Kang Yueran wasn't as good as Kang Yanshun and Kang Hong thought. She didn't think that reading could make one wise. She felt that the villagers' character needed re-education. "We're all from the same village, it's as it should be!"
Kang Yanshun nudged Kang Hong and said, "Don't cry, why do you cry all the time? This is a good thing!"
The older Kang Hong gets, the easier it is to cry. "I don't want to cry, but I can't help it!
Yueran, we'll do as you say about planting cotton. If anyone from the village comes to bother you, tell them to come to me."
Kang Yueran was most impatient to bargain with others, "Okay!"
Kang Yanshun hesitated for a while, then asked, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Are you going to have the New Year's Eve dinner at Yuan Chen's house or at You Ping's?"
"Let's celebrate the New Year with Brother Yuan Chen!"
"That's fine!" Kang Yanshun didn't have a good impression of Kang Youping, so he just asked.
Kang Hong didn't respond to the conversation at all and directly turned the topic to the wasteland.
New Year's Day
Early in the morning, Kang Yuanchen took Yuanwu, Yuanfeng and Yuanhao to the village to pay New Year's greetings.
Ye and Huang entertained the women from the village who came to visit them at home.
Kang Yueran was a woman, so she couldn't go out with Kang Yuanchen to pay New Year's greetings, nor did she want to chat with other women at home, nor could she stay in bed all the time. So, she went to look at the wasteland alone.
The wasteland is at the end of the village. There is a big pit at the end of the village. It was left by the water diversion during the flood. There is no water or fish in the big pit, only dry weeds.
The wasteland, covering approximately one thousand mu (approximately one thousand mu), is located between Fengtou Village and Beiguan Village. The flood exposed the virgin soil beneath, leaving only scattered dead grass.
Going west, you will reach Beiguan Village. Beiguan Village is not as big as Fengtou Village. All you can see are dilapidated houses and skinny villagers.
A middle-aged woman passing by called out to Kang Yueran, "Miss, whose house are you looking for?"
"I'm from Fengtou Village. I'm not looking for anyone else. Auntie, I'm very thirsty. Can you give me a bowl of hot water?"
The woman was kind-hearted. "My home is just ahead. Come with me!"
It’s called a home, but in fact it only has four rooms, no front door, and the kitchen is under a thatched shed.
"My husband's surname is Guan, and my maiden's surname is Zhang. We're poor, so don't despise me, girl!"
"What are you complaining about? I should thank you, Auntie." Kang Yueran pointed at the front door and asked, "Without a door, aren't you afraid of thieves breaking in at night? Is it the same for other families in the village?"
Zhang casually replied, "Everyone in the village is poor, there's nothing to steal."
Although Beiguan Village is not as wealthy as Fengtou Village, it is not very poor either. "Why is the village so poor?"
"A flood not only destroyed houses but also destroyed stored food. Those who didn't want to sell their children had no choice but to sell their land. Without land, there was no food to eat, and people became increasingly poor."
Beiguan Village has a lot of fertile land, and most villagers make a living from farming. "Who did you sell the land to?"
Zhang's family also sold their land, "to Mr. Huang, a big grain merchant in Anzhou City."
"Huang Li? Did you sell all the good farmland to him?"
"I don't know Mr. Huang's name. He not only bought up the good farmland, but also bought up a lot of people."
A few taels of silver to buy a person, can let him work for a lifetime, this is much better than hiring a partner. So Huang Li likes to buy people in addition to good farmland, especially those who are willing to sign a life contract.
"How many able-bodied men are there in the village?" Reclaiming wasteland requires plowing the land several times, which requires a lot of manpower.
The hot water was ready, and Zhang poured a bowl for Kang Yueran, "Don't burn yourself! There are still many able-bodied men in the village. After all, the able-bodied men are the pillars of the family, and they won't be sold!"
Kang Yueran took the hot water, thanked him, and held it in her hands to warm them. Just as she was about to ask more questions, she heard someone crying and shouting not far away.
Zhang was as sad as if she had lost her parents. "Alas! Can't we wait until after the New Year to talk about this?"
A boy of about fourteen or fifteen came out of the house and ran out, saying to Zhang, "Mom, I'll go take a look!"
After a while, many people came out of the street and ran towards one place.
I've asked enough questions, and it's time to meet the villagers. Kang Yueran put down the bowl and said, "Auntie, I want to go and see too."
Zhang thought Kang Yueran was looking for fun, "Come on, I'll take you there!"
The two men came to the door of a house. Many villagers gathered at the door and were in a tense situation with the three strong men.
The sturdy man threatened, "If you can't pay back the money you borrowed from our Master Liu, it's only natural to use your daughter to pay it back. If anyone dares to stop me, don't blame me for being blind."
Guan Jishan, the head of Beiguan Village, angrily replied, "It's not time to pay back the money yet. How did you know we couldn't pay it back? Why are you coming to demand our release now?"
"You won't be able to pay it back when the time comes, so why not..."
The villagers were very excited and pointed at the strong man and asked, "How do you know we can't go up yet?"
The debtor, Guan Lao Si, was also furious. "We agreed that if you can't pay the money back, you'll have to use my two acres of fertile land to pay it back. Tell that bastard Master Liu to give up on this idea. I will never give my daughter to him."
If you dare to do anything wrong, I will go to the government office and sue you for forcibly seizing a woman! I have a contract, County Magistrate..."
Hearing the word "contract", the three strong men laughed and said, "Guan Lao Si, find someone who can read and take a good look at the contract."
Guan Jishan was anxious, "What do you mean by that?"
Guan Laosi hurried back to the house to get the contract and handed it to Guan Jishan.
Guan Jishan's face changed drastically after reading it. "Fourth Brother, your contract states that if you cannot repay the loan of ten taels of silver by the due date, you will not only have to compensate two acres of fertile land, but also your daughter Guan Ju."
Guan Lao Si was terrified. "No, no, I didn't promise to give Xiaoju to him. I only said I would compensate him with two acres of good farmland. I didn't say I would give Xiaoju away."
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