Chapter 130 The family is just like before
Immediately, a constable took off his shoes. There was a little white powder on the soles and some on the surface of the shoes.
The steward stepped forward and said, "The master has prepared some insect-killing powder from the pharmacy and is sprinkling it along the edge of the field."
At this moment, the others looked at Uncle Fu, who had fallen to the ground.
There was also a small amount of this medicinal powder on the hoe that had fallen beside him.
"Pah! I only asked my family to help your eldest son find a wife because I thought he was honest and kind. With a father-in-law like you, the woman will suffer a lot in the future!"
"I'll go back tomorrow and explain the truth, so that the woman won't be taken advantage of later and blame it on me!"
The woman in the crowd was furious; she had just arranged a marriage, and this had happened.
Although Uncle Fu was a bit calculating and difficult, he was extremely good to the children in his family, and his family was considered well-off in the village.
In addition, Dalang is a hardworking and diligent young man who works as a laborer in the river valley of the county, earning two taels a month. He is a good young man, so she agreed to act as matchmaker.
Upon hearing this, Uncle Fu immediately jumped up. "Sister-in-law, it's all my fault, it has nothing to do with Dalang! He knows nothing about it!"
His face turned pale. Dalang was a sullen person, and it was a rare treat for him to see the girl he liked.
Now, because of his greed, he has ruined his child's marriage!
He immediately looked at Yao Shisan, "Madam, I was bewitched. My eldest son is finally about to get married. Please forgive me!"
Shuang'er had seen his true colors too many times, so she no longer believed his lies.
"Did you think about your son when you were deceiving and extorting him? Isn't it too late to beg now?"
Uncle Fu had only met Yao Shisan a few times, but he knew that she was the one in charge of the household.
He gritted his teeth and immediately knelt down. "Madam, please forgive me this time. I am willing to return the nine taels from last time."
"If I get thrown in jail, Dalang's marriage will be truly over!"
Officer Shi felt a pang of pity. He and Youjin were about the same age. Uncle Fu was not a good person, but Youjin was an honest and kind man.
The last time we met on the river, I happily told him that I was getting married on the day of Lidong (the beginning of winter) and invited him to my wedding.
“Madam Yao, since he is willing to return the money, please forgive him.”
Uncle Fu immediately kowtowed, his face filled with grief.
“My eldest son is honest and kind. All of you villagers have watched him grow up. He and Shiwa were born in the same month. Shiwa already has three children, and my eldest son is only now getting married. Please, everyone, help my eldest son plead for leniency.”
The farmers who had already felt pity for him also began to speak up for him.
"Yes, as the old saying goes, it's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. His family's wedding is imminent, so please forgive him this time, mistress."
"Yes, yes, Uncle Fu is fond of taking advantage of small things, but his eldest son is an honest man, and it's not easy to arrange a marriage. So, Madam, please let him off the hook."
"The mistress of the house is kind-hearted, and she probably doesn't want to see a young couple who are about to get married separated."
Seeing that everyone was speaking up for him, Uncle Fu immediately nodded vigorously.
Yao Shisan's eyes darkened slightly.
She looked around at the farmers, their faces to the earth and their backs to the sky.
No one is evil, but they all stand on high ground to judge her.
What was originally a mistake caused by Uncle Fu's greed has now turned into a situation where, because his son is about to get married, he is afraid that the bride's family will break off the engagement, so he is forcing her to forgive him.
What kind of twisted logic is this!
What does her son's marriage have to do with her?
She snorted coldly, "He's the one who did wrong, but she's the one who wants to tell the woman."
She first pointed to Uncle Fu, then to her sister-in-law who said she would be going back to her parents' home tomorrow to tell them.
"You're all unwilling to bear the consequences of breaking up someone else's marriage, so you're trying to shift the blame onto me?"
“My rented land was lost because of his greed, and in the end, I have to bear all the consequences.”
In the capital, she had to endure Song Jiyun's jealousy and murderous intent, and also become a clumsy excuse for the conflict between Zhou and Song.
Simply because she had no power or influence, and was powerless to struggle.
Now that we've arrived in Ding County, we still have to bear the consequences of their evil deeds.
Kindness is often taken advantage of.
Uncle Fu glanced at Yao Shisan and muttered in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.
“Madam, you run such a big business, nine taels is just a pittance for tea money that slips through your fingers. Don’t you even have that much magnanimity…”
Everyone here is a hardworking, ordinary person, and his words directly put Yao Shisan in opposition to everyone.
Instantly, all the people recalled Cao Bapi's years of oppression.
Since the Cao family wouldn't accept their grain, no one else dared to.
The Cao family's large-scale grain collection has harmed them for many years. Now they've taken over a Yao family business; who knows if they'll suffer the same fate as the Cao family?
The so-called "large measure payout" means that grain is paid out according to the number of measures, with a large measure being more than a single measure, but only one measure's worth of money is given.
The majority of what happened was that the Cao family harmed the common people.
"Small measure" refers to less than one measure, but it is still counted as one measure. When the government collects tax grain and puts it into the warehouse, the small measure goes into the warehouse, and the rest goes into the pockets of corrupt officials.
The officials in Ding County were good; they didn't collect taxes from the people using large measures.
Now that Cao the Skinflint is finally gone.
Immediately, a farmer shouted, "The extra grain in your grain measuring cups, isn't it less than nine ounces?"
Shuang'er has been working in grain collection and storage for quite some time now, so she naturally understands what it means.
"Don't make false accusations! When has our family ever ever used a large-scale grain harvest?!"
Yao Shisan: "Officer Shi, you've slandered others. According to the laws of our dynasty, how should you be judged?"
Officer Shi glanced at everyone and said, "According to the law, the punishment is three months in prison and five thousand coins."
He was imprisoned for three months and couldn't work, yet he was still charged five taels of silver.
Upon hearing this, everyone took several steps back.
It's okay to say a few words in support of others, but it's not worth risking your own life and going to jail.
Uncle Fu looked around at the familiar villagers and neighbors, "Hey, you guys..."
Yao Shisan snorted, "It was Uncle Fu who disregarded the law, and you guys are quite enthusiastic. Are you going to help him go to jail, or are you going to pay for it?"
Imprisoned?
Pay up?
Upon hearing this, everyone scattered like birds and beasts.
In an instant, only Uncle Fu was left.
He panicked then, but it was too late.
She wouldn't mind a little bit of harmless greed.
Her rented land was large, and many rice grains were missed during the harvest. Children would come to pick them up, so she instructed the manager not to drive them away.
But if everyone treats her as a sucker.
She showed no mercy.
*
As soon as Zhou Congxian got off the carriage, he saw Yao Shisan getting off the carriage looking exhausted.
He had only taken a few steps forward when she walked past him expressionlessly, as if she hadn't seen him at all.
"Shi Yao..."
His hand had just been raised when it stopped in mid-air, and he could only watch her figure disappear behind the screen wall.
His eyes lowered slightly, and he was about to sigh when he heard the voices of a young man and woman behind him.
"You've lost a lot of weight lately. Is it because you haven't been eating enough during the hot summer?"
"It's so hot now that I have no appetite. It's not just me, my sister is the same."
“I remember you like the steamed rice cakes on the main street. I’ll buy them for you first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Okay, buy more, the kids like to eat it too.”
He turned around and saw Wei Xun and Shuang'er talking.
One was shy and demure, the other reserved and timid.
Their eyes were filled with each other; every word, every action, every gesture was an expression of love.
Zhou Congxian felt even more heartbroken.
He was about to call out to them when the two turned and left.
"I heard that a new herbal tea stall has opened up ahead, and it's even more refreshing and delicious than the others."
"Should we call her 'elder sister' and 'prince'?"
"Madam Yao is probably tired. Let her rest. The young master doesn't like these things, so we won't disturb him."
The two figures walked further and further away.
Zhou Congxian, “…”
Whether he likes it or not, I won't even ask him. What if he does like it?
The two left happily.
The one inside didn't want to talk to him...
Zhou Congxian walked into the courtyard, which was spacious but empty.
There was only one swing under a crooked tree at the foot of the wall.
At this moment, Yao Shisan was sitting on a swing under the shade of a tree.
He couldn't see her expression, nor did he know what she was thinking.
He suddenly remembered that when he was in the small courtyard, the little courtyard was full of spring and there were the joyful cries of Little Bone.
He calmed his mind.
The next day, after everyone had gone out, he let the craftsmen in and had them build a pavilion, dividing the spacious courtyard in two.
Then, they invited a craftsman from the flower nursery to transplant a small garden on the left side of the courtyard, and then filled in the ground on the right side with bluestone slabs.
It won't stop the children from running around, and you can also enjoy the flowers and drinks in the pavilion.
For a moment, there was a clanging and banging noise in the small house.
At noon, He Zhuo returned for a rest and found the courtyard had been dug up in a mess.
"Is Lord Zhou planning to rebuild the garden?"
Zhou Congxian is planting a pear tree with his own hands.
He turned around and saw that it was He Zhuo. "This garden lacks vitality."
He Zhuo was very interested in the story of the Jiang siblings.
The elder brother scoffed at the idea of the Duke of Zhenguo being the heir apparent.
The younger sister, on the other hand, looked down on the Crown Prince of England.
Everyone else pursues wealth and glory throughout their lives, but these two could have had it within their grasp.
"Lord Zhou is quite a man of taste; he went to such great lengths to rent this house."
Zhou Congxian used to be a pampered young master who never lifted a finger, but now he can use a shovel quite skillfully.
"If we can add some color, seeing these after a busy day can help us relax and unwind, so it's worth the effort."
As he spoke, he looked up at He Zhuo and asked, "What? Young Master He, you also want to help?"
He Zhuo quickly waved his hand with a laugh, "Let's leave this fun to Lord Zhou."
Zhou Congxian glanced at his back before continuing with his own work.
After a whole day of work, all the bluestone slabs have been laid.
The pavilion is still missing a roof, and half of the flower beds have been transplanted.
When Fu'er returned, she saw the courtyard had changed drastically and exclaimed "Wow!" with her little mouth agape.
"So beautiful!"
Xiuzhou thought the houses here were so big and beautiful, and they didn't leak.
There are still such beautiful gardens now.
This is the wealthy family my mother was talking about. As long as he studies hard, passes the imperial examination, and becomes an official, he will have such a beautiful house in the future.
Fu'er acted quickly; she dragged her monkey cart out.
She rode up to her father and said, “Daddy, this place is so beautiful. I wish Little Bone were here.”
Zhou Congxian looked at his daughter's face, a glint in his eyes.
Little Bone is there too.
Then they'll be complete.
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