning.

What he did not know was that Li Chen’s plan was simple. If the County Lieutenant dared to provoke him again, he would find an opportunity and shoot him with an arrow.

Strategy may guide the mind, tactics may shape the plan, but when there is neither law nor leverage, only decisive force can crush all obstacles and dispel every worry.

Xu Jiang led the villagers back to gathering firewood. Li Chen had just stepped into the house when a wave of fragrance rushed toward him. The little maid wife threw herself into his arms and burst into sobs.

“Husband, just now… I was terrified…”

She wept in his embrace, tears falling like pear blossoms in rain.

“What is there to fear? Your husband isn’t made of clay. How could I let others bully me?” Li Chen stroked her cascading black hair and smiled.

Recalling what had just happened, especially how she had bravely stood in front of gleaming blades and spears despite her fear, shielding him with her slender body, his heart tightened with emotion.

“Husband, I… I was truly afraid the County Lieutenant would take you away and torture you…”

The thought made her shudder, and she cried even harder.

“Don’t worry. That will never happen.” Li Chen gently lifted her chin. “Trust me.”

She sniffled and nodded softly.

At that moment, Li Chen sensed something and turned his head. He saw Xu Xiuer hastily turning away, only to bump straight into Ma Lian’s embrace.

“Ouch, Xiuer. Are you jealous of sister-in-law’s ample figure? You nearly knocked me over,” Ma Lian said, squatting down and clutching her chest, not forgetting to subtly flaunt her curves.

“Ah, I’m sorry, sister-in-law…” Xu Xiuer quickly helped her up.

The little maid wife peeked out from Li Chen’s arms, instantly understanding the situation. Wiping her tears, she said softly, “Sister Xiuer was very worried about you too. It was she who went to find Village Head Xu Jiang. That’s how our family escaped disaster.”

“What exactly goes on in that little head of yours?” Li Chen sighed and flicked her nose lightly.

“Go get back to work. Try to finish refining this batch of Refined Salt in the next two days. I’ll take it to Pingyang County City and exchange it for more money and grain.”

“Husband…” she called softly, her voice as gentle as a breath.

“What is it now?” Li Chen rubbed his temples. This delicate wife was becoming harder and harder to manage.

“Husband, Yiyi and I are a bit overwhelmed. We want to find a reliable helper, perhaps Sister Xiuer. She’s truly very capable. Would that be alright?” The little maid wife bravely looped her arm around his and gave a shy, small pout.

“What are you really trying to say?” Li Chen glanced at her. How could he not know what her little mind was plotting?

“I mean… with more help, we can speed up production and earn more money. Yes, that’s what I mean. Husband, don’t you agree?” She searched desperately for a convincing excuse.

“But I don’t want to earn too much money. Enough is enough,” Li Chen replied with a teasing half-smile.

“Ah?” She was left speechless, not knowing how to continue.

“Alright, go work. We’ll talk about this later,” Li Chen said, his words carrying double meaning.

“Alright, Husband.” She answered dejectedly and left, her spirits dampened.

Her second attempt to persuade her husband had failed.

Everyone returned to their tasks. Li Chen went back to Zhao the blacksmith’s home to smelt iron and forge blades.

Everything had been agreed upon. From now on, Zhao the blacksmith would work exclusively for Li Chen. He had made up his mind to follow Brother Li Chen for the rest of his life.

He swung the great hammer like a windmill, striking with clang after clang, pouring into it all the strength he might have used to take a second wife.

However, at this pace, the iron stock would last only 3 or 4 days. After 4 days, production would halt.

Li Chen would have to find more iron materials as soon as possible.

The best method, of course, was to secure an iron mine and improve production from the source.

“Blackwater Mine…”

Li Chen murmured to himself as he crafted crossbows and arrows in his home workshop, contemplating the matter.