Hearing the old lady's words, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan started to look at the house. Looking carefully, it was indeed built not long ago. It was mainly because of the snow on the roof, which made the new beams look not so new.
Listening to the old lady's voice, they knew that she was not a local. She probably came to live in Sanshui County from somewhere else. The house was built behind the pavilion, and she planned to live here for a long time in the future.
"Grandma, it's not good to live in such a house. There's no land around for farming. The land behind the pavilion belongs to the Ge family, Zhuangzi. It's only about 10 mu, and we can still grow some food. Why don't we discuss with the Ge family next year and ask them to let some of the land, or even rent it, so that your son can farm."
Wang Juan kindly reminded them. She didn't care if they built two more houses. They didn't occupy the road, and they couldn't let others tear them down, unless they provided a good house for them to live in.
Zhang Xiaobao took a bite of the hot pancake and nodded at the side.
Seeing that the two people didn't leave immediately, the old lady was willing to talk. She said with a smile, "The land in the Ge family is expensive, and we can't afford to rent it. Besides, there's only the two of us left in the family. Who can farm?"
"Ah? Only you and grandpa left? Did you suffer a disaster? "Wang Juan swallowed the food in her mouth and asked softly.
"No, we didn't suffer a disaster. We only have a daughter, and she got married. My son-in-law is a scholar, and he passed the exam last year. He became an official, and we came out. Sigh ~!"
The old lady's words made people hear something unusual.
"Why are you talking about this? He's not a son-in-law who lives in the family. How can an official not have the prestige of an official? "The old man, who had been silent for a while, opened his mouth this time.
"Why can't I say it? When he was young, his mother died early. In the past, who didn't send meat to his family? Where did the money for his education come from? His father, who only knows how to drink and play with money all day long, has ruined the family? How many times had he been caught stealing?
We're just waiting for him to be successful and be able to bring our daughter to live a good life, have a few more children, and adopt a successor. But he's good. After entering the capital and passing the exam, he directly found a woman here and brought her back. He disdains us here, and also disdains us there. If we still don't come out, I reckon he'll drive our daughter out as well. You're allowed to do it, but I'm not allowed to say it? I … Forget it, this is fate. "
The old lady refuted the old man. Suddenly, she realized that the people listening to her were two half-grown children. What was there to say to children?
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan finally understood. It turned out that when their son-in-law became an official, he didn't treat them well. It was probably because they didn't eat or drink well and often lost their temper with them. The two of them weren't soft-hearted people, so they came out to find something to do.
"The imperial examinations last year? Top scorer in the Engineering Department? Even with my father's status, he still has to send gifts to the Wang Clan every year. Not only that, he still has to take care of my mother's feelings. How high is his rank? "
Zhang Xiaobao hated this kind of thing the most, so he said angrily.
The old lady had long seen that the two children were not ordinary. They were not wearing silk clothes, but she still knew the workmanship of the clothes. In addition, the way the two children spoke was not something that ordinary children would have.
So she asked, "Your father is also an official? Is he not good with your family? That son-in-law of mine is not a small official. He's just a county magistrate. It's no wonder that he found another person to come home. That person is very capable. Otherwise, how can a person who is in the middle of the Ming Jing Department immediately become a county magistrate? It's good enough that he can treat my daughter better. What kind of official is your father? "
"Sigh ~! This is really like suddenly seeing a willow tree, repentant husband looking for a marquis title. Xiao Bao, my father and your father are the best. "Wang Juan didn't know what to say and sighed.
Then she said to the old lady, "Xiao Bao's father is a small official. He can't stay idle all day and has to take care of everything. In the end, when there are benefits, he gives it to others. It would be good if he could be an official in the same place as your son-in-law. After all, he's a colleague and should give him some face."
"Good, good. It's good that you have such a heart. It's not easy to be an official under others. You have to look at others' faces. Even if you have some achievements, it's still someone else's." The old lady didn't think much and patted Wang Juan's head with a kind smile.
"Yes, yes. It's really not easy. Every time you do something, you have to think about how the higher-ups will react. There are many times when you don't dare to stand up and ask others to help you. Even when you do something good for the people, you have to use the name of the higher-ups. You are also ostracized by others and impeached for nothing.
When you do something, there are countless pairs of eyes staring at you. All kinds of tricks are endless. There's no other way. Since you want to do something for the people, you have to hold on. Fortunately, there are many benefits for the higher-ups. The higher-ups help to suppress the impeachment reports. Only then can you go home in one piece. "
Wang Juan agreed. She complained mainly because she and Xiao Bao were exhausted. On one hand, they had to think of ways to make the people's lives better. On the other hand, they had to earn money from impossible situations. They also had to deal with all kinds of schemes at any time. Tactics, strategies, planning, and organization were all done by the two of them.
The old lady felt that the two children were very sensible. It seemed that the life at home wasn't so good. Even the children understood the hardships, let alone the adults.
After thinking about it, she used eggs and noodles to make an egg pancake and stuffed it into Wang Juan's hands. No matter what, she didn't want money. It was a reward for the two children.
"Grandma, you have a good heart. Good people will be rewarded. En, a new year is a new hope." Wang Juan took the egg pancake and said to the old lady before leaving with Zhang Xiaobao.
The old lady looked at the two children's figures and nodded. She said to the old man, "They are really good children. I don't know which family is so lucky."
"Old lady, give me one too. Add two eggs and no side dishes." At this time, a person seemed to suddenly appear. His eyes were looking at Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan's figures. He said to the old lady and took out three copper coins.
When the old lady saw the person, she was shocked. She quickly spread the pancake and said, "So it's Housekeeper Ge. How can this be? Quickly put the money away. When we were building the house, we took a few pieces of wood from you. You are so precious. You shouldn't eat pancakes. "
"It's not precious. It's edible. People who are more precious can eat it. How can I dare to say that it's precious? Old lady, your luck is here. I didn't give you an egg pancake for free. It's just that your son-in-law is going to be unlucky. "
Housekeeper Ge warmed his hands by the stove and said to the old lady.
When the old lady heard this, she quickly cracked two more eggs. "Housekeeper Ge wants to eat egg pancakes? That's right. Housekeeper Ge usually takes care of you. Of course, your luck is here. But do you know my son-in-law? "
"It has nothing to do with me. It's those two little ancestors. I guess your son-in-law will beg you to come home. It's okay to spread the egg pancakes. I will give you two more copper coins. Don't refuse. Otherwise, if the two little ancestors know, my Ge family will be unlucky."
Housekeeper Ge knew the two little ancestors' characters better.
"Housekeeper Ge, you are joking. Who dares to touch the Ge family in Sanshui County? If there are really troublemakers, they won't even be able to enter the courtyard before being beaten out. "The old lady didn't realize who Housekeeper Ge was talking about.
Housekeeper Ge trembled. "There are, but they won't be able to come here. If they really want to touch my family, with just one sentence, all the people in the county will rush over. What courtyard? Even the house will be destroyed. Didn't the two little ancestors tell you that good people will be rewarded? You just have to wait. "
"Are you talking about the two little children? What can they do? The boy's father is just a small official. He has to take care of everything. It's hard work but not good. Sigh ~! It's not easy. "
Only now did the old lady know who Housekeeper Ge was talking about. She shook her head.
With a 'pu' sound, Steward Ge, who was eating an egg pancake, suddenly spat out the food in his mouth. One of the egg pancakes came out from his nose, which made him feel extremely uncomfortable. He blew his nose twice, then said with reddened eyes:
"Small official? A fourth-rank provincial governor is a small official? Doesn't he have to take care of everything? He's in charge of all the affairs in the province, and he's even the military secretary. The military and government are one. It seems that you really don't know who they are. They're the little ancestors of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family in Zhuangzi.
The boy's father was the top scorer in the imperial examination. Does my Ge Family dare to offend them? Unless we're tired of living. You exchanged an egg pancake for such a big benefit. Isn't it a blessing? "
The old lady finally understood. She opened her mouth, which had four missing teeth, and the hand that was wiping the pancake also trembled. She knew who the two little children were. They were the young master and young lady of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family who had heard so much that calluses appeared in her ears.
But she couldn't understand why such a rich family didn't wear silk clothes. Why did they come over to eat a pancake and call her grandma? No wonder they looked so likable. They were actually from the Zhang Family and the Wang Family.
This was a true master. Even a child was so polite. The people from the top scorer's school were indeed different.
While the old lady was sighing, she suddenly thought of the complaint she said just now. Also, Butler Ge mentioned that her son-in-law was going to be unlucky. She began to feel anxious.
"Old man, quickly think of a way. The two little children might go back and tell their families. How can a county magistrate win against a provincial governor? What if his family wants to do something to our son-in-law? There's a big difference between a seventh-rank and a fourth-rank. "
The old lady said to the old man.
The old man finally smiled. He nodded and shook his head. "Don't worry. It's good to let him suffer a little, so that he won't harm our daughter. When the time comes, we'll talk to the two little children. A noble, a noble indeed."
"Talk? How? Wait for them to come back and buy pancakes? Otherwise, do you think that the two Zhuangzi Zhang Family want to see other people's children? Who do you think you are? You want to see them? Didn't you hear? In Sanshui County, if the Zhang family stomps their feet, the entire county will tremble. Isn't that right, Butler Ge? "
The old lady knew about this.
"Yes, yes. Don't mention trembling. The Zhang family said that they want to flatten the mountain in Little Luoshui. It won't take long for the mountain to be gone. My Ge family will be the first to provide people and money. But it's not hard to see the two little ancestors. They always come out and walk around."
Butler Ge expressed his attitude.
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.
