Chapter 645: Who Told You About High-Price Land Acquisition?

Chapter 645: Who Told You About High-Price Land Acquisition?

Luo Xiaoxue arrived and discovered that Lin Nuo and Su Kexin were also there.

Su Kexin being around seemed logical since her last name is Su. After all, she’s part of the Su family, and it makes sense for her to come back to see the ancestral home being taken down due to the government’s land acquisition.

But Lin Nuo carries the surname Lin, not Su. What does the Su Family Village’s land acquisition have to do with him?

Could it be that he heard about Dong Wei acquiring land in the name of the court and came specifically to check it out?

And just now, it seemed like Su Kexin called him ‘husband.’

Did she get married? When did that happen? I never heard her mention it.

Who is this husband?

Luo Xiaoxue’s mind was filled with doubts. Marriage isn’t a trivial matter, and young ladies are usually quite interested in such affairs. They gossip about relationships whenever they gather—it’s in their nature!

Now, seeing that Su Kexin hadn’t approached any other men, the only male around was the Knight Lin Nuo.

Could it be the Knight Lin?

No way! They are just a senior and junior martial sibling. They shouldn’t have crossed that line to become a couple!

Su Kexin’s voice was drowned out by the clamoring villagers, and Luo Xiaoxue didn’t catch what she called out next.

Luo Xiaoxue still caught sight of Su Kexin; she happily chased after Lin Nuo, grabbing his sleeve and linking her arm with his, exhibiting an unusually close intimacy.

Regardless of whether Su Kexin referred to the Knight Lin as her husband or not, witnessing their close interaction ignited jealousy in Luo Xiaoxue’s heart.

Ah, let go of the Knight Lin!

Luo Xiaoxue looked at Lin Nuo again. He wore a cold and indifferent expression, with a hint of disdain in his eyes directed at Su Kexin. There was no sense of affection—it was evident Su Kexin was the only one harboring feelings!

How shameless! Knowing the Knight Lin was unwilling, she still clung to him. How disgraceful!

With so many people on the road leading to Su Family Village, Luo Xiaoxue intended to secretly observe the situation on the Dong Wei side. If she ran out to meet Lin Nuo and the others, it could expose her.

It’d be best to keep a low profile. No need to reveal herself.

But just watching Su Kexin cling to Lin Nuo made her furious. They had once shared a room and each had wished the other to find their ideal husband.

Of course, there was a premise to that wish—the ideal husband could not be Lin Nuo.

Luo Xiaoxue had no choice but to retreat, forcing herself not to care and prioritize the bigger picture.

If an opportunity arose, she definitely needed some alone time with the Knight Lin.

Meanwhile, over by Lin Nuo…

“Can you not loop your arm through mine?” he asked.

“I can’t. We’re married; it’s normal! Besides, I don’t know the way; I need you to guide me,” Su Kexin replied, sticking to him. The news of their marriage had already spread throughout Su Family Village. Both the elders who stayed and the returning villagers were aware of it.

Soldiers had been entering Su Family Village in groups, a significant force that didn’t look minor at all. Normally, for a land acquisition, sending a small detachment would suffice, but this massive, imposing presence looked more like an invasion.

Among the soldiers were not just troops but also spirit experts and various practitioners. Clearly, it wasn’t just a simple land acquisition; Lin Nuo’s assumptions were confirmed—they came for a ritual.

In the crowd of soldiers, a tall, imposing man on horseback, wielding a sharp sword, was commanding respect. The soldiers seemed to part ways for him, suggesting he was the leader of this troop.

Luo Xiaoxue noticed this leader, feeling slightly overwhelmed by his stern aura.

Of course, more than that was the power behind him. His name was Qin Huai, who was exceptionally skilled and belonged to the court, wielding significant military authority. However, his heart had already aligned with Dong Wei, working under them.

Qin Huai halted his horse, gazing ahead at the lined Su Family Village houses with a hint of disdain in his voice:

“Looks like many have returned, just in time. Everyone, follow my orders and explain things to each household.”

“Yes, sir!” the soldiers responded in unison, each wielding land acquisition decrees issued by the court, stamped with the royal seal. The message was clear: for necessary development and construction, they were acquiring land. Each household was required to confirm with their fingerprints.

Residents anticipated the soldiers would show the decree, hoping for a good price—exchange cash for land and immediately walk away.

Selling this ancestral house could net them a fortune, which would be something the villagers of Su Family Village never expected!

However, things didn’t go as smoothly as they imagined.

“The court is acquiring land, and a single piece of land only fetches one silver coin???”

Villagers were left dumbfounded upon seeing the land acquisition decree in the soldiers’ hands.

“Weren’t they supposed to offer high prices? Why is it so little??”

The villagers were bemused, thinking they had traveled all this way just to collect a hefty sum for the land acquisition.

One silver coin? Are you kidding? That’s basically a giveaway!

In simple terms, in this spirit cultivation world, one silver coin’s purchasing power is roughly equivalent to a hundred bucks.

In other words, selling the ancestral house for a mere hundred bucks was essentially robbery!

The folks were certainly furious. The court’s stinginess was outrageous—it felt like they were being given nothing.

“High price? There’s never been an official document stating high-price land acquisition. This is an official document from the court; you must vacate today.”

The soldiers spoke threateningly, forcing them to abandon their land.

“Who said anything about high prices?”

“Yeah, who said that? It spread far and wide.”

“I remember there was a public announcement made!”

The villagers erupted in argument, now discussing where this high-price land acquisition rumor originated.

But of course, they couldn’t pinpoint it. Without a clear document, who knew where this dubious rumor came from? Who was the imbecile that started it?

“Once you press your fingerprints on the transfer deed, this land no longer belongs to you.”

The soldiers brandished a document labeled ‘transfer deed,’ essentially a contract requiring villagers to leave a thumbprint as a formal process to relinquish the land.

Though the price was low—essentially charity for beggars.

“No, I won’t press!”

“This ancestral home is passed down from my ancestors; there’s no way I’m letting it go.”

“Right, it’s our family heirloom—how could we part with it?!”

Every villager was shouting their moral high ground while actually just refusing to press their fingerprints because they felt the price was too low. How could they possibly sell it for one silver coin?

“This is a decision made by the court for the welfare of the people. You must comply.”

As the soldiers saw the villagers refusing, they forcefully began pressing their fingers upon the document, leaving behind red fingerprints on the transfer deed.

This was a deed recognized under the law, and once they pressed their fingerprints, it would represent the villagers’ agreement, giving the court the right to dispose of the Su Family Village as they wished—though whether it was voluntary from the villagers was another matter.

Dong Wei was resorting to such coercive tactics to force the villagers out, which made Luo Xiaoxue incredibly furious. It was too overbearing, showcasing complete disregard for the people.

Yet with Qin Huai present, she knew any move would bring attention to her, and her safety would be at risk.

It was best to withdraw for now and think of a strategy.

However, Qin Huai had sealed off Su Family Village, leaving everyone present unable to leave.