Duoduo happily tilted her head back and looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked at her and smiled, "Just now, Duoduo was saying that she wants to live here!"
"Your Highness, you and Duoduo really have a tacit understanding."
The Prince of Pingyang glanced at Duoduo.
"I have already sent someone back to the estate to fetch your everyday items. They might be back a little later."
The Prince of Pingyang hadn't brought many people with him on this trip. If they found the place where weapons were manufactured, he would still need to assign men to guard it.
Therefore, he sent someone back to the Prince of Pingyang's estate.
"Father, then what about my lessons for the next few days?"
Amidst her joy, Duoduo had not forgotten her daily tasks.
The Prince of Pingyang thought of the bruises on Duoduo's palms.
"Just treat it as your days off, and spend some quality time with your mother."
"Alright! Your daughter obeys!"
Duoduo replied mischievously.
The Prince of Pingyang couldn't help but look at Duoduo.
He realized that Duoduo was much more lively here than she was at the estate.
The Prince of Pingyang couldn't help but ponder whether they should stay a few more days.
He had originally estimated that they would only be delayed here for two or three days at most before returning to the estate.
Now it seemed that staying a few extra days might not be a bad idea.
"Your Highness, that old man has brought the tenant farmers and is requesting an audience outside," a guard came in and reported.
The Prince of Pingyang looked at the sky outside with some surprise.
He remembered that the time he had given the old man was around dinnertime.
The old man had only been gone for a short while, yet he had already brought people over?
"Father, I will push you out."
Duoduo ran happily behind the Prince of Pingyang and began pushing his wheelchair outside.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang hesitated for a moment before walking quickly over to help Duoduo push.
The three of them arrived outside the door and saw about twenty men standing in the clearing.
The clothes on these men were covered in patches upon patches.
However, their faces were brimming with excited smiles.
As soon as they saw the Prince of Pingyang and the other two come out, the old man took the lead and knelt down.
"We commoners pay our respects to the Prince of Pingyang and the Princess Consort of Pingyang!"
The tenant farmers kowtowed to the three of them.
"Rise."
The Prince of Pingyang waved his hand at the crowd.
"Thank you, Your Highnesses."
The tenant farmers stood up from the ground, all looking at the Prince of Pingyang with expectant faces.
"Your Highness, as soon as this commoner told them what happened just now, they clamored to come see you immediately."
The old man explained to the Prince of Pingyang with an anxious expression.
Although the Prince of Pingyang had spoken rather amiably when he was at his house.
However, just now, the Prince of Pingyang had killed the estate manager, Wang Er, and the others without blinking an eye.
To the old man, the Prince of Pingyang was a person of unpredictable moods.
In the eyes of the Prince of Pingyang, the lives of people like them were as cheap as dirt.
If they did something wrong, their heads might roll.
"Your Highness, we heard that the wicked estate manager was killed by you."
"We were so excited in our hearts that we couldn't wait to come over."
A bolder person among the tenant farmers explained loudly.
"Which fields have you leased, and for how long? What kind of fields are they? How are the harvests?"
The Prince of Pingyang did not reprimand them, but instead asked the group.
Seeing that although the Prince of Pingyang looked intimidating, his tone was very approachable, the tenant farmers also grew bolder.
They took turns introducing the leasing situations of their own families.
After everyone had finished reporting, the Prince of Pingyang called a guard over to draft a new agreement.
"For these lands, anyone who wants to continue renting them, come over and write down your names."
"If you don't know how to write, just press your thumbprint."
Upon hearing this, the old man stepped forward first.
"Your Highness, my family relies entirely on this piece of land to survive. I want to continue renting it."
The Prince of Pingyang nodded and placed the drafted agreement on a nearby table.
The old man squatted down, picked up the writing brush beside it, and very earnestly wrote down his name.
Wang Changsheng.
"Your surname is also Wang? You know how to read and write?" The Prince of Pingyang raised an eyebrow when he saw the old man's neat brushstroke handwriting.
The old man put down the brush and bowed to the Prince of Pingyang.
"To answer Your Highness, this place was originally called Wang Family Village."
"Most of the people in the village are native residents born and raised here."
"My father was a teacher, so I know a little bit of reading and writing."
The Prince of Pingyang nodded and asked no more.
Wang Changsheng stepped back, and the second person came forward.
He didn't know how to read and write, and stared blankly at the words on the paper.
"Wang Changsheng, come and read the contents aloud to them."
The Prince of Pingyang ordered, and Wang Changsheng walked over to pick up the agreement.
"This says that we voluntarily rent the Princess Consort's land, and the rent is fifty percent of the harvest, remaining unchanged for three years."
"If there are no natural disasters or man-made calamities, the rent for the fourth year will increase to sixty percent, and will remain so until the lease ends."
"The annual rent must be paid on time. If it is not paid, the matter will be handed over to the authorities."
"In the event of natural disasters or man-made calamities, once the situation is verified, the Princess Consort will waive the rent at her discretion."
Joy appeared on the faces of all the tenant farmers.
"Thank you, Your Highnesses! You are truly great philanthropists!"
One of the tenant farmers took the lead to kneel down to the Prince of Pingyang, and the rest followed suit.
The Prince of Pingyang's hand touched his jade thumb ring.
"It was due to my lax discipline over my subordinates that everyone suffered in the past."
"The Princess Consort and I have prepared a small gift for everyone. After you sign the agreement, go to the guards to collect it."
After the Prince of Pingyang finished speaking, two guards walked over carrying a large bamboo basket.
The tenant farmers who had experienced the earlier events naturally knew that the Prince of Pingyang was going to distribute money to them.
Everyone scrambled to sign the agreement and press their thumbprints.
After signing, they lined up in front of the guards to receive their share of copper coins.
The Prince of Pingyang's reward was given according to the number of people in each family.
Therefore, everyone received a heavy purse.
As each person received the copper coins, they kowtowed gratefully to the Prince of Pingyang and the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
Duoduo looked at the tears welling up in each of their eyes and felt deeply moved.
So, this was what her father meant when he taught her about responsibility.
The Prince of Pingyang had told Duoduo that being the lord of a fiefdom was not just as simple as enjoying the offerings of the common people.
Rather, it meant being responsible for the common people of the fiefdom, ensuring they had enough to eat and wear, and allowing them to live and work in peace.
At the time, Duoduo hadn't quite understood the responsibility the Prince of Pingyang spoke of.
Then, the Prince of Pingyang had said, "One day, you will understand."
Duoduo turned her head to look at her still expressionless father beside her, noting a strange gleam flickering in his eyes as well.
After the tenant farmers finished signing, they all left happily.
Wang Changsheng stayed until the end.
He cupped his hands in a salute toward the Prince of Pingyang.
"Your Highness, although my humble wife and daughter-in-law do not have the best culinary skills, they are at least experienced cooks."
"I see that you are short-handed here. How about I have them come over to help?"
The Prince of Pingyang raised his eyes and scrutinized Wang Changsheng.
"I will trouble you then!"
Wang Changsheng revealed a simple and honest smile.
"Your Highness, I will have them come over immediately."
Wang Changsheng bowed and quickly left.
The Prince of Pingyang watched his receding back, rubbing the jade thumb ring on his hand.
"Father, he is a good person!" Duoduo tugged at the Prince of Pingyang's hand.
