Chapter 108
108 Compensation
Third Young Master Ye found a corner to relieve himself and walked out proudly. When he saw Zhou Jia sitting leisurely on a chair by the lotus pond, he was furious. He rolled up his sleeves and rushed towards Zhou Jia. “You dog, how dare you block me in the lotus pond? I’ll beat you to death.”
Zhou Jia watched as he rolled his eyes like Li Yu and sneered at him. “If you want to die, come over. I’ll fulfill your wish.”
Third Young Master Ye raised his fist and rushed toward Zhou Jia but was blocked by Ruyi raising his leg. She reached out and grabbed Third Young Master Ye’s raised hand and squeezed it hard. “Ahhh.” Third Young Master Ye shouted in pain, “Let go, let go. My wrist is broken.”
Ruyi looked at Third Young Master Ye coldly. “If you stand here obediently, I’ll spare you.”
Third Young Master Ye looked at Ruyi and said, “No, no.”
When He Cheng and the woman saw that Third Young Master Ye was restrained, they stopped in their tracks and did not dare to go forward.
Zhou Jia looked at Third Young Master Ye and smiled. “Ye Liangcheng, Young Master Ye, it’s time for us to talk about compensation. Do you think we should talk to your father, High Scholar Ye? Or should we talk here?”
Third Young Master Ye looked at the apology letter in Zhou Jia’s hand and sneered arrogantly. “Let’s talk here. Aren’t you just trying to extort a sum of money from me?! Name a price.”
Zhou Jia waved the apology letter in front of him. “You already said that I wanted to beat you up. If I don’t beat you up, wouldn’t I be letting you down? You injured my servant and made him unable to take care of the lotus pond while he is recuperating…”
Before Zhou Jia could finish speaking, Third Young Master Ye jumped up. “I’ve already compensated him with medicine and silver. Why do I have to compensate you? You might as well go and rob.”
Just as Third Young Master Ye finished shouting, someone knocked on his head. “You dog, I…”
Third Young Master Ye turned around and was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and begged for mercy. “Father, why are you here? I didn’t scold you. I didn’t know it was you.”
High Scholar Ye looked at Third Young Master Ye and shouted, “You’re still embarrassing yourself here. Hurry up and get lost.”
“Yes, yes, Father.” Ye San got up awkwardly, bowed, took a few steps back, turned around, and ran.
Zhou Jia looked at High Scholar Ye and bowed. “Greetings, High Scholar Ye.”
Seeing that Zhou Jia was handsome and elegant, High Scholar Ye thought to himself, Ye Rongtian said that a scholar had come down from Phoenix Mountain. At that time, he didn’t pay attention to him. He didn’t expect him to be such a handsome person. It seemed that the days of Ye Family Village in Phoenix Town were about to pass.
Zhou Jia looked at High Scholar Ye’s pretentious appearance. Old man, stop pretending. You two are the same.
High Scholar Ye looked up at the dilapidated lotus leaves and the lotus flowers on the wooden boat. He turned to look at Zhou Jia and said apologetically, “I didn’t teach my son well. I’ll compensate you for the damage.”
Er Ya interrupted, “Your son even injured Uncle Jin. My master asked him to come out of the lotus pond and said that he would not pursue the matter since it was his first offense. He even scolded him after deliberately rocking the boat and barging around the lotus pond. He didn’t want to lose money and even tried to hit him.”
After Er Ya finished speaking, Zhou Jia glanced at her. “No manners. Go back and serve your Miss.”
“That’s the truth! I’m not spouting nonsense.” Er Ya muttered as she retreated.
Zhou Jia glanced at the flushed High Scholar Ye. “I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you. My family spent a lot of effort to make this lotus pond. Seeing that there’s going to be a harvest, the girl watched helplessly as it was damaged, and her heart ached for me.”
High Scholar Ye suppressed the unhappiness in his heart and smiled dryly. “It’s fine. It was the child who was rude first.”
Zhou Jia looked at High Scholar Ye with a sneer. “I didn’t expect you to be so fair.”
High Scholar Ye smiled awkwardly and pointed at the lotus pond and the paddy fields. “I didn’t expect this! It only took you half a year to turn these wastelands into fertile fields.”
Zhou Jia cupped his hands. “Thank you for your praise. Back then, I and my fellow villagers fled from Qingzhou to this place. It was all thanks to General Shen’s benevolence that we were able to settle down here. We didn’t disappoint General Shen’s good intentions by managing this wasteland to this state.”
“That’s right! General Shen is righteous and loyal. Tongzhou City is also protected by General Shen’s men. That’s why we can live and work in peace.” High Scholar Ye laughed dryly.
Zhou Jia said indifferently, “High Scholar Ye is right.”
Seeing that Zhou Jia still looked indifferent, High Scholar Ye cupped his hands at Zhou Jia unhappily. “I left in a hurry today. As for the compensation, I’ll get the butler to negotiate with your family.”
Zhou Jia cupped his hands and said, “Sure, sure. Take care.”
High Scholar Ye flicked his sleeve and got into the carriage. Chen Yaohui came over and said to Zhou Jia, “What kind of a man is he? No wonder he raised such a son.”
“No wonder the Ye family is so arrogant. So it’s because there’s a High Scholar in the clan!” Chen Gui also said.
Ah Gou looked up at Chen Gui. “Uncle Chen, what’s so rare about a High Scholar? My master even knows how to be a high official!”
“Hey! This child said it well.” Chen Gui stroked Ah Gou’s head. “Ah Gou has grown taller and fatter.”
Ah Gou smiled proudly. “Miss asked Grandma Liu to cook eggs for us. How can we not grow taller?”
Chen Gui patted Ah Gou. “Your girl is the best. Go! Go cut grass with Ah Lei.”
The two children held hands and skipped away. Jin Jiu got on the boat and took the lotus flowers that Third Young Master Ye and the others had picked. He handed them to Zhou Jia with heartache. “Sir, it’s a pity that it’s wasted.”
Zhou Jia patted him. “Clean it up! I’ll make him pay.”
After everyone packed their things and walked back, Chen Yaohui said to Zhou Jia, “Mr. Zhou, I don’t think High Scholar Ye is a kind person. We should be careful.”
Zhou Jia recalled High Scholar Ye’s attitude after coming. “Don’t worry, General Shen arranged for us to settle down here. He won’t deal with us rashly.”
Chen Yaohui was relieved. He looked at Li Yu’s two acres of farmland and frowned. “Why did Xiaoyu farm wild rice?”
Zhou Jia looked at the green rice in the field and said with a smile, “She said that she wants to try improving the variety of rice. I don’t know much about farming, so it’s fine as long as she likes it.”
“You young people are so bold and have so many ideas. It’s not like there are any elders controlling you. If we dare to try using the land, my father will definitely beat me to death.” Chen Yaohui chuckled.
“That’s true. Old people love their fields. They’re afraid we’ll ruin things.”
High Scholar Ye returned home angrily. He pointed at Ye San’s nose and scolded, “Why did I raise a prodigal son like you? You’re being used by an old woman. Kneel in the central room.”
“Yes.” Ye San lowered his head and knelt down in the central room.
High Scholar Ye returned to the study and sat there thinking about the paddy fields he had seen in Phoenix Village. He touched his chin and thought of bad ideas.
High Scholar Ye called the butler, Ye Gui, over and told him what he had seen in Phoenix Cry Village. He said to Ye Gui regretfully, “Ah Gui, I never dreamed that those people who fled the wasteland took more than half a year to manage that wasteland so well. If only I had used some connections to buy that piece of land.”
Ye Gui bowed and said, “Master, why don’t we get someone to get that piece of land?”
High Scholar Ye shook his head. “No, don’t you realize that even that old thing, Xu Kuan, is protecting them now? We have to think of a way to make them feel uneasy living there and sell their land willingly to move away.”
Ye Gui flattered, “That’s true. Xu Zhencheng’s nose is very sharp! Master’s method is still the best. This way, it won’t attract any trouble.”
High Scholar Ye smiled proudly. “Alright, prepare some gifts tomorrow and pay them 50 taels of silver. We’ll arrange the rest slowly.”
“Yes, Master.” Ye Gui bowed and left.