Disguised as a man, she became the biggest villain in the book.

Zheng Luoqi looked at the sensible Master Zhu and said, "Six coins."

"Six coins?" The family heads exclaimed in shock, somewhat displeased, but dared not show it in front of Zheng Luoqi.

"My lord, isn't this... a bit too little?" Master Qi said with some difficulty.

“We didn’t make you pay six coins all the time. For the next three years, it will only be six coins. After that, you can rent it to others at the normal price,” Zheng Luoqi explained calmly.

"The price for buying and selling land will be the normal price. If any farmer saves enough money to buy land within the next three years, it will be sold to them. Do you understand?" Zheng Luoqi's tone was no longer one of discussion; she was simply informing them of the matter.

The heads of several powerful families were extremely dissatisfied, as this had slashed at the very foundation of their families.

Once the land price drops, many people will buy it. Farmers who cultivate the land can buy back their own land after a few years. After making money, they may use the spare money to develop other small industries or set up street stalls. In the future, they can live a comfortable life even without these aristocratic families.

In Xuzhou today, the entire city's underwear, food, housing, and transportation sectors are almost entirely monopolized by powerful families. Almost every industry you see on the market has some connection to these families.

If these people of Xuzhou can continue to live without the businesses of the aristocratic families, then many of the families' shops will definitely go bankrupt, and the amount of money lost will be incalculable.

For a time, these powerful families dared not speak out against their anger.

.......

After the dinner, these families gathered together again to discuss the land lease that Zheng Luoqi had just mentioned.

"You know, the prefect cut us like this right off the bat. It's even worse than him asking us for money directly! Sigh!" The head of the Lu family sighed from the side.

"So what? Do you dare to offend him so easily? Don't you know what happened to the Kong family?" Master Zhu said from the side.

"On another note, Master He, why did the prefect let you leave so easily back then? Is there some hidden reason behind it?" Master Qi asked Master He as if he had remembered something.

“It’s an imperial edict. The Emperor intends to win over the powerful families, but we’re currently in Xuzhou, and the Emperor is far away in the capital. When will the edict arrive? What if the prefect strikes first, like the Kong family? Even if you die, you won’t be able to wait for the edict to save you. Our He family is just lucky,” Master He said with a sigh.

"What should we do now? Are we just going to hand over the land willingly? Just because of one sentence from him? Love the people like his own children? I don't want to give up the land like this. This is the property accumulated by our Zhu family for generations. How can he just lower the rent like that, and by such a low amount!" Master Zhu said angrily.

"What's the difference between this and giving it away to those farmers for free?" Master Zhu continued.

"What else can we do? What do you want to do? He's the prefect of Xuzhou now. What can someone like you, without any official position, do? In the past, prefects might have considered your family's status. But look at this prefect, is he afraid? I think he'd rather confiscate all our family's property!" Master Qi said.

“No, we have to think of a way. We are a prominent family in Xuzhou, and we have lived in Xuzhou for so long. How can we let the prefect control us so easily?” Master Zhu said from the side.

"Have you come up with any ideas?" Master Lü asked from the side.

"Yes, there are, but..." Master Zhu said with difficulty.

"Just tell me what you're going to do, stop babbling on and on," Master Lü said anxiously.

“He only told us to lower the land rent, he didn’t say anything else that couldn’t be raised. We can deduct it from other places, right?” Master Zhu said.

The other family heads thought it made sense. It was just that the land price was going down, but what if everything else was going up? Things like renting farm tools, firewood, rice, oil, salt, and cloth—he hadn't said that these things couldn't go up. And even if they didn't go up by a lot at once, but just increased in price little by little, they could still make a lot of money, right?

Moreover, the autumn harvest has just ended and winter is fast approaching, so isn't it normal for the price of cloth to rise?

The heads of the families thought about it for a moment and decided that it would work, so they put it into practice immediately.

After that, they began to implement a new strategy. They first reduced the land rent to the six qian that Zheng Luoqi mentioned, but at the same time increased other fees.

Upon hearing that the rent had been reduced so much, the farmers hadn't even had time to be happy before the powerful family tricked them.

The cost of renting farm tools has increased by 30%, the price of firewood, rice, oil, and salt has increased by 20%, and the price of cloth has doubled. Although these increases are not high, they represent a considerable burden for farmers.

These powerful families only care about their own interests; this is the true face of powerful families.

Farmers continue to live a difficult life, and their lives have become even more strained due to increased other expenses.

After learning this news, Zheng Luoqi realized that she had been careless. In the end, it was because her methods were too soft that she had allowed these powerful families to survive to this day.

Zheng Luoqi plans to start with the He family. Last time the He family escaped, but this time she won't let them get away so easily.

Zheng Luoqi summoned Boyu and instructed him, "Go and send a visiting card to the He family, saying that we will be visiting them tonight."

"Yes!" Boyu accepted the order and respectfully withdrew.

Zheng Luoqi's lips curled into a contemptuous smile, thinking to himself, "Trying to outsmart me with these petty tricks is simply courting death!"

When Master He received the visiting card, he thought to himself, "Oh no, they're planning to target the He family. I shouldn't have tried those petty tricks and all that nonsense. Now we're doomed!"

Mr. He paced anxiously in his study, then suddenly thought of Mrs. He.

Then he told Madam He about it and asked her to write another letter to the Emperor.

Without saying a word, Madam He began writing a letter and had it sent to the capital by fast horse.

On the night that Boyu sent the visiting card, Zheng Luoqi went directly to the He residence as a "guest".

When Zheng Luoqi arrived at the He residence, the He family members were already lined up, waiting for him with utmost respect. Their faces wore fawning smiles, and their eyes revealed awe and obsequiousness.

Zheng Luoqi couldn't help but laugh at the scene before him. He thought to himself, "What's the use of being a coward now? Too late!" A slight smirk played on his lips, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"Master He, thank you for your trouble. I'm just here for a meal at the He family's house. You don't mind, do you?" Zheng Luoqi said with a smile to Master He.