Chapter 153 Corvée
The emperor understood the principle that when the water is too clear, there will be no fish, so he could allow some freeloading within a certain range.
But it's too much, it's like treating him like a fool.
When Lu Qiniang saw Teng Wenfu coming, she was so happy that she insisted on inviting him to dinner. "Uncle Teng, your leg is much better. Do you want to ask Dr. Hu to see you again? Master Li is fine. I want to go see him now. Xiao Yan said that the family has strict rules and we are afraid that it will not be good if we go."
"Okay, everything is fine. The master is fine, and I am fine too." Teng Wenfu likes to come to Lu Qiniang's place.
Nothing else, just two words - comfortable.
He was followed by two guards, each carrying a basket, and one of them was carrying a basket given by Lu Qiniang.
"Hahaha, you still remember! I was afraid you'd lose my basket, so I specifically told Xiao Yan about it." Lu Qiniang laughed, "My basket costs fifteen cents each!"
Teng Wenfu asked someone to give the things to her.
In addition to the exquisite snacks that Lu Qiniang couldn't even take her eyes off, there were also mangoes that she didn't recognize, and one that she did recognize - sand apples.
During the Chinese New Year, one pine cigarette was given to the whole family to share, but Mr. Li just gave a whole basket?
Oh my god!
That's not a basket of sand apples, it's a basket of silver!
Lu Qinniang's eyes widened. "Uncle Teng, this is too expensive. You take it back. I'll keep two to try."
"Just accept this, as the master gives it to you. The master won't be polite to you either." Teng Wenfu explained his purpose with a smile.
"Crabs! Crabs are much cheaper this year than in previous years," Lu Qiniang said. "Two baskets of the biggest and best crabs. I picked them out one by one, and after bargaining, they only cost one or two taels of silver. If the master wants some, I'll buy them for him. What are you going to bring?"
"Then can you take me with you to pick one?" Teng Wenfu said with a smile.
"Sure! Why not?"
So, more than an hour later, the emperor got two baskets of "Abandoned Mother's Selection" large crabs.
There is no difference between it and the one in Concubine Shu’s palace.
The emperor even had it steamed and tasted, and it was exactly the same.
Teng Wenfu knelt on the ground, lowered his head, and dared not say a word.
"Good, good, good," the emperor laughed in anger, "You all take me for a fool! Crabs out there are only 20 wen a pound, and after they've passed through several different hands, can't they sell them to me for 50 wen? They're going to sell them to me for 200 wen! Very good!"
Teng Wenfu seemed to see a river of blood flowing under the wrath of thunder.
But those people deserved it.
This unhealthy trend in the palace should have been rectified long ago.
And, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The two generations of the late emperor and the current emperor worked hard to govern the country, and a prosperous era began to emerge. The ministers' daily memorials described a prosperous and peaceful country, with people living and working in peace and contentment. They left their doors unlocked at night and no one picked up things on the streets.
The emperor believed it to some extent.
What's the result?
If you go among the people, all the lies will be exposed.
The emperor only knows this at the moment, but Teng Wenfu knows more.
For example, who actually pocketed the money?
For example, the country is not yet rich, the people are not yet rich, but some people have already started eating bird brain tofu.
What is bird brain tofu?
It is a tofu-like dish made from bird brains. One dish may require up to a thousand bird brains.
(Note: Bird brain tofu is a true story from the Ming Dynasty)
For an ordinary banquet, two or three taels of silver is already an excellent banquet.
However, there are people in the capital who can spend thousands of taels of silver on a banquet of three or five tables. The level of extravagance is unimaginable.
Lu Qiniang didn't know that she was sending a Mid-Autumn Festival gift, but also caused bloodshed in the palace.
Lu Qiniang was arguing with Xiao Yan.
Because their family had to perform labor service.
This year's corvée labor is to reinforce the embankment of Chaobai River, which is more than ten miles away from home.
Because of the autumn floods every year and several heavy rains, the embankments are often washed away.
So basically every year, the imperial court would send people to reinforce the levees.
This year, because Lu Qiniang and Xiao Yan are getting married, their family also needs a strong laborer.
If you don't serve twenty days of labor service, you will have to pay one or two taels of silver.
Lu Qiniang felt that one or two taels of silver was just one or two days' income, so she just had to pay it.
But Xiao Yan said that he wanted to serve in the army.
Lu Qiniang naturally refused to let him go.
But despite all the kind words of advice, Xiao Yan refused to listen, and Lu Qiniang became a little anxious.
"You don't know, that job is very tiring, you can't do it!"
After taking care of a person for half a year and finally getting him back to health, he gets sick again. Is that a matter of one or two taels of silver?
Lu Qinniang has experienced so many things. She is not afraid of hardship or poverty, but she is afraid of illness.
Xiao Yan said, "I'm fine. I want to go check out the dam's condition so I know what's going on."
He can't fight all his life.
He can't do it either, because he only understands military strategy and doesn't understand people's livelihood.
"He doesn't want to suffer any hardship, so just let him go." Yun Ting said sarcastically.
"You have to go too." Xiao Yan said.
Yun Ting's eyes almost popped out of his head. "I want to go? I won't go! My family doesn't have to do corvée labor."
"I have already accepted one or two taels of silver from others, and you go and help serve under their name." Xiao Yan's tone did not allow for rebuttal.
Yun Ting: "...I want to go home and spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with my grandmother!"
"We all have half a day off during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is enough."
"You are cruel!" Yun Ting really wanted to curse.
As the saying goes, things smell good from a distance but stink up close.
Ever since he started living with Xiao Yan, he felt more and more that the person he was madly admiring was so useless!
Lu Qiniang also understood something and pulled Xiao Yan aside and whispered, "Did the Duke ask you to train in Yunting?"
Xiao Yan nodded and decided to go with the flow.
Lu Qiniang sighed: "I'm worried about your health. Yun Ting is so small, what can he do if he goes? If you must go, I will go with you."
She could do more and take care of them.
Xiao Yan's mind suddenly popped up that scene at an inopportune time - Lu Qiniang was carrying a load on her shoulders, with him on one end and Yun Ting on the other, like two pigs sitting in a bamboo basket.
No, he refused!
"You have to take care of the family business and look after our three daughters. Don't worry, I'm not made of paper. I will take care of Yunting."
Lu Qiniang was still worried.
But it couldn't change Xiao Yan's mind.
More than ten miles away was a very long distance for Lu Qiniang.
Together with Daya, she prepared clothes, bedding, dry food, pickled meat and vegetables for the two of them. It was like sending their husbands off to war, and they were worried about them all.
"Xiao Yan, here are three taels of silver." The night before leaving, Lu Qiniang handed the purse to Xiao Yan. "Poor at home, rich on the road, you can't go out without money. Also, I wrapped twenty taels of silver notes in oil paper and sewed them inside your clothes. Don't touch this money unless something serious happens."
Listening to her worried advice, Xiao Yan had an urge to pull her into his arms and hug her tightly.
He was reluctant to leave home before he even left.
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