Chapter 57 Fake Quarrel
Jiangnan, Sanzao Salt Field.
Jia Lian, who personally worked with the salt workers to boil and fry salt, felt that he was almost pickled.
This is not a job for humans!
I don’t know if my aunt offended my uncle and that’s why she treated him like this.
Poor thing, he still promised his uncle to produce 200 kilograms of salt.
Jia Lian wanted to cry.
I really want to back out.
But it doesn't work.
His aunt had been away from home for so many years, and he finally came to see her, but he ended up going back on his word in front of his uncle and became a deserter out of fear...
Jia Lian's calves trembled whenever he thought about the consequences of escaping back home.
He gritted his teeth and held on day by day.
Fortunately, his 200 kilograms of salt were about to be harvested.
Seeing the supervisor coming over, Jia Lian grabbed a little from the finished product and greeted him, "Master Chen, my salt is almost done," he said with a big smile, "Please try it, is it up to standard?"
"Hmm~"
Chen Jingtian tasted it carefully, and after a long while he said "Puh", "Fry it again and it can be called refined salt."
It's rare for the eldest young master of the Duke's Mansion to be able to hold on for these few days. "Do you want to fry it again?"
"……fry!"
Jia Lian gritted his teeth and finally agreed.
He has worked so hard for so long, he must strive for perfection and win some face for his aunt in front of his uncle.
Jia Lian vaguely felt that there was a deeper meaning behind his uncle forcing him to admit that he was interested in salt and to make salt himself.
However, he was not as good as his uncle, an old fox, so he could not guess and could only wait for his next instruction.
"Brother you are this!"
Chen Jingtian gave him a thumbs up and was about to compliment him a few more times when the sound of horse hooves came from afar.
Looking up, I saw a dozen big men and a carriage coming towards this side.
…
In Yangzhou, Jia Min had already helped her nephew buy the sacrificial land. There were two neighboring farms, and the silver Jia Lian brought was not enough, so she took the initiative to borrow 1,800 taels.
But the field was there, but the nephew was gone.
The situation in Jiangnan was complicated, and she was really afraid that her husband would trap her nephew here.
"lady!"
When Lin Ruhai entered the room, he found her in a daze. He waved to the maids, signaling them to leave, and handed her the booklet he was holding. "This is what Uncle Lin Shan asked me to give you before he left."
The contents inside are shocking.
He couldn't believe it and sent someone to check it again, "Let's take a look!"
Jia Min took it and turned to the first page. Her expression could not help but change, "Husband... have you read it?"
"Not only did I look at it, I checked it again."
Lin Ruhai sighed and sat down next to her, "Min'er, I'm sorry, I have caused you trouble."
Jia Min: “…”
She flipped the pages a little faster, but the more she flipped, the more scared and frightened she became.
Especially the last page, all of them are people around his son Chang'an.
Jia Min stared at the two names that she trusted the most and felt shortness of breath.
On September 27th of the fifth year of Emperor Xiaomu’s reign, Tian Youlan and her husband Zhang Cheng received 3,000 silver coins from salt merchant Li Zhong. On November 11th, they received a farm of 100 mu from him. On January 15th of the sixth year of Emperor Xiaomu’s reign, they received 100 taels of gold and a two-story house in the south city.
Why would they give so many things to two servants?
Moreover, behind Li Zhong is the big salt merchant Li Haimu. That man... they almost fell out with each other when they first came to Yangzhou.
Thinking of the two so-called Li girls she sold, Jia Min's hands couldn't help but tremble again.
She has never been harsh on anyone, especially those around her.
Thinking about how everyone had followed her to leave the wealthy home of the Duke's Mansion and their hometowns, with the exception of Yue, the annual rewards became more generous every year. She had thought that after experiencing a wealthy place like the Duke's Mansion, they would never be dazzled by the flowers outside, but now it seems... none of them can be trusted.
There are even some people who eat from all over the place and wish they could become slaves to all three families.
No, including her, don’t some people have three different masters? “Husband…, I’m sorry for you.”
Jia Min was overwhelmed by shame, anger and sadness, and she knelt down on the spot to her husband who had always trusted her.
"It's not your fault." Lin Ruhai hugged the trembling Jia Min and blamed himself, "It's my fault. My identity is too sensitive, so they were targeted."
Throughout history, many officials have been unable to control their greed, let alone their servants.
It's him, too naive.
It is unbelievable that after so many years in officialdom, he is still confused about family affairs.
Lin Ruhai didn’t dare to think about how those people outside would react if they suffered losses at his hands again. “Min’er, thank you so much. If you hadn’t thought of it in advance…” Their family might not even know how they died.
Since ancient times, many people have fallen in this position.
“Husband…!”
Jia Min felt pain and anger, her tears soaked her clothes. She was about to say that it was the eldest sister-in-law from the East Palace who reminded her of this, when she suddenly thought of something, "Oh no, Daiyu and Chang'an..."
"I sent someone to watch it yesterday."
After checking, Lin Ruhai no longer dared to trust the servants of the Jia family. "Don't be afraid. No one dares to touch our children."
His voice was extremely firm. "Min'er, Uncle Lin Shan has just gone to Lian'er's place. Let's use his excuse to pretend to have a quarrel and replace the people around Daiyu and Chang'an."
It is impolite not to reciprocate.
This time, he would not be named Lin unless he skinned a few people.
"And around us..."
The Jia family is all rotten, and those around him...
Although Lin Ruhai had checked before, after this incident, he felt that it was better to check every three months.
After all, people's hearts are fickle.
"For the sake of our children and ourselves, we should at least pay extra attention, even if we don't have to check every month."
"Hmm~"
How could Jia Min dare not respond at this point? The maidservant that her parents had personally chosen for her and the maid who had grown up with her had all been bribed by outsiders.
Who else can she trust? Who else can she dare to trust?
“Min’er!” Lin Ruhai hugged his wife, whose eyes were filled with fear but who was still worried about him, “When Lian’er’s problem is resolved, you can take the two children and follow him back to the capital!”
"Husband..."
Jia Min looked at her husband with tears in her eyes. How could she bear to leave?
"Go to Beijing, you and your two children will be safe."
Although the Duke's Mansion has declined, the legacy of the four generations of Dukes Ning and Rong is still there. The lady and the two children just need to pay a little attention.
Lin Ruhai's eyes were burning. "Besides, I can do my job freely only after you leave."
Salt administration is related to the lifeblood of the country, and a handful of good salt is even more related to the health of thousands of people.
As the Imperial Censor of Salt, Lin Ruhai knew too well that although the bitter salt was cheap, it also contained trace amounts of toxins.
It is fine to consume in small amounts, but long-term consumption can be detrimental to your health and lifespan.
But the salt cannot be detoxified by simply adding frying or boiling steps.
But if they gave up the poisonous salt, the salt from other salt fields would not be enough to supply the entire Dazhao.
Lin Ruhai and all the successive salt officials were worried about this problem.
He originally thought that he could only help the emperor and the emperor emeritus to protect the country's salt tax in his lifetime, but he did not expect that his sister-in-law in Ningguo Mansion gave him unexpected hope.
One is a way to remove impurities as quickly as possible and possibly even reduce toxins, and the other is a way to increase sea salt production.
No matter which of these two succeeds, it will be a major event that benefits the country and the people.
Lin Ruhai wanted to concentrate on his work, "Min'er, it's easy to dodge an open attack, but it's hard to guard against an arrow from the dark." He didn't want to, and couldn't bear to see her worrying about him anymore, "You just take good care of yourself and our two children, and that's your greatest support to me."
Madam's health is no longer as good as before.
He didn't want to worry about her either.
"Come on, let's think about how to quarrel..."
He wiped her tears and said, "Remember, we were just faking it. No matter what we said, it was all fake. I didn't really want to make you sad."
"……Um!"
Jia Min wiped her tears and said, "Me too. No matter what my husband says, don't take it to heart." At this point, her voice suddenly rose, "Lin Ruhai, what do you think of me? For so many years, we have already agreed that you will be in charge of the outer courtyard and I will be in charge of the inner courtyard. You listened to Lin Shan's instigation. Who does Lin Shan think he is?"
“You you…”
Lin Ruhai stood up in unison, "He is the man I want to call uncle. Who do you say he is? What inner courtyard? What outer courtyard? This is my Lin family..."
His voice was filled with exasperation. "Chang'an and Daiyu are my Lin family's children. You are holding them hostage and not letting the Lin family get close to you. I haven't even asked you yet. What do you want to do?"
"They are my children, what do you mean I can do anything with them?"
Jia Min dropped a cup with a bang.
From afar, Daiyu heard that her father was at her mother's place and was coming over here with her brother Lin Chang'an.
Hearing the faint sound of quarreling, the two men couldn't help but stop.
"Sister~"
"fine!"
Daiyu took her brother's hand and said, "Let's go and solve the Nine Rings!"
Although she was very worried about her father and mother, the door over there was closed, obviously not wanting them to know.
Normally, at the end of an argument, the father gives in to the mother, and then the mother gives in to the father, and they both admit their mistakes.
“…”
Lin Changan didn't want to leave.
He heard something break again.
Lin Daiyu also heard it, and her eyes were filled with worry. "Mammy!" She called her wet nurse Wang, and her brother's housekeeper, "Mammy Tian, go over there and take a look. If father and mother notice you, tell them that my brother and I are outside."
"yes!"
Tian Youlan and Nanny Wang looked at each other and went over together.
Both of them were maids who came with Jia Min's dowry, and now they are by the young master's side, so they always have the upper hand.
When the master and his mistress quarrel, the master loses ten times out of ten.
Even if the old lady was still alive, on the surface, the master would win, but he would also apologize to his wife and beg for mercy in the end.
Now that he has two young masters, even if Lin Shan is proud, he can...
Their footsteps were a bit heavy, but before they got close, they heard something breaking again.
“Don’t smash it.”
Lin Ruhai seemed to be short of breath, and he could do nothing about his crazy wife, "Be careful, your hand hurts."
"I still need you to take care of it..."
Jia Min's voice was filled with tears.
"Madam, please give me some face," Lin Ruhai seemed to be begging, "Uncle Lin Shan is old. He has been with my grandfather and father, watched me grow up, and took care of me for so many years. Now he wants to put a few of the Lin family's children around Daiyu and Chang'an. Why can't you do that for my sake and comfort him?"
"no……"
"Madam~"
Lin Ruhai seemed extremely helpless. "It's just a temporary measure. Uncle Lin Shan can't hold on for a few months. Let's just follow him for now. You can always change him back later."
The Jia family servants outside were all a little serious.
It's really not possible to be serious.
The outer courtyard has always been controlled by the Lin family's servants.
That old guy Lin Shan guards the outer courtyard like an iron barrel.
Now he is actually relying on his seniority to force the master to extend his hand into the inner courtyard. How can this be allowed? Everyone's ears pricked up.
Although everyone can basically come back with the lady around, what if? Everyone has their own secrets, and they know why they can get gifts from the masters outside.
The master and the mistress are both very good, and the two young masters are also very good, but no matter how good they are, it is impossible to reward them with hundreds of taels of silver.
And it’s more than a hundred taels.
That is wealth that cannot be earned in several lifetimes.
With all that money, farms and yards, their families and descendants won't have to worry about anything anymore.
"Madam~~~"
Lin Ruhai's voice was a little drawn out.
"You are my demon star."
Jia Min gritted her teeth and said, "Call your people here, I want to see them first."
“Hey~”
Lin Ruhai agreed loudly.
Lin Daiyu and Lin Chang'an, who had moved a little closer, heard this and were speechless.
Daddy is still the same.
The two looked at each other, and Lin Changan smiled and pulled his sister back again.
Half a day later, Li, the salt merchant who paid the most attention to the Lin family, received news that all the maids and old women in the backyard of the Lin family were replaced by the family's servants. However, the previous maids and old women were not idle. They were just given a three-month vacation by Jia Min.
Still have monthly holidays.
It seems to be okay.
But...
Li Haimu, the great salt merchant, always felt that something was not right.
"Go and find out why the Lin family did this."
He was too worried.
The master above wrote to him, hoping that he would cause more trouble for Lin Ruhai.
In fact, he had this idea himself without his master's order.
If Lin Ruhai is not found something to do, the batch of goods he had stockpiled before might be in danger.
But Yangzhou is different from other places. Behind Lin Ruhai stand two duke's mansions. In an emergency, they can directly request the garrison to send troops without going through the government.
This is the most troublesome thing.
Li Haimu took a roundabout way and took great pains to make friends with the servants of the Lin family, and his target was Jia Min from the Duke's Mansion.
Although the risk is huge, once it succeeds, everyone will thank him in the future.
"master!"
The housekeeper was also anxious, "If Lord Lin has already discovered it..."
This? Li Haimu frowned.
It's not impossible.
Lin Ruhai is good at acting. If he finds out something...
As he paced back and forth in circles, sweat began to form on his back.
"Notify my seventh brother..."
After thinking for a long time, Li Haimu finally didn't dare to take the risk. "Bring more people to the east, west, and back streets. If they find anything wrong, they will immediately warn them!"
Of course, the Li family’s journey to where they are today is not as simple as it seems.
"Also, keep a close eye on the Lin family. If they dare to attack our Li family, then the Lin family...will never have peace."
"yes!"
The housekeeper went out to make the arrangements, but Li Haimu was still worried, so he ground ink on the spot and started writing a long letter.
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