Chapter 295: No Way Out

If the Jiang family doesn’t help them.

Let’s split up!

Hearing this, Widow Liu felt like the sky had fallen.

She knelt on the ground and refused to get up.

So many people were crying together.

The sounds mixed together and it was really noisy.

Jiang Fubao quickly covered his ears.

If you don’t know, you might think they are crying.

It's really unlucky.

"Alright, stop howling. I asked you to harvest in advance, but you refused, thinking I was harming you. Then it rained, and I asked you to go to town to buy grain the next day, but you didn't listen. When the officials came, the grain price went up, and you regretted it, but it was too late!"

Jiang Shoujia's voice was a little hoarse because he had talked too much in the past few days.

So, he took the firewood stick and knocked on the wooden basin.

After everyone calmed down, he spoke slowly.

The voice was not loud, but the words that came out of it made the villagers kneeling on the ground feel a little desperate.

"Chief, you are our chief. If you don't help us, who will? If we can't survive, can you explain to the tribe? How will the villagers see you? Can you keep your position? How will you explain to the government?"

Some scheming people even made threats.

But they underestimated Jiang Shoujia.

He took this position in the first place only because he was afraid of Jiang Guangyi's revenge.

Now Jiang Guangyi's family is lying in bed, so it doesn't matter if he is the clan leader or village chief.

He just sneered.

Cursing and swearing.

"Who wants to be this rotten clan leader? Other villages are so united. Look at our village. Who of you listens to me when I speak? If I hadn't threatened everyone with the bamboo tube, I'm afraid that not even half of the people would be willing to harvest in advance. What kind of village leader is this? I don't want to be the clan leader anymore. Don't bother me anymore.

After the autumn harvest, I will inform the tribe and let them choose a new person. This thing has no benefits at all. You just complain about it. Those who scolded me before, do you think I can't hear it? I remember it in my heart. You, you, you, you three scolded the most fiercely, why are you kneeling now? Who are you crying for?"

Jiang Shoujia just cursed but still not satisfied.

He used the firewood stick in his hand to point at the three women who had cursed him most harshly behind his back.

The three of them blushed with embarrassment.

The head is almost buried in the ground.

"No matter how long you kneel, it's useless. I can't help you, and I won't help you. Hurry up and leave."

After Jiang Shoujia finished speaking, he threw the firewood stick in his hand towards the house.

Just close the door.

Even the bolt was down.

Today is Jiang Tongmu’s first day of rest.

Zhang Jinlan bought a lot of food, including lamb, pork, river shrimp, and even two hens that were too old to lay eggs.

One for stewing soup and the other for braising.

Jiang Meng and Jiang Cheng were chopping wood in the backyard.

Today, the four of us, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, cooked a total of ten dishes.

Each dish comes in a full pot.

It really is served in a basin.

Since Jiang Tongmu came back, Jiang Eryong also came back with his wife today.

It's rare for a family to be reunited.

The aroma of rice wafted out the door on the wind.

The villagers who were still kneeling on the ground were so angry that they were about to cry.

"Hey, stop kneeling. He won't help us. Let's go home and get some money."

"To be honest, my family can't even pay the fine, so how can we afford to buy brown rice at such a high price?"

"Mom, get up. At worst, we won't have to pay the fine. Your son will go and repair the river bank."

"Don't talk nonsense. Do you think you can come back alive after going there? You are young and inexperienced. In the past, among those who went to labor service, thirty out of a hundred people could come back, which was considered a lot. Thirteen years ago, five people from our village went there, and not a single one came back.

One of them was the only child in the family. He had just married and therefore could not pay the fine. If he died, would the three of them still have a way to live? His wife remarried, and his parents hanged themselves. You were only two years old at the time, so you didn’t know. Okay, if you don’t want to kneel, go back. Kneel down, mother.”

The atmosphere outside the Jiang family's door was in stark contrast to that inside.

I ate so much meat inside that I burped, and the food outside made me drool. I couldn't even have brown rice porridge when I got home.

It was getting dark.

Some people with bad tempers just walked away after being scolded by Jiang Shoujia.

Some people knelt until dark, but their knees could no longer bear it and they felt there was no hope, so they also went back one after another.

Including Widow Liu.

When daybreak came, the Jiang family's door opened from the inside.

Only one third of the people were left outside.

They were kneeling on the ground with pale faces, dark circles under their eyes, and looked extremely haggard, as if they were about to faint at any second.

As for why I knelt for so long.

It's just that there's not even a penny left in the family.

“Chief, please, please help us. We are really desperate. I was blind and didn’t believe you at first. I stood on the right side. Now I know I was wrong. I have five children at home.

If you don't help us, my wife will sell my two daughters. Please, I'll do anything for you."

"Village chief, please take my life. I am willing to redeem myself to atone for my sins. Please help us."

"......"

Those who stayed behind were basically all soft-hearted. Once they were fooled by Jiang Guangyi, they believed in him unwaveringly.

Or they may be timid and worried about their family's poverty. They are afraid that the autumn harvest will come early and there will be no rain. Not only will the yield from the acres be reduced, but the family will also have to pay grain taxes, so they will not have enough to eat and cannot survive.

But it did rain, and taxes went up.

They collapsed.

Jiang Shoujia didn't expect that someone would kneel all night.

Listen to these people begging and crying.

He did not refuse immediately, but stood at the door, thinking.

Jiang Fubao was eating breakfast in the yard.

She was so engrossed in watching that the spoon in her hand was about to poke her nostrils.

"What are you looking at, kid? Eat your meal properly. The porridge is about to go up your nose."

Zhang Yanzi was passing by with a broom and happened to see this scene.

She scolded.

"I know, pretty mother."

Jiang Fubao then lowered his head and ate his meal seriously.

When I looked up again, grandpa had already come in from the door.

Behind him, the villagers who were originally kneeling, supported themselves and followed in.

Their knees had become numb from the pain after kneeling for so long.

Although I rested many times at night, I couldn't stand kneeling for so long.

"Tongmu, bring me pen, ink, paper and inkstone. I'll say a sentence and you write it down." Jiang Shoujia sat on a chair and said to his second grandson who had just finished washing up.

"Okay." Jiang Tongmu didn't know what his grandfather was going to do.

But he listened.

Half an hour later, fifteen sheets of paper were spread out on the table.

"I have made it clear just now. Anyone who wants to borrow grain should send two people from each family to sign the agreement. You cannot borrow more or less. I will lend it to you at the price of 25 wen per bushel. After one year, you must return the unpolished rice or you can use silver to pay it off. Who will sign the agreement first?"

Jiang Shoujia sat at the table, with his right hand on the table as he spoke.