After Zhao Jiaqi's analysis, Duan Yao found it reasonable.
Having made up her mind, she decided to do as she said and try it out. If it didn't work, she would change her policy. Three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang.
It was Fan Zehao who had said this, so she didn't believe a bunch of cobblers couldn't come up with a good idea.
In the afternoon, Zhao Jiaqi, who had finished her work and returned, saw the farmers still experimenting and occasionally chatting with each other. Seeing this scene, she was reminded of her past self.
After being cooped up in her room for days, she finally got to rest.
Xiao Mi massaged her back, and she enjoyed it immensely, falling asleep unknowingly. She slept straight through until evening.
If it weren't for the noise outside the side courtyard, she thought she might have slept straight until dawn.
"What's all the fuss about?"
Xiao Mi poured her a cup of tea and replied, "I heard there's a problem in the town where they're building the greenhouses. The prefect, along with the town chief and village chief, have gone to the Empress. I don't know the specifics yet!"
Something happened at the place where the greenhouses were being built?
It was fine when she went in the morning, so how could there be a problem in just one afternoon?
Zhao Jiaqi lay on the bed without moving, her mind still foggy from just waking up.
Outside the door, Duan Yao's personal maid, Xiao Xia, knocked. "Is the Princess here?"
"The Empress requests your presence!"
Zhao Jiaqi gave Xiao Mi a look. She went to open the door and replied, "The Princess just woke up. Please come in, Sister Xiao Xia!"
Xiao Xia entered and indeed saw Zhao Jiaqi sitting up in bed, her hair still a bit messy. She bowed and said, "The Empress requests the Princess to come discuss important matters!"
"You go ahead first, I'll get ready and be right there!"
Zhao Jiaqi didn't ask what it was about; she would understand once she saw. It was better to act than to waste words.
After Xiao Xia left, she also got out of bed. Xiao Mi redid her makeup and hair. Feeling refreshed and clear-headed, she then headed to her second sister-in-law's courtyard.
As she walked, the number of guards in the mansion increased. They were all in armor, with sharp, fierce eyes.
The sudden increase in guards indicated that there was indeed a serious problem at her second sister-in-law's place, otherwise, there wouldn't be so many guards stationed there.
Entering the room, Zhao Jiaqi saw everyone with solemn expressions and no smiles on their faces.
"Second Sister-in-law!"
Duan Yao called her over and said helplessly, "We were preparing to build greenhouses in the town, but the local villagers demanded an increase in land rent. It wasn't just a few people; the entire town demanded it!"
Hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi was almost stunned.
"Three taels of silver per mu per year, and hiring them as long-term laborers. These terms are indeed very good. Why would they..."
They say that difficult circumstances breed difficult people, but even the most difficult people wouldn't refuse money, would they?
"Second Sister-in-law, we signed a contract with them. If they act like this, they will pay a price!"
With this clause, couldn't these people be made to comply?
The Prefect: "Princess, these villagers are not just three to five hundred people, but thousands of households in the entire town. We can't arrest them all, and we can't afford prison food!"
Before Duan Yao could speak, the Prefect got his word in first.
Zhao Jiaqi looked at the Prefect, then at her second sister-in-law's expression. She directly ignored the Prefect's words and asked, "Second Sister-in-law, what do you think should be done about this matter?"
"I... I don't know!"
Don't know?
Could "I don't know" solve the matter?
The initial investment didn't count money, but the land had been plowed, and they were about to start building. Now these people were causing trouble.
If these people who disregarded the contract were let off, what would happen if people in other places followed suit? How would they handle it then?
"No, these people must abide by the contract!"
They were partners. Regardless of what her second sister-in-law thought, this was her decision. This matter absolutely could not be let off so easily.
The Prefect, looking at this outsider who was dictating terms in Ding Bei Liao, felt displeased.
"Princess, please be careful. Our Ding Bei Liao is not like the inner city. This is a place that values human relationships, not just laws!"
Hearing this, Duan Yao roared at the Prefect, "How dare you speak to the Princess like that! Kneel and apologize!"
Zhao Jiaqi raised her hand, looked at the Prefect, and coldly asked, "So, you value human relationships?"
The Prefect nodded.
"And not everything is executed according to law?"
The Prefect didn't understand why she was repeating his words, so he nodded again. "Yes!"
As soon as he finished his last word, Zhao Jiaqi smoothly drew the sword hanging at the guard's side and struck the Prefect's calf.
"Ah..."
The Prefect knelt on the ground, clutching his injured leg, screaming in pain, and glared at Zhao Jiaqi with venomous eyes.
She, however, smiled and said, "Considering my relationship with you all, it's only fair that I cut you, right?"
The Prefect sweated profusely from the pain, and blood pooled on the ground.
She smiled again, "According to what the Prefect said, you value human relationships and don't just rely on laws, right?"
Therefore, even if she had killed the Prefect, it wouldn't be against the law.
The Prefect no longer knew how to defend himself. His face was pale, and he pleaded with the Empress.
Seeing this, Duan Yao quickly soothed Zhao Jiaqi. This was the first time she had seen her normally good-natured sister-in-law angry.
"Sister-in-law, let's talk it over properly. Put down this sharp object and listen," Duan Yao said, reaching out to snatch the item from her hand.
She carefully took the bloodstained ceremonial sword and threw it away, as if wishing to cast it as far as possible.
Zhao Jiaqi did not back down this time. With angry eyes, she swept her gaze across everyone in the room, finally looking at Duan Yao.
"Breaching the contract is permissible, but there must be a corresponding punishment. These are my terms. Otherwise, the Empress should return the money I invested here to me. From now on, we can talk and chat, but I refuse to be involved in any other matters!"
Duan Yao immediately rejected this. How could this be allowed?
Calling her Empress and the other Princess, anyone could tell that her anger was genuine, not feigned.
At that moment, without waiting for Helian Zhicheng to return, she made a decision: the villagers who breached the contract would be dealt with according to the contract.
"Tell them to return the rent and comply with the terms of the contract!" Duan Yao's words resolved the matter.
The Prefect grimaced in pain. He felt as if his stomach had split in two, but he dared not speak, only enduring it.
Helped to his feet from the ground, he tremblingly said, "We can arrest one person from each family, but our prison capacity is limited, and our grain supply isn't enough for one meal a day!"
Duan Yao's mind worked quickly and she retorted, "These people think they'll get food by going to jail? Make them build roads instead! Hard labor!"
"The elderly will have two meals a day and do what they can. The young will do strenuous labor and have one meal a day!"
Hearing the Empress's decree, the Prefect realized that this woman was truly ruthless.
However, with free labor, building roads would indeed be quite cost-effective.
Zhao Jiaqi clapped her hands. Did this trivial matter even require her intervention?
Without a threat, these people simply wouldn't take the law seriously. Didn't they understand the principle that "without rules, nothing can be done properly"?