After rebirth, the Queen and I are on the run.

Chapter 902: The opening of the martial arts school in the suburban area

Qin Xiaomi continued, "Third Chieftain, you have already obtained special household registration from the Duke of Yan, so you can openly do business outside the mountain without being subject to the miscellaneous taxes outside the mountain. Therefore, you no longer need to use my Qin family to do business outside the mountain."

The mountain people are now able to run their own businesses outside the mountains.

"Therefore, your Mountain Alliance no longer needs to cooperate with my Qin Family's herbal medicine workshop. The cooperation has now completely shifted to private-to-private partnerships."

The Qin family no longer needs to bear the heavy burden of appeasing the mountain people in order to protect the mountain defense line.

“Since it’s a private partnership, my Qin family can choose freely. Right now, my Qin family’s medicinal herb processing workshop is only willing to cooperate with the chief, Uncle He and Aunt Alan’s family, and Chief Wen. We will not consider anyone else. After you finish attending the opening ceremony of the county’s suburban martial arts academy, you can set off back to the mountains. You don’t need to wait for my family anymore.”

He added, "Does the Third Chieftain understand?"

Third Chieftain: "..."

This chieftain isn't an idiot; of course I understand what you mean, but now...

"Isn't there any room for maneuver? Since your Qin family has cooperated with Chief Alan and the others, wouldn't you mind cooperating with a few more villages? There are also many rare medicinal herbs in the territories of the Second and Fifth Chiefs' villages."

Qin Xiaomi shook her head firmly: "No, the risk is too great. My Qin family can't afford it. Besides, the Qin family's herbal medicine workshop is just starting out. It's enough to just cooperate with Aunt Alan and the others."

This?
The third chieftain was angry, feeling that the Qin family girl had no human touch.

But after enjoying several months of comfortable life outside the mountains, he was reluctant to give up these good days and quietly asked, "What if I just add my third village?"

I humbly beg you to take me along.

Qin Xiaomi shook her head again: "If the Qin family cooperates with you, you will probably be targeted by the Second and Fifth Chiefs. For the sake of the Third Chief, the Qin family can only apologize to you."

Good grief, isn't this an attempt to sow discord?
No doubt about it, that's it!

The Third Chieftain, recalling the brutal beatings inflicted upon him by the Second and Fifth Chieftains, was indeed provoked and harbored resentment towards them.

It's all those two bastards' fault! They ruined his chance to cooperate with the Qin family and acquire his own property outside the mountains!
“However…” Qin Xiaomi added, “If the Third Chieftain has any rare mountain products, he can have the Li sisters deliver them to the Qin family’s medicinal herb workshop for sale. The selling price will definitely not disappoint the Third Chieftain.”

"What is this?" the Third Chieftain asked in surprise.

Qin Xiaomi said, "Signing a contract with the Third Chief will make the Second and Fifth Chiefs dissatisfied with the Third Chief. However, we have some connections, so it's normal for us to help each other sell some things in private."

They sow discord between you, lure you in with bribes, keep you hanging on, make you feel different, and then dare to turn against the second and fifth leaders when life and death are at stake.

This is the strategy that the Duke of Yan, Liang's army, and Aunt Alan have for dealing with the three chieftains.

This guy could be a small inside man for those outside the mountain, but we can't let him arouse suspicion from the second and fifth leaders.

Qin Xiaomi then said to Aunt Alan, "Auntie, go back and make some preparations. We'll officially sign the contract when you return from the county town."

"Okay." Aunt Alan was very happy and got up to take her leave.

The three leaders kept turning back to look at each other as they left, clearly reluctant to part.

……

After returning, the Third Chieftain explained the situation, and he almost got beaten up by the Fifth Chieftain again. Fortunately, his experience allowed him to escape.

but……

"Fifth Brother, do you think I, the Third Chief, am your servant? Someone you can just beat up at the drop of a hat? Let me tell you, you were the one who disrespected the Qin family first, angering them. That's why the Qin family woman refuses to cooperate with us. It's no use blaming me for incompetence now; I won't take the blame!" The Fifth Chief was furious: "You were the first to leave the mountain, yet you messed things up! Who else should we hold accountable if not you? And those two women from outside the mountain—burn them alive as offerings to the mountain god upon their return! They must not be allowed to live! They were spies planted by outsiders around you!"

Bang bang bang!
Aunt Alan came and banged on the door, shouting, "Keep your voice down! This is outside the mountains. It's one thing for you to be shameful in your infighting, but now you're loudly plotting to kill innocent people from outside the mountains. Do you want to become wanted criminals and completely cut off the mountain people's way of going out to exchange for necessities such as salt, sugar, tea, and cotton!"

The second chieftain's face was ashen, and he ordered his son, Liuge'er, to open the door and let Chieftain Alan in.

After Aunt Alan came in, she looked at the Third Chief and gave him a look that said, "I feel sorry for you." This touched the Third Chief, who felt even more that the Second and Fifth Chiefs didn't treat him like a human being.

"Fifth Brother, apologize to Third Brother." The Second Chief ordered. He didn't want to push the Third Chief further away. He added, "No matter what Third Brother's two wives from outside the mountains are up to, their status as law-abiding citizens from outside the mountains is beneficial to us. We must not harm them."

The ancestors said that everything in heaven and earth can be used, so the three chieftains, the Li sisters, and even the rebels in the mountains like Alan also have value.

Before leaving the mountain, the ancestors instructed them that they could ask for benefits from outside the mountain, but they could not break ties with them. This relationship would be of great use to the ancestors.

The second chieftain understood that this "great use" certainly didn't refer to exchanging benefits, but rather to something else, so he had to do as the ancestors said.

Otherwise, if he ruins the plans of the ancestors, he and his branch will be treated as 'meat sheep'!

"Second Chief, Second Brother, what do you mean?" the Third Chief asked hastily, seeing a glimmer of hope.

After a moment's thought, the second chieftain gave a clear answer: "Since the Qin family doesn't want to cooperate with us, then forget it. Eighth chieftain, you can negotiate yourselves. This cooperation is your private property."

"but……"

The second chieftain raised his eyes, his snake-like gaze fixed on Aunt Alan: "Your unauthorized acquisition of property will certainly displease the ancestors, as it hinders unity within the mountain. Therefore, you must take out all the things given to you by the foreign dukes and let the ancestors distribute them."

dream!

Aunt Alan almost blurted out those two words, but she held back and smiled, "The property given by the imperial court outside the mountains should naturally be divided equally among the people inside the mountains. I have no objection."

He added, “We have worked hard. We, the Eighth Village, the First Village, and the Tenth Village, all believe that our ancestors are fair and will not treat us, the meritorious people, unfairly.”

He's a hero, my foot!

You mountain rebels are already being merciful by not killing us, yet you dare to threaten us!

Ha, he's tired of living. Alan, you lowly commoner, might as well wait to die.

The Fifth Chieftain was cursing inwardly, but Chieftain Alan was not afraid at all. She was determined to kill the ancestors and eliminate these spies who had confused the bloodlines of their mountain community!

This is a war between nations, a fight to the death. Alan is not afraid, and she will not back down.

"Alright, the cooperation with the Qin family on processing medicinal materials ends here. The second, third, and fifth strongholds will no longer get involved." The second stronghold chief made the final decision: "Everyone disperse and start preparing to go to the county town to attend the opening ceremony of the Township Martial Arts Academy and to make arrangements for returning to the mountain."

"Okay." Aunt Alan left readily, and even thoughtfully closed the door for them.

I don't know what was said inside, but the Third Chieftain didn't come out until half an hour later. However, there was no handprint on his face, so he probably wasn't slapped this time.

……

The clerk only rested until the day of the third-day return visit to his wife's parents' home. The next day, August 29th, he had to go back to work.

Qi Tianshi sent word that he should lead the Taifeng Town team to the opening ceremony of the county's suburban martial arts academy. After finishing this task, he could go home to rest.

This order was actually issued by the Duke of Yan... The village martial arts hall belonged to the military, the students belonged to the civil officials, and since the clerk was on the roster, he had to be associated with both the military and the civil officials.