"Then, should we prepare in advance?"
Guo Deng asked Li Kai if they should prepare a ceremony to welcome Minister Xu.
Li Kai laughed.
"Don't you know Minister Xu's character? He can take off his official uniform and work with us. If you say we should prepare a ceremony, you are looking down on Minister Xu. "
"Oh, I don't dare to say that!"
Guo Deng quickly waved his hand. "Then, we don't do anything? Just wait like this? "
"We still have to do it. The village head said to gather everyone tomorrow morning. Men, women, young and old, Minister Xu will take everyone to every inch of the village and personally check if there are any locusts in the soil. He will teach everyone how to do this so that everyone can learn how to check every day to ensure that there are no locusts this year."
"It seems like it's about time."
Guo Deng nodded. "Okay, I understand. I will arrange everything for you tomorrow!"
"Okay, uncle, I will leave first. Oh yes, one more thing."
Li Kai continued, "I told you a few days ago that the village is going to start a school at Mengxue School. What do you think about it? This is a good opportunity to study. We can't miss it. There is even a lunch!
There has never been such a good thing in the past thousands of years. Only the emperor of Daqin did this. We can't miss this opportunity. The village head said that the school will start next spring. We must submit the name list in advance. "
Guo Deng immediately laughed.
"You're right, kid. How can I not support you when you're studying to turn your life around? Studying is a good thing and it doesn't cost money. How can we not agree? There are a hundred families in the village. Every family has children. I promise I will send them to Mengxue School. If anyone dares to refuse, I will beat his ass! "
Li Kai also laughed.
"Okay, then I will go back first. The village head still has something to tell you. You must prepare well."
"Don't worry!"
Li Kai nodded and left on his horse. Guo Deng walked back to the shade. Guo Deng asked, "What did Li's son say?"
"He told us to prepare. Minister Xu will come tomorrow morning."
The whole family was dumbfounded.
"Minister Xu? Minister Xu Guangqi? "
Guo Deng stared at him and asked.
Guo Deng nodded.
"Yes, Minister Xu wants to personally lead us to check for locusts, to see if there are locusts in our fields. Now is the time. Didn't Minister Xu personally lead people to check for locusts in Lantian County in April and May? Now it's our turn. "
The whole family immediately became excited.
"Father, Minister Xu! A high-ranking official! Why don't we … hurry up and get ready? "
The eldest son immediately asked.
"Prepare for what? Don't you know what kind of person Minister Xu is? "
Guo Deng rolled his eyes at his eldest son and said, "You're looking down on Minister Xu by making a fuss about people who can work with us. Do what you need to do. Tomorrow morning, the whole village will gather and follow Minister Xu to investigate the locusts. That's all. "
"That's it?"
His family was still a little worried.
"That's it! Now it's the Daqin's world, not the Daming's world. There are no landlords collecting rent from us, and the officials don't bully us anymore. I'm just a sesame official now, receiving a salary. Have I ever bullied you? "
The whole family was stunned for a moment, and then they all laughed.
"Father, what kind of official are you? You're just a messenger!"
Hearing his family's words, Guo Deng also laughed.
"So what if I'm a messenger? I'm the one who arranges all the big and small things in the village. Okay, okay, hurry up and eat. After eating, do what you need to do. Oh right, Li's son told me something just now. He said that next spring, our village will start a Mengxue School. Our five sons will all go to school. "
Except for the five children who were confused, the adults in the family all looked at each other.
"Really, Father? You're not joking with us? "
The second son had a dull look on his face.
"What are you talking about? Since the Emperor has spoken his words, he will not go back on them. Those are words of gold and jade. Why would he try to fool us?"
Guo Deng's eyes widened, and he was very unhappy.
"No, Father, this … not spending money to let our children learn to read and write, and even providing them with lunch, this … this is not possible …"
The third son echoed.
"Why is it impossible? Our family has 240 mu of land. Was it possible in the past? Didn't we have it now? I'm just a poor tenant farmer, and now I'm the president of the farmers' association. Would you believe it in the past? Didn't it still come true? "
Guo Deng frowned and reprimanded his family. "I've said that the world has changed. There is no Daming anymore. Now it's our Daqin's world. Daqin, do you understand? Without so much rent and taxes, the emperor gave us the chance to learn to read and write, but we didn't take it. Do you want our children to be like us and be blind? "
The family looked at each other, and they felt that what their father said was right.
"Father, it's not that we don't want to, but we're scared and don't dare to believe it. How can the imperial court do such a good thing? In the past, those officials were all fiendish and fierce. Why have they all changed now? "
The fourth son's face was full of hesitation.
Guo Deng sighed and rubbed his head.
"What do you want me to say about this? But we have to think about it. After the establishment of the Daqin Dynasty, when the officials came, did they ever lie to us? If you want to distribute land, if you want to give cows, if you want to give farm tools, if you want to reduce taxes, then you want to do it. This is real. "
When Guo Deng said this, the family had nothing to say. This was indeed true.
"So, when the officials said that they want to give us the chance to study, it's true. They want to send our children to study and learn how to read and write, and strive to be successful people in the future. Don't be like us in the past, eating one steamed bun for the whole family, and starving to death …"
As he said this, Guo Deng's eyes turned red again. Thinking of the past, he couldn't be in a good mood.
The family comforted him a little. After eating, the men continued to work the land, and the women went back to make clothes for the garrison army. The Daqin soldiers never disturbed the people, nor did they steal or rob. When the farming was busy, they would even take the initiative to help everyone. Everyone was willing to make clothes and shoes for them.
The winter in Guanzhong was cold, and it was even colder in recent days. No one wanted to let these men who were willing to help them do farm work for free freeze.
At night, before the sun set, the whole family finished work and gathered for dinner. They were happy and harmonious, talking and laughing. The food wasn't sumptuous, but at least it was enough to fill their stomachs. This was very satisfying.
After that, the sky was completely dark. The family returned to their rooms and went to sleep.
These days, no one could use lights. Once the sky darkened, they would go to bed. They would either do some fertility exercises or sleep. Life on the farm was so simple and plain.
The Guo family's day ended like this.
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