Ye Yingfeng did make sense. Perhaps eradicating the root of the problem was not the best way. Seeking common ground while reserving differences was the better approach.
"I've also inquired around. These mountain bandits only target the government. There's a village at the foot of the mountain. Thanks to their care over the years, the villagers have been living a prosperous life."
Ye Yingfeng took a sip of tea. His slender fingers tapped the table rhythmically, and his eyes rested on Ye Zhinan.
He was eager to see what tricks this girl had up her sleeve.
"Since they're targeting the government, there must be a reason, right?"
Ye Yingfeng shook his head. All the information he knew so far was obtained from others.
The common people hated the mountain bandits to the core, but most of them just followed the crowd blindly and didn't know the real reason.
Ye Zhinan propped her chin with her hand, her eyebrows knitted tightly and unable to relax for a long time.
"Girl, don't worry about matters of fighting and killing. Even if the sky falls, your father and I will hold it up for you. Just put your heart at ease."
As he said this, he showed off his well - built muscles and proudly waved them in front of Ye Zhinan a few times.
The siblings burst into laughter and played around with each other, completely forgetting about their unhappiness.
Ye Zhinan returned to her room and then slipped into the space to find tung oil.
She secretly made up her mind that when she had more time, she must sort out the things in the space and organize them properly.
Fortunately, the tung oil worked well. She closed her eyes contentedly and had a good sleep.
The next day, when Ye Zhinan got up, she heard a commotion outside. She originally thought it was Ye Yingfeng practicing boxing in the yard. But when she walked out, she found that the neighbors had surrounded the yard tightly.
"What are they here for?"
Ye Zhinan scratched her head. Suddenly, a bad premonition welled up in her heart.
Could something have gone wrong with the fields again?
The neighbors regarded her as their last hope. Now that they had come to find her, it was most likely that something had happened.
"She's out. Hurry up and ask her."
A shrill voice came from the crowd, waking up the bustling people around.
Everyone crowded around Ye Zhinan. The small courtyard, which was not big in the first place, was now filled with people and looked even more crowded.
"Take your time and tell me. What on earth happened?"
"Those heartless people came again and dug out all our newly planted crops."
Ye Zhinan was greatly shocked. It seemed that if this matter was not resolved, there would be no peaceful days.
"If I say we should go and suppress the bandits, would you all be willing?"
With a calm look on her face, she voiced the idea that had been on her mind for several nights.
It wasn't a complete bandit - suppression. She just wanted to see their attitudes.
If they were all cowards, with just Qin Yihuai's few brothers, they would probably be beaten to a pulp.
"We've coexisted peacefully for more than a decade. They've just played some dirty tricks. Is it really necessary to fight and kill?"
"Yes. We can't risk our lives just for the crops, can we?"
"If you put it that way, then I won't farm anymore. Anyway, if the sky falls, the officials will bear it. I'm not afraid to go to the underworld as long as there are others with me."
Ye Zhinan could barely accept what the first few people said. After all, life and death were serious matters, and it was reasonable for them to have concerns.
But she really couldn't stand this kind of thought of dragging others down.
She let out a sneer, a cold glint flashed in her eyes, and she stared straight at the woman in front of her.
"The actions of the mountain bandits are closely related to people's livelihood. I'm sure the so - called officials you mentioned have long known about it but have been delaying taking action. Have you ever thought about why?"
She paced around the courtyard, her eyes falling on each person.
She just wanted to tell them that the current situation was no longer like the past when there was someone to help. Only by relying on themselves could they find a way to survive.
Her thin lips parted slightly, but the words she said carried no trace of affection.
"Most of you here come from official families. Even if not, you've lived here for many years. I'm sure you don't need me to explain the reason, right?"
Everyone present knew it like the back of their hand and they all lowered their heads.
Even the woman who had just wanted to drag everyone to the underworld shut her mouth and didn't dare to say another word.
But Ye Zhinan just had to tear the veil of pretense and give them a heavy blow.
"I'm afraid that when the sky falls, it will crush you directly, leaving you no chance to even catch your breath."
She withdrew her gaze, sat on the chair, and coldly looked down at the crowd.
Ye Shenyan stood at the door, stroking his beard, and stared at his daughter.
He used to think she was just a cute and smart girl, but he didn't expect her to be hiding her true strength, showing a sense of great wisdom in apparent folly.
He smiled, turned around, and nudged Han Xiangmei forcefully beside him. A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
"Do you think that young man from the Zhao family can handle her like this?"
Han Xiangmei rolled her eyes fiercely, strode over, and stood in front of Ye Zhinan, shielding her.
"I know you're all anxious, but our family is not the one to make the final decision. Let's just follow the original plan and wait for the officials' decision."
Ye Zhinan also nodded. Her expression remained unchanged. Just as the crowd was about to leave, she calmly left a message.
"I hope you all think carefully about what I said. Whether it's suppressing the bandits or coexisting peacefully, we must eliminate future troubles to live in peace."
Actually, she wanted to say these words more to the officials.
If only they could step out of their comfort zones and be brave enough to take a risk, they wouldn't be led around by others like this.
The yard returned to quietness. The siblings looked at each other and both showed meaningful smiles.
"The human heart is the most unpredictable. Even if they support us now, they may change their minds later."
Ye Zhinan pouted and quickly walked to Ye Yingfeng's side to act coquettishly.
"Then at that time, I'll have to ask my brother for military strategies to see if there's any way to subdue them."
The siblings were laughing happily, but Han Xiangmei had a gloomy face and heavily slammed the rice bowl on the table.
"A girl like you still wants to go and suppress the bandits every day. I think you're no different from the mountain bandits."
As soon as her words fell, the courtyard instantly fell into complete silence. No one dared to speak.
Ye Zhinan lowered her head, and her face obviously looked ugly.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was tense. Everyone had their own thoughts, but only Han Xiangmei showed her anger on her face.
Ye Zhinan stayed in the room to calm down for a while. Then she still stood up, walked up to Han Xiangmei, and took the bowl from the sink.
"Mother, I'm indeed a girl, but I'm also a living person. Who says girls can't plan, and who says girls can't fight on all fronts? Isn't it the same when you manage the affairs in the backyard?"
She lowered her head meekly and said all kinds of nice words. Only then did Han Xiangmei's temper soften a bit.
She knew that her mother had her best interests at heart and always considered everything carefully for fear that she would be wronged.
Han Xiangmei was the daughter of a wealthy family. She was influenced by traditional feudal ethics. In her heart, the virtues and precepts for women were as important as the Jade Emperor.
So Ye Zhinan didn't blame her for having such thoughts.