Chapter 731: He Luo Prestige Clan vs. Northern Border Great Landlord

The mountain tip is only this size; good farmland is easy to find. Da Wang rode his horse around, circled once, and picked a patch of fertile land where the rice seedlings grew best—at a glance it wasn't newly reclaimed.

There were still many people working in that field. Da Wang found a relatively crowded spot, stopped, ignored those watching his stop, raised his whip and lashed once, shouting loudly: "Young Master, this plot is not bad—it's level and close to the city. Pull up the seedlings and plant a flat patch of grass; it'd be perfect for horse polo!"

Liang Bin (Gou Tui Zi Er Hao) was choked by the excellent operation of pulling up seedlings to plant grass, coughed, and loudly echoed: "Seeing how well the crops grow, planting grass will surely grow well too. Do you like it, Young Master?"

Wei Shen, the Grand Marshal's Young Master: ……He'd just attract more hatred.

He stiffened his neck, proudly saying: "It'll do."

Da Wang beamed with delight: "So it's settled? I'll take care of the grass seed, plant it before month's end, and next month it'll grow level~ Then we'll enclose it with a small railing brushed with gold lacquer—perfect for horse polo, looking proper."

Wei Shen's neck stayed locked at a forty‑five degree angle as he gazed at the sky: "Just so‑so; it's still a long ride from the city."

Liang Bin: ……

Da Wang: ……

Da Wang felt this angle was familiar.

He himself didn't notice, but watching others made him want to snap that neck!

The tenant farmers busy in the field stared, one more stunned than the next, shocked by the breakneck‑speed plot—"…They'd only just taken over a few days ago, and now the ownership keeps changing?!"

"Honored lords, this land already has an owner……

Da Wang, arrogantly hands on hips, casually pointed at a worker in the field: "Who owns this land? Never mind, it's not important. We've taken a liking to this plot—you lot, go back where you came from."

Several people stared at each other, still not reacting; Da Wang glanced at Gou Tui Zi Er Hao, meaning: "What's your role?"

What are you even here for?!

Liang Bin immediately raised his whip to drive them off: "Scram, scram! Have your master come talk to this Young Master."

These three, dressed like that, clearly had some background; nearby tenant farmers grabbed their tools and ran to the field's edge. Some went back to report to the steward, others watched from afar.

Da Wang coughed, clapped his hands twice, and moments later a few sturdy men appeared from somewhere, stepped forward, bowed, and reported.

Da Wang boomed: "This large plot, Young Master Dong has already approved it—go drive the people off the land."

Wei Shen hastily shook his fan twice, eager to try commanding Da Wang's personal guards: "You two, find a place for us to rest, then bring some tea—this heat is deadly~"

The personal guards didn't know what role they were playing now, but they knew there was no Young Master Dong here; they cooperated with Da Wang's act, very perceptive, bowed respectfully to the three, then each went about their business.

However, the clever tenant farmer from the field ran back to inform the steward; the newly appointed steward, surnamed Yuan, was not surprised at all upon hearing.

Youzhou is now half the capital, and there are plenty of nobles. Someone also took a liking to this fertile, well‑located plot—nothing strange—so Steward Yuan hurriedly sent someone back to the city to report to the master's family.

They had fenced off a large tract here and were building a new manor; they shouted at the construction site, then brought a group of sturdy men back to the fields.

If it were just a minor clan, he'd have driven them off himself with his people; but if… their background was rather significant, no problem—he'd already notified the master's family. It's best to act expediently.

From afar, several tall horses were tethered under the shade at the field's edge; some richly dressed youths sat on stone stools, some sat cross‑legged on the ground, while others poured tea and a servant fanned them.

That's the epitome of extravagant decadence—certainly not the sort of good people!

If he looked closely, he could see these people were utterly out of place, having nothing to do with being nimble‑handed and attentive to service.

Steward Yuan stepped forward and bowed: "Greetings, Young Masters! I am the steward of this manor; this is our newly built manor, which has an owner. Do you perhaps have a misunderstanding? I haven't received any notice that the manor is to be handed over."

Da Wang and Wei Shen acted as if they hadn't heard, sipping their tea as though only a fly had buzzed by.

Liang Bin gave him a sideways glance with his lower eyelid: "An owner's an owner—it's rare that our Young Master takes a liking." He felt around, painfully tossed the Hetian jade pendant he'd bought for twenty‑two taels last month from his waist, and threw it at him.

"This is a family heirloom, passed down seven generations for over two hundred years—I'm exchanging it for this plot of land."

Steward Yuan cradled the tiny nine‑tailed fox carved by Luofu Building, dumbfounded—"What the heck, they just traded away our land for this?!"

It's outright bullying!

"Please don't joke, Young Master."

Da Wang shifted his pose, smiling: "Who's joking? I advise you to take the hint and back off. Otherwise… you say this is your family's land, so it's yours? I say it's our Young Master's land."

Steward Yuan realized—these folks are definitely up to no good.

When Da Wang's words fell, Wei Shen finally lifted his eyes: "Take the reward and leave; from now on this land belongs to this Young Master." He then pointed to the guard beside him: "You, go with him to the government office to transfer the title."

"Yes."

That guard stepped forward to pull Steward Yuan along, but Yuan refused to go, forcing a smile: "This is no small matter—my master's house is the He Luo Yuan clan. I don't know which family you, Young Master, belong to; I ought to report this to my master."

Oh oh, the He Luo Yuan clan—also counted among the great aristocracy of the Great Jin; no wonder they're so arrogant.

Da Wang thought it over, couldn't recall any achievement the Yuan clan had made at court—but the He Luo land‑grabbing had reached his own doorstep!

All the more infuriating.

Wei Shen said haughtily: "Never heard of the Yuan clan, and who knows anyone from He Luo? This Young Master's family has three or four super‑large manors in Bingzhou and Liangzhou; taking a liking to your little plot is your fortune—take the reward and hand the land over to us for horse polo."

Da Wang, looking pleased with himself, lifted his chin.

As soon as those words were spoken, Steward Yuan instantly straightened his back.

Never heard of the He Luo Yuan clan, and no idea where these rustics came from—oh right, maybe they're from Bingzhou. Haven't you heard that manors are all in Bingzhou and Liangzhou!

Among those who mix in Bingzhou, there's nothing the Yuan clan can't afford to provoke.

"Turns out the Young Masters were just playing with me. Come on, escort the Young Masters out of our manor!"