“Line up properly, look lively! The officials are here with the young wives!”
Village Chief Li Zhiming urged them again.
Everyone obediently straightened their bodies, but Li Wannian’s back was hunched, and he couldn't stand straight.
The government’s escort team consisted of over twenty people, with young wives making up half of them, and the rest being government yamen runners and army soldiers.
As for these young wives, they were basically from enemy families or descendants of disgraced officials, but there were also peasant women who willingly became servants for various reasons.
For most of the bachelors in Li Family Village, finding a peasant woman was the ideal choice, as these women knew how to farm, manage a household, and could bear children.
However, women from wealthy families were delicate and pampered, and most bachelors didn't want such wives.
But Li Wannian was different; he still preferred pretty ones.
As the team approached, Li Wannian also grew excited; there weren't many peasant women in this team, most were delicate and fair-skinned young ladies.
“Why are there so many of these? These women are hard to support!”
Li Chenghua complained from the side. The Village Chief glared at Li Chenghua, then stepped forward to greet the team: “Military Inspectors, Capital Sergeants, you’ve worked hard. This is the tea we prepared from our village. Please rest a moment; we will distribute the wives shortly!”
Leading them was a Centurion from the army, who was also a Deputy Commander. He assisted the Capital Sergeant in managing about a hundred people and held a respectable position. However, seeing the simple tea, he didn't show disdain. He took a sip and said, “You are the last village. Hurry up and make your selections. After you’re done, we still need to return and report!”
Having traveled all day, the Deputy Commander was exhausted. This matter shouldn't have required his presence.
“Alright, alright, Military Inspector, please rest a moment; we will select now!”
Village Chief Li Zhiming gave Li Wannian a look, signaling him to go first, but he was pushed to the back by the young men and almost fell.
“Let this grandfather go first, respect for the elders and care for the young!”
Li Wannian worried that the young wife he fancied would be chosen, so he tried to go forward!
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
The young men didn't care about such things; they rushed forward to pick first.
Li Wannian knew these people's preferences, so he simply didn't rush.
The dark and sturdy young wives smiled broadly when they saw themselves being chosen by the strong young men, leaving only three young and beautiful women looking at the old-looking Li Wannian.
In reality, these three pretty ones also preferred young men!
“Why is this person so old!”
A woman in her twenties was unwilling. She just wanted to find a strong man who, if he survived on the battlefield, could still come home to farm. The old man in front of her was probably as old as her father; how could she accept that?
“Old Li, choose the one in the middle!”
Village Chief Li Zhiming urged from the side.
He clearly thought the woman nearing thirty was too old. Women in this era at that age were considered very old, with insufficient fertility. The one in the middle was just the right age, with the best physical condition. As for the youngest, she was still too immature, perhaps still growing, and her childbearing ability was definitely not as good as someone in her early twenties.
The three women also showed expressions of pain. They were three sisters, and they neither wanted to be wives to this old man Li Wannian nor did they want to die!
Their moral values and survival instincts were battling each other.
After all, going to the military camp meant almost no one lived past thirty; they were all tormented to death.
“May I ask, Military Inspector, if I choose one, will the remaining two become military prostitutes?”
Li Wannian asked, emboldened.
The Capital Sergeant looked at the old man and found it amusing.
“Yes!”
The Deputy Commander also replied to Li Wannian.
“Then may this humble subordinate choose all three of them?”
As Li Wannian said this, the Deputy Commander raised an eyebrow, not expecting this old fellow to have such a big appetite.
“How many acres of land do you have? Can you support three wives?”
The Deputy Commander asked with interest, but the Village Chief on the side was anxious to death. Li Wannian’s parents had only left him three acres of land. In this year of famine, it was absolutely impossible to support three women. If they had children, they probably wouldn't survive past the second year.
So, for this fellow to want three wives, it made him extremely worried!
“Three acres!”
Li Wannian replied.
“You can’t support them with that. Do you really intend to take them all home?”
The Deputy Commander asked. He also didn't want to take these women back; after all, taking them back meant they would consume military rations. For them, only soldiers were their own people, women were not!
“Indeed!”
When Li Wannian finished speaking, the Village Chief completely gave up. This fellow was too reckless!
But the three women were very happy. They were daughters of disgraced officials, and even if they starved to death, they didn't want to go to the military camp.
“Alright then, take them all back. Whether they live or die, we bear no responsibility. However, you must report to the county town in one month!”
“Don’t worry, humble subordinate will definitely go on time!”
Seeing Li Wannian’s contrasting performance, the Deputy Commander found it very interesting, but he had been walking so much these past few days for these matters that his legs were about to break, and he just wanted to return early.
“Good. Each woman carries one month’s rations. Take them home. Report on time in one month. Violators will be beheaded!”
The Deputy Commander spoke coldly, scaring everyone into shrinking their necks.
Li Wannian looked at the Deputy Commander, knowing this person had killed many people, exuding killing intent in his every move!
The Village Chief was anxious to death: “Old Li, you’re not listening!”
Li Zhiming also had a look of disappointment, not only choosing delicate and fair-skinned wives but also taking three at once.
“Xiaoming, don’t worry. I’m going to join the army, and these three women each have a month’s rations. I can eat more too, which will give me more strength, and perhaps I can survive in the army!”
“Address me by my official title in front of outsiders!”
Village Chief Li Zhiming corrected him.
“Okay, Little Official!”
Li Zhiming said helplessly: “Fine, fine, since you’ve taken them all, take them back. Just don’t ruin your health!”
Li Wannian nodded repeatedly: “Don’t worry, I know how to exercise restraint!”
The Deputy Commander smiled and shook his head from his side. Was restraint even necessary? But he had other matters, so he left directly!
Li Wannian looked at the three beautiful wives in front of him, each with large breasts and skin so fair it seemed water could be squeezed out of it!
A wave of heat surged in his heart, and he wondered why it wasn't dark yet!