It's better to be an empress than a county magistrate

An old man in his fifties stepped forward.

People in this era have short life spans, especially farmers and laborers.

Fifty-something is definitely considered advanced age.

"Your Excellency, I am the head of Xiawa Village."

"Old man, you don't have to kneel. Stand up and talk." Lu Xingchen signaled the village chief to stand up.

This time Ling Xiao was smart and reached out to help the old village chief up.

"Has Xiawa Village ever been robbed by refugees before?" Lu Xingchen asked.

"Not this year, but there was a wave last summer," replied the old village chief.

"It was the busy farming season, and there were not many people in the village. Everyone was working in the fields. These bandits entered the village and stole food and property."

Lu Xingchen nodded slightly, "It's the government that failed to protect you. I will give the village some compensation when I go back."

The old village chief looked at Lu Xingchen with surprise.

"Thank you, Your Excellency the County Lord. Thank you, Your Excellency the County Lord." The old village chief was about to kneel down and kowtow again.

Ling Xiao asked someone to support him.

"How much land does your village have in total?" Lu Xingchen asked the same question he asked in the previous village.

After learning about the situation in Xiawa Village, Lu Xingchen asked the villagers to return to the village.

The soldiers and horses of Xing County can guard the county town, but it is difficult to protect all the villages outside the city.

Especially those villagers living on the edge of the county town will inevitably be attacked by bandits in troubled times.

The refugees knelt in front of Lu Xingchen, trembling all over.

"Are there any carpenters, bricklayers, blacksmiths or other craftsmen among you?" Lu Xingchen asked.

Several refugees slowly raised their hands and said that they had worked as bricklayers, carpenters, and blacksmiths before.

She is planning to do big things, and these technically skilled people are scarce talent.

Not to mention this era, even in later generations, during the years of real estate boom, bricklayers were sought-after talents.

“Who else has worked in a brick kiln?”

“Who else can weave?”

"Who else can read and write? He is also good at farming."

“Who can build a canal?”

"Anyone who has some skills and techniques can introduce themselves."

Several more people raised their hands one after another.

"Those who said they have skills will follow me back to Xingxian County. Others who don't have skills can go back to where they came from, or go wherever they want."

"Of course, those of you who volunteered that you have the skills will have to take the exam when you go back. Anyone who tries to get away with it will be beaten with twenty boards and then thrown out." Lu Xingchen glanced at everyone with a sharp look.

These people agreed reluctantly.

Immediately, Lu Xingchen asked two soldiers to escort these people back to the county town first, and asked the others to leave the territory of Xing County.

After the refugees left, Lu Xingchen looked at Ling Xiao.

"What's wrong? Were you scared just now?" Lu Xingchen patted the boy's shoulder and asked with a smile.

Ling Xiao's face was tense. Looking back, he felt a little embarrassed.

Young boys all care about their reputation.

"Since you have never killed anyone, your reaction is normal. Once you kill someone, you won't think it's a big deal." Lu Xingchen didn't say much.

Some things you have to go through and experience personally before you can truly grow.

"Young Master, when have you ever killed someone? How come you were so swift and swift with the knife? It seems like this is not your first time killing someone. It seems like you have killed countless people." Ling Xiao asked.

"I killed him a long time ago, but I didn't let you know." Lu Xingchen said slowly.

"I will definitely be able to kill people in the future, and I will be able to kill people as swiftly and swiftly as the young master." Ling Xiao bit his lip and promised seriously.

Lu Xingchen smiled and nodded, "Yes, I will."

"Try stabbing those three corpses a few times."

"Wait until you're done fucking them and have them buried."

Ling Xiao nodded and walked to the three bodies that had been neatly arranged by the soldiers.

But he looked at the three bodies for a long time and couldn't make a move.

Lu Xingchen didn't force him and left with his men first.

After a while, Lu Xingchen heard the sound of vomiting.

A faint smile appeared on the corner of her lips.

*

Such a big thing happened, naturally it couldn't be hidden from Lu Kui.

"You killed someone?" Lu Kui looked at Lu Xingchen with disbelief.

Lu Xingchen nodded calmly, "Kill him..."

Lu Kui looked at Lu Xingchen in shock, mainly because of her reaction. He found it unbelievable. How could she be so calm?

That's murder.

He served as a county magistrate for his entire life, and never killed anyone personally. He always had an executioner to do the work for him.

That's killing a person, not a chicken.

The daughter in front of him seemed strange to him.

"We have to kill him eventually, so today... just treat it as practicing with the sword." Lu Xingchen said.

"What are you going to do?" Lu Kui vaguely felt that Lu Xingchen was accumulating infinite power, and that thing contained in her body seemed to be about to explode.

"I am now the county magistrate. I have to protect the people of Xing County. If there are thieves attacking the county, I will always take up my sword and lead the people to kill them without leaving a single piece of armor."

"If I don't dare to charge into battle or kill anyone, how can those soldiers stop foreign invasion?"

"But you are a girl." Lu Kui said weakly.

"If someone occupies Xing County, who cares about men and women? We women are more vulnerable to threats and violations..."

"Dad, since you have handed Xing County over to me, I want to protect it in my own way."

Lu Kui was speechless for a moment. He looked at Lu Xingchen with a complicated expression in his eyes. It was as if he saw a grown-up child whose wings were hardened and ready to fly away. He was both relieved and disappointed.

"By the way, Dad, let me tell you something. I have selected some land near the border of Xing County and plan to plant cotton."

Lu Xingchen knew that she had to inform Lu Kui and get his support before she could do what she wanted to do. If Lu Kui opposed it, it would be difficult to implement.

Lu Kui is now the emperor of Xing County. Just like when Emperor Qianlong abdicated and gave the throne to Emperor Jiaqing, Jiaqing had to consult Emperor Qianlong before he could do anything.

"Why do you suddenly think of growing cotton? Cotton is worthless and has a low yield. In these times of war, food is the most important thing. Only when we have food can we feel at ease." Lu Kui frowned slightly, his face full of incomprehension.

"This winter will be particularly cold...the price of cotton will increase." Lu Xingchen said.

Lu Kui glared at him and asked, "How can you know what happened this winter?"

"Master Yuan told me." Lu Xingchen brought out the old Taoist priest with a big nose again.

"He is a liar, and you believe what he says." Lu Kui showed a disdainful expression.

After all, Yuan Tianshi almost starved to death, and he saved this person. And Yuan Tianshi's current appearance was also created according to his psychological expectations.

How could he not know the quality of the product created by Lu Kui himself?

"I believe...only if I believe it, will the people believe it." Lu Xingchen said firmly.