Chapter 53 Chapter 53 The Eight Gods Appear.
"The Eight Gods have appeared! The First Mother-in-law has appeared!"
That day, the children in Benguli were running and shouting all along the way.
"Wang Li, why are you shouting so loudly? What's wrong?" Ji Feng stopped him and asked.
"Food prices can be reduced! There's a notice posted at the township pavilion!
Oh, I can't read either. I just heard it from others. Doesn't your sister know how to read? Let her read the notice."
Wang Li said happily.
When Ji Xu heard about it, he locked the door and planned to call Chen's family to go with his sisters to see what was going on.
Coincidentally, Mrs. Lu from the Chen family also came. When the two of them met, she was also excited.
"We heard a commotion early in the morning. It sounds like good news. Let's go to the village pavilion and see what's going on."
Along the way, we met many villagers who were going to the township pavilion together. When we passed through Woshe Valley, we saw that the shacks on both sides were still there, but the refugees inside were empty. The minor officials in black official uniforms were dismantling the shacks according to the instructions of the county.
The village elder, Mr. You, was also on the side of the road. He was leaning on a cane and discussing something with the old men beside him. In front of them were some refugees who were carrying cloth bags and holding all their belongings. Looking over, they were all old, weak, women and children, and there were no young and middle-aged people.
The villagers from all over the village had already gathered around the notice wall of the township pavilion, surrounding it so tightly that no one could get through. A voice came from the circle in front:
"What does this notice say?"
"I can't even recognize it. Is there any squire from the filial village behind me who can help me recognize the characters?"
There is a library and a scripture house in Xiaoshunli. There are more literate gentry there than in other places, while most people in other villages cannot read or write.
“There are people who can read!”
Wang Li raised his arms and said proudly that he had also heard Ji Feng say that her elder sister had been taught by a kind man in Chang'an and could recognize the words on the cloth signs hanging in the shops.
Those who were surrounding her heard that they should make way for her. Actually, Ji Xu had been practicing calligraphy since she was a child in her previous life. She used the fact that she could recognize characters in Chang'an as an excuse. She could write the eight-point script with a silkworm head and a swallow tail. However, this style of Han Li had not yet emerged at that time. It became the mainstream only in the Eastern Han Dynasty. At that time, the strokes were more horizontal and vertical, and the font also appeared flat.
Although the calligraphy style of Bafenshu is different from that of Bafenshu, the characters can still be recognized. Seeing this, he walked to the notice and saw clearly what was written on the cloth.
"Girl, what does this say?" Tell us quickly.
Ji Xu said the slightly literary sentence in a homely way:
"This explains the soaring price of rice in our prefectures and the persistently high price of wheat in Kanto.
The largest granary had not actually caught fire. It was collusion between officials and businessmen. The large grain merchants in Guandong were buying up autumn grain to manipulate prices. The corrupt officials, under the pretext of a fire and a lack of grain, withheld tens of thousands of bushels of rice from the market, causing grain prices to soar above market price. The grain merchants and the corrupt officials took advantage of the opportunity to profit."
"These bastards! These bastards! They deserve to be beheaded!"
I heard a lot of scolding.
"What happened next? Go on, girl."
Ji Xu then said, "Now, the court has solved the grain price case, and the culprits, the grain merchants and corrupt officials, have been arrested. The grain in the government warehouse will also be released into the market in batches, and the grain price will gradually fall."
"That's great, that's great, finally we don't have to eat expensive food anymore!"
"Grandma Xianchu has appeared! The gods have appeared! This is all thanks to the sacrifice!"
"Girl, what happened to the missing refugees in Woshe Valley?" someone asked.
This notice also wrote, Ji Xu said:
"In Guandong, the grain merchants and corrupt officials were all dealt with by the Imperial Court. Now the government has issued an order to arrange a place for these refugees.
Families with young and able-bodied people were sent back to their hometowns, given additional land, and exempted from taxes for the next year.
For those who only have the elderly, the weak, women and children left at home, they will be registered as local residents, given land to build houses, and their taxes will be reduced or exempted next year."
"Want to register here? Don't come to Shengchangli, they stole my meat."
Some people feel repulsive when they hear that refugees will be allowed to settle down.
Master Bao was especially opposed, saying, "My silk scarf, my fine robe! Don't let those impoverished refugees into Shengchangli! Our gravel roads were paved with money contributed by every household, why should they come here for free?"
Finally, under the arrangement of the village elders and the village headman, two households settled in Xiaoshunli and two households settled in Benguli.
The xenophobic voices in Shengchangli were so strong that it was impossible to settle down there;
Jinshili and Liaoshili were originally small villages with small populations and small lands. The people living there were all from the same clan and surname, so it was impossible to accommodate outsiders with different surnames.
Finally, only Xiaoshunli and Benguli were left. Xiaoshunli had the village elders in charge, so there was not much opposition.
Most of the people in Benguli are from different families and are generally poor. The only rich family, the Feng family, has ancestors from a poor family background and cannot act arrogantly to the outside world.
"Why are all these random people settling down in our Benguli? They want to bully us, right?"
There were also some who grumbled and expressed dissatisfaction, but they eventually accepted it.
The township allocated public land to the two refugee families who settled in Benguli.
One of the households was the remains of a deceased old widower, a thatched hut with jar windows, similar to the dilapidated thatched house of the second branch of the Ji family. After the widower's death, the hut and the land attached to it were declared public property in August of this year and were now allocated to the refugee family. The township also lent them public farm tools and seeds so that they could cultivate the land and grow vegetables.
Another family, which had quite a bit of wealth, marked out a piece of land near Cui's house and built a tiled house in three to five days. They even hired servants from the county, which amazed everyone who saw it.
On the day the house was completed, the woman of that family brought her only daughter and sent painted-shell chicken eggs to the people living nearby. Jin, the daughter of the eldest wife, got two chicken eggs for free, which was very heartwarming. She also asked the woman to come to their house often.
Liao, who lived closest to her, also said that this woman was a good person and as straightforward as herself.
Nowadays, the grain from government warehouses that was secretly withheld by corrupt officials is gradually entering the market, and the price of rice is falling little by little.
"It's reduced to seventy coins per hu!"
There was Xi Dao who had just come back from the grain store.
The listeners clasped their hands and said Amitabha, praying:
"Lower it again, to the same forty coins as before."
But this price cannot be reduced in one day, it will take time. This food price crisis has caused great trouble for everyone.
Even the richest Shengchangli is not as prosperous as before during the New Year. Take the local market for example, it is much more depressed. Whether it is buyers or sellers, you can hear them arguing over a few dollars when passing by.
Ji Xu thought that he should find a bigger market to do business.
This day, I asked my two younger sisters:
"Do you want to go to the county town for a stroll?"
"county seat?"
"county seat!"
Feng and Zhu said in unison.
They had never been to the county town, but they had heard about it from others, mostly from Cui Si. Because her eldest brother was a blacksmith in the county, he often talked about the county town and showed it off to the children. Those who heard it were fascinated, so they naturally wanted to go, and their eyes lit up.
Ji Xu smiled and said, "The New Year's Eve is coming soon. Let's go to the county to buy some household items."
We live in a new house, so we have to buy new things bit by bit. Now that life is peaceful, I can think about these things.
Like the knife for cutting vegetables, her family still uses a hatchet for chopping wood. It's time to go to the iron shop in the county to buy a special iron knife for cutting vegetables.
There were no plates or bowls, just three sets of bowls and chopsticks. The bowls were old and chipped, and the plates were made from bamboo joints.
Of course, what she cared about most was the iron cauldron. It was convenient to cook with it. It would be better to buy a stove so that it could provide heating and the old clay cauldron could be used to cook food.
"Are Xiaozhu and second sister going too?" Jizhu asked brightly.
"Yes, let's go and get a passing pass together, and take advantage of the New Year to have a good stroll around the county." Ji Xu said.
Feng and Zhu were jumping for joy.
Now that the notice has been issued, the refugees have been sent back to their original places in Guandong and settled there. The road to Woshe Valley is now peaceful, and there is no need to worry when going out, as there are people to keep them company.
Ji Xu took the register and locked the door, then led his sisters to Xiaoshunli.
The snow stopped in the past two days, and Ting's father gradually cleared the road in Woshe Valley. The snow was no longer as deep as before.
I didn't get my shoes wet when I went there.
The reason why we came to Xiaoshunli was that when we went to the county, we had to show our "passport" before we were allowed in when there was strict inspection. Of course, if there was a natural disaster and refugees without passes gathered at the checkpoint, there would be exceptions and they would be allowed to enter to seek refuge.
Those refugees who came from the Guandong region were sometimes allowed to pass through the customs. If they were not allowed to pass, they had no choice but to avoid the officials and take a long detour over mountains and rivers.
On weekdays, when villagers go out, they all need to be "transmitted" by the village headman.
Now that the price of grain has dropped, the village treasurer Liang Zhao no longer hides from people. At this time, he was at home and heard his wife say that a villager was looking for him, so he went out and met Ji Xu head-on. He was not as majestic as he was last time in the village pavilion.
To his shame, he was not as good as a young woman in predicting things. Later, when the price of grain rose above the market level, he did not dare to mention it to the three elders of the village, saying that Ji Xu had come to look for him. He was embarrassed. Now he smiled and said:
"Miss Xu? What are you looking for?"
Ji Xu said, "I want to go to the county market to buy some things and ask the village head to prepare a biography for my three sisters."
People often came to ask for help in spreading the news. Liang Zhao, the village treasurer, was very willing to follow their lead. He led them into the main hall and asked:
"Can I bring my ruler?"
He had to check whether the traveler had any taxes in arrears, whether he was involved in any criminal cases, etc. If the traveler was a man, he also had to check whether his corvée labor conflicted with the date of travel, and then report it to the county court for approval.
He had an impression of Ji Xu's family. They were extremely poor at the time, so he thought that the family would be imprisoned for failing to pay taxes. However, when he looked at the list of names, he found that they had paid all the taxes on time.
Now, after taking the book handed to her by Ji Xu, he glanced at it meaningfully and returned it to her. He asked Ji Xu to sit down, and then he sat down at the desk, dipped the pen in ink, and wrote on the wooden slip, while asking her when she left, when she would return, and why.
I saw that the wooden slips he had were filled with the names of many villagers who had applied for biographies. Their reasons were various, some were visiting relatives and friends, some were doing business as compradors. He had to apply for quite a few biographies in a day.
Liang Zhao opened another column and wrote:
"...Ji Xu of Benguli, Niupi Township, brought his sisters Feng and Zhu to Lingshui County to buy supplies. They returned on the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month..."
This wooden slip still had to be sent to the county court for approval, so it ended with the following words:
"On the 18th day of the 12th month of the Renshen year, Liang Zhaojin, the steward of Niupi Township, moved this document and boldly stated it."
He put down his pen and said, "This can be done quickly, in just one day. You can come and pick it up tomorrow afternoon. It won't delay your departure the day after tomorrow."
It was indeed very efficient. Ji Xu thanked Fang and said goodbye.
The two younger sisters were in the yard, jumping and playing with the girl from the village rich man's family. She waved and said it was time to go home, so they all ran over, left the yard, and waved goodbye to the girls.
At dusk the next day, Ji Xu retrieved the biography, a small piece of bamboo slip, on which was written the same statement as that compiled by the village headman.
On the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, Ji Xu and the other two got up early to wash and dress. The two sisters were extremely excited. Ji Zhu didn't even feel sleepy. She chatted with Ji Feng and had a lot to say.
They all wore bright tunics made of chicken-crowing cloth, and Feng and Zhu even tied red hairbands. Ji Feng said:
"Hey, Xiaozhu, don't wear your armband when you go to the county. Take it off quickly."
When they played in the countryside, they would usually wear armbands on both sleeves to prevent dirt. Winter clothes were not as light and easy to wash as summer clothes. Besides, few families who were rich had two sets of cotton clothes to exchange. They wore their old autumn clothes next to their skin as inner clothes, so they could change their inner clothes and armbands frequently, which was much more convenient.
Ji Feng said, "I once heard Cui Si say that the people in the county are very clean and don't wear these armbands."
Upon hearing this, Ji Zhu picked it up obediently. Ji Xu let them make the decisions on these small matters.
At daybreak, they had breakfast and set off for the county. The journey was long, about thirty miles, and it would take nearly two hours.
Ji Xu originally planned to go there alone, but thinking that his sister often heard people talk about the county town, he wanted to take her to see it too.
What's more, they were all very excited about going to the county town. They were full of energy and walked for more than ten miles without complaining of being tired at all. It was Ji Xu who suggested that they take a break, as he was worried that they would sweat and their underwear would get wet, making them uncomfortable.
The sun had risen by then. The three of them were sitting on a rock when they saw an oxcart approaching from a distance. The woman on the cart smiled at them:
"Aren't these the sisters from the Ji family? Where are you going to the county? I'll give you a ride."
This is the woman who has just settled down and built a new house in Benguli. Her surname is Xiao.
I saw Mrs. Xiao with a flat bun, a long pointed face, and a thick cotton skirt. She was sitting on an ox cart. Her height was not obvious. She was holding a thin little girl in her arms. The driver in front was a stranger.
Their family also received two painted eggs that day. Since Ji Feng also had a good impression of them, she replied:
"I went to the county to buy things with my sisters."
Ji Xu was not familiar with the person yet, so he said politely, "Madam Xiao, please do as you please. It will be the same if we walk."
She said, "I'm going to the county to buy some clothes for my daughter. This is the ox cart I hired in the county. Come on in. We're neighbors, so why not be polite?"
The ox cart stopped in front of them, waiting for them to get on. Ji Xu continued:
"No need, Madam Xiao, please do as you please."
Mrs. Xiao shook her head and smiled, "You are so strange, girl. Well, I'm leaving now."
The ox cart rolled away, and Ji Feng asked in confusion:
"Sister, why don't we take Madam Xiao's ox cart? She's so enthusiastic about inviting us."
Ji Xu said, "I'll feel more at ease when we get to know each other better."
Now all we know is that she is a refugee from Guandong, her surname is Xiao, she has a daughter, and she is quite wealthy. No other details are known about her. How could Ji Xu and his sister get on someone's car so easily?
They walked and rested for a while, and suddenly they heard Ji Feng pointing and saying, "We've arrived at the county town!"
There was only a towering earth-rammed earth city wall, and on the city gate, three large characters "Lingshui County" were written.
The wall faces the river. At the gatehouse, the drawbridge has been lowered and built over the canal. Two rows of barricades are open in front of the city gate, and gatekeepers in black uniforms are checking the passports of passers-by.
There were many people lined up behind, some leading donkeys, some pushing wheelbarrows, and some carrying loads on their shoulders. They were all people who had come early from various villages, or were passing through other places.
"It's all that damn grain merchant's fault. Normally, they don't check so strictly! He just glanced at it and let it go." Someone at the back of the team complained.
Now, because of the grain price turmoil caused by grain merchants, even entry and exit have been strictly controlled, and everyone can only queue up obediently.
When it was Ji Xu's turn, the clerk said, "Pass it on."
He took it, looked up and down the three sisters' features before returning it and letting them go.
They entered through the high and empty arched doorway, and saw a north-south passage that was more than ten meters wide. The road was paved with river gravel and some broken tiles and slag. At first glance, it was flat and there was no end in sight.
There are some green locust trees planted on both sides of the road. They are bare in this season, but they look very neat at first glance. Behind the trees, most of the houses are made of green bricks and black tiles, with through-beam roofs and lock-patterned windows. Some of the large and imposing mansions have copper door knockers held by animal heads on their doors.
Seeing this, Ji Fengze exclaimed repeatedly, "My aunt, this house in the county is really luxurious. How much did these bricks cost?"
"Look, there's such a big drainage ditch here!"
Two drainage ditches were dug on both sides of the road, directly connected to the culvert under the city gate. Rainwater and wastewater were usually discharged along these ditches into the river outside the city.
The three of them walked around and looked around, and even the ditch was enough to amaze Feng and Zhu. This was the first time for them to travel far away, and they were very curious about everything they saw along the way.
As the new year is approaching, every household hangs some objects to ward off evil and bring good luck on their doors, such as peach and fish charms, peach branches, ghost masks, etc.
In front of a house, there were groups of children, gathered around a fire with bamboo sticks burning on it. After the bamboo sticks burned for a long time, they suddenly heard a "bang".
"Oh—the bamboo exploded—the bamboo exploded—"
The group of children, even Ji Xu's three sisters were frightened, but the children shouted in a playful manner.
Ji Xu listened and thought it sounded like the firecrackers of later years. However, instead of firecrackers, they would burn bamboo joints and make a loud noise to drive away evil spirits.
"It's so fun." Jizhu also clapped her hands.
"Little boy, let me ask you how to get to the county and city?" Ji Xu asked the children who were scattered among them.
All transactions must be conducted in the city and under unified management. You won't see vendors on a main road like this one.
The boy was about four or five years old. He was wearing a short jacket with armbands and crotchless pants. He was covered in dirt, with a piece of snot from frozen hanging from his philtrum. He was holding a bamboo joint in his hand, which he wanted to burn.
He sniffed and said, "It's over there."
Pointed towards the end of the road.
"Where do you want to enter from? There are three gates. The closest one is the East Market Gate. The South Market Gate and the West Market Gate require a longer detour." An older man heard it and walked over to say.
Ji Xu and the others walked along the nearest road, and Ji Fengyang turned to her and said:
"So Cui Si was talking nonsense. People in their county also wear armbands."
Of course, children will get their clothes dirty when they play everywhere, but armpits can be a little bit of a precaution.
As they were talking, they reached the end of the north-south avenue and heard noisy voices coming from the west.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
