They had heard what Qiao Lian'er and He Lizheng were saying and had figured out the purpose of her trip.
She wanted to seize, or rather, take away, their land, grow this good grain, sell it, and pocket all the money.
Therefore, their gazes toward Qiao Lian'er were tinged with hostility.
"She's only just become the county magistrate, and she's already plotting this. She's really up to no good."
"Yes, they didn't want to give us a way to survive from the start. How can someone so young have such a black heart?"
“I will absolutely not agree to be conscripted. I will risk my life to prevent her from succeeding.”
“Me too. At worst, we’ll fight it out. Let’s go back and get our hoes and machetes ready. They don’t have many men, so the more pressure we put on them, the better.”
Qiao Lian'er could sense the hostility coming from outside the door. The villagers were speaking in low voices, but her hearing was more sensitive than that of ordinary people, so she still managed to hear most of what they were saying.
I was suddenly at a loss for words, both laughing and crying.
People have always distrusted those in power who control them. This is closely related to the fact that many officials levy exorbitant taxes and commit all kinds of oppression. Winning their hearts is not an easy task.
She was determined to use this large fiefdom as her rear transportation and storage base for supplies. The area within a radius of a hundred miles was enough to support most of the country's supply, providing a reason for her abundant resources. Therefore, she would be patient enough to persuade the people in the fiefdom.
He Lizheng and the clan elders couldn't help but eat a few more bites, and in the blink of an eye, half of the rice in the big bowl was gone.
"You should try some too," He Li said to the villagers outside.
The villagers exchanged glances, their expressions clearly showing resistance.
“If we don’t eat it, we’ll miss out on such a delicious treat.” He Lizheng knew what the villagers were thinking.
The villagers near the capital were actually more ruthless than those in other places. Relying on the fact that they were under the emperor's nose, any news they heard might quickly reach the emperor's ears, and they were always ready to take up arms to protect their interests.
“Fine, I’ll eat it. I want to try it and see what it tastes like.” A burly villager swaggered in.
He scooped up a spoonful with a rice spoon, put it in his mouth, chewed it twice, and then his eyes widened.
"Mmm, delicious."
Two more villagers came to taste it, and their faces showed amazement; the rice was so delicious!
If they were the ones who grew it, how wonderful that would be! They could even make a fortune from it.
However, the thought that the county magistrate wanted to use their land to grow this kind of rice for his own benefit made him very resistant.
“Look, Lian’er,” Qiao Zhizhi said nervously.
Qiao Lian'er followed her gaze and glanced outside. She didn't know who had spread the word, but a larger crowd had gathered there, all carrying weapons—hoes, axes, machetes, and kitchen knives.
Pei Zhujin frowned, and Pei Shijiu tried to get up, but was held down by his brother.
“I knew it—” Pei Shijiu muttered to himself.
Although Qiao Lian'er used this clever trick, the villagers near the capital were very wary and would speculate endlessly about the slightest disturbance.
"What are you doing? Put those things down! You mustn't cause trouble in front of Young Master Pei and the County Princess!" He Lizheng stood up and coldly reprimanded them.
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