Qi Yuan’s face was ashen.
Even Babao, who was usually the most lively, could not help but grow worried: “Miss, I’m afraid we don’t have enough manpower…”
If the other side really intended to disguise this as a civilian uprising and come to the estate to kill, then their manpower certainly would not be small.
But the problem was that the estate mostly consisted of ordinary tenant farmers. The guards were only the ten people Qi Yuan had brought out, plus the four of them.
As for the other side, no one knew how many people they had…
He immediately said, “Miss, I’ll go request reinforcements!”
“No need.” Qi Yuan’s expression was calm. “It’s already too late. By the time your reinforcements return, they will have already broken into the estate.”
Babao looked worried and could not help but feel angry: “These people are simply lawless!”
Of course they were lawless.
People in high positions had always been like this.
Besides, what villain would ever think of themselves as evil?
For example, County Lady Luochuan, she was probably still wholeheartedly thinking she was avenging her mother and being a filial daughter.
In this world, those who reflect on themselves are ultimately few.
Most people, when they have power, are willing to be the one who would rather betray the world than let the world betray them.
She gave a cold snort and curled her lips in mockery: “It doesn’t matter. They may be lawless, but I will let them know that three feet above their heads stand the gods.”
Liujin keenly realized that Qi Yuan had already thought of a plan and immediately asked, “Miss has already figured out a method?”
Qi Yuan thought of the small alley by the side gate when she had first arrived at the estate, and slowly smiled: “There is indeed one that can be used.”
As she spoke, she instructed Babao and Liujin: “The estate has three gates in total. You only need to guard two of them, the front gate and the rear gate.”
Babao and Liujin hesitated: “Miss, our manpower is already insufficient. If we split up to guard two gates… I’m afraid we won’t be able to hold either of them.”
“You will.” Qi Yuan’s expression did not change. “The front gate is copper, and the rear gate backs onto the mountain, they are both easy to defend and hard to attack. You only need to hold them for a while and force them to change route toward the side gate.”
She paused and raised her brows: “I’ll first go meet those tenant farmers.”
The tenant farmers were all uneasy.
The sudden attempt by Er Gouzi to kill the old tenant farmer had frightened everyone.
They had racked their brains but still could not understand, everyone had come from the same village to seek justice, so why had Er Gouzi suddenly tried to kill one of their own?
On the contrary, the new master of the estate had treated them kindly and even stopped Er Gouzi from killing anyone.
Everyone was confused.
When Qi Yuan arrived, all of them stood up at once and looked at her in unison.
Qi Yuan’s gaze swept over them. Seeing that both men and women were thinly dressed and ragged, she understood immediately.
She looked at the women holding children and nodded: “Everyone, please sit.”
But they all looked at each other, and no one dared to actually sit.
Today’s events had made them too nervous.
The old tenant farmer did not dare sit either. He stared at Qi Yuan with tension and caution, forcing out a small smile: “Honored one, we… we truly did not mean to offend you…”
His face was wrinkled like dried orange peel: “Life really has become impossible these past years. Back then Cheng Wang raised the rent. When we couldn’t pay, we had to sign debt notes. The owed silver kept rolling with interest, more each year. Later, even the grain we harvested each year wasn’t enough to pay the rent…”
The child woke and suddenly began crying sharply.
The woman hurried to rock and soothe the child, nervously glancing at Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan asked gently, “Is the child hungry? The kitchen has prepared food. I’ll have them send some over.”
Her attitude was gentle, her expression soft, without the slightest air of superiority.
The tenant farmers all could not help but relax a little.
The old tenant farmer choked up and continued: “So when Er Gouzi said this time that we should come and beg, we came hoping to ask the honored one to at least delay it for half a year…”
“No delay.” Qi Yuan interrupted him.
The old tenant farmer’s face instantly turned pale, his lips trembling as he tried to speak.
But Qi Yuan had already calmly called out to Liu Zhong: “Steward Liu!”
Liu Zhong quickly responded and took out a stack of papers from his sleeve.
Qi Yuan said in a steady voice: “This is a contract written personally by me. With this contract, all previous debts are canceled. The rents owed from before no longer need to be repaid.”
…
Everyone stared at Qi Yuan in disbelief, unable to believe what they had just heard.
How could this be?
Just like that, their rent was forgiven?
But before, how could the nobles ever have listened to their pleas?
Even if they knelt until their legs broke, those nobles would not have cared!
Why was this noble so easy to talk to?
Qi Yuan knew they did not dare believe it. She looked around and asked: “Among you, is anyone literate? If you don’t believe it, come take a look.”
The old tenant farmer trembled as he called for his son: “Ah Sheng! Quickly, come look!”
Ah Sheng shakily took the contract. After reading it, he shouted nervously: “Father, it’s real, it’s real! This really is a contract, and it even has a private seal…”
The old tenant farmer immediately became so grateful he was about to kneel.
Qi Yuan glanced at Liu Zhong, who quickly supported him before he could kneel.
She said firmly: “If you truly want to thank me, then today help me guard this estate, and protect your own lives as well.”
In a few sentences she explained the intentions of Er Gouzi and the others, then looked at them calmly: “When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. If they want to create chaos, they cannot only kill those in the estate, you tenant farmers will not survive either. So for yourselves, and for your descendants, do you dare?”
How could they not dare?!
To survive, people could do anything!
And this time, it was for themselves!
The old tenant farmer immediately gathered his courage: “We dare! Whoever dares touch the estate, we’ll fight them to the death!”
People are always most willing to risk everything for themselves and their families.
No one is an exception.
Qi Yuan gave a soft laugh: “Very good. Then please go help in the kitchen and boil hot water.”
Boil hot water?
Everyone looked confused, not understanding how guarding the estate had suddenly turned into boiling water.
But the women quickly began moving. They didn’t need to understand what Qi Yuan intended, they only needed to follow her instructions. Saving the estate was the most important thing!
After everything was arranged, fireworks suddenly exploded in the sky.
Second Madam Qi immediately ran in, uncertain and alarmed, and told Qi Yuan what had happened: “Yuan Jie’er, what’s going on?!”
It had begun.
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