<h4>Chapter 273: Contract the Mountains</h4>


    <strong>Trantor: </strong>Lonelytree


    After the university entrance exam was over, Xiao Lingye stayed in the county town to learn how to drive. His family was busy but they didn’t disturb him. However, Xiao Lingye would often go to the shop to help.


    The shop had already made a name for itself in the county town. However, they were running out of stock. New vegetables had been nted but it was not yet time for harvest. The shop mostly sold strawberries.


    Xiao Lingyu reserved the vegetables in the farming space for her old customers. Xiao Lingyu couldn’t go to the county town every day, so she transnted the vegetables from the farming space onto the farnds.


    After the transnt, they didn’t taste any different from if they were grown in the farming space, provided that they were watered with the spring water every day.


    This was the result of Xiao Lingyu’s many experiments. This way, she didn’t need to go to the county town every day. It also helped protect the farming space’s secret.


    The management of this one Mu of farm was left to the people closest to Xiao Lingyu. Mother Xiao and Father Xiao harvested the vegetables daily.


    The vigers were told that this Mu ofnd was experimental farming. The Mu ofnd used the most advanced scientific nting methods, as well as the nutrients developed by Xiao Lingyu’s friends from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The Xiao family said that if the experiment was sessful, they would expand the operation.


    The vigers didn’t doubt anything.


    However, Old Master Gong and his grandson didn’t believe this. But they were on Xiao Lingyu’s side. They knew there was a secret but they didn’t attempt to expose it.


    If anything, they helped Xiao Lingyu. Xiao Lingyu’s vegetables were special so naturally they would attract people’s attention. Old Master Gong and Gong Tianhao had stopped all of these people’s investigation.


    These people only found out that Xiao Lingyu used special nting technique and the soil of Taoyuan Vige was unique.


    As for the matter of the Little Cattle King, the vigers kept mum on it to outsiders. They were using Little Cattle King’s manure on their own farnd to earn money. They were not stupid enough to share that secret with others.


    The vige chief also instructed the vigers not to spread the news about the Little Cattle King. It would not be good if others had ill intentions.


    Even though the Little Cattle King belonged to Xiao Lingyu, the entire vige benefited from it. The vigers naturally knew the importance of this matter. After all, it was rted to their own personal interests.


    ...


    “What?” When Xiao Lingyu’s parents heard Xiao Lingyu’s n, they were surprised even though they had already heard Xiao Lingyu mention that she wanted to rent a whole mountain in the past.


    Back then, the money they earned had been used to pay off the business debt so they didn’t have any extra money to rent a mountain. They would wait until they had more money.


    This matter was only known to her family and not to others. They knew that if this matter was spread, it might cause some troubles.


    After all, in less than half a year, Taoyuan Vige had turned from the poorest vige to the liveliest vige in the county.


    After a slight shock, Father Xiao asked calmly, “Yu ‘Er, how many mountains are you nning to contract?”


    Xiao Lingyu said, “I want to contract the surrounding mountains.”


    “Ah, all of them?” Father Xiao and Mother Xiao asked in surprise, “Yu ‘Er, why would you contract so many mountains?”


    “To nt fruit trees and vegetables,” Xiao Lingyu said.


    “But, will it work?” Father Xiao and Mother Xiao asked in confusion.


    “It shouldn’t be a problem!” Xiao Lingyu said.


    “Okay, I’ll talk to the vige chief,” Xiao Lingyu’s father nodded and said. They would support their daughter no matter what she did.


    “Thank you, Father!” Xiao Lingyu said gratefully.


    ...


    Xiao Lingyu told the vige chief about contracting the mountains


    “Does Lingyu want to contract the mountains?” The vige chief asked.


    “Yes.” Father Xiao exined, “Yu ‘Er ns to contract the mountains to nt fruit trees.”


    The vige chief asked, “Then which mountain do you want to contract?”


    Father Xiao said, “Yu ‘Er means to contract all of the mountains around Taoyuan Vige. She hopes that the vige chief will tell the vigers.”


    “All of them?!” This time, the vige chief was really surprised. “There are a total of six mountains in Taoyuan Vige. That’s more than 10,000 mu.”


    The rent alone was several million. It looked like the Xiao Family had really struck it rich.


    The vige chief persuaded, “Zhengyang, why don’t you talk to Lingyu again? This is not a small matter. Six mountains, the annual rent alone is over a million.


    “What if the agriculture business doesn’t earn money? Why doesn’t she start with one or two mountains first?”


    The vige chief was really kind and considerate of them. Taoyuan Vige had improved greatly thanks to Xiao Lingyu. So, he only wanted the best for the girl.


    Father Xiao said helplessly, “Vige chief, you also know how stubborn our girl is. Once she has made a decision, no one can change her mind. As her parents, her mother and I can only support her.”


    “You two spoil her too much!” The vige chief scolded with a smile, “In the vige, your family is the best at spoiling children. Alright, since you have already decided on this matter, I will have a meeting with the vigers to discuss it. After everyone has approved it, I will go to the town to ask for official approval.”


    Then, the vige chief’s expression became somewhat serious. He reminded, “Zhengyang, you’re going to contract six mountains in one go. If you don’t take care of the natural environment and destroy them wantonly, the higher-ups will definitely not approve it.”


    Xiao Zhengyang said, “Don’t worry, vige chief. We will only use them to nt fruit trees and vegetables. We’ll not destroy the structure of the mountain.”


    “Alright. I’ll go to the vigemittee first and discuss it with a few vige elders. After that, I’ll have a meeting with the vigers.”


    “Okay. Thank you, Vige Chief!” Xiao Zhengyang said with a smile.


    After Xiao Zhengyang left, Auntie Zeng’s eyes revealed a look of envy as she said, “It seems that their family has struck gold. To think they’d contract six mountains just like that. That’ll cost several millions.”


    The vige chief nodded and said, “Yes, they have indeed made a fortune. Anyone with a discerning eye can see it.”


    Auntie Zeng asked doubtfully, “But why do they need so many mountains? What kind of fruit do they n to grow? Peaches?”


    Peaches were the most famous at Taoyuan Vige.


    In the past, when the traffic was inconvenient, the peaches that were nted would rot in the ground. But now, the peaches had been selling well.


    Auntie Zeng’s eyes lit up and she said, “Old Man, shall we nt some peach trees too?”