FID – Chapter 955

Chapter 955: He Got Ganged Up On?

Liu Zhiqiu scratched his head.

If the two in front of him were his grandparents, parents, or uncle and aunt, he could have just acted cute and joked his way out. But these were the two sharpest minds in the family.

In the end, he sighed helplessly. “I bought the estates to lease to tenants. I’ll collect thirty percent of the annual rent.”

Feng Qingbai and Liu Zhixia both looked up at him, their gazes fixed, so intense that Liu Zhiqiu almost felt the urge to turn and run.

He wasn’t a coward, but the presence radiating from these two—especially Feng Qingbai—was something an ordinary person could not resist. And, conveniently for him, Liu Zhiqiu was still just an ordinary person, not immortal.

“Landlords usually collect at least fifty percent of the rent from their tenants. Collecting fifty percent is already considered generous. Most collect sixty to seventy percent,” Liu Zhixia said, her cold eyes narrowing. “Zhiqiu, are you trying to make enemies?”

If word got out that he was only taking thirty percent, it would cut off others’ profits. Every landlord would instantly see him as an adversary.

Without strong backing, anything could happen to him at any time, and he wouldn’t even know how he died. He really was bold to the point of recklessness.

Liu Zhiqiu gave a sycophantic smile. “That’s why I need you two to back me up, isn’t it?”

“Why do this?” Feng Qingbai asked calmly. His eyes were deep, his gaze sharp as a blade.

Liu Zhiqiu’s smile faded. After a moment of silence, he used the poker to stir the charcoal in the brazier, making the fire burn brighter.

“One time, when I was out delivering goods, I happened to see a tenant being beaten by a landlord’s thugs. His whole body was bruised. He was barely alive, but he still had to kneel and beg for just a little more grain, just a little chance to survive.”

“In order to feed themselves and their children, the whole family brought their elderly parents and their wives and daughters, bowing over and over to those people. Even a little child, three or four years old, cried and begged, ‘Please, sir… please, sir…’”

“They toil for an entire year, yet in the end can’t even get enough grain to fill their stomachs. And this isn’t some isolated case. In Nanling, there are countless tenant farmers who work themselves to death but still live on the brink of starvation—while the ones feeding themselves in luxury are those bloated landlords.”

Liu Zhiqiu’s lips curled, his smile thin and cold. “Fine wine and meat rot behind vermilion gates, while the bones of the frozen lie by the roadside. Why? Just because the tenants are poor and have no land?”

“Feng Qingbai, you and Big Brother are men of great ambition. Every decree you issue is for the sake of the larger picture. Under your governance, the empire truly prospers and the people live at peace. But there are many places where the ‘greater picture’ cannot reach and cannot cover.”

“I have no grand ambitions and no lofty desires. I’m just stubborn. If I see something I can’t stand, I’ll oppose it. I didn’t buy just a few estates. Once I save enough money, I’ll spread my farms all across Nanling.” 

Feng Qingbai’s eyes flickered. “With just the few estates you have now, even collecting only thirty percent rent, you already have far more grain than you can ever consume. If you truly plan to spread your farms all over Nanling in the future, what will you do with all that grain? Sell it and become a grain merchant?”

“No,” Liu Zhiqiu lifted his lips in a faint smile. “I’ll donate it to the national treasury. Don’t armies need provisions? Whatever I can’t use, I’ll give to the state for free, to feed the soldiers guarding the borders.”

“Great ideal,” Liu Zhixia said coolly, “but by the time you save enough silver to plant farms all across Nanling, it’ll probably take you a few hundred years.”

Liu Zhiqiu glanced at his older brother. Even though Zhixia had just poured cold water on him, there wasn’t the slightest hint of mockery on his face. Liu Zhiqiu’s eyes rolled, and he scooted over with a flattering grin. “Big Brother, you’re smarter than me. You must have an idea for me, right?”

“An idea? Like telling you to pry open Grandma’s money chest again?”

“…” That part of history did not need revisiting. Even now, whenever their parents remembered it, they’d still chase him around with a stick. “Big Brother—Feng Qingbai—”

He reached out and shook both their arms, practically wagging an invisible tail behind him.

Liu Zhixia and Feng Qingbai exchanged a glance, identical smiles tugging at the corners of their lips.

Zhixia patted his silly younger brother on the head, then looked toward the main room. “The family’s financial power is in Grandma’s hands. Begging me is useless; you’ll have to go ask her. Over the years, the money our family has earned may not rival the Qian family, but it’s not far behind. If Grandma agrees, you might actually be able to accomplish something big.”

“And there’s Qian Wanjin, he’s practically dripping with money. Aren’t you good at squeezing silver out of people? Go to him and you’ll scrape off plenty of oil,” Feng Qingbai reminded him casually.

Liu Zhiqiu’s eyes lit up instantly. With his long arms, he grabbed both of them into a tight hug. “Good brothers! You’ve enlightened me! I’ll go find Grandma in a bit. With you two backing me, she definitely won’t refuse.”

Feng Qingbai narrowed his eyes. “Liu Zhiqiu, you’d already thought of these two methods, hadn’t you? You were just waiting for us to say it first, so you could drag us into the water and use us as leverage, right?”

Liu Zhiqiu froze for a second, then forced a laugh. “How is that possible? Absolutely not! With this brain of mine, how could I ever scheme against you two? Even if I had thought of it, I wouldn’t dare! I’m not that suicidal, hahaha!”

Which meant he definitely had.

The air seemed to drop several degrees at once.

Seeing that the expressions on the two ‘big Buddhas’ were starting to turn dangerous, Liu Zhiqiu scooted back, then bolted.

Looks like he won’t be able to go home today—better hide at Dabao’s place until the storm passes!

Behind him, Feng Qingbai stood up with a cold laugh and walked out unhurriedly, Liu Zhixia following just as calmly.

That noon, out in the open fields by the Qing River, the northern wind howled bitterly through the empty farmland.

From time to time, a familiar scream echoed. Wei Lan even came out to take a look; seeing that it was his own master doing the beating, he immediately turned back and left—

Leaving the cries for help behind him.

By the time Liu Zhiqiu was dragged back home, everyone already knew: the little rascal had been taught a lesson.

“Ow! Ow-ow-ow! Little White Lotus, go easy! Your man already has half a life left. If you keep tormenting me, I’ll lose the rest!”

Liu Zhiqiu howled while tilting his head back so Liu Muqiu could apply medicine.

Liu Muqiu winced in distress, brows knitting tightly. “Big Brother, Your Highness… next time, could you maybe only hit the fleshy parts? Leave his face alone. When it’s all blue and purple like this, it looks terrifying.”

“Little White Lotus, am I your man or not?”

“Of course you are.”

“Then how can you not feel sorry for me?”

“You get beaten every other day. I’m used to it.”

“……”

Grandpa Liu ignored the brat’s exaggerated performance and turned to Feng Qingbai. “What trouble did this stinker stir up this time?”

Liu Yusheng was also curious. This time her eldest brother and Feng Qingbai hadn’t gone easy at all, and they’d even aimed directly for the face.

“Zhiqiu wants to ask Grandma for silver to buy farmland estates.”

The moment Feng Qingbai finished speaking, Liu Zhiqiu exploded, “What do you mean I want to ask? It was clearly Big Brother who gave me the idea and told me to ask Grandma for money!”

Liu Zhixia frowned, looking baffled. “When did I ever give you such an idea? Are you trying to pin something on me again?”

“…” Liu Zhiqiu stared at his big brother, then at the other man who looked completely unruffled, eyes widening in disbelief.

Damn—did his big brother and Feng Qingbai gang up to mess with him?!