After a long sigh, Master Lin finally said, "It's not that there is no way, but it will cost some money!"
Several people looked at each other, and Chief Bai spoke first: "How much...how much is this?"
Master Lin looked at the clothes of the few people and sighed: "Brother Bai, why don't you wait a few more days? Maybe the court will send someone down soon!"
As the Bai clan leader had lived for most of his life, he naturally understood the hidden meaning of his words.
"Master Lin, the wells in our village have long since dried up, and some people have already started stripping the bark off the trees. You know, as the head of our clan, I can't just leave everyone to die!"
Master Lin's eyes lit up, and he stroked his beard. "I never thought Brother Bai could have such insight and broad-mindedness. I admire him. Speaking of this travel permit, it usually costs only one tael of silver, but now it costs twenty taels!"
"What? Twenty taels? Isn't that an exorbitant price?" Xu Da didn't cover Zhang the butcher's mouth.
Chief Bai glared at him, then looked at Master Lin, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and bowed: "This man is used to speaking without restraint. I hope Master Lin will forgive him!"
Seeing this, Tang Youyou slapped Zhang the Butcher fiercely: "Look at you, you usually speak in a panic and don't use your brain, why are you like this in front of adults?"
Butcher Zhang received her gaze and bowed reluctantly: "Sir, I spoke too hastily. Please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart!"
Master Lin's expression softened slightly, and he waved his hand. "I'm not afraid to tell you, this price today may not be the same tomorrow."
Butcher Zhang had just said the word "what" when he was suddenly grabbed by Tang Youyou and screamed.
"ah!"
"cry……"
Butcher Zhang was stunned. Cry? He looked at his swollen arm, grimacing in pain, and actually burst into tears.
"Wuwuwu... Sir, please be kind. How can we ordinary farmers come up with these twenty taels of silver? Even if we sell me, we can't get it..." Tang Youyou began to wipe away her tears.
The others looked at each other and started crying too.
Master Lin just felt a terrible headache. Seeing several grown men crying in front of him looked very weird.
At the same time, he was constantly calculating in his mind that now that most of the wealthy families in the city had left, these small fry wouldn't be able to make much money. The county magistrate had set a salary of five taels per household, so at least eight taels of silver would be required to make a profit.
Tang Youyou said, "Forget it, Clan Leader, let's just go back and wait for death. Lord Lin is right. The imperial court won't abandon the people of Xuzhou. Whether they distribute disaster relief grain or let everyone flee to other places, there will always be a way to survive. Woo woo woo..."
Several men were stunned. What was going on with this Tang family?
Butcher Zhang agreed immediately: "Twenty taels, even without food or drink, will take two years to save. I'm going to die anyway. I'm going to go back to Old Whitehead's house today to buy some food and live a full life!"
Chief Bai shook his head, a little sad: "I'm really sorry to bother Master Lin today!"
He bowed and was about to say goodbye, having already made up his mind to take his people into the mountains.
"Huh? Wait a minute!" Master Lin was anxious. He couldn't let the duck that was in his mouth fly away like this.
"Brother Bai, may I ask how many people in your village are leaving?"
Chief Bai shook his head. "We haven't negotiated yet, but if the price is too high and we don't have the money, we won't be able to leave even if we want to."
Master Lin calculated quickly in his mind that now that the famine had occurred, several other colleagues had made a fortune, but he had not yet benefited from it.
He made a quick decision: "How about this, I'll have a good talk with the county magistrate. Please wait a moment!"
As soon as the man left, Butcher Zhang couldn't hold it in any longer: "Chief, tell me, what did he mean?"
The Bai clan leader bluntly retorted, "Have you killed too many pigs? Have you become pig-brained?"
"Chief, if you don't want to say it, then don't say it. Why are you scolding me?"
The Bai clan leader was angry at him for not fighting back, and rubbed his index finger and thumb together.
He understood, but still cursed: "You bastard!"
Tang Youyou's mouth twitched. This guy has a really bad temper.
The voice of the Bai clan leader came: "Don't speak later!"
After a cup of tea, Master Lin came over with a happy face: "Brother Bai, it took a lot of effort to persuade the county magistrate. Eight taels of silver is already the lowest. Don't say anything outside, otherwise..."
Chief Bai shook his hand gratefully and said, "I know, sir, don't worry. I will never cause you any more trouble!"
It's just eight taels of silver, how can everyone come up with it? The grain is still in the field. He sighed and slapped his thigh: "Sir, I will go back to the village and inform everyone immediately!"
Master Lin nodded and said, "Okay, it's best to get it done today. Otherwise, the longer you go, the more trouble you'll have!"
Tang Youyou understood what he meant. She thought the price would go up again tomorrow. What a corrupt official.
Still smiling, he said, "Master Lin, please do it for me first!"
He took out two household registrations and handed them to him, then took out sixteen taels of silver from the space in his sleeve and handed them to him.
Master Lin’s eyes were curved with laughter.
Xu Da's eyes widened. Where did the Tang family get so much money?
After much thought, and looking at Master Lin's attitude, he was afraid that fleeing from the famine was the only way to survive. He touched the seven taels of silver on his sleeve and looked at Tang Youyou, feeling a little embarrassed to speak.
Butcher Zhang was also very surprised. The Tang family was so wealthy. Who said they were poor?
Carpenter Zhang touched the silver in his pocket and was reluctant to give it away. He gritted his teeth and handed over his household registration.
Master Lin took the silver and looked at the other two: "Do you want to do it together? It's not busy now, it will only take a quarter of an hour!"
Xu Da spread out the silver in his hand: "I... I'm still short of one or two taels!"
Seeing this, Tang Youyou handed over a tael of silver: "We are going to leave together, so let me lend it to you!"
Xu Da was somewhat touched and thanked him repeatedly.
Butcher Zhang didn't say anything and stuffed all the things into the hands of Master Lin.
The latter was overjoyed: "Wait!"
Then he left in a hurry. He earned fifteen taels of silver with just these three or two sentences. It was worth it!
The people who got the pass were overjoyed and felt like they were about to start a new life.
On the oxcart:
The Bai tribe leader thought for a long time and finally suggested: "You should just follow the villagers!"
Butcher Zhang pursed his lips and said, "Too many people means too much trouble. We are doing pretty well!"
Carpenter Zhang also said: "Too many people will make it too slow. Chief, we will go first and you can follow behind!"
The Bai clan leader sighed, but suddenly realized that their families were living well in the village, except for the Tang family, but she was very strong.
Xu Da makes a decent living selling tea, Zhang the butcher is a strong man and his son is also very strong, and as for Zhang the carpenter, he comes from a relatively wealthy family, and people with skills have always been popular since ancient times.
Tang Youyou persuaded: "Chief, hurry up. Right now, no one has realized the seriousness of the situation. They are still waiting for rain and hoping for aid from the court. If you really can't persuade them, just leave it alone!"
Butcher Zhang also agreed: "Yes, it's hard to persuade a damned ghost with kind words!"
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