On this street, the conversation between Old Man Wang and the other person was not very direct, and they only mentioned some things vaguely.
But the worry in their voices was real. Wang Erya listened carefully and pieced together the news. The county magistrate called over the village heads including Old Man Wang, issued a conscription notice, and notified all villages that taxes would be increased this year.
I don’t know how much the extra charge is, but judging from the tone it should be quite a lot.
Thinking about this, she couldn't help but slow down her eating. When Father Wang came back and saw that there were still some noodles in her bowl, he asked in surprise, "Er Ya, aren't the noodles delicious?"
Old Man Wang never doubted that his daughter couldn't finish the food. She usually ate much more noodles at home.
"It's delicious. I wanted to eat it slowly." Wang Erya came back to her senses and explained.
She looked up and saw that Zhuzi and Old Man Wang had empty their bowls. Without wasting any more time, she ate the remaining noodles in big mouthfuls, drank the soup, and put down her chopsticks.
Seeing this, Father Wang smiled and said, "Let's go back after we finish eating. It's delicious. I'll take you to eat next time we come."
"Okay." She answered obediently.
The three of them came in a bullock cart, and they did the same when they went back.
Outside the town, there are special ox carts that take people back to the village. However, compared to when they came here, there are more people on the carts. The swaying ox carts and the crowded seats make it very difficult for people to move around.
When they saw Dashi Village, Wang Erya jumped out of the car as if she was escaping and stood on the ground.
Old Man Wang and Zhuzi, who got off the car later, also looked a little tired.
The sun was no longer at its hottest at this time. When the sun shone through the gaps between the treetops and fell on people, the warm temperature made people unconsciously sleepy. The father and his two daughters walked back home and went back to their rooms to rest.
Wang Erya didn't sleep for long. She was still thinking about what she had heard before. After waking up, she looked at the roof for a moment, then pushed the door open and went out to ask more questions.
In the yard, Li was mending the clothes. Seeing her come out, she smiled and said, "Er Ya, are you awake?"
"Mom, where is my dad?" Wang Erya asked.
Her voice was still soft and mellow, as if she had just woken up. Seeing her daughter like this, Mrs. Li smiled and said, "Your father has something to do and will be back soon."
She nodded, but in her heart she was wondering what Father Wang was busy with at the moment, was it about conscription? !
no……
Wang Erya remained expressionless, but she had made up her mind to go and take a look. She raised her eyes and said, "Mom, I'm going to the village to play for a while."
Upon hearing this, Li warned, "Go ahead, just play in the village and don't run around."
Wang Erya nodded, walked out and headed towards the village. On the way, she thought about the place in the village, stopped and walked towards the village entrance.
In the past, if something happened in Dashi Village, they would usually call the villagers together under the big tree at the entrance of the village to announce it. There was no reason for anything unexpected to happen this time.
She walked slowly over and met a few villagers along the way who were also walking hurriedly towards the village entrance. She guessed that she was right.
Sure enough, when she went over, she saw Old Man Wang standing in front of the tree, and a group of villagers were crowded around, discussing the notice posted under the big tree.
The atmosphere in the crowd was quite heavy, because the notice not only stated that taxes would be increased by 10% after the autumn harvest, but also mentioned that all men of military age in each family would be recruited into the army.
These two pieces of news were like a bolt from the blue, making it difficult for the villagers, who were already living in poverty, to accept. They all went to Wang Shun, the village head, to inquire about the news.
"How can we live like this?"
When Wang Erya walked a little closer, she heard a hunched old man sighing numbly. He was frighteningly thin, his skin was bronze from long-term exposure to the sun, and his patched clothes were white.
She recognized this man; he was Li Ershuan, Goudan's father who had previously broken his leg.
Wang Erya knew something about the Li family. They were not native to Dashi Village. It was said that they fled here many years ago to escape famine. Their family was poor and they had a hard time living in the village.
This notice undoubtedly made things worse for the Li family.
She couldn't describe her feelings when she saw this. In this world, human life is as cheap as grass, and the orders of the powerful are like sparks, turning any person into a handful of ashes.
Wang Erya did not go any further in. Instead, she looked at the situation under the tree from a distance. When she turned her head, she accidentally saw Lin Xiucai standing next to her. Next to him was Lin Yu, whom she had met once before.
The father and son wore the same scholar's cloth robe, which made them stand out among the villagers in brown clothes and short jackets.
Mr. Lin was exempt from military service and taxes because of his meritorious service, so this notice should not have much impact on the Lin family. However, when she looked at him from afar, she saw that Mr. Lin had a worried look on his face.
"Er Ya, why are you here?"
Old Man Wang didn't know when he saw Wang Erya in the distance, so he walked over and called her.
"Dad, I see a lot of people come over here to play." She came back to her senses and said with a smile.
Old Man Wang nodded and said, "There are too many people here. Look, they're stepping on you. Play away from here."
Wang Erya nodded, walked obediently towards the village, and left the village entrance.
She was in a bad mood all the way, so she didn't go home but walked towards the mountain. She arrived at the stream with ease, sat on a big rock and began to practice the Green Water Technique accompanied by the sound of water.
The internal force circulated in the body, and my mood gradually calmed down.
At a certain moment, the acupoints in the body were continuously impacted by the internal force, making a slight breakthrough sound, and the originally thin internal force became twice as strong.
The Green Water Technique has been cultivated to the third level.
…
In Dashi Village.
The villagers were talking about it, but there would be no changes to the conscription and taxation. Every household had to submit the people they were supposed to contribute and prepare the taxes they were supposed to pay, and no one was exempt.
As the head of the village, Old Man Wang was the only able-bodied laborer in his family, so he was exempt from conscription. However, he still had to pay taxes. The original three levels of taxes had now become four levels, which meant that there would not be much surplus grain in hand this autumn.
The family's daily meals became lighter, and three meals a day were reduced to two meals.
The days go by.
Wang Erya is one year older. Her originally plump figure has grown taller and thinner. Her brother Zhuzi has also gradually become more sensible and started to learn some farm things from Old Man Wang.
After the spring plowing that year, it was Zhuzi's twelfth birthday. His mother, Mrs. Li, made him a bowl of longevity noodles. Suddenly, Old Man Wang mentioned at home that he wanted to give him a big name.
The next day, he took him to Mr. Lin's house and asked him to give him a name.
Seeing this, Wang Erya also wanted to follow. Old Man Wang loved his daughter so much that he didn't say anything. He just reminded her not to run around when the time came.
Lin Xiucai listened to Old Man Wang's explanation of his purpose without delay. After looking at the calmer Zhuzi and thinking for a while, he said, "Let's give him a simple name, Yi. I hope this child has unbreakable perseverance."
"Thank you, Mr., for the name!" Zhuzi bowed.
From today on, Wang Zhuzi will be called Wang Yi.
At this moment, Wang Erya, who was standing beside him, said, "Mr. Lin, could you also give me a name?"
Her round face had become much thinner, revealing delicate features and watery almond-shaped eyes. When she spoke, her eyes were particularly lively.
Hearing this, Mr. Lin looked at her and smiled, "You are a very clever girl. Why not give her a name like Miao?"
"Wang Miaomiao?!" She was stunned.
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