At the end of Chapter 277, a 15-year tax exemption was agreed upon.
"General Lin, wait!" Xiao Jingchen called out loudly when he saw that Lin Jize and Lin Luoxi were indeed about to leave.
“Your Highness, I’m not asking for an exorbitant price. We are all farmers, so we know that it takes at least five to ten years for a field to become a good crop.”
"We haven't even fattened them up yet, and we still have to pay so much tax. Isn't that just paying out of our own pockets? Only a fool would do something like that. We won't do it."
Upon hearing Xiao Jingchen call out to them, Lin Jize immediately reined in his horse, taking the initiative.
"General Lin, please don't get so angry. Everything can be discussed."
“I can’t promise you twenty years, but I can make the decision for ten years.” Xiao Jingchen felt that he had already made concessions.
"Luo Xi, let's go. We'll go back and buy some fertile land elsewhere right away." Lin Jize wasn't fooled by the conditions Xiao Jingchen offered, which were not what he had expected.
"Okay!" With a reliable elder to back her up, Lin Luoxi was happy to have some free time and cooperated with Lin Jize's acting.
The two sides disagreed, and in the end, Lin Jize, along with Lin Luoxi and a large group of people, left in a grand manner and returned to the inn closest to the fertile field to rest.
"Luo Xi, did I ask for too much..." Back at the inn, reporter Lin felt that he might have been asking for too much, but Xiao Jingchen didn't even chase after him.
"No, Grandpa is doing this for my own good, and that piece of land is indeed a large wasteland. It's not worth it to come here."
“Let it lie there abandoned. The people have discerning eyes.”
"We won't be the ones who lose face then, so we don't need to rush."
The villagers within a ten-mile radius all knew that the barren field was a top-quality fertile land bestowed upon her by the emperor.
But whether it is fertile land or not, the people's eyes are discerning.
Everyone knows that the royals are playing tricks on her, a mere village girl, and she's not the victim who's being talked about behind her back.
"But I think those people in the court are too incompetent. They can't subdue this person or that person. They might as well just retreat into their shells." Lin Luoxi really looked down on those people in the court who ate their monthly stipends but did nothing.
If the imperial court continues to turn a blind eye, the common people will ultimately suffer. One day, when the people are oppressed to the point of exhaustion, the imperial court will descend into chaos.
As soon as Lin Luoxi finished speaking, the sound of horses' hooves rang out outside the station.
Without even guessing, everyone knows who is making that thunderous hoofbeats.
"General Lin, Miss Lin, what a coincidence!" Upon seeing Lin Luoxi and Lin Jize's horses outside the inn, Xiao Jingchen immediately dismounted and led Ji Feng and the others inside.
"Hey Lin, why are you so hot-tempered? How about I prescribe some medicine to cool you down?" Old Man Li joked with Lin Jize as soon as he came in.
"Hehe, Lao Li, you didn't suffer the loss yourself, so it's easy for you to talk without feeling the pain."
After Lin Luoxi's analysis, Lin Jize was no longer in a hurry. Seeing that Old Man Li was standing up for Xiao Jingchen, he retorted without hesitation.
He dared to confront Xiao Jingchen, so let alone anyone else.
Seeing Lin Jize's tense demeanor, Old Man Li fell silent and shrank back behind Xiao Jingchen.
It wasn't that Old Man Li was afraid of him; it was mainly because Lin Luoxi's medical knowledge was too attractive. He didn't argue with Lin Jize out of respect for Lin Luoxi.
Yes, it was only because of Lin Luoxi that I didn't hold a grudge against Lin Jize.
Old Li would never admit it, but when Lin Jize fought for every inch of land, it was quite frightening.
"Hey, we're all familiar with each other, let's not make the atmosphere so tense." Seeing Lin Jize's confrontational attitude, Xiao Jingchen quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
“Miss Lin, Lady Lin, what do you think…” Xiao Jingchen looked at Lin Luoxi.
"Your Highness, please don't call me 'Lord of the Village,' I don't deserve that title." The sarcasm in her words was quite obvious.
My understanding is that the royal family treated me like a fool, using the title of a village head and some barren land as a way to appease them, and that land was also controlled by local bullies.
Turning that inferior field into a superior one not only takes time, but also requires dealing with the local bullies. It takes a lot of effort, energy, and time. Lin Luoxi is not so easily fooled.
"Oh dear, Miss Lin, you're being a bit awkward with your words..." Xiao Jingchen said, seeing that Lin Luoxi was completely inappropriate, and started joking around again.
"Your Highness, if you have something urgent, please speak. If there's nothing important, we'll eat first..."
Lin Luoxi didn't have much patience for Xiao Jingchen, who kept changing the subject, and directly told him to leave.
"It's urgent, Miss Lin. How many years do you think would be appropriate for the exemption?" Xiao Jingchen realized he couldn't avoid the question, so he looked at Lin Luoxi seriously, intending to let her speak first.
“Your Highness, it’s not a matter of a few years’ exemption. The main problem is that there are too many issues with this piece of land. Rather than wasting time and energy here, I might as well just give it up and let it lie fallow.”
Heh, by then, the world will know that the royal family are truly ruthless...
"So, as long as you transform this field into fertile land, I'll support you no matter what method you use..."
Rather than letting it lie idle, it would be better for Lin Luoxi to turn it into fertile land. After many years, when it yields profits, the imperial court will also receive tax revenue. It's better than leaving it there worthless.
"Considering that you are a woman destined for great things, I agree to exempt you from taxes for fifteen years. What do you think?" This was already his biggest concession. Fifteen years was enough for him to maneuver in the court for a long time.
"Fine, but if I cause any deaths by talking about those local bullies, you, as a prince, will have to cover for me." She might as well use her connections; fifteen years was more than enough for her.
“Miss Lin, do whatever you want without worry. Those local thugs have harmed many ordinary people. Even if you tear them apart, we will still reward you.”
"Your words are enough." Lin Luoxi felt there were too many empty promises and traps.
"Forget about the reward. I'm afraid I'll fall into another pit after I've just jumped out of this one." Lin Luoxi has absolutely no interest in the empty promises Xiao Jingchen is making.
Lin Luoxi finally realized that royal rewards were not so easy to obtain; they were all just a facade, designed to bully ordinary people like them with no background.
"Hehe..." Lin Luoxi's blunt words left Xiao Jingchen speechless, and he could only chuckle awkwardly.
"Lin Yi, have someone send a message back saying that I will be in Black Rock Town for the time being, and I will go back after I finish things here."
"But Miss, tomorrow is the day the eldest young master and the third young master take the exam. Are you sure you don't want to go back?" Lin Yi forgot about Lin Luoxi and kindly reminded her.
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