After resolving the future paths for those forty men, Tian Jing and Li Zhengguo went to the village committee.
Upon seeing Li Zhengguo, Deputy Captain Ou and Secretary Yang quickly rose to comfort him, saying that justice would surely prevail.
Li Zhengguo smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine."
Deputy Village Head Ou and Secretary Yang sighed. Although they offered these words of comfort, they knew that true fairness was a rare commodity in this world.
Tian Jing had not come to listen to such platitudes:
"Deputy Village Head Ou, Secretary Yang, Village Head Zhou, I've come to inform you that I've encountered some health issues, and the nursery plantation base will likely have to close."
"The first batch of seedlings for the village's greenhouses has been nurtured. As per our contract, I will continue to cultivate the remaining batches."
"Do not sign any contracts for next year; I will no longer be cultivating seedlings."
They sought to bully her husband while also wanting to claim credit for the achievements of Kushanli without her consent. No one would get their way without her approval.
Let all the villagers become fodder; she had done enough for them over the years, enough that others had forgotten she wasn't everyone's mother.
Deputy Village Head Ou and Secretary Yang exchanged a glance before looking at Zhou Chengbian.
Zhou Chengbian nodded, "Without Captain Tian and Mayor Li, there would be no Kushanli today. Since you don't cherish it, then let it be a fight to the death."
Deputy Village Head Ou sighed, "Alas! I should be retiring."
Secretary Yang nodded, "I should retire even more. Village Head Zhou, see when you can convene a meeting to select two people for us to mentor."
Zhou Chengbian nodded.
...
Back at the courtyard house, Tian Jing called Zeng Jingrong, "Has the special team taken over the Hot Spring Valley Scenic Area?"
Zeng Jingrong blinked his eyes, "If you do this, the Kushanli villagers' adoration for you will be completely gone."
Tian Jing sneered, "I don't care. Since they treat my husband as expendable, I'll treat everyone as expendable."
A smile played on Zeng Jingrong's lips, "I will take over the Hot Spring Valley Scenic Area, but I won't take all of Kushanli's shares."
"Otherwise, the higher-ups won't agree to my unconditional acquisition. I also don't have the money to compensate the villagers for their above-ground structures. Besides, I can't possibly waste the resources of Hot Spring Valley for nothing; it will definitely be opened to the public."
Tian Jing agreed, as long as it didn't give the cadres of Ling County an opportunity to intervene, "Then let Kushanli keep twenty percent."
How ruthless! But he liked it.
Zeng Jingrong laughed happily, "Hahaha, good! The team will have funds for expenses and expenditures, and we won't have to beg anymore. The team will achieve financial freedom."
Tian Jing poured cold water on him, "Let's see if you can actually get it first."
Zeng Jingrong was full of confidence, "I definitely will. I'll go get it right now."
Tian Jing hung up the phone and saw all the women in the house looking at her.
Li Min had an indescribable expression, "Sister-in-law, you're getting revenge for brother, and you're dragging us down with you."
Li's mother glared at her daughter and ordered her elder daughter-in-law, "Meihua, go beat Li Min, beat her hard! Kushanli's current state is all thanks to Zhengguo and Tiantian. It's your good fortune that Tiantian didn't take it all."
"Yes!"
Ouyang Meihua's fists were not to be trifled with. Li Min covered her head, dodging her sister-in-law's blows:
"Sister-in-law, brother, I was wrong. I was just saying that, but I feel a sense of relief. I know sister-in-law is worried about the county taking over the Hot Spring Valley Scenic Area."
It was rare for Li Min to be so understanding. Tian Jing waved her hand at Ouyang Meihua, "Just a few more blows will do."
Ouyang Meihua nodded and with internal force, delivered a few more blows, making Li Min wail. They all knew how to bully her.
Shen Jianming stood at the second gate, listening to the crying from the main house, unsure whether to enter or retreat.
When he arrived, he had already learned about Li Zhengguo's situation. He had called his own father, and his father had told him not to interfere, to quickly see his grand-nephew and return.
Quickly see? Quickly return?
He didn't know his father's purpose in sending him, but it was definitely related to the Li family, and related to Tian Jing.
Tian Jing saw Shen Jianming at the second gate and stopped Li Min, "Li Min, Ziyu's maternal uncle is here."
Ouyang Meihua quickly stopped. Li Min tidied her clothes and hair.
Li Zhengguo walked out of the main house and quickly went towards the second gate, "Brother-in-law, you're here? Please come in."
Shen Jianming stepped across the thresholdless second gate, smiling heartily, "I've come to deliver the full moon gift."
Shen Jianrong walked out of the east room. Upon hearing her elder brother's words, she looked at him, who was carrying only a handbag, "Where's the gift?"
Shen Jianming's smile remained unchanged, "I'll give it when I see the baby. Are you expecting me to give it to you?"
Shen Jianrong turned directly back to the east room, "I'll go get it."
Li Zhengguo welcomed Shen Jianming into the living room of the main house.
In the living room, the Li family and Shen Jianming greeted each other.
Li Min and Ouyang Meihua went to the kitchen to boil water and make tea, while Tian Jing and Li Zhengguo stayed to accompany him.
As soon as they sat down, Shen Jianrong brought out the little friend Si Ji, "Come, Si Ji, your great-uncle is here to give you a gift."
Shen Jianming smiled and opened the side pocket of the bag next to him, taking out a pair of silver bracelets and a silver lock, and extended his hand to his younger sister, "Give Si Ji to me."
After Shen Jianrong placed her grandson in her elder brother's arms, she instructed, "Don't put it on him yet, I need to test if it's heavy."
Shen Jianming nodded and looked at the baby in his arms, "Hmm, he has the best features of Xiao Bo and Ziyu."
Shen Jianrong picked up the bracelets and felt their weight: with great disdain, "Aren't there any lighter ones?"
Shen Jianming smiled, "There's a slightly lighter pair, for Xuanxuan. Si Ji is a boy, and heavier is fine; it won't be too much trouble."
"Hmph!" Shen Jianrong snorted and felt all over the bracelets, ensuring there were no flaws that could scratch the infant's skin before putting them on her grandson.
Ziyu walked out of the east room, "Uncle is here."
Shen Jianming looked up and observed his niece, smiling, "Kushanli really suits people. You look very energetic."
Shen Jianrong said playfully, "The whole family revolves around taking care of mother and child, of course, they'll be energetic."
"Haha, yes, yes." Shen Jianming laughed heartily, "Ziyu is blessed."
"That's for sure." Shen Jianrong replied without hesitation, then took her grandson from her elder brother's arms, not only because she thought her brother didn't know how to hold a baby, but also because she thought he was stingy for buying a lock and not a collar.
Shen Jianming didn't mind his younger sister's words. He took out another pair of bracelets and a silver lock, "Where is Xuanxuan? This is for her."
Shen Jianrong gave her daughter a look. Yu Ziyu said, "Uncle, I'll accept it for Xuanxuan. She's sleeping right now."
Shen Jianming didn't mind and gave the bracelets and silver lock to his niece. Then he said to Tian Jing, "My father asked me to see Si Ji and told me to go and come back quickly."
Shen Jianming's sudden arrival made Tian Jing realize he was sent by Old Master Shen to retrieve the ginseng.
She had prepared the ginseng last night. It wasn't the ones planted in the labyrinth, but the ones she had "prepared":
"At least rest for a night before you go back. Since you're here, try some of our home-cooked meals from Kushanli."
"That would be good." Seeing Tian Jing's straightforward invitation, Shen Jianming readily agreed to stay.
Shen Jianrong gave her grandson to her daughter. She and Tian Jing went to the front yard to prepare a room for her elder brother, "Did my brother come looking for you?"
Tian Jing nodded, "Uncle Shen asked him to pick up some things."
Hearing Tian Jing say this, Shen Jianrong didn't ask further and tidied up the room with Tian Jing.