Wang Juan looked at the sticky stuff on Gouzi Tian's clothes. Even though he said it was coal, he had to clean it thoroughly. She reached out her hand and wiped it off. She put it in front of her eyes and looked at it carefully. She asked, "Brother Tian, didn't anyone dig this coal in your village?"
"No. Who would dig this thing? It's useless." Gouzi Tian looked at the little girl in front of him and didn't dare not to answer. The person who could sit in the county magistrate's car would not be so simple.
Wang Juan couldn't understand. According to the records, it seemed that coal had been used since the Western Zhou Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, it was used to make cokes. Why didn't anyone use it? Was the output not high? Was the quality of the coal not good?
She wanted to ask Zhang Xiaobao, but Zhang Xiaobao was pretending to be unconscious. Just now when she was talking about the coal, Zhang Xiaobao didn't move at all. He was quite calm.
"Cuckoo, what's the use of this thing?" Zhang Zhong looked at his daughter-in-law who was lost in thought and asked.
"It's faster to make rice bloom." Wang Juan could only think of this use now. As for smelting iron, she and Zhang Xiaobao had tried, but they didn't succeed. They would try again in the future after thinking about it.
"Is this thing good?" Zhang Zhong asked again.
Wang Juan couldn't say how good the coal was at this time. She just said, "It's okay. Let's talk about it later."
Zhang Zhong turned his head and continued to ask Gouzi Tian, "How much grain can you harvest in a year? One mu of land."
"Less than one shi. Some of them only have grass. The original county magistrate was there at that time. Last year, when there was a drought, he still wanted to collect the original rent. It still took two years. The three hundred people in our village were ready to fight. Later, they were afraid and didn't dare to come and collect the rent."
Once Gouzi Tian mentioned this matter, he clenched his fists and his voice grew louder. It was so loud that even the people outside could hear it. The Chief Secretary and the deputy district magistrate's car was not far away. Both of them also heard it. They sat there with different expressions.
The yamen runners who followed them also heard it. They sighed almost at the same time. There was no other way. They had no choice but to go. It was all according to County Magistrate Wen's words. Who would dare to not go? Fortunately, the new county magistrate's family was rich. They did not know how much money they had. They only knew that on the first day he came, he gave more than a hundred strings of coins.
Now, he did not have to worry about collecting rent from Elm Village. A hundred strings of coins was not something that could be collected even after ten years in that shabby village.
Zhang Zhong didn't expect County Magistrate Wen to be so greedy. He said angrily, "This is not just greed. This is murder."
"Milord, you are right. If we really hand over the rest of the food, we will starve to death. Milord, will you go and collect rent?"
Gouzi Tian had always felt that this county magistrate was quite nice. He actually allowed him to sit in the carriage that only county magistrates could sit in. He could even speak so amiably. Therefore, he felt that this county magistrate would not collect rent.
Zhang Zhong did not directly say that he would not go. Instead, he said, "That will depend on how your village is doing in the future. If there is a lot of food, I will naturally go. If there is little food, there is no need. I will not take the rent even if I collect it."
"Oh, then there probably won't be a lot. If the land is not good, milord, is it because you don't have much to spend in your daily life? Do you have few people in your family?" Gouzi Tian asked again.
"Yes, few. There are only about two thousand people. They usually don't go to other places to eat. They just eat casually at Jinlai Restaurant. Do you think I will be greedy for that little bit of rent?" Zhang Zhong felt that Gouzi Tian was simple and honest, so he deliberately teased him.
Sure enough, after hearing Zhang Zhong's words, Gouzi Tian was shocked. He opened his mouth wide and his throat moved. He said, "Milord, why are there so many people in your family?"
"There are three farmers in Zhuangzi. That's all I have. And that Jinlai Restaurant is also owned by my servant." Zhang Zhong wanted Gouzi Tian to go back and tell this matter. When he went to Elm Village, the people there would not have to worry about him collecting rent.
Gouzi Tian looked at Wang Juan opposite him. Wang Juan nodded and admitted this fact.
"Milord, then you must not be short of money or food. Milord, I want to get off the car. I want to go back and tell the people in the village that they don't have to be afraid of the new county magistrate coming to collect rent for two years. No matter how much we pay the rent, it is not as much as the Jinlai Restaurant owned by your servant.
Milord, you still have Zhuangzi at home. There are three of them. You don't have to worry about food anymore. Milord, let me get off quickly. I will kowtow to you first. You are a good official. A good official who is not greedy for money is a good official. "
Gouzi Tian spoke excitedly and insisted on getting off the car. Zhang Zhong thought for a moment and asked someone to stop the car. He asked, "Then do you still have food now?"
"Yes, milord. It is spring now and the wild vegetables are all out. As long as you get some wild vegetables and mix them together, you can eat them. Our place is Elm Village. We can eat elm money and elm leaves, as long as there are no insects on them."
Gouzi Tian seemed to think that eating some wild vegetables and elm money was a good day. He happily gestured to Zhang Zhong and even told him a few ways to eat them.
Wang Juan looked at Gouzi Tian, who was happy to eat wild vegetables because of the arrival of spring. She closed her eyes and lowered her head to look at Zhang Xiaobao. Zhang Xiaobao's mouth actually curled up. He seemed to be very happy. Wang Juan pinched Zhang Xiaobao's lips hard. Only then did Zhang Xiaobao's lips move.
"Elm tree money is really delicious. First, I'll ask my father to send them some food. After we're done with those two people and get rid of them, we'll go over there to dig coal and give them some compensation. We can also ask them to help dig. Their lives will be better than other places."
Wang Juan thought about it and agreed. There was no need to be sad. They could send some food, oil, meat, and other things now. The past could not be chased. It was fine as long as they lived a good life now.
"Brother Tian, in fact, you can ask for some food back. My father-in-law will give you some in the future." Wang Juan finally spoke. She was still too embarrassed to call him father-in-law directly. She was not as thick-skinned as Zhang Xiaobao, who kept calling his father father-in-law.
Zhang Zhong understood. His son and daughter-in-law must have discussed and prepared to give food and other things to Elm Village. He also said, "Gouzi Tian, give me a number first. How much do you need for the entire village? When the time comes, I will get Zhuangzi to give it to you."
"Sir, we work and eat our own food. We can't take other people's things for free. We don't have anything to return." Gouzi Tian actually did not want it. He clearly knew that with one sentence, the people in the village would have enough food, but he did not ask for it.
Zhang Zhong now understood why county magistrate Wen did not dare to send people to forcefully take it. It was the custom of the people. When they saw that others did not want it, they could only look to Wang Juan.
Wang Juan also secretly praised. This was what it meant to have a backbone. It seemed that the entire village was like this. This village was going to be successful.
She advised, "Brother Tian, it's not for free. In a few days, you will have to help out with work. When the time comes, it will be calculated from your wages. It's quite tiring work."
"Really? You're not lying to us? " Gouzi Tian also wanted to eat better, but he could not take other people's things for free. The people in the village would not agree. Now that he heard that he could exchange it with work, he asked hopefully.
"Really. How much does Brother Tian want?" Wang Juan asked again.
Gouzi Tian started counting with his fingers. "How much, how much do you want? If one person eats one kilogram of food a day, how much food do 322 people eat a day? Two hundred kilograms of food? No, no, it's more. 250 kilograms of food … "
Wang Juan listened to Gouzi Tian's counting and finally understood the importance of education. She had to say, "Brother Tian, do you only eat food? Of course, it's expensive to only eat food. You can also eat some meat and fry some wild vegetables with oil. That day, about half a kilogram of food will be enough for adults and children.
322 people, each person will eat half a kilogram of food a day. First, give one kilogram of food for 30 days a month, 4,830 kilograms. Let's give one kilogram of meat a day, that's 966 kilograms of meat. No, it's 603 kilograms of meat and 12 kilograms of meat. Let's give one kilogram of meat first. Let's have a good meal of dumplings first. We can't give the meat all at once, or it will spoil.
What do you need? "Wang Juan listed the quantity of all kinds of things in one breath. They only gave one month's worth. They could go there to dig coal before the next month. At that time, they would be paid directly. Those who were willing to ask for money would give them money. Those who were willing to ask for things would give them things.
Gouzi Tian listened to Wang Juan's counting and didn't know how she got it. He nodded in agreement because he wanted to have meat. "Then let's have these first. With the oil and water, we don't need to eat so much food. You have to work for us quickly. Otherwise, we have to find a way to pay you back."
At this time, Zhang Zhong knew that his son and daughter-in-law were going to do something there. He said, "Well, we'll definitely work for you. If there's no work, we'll find people from your village to be government runners. We'll deduct from there and transport the food there tomorrow."
Gouzi Tian got off the carriage happily. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he turned around and knelt down. He kowtowed to the carriage and said, "Sir, you're a good official. We, the people of Elm Tree Village, won't forget you. In the future, you can go to Elm Tree Village and have a look. We'll carry you all the way. We won't let your feet touch anything black."
After saying this, he kowtowed nine times. He stood up, looked up at the sky, and strode back.
The government runners didn't know what was said in the carriage just now. When they saw Gouzi Tian kowtowing to the new county magistrate and saying that he would carry him all the way, they felt as if they had seen something incredible. When did the people of Elm Tree Village become so easy to talk to?
Looking at the county magistrate's carriage, there was an unusual feeling in their eyes.
The Registrar and the county magistrate also heard what Gouzi Tian said. They were even more jealous of Zhang Zhong, who didn't know how to conquer a village.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
