As the saying goes, parents who love their children will make far - reaching plans for them.
All Han Xiangmei could do for herself was just these things.
She was also using all her knowledge to protect her daughter.
How could Ye Zhinan blame her mother's good intentions?
"Our family's life is so hard. I also want to rely on myself to strive for a better future for our family."
There was a glint in her eyes. She bit her lips tightly, trying hard not to let the tears fall.
Han Xiangmei pulled Ye Zhinan into her arms. She didn't say anything more, only sobbing painfully.
...
In the following days, everyone was absent - minded while working. Anyway, they would be looted by the bandits in the end. So why not just slack off now?
Ye Zhinan saw all this, but everyone was so impatient that no one thought to ask about the bandit - suppression.
Qin Yihuai somehow stood beside her and took the hoe from her hand.
"What's up?"
"The county magistrate wants to see you. Remember to be cautious when you go. Don't say the wrong thing."
Ye Zhinan's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know what the county magistrate was up to, but she had to go there bravely.
She began to regret that she had shown off too much.
What if she offended them...
"Don't worry. The county magistrate just heard about the greenhouse technology and wants to learn about it from you. It has nothing to do with other things."
Qin Yihuai seemed to see through her mind. He crossed his arms and glanced at her coldly.
For some reason, Ye Zhinan suddenly felt that his image became much taller.
"I'm not that scared with you by my side."
She was stubborn, but indeed, Qin Yihuai could give her a sense of security.
She didn't know where this trust came from. She just simply believed that Qin Yihuai would never stand by and watch them die.
Qin Yihuai's lips twitched into an almost invisible smile, which was quickly suppressed.
"This is not an excuse for you to act recklessly. I've heard that you incited the villagers to suppress the bandits during the day. Do you think your life is too long?"
Ye Zhinan pouted and defended herself aggrievedly.
"I didn't really want to suppress the bandits. I just wanted to test the villagers' attitude. If we can coexist peacefully, why shed blood?"
She tilted her head and looked at Qin Yihuai proudly, expecting a compliment.
Even though this idea was learned from Ye Yingfeng, she had added her own understanding, so it was okay to use it.
However, instead of the expected compliment, Qin Yihuai's face darkened.
"If you want to stay alive, don't mention the bandit - suppression. Everything you've thought about, they've already considered. Some problems are deeply rooted and not easy to solve."
Ye Zhinan nodded. She didn't want to get involved in this mess, but she couldn't just sit and wait for death.
"Are we just going to let the villagers take the blame? Will they push all the mistakes onto us to protect their official positions?"
Qin Yihuai sighed. He suddenly turned around and stared at her. His eyes were slightly red, and his hands hanging on both sides were tightly clenched, as if he was trying to hold back his anger.
"Who said you would take the blame?"
"But..."
"No 'buts'. They've been going too far recently, but similar things happen every now and then. I've made a perfect plan. Even if you can't grow anything, I have a way."
Qin Yihuai had also thought about this before. He had once poured out all his ambitions with great vigor.
But the result was that he almost lost his life.
He didn't disagree with Ye Zhinan's idea. He just didn't want her to take risks.
The officials above always had ways to protect their official positions, but the common people below couldn't be easily trampled on.
"You have a way? Your way is probably just to take out the old grain saved in previous years for emergency. But if they come again next year, what can we use to make up for it?"
The two of them stood on the roadside, each insisting on their own views, at a stalemate.
She was glad for the first time that she was a girl. Otherwise, Qin Yihuai might have come up and beaten her.
"We'll think about next year when it comes. Let's get through the current difficulty first."
"You are just..."
Actually, Ye Zhinan wanted to say that he was a coward, but the words got stuck in her throat and were swallowed back.
She remembered the gossip Chen Zhenhai told her, and half of her excitement was suppressed.
Maybe he had his own difficulties.
The once high - spirited young man had lost his future and ambition, leaving only his talent. There must be a reason.
She didn't want to say angry words anymore, nor did she want to hurt their friendship.
"Forget it. Let's go and see the county magistrate first."
...
Ye Zhinan had seen yamen in the capital before. Although it had a small facade, it was quite imposing.
But if Qin Yihuai hadn't reminded her, she might not have guessed what the place in front of her was.
It was shabby and small, almost the same as an ordinary person's yard.
She followed Qin Yihuai in and found that there was a whole new world inside.
"It's too luxurious to make chairs out of sandalwood silk..."
"Shut up."
Ye Zhinan quickly pursed her lips. She didn't dare to look around anymore and just lowered her head and obediently followed behind him.
She always felt that Qin Yihuai's temperament was not learned from reading books later, but innate.
She remembered that when she gave him candy, he would always swallow the candy before speaking. Judging from his eyes, he seemed to have known the origin of that chair for a long time.
The county magistrate was sitting upright on the high seat. He picked up the hot tea and blew on it gently.
When he saw Ye Zhinan coming, there was a flash of surprise in his eyes, and his expression changed a bit.
"I only heard that you are very talented. I didn't expect you to be so beautiful. You are truly both talented and beautiful."
A feeling of disgust flashed through Ye Zhinan's heart. She suddenly regretted coming.
If she had known this, she should have smeared some soot on her face before coming to avoid being disrespected like this.
Qin Yihuai's figure slightly blocked her. The county magistrate wasn't angry when he saw this. Instead, he wanted to get closer.
Ye Zhinan was so scared that she quickly knelt down to keep a distance from him.
"I heard that you wanted to learn about the greenhouse technology from me. At present, the technology is not yet mature. It would be great if the county magistrate could support it."
She gasped for air. Her whole body was shivering with fear.
After all, she had lived two lifetimes. If she still couldn't see through the county magistrate's dirty mind, she would really be a naive fool.
"This matter is not urgent. I heard that your Ye family has no one to rely on. How about I show you a way out?"
As he said this, the county magistrate reached out to touch Ye Zhinan's hand. Fortunately, she was quick - witted and dodged in time.
She knew that just dodging was not a long - term solution. Now the county magistrate found it interesting, but if she offended him, she might never come back.
"In my humble opinion, I've seen the girl's design. It's very ingenious and suitable for the local conditions. Why not let the villagers have a try?"
Qin Yihuai completely blocked Ye Zhinan. His eyes were filled with killing intent, which made the man in front of him shiver.
Ye Zhinan was surprised to see their interaction. Could it be that the county magistrate was afraid of him?