Chapter 453: If I Don't Protect You, Who Else Will?

Lv Jing frowned and said, "This really puts people in a difficult spot."

"When we go to the clan meeting the day after tomorrow, if they speak up directly, with so many people and so many mouths, what are we to do?"

She had actually been looking forward to seeing Gu Xixi, as the person in charge, display her might at the clan meeting.

But now thinking about it, it actually has the feel of a Hongmen banquet.

Gu Xixi said with a solemn face, "It doesn't matter."

"No matter how many people come to speak, whoever speaks, I've made up my mind to do just one thing."

"I'll simply reject them all!"

Within the local Gu clan, the tangled kinship relations are already plenty.

Each family has its own relatives, relatives intertwined with relatives.

By then, everyone will one by one want to come work at the tea garden, and then one or two will want to pull strings to arrange jobs for their own people.

Whether Gu Xixi agrees to someone or refuses someone, in the end she will inevitably offend people.

Rather than putting in effort and not gaining favor, it's better to simply refuse from the start.

Lv Jing still couldn't help worrying, "If they're turned away, it's not so bad if they back off knowing the difficulty."

"If someone insists, wouldn't that mean we have to break ties?"

She paused, then said, "I don't mind standing with you to offend these people; even if we come to blows, it's all the same to me."

"But earlier I taught them to plant wheat and sold them fertilizer at cost."

"Isn't it just to maintain this relationship, so we can mutually benefit later?"

"What if..."

Lv Jing didn't go on.

Jiang Mingyuan also watched Gu Xixi with concern.

Right now I'm afraid Gu Xixi's previous efforts will come to nothing…

Although we don't know all of Gu Xixi's plans, we have heard her talk about the idea of intensive planting.

For example, the area around Qing Tian County is suitable for growing pinyin fruit, peaches, apricots, etc.

Perhaps in the future we can expand orchards on a large scale while growing grain.

All orchards will follow a uniform standard.

When Qing Tian County's fresh fruit, especially the pinyin fruit which is rare in the Daye era, is successfully cultivated.

Then there will be an opportunity to participate in the selection and become tribute fruit.

At that time, Qing Tian County's pinyin fruit will gain fame across the land, and its price will naturally rise with demand.

Lv Jing sighed, "I really don't understand why these people insist on staring at the tea garden."

"Gu Xixi's orchard, the few orchards in Huachi Du Cun village — don't they see them?"

"Intercropping in the orchard will start making money soon; once the trees bear fruit, we'll earn even more!"

Unfortunately, human greed often has no end.

The status of tea is almost on par with salt and iron.

The entire northwest has only this one operation, huge in scale, and it even includes a share for the imperial court.

So even though the tea garden has just broken ground, the profits are still far off.

This is enough to attract many people to flock to it.

Jiang Mingyuan looked at Gu Xixi and said, "If I weren't temporarily summoned to the prefectural city, I could still stand up for you at the clan meeting."

"Even if they still see me as the callow youth I once was."

"Looking at my official uniform, they'll at least restrain themselves a bit."

"But…"

Gu Xixi gave Jiang Mingyuan a reassuring smile, "Zi Chu brother, you have official duties; go to the prefectural city with peace of mind."

Her gaze was not feigned calm; it was a steadiness that shone from within.

"Even if they inwardly resent me, no one will dare to give me trouble openly."

Gu Xixi smiled brightly, "Zi Chu brother wears his official robe, and I have my own talisman."

Lv Jing immediately thought of Gu Xixi's imperial-bestowed gold medal and exclaimed happily, "Could it be that?"

Gu Xixi chuckled, "That counts too, but using a cattle knife to kill a chicken?"

Jiang Mingyuan suddenly realized, "Fertilizer and pesticide!"

"They want to increase yield and harvest, so they must keep using these."

"As long as they're not utterly stupid, they won't, and they wouldn't dare, to break ties with you."

Gu Xixi smiled, "This is the advantage of mastering the core technology."

"I'm not worried; it's them who should be worried."

Jiang Mingyuan suddenly understood, feeling half his worries lift.

He glanced at Mu Nan Zhao not far away, raised his voice on purpose, and said, "Too bad, I have official business to attend to."

"Otherwise I should go to the clan meeting to help you."

"Making Gu Xixi listen to those people's nagging alone may not cause actual harm, but it's plenty annoying."

Jiang Mingyuan walked over to Mu Nan Zhao with a solemn expression.

"I just arrived in a hurry and happened to see the Regent Prince coming to pay his respects."

Mu Nan Zhao gave a cold sneer, "That guy clearly saw me when he came just now."

"We're all relatives; in non-official settings, County Magistrate Jiang need not stand on ceremony."

"It's just putting on airs; who in the officialdom doesn't do that?"

Jiang Mingyuan insisted on performing the salute, straightened his waist, and said he was returning to the Government Office to handle official documents, then took his leave.

The day of the Gu clan meeting arrived.

Two carriages drove one after the other toward Sweet Water Village.

The leading carriage was Mu Nan Zhao's own accustomed one, needless to say how luxurious it was.

The rear carriage was also pulled by four horses, with a redwood canopy and carvings on all sides.

Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao rode together, "Actually you don't need to accompany me at all."

"You don't even want to attend the capital's banquets, so there's no need to wrong yourself like this."

Yesterday Mu Nan Zhao finished all his official duties early, just to free up time today for the Gu clan meeting.

Mu Nan Zhao said lightly, "If not me accompanying you, then are you going to use the Jiang County Magistrate?"

Gu Xixi choked up, "I'm thanking you, feeling sorry for you, why are you eating vinegar again?"

Mu Nan Zhao could only say, "I haven't."

"I just feel... the Jiang County Magistrate's reminder makes some sense."

Thinking back, I still feel a bit stifled.

Weren't those words Jiang Mingyuan said before leaving yesterday deliberately pointing at him?

Even Jiang Mingyuan said he was going to the clan meeting to help Gu Xixi.

If he doesn't go, wouldn't he be worse than an outsider like Jiang Mingyuan?

Gu Xixi looked back through the carriage window, then drew back, "Using such a grand entourage for a small village—won't that be too extravagant?"

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Your female assistant fears me at first sight and absolutely refuses to ride with us."

"You previously promised to bring her along, so I naturally had to prepare another carriage."

Gu Xixi argued, "But Lv Jing already said she won't come."

"You said everyone should go together, and even called Shitou!"

Mu Nan Zhao looked at her, "Do you dislike them and not want them to follow?"

Gu Xixi was at a loss for words, "I don't mean that, I..."

"I'm just asking you, why!"

Mu Nan Zhao looked elsewhere, his eyes somewhat cold, "You run the tea garden, and some people want to cause trouble."

"Then let's simply let their clan meeting descend into chaos—more people, the better."

Gu Xixi fell silent for a moment, narrowed her eyes to appraise Mu Nan Zhao, and gave a teasing smile.

"I'm starting to look forward to it."

Before the two carriages even reached the village entrance, the news had already arrived at the banquet site of the clan meeting.

Someone ran shouting, "Those two carriages are so huge, each pulled by four horses!"

"I've seen our county magistrate's carriage, and it's only pulled by one horse."

The clan elder, having accumulated some experience, said, "A carriage pulled by four horses?"

"Could it be that Mingyuan changed his mind at the last minute, not only coming back himself but also bringing his superior?"

Ordinary merchants, no matter how wealthy, cannot openly use such a luxurious carriage, as it would be overstepping bounds.

Upon hearing that a high official might visit,

several officials excitedly stood up, preparing to go outside together to welcome them.

Mu Nan Zhao's carriage slowly approached.

Before it had even stopped, Gu Xixi saw through the window that the ground was full of kneeling people with the Gu surname.

She quickly pulled the carriage curtain's gap tight.

Turning around, she whispered to Mu Nan Zhao, "Why are they all kneeling?"

"Did you send people ahead to tell them you're the Regent Prince?"

Mu Nan Zhao gave a faint glance, "No, perhaps they misunderstood on their own."

Gu Xixi was about to rise when Mu Nan Zhao pressed her back down.

"No rush, let the rear carriage disembark first."