In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

Su Tang's face also turned bright red. She gripped her sister's clothes tightly, looking at the truckloads of white rice, her eyes sparkling with an unprecedented light.

She hasn't had a proper meal in a very, very long time...

Qin Shaolang ignored the cheers of the crowd and focused his gaze on Zhang Wenyuan, who was kneeling on the ground, speaking in a calm tone.

"Stand up and speak."

"Thank you... thank you, Master Qin!" Zhang Wenyuan shakily got up, but his waist was still bent at a ninety-degree angle, and he didn't even dare to lift his head.

"What about the household registration?" Qin Shaolang asked.

"All done! All done!" Zhang Wenyuan hurriedly pulled out another stack of brand-new household registration documents from his other pocket. "As you instructed, they've all been re-registered as disaster victims who ended up in Lantian last year! Everything's done cleanly; we guarantee there won't be any problems!"

Qin Shaolang nodded, took the household registration document, and casually handed it to Su Jin behind him.

Su Jin took it, opened it, and saw that her and her sister's names, place of origin, age, and status were clearly written on it. From this moment on, they were no longer slaves to be bought and sold, but registered commoners of the Great Wei!

Her fingertips trembled slightly, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

This man is always like this. He doesn't say much, but he'll quietly do everything for you.

"There's one more thing," said Envoy Qin. "Regarding the purchase of iron ore, the county government will fully cooperate! Notices have already been posted. As long as the people bring ore, the county government will buy it at double the market price and deliver it all to you! You won't have to worry about the raw materials!"

Zhang Wenyuan finished speaking in one breath, his face full of flattery.

He no longer looked at Qin Shaolang as a person; he looked at a living god of wealth! No, an ancestor even more terrifying than the god of wealth!

"Very good." Qin Shaolang finally showed a satisfied expression. "Go back and tell Li Jian'an that he did a good job. What I said before still stands."

"Yes! Yes! I will certainly deliver the message!" Zhang Wen…

"Get lost."

"Hey! Okay!" Zhang Wenyuan felt like he had been granted a pardon and ran away as if he were being chased by a demon.

Watching Zhang Wenyuan and his group of constables leave in a disheveled state, the guards burst into laughter.

Once upon a time, these officials who swaggered around in front of them were now like a pack of stray dogs!

This feeling of triumph is even more exhilarating than drinking ten pounds of strong liquor!

Qin Shaolang did not join their celebration. He walked to the mountain of grain carts, grabbed a handful of snow-white rice grains, and felt their heavy texture.

We have food, we have status, and we have a source of raw materials.

The survival crisis has been initially resolved.

But Qin Shaolang's gaze went beyond the grain mountain in front of him and into a more distant place.

This was merely a temporary earthen kiln, a makeshift shack for hiding. It was drafty on all sides, offering absolutely no defense. If discovered by someone with malicious intent, or if attacked by a large-scale banditry, it would be utterly vulnerable.

What he wants is not just a place to live.

It's a home. A real home that can withstand all storms, a home where the Su Jin sisters can live in peace!

His gaze swept across the surrounding terrain, and in his mind, a grand blueprint was slowly unfolding.

"Chu Wu!"

"exist!"

"From today onwards, we will no longer call this place an earthen kiln." Qin Shaolang's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"We're going to build a village here! A real Qin Family Village, fortified with blue bricks and steel!"

Qin Family Village!

These three words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a tidal wave in everyone's hearts!

They had considered settling down, but in this chaotic world, human life was as cheap as grass. Having a shelter from the wind and rain and a bite to eat was already exhausting all their strength.

Building a manor? What's that? That's something only wealthy families and powerful clans could do!

But now, it is Qin Shaolang who said those words!

It was Brother Qin, who single-handedly made the county magistrate bow his head and send a thousand bushels of grain!

After a brief moment of shock, an even more intense frenzy erupted from the crowd!

"Let's build a manor! We want our own manor too!"

"Following Brother Qin, we have food to eat and a place to stay!"

"I'll do whatever Brother Qin tells me to do! I'll risk my life!"

Everyone was so excited that their faces turned red, as if they could already see their home, with its blue bricks and large tiles, as solid as a rock.

Qin Shaolang remained unaffected by the frenzied atmosphere; his expression was as calm as ever. He raised his hand and gently pressed it down.

A simple action instantly silenced the boiling valley.

All eyes were on him, filled with absolute trust and expectation.

"Chu Wu".

"Here!" Chu Wu straightened his chest and said in a loud voice.

"Choose ten of the most clever brothers to come with me. The rest of you will be in charge of Su Jin, checking the food and supplies, and registering them in the warehouse. Remember, no one is allowed to use a single grain of rice without my order." Qin Shaolang's order was clear and decisive.

"Yes!" Chu Wu immediately began to select people.

Su Jin was slightly taken aback; she hadn't expected Qin Shaolang to entrust her with such an important matter. That was a thousand shi of grain, the lifeblood of everyone.

She looked at Qin Shaolang, but he didn't look at her. Instead, he turned around and prepared to lead his men to survey the terrain.

This man demonstrated his trust through his actions.

A warm feeling welled up in Su Jin's heart. She nodded solemnly and replied softly but firmly, "Yes."

She walked to the grain cart and began to methodically direct the group: "Work in pairs and move the grain to the driest cave. Be careful to prevent it from getting damp. Su Tang, you're in charge of fetching water for everyone."

The little girl, Su Tang, nodded vigorously, picked up the wooden bucket, and ran to the stream with her short legs, her face beaming with a happy smile.

On the other side, Qin Shaolang, along with Chu Wu and ten others, began to survey the valley's outline.

He walked slowly, stopping at each place to test the ground or observe the direction and texture of the rock face.

Others couldn't understand it, but felt that every move Brother Qin made was full of some inexplicable meaning.

Chu Wu, following behind, couldn't help but ask, "Brother Qin, how should we build this estate? Should we build the houses first?"

Qin Shaolang stopped and pointed to the valley where they were.

"Look here, what does it look like?"

Chu Wu scratched his head and honestly replied, "Like a gourd?"

"That's right." Qin Shaolang nodded approvingly. "It's like a gourd with a narrow entrance and a wide interior. It's a natural defensive terrain, easy to defend and difficult to attack. What we need to do now is not to build a house."

"What is that?" everyone asked in unison.

Qin Shaoluo pointed to the only, narrow entrance to the valley and said, word by word, "It's a wall! A wall that can keep all dangers out!"

He picked up a twig and quickly sketched on the muddy ground.