Chapter 21: Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkeys
"Miss, the room has been tidied up."
Hua Zhi nodded and walked toward the backyard.
Liu Jiang was still standing there dumbfounded when Wu Da gave him a push from behind, urging in a low voice, "Hurry up and follow her."
Liu Jiang acknowledged and turned to thank him before jogging to catch up.
No matter how bold Chen Jin was, he wouldn't dare cause trouble in the backyard. Bao Chun first cleaned the main hall for the young lady to handle affairs, then immediately led others to tidy up the remaining rooms.
Nian Qiu brewed tea for her mistress and stood quietly behind her.
Hua Zhi was indeed thirsty. Blowing on the steaming hot water, she took small sips with an indescribably graceful posture. Liu Jiang accidentally caught sight of this and flushed red, hurriedly lowering his head again. The tall, sturdy man suddenly appeared somewhat flustered.
"How many of the tenant farmers in this estate do you recognize?"
"I know most of them, miss. During harvest season, everyone helps each other out for fear of sudden weather changes." News of the Hua family's confiscation and exile had already reached the estate. Liu Jiang worried that the young lady's questions meant she intended to reclaim all the farmland or change the tenancy system. Although they usually suffered exploitation under Chen Jin, he didn't dare go too far, so the tenant farmers could still manage to get by.
If they lost their farmland, he as a young strong man could find work, but not everyone was like him with only one younger sister to care for. Those with entire families depending on them wouldn't survive without farmland.
"Are there often disputes among the tenant farmers?"
Liu Jiang hesitated before answering truthfully, "There are some during busy farming seasons. As you wisely know, miss, we all depend on the land for survival. When water shortages occur, everyone grows anxious. We can drink less water ourselves, but the fields can't go without. When people get desperate, conflicts inevitably arise..."
"Only these?"
"Of course there are minor squabbles too, but I can guarantee those are truly trivial conflicts. Some make up immediately afterward, while others just need someone to mediate and offer a way to save face. They hardly count as real disputes."
Hua Zhi wasn't actually asking these questions to understand the estate affairs in detail - such matters only needed to be handled by the managers. But Liu Jiang's responses allowed her to indirectly gauge his character, and so far, he seemed satisfactory.
"Inform everyone on behalf of the Hua family that there will be no changes to the estate affairs. Everything will continue according to the previous rules." After a pause, Hua Zhi added, "By previous rules, I mean the Hua family's rules, not Chen Jin's. I recall the Hua family previously set the rent at thirty percent."
Liu Jiang's eyes widened. "Thirty percent? Chen Jin has been collecting forty percent rent for years, claiming it was the landlord's order. Could it be... That scoundrel Chen Jin!"
Liu Jiang gritted his teeth in anger. During abundant years, they could manage with forty percent rent, especially since the Hua family's farmland didn't require additional land taxes. But during famine years, after paying forty percent rent, they couldn't eat a full meal all year. Yet if the Hua family had only ever collected thirty percent rent from the beginning...
Liu Jiang didn't dare continue that thought, afraid he might lose control and beat Chen Jin to death!
The year his mother fell ill happened to be a severe famine year. After exhausting all means to gather enough rent, his family nearly starved. He lied about his age to find work in the city, but before receiving his wages, he learned of his mother's death. Back then, he had resented the Hua family for their lack of compassion, unlike some benevolent families who waived tenant rents during famine years.A cold glint flashed in Hua Zhi's eyes. "During every famine year, the Hua family has always waived rent. It seems you were unaware of this."
Liu Jiang clenched his fists, his breathing heavy and rapid. With bloodshot eyes, he turned and rushed out.
Hua Zhi's unhurried voice followed him: "Take him outside. Gather all the tenant farmers. The Hua family won't bear the blame for what he has done."
Liu Jiang halted mid-step, turned back, and kowtowed heavily three times.
"Wu Da, keep an eye on him. Don't let him die." Hua Zhi smiled coldly. "Death would be an easy escape. We can't let anyone off that easily."
A chill ran down Wu Da's spine, and his attitude became more respectful than ever before.
Nian Qiu refilled the young lady's tea and asked gently, "Miss, should we report this to the authorities?"
"No." Hua Zhi shook her head. "In these troubled times, we shouldn't get involved with officials."
Moreover, the Hua family needed to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. They couldn't let people think a household of women was easy to bully. Rules needed to be established, even more properly than when the Hua men were still present.
Reporting to authorities might be seeking protection for commoners, but for the Hua family, it would be showing weakness. The Hua family had once been high-ranking officials themselves - how could they have fallen to the point of needing to report to authorities? It would only satisfy people's twisted curiosity without bringing any real benefit. It was far better to resolve this within their own domain in the way most favorable to the Hua family.
"But..."
"He won't lose his life. Living is much harder than dying."
Nian Qiu said no more. She didn't pity Chen Jin - in fact, she detested him - but she didn't want her young lady to have blood on her hands because of such a person.
After a while, faint noises of commotion came from the front. Hua Zhi flipped through the new account books Nian Qiu had prepared as if hearing nothing, while the other maids continued with their tasks, completely unaffected.
When Liu Jiang returned, nearly two hours had passed. Soaked with rain, he knelt on the ground once more.
Hua Zhi signaled Wu Da to help him up. Without asking for details, she simply said, "It's late today. Go back and come earlier tomorrow. I have tasks for you."
"Yes."
"Your sister has had a shock. As a man, it wouldn't be proper for you to care for her. Let her stay with me tonight. I'll have someone keep an eye on her condition."
"This humble one thanks the young lady." As if having made up his mind, Liu Jiang left promptly without another word.
Wu Da carefully reported what had happened earlier, recognizing that the young lady intended to employ Liu Jiang and therefore focusing most of his description on him.
Hua Zhi nodded slightly. "As long as those baseless resentments don't fall on the Hua family. You said Liu Jiang took Chen Jin and his two sons outside?"
"Yes."
Having learned what the Chen family had been doing all these years, Hua Zhi naturally felt no sympathy for them. Tapping the table, she announced her decision regarding that family: "Allocate three mu of land to them. They must pay forty percent rent annually, regardless of whether it's a harvest year or famine year."
With eight family members but only three mu of land, plus having to pay forty percent rent, Hua Zhi was clearly giving them a taste of their own medicine. Everyone in the room found this satisfying - such ungrateful people deserved exactly this treatment.
Moreover, everyone on this estate had previously been bullied by them. Anyone could kick someone who's down, and one could imagine how difficult life would be living daily in such an environment.
After dinner, Hua Zhi said to Fu Dong, who was clearing the dishes: "No need to attend to me tonight. Go keep Liu Juan company and pay close attention to her condition through the night."
"Yes."Nian Qiu handed over the mouthwash and said softly, "This servant thinks Liu Juan is quite good. Does Miss have any intention of taking her under your service?"
"I already have all of you by my side, and I don't plan to add anyone else. If any of you see potential in someone, you may take them under your wing and teach them. As matters continue to increase, you must learn to delegate tasks."
In other words, Miss would not take her in, but the four of them could. Nian Qiu nodded to show she understood—after all, the person would ultimately still belong to Miss.
OpenNovel