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

Sun Zhiyuan remained standing there, glancing at the backs of the two tenant farmers, then at Lu Qingchen, shaking his head and sighing, "Manager Lu, I'm not trying to criticize you, but the tenant farmers are ignorant. A few words of scolding would have been enough. Why resort to violence? If this matter reaches the manor lord, you won't be able to explain it to him."

After saying that, he walked away with his hands behind his back, his steps neither hurried nor slow.

Lu Qingchen watched his retreating figure without replying.

First they sent a message to get him away, then they sent someone to his house...

If he had come back even a moment later, would those two have simply barged in, moved the spiritual plants away, or even destroyed them?

He had a general idea of ​​who had ordered it.

But he had no evidence.

......

Zhao Demao didn't return until evening.

Wang Fu explained the situation in detail, and Zhao Demao's expression turned rather unpleasant after listening.

He summoned Sun Zhiyuan, Zhou Ming, Liu Wenhua, and Wang Youde, and also had the two tenant farmers brought up to hold a meeting in the main room.

The atmosphere in the main room was somber.

The two tenant farmers knelt on the ground. The taller one kept his head down and didn't speak, while the shorter one had red eyes, as if he had been crying.

Zhao Demao sat in the main seat, tapping his fingers lightly twice on the table, and asked, "What were you doing in Steward Lu's room?"

The tall tenant farmer gritted his teeth: "We were just passing by, Master, we're innocent!"

"Injustice?"

Zhao Demao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a certain authority. "Manager Lu saw you lurking suspiciously outside his door with your own eyes. You're telling me you're innocent?"

The short tenant farmer looked up, tears streaming down his face. "Master, we really are going to the back mountain to chop firewood. We'll go around through Steward Lu's house. It's a bit far, but the path is easy and not strenuous."

"I don't know what's wrong with us today, but Manager Lu insists we're trying to steal something..."

He wiped away his tears. "We're innocent."

Zhao Demao didn't reply, but turned to Wang Fu: "Go check if what they said is true."

Wang Fu responded and turned to leave.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he returned and whispered a few words in Zhao Demao's ear.

After listening, Zhao Demao frowned slightly, glanced at the two tenant farmers, and then at Lu Qingchen.

"What they said is true. For the past few years, they have always gone from Zhuangwei to the back mountain. Although it is a bit far, the road is flat and easy to walk."

The main room fell silent for a moment.

Lu Qingchen's expression remained unchanged, but his heart sank.

Zhao Demao was silent for a while, then said, "However, whether it was intentional or unintentional, since you have offended Steward Lu, Qingmu Manor cannot pretend that nothing happened."

He looked at Lu Qingchen, "Manager Lu, how do you intend to handle this?"

Lu Qingchen sat at the end of the table, his face calm, but his mind was racing.

The two insisted they were just passing by, but he had no evidence, so his claim that they stole something was untenable.

"Master, I did not catch them in the act, so I have no evidence."

"But the disciple had just been called to the storeroom to register and collect fertilizer, and these two people appeared at the door of the disciple's room right afterward. The timing is a bit too coincidental."

Zhao Demao nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Whether it was intentional or unintentional, you have offended Steward Lu, and Qingmu Manor will not tolerate you."

"Starting tomorrow, you don't need to come anymore. Pack your things and leave Aoki Manor."

The tall tenant farmer suddenly raised his head, opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing Zhao Demao's expression, he swallowed his words back.

The short tenant farmer cried even harder, kowtowing repeatedly: "Master, we really didn't do it! We've been working here for over ten years, you can't send us away..."

Zhao Demao remained unmoved and waved his hand: "Wang Fu, take them away."

Wang Fu stepped forward and helped the two of them up.

But at that moment, Lu Qingchen suddenly spoke, his tone calm: "Master, isn't this punishment a bit too lenient?"

All eyes were on Lu Qingchen.

Lu Qingchen remained calm and continued, "At that time, they were about to break into the disciple's room. If I hadn't returned in time, the two rare spiritual plants inside would have been in danger."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Demao pondered for a moment and asked, "So, how does Manager Lu intend to deal with them?"

Lu Qingchen said calmly, "If each person loses an arm, let's add a leg too."

After these words were spoken, the main room fell silent.

They looked at Lu Qingchen, never expecting that he, who usually seemed so kind, would have such a ruthless side.

The two tenant farmers, at this moment, even forgot to appeal their case and stood there dumbfounded.

Zhao Demao frowned slightly, his face showing difficulty.

Lu Qingchen looked over. "Master, is there a problem?"

Zhao Demao thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No problem, let's do as Manager Lu asks."

Upon hearing this, the two tenant farmers turned deathly pale and frantically begged for mercy.

Lu Qingchen watched this scene, a smile curving his lips, and spoke again: "If you don't want to be punished, then reveal who's behind you, and I might show you leniency."

The two tenant farmers, who had been begging for mercy, gradually quieted down, seemingly hesitant, but their eyes kept glancing at Sun Zhiyuan to the side.

Sun Zhiyuan glanced at the two of them indifferently, a sinister look flashing in his eyes.

The tall tenant farmer shuddered and gritted his teeth, saying, "Manager Lu, you've really wronged us. We truly didn't mean it!"

Although the short tenant farmer feared punishment, he feared even more the retaliation from Sun Zhiyuan, so he remained silent.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Lu Qingchen's eyes, but he didn't say anything, only coldly waving his hand.

Upon seeing this, Wang Fu immediately pushed the two out of the main room.

The two tenant farmers were still begging for mercy, but Lu Qingchen didn't even glance at them.

He has to be ruthless enough in this matter.

If we let them go too easily, who knows what kind of messy and ridiculous things will happen later.

The short tenant farmer walked to the door, glanced back at the people in the main room, and was quickly dragged out by Wang Fu.

Sun Zhiyuan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his face expressionless.

He hasn't said a word since the meeting started.

After the meeting, Lu Qingchen walked at the back.

Stepping out of the main room, a cool night breeze blew in.

He took a deep breath, feeling a mix of emotions he couldn't quite describe.

The two tenant farmers were expelled and received their due punishment, but the person behind it all remained.

Asking him to register in the warehouse is a legitimate matter. Wang Fu is the manager of the estate and the owner's man, so it's unlikely that he was acting under someone else's orders.

The coincidence in timing can only mean that someone behind him has been watching him and will send someone to take action as soon as he leaves.

But he has no evidence and can't touch Sun Zhiyuan, at least not for now.

Lu Qingchen was somewhat dissatisfied with the result, but he knew that this was the best he could do.

Unless he catches them in the act and obtains further evidence, it will be impossible to expose the person behind it.

But at the time, the two men were just loitering outside his house and did not force their way in, so he couldn't do anything about them.

Even if it happened again, he would stop it immediately—compared to the two tenant farmers, the special spiritual plant in the pot was the most important, and there couldn't be any problems with it.

Through this experience, Lu Qingchen realized even more clearly just how important it is to have one's own exclusive spiritual field.

If there were a protective formation, outsiders wouldn't be able to get in at all, and this kind of thing wouldn't have happened today.

He quickened his pace and headed towards the end of the village.

But he wasn't in a hurry.

There will be plenty of opportunities to deal with Sun Zhiyuan in the future, but those two spiritual plants need to be kept under closer watch.

......

After the meeting, Sun Zhiyuan returned to his residence, closed the door, sat at the table, and looked extremely gloomy.

What exactly are those two things in Lu Qingchen's pots?

He had seen those two seedlings with his own eyes—purple leaves, golden veins, and a faint glow.

How come this kid is so lucky? He just arrived at Qingmu Manor and already discovered a special spiritual plant?

The more he thought about it, the more upset he became.

The two tenant farmers had already been driven away, but fortunately they were stubborn and didn't expose him.

Firstly, they were afraid of his retaliation, and secondly, the money he gave them was enough to support them for the rest of their lives.

But we can't do this anymore. If we send more people, they might get caught, and someone might just confess.

He gritted his teeth.

No rush, there will be a chance when those two plants grow a bit bigger.

......

After this incident, Lu Qingchen paid even more attention to those two spiritual plants.

He moved the earthenware pot from the doorway into the house and placed it on the wooden table by the bed. He would take it out to sunbathe during the day and bring it back at night.

When he went to work in the fields, he would place the basin on the edge of the field so that it would be visible at a glance.

I put it at my feet when I eat and at my bedside when I sleep; I'm almost always by my side.

He would check on the Lingtian field once a day to make sure that the water and fertilizer were adequate and that there were no pests or diseases, and then he would leave it alone.

The effects of the spiritual infusion are already evident; the spiritual rice and herbs are growing better every day.

The tenant farmers whispered among themselves, "What are those two potted plants that Manager Lu owns? He seems to value them more than his own life."

"Who knows? I took a peek from afar that day, and the leaves were purple and glowing."

"Really?"

Why would I lie to you? It's definitely not simple.