Chapter 362: Chapter 362

Spring marks the busiest time for everyone, as the year’s harvest hinges on the hard work done in spring.

For a family, spring is also their busiest time, occupied with brigade tasks and collecting herbal medicines.

If last year only the children went to the mountains to collect herbs, this year, the whole family is involved.

As long as they can walk, whether they are elderly or children, everyone goes to the mountains to pick herbs. Then they send those needing processing to the medical station, paying a fee for the service.

If processing isn’t required, they dry the herbs using methods to handle them accordingly.

In short, everyone is busy and bustling. While other villages finish spring plowing and are ready to rest, they find the Red Flag Brigade is overwhelmed with busy tasks.

This makes everyone curious, especially seeing even five- or six-year-old children getting busy—it truly seems unusual.

The Red Flag Brigade hasn’t spread the news about the herbs, even keeping it from their relatives in other villages. They don’t want to trouble Zhan Jing and more participants would mean less profit for them.

However, the commotion is so big that relatives from surrounding villages come to inquire, leaving the Red Flag Brigade unsure of how to handle the situation.

Not disclosing seems wrong, and revealing the truth also seems wrong—they are truly in a dilemma.

Li Jian Country came early to consult with Zhan Jing about how to handle this issue, but Zhan Jing herself was clueless. She thought allowing other villages to participate was acceptable.

Zhan Jing had thoroughly researched the situation; some herb purchase orders are quite large. Especially since several villages around here belong to different counties, they could sell to supply agencies in various places.

"Last year, we completed so much, but the county’s procurement orders weren’t finished." Zhan Jing understood that Li Jian Country came to see her, wishing to hear her thoughts.

After all, she spearheaded this business, and Li Jian Country worried that disclosing the matter might upset her.

Of course, Zhan Jing wouldn’t stop them; even if Li Jian Country and the others kept silent, their families might spread the word, making them scapegoats for nothing.

Li Jian Country was considering whether to tell the neighboring villages, as he felt significant pressure, not only from superiors but also because of familial relations.

Li Jian Country worried Zhan Jing might not want to share, since it’s quite profitable. If Doctor Zhan hadn’t kindly mentioned it to the village children initially, the village families wouldn’t have had this income.

En route, Li Jian Country pondered many times about offering Zhan Jing a reward, but his considerations were never used.

"Doctor Zhan, you agreed?" Li Jian Country felt like he was dreaming.

He always knew Doctor Zhan was good-natured, but he never expected her to agree so quickly.

"Doctor Zhan, I know the village owes you for this. I discussed it with them, and from now on, you will do the easiest tasks and earn the highest work points." Despite this, Li Jian Country felt indebted to Zhan Jing.

Even earning the highest work points all year wouldn’t compensate for a tenth of Zhan Jing’s loss.

Having so graciously agreed to spread the idea of planting herbs, Zhan Jing never intended to gain much benefit from it.

Especially since it benefits surrounding villages, no one opposes it now, but in the long run, might someone raise objections?

Would Li Jian Country and others still feel this should be the Gong Family’s and Zhao Family’s benefit?

"That’s unnecessary. It was discovered accidentally, after all, it was just an idea from some kids playing around."

"The work points corresponding to the labor are regulated; we cannot break the rules."

Zhan Jing was adamant about not accepting undeserved benefits, which made Li Jian Country feel truly troubled.

"However, if the surrounding villages want to plant herbs, I hope they will plan properly and not cut down the trees." Zhan Jing didn’t want short-sighted villages cutting down trees for a bit of profit.

"If the trees are cut, the herbs become too conspicuous. If leaders come down, they will notice everything."

"Moreover, the purchase quantity for herbs is limited. If too many people plant,..." Zhan Jing offered a hint.

"Understood, understood." Li Jian Country and the others were experienced farmers with their own ideas about the mountains and waters here, "If there are no tall trees, it’s easy for beasts and wild boars to come down the mountains, and catching them won’t be easy for us."

"Moreover, with big trees, we can have firewood and small animals."

After seeing Li Jian Country and the others off, Zhan Jing remained silent for a while, though she had said she didn’t mind, it was impossible not to care.

The revenue was significant; not only would Zhao Xuran be shocked, even Zhan Jing was surprised. But reducing this income’s impact—how would the children, who are happily and eagerly picking herbs, feel?

"This still needs to be discussed with the children." Cai Meina was truly unwilling, feeling they were quietly earning money and didn’t provoke anyone, but why did it spread somehow,

"I refuse to believe the surrounding villages found out on their own." Even though there were family ties with surrounding villages, interactions weren’t frequent. If not intentional inquiries, how would they know?

Zhan Jing understood that if it weren’t leaked by the villagers, things wouldn’t have developed this way, causing her much headache.

"Actually, I knew it couldn’t be hidden for long." Zhan Jing knew the Red Flag Brigade’s improved life would draw envy from many nearby, but they could have kept it secret for at least two years.

"They couldn’t even last two years." Zhan Jing felt helpless, "Even with Li Jian Country intervening, what could we do to disagree?"

Though Li Jian Country spoke politely, if they disagreed, who knew what might happen? Although they kept things discreet, borrowing ox carts and horse carts frequently couldn’t have gone unnoticed; it’s just that no attention was paid.

Once they fell out with Li Jian Country and others, who knows what might unfold.

Indeed, what can be done if they disagree, Cai Meina felt all sorts of helplessness, "I wonder if Ni Zi and others will be upset."

Knowing even Zhan Banxia and Zhan Zisu—those two boys were clamoring to collect herbs and earn money to buy Sister Ni new clothes—it was clear they were obsessed with wealth.

If they learned that surrounding villages would also plant and sell herbs, who knows what an uproar they might cause.

"Hopefully they can understand." Zhan Jing could only hope, "They are sensible children." Read complete versıon only at novel{f}ire.net

Ah, such bothersome matters; Cai Meina really didn’t understand why everyone couldn’t live well without inviting so much trouble, alas.