Looking at the acres of mulberry trees stretching to the distant hills, interspersed with lakes, ponds and streams, and the fields filled with peach and green willows, it is a spring-filled scene that should make people feel relaxed and happy.
However, Zhao Shu had no intention of admiring the scenery, and just looked through the manor's account books with an expressionless face.
"Hahaha, it's quite manageable. There are three to four hundred servants alone, and there are more than a thousand tenant households. In addition to the tenant rent, there are tea, fruits, bamboo and wood, medicinal wine, sauce and vinegar, cattle, hogs, chickens, dogs, and aquatic products from lakes and ponds.
It has everything you need. Not only is it self-sufficient, but it can also be sent to the capital to sell for profit... Oh? There are also dozens of concubines specializing in silk weaving."
Zhao Ming sat outside the warehouse gate that looked like a fortress. The village head with swollen cheeks was hunched and did not dare to raise his head. Hundreds of slaves and tenants stood in the open space in the distance, and no one said a word.
"Can you manage such a big village by yourself?" Zhao Shu threw the thick account book aside.
"There are several other people who are in charge of the farm for the Marquis elsewhere." The village head replied in fear: "I have already sent someone to call them over."
"It occupies quite a lot of space." Zhao Shu responded casually and picked up another book. He remembered that there were all kinds of loans and leases in it, and there was also a thick stack of loan notes.
Zhao Miao became more and more annoyed as he watched, and said, "Let me ask you, who was the original owner of this farm?"
"It's... the Jiujiang Zheng family." Zhuangtou bowed and answered.
Zhao Shu frowned at first, and then he thought about it again: "I see, are you volunteering? Who asked you to do this? Are you planning to frame me?"
Zhuangtou quickly fell to the ground and knelt down: "I don't dare!"
"Don't you dare?" Zhao Shu sneered, flipping through the account books, and suddenly came up with a plan: "Since you said that this farm is my property, then I can do whatever I want with it?"
"The Marquis has given you an order, and I don't dare to neglect it," Zhuangtou replied.
"Bring a brazier over here." Zhao Shu picked up the stack of loan slips and said, "Whoever's name is called, let him come forward."
"What does the Marquis want to do?" Zhuangtou said in a panic, but Zhao Shui glared at him and immediately lowered his head: "The Marquis wants to cultivate immortality and learn Taoism. I am just afraid that the secular affairs of the farm will pollute the Marquis' immortal body.
So angry."
"Do you still know this?" Zhao Shu sneered twice, slapping the loan note on his palm: "I see you don't want to take it anymore."
After saying this, Zhao Shu raised his eyes and signaled to He Dangguan. The other party stepped forward, grabbed the village head, slapped him back and forth with a loud slap, and knocked him out twice, causing him to vomit blood.
"Deacon, this guy passed out." He Dangguan asked Zhuangtou by his collar, "Do you want to pour some cold water on him?"
"Throw him away." Zhao Shu stood up and came to the group of servants and tenants, waving the IOU and said: "I just saw that many of you owe the farm money, food and cloth. Since I am the owner of the farm now, then
Be the master once and you won’t have to repay the debts you borrowed in the past.”
After saying this, Zhao Mi shook his hand, his fingertips caught fire, and the stack of IOUs was burned to ashes and scattered in the wind.
"Thank you, Lord Marquis, for your great kindness!" All the servants and tenants bowed down one after another, and many of them burst into tears of gratitude.
At this time, there was the sound of horse hoofbeats, and there were more than ten riders in the distance, all of them tall horses. The leader, Marquis Anyang, saw Zhao Shu and hurriedly got off his horse and came over.
"My nephew, why are you here?" Anyang Hou forced a smile.
"I happened to be inspecting the water tanker and came across this group of farm tenants." Zhao Shu smiled and said, "They said the water tanker had robbed me of my livelihood of making talisman armor. I didn't know why. After questioning, I found out my name.
There is such a big industry in our country."
Marquis Anyang was a little ashamed and said with a wry smile: "This... oh, it's all my fault that Uncle Shi didn't tell you clearly. Originally, this farm was the property I prepared for you when you get married in the future."
"Getting married?" Zhao Mi's cheek twitched: "Uncle Shi is joking, I am a cultivator of immortality, how can I get married?"
Anyang Hou obviously didn't want to talk about this matter in front of others, so he quickly said: "My nephew, we will talk about this later. These servants are not sensible and don't know your intentions. I think they are just being deceived and want to save their lives."
Your livelihood is deliberately disturbed. Don't worry, I will send another reliable person to take care of the farm."
"Uncle Shi, you took this farm away from the Zheng family in Jiujiang, right?" Zhao Miao put his chin in his hands as if thinking: "In my impression, the donation of land should be reported to the court, and it can only be transferred after obtaining permission.
.Uncle Shi thought he had put a lot of thought into it."
Marquis Anyang could hear the displeasure in Zhao Miao's words. He looked a little serious and waved his hands to his subordinates to drive away the tenants. He lowered his voice and said: "My nephew, you have been granted the title of Marquis Zhenming, and you are exempted from taxes, taxes, and corvee labor. These farm tenants
The guest wants to avoid corvee labor and the village leaders also have their own livelihood plans. After the Zheng family in Jiujiang falls, they will definitely have to find another shelter."
Zhao Shu raised his eyebrows and laughed. He really admired Anyang Hou's ability to change his face at will. This method of gaining wealth and enriching himself could be said so grandly, as if he was wholeheartedly thinking about Zhao Shu.
But then I thought about it, maybe Anyang Hou Zhen views himself this way. Since the uncle and nephew teamed up to overthrow the Zheng family in Jiujiang and swallowed up all their land and family property, isn't it natural?
Zhao Shu really didn't have the energy to argue because he couldn't find any "wrongdoing". It was obvious that people had good intentions towards him, but did Zhao Shu really want to go his own way because of that little kindness and kindness?
What's more, in the case of the waterwheel, Zhao Shu found that his good intentions were put into practice, and the benefits and consequences were unpredictable.
"Uncle Shi, please clarify these matters with me in advance." Zhao Shu could only suppress his displeasure: "Otherwise, uncle Shi, I will be at a loss as to what to do, and I will not be able to deal with any accidents I encounter."
"Yes, yes, it's Uncle Shi who is confused this time." Anyang Hou comforted him repeatedly.
"Also, these tenant slaves have not made any mistakes, and Uncle Shi does not want to punish them." Zhao Shu added: "Since this farmland is under my name, it is up to me to decide how to deal with it in the future. The management manpower is also up to me.
Just let me make the arrangements."
Marquis Anyang said: "My nephew spends his days cultivating immortality, studying Taoism, writing talismans and refining elixirs. Why should he care about such trivial matters?"
"Having obtained worldly benefits, it is convenient to deal with worldly affairs. If you do not seek worldly benefits, you will naturally be free from vulgarity." Zhao Shu said solemnly.
As soon as he said these words, he suddenly had an enlightenment. Zhao Shu's body and mind became cheerful and clear, and all his worries were relieved.
"Since this farmland is dedicated to my name, I will enjoy the benefits, so why should I let it go and ignore it?" Zhao Shu asked: "If the profits from the operation of this farmland are not mine, then why should I invest it in it?"
If Uncle Shi wants to take it for himself, I will give it to him."
Marquis Anyang was stunned for a moment, so he could only say: "Uncle Shi, I just want to help you with things so that you won't be unable to gain a foothold in Dongsheng in the future."
"That's it, that's fine." Zhao Shu took a deep breath, then left with his hands behind his back.
"Where is my nephew going?" Anyang Hou asked.
"I'm going to get some fresh air. You don't have to follow me." Zhao Shu asked He Dangguan and others to leave.
…
With light steps, Zhao Shu walked along the fields and all the way to the mountains and forests, relaxing his body and mind, and causing the energy around him to ripple.
"It seems you have finally figured it out?" Lingxiao asked.
Zhao Shu let his footsteps go as he pleased: "I have a vague idea of why the immortal family eventually chose to abandon the secular world. The world is complicated, and the interests and benefits are mixed. It is difficult to predict the blessings and blessings of getting involved, and the burden is difficult to understand. If things go on like this, the mind will be obsessed with the world, and it is difficult to find peace."
"Say this, you have indeed learned a lot." Lingxiao added: "After a thousand years of being tired of the world, I went to become an immortal. There is no nostalgia for this mediocre world, and only by ascending to immortality can I realize the great path."
"Lingxiao Shangxian, I know what the immortal family wants, but it doesn't mean that I agree with this principle." Zhao Shu sighed: "If we talk about bearing misfortunes and blessings, what have those men and women who become slaves and tenants done wrong?
?They work hard, not only earn little, but they even suffer all kinds of abuse and deprivation.
After this experience, I finally understood that in the past, I was always greedy for the perfection of my merits and delusions, always dreaming of achieving it overnight. However, because the world is complicated and the interests are mixed, it is more important for me to be down-to-earth and brave the wind and rain. Since I am not strong enough to save the world and save the country, then I will save the country.
The person in front of you solves the problem in front of you."
This is why Zhao Shu chose to burn the farm IOUs. He knew that he alone could not reverse the current situation of Huaxu Kingdom's continuous annexation. But there was no need for him to be weary of the world, nor should he think that one strategy could reverse the situation.
Instead of indulging in the beautiful fantasies of grand plans and visions, it is better to focus on the difficulties and hardships in front of you. If you can do something, it will be a little, and if you can save someone, it will be someone.
For Zhao Miao, burning the farm IOU was just a piece of cake, but for those tenant slaves, it relieved an urgent need.
Lingxiao was silent for a long time, and finally said: "Life and death are just like passing clouds, it is nothing to worry about. You are addicted to worldly sentiments, you are really stupid and stubborn!"
Hearing Lingxiao's anger, Zhao Shu asked a few questions in his mind, but the other party didn't respond. He was obviously very dissatisfied with his attitude.
Zhao Shu knew clearly that his thoughts were probably due to the deep influence of the Zanli Guan family, or the words and deeds of his teacher Zhang Duanjing. In short, they were very different from Lingxiao's wholehearted abandonment of the world in order to become an immortal.
Zhao Shu did not despise the Xianjia Dao, but he had a vague feeling that what Lingxiao was pursuing might not be what he wanted to see.
Walking in the mountains and forests, Zhao Shu felt that his soul was gradually becoming brighter, and he could detect every detail of the passage of his true energy. Even with his eyes closed, he could travel through the roadless wilderness of mountains and forests...
"Ouch! Who kicked me?!"
Zhao Mo stopped with his toes, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that he had kicked a man lying on the ground. This man was wearing linen clothes and sandals, with a sloppy beard and hair. He was actually the man who had made arrogant remarks and provoked people on officialdom.
Zhao Shu took a few steps back and became cautious. He was a little puzzled. He had just started to spread his true energy, and the ants on the ground could be seen clearly in his mind, but he was not aware of this sloppy man at all.
What's more, this place is not an official road for pedestrians to travel. This sloppy man appears again. No matter how stupid he is, he should know that this man is not an ordinary person.
Taking into account the warning from the arrest department and the fact that Zhao Shu was alone at the moment, it was the perfect opportunity to assassinate him.
"Zhao is rude." Zhao Shumo carried the mysterious pearl and cupped his hands and said, "But I don't know why you are here?"
"What's the matter? Do you, Marquis Zhenming, have to take care of me sleeping in the wilderness?" The sloppy man stood up and sat on a tree stump.
Zhao Shu smiled and said: "If it is a wilderness, Zhao naturally has nothing to say. But this mountain forest belongs to a private estate, and the place where he sleeps is considered Zhao's property."
"Bah! Mountains, forests, rivers and swamps are created by heaven and earth, why should they belong to you?" The sloppy man cursed unceremoniously: "You powerful people have taken over all the land, and I don't even have a foothold anymore!"
Zhao Shu heard something in the other party's words and was not angry: "You are down to earth, why do you say there is no place to stand? Zhao is not expelling guests, but just giving a reminder."
The sloppy man snorted angrily and said, "Great! He said he wanted to equalize the land, but what he actually did was to occupy the fertile land and seize the women from good families. Marquis Zhenming is really hypocritical to the extreme!"
Zhao Shu frowned slightly, and then said: "This manor was donated by others inexplicably, and it is illegal. Later I wrote to the king of the country, requesting that the land be granted to the people and the household registration be renewed. As for the idea of seizing women from good families, it is purely false.
Please be careful what you say."
"To deny it so hastily means that it is true!" the sloppy man said loudly.
Zhao Miao secretly clasped the Yinhu Order in his sleeve and said coldly: "Zhao believes that his moral character needs to be improved, but that doesn't mean he can be slandered at will."
"What? Not convinced?" the slovenly man yelled.
"I've shown up twice, and now I'm messing around. I'm obviously well prepared. Why bother with the rumors in the market?" Zhao Shu said seriously: "Zhao knew that I was invited by others to take Zhao's life."
"Oh?" The sloppy man sat up straight, his aura hinting at fierceness. However, Zhao Shu used Yingxuan's Scenery Technique. No matter how he looked at it, he could not judge the other's cultivation level.
When a person cultivating immortals exhales and refines Qi and performs magic, the Qi will flow out. There are always traces to follow, and he can roughly judge one or two. But if he deliberately hides it, even the Yingxuan Zhaojing Technique will not be able to see through it.
, at least Zhao Shu is not yet able to see through other people's bones, flesh, and internal organs.
Therefore, Zhao Shu was on high alert and said at the same time: "I am responsible for cultivation and have the ability to transcend the secular world, so why bother getting involved?"
"It seems it's not your turn to talk to me, right?" the sloppy man said: "You, Marquis Zhenming, are keen on power. Don't you just want to use the power of the court to collect heavenly materials and earthly treasures, so that you can take advantage of the immortal family's blessings?
?”
"Jinding Si was not set up for personal gain." Zhao Shui was indeed unhappy. He could endure the ridicule of market children's rhymes, but the affairs he had devoted so much effort into could not tolerate such slander from others.
Five colors of brilliance flowed around Zhao Mi. When the slovenly man saw this, he put his hands on his knees and asked, "You want to do something?"
"You and I are both cultivators of immortality and Taoism. It is not easy to achieve what we have achieved now. It is unnecessary to shout and kill others just for a few words." Zhao Shu said with a straight face: "If I retreat like this, Zhao
You can treat it as if nothing happened today. The demon who tried to assassinate Zhao last time did not end well."
"If you tell me to leave, I'll leave. Wouldn't I become a puppy?" The sloppy man raised his hands and said, "I can leave if you want. I'll leave immediately if you offer me 10,000 taels of gold."
There was no smile on Zhao Mian's face: "I have no intention of making good friends, so why bother talking?"
"It seems that a battle is inevitable." The slovenly man stood up and stretched out. Between the messy hair covering his head and face, a pair of shining eyes could be vaguely seen, staring directly at Zhao Shu:
"Don't blame me for looking down on you. I only used one sword today. If you can catch this sword, I will let you live!"