Chapter 4

Chapter 4

In the original body's memory, the Han family were synonymous with simplicity and honesty.

But through Han Zhang's observation and analysis, he found that this Han family had something going on—each member seeming all honest and simple, but actually sharp as a tack.

However, as the old saying goes, judge people by their actions, not their intentions; by intentions, no one in the world is perfect.

The Han family indeed relied on the original body to revitalize the clan, but their care and investment in him were real.

Since childhood, whenever the family or clan had anything good, it went to the original body, and he had a real say in the clan.

And one good thing was this: the whole Han clan was rock-solid united.

He slept like a log.

The next day.

Han Zhang rose early, threw on a simple short-sleeved cloth outfit, and stuck to the original body's daily routine—running and practicing boxing for physical exercise.

As he did, he mulled over how to handle the upcoming crisis of Luo's oppression against the Han clan.

Given the long-standing conflicts between the two clans, this crisis wouldn't take long to hit.

And Han Zhang's guess was spot-on—Luo's crackdown came even sooner than he figured!

That afternoon.

The steward of the Sun family arrived at Shangpo Village and dropped a bombshell.

"To celebrate our young lady getting engaged to Young Master Luo, the master's decided that this year's land rents for Shangpo Village are all getting cut by ten percent."

"Of course, the Han clan is an exception. Your rent's going up by twenty percent, because the master had a temple fortune-teller calculate that the Han clan's horoscopes clash with our master's!"

At these words, the whole Han clan's faces went pale.

Though the recent years had seen favorable weather and good harvests, crop yields back then were pretty limited. After paying taxes, what was left barely kept them alive.

Now the Sun family wanted a twenty percent increase—seventy percent rent total—like they were trying to starve the clan out.

Clan Chief Han jumped in, all worked up, "Steward He, could there be some mistake? We've been renting from the Sun family for years—how could our horoscopes clash with Master Sun's?"

"Yes, yes, Steward He, there must be a misunderstanding."

"With the current harvest just enough to fill our bellies, a twenty percent increase is too harsh—you're cutting off our livelihood!"

Other Han folks chimed in one after another, all frantic with worry.

A farmer's life depends on the harvest—who could stay calm?

But the Sun family was clearly backing their in-laws, the Luo family, just to stir up trouble.

Steward He waved his hand, forcing a smile.

"Clan Chief Han, listen to yourselves—it's not that big a deal. It's just a little extra rent. You'll still have thirty percent of your grain left—how's that too much?"

"Without our master's land, you wouldn't harvest a single grain. Don't get too greedy."

"If the temple master says your horoscopes clash, then they clash. If our master weren't so kind as to not take the land back, your whole clan would be eating nothing but wind right now!"

Clan Chief Han was shaking with rage. "You... you..."

Before he finished, the village head also approached, avoiding Han's eyes, his voice a little guilty.

"Brother Han... there's one more thing. This year's corvée labor quota for your Han family... can't be bought off with silver anymore. Otherwise, the village just won't have enough manpower."

*Thud*—

At the village head's words, the Han clan members saw stars, their vision going dark, and a few elders passed out on the spot.

Anyone with half a brain knew how deadly forced labor could be.

Every year when labor season came, anyone who could afford it scrambled to buy their way out of the obligation. Now, with the village barring them from buying their way out, how many of the Han clan's young men would come back alive from this?

If all the young men died, leaving only the old, the weak, women, and kids, what future would the Han clan have?

This was clearly a scheme to drive the whole clan to ruin!

Yet they had no recourse—neither raising rent nor forcing corvée labor broke any law; at worst, it just made the Sun family and village head look cruel.

"Unconscionable, you're utterly unconscionable..."

The Han clan members trembled, fury beyond words.

The corvée matter was undoubtedly forced by Master Sun on the village head.

The other families in the village, though benefiting from reduced rent, couldn't feel happy.

Because when the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold.

If Master Sun could help the Luo family suppress the Han today, who knew if one day, when they clashed with the Luo family, they wouldn't be the next target?

Meanwhile, the Luo family was celebrating.

Scholar Luo's mother, Auntie Luo, seized the opportunity to flaunt her power and kick the Han while they were down.

"Oh dear, Clan Chief Han, how you twist things!"

"The land belongs to the Sun family—Master Sun renting it to you is a favor, and raising the rent is his right. How is that unconscionable?"

"If you're upset, just don't rent Master Sun's land anymore..."

She covered her mouth with a gloating laugh.

But that was pure nonsense.

All the fields around Shangpo Village belonged to Master Sun—without renting his land, whose could they rent?

In the capital, land was as scarce as gold. The few thin acres the Han clan owned themselves could never feed them. To survive, they had to rent others' land.

That was the plight of the common folk—just a slight pressure from those above could crush their breath.

No wonder the elders of the Han clan longed desperately to change their standing.

Seeing that the Han clan had nothing left to say.

Manager He then flicked his sleeves and said, "Since you have no objections, the matter of the land rent is settled. This year, your Han clan will pay the full rent."

With that, he prepared to leave.

But the next moment.

Someone called out to him.

Han Zhang, who had watched the entire ordeal from the crowd, stepped forward and said coldly.

"A seventy percent rent—our Han clan cannot afford it. Since our clan's fate clashes with Master Sun's, then we're done renting this land. Take your fields back."

What? No longer rent it?

The crowd was stunned, staring at Han Zhang in disbelief, wondering if he had lost his mind to utter such nonsense.

If they stopped renting Sun's land, relying only on their own few acres of poor soil, weren't they afraid of starving?

"Big Brother..."

Clan Chief Han and Grandpa Han looked on anxiously.

They thought he was speaking out of youthful impulse, unable to bear such humiliation.

But Han Zhang was calm, not speaking rashly.

He nodded to the clan members. "I know what I'm doing. Please trust me, Clan Chief and Elders."

"This..."

The Han clan hesitated, looking worried, unsure of what to do.

In the end, it was Clan Chief Han who had the decisiveness to grit his teeth and say, "Alright, we'll listen to Big Brother!"

In this era, the clan chief held great authority. With the chief's support and Han Zhang's status as a Xiucai, the Han clan members, though worried and confused, held their tongues.

Seeing this,

Manager He's smile faded.

His master had every right to raise the rent on the Han clan, but the Han clan's refusal to rent his master's land was a slap in the face and a public challenge.

Manager He said, displeased, "Xiucai Han, think carefully. My master's land never lacks tenants. If you refuse, it'll be given to others by tomorrow, and you won't get it back."

"As you said, sir, our Han clan's fate clashes with Master Sun's. We simply cannot afford to rent his land."

Han Zhang replied bluntly.

To support the Luo family, Master Sun was openly oppressing them. There was no need for the Han clan to be polite, because even if they groveled, their enemy wouldn't let them go.

"Fine, Xiucai Han has backbone—truly a scholar!"

With that, Manager He said no more, sneered, and left with a flick of his sleeves.

After he left,

the villagers and the gloating Luo clan dispersed.

The village head sighed, unable to say much, and could only apologize to Clan Chief Han with a cupped-fist salute.

"Brother Han, don't blame me for making things hard for you. That Sun family... none of us can afford to cross them."

The Sun family might not amount to much in the capital, but they had officials among their ranks. For common folk like them, the Suns were a behemoth, able to use their power to crush others.

With that, he sighed and left.

...

The Han household.

The clan elders gathered, discussing the earlier event with worried expressions.

Grandpa Han asked for everyone: "Big Brother, tell us—what exactly are you planning by refusing to rent Sun's fields?"

Han Zhang didn't waste words and explained directly.

"Grandfather, the Sun family is clearly helping the Luo family to suppress us. Since they've already gone this far, even if we bow and scrape, we won't have a good life."

"Rather than being at their mercy, it's better to break through and find another path."

Clan Chief Han said, worried, "But in the short term, what other options do we have? The Sun family has officials, while we Han people are all dirt farmers. Going head-to-head with them is like an ant trying to shake a tree."

"Not to mention food and drink—without Sun's fields, we won't survive this year."

The other elders nodded in agreement.

It wasn't that they were too pessimistic, but that was the reality.

But Han Zhang had an idea.

He said, "The capital is under the emperor's nose. Even if the Sun family wants to help the Luo family suppress us, they wouldn't dare go too far. Luo Ying managed to attach himself to Miss Sun, so I can also find a good match through marriage."

He had known hardship and wasn't driven by youthful pride.

Since he didn't have anyone he liked yet, he was fine with relying on a wealthy in-law family.

To reassure the family,

Han Zhang had to bluff: "Clan Chief, Grandfather, don't worry. I've got a marriage prospect lined up. Just wait for the good news."

"Really? That's wonderful!"

The Han clan didn't suspect a thing, all pleasantly surprised.

Grandpa Han worried, "What about the land? If we can't farm, what will we eat?"

Staying fed was more urgent than marriage.

For Han Zhang, this was the simplest.

He said, "Grandfather, if we can't farm, we can still earn money. I've recently come up with something called 'matches.' They'll definitely sell for a good price, and in the short term, it can solve the clan's food and money problems for now."