Volume One, Chapter Four: Village Chief, You Are Truly Remarkable

In this era, industrial development was still in its infancy, and the entire country remained dominated by agricultural products. The farmers' market was vast and filled with countless stalls selling all kinds of goods—everything, that is, except for wild game.

This wasn't because such goods were only available in their village; rather, it was because the villages closer to the county seat were generally more affluent. Since the price was barely higher than that of pork, people preferred to keep the game for themselves as a treat.

Lu Yang confidently selected a stall. Without needing to pay any fees, he began to call out to passersby. Lu Yongguo and Lu Yongchun, having never been to the county seat before, were shocked by the display and terrified by Lu Yang’s boldness. Lu Yongguo, who had a few years of schooling under his belt, was a bit more composed, but Lu Yongchun was already sweating profusely.

"Young Village Chief, you're engaging in capitalism! Aren't you afraid of being arrested?" he whispered.

Lu Yang couldn't help but think that while coastal cities were already doing business with foreigners, these two were accusing him of capitalism. Unable to explain, he gestured to the side and said, "Look at you, cowering like a coward. If you're afraid, stand further away."

Lu Yongchun looked at Lu Yongguo. Seeing that he hadn't moved, he gathered his courage and stiffened his neck. "If the Young Village Chief isn't afraid, then neither am I!"

Despite his words, old fears ran deep. Whenever someone approached, the two still acted timidly. Lu Yongguo held a book, pretending to study, though his heart was racing for fear that someone might suddenly shout, "Down with capitalism!" Lu Yongchun, having no book, pulled his straw hat over his face and pretended to be asleep.

Lu Yang ignored them. Seeing an older man approaching, he raised his voice. "Sir, buy a pheasant! They’re excellent for nourishing the body!"

The man wore an old-style military uniform without rank or insignia, suggesting he was a veteran. He had a slight limp and, appearing sensitive to the cold, was dressed in thick layers. Hearing the word "nourishing," he walked over and inspected the goods.

"Young man, these pheasants weren't poisoned, were they? I’m telling you, that’s against the law!"

Lu Yang smiled. "Sir, you’re joking. We’re honest, simple-hearted country folk; how could we do such a thing? I can tell you’ve served in the military—look, the bullet hole is still right here." Lu Yang pointed to a mark on the pheasant’s belly.

The old man squinted. "Hmm, it really is! Shot with birdshot, was it?"

Lu Yang gave him a thumbs up. "Sir, your eye is sharp. You spotted it at a glance!"

In business, you can't just talk about the transaction; you have to say something else to quickly bridge the gap and gain trust. The old man laughed heartily, clearly pleased by the flattery.

"Young man, you’ve got a silver tongue!"

"Actually, I'm quite clumsy with words. It’s just that seeing your righteous bearing, I felt compelled to say a few more."

The old man laughed again, standing a bit straighter. "To tell you the truth, my leg was injured back in the day, and whenever the weather turns rainy like this, it aches terribly. How much for one? Give me two; I’ll go back and make some soup to drive the cold out of my body."

Lu Yang smiled. "Sir, you were injured for the sake of us common folk. I won't overcharge you. I’ll pick the two biggest ones for you—each is at least a pound and a half. Just give me three yuan for both."

Pork was selling for one yuan a pound, and wild game was usually priced similarly. The old man immediately understood that this young man truly respected his status as a veteran. He readily pulled out three yuan. "You’re a good lad. I’ll come back for more once I’ve finished these."

"Take care, sir!"

Before the man had even walked away, Lu Yongchun threw his straw hat to the ground and stared at Lu Yang with wide eyes. "Young Village Chief, you’re incredible! You just made three yuan in one go! Do you realize that dog Wang Youfu usually only pays us seven mao for one?"

Lu Yang had sold them for one and a half yuan each, more than double the usual rate. It was no wonder Lu Yongchun was so excited. But in Lu Yang’s eyes, it was actually a bargain for the old man. Moreover, he hadn't just done it because the man was a veteran; he could tell that the old man was someone who kept order in the area and likely knew many people.

Before he could explain, Lu Yongguo grabbed Lu Yongchun. "Lu Yongchun, shut up! Do you want people to call the Young Village Chief a profiteer?"

Realizing he might cause trouble for Lu Yang, Lu Yongchun quickly clamped his mouth shut, though he kept staring at the three yuan in Lu Yang’s hand, unable to believe it was real. Lu Yang didn't bother explaining, just smiled confidently. "Just watch. This is only the beginning!"

True to his word, as the old man walked away with his pheasants, he spoke to acquaintances he met, pointing back toward Lu Yang’s stall. Soon, a young couple approached. The man appeared to be a factory worker, and the woman, with a slightly rounded belly, seemed to be pregnant.

"Brother, sister, why not buy a few bamboo partridges? These birds feed on mountain pine nuts, so they’re incredibly nutritious—perfect for adults and children alike."

The woman blushed slightly, and the man looked at her with concern. "Let's buy four to make you some soup."

The woman nodded with a smile. "Yes."

Lu Yang nudged Lu Yongchun, who hurriedly grabbed some straw, tied four birds, and handed them over. Lu Yang gave them to the man. "Here you go, brother! Four bamboo partridges! Each is at least half a pound. I won't overcharge you—two and a half yuan in total!"

The man looked at the fresh, tender meat and, without hesitation, handed over five mao in cash and two yuan in cloth coupons.

"Take care, brother! Come back again!"

"You bet!"

No sooner had they left than a wealthy-looking man came by and bought two rabbits. Seeing the man had money, Lu Yang charged him six yuan. The man, accustomed to luxury, didn't even haggle and paid immediately.

"Young Village Chief, this... this is almost three times the price!" Lu Yongchun finally couldn't contain his excitement, looking at Lu Yang in disbelief. Wang Youfu usually bought these rabbits for one yuan and twenty or thirty fen, but they had just sold for three yuan. The Young Village Chief was truly brilliant; with just a small effort, he could earn so much more!

Lu Yang just smiled and turned back to attract more customers. Lu Yongchun watched Lu Yang standing in the morning sun and felt as though he were seeing hope for the future. *Alas*, he thought, *the Young Village Chief is leaving next month to study. Without him, who in the village would dare to step up and stand out for everyone like this?*

His heart suddenly grew cold. He wanted to ask, "Young Village Chief, can you stay?" But looking at Lu Yongguo, who also seemed lost in melancholy and said nothing, he kept his peace.

All three waves of customers were satisfied, and others followed. Lu Yang was persuasive, his service was excellent, and he had an honest, handsome demeanor. By eight o'clock, all the wild game was sold out.

When Lu Yang finished counting the money, the two men were overjoyed. "326 yuan!! Young Village Chief, you’re amazing! We’ve struck it rich!"

Lu Yongchun’s eyes glowed with excitement, and even Lu Yongguo’s face revealed an expression of pure disbelief.

"Young Village Chief, with you here, our village has hope. We’ll never have to go hungry again."