"Frogs!"
Zhao Jiaqi shouted at him, "A frog is a frog, only eats insects!"
What could this be? Was he thinking it could be used as medicinal material, or perhaps roasted for food? That was a bit too fantastical.
Wang Yuanzhi was somewhat confused. He pointed at the frogs and exclaimed, "This is just a frog!"
Everyone: ...
Zhao Jiaqi felt that being the village chief was a bit of a hardship. To mistake frogs and toads as the same, it was truly... his eyesight wasn't very good!
After the head steward finished catching them, he carefully packed them up, intending to stew them upon returning for a hearty meal.
The fish in the stream weren't very plump, but the fish here were fresh and tender. The head steward caught quite a few. The village chief hadn't participated in such an activity for a long time, so he also went into the water to catch some. He filled a small basket and then, with satisfaction, headed down the mountain.
Taking in the fresh air, Fan Zehao's mood improved considerably. "Smelling this fresh air more often will extend your life. After lunch, we'll take another stroll around the mountain. You can bring more people then and see if we can catch some wild game. We'll have something to drink tonight!"
His words also resonated with the village chief. He waved his hand, "Nephew, let's forget about catching wild game. The wild beasts in these mountains are quite fierce. Most of us villagers are completely unskilled. If anyone gets hurt, it won't be good!"
Wang Yuanzhi paused and asked tentatively, "If you could hunt, that would be even better. I could tag along for a meal!"
Fan Zehao chuckled foolishly, "Village Chief, you think too highly of me. If I knew how to hunt, would I be a live-in son-in-law!"
This statement dispelled the village chief's doubts. What he said was true; hunting might not bring in a fortune, but at least it would ensure a warm meal.
Chatting and laughing, they descended the mountain and returned to the village chief's home. The head steward immediately got busy. Wang Yuanzhi, seeing how freely their guards were acting, was quite envious.
"To have masters like you two, your guards are truly fortunate!"
Fan Zehao looked at the person walking away and smiled slightly. "My guard's martial arts aren't great, but when it comes to eating, he's quite skilled!"
This also indirectly implied that his own guard wasn't skilled in martial arts and could only drive a carriage, thus preventing the village chief from having any ulterior motives regarding the head steward.
However, the village chief didn't believe him and immediately exposed his lie. "But I saw when he was catching... the frogs, his movements were very agile. He caught one with each grab, his speed was accurate and decisive!"
Fan Zehao immediately retorted, "Never mind catching frogs. If you told him flies could be eaten, watch how fast he'd catch them."
"His speed depends on whether the item is edible. It can't be helped. He was poor when he was young. He could snatch a sour, half-rotten steamed bun from a dog. Think about it, catching something like this would be easy."
These words made Zhao Jiaqi quite impressed. If the head steward heard that he had competed with a dog for food and won, she wondered what he would think.
The village chief was also taken aback by this. He realized belatedly that he had misunderstood the guard. It turned out his speed was very fast because it was related to food.
As they were talking inside the house, not long after, it was time for lunch.
What was served was a pot of frog stewed with potatoes. This was clearly the head steward's specialty. Apart from him, no one else knew how to make it.
Especially the cook, who was so frightened she jumped three feet high at the sight of the live, kicking creatures. After he finished cooking, she scrubbed the pot four or five times.
Seeing the whole frogs served, with their little legs still sticking out, the village chief immediately lost his appetite.
He immediately stopped the head steward. "Uh... you stay and eat with us. This is your home."
The head steward looked at Fan Zehao. Seeing that he had also nodded, he specifically pointed at the dish. "You love eating this the most. It's all for you, but eat slowly. We are at the village chief's home, don't lose face for us!"
Upon hearing this, the village chief took a breath and said, "What are you talking about? At my home, it's just like your own. If you say that again, it'll be too distant!"
Whether it was distant or not, the head steward didn't know, but he understood his master's hint. He sat at the table and ate, specifically targeting the meat, eating so fast that others couldn't help but belch.
Before they had even taken a few bites, the dishes on the table were reduced to mere remnants. The head steward put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said, "I'm done eating. I'm going to get some water!"
He looked a bit foolish, and one wouldn't notice it when he was usually quiet.
Fan Zehao beckoned, and the head steward got down from the table. There were no edible dishes left on the table, so the village chief had no choice but to ask his servants to prepare some more.
In this meal, Wang Yuanzhi managed to figure out that someone was a bit foolish; the rest, however, he didn't learn anything else.
After the meal, everyone returned to their rooms for a short rest. During their chat in the morning, the village chief consistently avoided talking about business matters.
Zhao Jiaqi lay on the bed, her head on his lap, and looked up at him. "If he doesn't bring up business, you should take the initiative to ask."
Fan Zehao frowned. "Is that okay?"
"What's not okay? Since we came under the guise of doing business, we naturally have to talk about it. Otherwise, if we keep dragging it out, people will think we're not legitimate businessmen!"
Businessmen value time and strive to complete their tasks quickly to earn money, which is how a businessman should be.
"Alright, then I'll actively talk to him this afternoon and see what he means!"
Having a general who had led troops in battle negotiate business was indeed a bit improper, but having him watch by his side, he could at least learn some basics.
After they both slept for a while, when Fan Zehao got up, he went to find the village chief to discuss the gold business.
The village chief had expected him to come and talk business this afternoon but didn't engage directly, instead engaging in pleasantries.
Fan Zehao wasn't professionally trained in business and didn't quite understand the local customs. Instead, he was direct. "Village Chief, can we do business, or not? If we can, give me a clear answer so I can make plans. If not, we'll have to move on to the next place. Time waits for no one. If I delay any longer, I'll lose tens of thousands of taels!"
Wang Yuanzhi saw that he was getting straight to the point, and his eagerness showed he was quite impatient.
He quickly replied, "It's not that we won't do business, but that we don't know each other. You need to give me time to get to know you, as a business involving gold is no small matter!"
Fan Zehao didn't understand. He twisted his neck and became stubborn. "What is there to know about me? I buy however much gold you have, and you take my silver, isn't that enough?"
"Besides, if you want to know me, just ask, and I'll tell you truthfully. But I'm right here, and you're not asking. You say you want to know me, so how will you know me?"
He was now completely feigning ignorance. Whether it would work or not, at least one master would be put in his place with a single blow.