I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 49 Princess's Grace
"Boss Sun, are you telling the truth? Did the princess really reduce our rent to 20%?"

"You don't have to pay back the grain you borrowed last year?"

"Are you kidding us?"

"Sun Zhuangtou, are you speaking?"

Sun Qing stuffed Zhang Laozhang into Zhang Laoda's arms, ignored the tenant who was questioning him, and turned around and asked hurriedly, "Manager Song, are you hurt?"

At the critical moment, Song Kai threw himself to the ground and used his body as a cushion under Zhang Laozhang.

Song Kai was born in the mansion of the General Protecting the Country. He had learned a few moves from the personal soldiers of the mansion since he was young, so he only suffered some superficial injuries, which would heal after applying medicinal wine for two days.

Sun Qing breathed a sigh of relief. Song Kai was the dowry manager of the princess's mother's family. His status was far beyond that of him, the head of the farm. If something happened to Song Kai under his jurisdiction, the princess would not let him off easily.

It was all the fault of these people who believed everything they heard. Sun Qing gritted his teeth and directed all his anger at the tenants, "Shut up!"

It was the first time that the tenants saw Mr. Sun act so majestically. They were like gourds with their mouths sawed off, and they could only stare at him with their eyes wide open.

Sun Qing angrily said, "This is my last repetition: The Princess has granted you a gracious forgiveness for the grain you owed last year. Starting next year, Mingxia Manor will only collect 20% of the rent for the land."

He looked at Zhang Laozhang, "The princess is so kind, what are you dissatisfied with? You are actually seeking death?!"

"It doesn't matter if you're courting death, but if you anger the Princess, not only will my grace be revoked, but I'll also severely punish everyone in Mingxia Manor." He pointed at the dozens of tenants present, "Are all 263 people in Mingxia Manor going to be implicated by you?!"

Mr. Zhang was trembling and unable to speak.

Zhang Lao Da handed his father to his wife and knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. "Master, please calm down! Master, please calm down! My father heard rumors and thought that the princess was going to raise the rent, so he was so upset that he wanted to commit suicide."

"Please, Master Zhuangtou, be magnanimous and let my father go this time, considering his age."

Everyone felt sorry for it, but they didn't dare to beg for mercy, especially the one who first guessed that the rent would be raised, who hid behind everyone and didn't dare to show his head.

Zhang Laozhang recovered, pushed his daughter-in-law's hand away, and knelt on the ground. "Master Sun, I was blinded by rumors and misunderstood the princess. I am willing to bear any punishment. I only ask that you do not implicate other innocent tenants."

The tenants pleaded for mercy and pulled the culprit out from behind the crowd.

"That's him, Wang Laizi. He just said he was worried that the steward had called us in because he had a new owner and that the new owner was going to raise the rent."

Wang Laizi slapped himself furiously under Sun Zhuangtou's furious glare. "Sun Zhuangtou, spare me! How could I have known that the new master was the Princess? If I had known earlier, I would have never dared to slander the Princess even if I had the guts to do so."

"It's just that I heard gossip from the neighboring farm yesterday. They said that their farm had a new owner and the new owner raised the rent to 50%. That's why..." He shut up under the murderous look of the head of Sun Village.

"How dare you go and get involved with those scoundrels from the neighboring village?" Sun Zhuangtou broke off a willow branch from a tree and lashed him hard. "I told you not to learn your lesson, I told you not to be sneaky and cunning, I told you not to talk nonsense."

Wang Laizi didn't dare to dodge and was whipped more than ten times. Song Kai stopped him and said, "The sun has set. Let's talk about the important things first."

Sun Zhuangtou responded breathlessly.

Song Kai stepped over him and helped Zhang Laozhang and his son, who were kneeling on the ground, to their feet. He spoke in a kind and gentle voice, "Mingxia Manor has a new owner. The princess is worried about your unrest, so she has granted you this favor to ease everyone's worries."

"Mingxia Manor now belongs to the princess. Only when Mingxia Manor is well can the princess be well. My father-in-law has more experience than the rest of us, so he must understand this principle."

Mr. Zhang nodded with tears in his eyes.

"Don't believe rumors, don't listen to them. From now on, if you hear anything, you can come to Sun Zhuangtou and ask me. Sun Zhuangtou and I will patiently explain it to you."

Song Kai continued, "If there is a misunderstanding, let's talk it out. The princess loves you, and you should also cherish yourselves. Your good days are still ahead." Old Zhang was filled with guilt and gratitude and was speechless.

Song Kai turned around and looked down at Wang Laizi, whose head was swollen like a pig. "The princess's kindness was so strong, but you twisted it. Do you know that slandering the princess is not worth the punishment of executing the whole family?"

Wang Laizi was really scared, with tears and snot all over his face. "I won't dare to do it again, never again!"

"Considering this is your first offense and you're ignorant of the law, I'll let you go this time. However, I can escape the death penalty, but I can't escape the punishment of life," Song Kai said. "From now on, for the next month, I order you to build ditches for free, arriving early and returning late. If you slack off even once, I'll lock you up and send you to the government office!"

"Yes, yes, I will never be lazy." Wang Laizi was willing to agree to anything after saving his life.

Boss Tian asked, "Excuse me, Steward, you said you wanted to build a canal, but the Princess wants to build a canal for the manor?"

"That's right," Song Kai said. "Most of the land in Mingxia Manor is far from the river. The princess sympathizes with your farming difficulties and has specially drawn up plans to build ditches. Before next spring's sowing, she will also send you new farm tools!"

Boss Tian's eyes were filled with joy, "Thank you, Princess, thank you, Princess!"

The tenants present were extremely excited and expressed their gratitude.

"I called you here today to discuss the construction of the ditch," Song Kai said. "It needs to be completed before next spring planting. I'm afraid we won't have any rest this winter and next spring."

"Of course, of course," the tenants agreed.

Seeing that the tenants had finally come to understand, Sun Zhuangtou's face looked much better. "The princess said that winter and spring are the time for farmers to rest and recuperate. Working when you should be resting is like working."

"The princess will pay you according to the market price!"

Wow! Like a drop of cold water dropped into a frying pan, the tenants were instantly enraged.

"Then we don't have to go to town to find work this winter, right?"

"According to the market price, if you earn ten cents a day, you can work for at least two months. So, how much is it?" The tenant patted the young man from the Li family.

The young man from the Li family gestured on the ground for a long time, "About six hundred coins!"

Wow! Six hundred wen! They can't earn that much even if they work in town for three months.

The tenants asked in unison.

"When does it begin?"

"Three days later, Sun Zhuangtou and I just went to the town to order stone bricks and stone cylinders. They will be delivered in three days."

"How much is the daily wage? Is it paid by the day?"

"It varies from ten to fifteen cents, depending on the workload. Heavy workloads pay more, light workloads pay less," Song Kaidao said. "Every ten days, we have one day off, and we pay on that day."

The tenants all said that we don't need to rest.

Song Kai pretended not to hear.

Wang Laizi was pushed to the back and felt extremely regretful.

He has to work for a month for nothing without any pay!
(End of this chapter)