The mine's leader glanced at the people beside him, and finally one of them spoke.
"I was unaware that the convicts from Fengjia Village were treating the lady, almost delaying her treatment..."
Xu Zhen chuckled lightly, his lips radiating coldness.
So, he made things difficult for them because of the lady's medical treatment?!
Not hearing Xu Zhen's reply, another person spoke up, "If I had known earlier that the exiles from Fengjia Village would be so useful to you, sir, I would have been willing to take responsibility even if they had been sent to the other side."
The implication is that they are not unwilling to take responsibility, even if it violates the laws of the imperial court.
Therefore, the pressure Xu Zhen put on them was even greater than violating the laws of the imperial court...
The remaining person seemed to have realized something.
"This humble servant deserves to die! The lord sent someone to inquire about the situation; we should have known his intentions long ago..."
"But we were ungrateful and didn't understand the adults' intentions..."
Xu Zhen: What is my intention? You tell me.
The servants waiting outside: You shouldn't be officials; you could be making tea...
Xu Zhen remained silent, and the three men knelt upright and raised their heads.
Xu Zhen smiled but remained silent. After finishing his tea, he simply said:
"Go back, everyone! The mine can't be left unattended."
"Pack your things, the notification will be coming soon!"
The group realized that Xu Zhen wasn't just bluffing; he was serious. His forehead touched the ground, and his voice became more sincere.
"Please forgive me, sir!"
"Excuse me, we were mistaken!"
"My lord, please show mercy!"
Xu Zhen heavily set down his teacup and stood up, pacing back and forth.
"Have you been ruling your own territory for too long, that you've even taken me for a fool?"
"What did you mean by that just now? Did I coerce or bribe you? Did I make things difficult for you because of my own selfish desires?"
"I am an upright and honest official, and I am not afraid to speak frankly. If you treat everyone equally and fairly, then consider how you would do it now. How do you treat others, and why do you treat others differently?"
"I can let it go if you just make things difficult for others and flaunt your official power, but you harbor malicious intentions and have grown too greedy. Do I really need to spell it out for you?"
“If I detain you here and send the censors to search your residences, don’t think that just because you’ve hidden your money in your ancestral home or your mistress’s house, no one will know!”
The three men were deathly pale, sweat beading on their foreheads, and lay motionless on the ground.
Xu Zhen retorted, "Do you still dare to say that I made things difficult for you? I haven't mistreated you; I was only considering that you've worked diligently, endured separation from your families, and that it's not easy being busy on this isolated island..."
Do you really think I am blind and deaf?
The three men kowtowed in unison, saying, "We dare not! We know we were wrong!"
Xu Zhen waved his sleeve, said nothing more, and ordered his men to send the group away.
The three leaders kept turning back, hoping that Xu Zhen could reassure them, but seeing Xu Zhen's attitude, they dared not offend him.
After the three men and their entourage left, Xu Zhen summoned Lao Er'er, Song Shiwen, and Fan Zizhong into the house.
To put it simply, “You should send someone to the village to inform them that the village chief should go to the mine to pay the money now.”
"Once the three arrive at the mine, see if they accept the goods or not. If they don't, report directly here, and I will settle this matter completely while I am still on the Southern Island!"
On behalf of the three families and the village chief of Fengjia Village, Song Shiwen respectfully thanked Xu Zhen.
Xu Zhen's expression was solemn. "Although I'm not very familiar with your situation or that of Nanxian County and Fengjia Village, I've witnessed Miss Ruan Meng's medical skills and craftsmanship these past two days..."
"I've also witnessed how you all get along. If it were anyone else using this as an excuse, I might question them, but if it's Miss Ruan, saying she wants to use her medical skills and seafood delicacies to lead the villagers to a better life..."
"I am willing to protect this possibility and hope that the villagers can have a future."
After they came out, they immediately discussed that Song Shiyuan and Fan Zizhong would lead two guards back to the village to report the news.
Ruan Meng had already learned from her second brother about everything Xu Zhen had done, and she was very grateful.
It's clear that Xu Zhen is a man of action, unafraid of offending people, and a man of action.
To express her gratitude, Ruan Meng asked Xiao Kai and A Yuan, "Are there pigeons for sale in Beixian County?"
A-Yuan asked in surprise, "What does the young lady need pigeons for?"
Xiao Kai's eyes lit up. "What can it do? If it's for delivering a message, wouldn't you just ask the carrier pigeon?"
A-Yuan suddenly realized, his expression brightening, "Food?"
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