Chapter 127 New Year Gift [VIP]
Li Menghong learned from Li Xin and Liu Chuang last night that the promotion of winter wheat planting was a very successful mission.
This also proved that harvesting wheat twice a year was a feasible strategy, and it finally silenced the gossips of the people in the court.
As long as he sees a harvest next year, he will definitely be promoted.
Now is the end of the year when the performance of officials from all over the country is evaluated. If this matter is submitted, it will surely be praised by the emperor.
In the back hall of the yamen, a charcoal brazier was burning inside, making it much warmer than outside.
Li Menghong looked at the two people sitting below him and felt a bit of a headache.
Without Yang Jizong and Zhao Xiaofu saying anything, we knew why they came today.
Li Menghong raised his hand to dismiss the old official beside him, and then told the truth he had found out.
The two were assassinated by the tenant farmers on their way home. It was someone who deliberately instigated them to do so.
Zhao Xiaofu, who had been sitting back in his chair, leaned forward slightly when he heard this, bowed and asked Li Menghong, "Is the person behind this one of Wang Xiang's accomplices?"
After seeing Li Menghong nod, Zhao Xiaofu gritted his teeth and said, "My Lord, didn't you send people to strictly guard the city gates? How could someone still order the tenants around..."
Yang Jizong interrupted, "Su Xing, you must not be rude to the Lord."
Some things should be said only once, otherwise it would be an act of disrespect.
Li Menghong's face looked rather ugly.
After being scolded by the teacher, Zhao Xiaofu immediately became depressed and apologized to Li Menghong.
"How do you plan to deal with this matter, sir?" Yang Jizong looked at Li Menghong.
These words made Li Menghong unusually silent.
Yang Jizong and Zhao Xiaofu's hearts also sank.
Li Menghong felt a little thirsty and picked up the cold tea on the table and drank it straight down. "If you want an explanation now, I can only offer those tenant farmers as apology, but they are also pitiful people."
The person who instigated the assassination was just threatening the tenant farmers with the rent and taxes of the land, and the tenant farmers had no choice but to agree in order to keep their families alive.
"They are pitiful, so are we just going to endure it? Last time, we had horses that ran fast. If we didn't have horses, I'm afraid the Lord wouldn't be able to see us today. Is there really nothing we can do about those who are behind this?" Zhao Xiaofu really couldn't accept such grievances.
But he also understood that even if the tenant farmers were punished, it would only be a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution.
Li Menghong was speechless after being asked this question and looked at Yang Jizong, hoping that he could say something.
The final result of the matter was that the two of them had to endure it temporarily, but Li Menghong also promised that as long as the emperor's transfer order came down in the spring of next year, the new and old accounts would be settled together.
When the two of them left the government office, they looked like eggplants hit by frost.
Even when they passed by the supply and marketing cooperative, Zheng Dalang called out to them, but they didn't hear him. It was only when the guy next door went out and stopped them that they stopped.
"Teacher, the New Year gifts my family wants are all ready. I can't leave now. Could you and Brother Xiaofu please send the gifts back first?" Zheng Dalang bowed and apologized, taking out a piece of paper from his arms and handing it over.
At the end of the year, there were many customers coming to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things. The two Zheng brothers were busy entertaining customers in the shop and were really unable to spare time.
If we wait until they finish their work before taking the pigs and chickens back, I'm afraid it will delay the two village heads from distributing New Year gifts to everyone.
"Leave it to me. You can go home early after you are done." Yang Jizong took the purchase receipt from him and rented an ox cart with Zhao Xiaofu.
The butcher glanced behind the two men and shook his head: "I'm afraid one cart won't be able to fit them all. You ordered three live pigs and sixty live chickens."
Zhao Xiaofu was startled. Before he could say anything, he heard the butcher say, "You reserved this pig in advance. You can't return it. We have the receipt."
After saying that, he asked the two men to follow him to the pigpen and pointed to the three pigs.
The three pigs were indeed fatter and bigger than the ones raised at home. They were still unaware that their lives were in danger and were still scrambling for food in the trough.
The butcher leaned against the fence and muttered, "If it doesn't work, wait a minute. I'll kill the animals for you and load them onto the cart. How about that?"
"How long will it take?" Yang Jizong asked from the side.
The butcher immediately called his family to the kitchen to boil water, then took the butcher knife from the porch and started sharpening it. While pouring water on the grindstone, he replied, "I'll make sure you get home before dark."
As soon as he finished speaking, the butcher asked his two sons to block the exit of the pigpen with a fence, and he stepped into the pigpen and drove one of the pigs into a separate pigpen.
The father and his two sons joined the battle, and soon they heard screams coming from the pigpen.
Boiling water, slaughtering the New Year pig, draining the pig's blood, singeing and shaving the hair, all these operations made Yang Jizong and Zhao Xiaofu step back.
The fishy and foul smell of pork filled the entire yard. Others found it smelly, but the butcher's family was very happy.
It was cold in winter and the pig blood froze soon after being put into the basin. The butcher's wife brought the basins of frozen pig blood to Yang Jizong and Zhao Xiaofu, wanting to ask them if they wanted some.
According to the butcher's wife's plan, she would definitely not want these two things.
But unexpectedly, Yang Jizong directly dispelled her idea of taking advantage of him, saying, "This is frozen..."
The butcher's wife was muttering in her heart, but she still got on the car.
After they had slaughtered the three pigs, it was still early. His two sons were left with only a single layer of clothing after killing them all.
Looking at the three pork legs stacked on the cart, Yang Jizong took out half an ounce of silver from his pocket and handed it over, "Thank you for your hard work."
The butcher didn't expect them to give him extra money. He said no, but his hand had already reached out instinctively with a smile on his face: "Thank you very much, both of you. I wish you both a happy new year in advance!"
"I also wish you a prosperous business and a happy new year." Yang Jizong bowed and sat on the side of the ox cart with Zhao Xiaofu, using his arms to block the chicken coop to prevent it from falling off due to the bumps on the road.
The ox cart was loaded with too much and too heavy cargo, and it was stuck in the snow on the road. Two people had to get off to help push it. When they finally reached the entrance of the village, Zhao Xiaofu shouted directly towards the village.
"Someone come and help."
The shout attracted the attention of several families living at the village entrance, and several elderly people came out immediately.
"Oh my god, why did you bring back all these pigs and chickens?"
"Come a few more people to help, otherwise we won't be able to get up the stone bridge."
The driver was leading the ox in front to steer the cart, and several old men were pushing the cart together from the back, and they didn't stop until they reached the door of Shen's house.
"Brother, you are finally back. Come on, let's go get the New Year gifts." Yang Wenying was waiting at home early, and she was very happy to see the pigs and live chickens in the car.
The old people who followed asked what the New Year gifts were.
Yang Wenying told the villagers that anyone who worked in the rabbit house, silkworm room or tofu shop would receive ten pounds of pork and a live chicken, as well as red envelopes, during the Chinese New Year.
"Then every household in our village can get it. The village head is so kind to us."
"Yes, I have to go tell the others the good news. You go first, I'll be there soon."
When the driver drove the ox cart to the school, Tian Baolai had already notified the workers to stop their work and now they were all sitting together with the children in the school.
Tian Baolai and the children unloaded two pigs and fifty chickens first, and the remaining one pig and ten chickens had to be sent to Wanhe Township.
Hearing that A Yao had not returned yet, Yang Jizong simply took the New Year gifts out of the village with the driver, intending to pick up the father and daughter along the way.
"Teacher, I'll go with you." Zhao Xiaofu said hello to his mother and chased after him.
Tian Baolai moved two slaughtered pigs and live chickens into the school, preparing to prepare the New Year's gifts.
The children's tables were put together, and two New Year pigs were placed on top. Everyone gathered around the table and promised the children that the lard residue made from the pork they were given would be given to them as snacks for the New Year tomorrow.
The children were so happy that they jumped and danced in the classroom.
When Huang Xing and Miao came in from outside, they patted the fallen snow on their shoulders. They didn't see their own child in the crowd, so they pulled Yang Wenying over to ask questions.
When they learned that Zi'an and Xiaofu had gone to pick up the father and daughter, they joined in the chatting and laughing with everyone else.
"My eldest sister and the others won't be home until tomorrow, so they won't be able to make it to this lively occasion." Huang Xing sighed, rubbing his hands and said to Miao.
All three families contributed money for the New Year gifts, and the villagers thanked them for the gifts, but the eldest sister and her family were not there.
Miao took her arm and sat on the bench, whispering, "Second sister, I'm not afraid of you laughing at me when I tell you this, but I've been living alone in the new house these days, and I always feel empty inside. Sometimes at night I think of the past. Although life was hard, we were all together as a family."
Huang Xing patted her hand and consoled her, "We work so hard to earn money for our children, so we can live a better life. Look at those soldiers who have served in the army. They can't come back this winter."
On such a happy day, she couldn't let herself piss. Miao secretly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes without letting anyone notice.
at the same time.
The snow outside was getting heavier and the sky was getting darker.
Chen Yao and her father were waiting for the two boys from the Zheng family to deliver the New Year gifts, but no one showed up after waiting for a long time. They became a little anxious, wondering if something went wrong on the way.
"Goudan, Maizi, you two can play all you want, but why don't you keep an eye on the people at the village entrance?" Grandma Wang brought two bowls of hot cassava soup to the two children and asked them to drink it to warm themselves up.
Goudan and Maizi slid down the icy hillside, startling Grandma Wang. They took the cassava soup from her hand with a smile, "Grandma, don't worry. We're watching. We'll call if anyone comes."
"Okay, okay, you guys continue playing." Grandma Wang took the empty bowl and adjusted the fluffy hats on the two children's heads. The two children had been busy following their adults all year round, and now they can finally play.
When Grandma Wang turned around, she suddenly saw an ox cart coming from a distance. "Goudan, Maizi, look quickly, are they the two brothers from the Zheng family?"
Goudan slipped down and ran over with Maizi. When he saw who was coming, he immediately called out, "Grandma, it's Sister Ayao's husband and Xiaofu. They've brought the New Year gifts."
The oxcart stopped outside the door, and another group of old men came out. The driver clicked his tongue again. After watching them unload the last batch of goods into the yard, he bowed to Yang Jizong and asked, "Sir, do you still want to take my car back?"
"No need, thank you for your hard work, father-in-law." Yang Jizong paid the fare and went into the house with everyone.
Chen Yao pulled Yang Jizong aside and listened to her father, Chen Youfu, and Grandma Wang speaking to everyone.
There were no empty compliments, but everyone spoke about the achievements made this year, sympathizing with everyone's hard work, and hoping that the silkworm room would get better and better in the coming year.
Shen Qingshan was even more straightforward. He distributed the red envelopes he had prepared earlier to everyone present, and then said in a loud voice: "Give everyone the meat. Ten pounds of meat and a chicken. Let's all have a good New Year this year."
Since there was no bone-chopping knife at home, Chen Youfu took out a wood-chopping knife and cut the pork into pieces and distributed them to everyone.
Everyone got into the ox cart with bulging red envelopes in their arms, ten pounds of meat in one hand and a live chicken in the other, and the sound of laughter filled the air all the way.
When he returned to the village, Tian Baolai distributed the same New Year gifts to every working household.
The crowded school became empty in an instant, and the children happily followed their parents home with free-range chickens in their arms. They would be able to eat lard residue during the Chinese New Year tomorrow.
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