Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 534 - 532

Chapter 534: 532

Xiao’er returned to her mansion, just changed her clothes, sat down to have a cup of tea, when she heard the maid say that Du Yijin was asking for her.

Xiao’er quickly had her invited in.

Du Yijin told Xiao’er about the case of her blueprints being bought.

Trying to sabotage me again, all this trouble is caused by Shangguan Xuanyi! It’s truly unbearable!

If you don’t stir up trouble, you won’t die. She wanted to let them know that constantly messing with her won’t end well!

After thinking for a while, Xiao’er finally said: "Dodge this matter for now, wait a couple of days. If they propose to raise the rent, you should accept."

"Accept it? What would happen to your hot spring resort in Rui’an County if there were no hot springs?" Du Yijin was not sure why she was saying this.

"There will be hot springs. And you’ll be able to earn even more silver." Xiao’er stated confidently.

"Delay it for a few days. If they go up to 25-30 taels a month, then accept it! And then, let them commit to ten years’ rent upfront. Take their 1,000 taels of liquidated damages first and we’ll talk about the rest later! I’ll handle the rest."

1,000 taels isn’t easy to earn! If someone wants to give away money, why would she not accept it, Xiao’er thought.

"Alright then." Du Yijin, although not sure what Xiao’er was thinking, she trusted her.

No matter how it turns out, she won’t lose anything.

After discussing a few more things with Xiao’er, Du Yijin bid her farewell and left.

These past few days, Xiao’er was out early and back late. Not until the last colors of the sunset had disappeared, did Shangguan Wanru finally see Xiao’er return home.

The moment Shangguan Wanru saw Xiao’er, she ran up to hug her: "Oh, Rui’an County Master, I finally caught up with your elusive self."

Xiao’er subtly distanced herself, not adaptable to her soft embrace: "Do you have matters to discuss, Princess Wanru? Why didn’t you inform me earlier?"

That way she could have waited for her to visit at the mansion.

"I wanted to surprise you!"

Xiao’er: Are you sure it’s not a scare?

Xiao’er managed a smile, somewhat better than crying: "It indeed is quite surprising."

If she would just not hug me! Xiao’er thought.

"There’s a dragon boat race on Dragon Boat Festival. This year, several princes and my brother will personally organize a team to participate in the dragon boat race." Shangguan Wanru tried hard to suppress her excitement.

"Princess Wanru, do you want to invite me to watch the race?" That day she also planned to take Mrs. Liu Lin and others to watch the race.

Mrs. Liu is pregnant, even though she is very eager to go, but Shen Chengyao won’t allow it.

"No, what’s fun about watching? We’ve seen it before! I want to participate." Shangguan Wanru blamed Xiao’er: you don’t know me at all.

If she were a man, Xiao’er would have felt smitten by just that glance, but unfortunately, she’s not. So she just felt goosebumps all over.

Princess Wanru, are you sure about your orientation? Don’t hurt me!

"So you want to drag me into the dragon boat race? But aren’t there no women participating in the dragon boat race? Just because it didn’t happen before, doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future, let’s be the ones to pave the way!" Xiao’er, who had never partaken in a dragon boat race in her two lives, thought it would be fun to try.

"That’s exactly what I had in mind. We truly share a psychic connection! I knew you would also be interested!" Princess Wanru again grabbed Xiao’er’s arm, stating.

Could you not use sensitive terms like psychic connection on me? Baby is very scared, Xiao’er thought, as she tried to pull away her arm again.

"Rui’an County Master, let’s start practicing from tomorrow!" Strike while the iron is hot.

"Tomorrow won’t work. I have something scheduled for tomorrow. Let’s make it the day after." Xiao’er shook her head.

There should be results from Du Yijin’s side by tomorrow.

"Who are you meeting with? Are you going out to have fun?" Who dares to steal her from me!

Xiao’er: Fun? Do I look like someone who neglects her business?

"Not for fun. I’m meeting with Miss Du. It’s about a silver making venture."

Who is Miss Du? Shangguan Wanru guessed in her heart.

Xiao’er heard from the gatekeeper that Du Yijin was visiting even before the next day.

So late? Xiao’er was somewhat surprised.

In fact, Du Yijin was worried about carrying the 1,000 taels of silver banknotes with her. If she lost it, where would she find it?

After the maid had led Du Yijin in, Xiao’er introduced the two ladies before she asked, "Did everything go according to plan?"

Seeing Shangguan Wanru, Du Yijin thought she had come at the wrong time. But seeing Xiao’er directly asked without any hint of avoidance, she straightforwardly said, "Rui’an County’s liquidated damages arrived."

"Liquidated damages? What liquidated damages? Did someone bully you? I’ll go teach her a lesson!" Shangguan Wanru frowned upon hearing this. Who had offended her sweetheart by breaching the contract!

"It’s not like that, this is how it happened..." Xiao’er explained briefly.

Shangguan Wanru widened her eyes after hearing this: Was it really okay for Rui’an county master to do this? But...

She really liked the idea!

"Rui’an county master, I admire you. Those who want to harm themselves should be taught a lesson."

"But if it’s like this, what will you do without a hot spring at your hot springs resort?" Shangguan Wanru asked cluelessly.

"The villas at the hot spring resort won’t be completed until at least a year from now, we can discuss the hot spring diversion project a year from now, there’s no hurry."

Building a zoo was not an overnight task. If it could be completed in a year, she would consider it an early completion.

"Twenty-five taels a month, 300 taels in a year, paid in full. I started negotiations with them as you instructed, proposing a contract for ten years straight. They didn’t agree." Du Yijin pulled out the documents she had drafted with Chu Die and Princess Ling’er.

Xiao’er took a look. As expected, the contracts they had signed were flawed and short-sighted. They merely wanted to borrow the hot spring to sabotage her plans. They had also purchased a nearby villa at a high price intending to divert the hot spring there according to her design.

Pity all she gave Du Yijin were construction layouts. Many technical issues were not included in the plans. The plans might turn out useless and ironically serve as a wedding dress for herself.

Xiao’er instructed Du Yijin to propose a ten-year contract term, amounting to a total of 3,000 taels. Princess Ling’er certainly wouldn’t agree to this hefty sum. The princess, a sheltered woman, considered anything over 1,000 taels to be outrageous and might view Du Yijin’s proposition as a deliberate rip-off.

She would plan to sign a lease for one or two years and later lower the rent when renewing the lease, regardless of whatever Du Yijin could or would do.

Then, each year, with only ten or fewer taels, they would have a hot spring villa. Their elders at home would surely have no objections.

After all, hot springs are a natural resource that is easier said than found.

Xiao’er instructed Yang Liu to hand over the draft of the contract for leasing the hot spring in a year’s time to Du Yijin. Should they breach the ten-year contract, they would owe 5,000 taels of silver.

Du Yijin glanced over the contract and saw no issues, then signed it.

Du Yijin returned the 240 taels of silver to Xiao’er, who only took a year’s rent and then gave her the 500 taels of liquidated damages.

When she declined the offer, Xiao’er said, "You deserved it. I know you won’t breach the contract. I regret involving you in the issues between myself and Princess Ling’er. If you don’t accept, I will feel guilty."

Only after hearing these words did Du Yijin give in.

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