Their main responsibility was to serve tea to the gentries. A great number of ordinary farmers were converted to plantation workers working for the gentries. They and their families belong to Guan Hu (Gentries). On the other hand, gentries and government officials were not commoners. Servants of wealthy gentries usually kept a contract-like relationship with the lords served. During the time that Cao Cao went west, some local gentries in Hejian Commandery rebelled. Gentries in Ming dynasty belong to the caste of commoners. Jiazhen assures him that they are no longer gentries and will not be killed.