201-205

201. Farming: Collecting Rent

Translator: Guy Gone Bad

Then Su family was pretty miserable.

Very soon, Su Bei took Fengxuan Yi to the east side of the village.

The grain in the field should have been freshly harvested, leaving only stubbles of roots.

Su Bei stood on the ridge of the field, his expensive clothes looked very ostentatious here.

After a big man in the field saw Su Bei, he hurriedly ran away.

Su Bei tried to ignore him.

After a while, the big man brought several people over, unfriendly asking, “Young master Su, what brings you here?”

Su Bei said briefly, “I am Su Bei, I’m here to collect rents.”

That big man started to complain, “Young master Su, you know, it’s a bad harvest this year. How could we ever have the grain for the rent?”

Su Bei opened his mouth and said, “If there is a harvest, there is grain. But now you said you have no grain for the rent? Isn’t it a little too inappropriate?”

Suddenly someone shouted, “Isn’t it An Ning’s Ahei?”

Su Bei picked his eyebrows, “What are you talking about? An Ning’s? He is mine!”

Listening to Su Bei’s domineering words, not knowing why, Feng Xuanyi had some kind of strange feeling.

748, “Captivating bar increased by 5%, current progress 30%.”

Someone spat, “Pah~ It seems that we see him wrong. Now he is a jackal to the tiger.”

Su Bei picked his eyebrows, “Hey, is my people for you to scold?”

“Instead of paying the rents, you even cursed my people!”

The big man pretended to be a good man, “Young master Su, young master Su, don’t be angry, we really have no grain, or we have already paid.”

The corner of Su Bei’s mouth slightly hooked, “You mean if you pay the rent, then you’ll have no food to eat?”

The big man repeatedly said yes. Su Bei said, “How about you don’t eat anymore?”

His words corresponded with that big man’s, making the big man have no work to say back.

Finally the big man directly acted shamelessly, “Anyway we have nothing but our lives! If you want it, just take it!”

Su Bei looked back at Feng Xuanyi, “Tie him up for me!”

Feng Xuanyi frowned, Su Bei urged him, “Hurry up.”

Those people began to play the old times’ card, “Ahei, when you first came here, we helped you, without us, you might have been dead already.”

Su Bei picked his eyebrows, “So much bullshit! Come on, tie him up!”

He was like a totally unreasonable young master when he was saying those words.

Feng Xuanyi then opened his mouth, “Pay the rents. There won’t be much food left, but you also won’t starve.”

That big man couldn’t take it and directly spat on him, “We helped you. And I was even defending you just now. But now you are helping Su family to oppress us!”

Then those people kept cursing Feng Xuanyi.

Feng Xuanyi frowned slightly, feeling that those people were really unreasonable, “Su family does this only for the whole village.”

The big man snorted coldly, “What? Are you trying to say it’s to appease those bandits in the mountains?”

“You think we are fools? If you say Su family colludes with the bandits, I may believe it. But if you say it’s for our good, pah!”

Su Bei threw a kick in Feng Xuanyi’s crus, with not too much strength, “Is it interesting to play the lute to a cow?”

Feng Xuanyi asked Su Bei, “What do you want?”

Su Bei gave him a stare, “Do you think I’ll kill them?”

Hearing that, Feng Xuanyi directly took action.

Those strong rough men soon got pressed on the ridge.

Su Bei issued the command, “Tie them up, tie them all up!”

202. Farming: I’ll Tickle You if You Don’t Pay!

Translator: Guy Gone Bad

Feng Xuanyi tied them up as Su Bei ordered.

Then Su Bei went to the edge of the field to pull a dog’s tail grass and handed it to Feng Xuanyi, “Take off his shoes, scratch his soles, tickle him hard if he doesn’t pay the rent.”

Feng Xuanyi was slightly surprised, but still took off that man’s shoes as he was told and started to give him a tickle.

Su Bei stood in the field looking at the big man who got his face distorted in order to stifle his laugh, saying with a smile, “You know, I have plenty of time to waste with you. Time is not a problem for me. Anyway, I won’t let him stop before you agree to pay the rent.”

The big man finally couldn’t help laughing, which sounded a little painful.

Those onlookers also did not know what to say, since they thought Su Bei would use some cruel way to torture them.

It turned out to be tickling, but seen from now, tickling was also a cruel thing.

Su Bei had a dog’s tail grass at the corner of his mouth, watching the man laughing in spite of himself, and thought he was pretty tough.

But he didn’t hang in there for too long before shouting that he’d pay the rent, definitely!

And then Su Bei let him go.

He looked around and grinned, “Who else would want to try it?”

They all felt cold down the spine, saying in unison, “We’ll hand in the rent right away!”

Su Bei made a finger snap, “Done!”

Before leaving, he turned to throw them a creepy smile, “If I don’t see the rent by tomorrow, I’ll come hang out with you again.”

They all stepped backwards, suddenly felt that Su Bei was a real demon!

Although the tickling had stopped, the big man lying in there still had a twitch, and then laughed twice, had a twitch and laughed twice.

It was really scary, which made these people even more determined to pay the tenant rent.

On the way back, Feng Xuanyi couldn’t help saying, “It’s not solution to keep offering them grain.”

Su Bei turned his head sideways to look at him, “Eavesdropping is not a good habit.”

For the first time, Feng Xuanyi felt embarrassed for being exposed on spot. He said nothing.

And also for the first time, Su Bei thought his captivating object is so cute!

If only his captivating object could always be so cute!

Su Bei the replied, “Of course we can’t do this all the way. This time, you and I will send them the grain. I know you got awesome martial arts.”

Not knowing why, Fengxuan Yi used the words Su Bei used today to refute him, “Having good martial arts is my own thing. Why should I help you?”

The corner of Su Bei’s mouth twitched, “You are really good at learning and applying elastically. All right. Anyway, I have no ability to defeat those bandits. Then let them keep squeezing those Looking at Su Bei’s delicate side face, Feng Xuanyi suddenly had some kind of inexplicable impulse, but he didn’t know why.

748, “Captivating bar increased by 5%, current progress 35%.”

He withdrew his eyes. “It’s getting dark. Let’s go home.”

As Su Bei went back home, the girl he saved during the day came.

In the living room, no matter what Su Bei’s mother asked her, she just wouldn’t open her mouth.

But as she saw Su Bei, her eyes glistened and she came forward, “My greetings, young master Su.”

Su Bei asked her, “Has it been handled?”

The girl replied, “Yes, thank you for your generosity.”

Su Bei asked the girl, “What’s your name?”

The girl replied, “My name is Xiaolian.”

Su Bei nodded, “I still need a maid. It’s you then.”

Xiaolian agreed without hesitation.

Su Bei’s mother froze there, not knowing what was happening, “Where did you get this girl?”

203. Farming: I Like Men

Translator: Guy Gone Bad

Su Bei replied, “I bought her back for paying to bury her father.”

Su Bei’s father who happened to come over shouted, “Bury me? I haven’t died yet!”

Su Bei shrugged his shoulders, “I mean she sold herself for burying her father.”

Su Bei’s mother also gave his father an eye, looking up and down at Xiaolian then, “A maid? I think she could serve you in bed.”

Su Bei took a step back, “Don’t! Mom, I really like men, I don’t want to hurt her.”

Su Bei’s mother nearly got choked by his words, “Save it! I asked someone. You often went to Yichun Brothel before. Now you told me you like men?”

“You just think wild flowers are better than homey ones.”

Su Bei blinked and said, “But, did you ask what I was doing there? I just listened to some music.”

Su Bei’s mother was incredulous, “Come on, who would go to a place like Yichun Brothel to listen to music?”

Su Bei said with a pair of sincere eyes, “Me.”

Su Bei’s mother got choked by his words, clapped the table and rose, “You little bastard, I’ll kill you!”

Speaking of which, she was about to beat Su Bei, but Su Bei didn’t dodge, “It’s true I like men, and it’s also true it can’t be changed. Mom, just beat me.”

Su Bei’s mom hammered him with her fist with a few times, then slumped into the chair crying, “What sin have I committed? Why did I give birth to such an unfilial son?”

Su Bei took the opportunity to say, “Maybe it’s a good thing I like men. You’ll have one more son. Isn’t it good?”

Su Bei’s father comforted his mother, while signaling Su Bei with an eye, meaning “Get lost!”.

So Su Bei slipped away.

Feng Xuanyi asked Su Bei, “Why would you say you like men?”

Wouldn’t he be considered a monster?

Su Bei asked rhetorically, “But that’s the fact. Why hide it?”

As Feng Xuanyi only said one word ‘you’, Su Bei stopped and turned around, seriously looking at him. “Actually those betrothal gifts were really for you.”

Feng Xuanyi’s eyes slightly contracted, “I don’t like men.”

Su Bei didn’t feel frustrated or what, “It’s fine you don’t like men, you only need to like me.”

Feng Xuanyi looked at Su Bei’s beaming eyes, suddenly felt that he was kind of good-looking.

748, “Captivating bar increased by 5%, current progress 40%.”

He looked away, “But I don’t like you either.”

Although he had changed a lot about his attitude toward Su Bei today, he wouldn’t like him.

Su Bei pondered for a bit, “Fine. I will try harder.”

Xiaolian who had been listening quietly didn’t have any special reaction.

As for An Ning, she directly went to the family her big uncle went to make the proposal, trying to get back the betrothal gifts.

But that family wasn’t easy to mess with, they just wouldn’t take them out.

This made An Ning very angry. She argued with her big uncle and his family for a long time. They were even more rascal, saying that the betrothal gifts had been received anyway, they had nothing now.

Angry, An Ning returned home only to find her parents moving the grain out.

She asked, “What are you doing? Why did you take the grain all out?”

Her yes-man father got angry on seeing her, so she turned to look at her mother.

Her mother sighed, “This is the rent for Su family.”

An Ning raised her voice, “What? Rent for Su family? It took us so much pain to harvest it. Why give it to Su family?”

Her father said in a deep voice, “The young master came to collect rent and tortured that Zhao guy hard.”

An Ning was even madder, after failing to ask the betrothal gifts back, and now this? “No, don’t give them!

204. Farming: Go to Pay the Rent

Translator: Guy Gone Bad

An Ning’s father was a little sacred, “What if Childe Su comes to our home? We still owe him the betrothal presents!”

An Ning gave him an awful look, “What are you afraid of? He clearly did something wrong. Such high land rent! He is trying to push us farmers to die! As for the betrothal presents, I will take care of it!”

Those words made her parents much relieved.

The next day, Su Bei sat in the courtyard with a brochure waiting for those tenants to pay the rent.

Maybe what Su Bei did yesterday was too scary, so everyone came early bringing the grains with them.

Su Bei casually sat in the chair, checking their names, while Feng Xuanyi was responsible for weighing their grains.

Lian fed Su Bei fruit aside. So cozy!

Finally, Su Bei narrowed his eyes as he saw An Ning’s father’s name.

Looks like An Ning had made up her mind not to pay the rent.

Of course, Feng Xuanyi also noticed An Ning’s father’s name. Speaking of which, it was An Ning who suggested not to pay the rent.

He had felt that An Ning did nothing wrong, but now he did not feel that way anymore.

Su Bei closed the brochure and said to the villagers who had not left, “Since you are so active, I can consider reduce your rent next year.”

The villagers looked at each other as if they could not believe their ears, “Childe Su, is what you said true?”

Su Bei smiled, “Look at how excited you are, of course it’s false.”

Those villagers who were happy a moment ago instantly darkened their face, and then Su Bei went on, “But it’s not impossible. How to say? It depends on my mood. If I am in a good mood, maybe, except reducing your rent, there’d be extra benefit.”

The villagers were all dubious now. But there was one thing they could be sure—do not offend Su Bei!

After the villagers left, Su Bei was thinking of one thing.

In the plot, An Ning used such a sentence to describe Su Bei’s family.

No one would dare to say no even if they beat someone to death.

Since she dared to say so, she should have some evidence, that is to say, the Su family had ever killed people?

At this time, Su Bei’s father came out. Seeing those grains in the yard, he grinned from ear to ear, “Alas! My son really has my style when I was young!”

Su Bei casually said, “Your style of killing people?”

His father threw him a stare, “Don’t talk nonsense! Your dad I even dare not kill a chicken. How would I ever kill someone?”

“Don’t listen to those people’s nonsense. Clearly I just touched him and he died already.”

“Your dad I even paid for the funeral! Such mishap!”

Su Bei twitched his mouth. Rumors are rumors!

How to say? Maybe those villagers saw that his family was rich, so they subconsciously always tried to bring shame to his family out of jealousy.

As long as Su family did something, people would hold malice to think of it.

Just like the people in his world, some people always felt that those rich people should all earn their money through illegal way.

Su Bei asked his father, “When will we send the grains to the bandits?”

His father waved his hand, “That’s not what you should concern about.”

Su Bei said, “I will go.”

His father wide opened his eyes, “No way! Those bandits are terrible!”

Su Bei patted his father on the shoulder, “Trust me.”

His father looked at Su bei, for the first time, he thought his son had grown up. He was kind of touched, “Still no! You are my only son. I can’t let anything happen to you!”

Su Bei casually replied, “Anyway, the family bloodline will end on me.”

His father glared at him, “What bullsh*t are you talking about?”

Su Bei did not continue this topic, but said, “So, when?”

His father still didn’t intend to tell him

205. Farming: Bad Plan

Translator: Guy Gone Bad

Su Bei shrugged his shoulders, leisurely saying, “Will you tell me yourself or some day I’ll sneak out myself?”

Having no choice, his father could only tell him that it was the day after tomorrow.

Su Bei replied ‘got it’.

His father said uncomfortably, “Don’t tell your mom. She’d be worried.”

Su Bei made a twitch of his mouth, “I guess you are afraid she may beat you?”

His father threw him his dagger eyes.

Su Bei did not mean to bring Feng Xuanyi to use force. Taking them by strategy was the best way!

He learned about it. They had over a hundred of them. As the saying goes, too many ants can kill an elephant.

Su Bei asked Feng Xuanyi, “Can you sneak into the bandits’ lair without anyone noticing?”

Feng Xuanyi did not answer him immediately, instead, he said, “I’ll go check the situation first.”

Su Bei agreed, so the next few days, he brought Feng Xuanyi to wander around in the mountain.

Occasionally, they’d meet those bandits, and they knew Su Bei was from that big Su family.

So they just said some threatening words, nothing else.

How to say? Those bandits were very cautious. Maybe Feng Xuanyi could make it if he hadn’t lost his memories. But now, that was hard to say.

After much deliberation, Su Bei made a plan.

When they sent the grains for them, Feng Xuanyi could take the opportunity to sneak into their lair and put some laxative in their food.

Feng Xuanyi felt that the plan was too hasty, so Su Bei asked him if he had any better idea.

They couldn’t fight them, since Su family had few strong servants. The magistrate was also afraid of them, so he would never provoke them.

Even if Su Bei tried to unite the villagers, they wouldn’t respond.

Of course Feng Xuanyi also knew about the situation, so he said nothing.

Su Bei patted on his shoulder, “You shoulder the hope of the whole village. Go for it!”

Feng Xuanyi looked at the teasing smile on Su Bei’s face, suddenly found that he kind of did not understand this person.

748, “Captivating bar increased by 2%, current progress 42%.”

Soon the day for sending the grains came. As the saying goes, it’s convenient to do some nasty thing on a dark and windy night. After watching the servants carry those grains onto the carriage one bag after another, he went up the mountains then.

What he didn’t know was An Ning was right behind him.

Because of the tenant rent and betrothal gifts, she held great resentment toward Su Bei.

Then when she heard that the Su family would go to the mountains every year after collecting their rent, she felt something was wrong.

So she wanted to quietly follow behind and got something on them, then she’d have the final say whether she should give those betrothal gifts back.

Su Bei brought the grains to the appointed place, and then asked the servants to go back first.

Soon, a big bearded man appeared holding a torch with over a dozen of people behind.

He looked at Su Bei and said, “Oh, it’s you, Childe Su?”

Su Bei said expressionlessly, “Check it. See if it’s enough.”

That bearded big man waved a hand, immediately someone came forward to check it.

Then he nodded at the bearded man, and the bearded man said, “Not bad, your Su family is trustworthy.”

“But, my hands are a little tight recently. What do you say I should do?”

Su Bei stepped backwards, “How would I know?”

The bearded big man suddenly changed his face, “I see that your family is kind of rich. How about offer us some money to waste?”

Su Bei calmly said, “Illusion, it should be your illusion. You see that our days are not bad, but actually we are just trying to keep up appearances.”

That bearded big man laughed, “I don’t care. Since you offer yourself to us, we can only ‘invite’ you to have a seat in our place.”

As his words fell, his men surrounded him.