The Huang family was unaffected by yesterday's events and continued as usual. After sending Huang Xiaosan and Xiaoliu away, Jiang Nuan prepared to take the children to the fields to pull weeds.
The Huang family owns nine mu of land: three mu of paddy fields, four mu of dry land, and one mu of sandy land. The sandy land is next to the river, and how much crops they can harvest depends entirely on whether the weather is kind to them.
Wheat was planted in the dry land in early autumn, and it is lush and vibrant. Now is the time to weed.
You can also dig up some wild vegetables and steam them.
The group, wearing hats and gloves, carrying hoes, changed their shoes and were about to go out when they heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Xie muttered under her breath. "Why is it coming at this hour when we're about to leave?"
"I'll go open the door," Jin said, and jogged over.
She wondered who was so insensitive.
Upon opening the door and taking a closer look, Jin looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Clan leader, what brings you here?"
"What's wrong with the clan chief?" Xie asked, carrying the basket on her shoulder.
As soon as she looked up, she saw the clan chief striding in. Instantly, she covered her mouth in surprise, "Why is the clan chief here?"
“You all go about your business,” Chief Huang waved his hand, “I’m going to find your mother.”
"Looking for my mother?" Madam Xie's eyes flashed. "She's behind me, she'll be out soon."
Hearing the commotion ahead, Jiang Nuan reluctantly took off her hat and gloves, then walked into the hall and sat down in a chair.
"Fifth sister-in-law," Chief Huang asked as soon as he entered the hall, "do you still stand by what you said about building a school?"
“It counts,” Jiang Nuan lowered her eyes, “Does the clan leader have any instructions?”
"That's good," Chief Huang breathed a sigh of relief. "How much silver are we still short? Can we start construction now?"
“I’m afraid it will be a bit difficult,” Jiang Nuan sighed before explaining, “I have less than ten taels of silver on hand, and I’m still short half.”
"So that's how it is," Chief Huang said, somewhat disappointed.
In the past, he could have made up the difference by paying the remaining silver, but yesterday, his family spent a large sum of money, and they didn't even have enough to live on.
After a long silence, Chief Huang tentatively asked, "Could we use the food allowance from the corvée labor section for a few days?"
“No,” Jiang Nuan refused without hesitation. “This money cannot be used. The corvée labor is so heavy. Without some supplements, the children can’t bear it.”
Despite her family's excellent diet, with all sorts of nourishing foods, the second son still visibly lost weight. Without sufficient oil and nutrients, these young men would have to rely solely on their own bodies to cope.
Although the villagers had all sorts of ulterior motives, she wasn't about to hold a grudge against a bunch of kids.
No one is allowed to touch this money!
“Alright then,” Chief Huang nodded, “I’ll think of another way.”
After saying that, he walked away with his hands behind his back.
After Chief Huang left, Xie came over.
"Mother, what brings the clan chief to our house?"
“Let’s save ourselves,” Jiang Nuan shook her head. “Never mind him, let’s go down to the ground.”
"Self-rescue?" Xie muttered softly, "Why won't he give up?"
She found it strange that the position of clan leader had always been held by the eldest son's family, and it had never fallen to an outsider. Why wouldn't the clan leader step down?
There's not much difference between having your son as the clan leader and having yourself as the clan leader, so why bother with all this?
“It’s definitely different. Just look at your grandfather and uncle,” Jiang Nuan explained, shaking her head as she heard her daughter-in-law’s mutterings. “A new emperor brings a new court. This principle applies to Huangjiakou as well. If he’s not the clan leader, many things will change.”
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