The expression on Lu Da Shun's face changed from respect and anticipation to shock. He never thought that Qin Yining would suddenly turn to him.
"Princess, how did I …" The question he did not ask was swallowed back into his mouth when he met Qin Yining's knowing gaze.
The scene fell into a deathly silence.
There were no stupid people present. Even if they did not understand at the time of the incident, now that they sat down and thought about it carefully, they understood.
Master Zhong lowered his head and did not speak. His dark hair was facing Qin Yining as he did his best to hide what he was thinking.
Qin Yining looked at the young man who had not even reached twenty years of age and helplessly sighed.
It seemed that a person's personality would change according to their environment.
The first time she saw Lu Da Shun, this person had a timid appearance. With a glance, she knew that head shopkeeper Xia had found him as a scapegoat. He was wearing new clothes made of good material, but he was so nervous that he did not know where to put his hands and feet.
But in just a few days, he had already learned how to scheme. He had learned how to cause trouble for Master Zhong and head shopkeeper Xia. She had been unhappy with head shopkeeper Xia for a long time, but Master Zhong was loyal to her. She had always trusted him. It was clear that Lu Da Shun's ambition was not small.
Qin Yining could not help but feel a little emotional. Sure enough, where there were people, there would be politics.
In the past, when she did not have many people at her side, the servants all knew to keep their distance. Now that she had more people, as long as their relationships involved benefits, who was above who, who was above who, who was above who, it became harder and harder to distinguish.
Seeing that Qin Yining did not speak, Lu Da Shun began to panic. He anxiously said: "Princess, please calm your anger. This lowly one is not unhappy with you, nor is it that I want to hide anything. It is because head shopkeeper Xia was promoted by Master Zhong, and Master Zhong is your trusted aide. If this lowly one spoke rashly, I fear that I would not be able to gain your trust. 'Hearsay is false, but seeing is believing.' Since this lowly one was fated to become princess' subordinate, I naturally do not want you to be kept in the dark. I hope that princess will understand!"
Qin Yining smiled.
In truth, half of what Lu Da Shun said came from his heart. Indeed, it was because Master Zhong and Qin Yining were too close. Furthermore, Shopkeeper Xia was personally promoted by Master Zhong, so he had no choice but to do this.
However, Qin Yining also understood that there was a hidden motive behind this. However, everyone had their own selfish motives, so she wouldn't expose him.
"There's no need to be nervous. I know what you're thinking. You're acting like this because you don't know much about us. In the future, just speak your mind. You're a sincere person. As long as you do your job well, you'll be put in an important position, "Qin Yining said sincerely with a smile.
When Lu Dashun heard this, he immediately bowed and said excitedly, "Thank you, princess! Thank you, Your Highness! "
"Get up, there's no need for such formalities." Qin Yining smiled and looked at Master Zhong. He raised his eyebrows mischievously and said jokingly, "Master Zhong won't take revenge on him, right?"
Once this was said, Lu Dashun's heart began to thump. Princess' words seemed to be asking Master Zhong, but in truth, she was giving him advice. They both understood what he was thinking. They just didn't want to expose him!
Lu Dashun had originally thought that he was a smart and powerful person with unlimited potential. But now, it seemed that he had been too conceited. Instead, he had become a laughingstock.
This time, Lu Dashun was completely convinced. He lowered his head and repeatedly said, "I don't dare."
Master Zhong understood that although Qin Yining appeared to be asking him, he was actually supporting him. In his heart, he felt even more guilty and fearful.
"Princess, it was my incompetence that caused me to make this sort of mistake. I am truly unworthy of princess' forgiveness. I already know that I have sinned. Third shopkeeper Lu was just speaking frankly in front of you. He did not do anything wrong. Even if third shopkeeper Lu really did do something wrong, princess will punish him. How could this old man dare to take revenge on his own? "
Qin Yining smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Let's all sit down and talk. We are all on the same side. We all have the same goal. "
Master Zhong bowed and sat down.
Lu Dashun's heart was shocked again.
Master Zhong's words just now were telling him that even if Master Zhong really did something wrong, the princess would punish him. He, who was also a shopkeeper, did not have the right or position to make small moves on his own.
Lu Dashun's forehead was covered in sweat. It seemed that he had been too proud and had forgotten his place. He had also forgotten that the people in front of him were all powerful people. He had been so proud that he had almost brought disaster upon himself.
Qin Yining ordered the servant girls to bring more tea and refreshments. He then chatted with the two for a while. He did not seem to be angered by shopkeeper Xia at all.
This clear contrast made shopkeeper Xia seem even more arrogant, and Qin Yining seemed even more unfathomable.
"There are two more matters that I need to trouble the two of you to do."
"Princess, please give your orders."
The two responded and stood up to cup their hands in greeting.
Qin Yining said, "The old capital has not been peaceful these past few years. Back then, there was famine and war. After the earthquake happened, the people had no way to make a living. Although my village has taken care of many refugees, it is like trying to put out a burning cart with a cup of water. I cannot save everyone. However, I am not willing to give up on the things that I can do. Therefore, I plan to exempt all the tenants under my jurisdiction from paying a year's rent. Master Zhong, I will have to trouble you with this matter. Third Shopkeeper Lu will be assisting from the side. "
When Master Zhong heard this, he immediately nodded in understanding.
But Third Shopkeeper Lu was a little shocked.
Other people did not know, but when he had been by shopkeeper Xia's side a while ago, he had figured out just how many properties Qin Yining had. Although those properties were not under her name, the amount of food produced by those lands would be enough to feed an army if there was a good harvest. If he didn't take any of those rents, how much money would that be!
"Princess, you … …"
Qin Yining smiled and waved her hand, "Money is just a worldly possession. Moreover, back then, I was once the Holy Maiden of the Tian Jizi Dynasty. Wentian also did that. Now, I am just collecting some rent. This is my duty."
When she said this, Lu Dashun remembered that although he had not been in the old capital, he had heard of the Holy Maiden Wentian Dynasty's grandeur. This was because the Dayan Dynasty had fallen. Otherwise, Master Xuansu's name might have been as resounding in the Dayan Dynasty as the Tian Jizi Dynasty.
Lu Dashun nodded repeatedly.
Master Zhong, however, understood that Qin Yining did not simply want to do good deeds.
Back then, she had taken in many refugees and used her own money to buy the land of many of the people who wanted to escape. This was for the sake of giving everyone money to escape. However, she did not expect that good deeds would be rewarded. When Pang Xiao's troops entered the old capital, they did not massacre the people in the city, nor did they trample on the land. The troops and horses were all well-behaved. When the people who had escaped returned, they did not have a place to go, nor did they have a way to survive.
Qin Yining had taken in all of those people. Most of the people in her village were these people.
Back then, they were all very grateful for the grace of the "great landowner." It was just that a large portion of them did not know that the owner behind the scenes of the village was Qin Yining. Now that she was doing all of this, it was nothing more than to let the refugees who had received grace remember the benefits of the past. At the very least, they should not cause any trouble when shopkeeper Xia did something bad.
Master Zhong had followed Qin Yining for a long time, so his guess was not wrong.
Qin Yining was still very confident in her popularity. Even if she did not mention the matter of her taking in the refugees, the people of the old capital and Yang County should still remember the good things that she and Pang Xiao had done for them. However, they did not deliberately publicize this, so many people who came later did not know about it.
She believed that if she put her heart into it, she would be able to build good relationships with the people. As long as she had the hearts of the people, other things would be easier to handle.
While Qin Yining was at home planning the matter of shopkeeper Xia, Pang Xiao's camp was in chaos.
In the past few days, the matter of "suppressing bandits" continued. Pang Xiao took out many of his brothers in turn, but he left behind the people who had been on his "black list" in the beginning. This made these people feel very unsatisfied. In the end, the so-called "bandits" no longer dared to walk on the road. This was because no matter whether they walked on the official road or the small road, whether they brought the shopkeeper with them under the banner of the Four-Way Shop, or whether they disguised themselves as other merchants, all of the goods they transported out of the city were robbed.
Moreover, when they were suppressing bandits, they only allowed people to enter and not leave. This caused the Four-Way Shop's external trade to be interrupted.
The people of the Four-Way Shop were in a terrible fix. The people in the camp who had not received any pay up until now were also very sullen. It would be fine if no one received any pay, but how would they feel when they saw the other brothers in the same camp get paid every day, but they did not?
Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner according to Pang Xiao's plan.
On this day, more than a thousand people, who had been bribed in the beginning, finally gathered on the drill ground.
"Wang Ye is unfair!"
"Why did Wang Ye only bring them and not us!"
"Why haven't you distributed the spoils of war to us yet!"
… …
These people were even angrier than the first time they had caused trouble. When it came to their own interests, no one was willing to back down.
Pang Xiao was dressed in a short black robe, his hair neatly tied up high. He stood on the drill ground with his hands behind his back, looking expressionlessly at the noisy crowd in front of him. Although he had a thorough understanding of human nature, he still felt somewhat sullen when he saw that these soldiers were working harder for their own interests than when they were fighting the enemy. Moreover, they were not loyal and devoted. They had long been secretly bribed to stay in the military camp to monitor his situation at any time and place, with the intention of conspiring against him.
The crowd's noise gradually became louder because of Pang Xiao's silence.
When the noise reached an intolerable level, Pang Xiao said in a low voice, "Everyone, shut up."
Huzi, who had been standing behind Pang Xiao for a long time, immediately stood up and roared, "Shut up, listen to Wang Ye's orders!"
There were also those men who had followed Pang Xiao to suppress bandits many times and were sincerely convinced by Pang Xiao who said in unison, "Listen to Marshal's orders, listen to Marshal's orders!"
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