Xu Qin said loudly:
"Not long ago, something unexpected happened to the Duke of Wei's mansion. I don't need to tell you, everyone is already aware of it."
"To be honest, there is almost no money or food in the house."
"But what should we do next, are we all waiting to starve to death?"
"This young master is the eldest son of the Xu family and the eldest son of the Duke of Wei. I have no shirking responsibility."
Then, Xu Qin called everyone together to carry out the specific division of labor.
In the evening of that day, I heard that Xu Qin was going to raise pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks in the mansion and turn the garden into a vegetable garden.
The head of the house, Mrs. Zhang, called the housekeeper Xu Fu to her elegant garden and reprimanded her face to face.
"Xu Fu, you are also an old man in the house. The prince is ignorant. Are you also stupid and let him do whatever he wants?"
"Have you ever heard of a wealthy family whose back garden was turned into a vegetable garden, and the stables were turned into pig pens, cattle and sheep pens?"
"Also raise chickens, ducks and other poultry?"
"This is totally unreasonable, what a nonsense!"
Facing the reprimand from the head wife, Xu Fu really had nothing to say.
He stood dejectedly.
This matter is indeed ridiculous when you think about it. Once spread, it will damage the reputation of the Duke of Wei.
But right now, the house is really running out of steam.
We have no choice but to close the door and treat a dead horse as a live doctor.
"Mom, this is no nonsense. This is a major decision that I made after careful consideration."
At this time, there was a sound of defense at the door, and Xu Qin strode in.
When he heard that his mother called the housekeeper Xu Fu to Yayuan, he knew it was for his 'farmhouse' plan, so he hurried over.
"Qin'er, you..."
"Little Lord…"
Zhang and Xu Fu both raised their heads in shock.
"Mom, all the property in the mansion has been confiscated. Dad has to spend money to treat his injuries and illnesses. The hundreds of people in the mansion have to pay for food and clothing. As the eldest son of the Duke's mansion, I have no choice but to do this."
Xu Qin emphasized his reasons for doing so.
"You still don't admit it's nonsense!"
Zhang's eyebrows stood up when she heard this, and she scolded sternly:
"Since you know that you are the eldest son of the Duke of Wei, the young patriarch of the Xu family, and the future heir to the title, how can you turn your mansion into a farm?"
"How is this inappropriate?"
"Once this kind of thing spreads out, and everyone in the world laughs at it, how can our Xu family's face be saved?!"
She is a first-grade wife, from a famous family.
He has read scriptures since childhood, been influenced by the three obediences and the four virtues, and followed the rules.
How can one accept the pragmatism of Xu Qin, a modern man.
"Oh my dear, my family is so poor that we can hardly open the pot now. Who cares about reputation?"
"What do you need fame for? You can't eat these things!"
Xu Qin's casual words were truly disrespectful.
"Shut up! Starving to death is a small matter, but integrity is a big deal! You traitor, thank you for studying scriptures since childhood...you...this unfilial descendant of the Xu family, you don't know these principles?!"
"Oh, ancestors, you have done evil...my life is miserable!"
Seeing that Xu Qin dared to talk back in public like this and use strong arguments, Zhang was so angry that she burst into tears on the spot.
Xu Qin knew in his heart that he would never give in or compromise.
In a few days, the Duke's mansion will really be unable to hold on any longer, and several people will starve to death. I'm afraid it will be too late to regret it.
"Mom, please forgive me. Since my father has been grounded and is bedridden, and I am the heir apparent, from now on, it should be my child who should bear the responsibility for everything in the house and share my mother's worries!"
The meaning of Xu Qin's words was obviously to ask Zhang for the highest power in the mansion.
With decision-making power, he can realize his own ideas.
"You are a stubborn person and have the same virtues as your father. Our Xu family will suffer a lot in the future."
"I don't care! Anyway, you have grown up and your son is not your mother. From now on, it is up to you to take care of the affairs of the house!"
After all, the Zhang family is a female generation, and she is no match for Xu Qin.
She had no choice but to burst into tears and ran to Xu's ancestral hall in the east courtyard. She knelt in front of the ancestral tablet to apologize.
Only Xu Fu and Xu Qin, who were pale, were left in the room.
"Young Master, this..."
Seeing that his wife Zhang was so angry, Xu Fu ran to the ancestral hall in the east courtyard and was at a loss.
"Uncle Fu, the reclamation of the East, West and Middle Schools will be carried out according to the original plan tomorrow morning, without any mistakes!"
Xu Qin's tone was calm.
This was the first time he exercised the power of the head of the family.
…
It was early the next morning.
More than 200 men from the mansion gathered together, carrying hoes and other farm tools on their shoulders. Xu Qin personally led the team and went to the east courtyard to cultivate the land first.
In his previous life, Xu Qin was a poor child who came from the mountains. He was familiar with farm work or raising poultry and other farm work.
Everyone couldn't believe that the young master, who had never done farm work before, cultivated the fields like a real farmer.
In one morning, under Xu Qin's command, a large area of land was reclaimed.
Watering and sowing seeds was a very busy time.
At noon, meals were delivered from the kitchen, which consisted of large pots of polenta paste, fried cabbage, and boiled vegetarian melon and beans.
Everyone found an open space and gathered around to eat in groups.
Xu Qin did not go back to the upper room to eat. Instead, he went to the east courtyard with Xu Fu, Xu Sheng, Xu Zhong and others, squatting on the roadside to eat whatever they wanted to satisfy their hunger.
At this time, he no longer looked like the young master of the Duke's mansion, he looked like a young farmer and farmer.
"Hey...it looks like someone is coming."
At this moment, Xu Zhong, who was facing the heretic, raised his head and exclaimed loudly.
Everyone who was leaning against each other and eating with their heads down turned around in surprise when they heard the sound.
I saw five men walking from the south courtyard.
The leader was wearing a satin robe, a sweat scarf with four corners, deerskin boots, and a riding crop.
He is about thirty years old, tall, chubby and smooth.
At first glance, it looks like a wealthy family with overnutrition.
"No, it's the fourth master of the south courtyard who is here!"
Butler Xu Fu exclaimed, his smile faded, and he put down the porridge in his hand quickly, without even bothering to wipe the rice off his mouth, and went to greet him.
"Which family's fourth master?" Xu Qin asked with a frown.
"And that fourth master? That's your fourth uncle. What's wrong with you, young master?"
Xu Zhong replied.
He looked surprised.
Everyone was surprised.
How come the young master doesn’t even recognize the famous Xu Laosi?
Oh, the visitor is Xu Yingxu, who lives in the south courtyard of Guogong Mansion, the fourth uncle who picked it up for himself.
No wonder it looks familiar. There must be some residual memories in the original owner's mind.
"Oh, my fourth uncle's face is so tightly covered that I lost my sight for a moment!"
Xu Qin hurriedly shouted haha.
"I've seen the fourth master, why do you have time to come over and take a look at this place?"
Xu Fu strode forward to greet Xu Yingxu and bowed to him.
"Xu Fu, are you crazy?!"
"This east courtyard is where the Xu family's ancestral hall is located. It is the geomantic treasure of our Xu family. Are you deliberately trying to destroy it?"
Xu Yingxu pointed his riding crop at Xu Fu and rebuked in an arrogant manner.
"No, Fourth Master, we..."
There was a muffled sound of "pop...".
Xu Yingxu arrogantly refused to allow Xu Fu to explain, raised his whip and whipped the opponent fiercely.
"Ouch…"
Xu Fu screamed.
