Chapter 946: Master Jiang's Idea (Patreon)

Chapter 946: Master Jiang's Idea

Master Jiang thought for a moment and asked Shu Yu, "What do you plan to grow on this land after you purchase it?"

"We'll know once it's grown, won't we?"

Master Jiang knew she wasn't willing to disclose her plans, and he didn't insist. Instead, he said, "Considering that you've surveyed the surroundings, you should know the condition of the soil. I told Brother Lu yesterday that this land is not suitable for growing crops."

"I didn't plan on growing crops." Well, sunflower seeds could be considered a type of grain, right? It just wasn't the type Master Jiang had in mind.

Master Jiang pursed his lips. "Since you have an idea in mind, I'll be frank. The crop yield on this land is not high, so the tenant farmers have been unable to pay their rent for the past few years. Some of them have even terminated their lease, but others have no choice and continue to rent, making their lives extremely difficult. I've been in contact with them for several years, and I feel a sense of responsibility. Since you're buying this land, regardless of what you plan to grow, I thought it would be best to prioritize renting the land to them."

Shu Yu contemplated the situation. This Master Jiang was not just an unscrupulous merchant.

However...

"But I don't intend to rent out the land."

Master Jiang furrowed his brows. "Are you planning to cultivate the entire land by yourself?"

Shu Yu smiled. "With over a hundred mu of land, even if I had eight hands, it wouldn't be enough. I plan to cultivate and manage the land collectively. Therefore, I will only hire workers and not rent out the land."

Master Jiang fell silent. The other party had a purpose for buying the land, and he couldn't force them.

Unexpectedly, Shu Yu continued, "However, just as my uncle said, this place is in the middle of nowhere, far from the village and without any nearby shops. It's just the original tenant farmers who still live in the vicinity."

Master Jiang raised his head abruptly. "Are you planning to hire them as workers?"

That would work too. Renting out the land wasn't necessarily better than hiring workers, especially since this land couldn't yield much in terms of crops.

If the landowner hired them as workers, they could still earn some money, and perhaps their lives would improve.

Shu Yu shook her head. "Don't get too excited just yet. I do intend to hire them as workers, but it's not possible to hire all of them."

"That's alright. Hiring one family should be fine."

"May I inquire how many tenant families there are in total?"

Master Jiang thought for a moment. "There were originally around thirty households in this estate, both in the front and back. But some people saw poor harvests, so some went to find work in the city, and others rented land elsewhere. Now there are still around twenty households left."

So, hiring one family per household was feasible. With such a large area of land, regardless of the crop, it wouldn't be possible to avoid employing at least twenty people.

Shu Yu actually needed to hire more than twenty people. Although sunflowers were low-maintenance during their growth period, harvesting the fruits would be a huge project.

Moreover, with such a large piece of land, before it grew, who knew if someone would hide in it and steal the sunflower seeds? The sunflowers grew so tall that even a dozen people hiding inside might not be noticed.

So, hiring workers alone would require a considerable number of guards.

But she wouldn't hire workers just based on Master Jiang's suggestion, nor would it be fair to choose one family from each household.

After pondering for a moment, Shu Yu said to Master Jiang, "Alright, take me to visit those tenant families. If everything is fine, I'll agree to your condition, and we'll proceed with the transaction at one thousand four hundred taels."