Home fighting is worse than fighting (5)
In order to stop eating dust, Zong Qi Yuan deliberately waited for the Yun family’s carriage to go far away before going again.
The speed of the ox cart is not fast, but fortunately, the destination wasn;t far from the county town. It was only five miles away.
Probably because the Yun family’s carriage appeared first and attracted most people’s attention, when Zhong Qi Yuan and Zhong Chu Yuan entered Beiwei, only two or three farmers who were resting in the field noticed them.
They had never seen Zhong Qi Yuan before, but Meng brought Zhong Chu Yuan with her every few months to ask for rent, so they recognized the little turnip head and asked her, “Little lady Zhong, why are you the only one back this time, where’s your mother?”
Little turnip head happily introduced Zhong Qi Yuan’s identity, “This is Yuanyuan’s sister!”
They sized up the indifferent little Taoist priest. They did remember that the Zhong family’s daughter had already become a monk. Their memory matched up, but they couldn’t hide their surprise, “The young Taosit priest has returned for marriage?”
Zhong Qi Yuan said, “I haven’t returned for marriage but to deal with some mundane affairs.”
She didn’t say what the matter was and the others could not ask more, but when they saw that they went straight to the Shu family, they knew that they probably came to collect the rent.
They looked at each other and shook their heads. Meng had come back empty-handed many times when collecting the rent, so how could she send the two little girls to ask for money?
Zhong Qi Yuan knew that no one was optimistic about them but she didn’t care.
She first politely explained the purpose of their visit to Shu Shuang, the tenant, who was already over sixty. When he saw that the visitor was just a 13 years old girl, he didn’t even bother to use the trick he used to fool Meng and said with a straight face, “This year’s harvest is not good, so there is no rent to pay.”
Zhong Qi Yuan took out her account book, fished out a bead count that clacked clearly.
“Seven years ago, you rented my Zhong family’s fields, agreed to pay five bucked of rice per acre. Eighty acres is forty stones of rice. The first five years, you did not owe rent, but in the past two years, you either excused a bad harvest, or cried that there were many new children in the family. To support your family, you either only paid a few stones of rice, or you put off my mother with an IOU. And this year, you did not even bother to give the IOU.
“Eighty acres of land, including 30 acres of upper fields, 30 acres of middle fields, and 20 acres of lower fields. In a good year, the upper field can produce two or three stones of rice and 30 acres can produce up to 70 stones; the middle and lower fields together can produce three stones. A total of one hundred and fifty stones.
“Last year, the floods reduced the yield by 30%, which would still produce more than 150 stones, but you only paid five stones of rice.
“This year, there will be a little more rain and locusts, but not so much as flood, so even if your harvest was cut in half, that’s still a hundred and ten stones.
“I don’t care about the soybeans. The harvest is halved, so the tax is also halved. Then, at any rate, you still have to pay at least 20 stones of rent and tax, right? Your family has a dozen people, but my family also needs to eat, right?”
Shu Shuang didn’t expect the girl would be able to calculate the account so clearly. His dark and old face pulled a long and gloomy look, making his dark expression even darker.
His son said gloomily, “A hundred stones of rice, our family can only barely eat enough, but your Aye is a high-ranking official with a high salary. Even with less than 20 stones of rice for rent, you won’t starve to death!”
Zhong Qi Yuan, “. . .”
She told the system, “This seedling is perfect to be a host of a white lotus. The moral manipulation skills are superb. Remember to recommend him to your Lord God.”
System, “. . .”
Don’t think I can’t hear that you’re connoting the Lord God’s criteria for selecting hosts!
However, she also had a point. After all, the Lord God took her to be a villain host after her death because she was too hateful in her actions.
Shu Shuang did not speak to his son but he thought so too.
Zhong Qi Yuan did not want to sell misery, but she needed to make it clear to them, “So what? Does being a high ranked official mean that you have to give away your fields for free? If you were really afraid of the master who is a big official, you wouldn’t be so bold and presumptuous.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean? You see that Zhong Zao has been away from home for many years and doesn’t care about his wife and daughter, so you are sure that there will be no serious consequences for you when bullying the orphans and widows, so you dare to fool my mother and humiliate us!”
The Shu family was slightly shocked in their hearts. They didn’t expect this girl to see things so clearly, let alone dare to say it!
Shu Shuang gritted his teeth and complained, “You are exploiting! Everyone, come and see, the officials are exploiting us poor people!”
Zhong Qi Yuan didn’t care about him and turned her head to ask a farmer who was watching, “How much tax do the tenants pay on your side?”
If it was Zhong Zao or a man who came here today, anyone would feel that the Zhong family was strong and sympathize with the Shu family. But now there are two girls, one is thirteen years old, while the other is only six. In contrast, they naturally deserve more sympathy.
The farmer said, “fifty percent.”
Zhong Qi Yuan said in surprise mockily, “fifty percent? That means one acre hat to pay one stone and five buckets of rice as rent tax?!” She turned her head to look at the Shu family, “How much is the difference between one stone and five buckets of rice and five buckets of rice? I don’t need to do the math for you, right?”
Before the Shu family could respond, Zhong Qi Yuan looked compassionate again, “We also know that it’s not easy for you, otherwise, when Ah Weng was still alive, he wouldn’t have collected less than 20% of the rent when the rent was generally charged at 50%.”
She changed the conversation and pointed at a fat boy in the room, “But your boy looks about the same age as my sister, but look at my sister. She’s not even have half as much flesh on her body as he does!”
The Shu family hurriedly carried the boy back into the house, but the scales in everyone’s minds had long been tipped in favor of the two sisters.
Some people feel sore and annoyed when they think about the fact that even though they’re both tenants, they had to pay 50% of the rent while the Shu family only paid 20%, yet they were still crying about the exploitation of the master.
They scrambled to say, “Little Taoist, why don’t you rent the field to us, we will pay 20% of the rent!”
“No, rent it to me, I’ll pay 25%!”
“I’ll give 30%!”
Others gritted their teeth and said, “I’ll pay 40%!”
Zhong Qi Yuan had already expressed herself in a civilized way and her patience has been exhausted.
She then put away her gentle side and her voice became cold, “Now, you only have two choices, either pay the rent and taxes you owed in the previous years and find another owner, or I will go to the government to sue you, and compensate us with rent and interest.”
The Shu family’s faces turned white. Shy Shuang even flung herself down on her knees to Zhong Qi Yuan, “This old man begs the little lady to give our family a way out.”
The system, “Host, you look like a villain!”
“If this is already considered evil, then you’re clearly underestimating me,” Zhong Qi Yuan was not ashamed of this in the slightest, instead she said to the Shu family, “You are not sincere enough.”
The Shu family looked at each other, and in their silent exchange suddenly understood what she meant – she wanted everyone in the Shu family to kneel down and beg her.
Shu Shuang’s eldest son cried out in shame and anger, “how can you be so vicious at such a young age?”
Zhong Qi Yuan took out the whisk from her wide sleeves and swept it at his face, immediately knocking him to the ground.
“Ah–” he wailed, lying on the ground while covering his face.
This stunned everyone.
They were only talking peacefully, and now they want to start a fight?
Moreover, Shu Shuang’s eldest son is not very tall and tough, but his height is still considered to be the upper average height in the area. How did a little girl, who’s only as tall as his chest, whip him to the ground?
“You must have the attitude of begging.” Zhong Qi Yuan smiled faintly, but this smile of hers made the crowd shudder.
Let alone these people, even the system was shocked, “Hey, Host. I am the assist system, not a villain system!”
“Don’t bully grandpa!” The boy who was carried into the house by the Shu family grabbed a sickle and rushed out, swinging it straight at Zhong Qi Yuan. The latter stretched her foot and with a light kick, sent him directly back into the arms of the Shu family.
“He’s just a child!” The young woman hissed at Zhong Qi Yuan as she held the boy who was crying in fear.
“Don’t worry, whether it’s a man, woman, old, or young, I treat them all equally.” Zhong Qi Yuan exudes a villainous aura.
The crowd, “. . .”
No one can treat everyone the same at this time, right? The right thing to do is to respect the old and love the young, right?
In order to prevent Zhong Qi Yuan from going on a killing spree, the system cried and went to Yun Cong Wan for help.
Yun Cong Wan was brushing honey on the grilled wings when she suddenly received this message. She wanted to ignore but but she was curious about what terrible things Zhong Qi Yuan could do, so she brought someone with her.
When they saw a dozen people from the Shu family kneeling in front of Zhong Qi Yuan, she had to say that it wasn’t very harmful, but extremely insulting.
If it weren’t for the fact that they were kneeling in front of two poorer-looking girls than them, Yun Cong Wan would’ve thought that a bully came to bully good people.
Someone couldn’t stand it anymore and came out to fight the injustice, “Little Taoist, you’re a monk. This is a bit too much, right?”
Zhong Qi Yuan waved her whisk, “I am a monk, not a Buddhist. I don’t have the same bodhisattva heart like the Buddhists. But you reminded me of one thing, doing rituals for people is my specialty. Do you want me to do a ritual for you?”
“Isn’t that just asking people to die?”
Because of being intimidated by her, most people who wanted to fight the injustice had left.
Zhong Chu Yuan lay quietly on the ox cart while watching. Although she didn’t quite understand what was going on, she still felt that her sister was so powerful!
Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure outside the crowd. She nimbly jumped out of the cart, hurriedly ran over with a ‘da da da da’ [1], took Yun Cong Wan’s hand and said, “Sister Yun, what a coincidence!”
“What are you doing?” Yun Cong Wan asked.
Zhong Chu Yuan motioned a big circle with her hands, “Doing something big!”
Looking at Lizheng who hurried over.
Yun Cong Wan, “. . .”
This matter has become a big deal, and in a sense, it is indeed considered a big deal.
However, what does it have to do with her?
She had someone bring the barbecue wings and gave one to Zhong Chu Yuan.
“Wow, what is this?” Zhong Chu Yuan asked as she held the roasted wing.
“Roasted, it should be called grilled chicken wings here.”
“Thank you, sister Yun!” Zhong Chu Yuan nibbled on it, her eyes shining brightly, “Sweet, so delicious!”
“That’s because it’s brushed with honey.” Yun Cong Wan knew that children like sweets, so she gave her one with honey.
Zhong Chu Yuan only ate two bites and then stopped eating, so Yun Cong Wan asked her, “Why don’t you eat it while it’s hot?”
“It’s such a delicious thing, Yuanyuan wants to give elder sister and mother a taste!”
Yun Cong Wan glanced at Zhong Qi Yuan, thinking that someone who is essentially an old demon should have no interest. She said, “You finish eating first and I’ll give you two more to take back to them.”
“Mm!” Zhong Chu Yuan nibbled small mouthfuls, like a squirrel.
System, “Auditor, do you not care about the host?”
Yun Cong Wan, “This is not something that will make the small world collapse. Let’s talk about it when it’s about to collapse.”
The system, “. . .”
So you’re here to only eat melon seeds?
While looking at the other one who’s also happily eating melon seeds – the son of luck.
System, ‘Can you guys have a little bit of a sense of crisis?”
Home fighting is worse than fighting (5)
In order to stop eating dust, Zong Qi Yuan deliberately waited for the Yun family’s carriage to go far away before going again.
The speed of the ox cart is not fast, but fortunately, the destination wasn;t far from the county town. It was only five miles away.
Probably because the Yun family’s carriage appeared first and attracted most people’s attention, when Zhong Qi Yuan and Zhong Chu Yuan entered Beiwei, only two or three farmers who were resting in the field noticed them.
They had never seen Zhong Qi Yuan before, but Meng brought Zhong Chu Yuan with her every few months to ask for rent, so they recognized the little turnip head and asked her, “Little lady Zhong, why are you the only one back this time, where’s your mother?”
Little turnip head happily introduced Zhong Qi Yuan’s identity, “This is Yuanyuan’s sister!”
They sized up the indifferent little Taoist priest. They did remember that the Zhong family’s daughter had already become a monk. Their memory matched up, but they couldn’t hide their surprise, “The young Taosit priest has returned for marriage?”
Zhong Qi Yuan said, “I haven’t returned for marriage but to deal with some mundane affairs.”
She didn’t say what the matter was and the others could not ask more, but when they saw that they went straight to the Shu family, they knew that they probably came to collect the rent.
They looked at each other and shook their heads. Meng had come back empty-handed many times when collecting the rent, so how could she send the two little girls to ask for money?
Zhong Qi Yuan knew that no one was optimistic about them but she didn’t care.
She first politely explained the purpose of their visit to Shu Shuang, the tenant, who was already over sixty. When he saw that the visitor was just a 13 years old girl, he didn’t even bother to use the trick he used to fool Meng and said with a straight face, “This year’s harvest is not good, so there is no rent to pay.”
Zhong Qi Yuan took out her account book, fished out a bead count that clacked clearly.
“Seven years ago, you rented my Zhong family’s fields, agreed to pay five bucked of rice per acre. Eighty acres is forty stones of rice. The first five years, you did not owe rent, but in the past two years, you either excused a bad harvest, or cried that there were many new children in the family. To support your family, you either only paid a few stones of rice, or you put off my mother with an IOU. And this year, you did not even bother to give the IOU.
“Eighty acres of land, including 30 acres of upper fields, 30 acres of middle fields, and 20 acres of lower fields. In a good year, the upper field can produce two or three stones of rice and 30 acres can produce up to 70 stones; the middle and lower fields together can produce three stones. A total of one hundred and fifty stones.
“Last year, the floods reduced the yield by 30%, which would still produce more than 150 stones, but you only paid five stones of rice.
“This year, there will be a little more rain and locusts, but not so much as flood, so even if your harvest was cut in half, that’s still a hundred and ten stones.
“I don’t care about the soybeans. The harvest is halved, so the tax is also halved. Then, at any rate, you still have to pay at least 20 stones of rent and tax, right? Your family has a dozen people, but my family also needs to eat, right?”
Shu Shuang didn’t expect the girl would be able to calculate the account so clearly. His dark and old face pulled a long and gloomy look, making his dark expression even darker.
His son said gloomily, “A hundred stones of rice, our family can only barely eat enough, but your Aye is a high-ranking official with a high salary. Even with less than 20 stones of rice for rent, you won’t starve to death!”
Zhong Qi Yuan, “. . .”
She told the system, “This seedling is perfect to be a host of a white lotus. The moral manipulation skills are superb. Remember to recommend him to your Lord God.”
System, “. . .”
Don’t think I can’t hear that you’re connoting the Lord God’s criteria for selecting hosts!
However, she also had a point. After all, the Lord God took her to be a villain host after her death because she was too hateful in her actions.
Shu Shuang did not speak to his son but he thought so too.
Zhong Qi Yuan did not want to sell misery, but she needed to make it clear to them, “So what? Does being a high ranked official mean that you have to give away your fields for free? If you were really afraid of the master who is a big official, you wouldn’t be so bold and presumptuous.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean? You see that Zhong Zao has been away from home for many years and doesn’t care about his wife and daughter, so you are sure that there will be no serious consequences for you when bullying the orphans and widows, so you dare to fool my mother and humiliate us!”
The Shu family was slightly shocked in their hearts. They didn’t expect this girl to see things so clearly, let alone dare to say it!
Shu Shuang gritted his teeth and complained, “You are exploiting! Everyone, come and see, the officials are exploiting us poor people!”
Zhong Qi Yuan didn’t care about him and turned her head to ask a farmer who was watching, “How much tax do the tenants pay on your side?”
If it was Zhong Zao or a man who came here today, anyone would feel that the Zhong family was strong and sympathize with the Shu family. But now there are two girls, one is thirteen years old, while the other is only six. In contrast, they naturally deserve more sympathy.
The farmer said, “fifty percent.”
Zhong Qi Yuan said in surprise mockily, “fifty percent? That means one acre hat to pay one stone and five buckets of rice as rent tax?!” She turned her head to look at the Shu family, “How much is the difference between one stone and five buckets of rice and five buckets of rice? I don’t need to do the math for you, right?”
Before the Shu family could respond, Zhong Qi Yuan looked compassionate again, “We also know that it’s not easy for you, otherwise, when Ah Weng was still alive, he wouldn’t have collected less than 20% of the rent when the rent was generally charged at 50%.”
She changed the conversation and pointed at a fat boy in the room, “But your boy looks about the same age as my sister, but look at my sister. She’s not even have half as much flesh on her body as he does!”
The Shu family hurriedly carried the boy back into the house, but the scales in everyone’s minds had long been tipped in favor of the two sisters.
Some people feel sore and annoyed when they think about the fact that even though they’re both tenants, they had to pay 50% of the rent while the Shu family only paid 20%, yet they were still crying about the exploitation of the master.
They scrambled to say, “Little Taoist, why don’t you rent the field to us, we will pay 20% of the rent!”
“No, rent it to me, I’ll pay 25%!”
“I’ll give 30%!”
Others gritted their teeth and said, “I’ll pay 40%!”
Zhong Qi Yuan had already expressed herself in a civilized way and her patience has been exhausted.
She then put away her gentle side and her voice became cold, “Now, you only have two choices, either pay the rent and taxes you owed in the previous years and find another owner, or I will go to the government to sue you, and compensate us with rent and interest.”
The Shu family’s faces turned white. Shy Shuang even flung herself down on her knees to Zhong Qi Yuan, “This old man begs the little lady to give our family a way out.”
The system, “Host, you look like a villain!”
“If this is already considered evil, then you’re clearly underestimating me,” Zhong Qi Yuan was not ashamed of this in the slightest, instead she said to the Shu family, “You are not sincere enough.”
The Shu family looked at each other, and in their silent exchange suddenly understood what she meant – she wanted everyone in the Shu family to kneel down and beg her.
Shu Shuang’s eldest son cried out in shame and anger, “how can you be so vicious at such a young age?”
Zhong Qi Yuan took out the whisk from her wide sleeves and swept it at his face, immediately knocking him to the ground.
“Ah–” he wailed, lying on the ground while covering his face.
This stunned everyone.
They were only talking peacefully, and now they want to start a fight?
Moreover, Shu Shuang’s eldest son is not very tall and tough, but his height is still considered to be the upper average height in the area. How did a little girl, who’s only as tall as his chest, whip him to the ground?
“You must have the attitude of begging.” Zhong Qi Yuan smiled faintly, but this smile of hers made the crowd shudder.
Let alone these people, even the system was shocked, “Hey, Host. I am the assist system, not a villain system!”
“Don’t bully grandpa!” The boy who was carried into the house by the Shu family grabbed a sickle and rushed out, swinging it straight at Zhong Qi Yuan. The latter stretched her foot and with a light kick, sent him directly back into the arms of the Shu family.
“He’s just a child!” The young woman hissed at Zhong Qi Yuan as she held the boy who was crying in fear.
“Don’t worry, whether it’s a man, woman, old, or young, I treat them all equally.” Zhong Qi Yuan exudes a villainous aura.
The crowd, “. . .”
No one can treat everyone the same at this time, right? The right thing to do is to respect the old and love the young, right?
In order to prevent Zhong Qi Yuan from going on a killing spree, the system cried and went to Yun Cong Wan for help.
Yun Cong Wan was brushing honey on the grilled wings when she suddenly received this message. She wanted to ignore but but she was curious about what terrible things Zhong Qi Yuan could do, so she brought someone with her.
When they saw a dozen people from the Shu family kneeling in front of Zhong Qi Yuan, she had to say that it wasn’t very harmful, but extremely insulting.
If it weren’t for the fact that they were kneeling in front of two poorer-looking girls than them, Yun Cong Wan would’ve thought that a bully came to bully good people.
Someone couldn’t stand it anymore and came out to fight the injustice, “Little Taoist, you’re a monk. This is a bit too much, right?”
Zhong Qi Yuan waved her whisk, “I am a monk, not a Buddhist. I don’t have the same bodhisattva heart like the Buddhists. But you reminded me of one thing, doing rituals for people is my specialty. Do you want me to do a ritual for you?”
“Isn’t that just asking people to die?”
Because of being intimidated by her, most people who wanted to fight the injustice had left.
Zhong Chu Yuan lay quietly on the ox cart while watching. Although she didn’t quite understand what was going on, she still felt that her sister was so powerful!
Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure outside the crowd. She nimbly jumped out of the cart, hurriedly ran over with a ‘da da da da’ [1], took Yun Cong Wan’s hand and said, “Sister Yun, what a coincidence!”
“What are you doing?” Yun Cong Wan asked.
Zhong Chu Yuan motioned a big circle with her hands, “Doing something big!”
Looking at Lizheng who hurried over.
Yun Cong Wan, “. . .”
This matter has become a big deal, and in a sense, it is indeed considered a big deal.
However, what does it have to do with her?
She had someone bring the barbecue wings and gave one to Zhong Chu Yuan.
“Wow, what is this?” Zhong Chu Yuan asked as she held the roasted wing.
“Roasted, it should be called grilled chicken wings here.”
“Thank you, sister Yun!” Zhong Chu Yuan nibbled on it, her eyes shining brightly, “Sweet, so delicious!”
“That’s because it’s brushed with honey.” Yun Cong Wan knew that children like sweets, so she gave her one with honey.
Zhong Chu Yuan only ate two bites and then stopped eating, so Yun Cong Wan asked her, “Why don’t you eat it while it’s hot?”
“It’s such a delicious thing, Yuanyuan wants to give elder sister and mother a taste!”
Yun Cong Wan glanced at Zhong Qi Yuan, thinking that someone who is essentially an old demon should have no interest. She said, “You finish eating first and I’ll give you two more to take back to them.”
“Mm!” Zhong Chu Yuan nibbled small mouthfuls, like a squirrel.
System, “Auditor, do you not care about the host?”
Yun Cong Wan, “This is not something that will make the small world collapse. Let’s talk about it when it’s about to collapse.”
The system, “. . .”
So you’re here to only eat melon seeds?
While looking at the other one who’s also happily eating melon seeds – the son of luck.
System, ‘Can you guys have a little bit of a sense of crisis?”
