Chapter 304: Late Arrival
Mr. Bai came to inspect the fields at dusk. After all, he didn't want to go out when the sun was too hot.
The wheat on other estates had already been harvested, so today he finally had time to take care of the fields near his home. As a result, after walking along the ridge with his hands behind his back for a while, he heard bursts of children's exclamations and cheers coming from not far away.
He couldn't help but look over curiously.
It was a piece of wilderness about three or four mu in size. It was a wilderness because there were two trees and some stones.
There was grass growing naturally in the wild, and Mr. Bai was very familiar with that place because he would always sit there when he came to inspect the fields during spring planting and autumn harvest.
There were seven or eight children gathered there at this time, and the fat boy surrounded in the middle looked very familiar.
Master Bai signaled his followers not to make any noise and walked forward with his hands behind his back.
When I got closer, I found that they were setting up a net from the ground, and someone was catching a bird and putting it in a backpack.
Mr. Bai thought of the birds that he could find to eat these days.
Of course he knew that it was his youngest son who caught it, and he was very pleased.
After all, he has been taking things out all his life and rarely brings things home.
Mr. Bai smiled and was about to go over to greet his son's friends in a friendly manner, but he saw that the children had already set up the net. His son turned around and brought a pile of wheat from somewhere, and scattered it directly on the grass.
Mr. Bai was stunned and looked at the ground. He found that there was already a layer of wheat ears on the grass, and now there was another layer, making it look even more.
Manbao looked up at the time, stood up from under the tree and said, "Bai Er, we'll go home after one more catch. It's getting late."
Bai Er was unwilling, "It's still early, why go back so early?"
"It's almost time for dinner, and you're not doing your homework?"
Bai Shanbao also put away his book and stood up, saying, "Your homework has been graded C by the teacher for three consecutive days. If you don't take it seriously, the teacher will call your uncle."
Bai Er was a little unhappy, "Wouldn't it be better if you just copied the homework for me earlier?"
"The content of our classes is different from yours, and the homework is also different, okay?"
"Then give me your previous homework."
Master Bai was furious. He turned left and right, looking for a stick. The steward following behind him was startled and immediately hugged Master Bai, shouting, "Second Young Master!"
Bai Er turned his head and met his father's red eyes. He had no idea what his father was angry about, but subconsciously knew that something was wrong, so he let out an "Ah" and ran home.
He knew that at this time, only looking for his grandmother would be helpful.
Mr. Bai was furious. He struggled to break free from the steward's restraints and roared, "Let me go! I'm going to beat this brat to death today! He's throwing wheat around like dirt, and he even dared to neglect his studies."
The steward repeatedly advised: "Master, the pain in your heart is just a bundle of wheat. Our family doesn't lack this little wheat..."
This is true. Mr. Bai was mainly angry because Bai Er did not do his homework properly.
Manbao felt the steward's words were wrong. In her opinion, wheat was much more important than homework. But Bai Er was her friend, so she carefully defended him, "Uncle Bai, we didn't waste much food. When we closed the nets, we picked up these wheat ears and put them back. Aside from what was eaten by birds and what accidentally fell to the ground, we didn't waste anything."
Mr. Bai was looking at the books in their hands, almost in tears. He reached out and held the two children, saying, "If he were half as sensible as you and knew how to study hard, I wouldn't regret it even if he had to sow ten sheaves of wheat every day."
Manbao opened his mouth wide and praised sincerely: "Uncle Bai, you are so generous."
She is much more generous than her father.
Mr. Bai's anger came and went quickly, mainly because Bai Erlang was not around, so he couldn't get angry, so he set his eyes on the backpack.
The children were very obedient. They didn't catch birds anymore. They just divided the birds inside and bundled the wheat ears scattered on the ground, and then went back to their homes.
Because he was caught by the adults, Mr. Bai got the most birds. Manbao and Bai Shanbao each got five, while the other friends each got four.
Because they knew that the wheat ears belonged to Bai Erlang's family, the net belonged to Bai Shanbao's family, the method was thought up by Manbao and Bai Shanbao, and this was really a very fun game.
Sadly, I may never have the chance to play it again.
Mr. Bai went home with a bunch of birds, intending to beat the child after dinner.
As a result, when they arrived at the village entrance, they heard the sound of gongs beating in the village.
This is the sound of the gong used by the village chief to notify each household to gather for a meeting under the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village after dinner.
Mr. Bai frowned and asked, "Did something happen in the village?"
Manbao had already run home with the bird in his hand. Bai Shanbao hurriedly caught up with him, but he didn't have time to answer Mr. Bai.
Manbao ran home in one breath. Old Zhoutou and his family had just returned from the fields. The family was threshing beans in the yard, smiling.
"Dad, I hear the gong."
Old Zhou glanced at the bird in her hand, hummed, and said, "The village head came when the bell rang. He said the county magistrate summoned all the villagers to the city to inform them that the official document for this year's tax exemption had been issued."
Manbao breathed a sigh of relief, then wondered, "We've all known for almost ten days, why did you just notify us?"
Old Zhou was used to it. "That's because Mr. Zhuang is well-informed, and our family takes advantage of this."
Manbao immediately said, "Dad, do you want to kill a chicken to celebrate tonight?"
"Don't even think about it. Haven't we already celebrated?" Old Zhoutou thought of something and nodded with a smile, saying, "Indeed, we should celebrate. Then let's roast the birds you brought back tonight. After all, it's a meat dish. Add a few eggs and it'll be perfect."
Everyone: ...
When Manbao learned the reason for beating the gong, Bai Shanbao also knew it. When Bai Shanbao knew it, Master Bai also knew it.
Mr. Bai: ...
He simply didn't go home. He handed the string of birds to the steward and asked him to take it home. Then he turned around and went to the nearby school to find Mr. Zhuang.
He was rather displeased. "I've received the news ten days ago, and the county's official document has been posted for five or six days, yet the decree only arrived in the village today. What is County Magistrate Fu doing?"
Mr. Zhuang smiled nonchalantly and said, "No matter what he does, he has contributed to the tax exemption, and the people have really benefited from it, right?"
Mr. Bai snorted, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "I received news that Lord Wei highly values County Magistrate Fu, and that he may be promoted soon."
Mr. Zhuang paused in his tea-making process, and began to worry. "I wonder what kind of person the new county magistrate is."
In fact, unless the official is particularly corrupt and cruel, the people under his rule are most reluctant to change the county magistrate.
Because a new official has three big things to do when he takes office, most of the fires will not burn the people, but there will always be sparks that fly down.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
