After binding with a genius, I became an immortal by exploiting loopholes.

Two days later, Lu Qingchen was loosening the soil around the spirit herbs in the field when a tenant farmer ran over, panting, and said, "Manager Lu, Manager Wang is looking for you. He says you need to sign the fertilizer distribution book for the estate."

Lu Qingchen responded and walked into the manor.

After walking a few steps, he looked back at the two potted spiritual plants at the door. After thinking for a moment, he decided to move the two potted spiritual plants back into the house and lock the house.

The fertilizer distribution booklet was in the warehouse. Lu Qingchen signed it, and the whole process took no more than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

When he returned to the end of the village, he saw two tenant farmers standing furtively at the door of his house. One was keeping watch, and the other was tiptoeing and peering into the house.

"What are you doing!"

He shouted loudly, his voice booming across the empty village.

The two tenant farmers were startled; the lookout's leg trembled, and he almost fell.

The one who was peering into the house suddenly shrank back, took two steps back, and a look of panic flashed across his face.

Lu Qingchen rushed over and stood in front of the door, his gaze sweeping over the two people's faces.

One was tall, the other short; both were tenant farmers from the village. He had seen them before, but couldn't recall their names.

"What are you doing at my doorstep?" Lu Qingchen asked, his voice not loud, but as cold as ice.

The tall tenant farmer was the first to react, and a smile spread across his face: "Manager Lu, we're on our way to chop firewood in the back mountain, and we're just stopping by here to rest."

"Just passing by?"

Lu Qingchen glanced at the machete hidden behind him, then at the rope and axe tucked into the short tenant farmer's waist.

"Going to the back mountain to chop firewood, you're taking this road? My house is at the very end of the village, and there's a dead end ahead. Where are you going if you pass by here?"

The short tenant farmer chimed in, "Let's go around this way; it's shorter."

"Closer?"

Lu Qingchen sneered, "From the entrance of the manor to the back mountain, it only takes half an hour to get there via the eastern road. But going around to my place will take at least half an hour. You're telling me it's shorter?"

The two tenant farmers exchanged a glance and fell silent.

Lu Qingchen didn't look at them anymore, turned around and went into the house to check the two spiritual plants.

The leaves were intact, the stems were not broken, and the soil was not disturbed—thankfully, he returned in time.

He walked out of the house, his gaze returning to the two of them.

"Speak, who sent you?"

The tall tenant farmer shook his head: "Nobody told us to come; we were just passing by."

The short tenant farmer nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, I was just passing by. Manager Lu, you've misunderstood."

Lu Qingchen stared at them for a long time.

Their eyes darted around, sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their knuckles turned white as they gripped the handles of their machetes.

Too lazy to waste any more words, he stepped forward and kicked the tall tenant farmer in the back of the knee.

The tenant farmer screamed and fell to his knees with a thud. Before he could react, Lu Qingchen had already grabbed his wrist and twisted it sharply.

With a snap, the tenant farmer's arm dislocated. He was in so much pain that his face turned white, and tears and snot streamed down his face as he cried out, "It's broken! It's broken!"

"Who sent you?"

Lu Qingchen's voice wasn't loud, but every word pierced the tenant farmer's ears like nails.

The tall tenant farmer trembled all over in pain, his lips quivering several times, but he still shook his head: "No, no one..."

Lu Qingchen released his grip and turned to the short tenant farmer.

The short man was so frightened that his legs went weak. He took two steps back and sat down on the ground with a thud, dropping the rope he was holding.

"And you? Will you tell or not?"

The short tenant farmer was deathly pale, his lips trembling, and after a long pause, he managed to squeeze out, "Manager Lu, we really were just passing by..."

Lu Qingchen narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, grabbed the short tenant farmer by the collar, and lifted him up from the ground.

The tenant farmer's feet were off the ground, his face flushed red, and he frantically pounded on Lu Qingchen's arm, shouting something incoherently.

"I'll ask one last time, who sent you?"

The short tenant farmer made a hoarse sound in his throat, his face covered in tears and snot, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

The tall tenant farmer, clutching his dislocated arm, knelt on the ground and suddenly shouted, "There are rules in the village! The spirit planter is not allowed to lay a hand on the tenant farmers! Steward Lu, you...you can't do this!"

Lu Qingchen paused for a moment.

The short tenant farmer seized the opportunity to slip from his grasp, falling to the ground, panting heavily, and saying between breaths, "Yes, yes, there are rules in the village, you can't hit us..."

"What happened?"

Just then, a voice came from the alley entrance, unhurried and unhurried.

Lu Qingchen turned around and saw Sun Zhiyuan walking towards her from the alley entrance with his hands behind his back and a hint of curiosity on his face.

He glanced at the tall tenant farmer kneeling on the ground, then at the short tenant farmer sitting on the ground, and frowned slightly.

"Manager Lu, what's wrong?"

"These two men were lurking suspiciously at my door, clearly plotting something."

Lu Qingchen said calmly.

Sun Zhiyuan looked at the two tenant farmers and asked, "Is what Manager Lu said true?"

The tall tenant farmer grimaced in pain, but still gritted his teeth and said, "Manager Sun, we were really just passing by, on our way to chop firewood in the back mountain. We stopped here to rest, and when Manager Lu came back... he dislocated my arm."

Sun Zhiyuan then looked at Lu Qingchen: "Manager Lu, do you have any evidence?"

Lu Qingchen paused for a moment: "We didn't catch them in the act."

"That makes things difficult."

Sun Zhiyuan shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of persuasion.

"Manager Lu, there are rules in the manor. Lingzhifu manages the tenant farmers, but he cannot beat or scold them at will, let alone hurt them. You beat someone like this, it won't sound good if word gets out."

He paused, then said, "In my opinion, we should let the master of the manor decide this matter. What do you say?"

Lu Qingchen squinted at Sun Zhiyuan, then looked at the two tenant farmers.

The tall tenant farmer clutched his dislocated arm, his face pale with pain, but his eyes kept glancing at Sun Zhiyuan.

The short tenant farmer had his head down, so his expression was not visible.

Lu Qingchen was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, let the manor lord decide."

Sun Zhiyuan smiled, turned and took a few steps towards the alley entrance, then called out into the distance, "Someone, go and invite Zhuang... no, call Wang Fu!"

......

After receiving the news, Wang Fu rushed over quickly.

Upon seeing the two tenant farmers on the ground, his expression changed slightly.

"Manager Lu, what's wrong?"

Lu Qingchen pointed at the two tenant farmers: "These two are sneaking up on my house, they seem to have ulterior motives. I suspect they want to steal something."

Wang Fu glanced at the two tenant farmers, then at Lu Qingchen, and his face darkened.

If the tenant farmers in the village have any thoughts of stealing, and this matter is not handled properly, the atmosphere of Qingmu Village will be ruined.

"You two, come with me. We'll talk when the master returns," Wang Fu said with a stern face.

The tall tenant farmer, clutching his dislocated arm, tried to argue, but Wang Fu glared at him and said, "Let's go!"

The two obediently followed behind Wang Fu.