Chapter 99: Lin Zhuang

Xian’er packed up her things and came out, only to find that the Sixth Young Miss was already being helped forward by Aunt Gu, so she followed behind.

Such things happened every day. The Sixth Young Miss was amiable, speaking and acting like an adult, not only beloved by the household servants but also adored by the nearby villagers, who all enjoyed chatting with her. As the Sixth Young Miss’s personal maid, serving her was Xian’er’s duty, but often, her tasks were snatched away by others.

When they had just moved here, everyone except the Sixth Young Miss was extremely busy. Even the household servants had to work in the fields. Thinking back, not only Xian’er but even the Eldest Master, who had never done farm work before, made many amusing mistakes. However, Qian’er was the luckiest—she even found love because of it.

Rising early and returning late, everyone was so busy that after hastily eating dinner, they would collapse into sleep, except for those on duty. No one noticed the changes in the Sixth Young Miss until she fell ill, and only then did the Eldest Madam realize that the blood tumor on her face had almost completely disappeared, leaving only a faint pink mark.

By the beginning of the year, the blood tumor on the Sixth Young Miss’s face had vanished entirely, and her lips and nose had become delicate. Xian’er still remembered how the Young Miss had looked when she first entered the Lin residence. Now, the Young Miss resembled her aunt more and more, yet she was also different—more spirited when playful, more scholarly when quiet, making people want to approach her yet also feel a bit hesitant.

Moreover, the fine hairs between the Eldest Madam’s eyebrows had fallen out and never grew back, making her look much more beautiful. After moving here, despite the wind and sun, the Eldest Madam’s skin gradually became fairer, making her appear younger. The Eldest Master, once a handsome and fair man, had tanned considerably. Granny Liu said that the Eldest Madam and the Sixth Young Miss were good people, blessed by heaven.

As Lin Fang approached the school, she saw someone hesitantly watching from the path, as if afraid of stepping on the green brick road, tiptoeing cautiously like a cat. It looked rather amusing.

Seeing Lin Fang approaching from afar, the onlooker quickly ran back to the school, shouting, “The Little Teacher is coming, the Little Teacher is coming!” Those playing outside instantly rushed into the classroom, with Lin Yuan being the last, dragged in by someone else.

Entering the classroom, what Lin Fang saw left her stunned.

Hmm, what was this on the lectern? It looked so familiar. Upon closer inspection, it resembled the basket Qi Biao had lost. But it was soaking wet, with a puddle of water beneath it, and the basket had warped from soaking. Could it really be the same basket Qi Biao had thrown into the river? Hadn’t he left already?

Lin Fang asked the students, “Who put this here?”

The students chattered, some saying they hadn’t noticed, others that it had been there when they entered, but no one admitted to placing it. Feeling puzzled, Lin Fang had Xian’er put it away for now, deciding to address it later.

Two years ago, the Eldest Master’s family had been forced to leave their hometown, and he had chosen this land. He bought two thousand acres of wasteland on both sides of the river, along with a small hill adjacent to it. After two years of reclamation and construction, it had finally taken shape.

As planned when they first bought the land, they dug a large pond by the river to establish a fishery. While building the fishery, they also constructed a smokehouse for drying fish. Though the buildings had remained empty for the past two years, they would be useful once the fish grew larger and supply exceeded demand.

Li Cuimei’s clothing workshop and knitting workshop were built at the foot of the mountain, employing nearby villagers. The business model was the same as in Liangping Town, except that workers were paid by the job rather than bound by contracts.

The area was sparsely populated, and living standards were much lower than in Liangping Town. The villagers were simple and honest, working diligently as long as they had jobs and could earn wages, with very few slacking off.

Moreover, Li Cuimei and Guo Siniang started an embroidery class to teach the workers, adding more patterns to the clothing workshop’s products. However, they only taught basic embroidery techniques, reserving the double-sided embroidery for themselves and not using it on sold garments.

The wool workshop had yet to be established, as there weren’t many sheep raised nearby. Traveling far to collect wool made the Eldest Master uneasy about leaving home, so they decided to wait.

Lin Fang’s goats had grown from just over a hundred two years ago to three hundred this year. The cashmere she had hoped for had begun to yield, though the output was low—only a few dozen pounds a year, enough to weave a few dozen cashmere garments.

However, cashmere garments were far more expensive than ordinary clothes, averaging twenty taels per piece, unaffordable for most families. The most expensive one sold for fifty taels, bought by an out-of-town merchant.

Though she had never lacked money growing up and had no strong concept of prices, Lin Fang still thought fifty taels for a garment was absurdly expensive, even if cashmere was called “soft gold.”

Still, all the money from the cashmere garments went to Lin Fang, making her a little rich woman with several hundred taels of silver. Her parents covered the costs of raising the goats, while she kept the profits. Lin Fang felt like a big fat rat—but who could blame her when her parents were happy to indulge her?

As for goat milk, Lin Fang’s goats weren’t dairy breeds, so milk was only available during lactation. Without preservation techniques, the milk couldn’t be transported far, so the daily yield was limited, and the period when milk was available each year was short. Thus, she had no plans to develop a goat milk industry, keeping it for family consumption only.

Goat wool couldn’t be used for cashmere garments, so Lin Fang had asked Qi Biao to buy sheep for her, intending to distribute them to villagers for breeding. She envisioned the flock growing year by year, eventually supplying her cashmere workshop.

Lin Wu’s workshop wasn’t built separately—his entire house served as his workshop, and the entire estate was his material warehouse. He could work anywhere, anytime, with everyone acting as his assistants.

A training ground? Well, none was built—the vast fields were his training ground.

“Little Teacher, my family’s fields will be busy tomorrow, so I might come late.”

“Alright, remember to practice today’s characters a few more times.”

“Little Teacher, my mother’s birthday is the day after tomorrow, so I’ll have to leave early tomorrow with my husband. I might miss a few days.”

“That’s fine. You did well today—just catch up when you return.”

“Little Teacher, I’ve ruined this note. Could you write me another one?” The voice was booming.

Lin Fang stepped back slightly. “Aunt Gu, how did the note end up like this?”

“Oh, I was too nervous and accidentally tore it.”

“Alright, I’ll write it for you. Do you remember which characters they were? Xian’er, bring the literacy book.”

“Um, this one, this one, and… oh, I can’t remember the rest.”

“Was it this one?”

“Yes, yes! The Little Teacher has such a good memory.”

Soon, it was time for the afternoon dismissal. As usual, the students bid farewell to Lin Fang one by one. Those needing leave stayed behind to inform her after the others had left.

Unlike a formal school, Lin Fang’s students attended whenever they had free time. If family matters or livelihoods demanded, they prioritized those.

Lin Fang had compiled a literacy book with commonly used characters, but she also tailored lessons to individuals. For those who had mastered the book, she prepared additional materials. She remembered each student’s progress, strengths, and struggles, never mixing them up.

Thus, despite being only an eight-year-old child, her students held her in high esteem. They paid close attention in class, with few troublemakers—except for Lin Yuan.

When they first arrived two years ago, the area was nearly uninhabited, with only a few scattered households like stars on a clear night. The Lin family had to recruit laborers from far away to build their estate.

Over time, people began noticing the place, and some moved nearby. When the Lin family’s reclaimed land began taking shape, villagers inquired about renting and profit-sharing.

When the Eldest Master bought the land, the government exempted him from taxes for the first three years after reclamation. As a scholar, he received an additional three years. After six years, his land tax would be half the civilian rate, so his rents were low.

Newly reclaimed land, called “raw land,” was barren and yielded little. It took at least three years for it to become fertile and productive.

For the first three years, the Lin family took only ten percent of the harvest, increasing to twenty percent after three years. After six years, when the government began taxing, they added another ten percent, taking thirty percent total, regardless of tax changes.

Moreover, the Lin family provided livestock and tools for rent. If tenants sold grain to the Lin family’s granary, the price was slightly higher, and transactions could be completed on-site, with the Lin family handling transport—meaning the buyer covered shipping costs.

Compared to other wealthy families, the Lin family’s rents were exceptionally low for the first six years, and even afterward, they remained ten percent lower, with added conveniences. This attracted many to move nearby and rent their land.

Word of the Lin family’s low rents spread, drawing more tenants and settlers. Over two years, a small village formed.

Tenants began calling themselves “Lin Village people,” later shortening it to “Lin Zhuang.” Though not officially named, the title stuck.

As Lin Fang had told Lin Wen, the family was swamped with work. Only she, with her uniquely small feet and being a child, couldn’t help with farming or household chores. Bored, she started teaching literacy.

At first, no one came. Then a few ventured in.

Lin Fang’s teaching lacked the rigid rules of formal schools, making it easy to understand. She adapted her methods to each student, making them feel valued. Gradually, more people wanted to learn.

Initially, she taught only a few at the Lin residence. Jokingly, she suggested opening a school and becoming a teacher.

Expecting it to be dismissed as childish talk, like when she was five, she was surprised when her parents actually built her a school, complete with staff, like a real one.

Holding classes outside the Lin residence made students more comfortable, and even hesitant ones began attending.

The Lin family charged no tuition, nor did they expect profit—it was just to keep their daughter occupied. Grateful families eagerly helped with Lin family matters, refusing payment.

Lin Fang mused that other reincarnators had golden fingers or skills from past lives, thriving effortlessly. In her past life, she’d only been good at academics—otherwise, she was useless.

In this world, her adult soul made her seem clever, but she still knew nothing, barely better than a waste.

Yet, she was truly lucky to have a family that adored her unconditionally.