I don't know how he persuaded the two stewards not to build a house, but to repair the wooden fence gate first.

And he sent men from those families who did not approve of the division of the money to keep watch day and night, and did not allow them to go out.

Internally, I have to hide from the two stewards and those who do the work. When the Yang sisters talked about the situation in Yingzigou, Lu Xiaoshan didn't know where to carry a pot of boiling water and a bag of tea and entered the wooden house.

Pouring tea, smelling the familiar fragrance of cloud tea, Mei Xiaotong picked up the teacup, but did not drink it, only asked Lu Xiaoshan, how is the house in Yingzigou built?

Lu Xiaoshan was full of good words, praising the two stewards for their seriousness, their houses are now dug up, the framework is almost the same, and after a while, it will be time to build the beams and tiles.

Because it is in the mountains, the houses in this Yingzigou are all made of stone, and the cracks in the stones are plastered with mortar, which is both firm and warm in winter and cool in summer.

Moreover, stones are everywhere in this mountain, so only a team of stonemasons were invited to come, and the place was chosen, and every day the stones were polished, and the stones were polished into the shape needed to build a house.

This not only saves costs, but also does not waste time.

However, due to the fact that the weather has been getting hotter and hotter recently, the progress of those stonemasons has also slowed down, otherwise they would have been on the beam long ago.

When Mei Xiaotong heard this, she immediately had a number in her heart, where was the reason why the weather was getting hotter and hotter, but I was afraid that it was the result of the intentional delay of the two managers.

After talking about the house, Mei Xiaotong saw that Lu Xiaoshan didn't seem to have told the truth, and she didn't bother to continue talking nonsense with him, so she said directly: "Brother Xiaoshan, you don't have anything else to say to me?" ”

Lu Xiaoshan raised his head suddenly, looked at Mei Xiaotong's clear eyes, and flashed a look of embarrassment.

However, he could barely hold on, and said with a forced smile: "Of course I have something to say, it's all words of thanks, and I can't finish it for a few days and nights-"

"Big Brother Xiaoshan! I'll just ask one last time, do you really have nothing to tell me? Mei Xiaotong looked at Lu Xiaoshan calmly.

Is there anything else Lu Xiaoshan doesn't understand? People know everything! That's why I came to see how the people of Yingzigou lost their conscience and how white-eyed wolves were!

Lu Xiaoshan only felt a fever on his face, covered his face with a pair of big hands, squatted on the ground, and couldn't say anything ashamed.

It took a long time before he said: "It's because we can't stop you!" I don't have the face to see you, and I don't have the face to speak—"

After speaking, the strong man let out a mournful roar in his throat, and a trace of wetness appeared in the palm of his hand covering his face.

But in the end, Lu Xiaoshan is a man, he quickly cleaned up his mood, wiped away his tears, and raised his head, except for his eyes that were a little red, he couldn't see anything unusual.

Without saying a word, he kneeled down to Mei Xiaotong: "Our people in Yingzigou can't help but show kindness to Xiucai Niangzi!" Now that the Xiucai lady knows, we have nothing to quibble, let the Xiucai lady punish her! No complaints! ”

If it was before, Mei Xiaotong would definitely have to avoid it, or help Lu Xiaoshan up.

But at this moment, Mei Xiaotong sat upright, looked at Lu Xiaoshan quietly, and spoke for a while: "Let me punish you?" No complaints? You dare to say this, but I dare not believe it! ”

Lu Xiaoshan's originally straight back bent down all of a sudden, with a wry smile on his face.

yes, who believes? Even he didn't believe it.

These days, he has spent every day in torment, on the one hand, he is a companion who grew up together, no different from his own brothers, he can't watch them be cut off by the people in the gambling house, right?

They are all the main forces in the family, if they really break their hands and feet, won't they be ruined for the rest of their lives?

But on the other hand, it is a benefactor who has a great kindness to them Yingzigou, isn't it betraying the benefactor by doing this?

Lu Xiaoshan felt that it was really too difficult!

During the day, I have to pretend that nothing is going to build a house, and at night I have to try to persuade those who are being told not to be impulsive, and everyone will think of a way.

He thought that everyone could understand his hard work, but he didn't expect that more and more people were persuaded that they wanted to get the silver for ten years, and then they should be happy and happy, and they should enjoy the blessings.

Lu Xiaoshan was anxious, fortunately, among the brothers in Yingzigou, there were still a few old people who were right-minded and remembered the kindness of the talented lady, or who were timid and felt that something would happen if they made such a big fuss.

Barely able to suppress those people, only locked people in Yingzigou, and did not let the people in the gambling house come in, thinking that it would be good to delay it for a few days and then think of a way.

He also warned those who asked for money that everyone had fingerprints on the deed at the beginning, and now even if they want to repent, they are not afraid to take the deed to the government.

This warning temporarily quieted down those who had already moved their minds, but in the past few days, his heart has become more and more uncomposed.

There are already vague rumors that those people are planning something behind their backs, and when the plan is successful, the silver will be successfully obtained.

Although he didn't find out what those people were planning, he knew that it was definitely not a good thing.

At this moment, Mei Xiaotong asked directly on his face, what else could Lu Xiaoshan do except lower his head?

At that moment, there was a few knocks on the next wall, and then everyone watched as the planks on the wall crept and moved away from a door.

On the other side of the door, Sun Qi and Zhang Quan were standing.

The two of them arched their hands at Mei Xiaotong: "Xiucai lady, we have inquired clearly, about seventy percent of the people in Yingzigou have been moved by those people, they are planning to surround the tea garden, if Xiucai lady does not agree to give money, they will fire the mountain and burn all the tea garden!" ”

"What?" Lu Xiaoshan's eyes widened, and he suddenly jumped up from the ground.

Mei Xiaotong couldn't help but feel a beat in her heart, these people are too vicious, this is to see the importance of tea to their side, take this as a guide

It's going to be blackmailed.

Mei Changgui's face turned red with anger: "These Mei bastards, they have no conscience!" Is this a human thing? Even if you feed a dog, you're done! Why can't this man be fed? ”

Lu Xiaoshan's face was blue and white for a while, I don't know if he was said by Mei Changgui, or he was angry, but he was there.

Mei Xiaotong and An Huahao exchanged a look.

An Huahao stepped forward: "What about your side?" ”

Zhang Quan and Sun Qi glanced at each other, and Sun Qi made a gesture of please, "Song Xiucai, please, let's take a step to speak." ”

An Huahao walked a few steps to Sun Qi's house on their side, and when he walked to the corner, he saw Sun Qi whispering: "Our people have been arranged near Chashan, although there are many of them, there are only a dozen or so people who can really act, and the others are all old and small, so don't worry, if they really dare to do it, our brothers are not vegetarians!" ”

An Huahao knew in his heart that every move of this Yingzigou was only under the supervision of these two people.

It's a pity that the people of Yingzigou are still very self-righteous.

is not polite at the moment, only clenched his fists: "Then it will bother you!" ”

Sun Qi hurriedly lowered his head respectfully: "Don't dare, don't dare, Song Xiucai is polite!" ”

Although their voices were small, Mei Xiaotong listened to them all, and the thing she was most worried about was the safety of the tea tree.

Now that she has a guarantee, she can naturally have no scruples.

sneered at the moment: "Since this is the case, then there is nothing to say, call all the people in Yingzigou, let's tear this matter apart in person!" ”

Lu Xiaoshan was still flustered, and was pushed by Mei Changgui, and said in a rough voice: "What are you still doing?" Why don't you call all the people in Yingzigou? ”

Lu Xiaoshan lowered his head and walked out in despair.

As soon as he left, Zhang Quan and Sun Qi stepped forward: "Zhang Quan and Sun Qijing listen to the dispatch of the talented lady!" ”

Mei Xiaotong only asked a few words about Zhang Quan and Sun Qi's arrangement, only to know that they not only arranged protection personnel on the side of Chashan, but even on the way to Chashan, they had unknowingly knocked down a few boulders and blocked the road.

Mei Xiaotong frowned and pondered for a while, in the end, this tea tree is important, and she is not at ease with others, so she only looked at An Huahao.

Where else does An Huahao not understand, knowing that only by going by himself can Mei Xiaotong let go of this side of the matter.

nodded neatly at the moment, and patted Sun Qi's shoulder: "You take me over there to the tea tree, just leave it to my lady here!" ”

Sun Qi was naturally not at ease, and only looked at Mei Xiaotong.

Mei Xiaotong nodded: "The most important thing is that you keep the tea tree, as long as the tea tree is fine, everything is easy to say here!" ”

Sun Qi hesitated, bowed his head and agreed, and turned around to leave.

An Huahao only looked at Mei Xiaotong: "I promise you, keep the tea tree, and you must also promise me that you can't get hurt!" ”

Mei Xiaotong hadn't spoken yet, Mei Changgui patted

Chest 1 chest promised: "Brother-in-law, don't worry!" I'm here! If you want to move my sister, it depends on whether I agree or not! ”

An Huahao only looked at Mei Changgui silently, and wanted to say, what is your combat strength in front of Xiaotong? In the end, he couldn't help it, patted Mei Changgui on the shoulder, turned his head and disappeared behind Sun Qi behind the door.

Here, Mei Xiaotong straightened her sleeves, and told Mei Changgui and Zhang Quan a few words, and then she heard the noise outside the door, which became louder and louder.

After a while, Li Dashan knocked on the door with a white face: "Xiucai lady, everyone is waiting for you in the cave——"

Mei Xiaotong nodded, got up and walked past Li Dashan.

I heard a low sentence: "Xiucai lady be careful, don't go into the cave, it's at the entrance of the cave-"

Then Li Dashan walked to the front in a few steps, as if nothing happened.

Walking to the mouth of the cave, Mei Xiaotong really stopped.

At the entrance of the cave, almost all the people in Yingzigou were there, and the men were indignantly in front, waving their fists and not knowing what to say.

The women were talking to each other, and the old people were standing next to them with their children in their arms.

Lu Xiaoshan stood in front of everyone and shouted hard: "Xiucai Lady is coming, you all be honest, don't talk nonsense-"

Someone shouted in the crowd: "It's better to come, let's make it clear in front of the gong and drum!" ”

"That's it! Make it clear! ”

"If you don't make it clear, don't want to go out!"

"yes, don't want to go out!"

"No, I've heard that the tea they sell can be sold at a high price outside! This is all our Yingzigou stuff, why can they get so much money and only give us such a little? ”

"Why!"

……

Some people were indignant, and some people kept echoing, and soon suppressed Lu Xiaoshan's voice.

Mei Xiaotong looked at it coldly, and the people in Yingzigou were faintly divided into two factions.

At this moment, there were obviously more people shouting hotly, and they were all excited, seeing Mei Xiaotong was like a hungry wolf seeing food.

There weren't many people standing in the corner, the men were pale, and the women were pouting and covering their children's ears.

There were also some old people, standing far away, only shaking their heads and sighing.

The already noisy scene, after seeing Mei Xiaotong, it was like two drops of water dripping into a hot oil pot, and it simply exploded.

I can't wait to rush over at once.

It was still Lu Xiaoshan and Li Dashan, and the few men standing next to them rushed over and barely stopped them.

Seeing this posture, Zhang Quan stepped forward and shouted: "Everyone be quiet first, if you have anything to say, say it one by one——"

His voice was broken, and no one paid attention to him.

But the human wall is about to be unstoppable.

Mei Xiaotong looked left and right, and just saw that at the mouth of the cave, there was a willow tree with a crooked neck with the thickness of a bowl, which was climbed up and down by the children of Yingzigou on weekdays

Except for a few spots of green at the top of the tree, the trunk below has been trampled smooth and translucent.

Take two steps forward and one foot up.

Everyone saw that the willow tree clicked and broke off from the place where Mei Xiaotong landed, and with a bang, it smashed up the dust in the sky, and just a gust of wind blew, and these winds were wrapped in dust and smashed their heads and faces into the cave.

The residents of Yingzigou, who were caught off guard, were pounced on with a mouthful of ash on their faces.

Half of the momentum just now was extinguished by this ash, and the remaining half, thinking about the tree, couldn't help but tremble with legs.

The first few exchanged a look with each other, and they were going to be finished! No one told them that this talented lady could kick and break a tree?

Is it a fuss? Or cowardice? This is a very serious question.

In the end, money is moving, relying on the strength of the crowd, one of them gritted his teeth and stood up: "Xiucai lady, you know everything if you want to." Our brother is not an unreasonable person, let's talk and discuss. You only need to send a ten-year dividend to our brother at one time, and our brother will be grateful to you, and repay you by making cattle and horses in the next life! ”

"Yes, Xiucai lady, we can't help it, we have to die if we don't have money! There is still this old and small family at home, they have to live, don't they? You have a lot of money, and you are richer than us, so you will be a good person to the end, and send people to the west! ”

"We don't want too many brothers, as long as you pay it all at once! If you pay it off, this eagle ditch will be yours! Our brothers move out immediately, nothing else! ”

……

It's not lively.

Mei Xiaotong stood there quietly and listened to the words of these hunters, only feeling sad and ridiculous.

Not long ago, these people were also these people, who were grateful to Dade at that time, their eyes were red, and they said that they would remember their good for the rest of their lives.

It turns out that their whole life is just so time? Less than two months?

When those people saw that Mei Xiaotong didn't say a word, they just listened to their requests, and they felt that although this talented lady was so scary, there were so many of them who were not afraid of her.

Besides, listening to the people in the town, people outside this mountain, after they have money, like to do good deeds and save face.

If she doesn't solve the matter of Yingzigou well, it will be their people who will lose it.

The legs, which had just been frightened, stood up again.

Lu Xiaoshan opened his mouth to say something, but things had reached this point, and it was useless to say anything.

Mei Xiaotong listened to what they said before he spoke: "In this case, I just ask: If you want to get all the dividends at once, stand on the left, and keep the same on the right, so that I have a number in my heart." ”

The people of Yingzigou, look at me, look at you, and the troublemaker stood on the left, followed him, and passed a large area of hulala.

There are only about twenty people left, and the person opposite is a stroke, and they really look weak, pitiful and helpless.

Mei Xiaotong fixed her eyes

It seems that among the more than 20 people, there is Lu Xiaoshan, who hung his head and did not dare to face Mei Xiaotong, and Li Dashan, who did not hide his worry with a blue face.

There is also Brother Yang Zhao, who is holding Gu Yu and holding a big belly.

There are also a few children who are not sensible, and they don't know why they are divided into two sides, trying to break free from the adults, and go to the other side, and are covered by the adults and hugged in their arms.

"Excellent! You're all sure, right? Mei Xiaotong glanced at the audience.

No one spoke, and suddenly there was silence in the cave.

"All the people in Yingzigou have arrived, right?" Mei Xiaotong asked again.

Still no one answered, Mei Xiaotong looked at Lu Xiaoshan, Lu Xiaoshan lowered his head and didn't know what he was thinking.

On the contrary, Li Dashan's hand on his lap on the side swayed without a trace.

Mei Xiaotong has a number in her heart, although she will not forget it, but when she first came to Yingzigou, most of the people were grateful to her, and some of them were deliberately stammering, and eighty or ninety percent of them had dangled in front of her eyes.

Although she can't be named, there are many people who haven't seen it, and they still know it in their hearts.

I guessed in my heart what those people were going to do, and the rest of the idea of mercy for Mei Xiaotong was all withdrawn.

"Okay, Zhang Quan, did you bring the deed you signed at the beginning? Read it to them. Mei Xiaotong turned back to signal Zhang Quan with a cold face.

Zhang Quan responded yes, took out a deed from his arms, and read it aloud, to the effect that the villagers of Yingzigou and Hengchang Commercial Bank signed a ten-year contract, and within ten years, the villagers of Yingzigou had to stay in Yingzigou and take care of the tea mountain for Hengchang Commercial Bank, except for those who signed an apprenticeship deed with Hengchang Commercial Bank.

As a reward, Hengchang Commercial Bank provided a number of residences for each of the villagers in Yingzigou, and distributed 10% of the profits of the tea produced in Yingzigou to the villagers in Yingzigou every year.

If the tea business closes down within 10 years, Heng Cheong Commercial Bank will continue to provide a subsidy of 10 taels of silver per household per year until the end of the 10 years.

(End of chapter)