Seeing everyone so tense, Chen Nan said, "No need to be so serious. The favor I'm asking of you is actually very simple."
"Yes, I just need you to look after some rotten vegetables for me."
Song Yunfei asked curiously, "Is it for cultivating penicillin, like you mentioned before?"
Chen Nan: "Yes, cultivating penicillin is a very complex task that requires great attention. Given the current season, it should take about seven days for extraction."
"My idea is simple: mass-produce penicillin. This way, it can not only save lives but also..."
"...make a fortune."
"Here's what I'm thinking: I'd like your wives to help out."
"Of course, I won't let them work for free."
"I'll give them two taels of silver each day."
At this statement.
Everyone gasped.
Two taels of silver a day was exceptionally high pay in Tongcheng.
Let alone in the small Tongcheng, even in Guangling Prefecture, it would be considered high salary.
To put it in perspective.
Take the job of a constable, for example.
Because it was a dangerous profession, the pay was higher.
However.
They only received four taels of silver per month.
This alone showed how generous Chen Nan's offer was.
"Boss, are you sure it's two taels of silver per day, not per month?" Zhang Lu couldn't help but swallow.
Chen Nan nodded seriously, "Yes, two taels of silver per day."
Wu Jiu forced himself to sit up, leaning against the wall by the head of the bed. "Chen Nan, we appreciate your kindness, but I'm afraid your wives might not be capable of this work."
Chen Nan said, "This job is very simple. All you need to do is control the temperature and humidity of the room. I'll handle the rest."
"That's how it is."
"If you feel you can't manage, then I'll have to find someone else."
Cultivating penicillin was very important to Chen Nan.
Therefore.
He had to find trustworthy people.
Undoubtedly.
These were the best choices.
When they followed him to arrest Wen Bohou and his son at the Wen family's residence, they had become brothers who shared life and death.
Now that there was good fortune, he naturally wanted to look after his brothers.
Hearing that he would find someone else, Wu Jiu immediately agreed.
With Chen Nan having put it that way, to refuse again would be ungrateful.
After confirming this matter.
Chen Nan said, "Captain Wu, you should focus on recovering from your injuries. I'll give you another acupuncture treatment tomorrow, and you should be almost healed. Once your injuries are completely recovered, please return to your post as soon as possible."
Wu Jiu's face was pale. "Still need to poke my butt?"
"What else?"
Chen Nan chuckled and then left Wu Jiu's house with Song Yunfei and the other five constables.
Cultivating penicillin was simple for Chen Nan.
But it required an independent house.
The environment determined the growth of penicillin.
Hearing Chen Nan wanted to find a house, and a large one at that.
Song Yunfei said, "I know a house for sale. It's quite large, with more than a dozen rooms in total. However, a murder occurred in that house, so it's considered haunted."
Chen Nan was amused, "Who among us fears a haunted house?"
The others also laughed.
Song Yunfei scratched his scalp. "That's true!"
"Let's go take a look at that house first. If it's suitable, we'll buy it for cultivating penicillin." Chen Nan was a man of action and immediately led by Song Yunfei and the others towards the mansion.
Zhang Lu: "Boss, I have to say, you should have bought that house before Magistrate Yuan left. You could have gotten it for much cheaper."
Unclaimed properties would be confiscated by the government and then sold.
If Chen Nan had bought the house before Yuan Zun left, the price would have been much lower.
Chen Nan smiled, "Some bargains can be taken, and some cannot."
The idea of buying a house had come to him a few days ago.
However.
He didn't want to use any shortcuts for this matter.
It wasn't that he disliked using shortcuts.
But it depended on the situation.
He was also fortunate that he hadn't used any shortcuts.
Otherwise, his relationship with Yuan Zun would have been revealed.
If the newcomer shared the same views as Yuan Zun, then it would be fine.
Conversely, if not.
His situation in Tongcheng would be very passive.
He would be suppressed.
Of course.
He was already being targeted now.
Regardless, he was the one who had killed Wen Bohou and his son.
Fortunately.
Before Yuan Zun left, the Leng family had disowned him, and the Chen family had expelled him from the clan, and Yuan Zun had not interfered.
He had also not taken him with him when he left.
Therefore, it would give the impression to the public that he and Yuan Zun were not close.
This was actually a good thing.
The house Song Yunfei mentioned was located in the northwest of Tongcheng, about a thirty-minute journey from the county yamen.
The property covered about ten mu.
It had sixteen rooms.
The interior area was about three thousand square meters.
It was definitely not small.
Moreover, it was close to the market.
Chen Nan fell in love with this villa at first sight.
The next day.
After the morning patrol.
Chen Nan found a clerk named Song Que, who was in charge of selling properties.
After inquiring about the price.
The villa's selling price was ten thousand taels of silver.
Upon hearing this, Chen Nan immediately decided to purchase it.
Ten thousand taels of silver seemed like a lot, but for him, it was not a significant amount.
And so.
He bought the house and received the keys.
He brought people to the villa and said to Song Yunfei and the others, "Later, help me find some masons to build a heated platform in each room."
Although it was summer now.
The weather would turn cold before long.
At that time, it would not be suitable for cultivating penicillin.
Therefore, heating equipment had to be installed in the rooms.
In addition,
He also had Zhang Lu find a carpenter to custom-make some shelves to place the vegetables on, allowing them to oxidize and rot peacefully.
The total cost was a few dozen taels of silver.
In the evening.
The next morning, Chen Nan swapped shifts with Wang Xingping.
Then he went to the Wu Printing Factory.
He saw Ning Yinqiu, dressed in a white dress, with a beautiful face but radiant with vitality.
There was no sign that she had recently lost her husband.
Although her husband had passed away.
She had completely taken over the Wu family's business.
This printing factory alone brought in several thousand taels of silver daily.
Seeing Chen Nan arrive.
She happily went forward, feigning a twisted ankle, and threw herself into Chen Nan's arms, looking at him with a coquettish gaze, "You naughty boy, you're finally here. You haven't visited me in days."
Chen Nan's mouth felt dry.
You see.
After her husband's death, Ning Yinqiu no longer hid her true feelings.
So direct!
I like it!
He bent down, picked up Ning Yinqiu, placed her on the table, and smiled at her, "Here I am, aren't I?"
Saying that, he kissed her.
------
Afterward.
Chen Nan got down to business, asking, "How have the book sales been recently? How much money have you made?"