Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The Manor is Completed
The manor was completed three days ahead of schedule. As long as Lin Si inspected it and found no problems, the supervising yamen runners and the working people would all receive an extra sixty cents.
There is nothing more joyful than getting money. Li County has poor agricultural conditions and is always rated as a lower-class county. The people have almost no surplus grain after paying taxes, let alone saving any money.
Liang Nian wanted to promote the treading plow and weeding as soon as the autumn harvest began, which would also reduce the burden on the people's farmland. Combined with the money for building the manor, this year might be the most fruitful year for Li County.
Kang Zhuqing witnessed with his own eyes how useful these two agricultural tools were. As soon as he returned home, he boasted about them to his neighbors, saying that the land of his family was selected by the county lord and the county magistrate to test the new agricultural tools.
With Liang Nian's instruction, she particularly emphasized that the agricultural tools were improved by the noble lord of Anjing.
"You all have no idea how extravagantly the lady is dressed. She just glanced at me and Shitou, and we didn't dare to breathe. She's truly a royal relative, and she exudes such majesty."
"He's the noble lord of Anjing, so naturally he wears extravagant clothes."
"That's right, Madam Kang, your family is so lucky. I also want to see what this noble master looks like."
"And then what?" the neighbors in the alley continued to ask with anticipation.
"Your servant girl is stronger than an ox. She can carry two big farm tools, one in each hand." Kang Zhuqing continued to describe it vividly.
Shi Jin felt embarrassed when he heard this. It was not one in each hand, but two maids carrying one each. A Niang was simply exaggerating.
"That farm tool, just step on it to turn the soil, and the other one, just push it into the ground to remove weeds!" Kang Zhuqing obviously talked about the important point and looked excited.
"Is it really that magical?"
"Then I won't have to bend over and turn the soil in the fields. My waist has been hurting lately."
"Don't say that. I was almost dead from weeding the fields the day before yesterday. If there really were such farm tools, I would definitely buy one."
"It just so happens that everyone has received their wages for building your manor, so you don't have to worry about money anymore."
The neighbors were talking at the same time, and Shi Jin's mind was twitching. He quickly came out to explain, "It's not as simple as my mother said. It also requires some skills and strength."
After listening to this, everyone still felt that it would be a good thing even if it took some effort, so they asked the most crucial question.
"Jin Niang, we farmers have plenty of strength, so this is not a big deal. The most important question is the price of these two farm tools."
Kang Zhuqing certainly didn't know about this. She looked away awkwardly, "How would I know? Go ask Craftsman Sun, he might know."
The neighbors in the alley dispersed and went on to talk to people they knew about the matter.
The neighbors no longer surrounded her, but Kang Zhuqing's mood was not affected because she could brag that her daughters and sons had all met the county lord. She dared to guarantee that this was the first time in the entire Li County.
It’s a pity that I didn’t see any stone or soil.
The manor was completed the day before yesterday. Stone and soil have been used to build the manor these days. After work, they went to the fields to harvest the autumn harvest. It was really tiring and hard work.
Although he was really tired, Shitu's face was filled with a sense of satisfaction that he had never felt before.
Kang Zhuqing entered his yard, sat on a stone bench, and discussed with Shi Tu, "I wonder how much those two farm tools will cost."
"If it's true as you say, that the whole thing is made of wood except for the bottom, it would cost at least two hundred coins."
Kang Zhuqing's own estimate of the price was about the same. She sighed softly, "The money I earned from building the manor hasn't even warmed up yet, and I have to spend it again."
Building the manor is only temporary. In the future, they will still have to rely on farming for a living, so they will have to buy farm tools. After buying farm tools, they can also use the land for farming at home.
Kang Zhuqing quickly cheered up. The money from building the manor could be used to buy farm tools and to pay for the medicine to cure Shi Jin. It was worth it no matter how you looked at it.
Shi Jin knew that today was the day for the manor inspection, so she asked Shi Tu, "Father, is the county lady going to inspect it in person today?"
"That's right. Magistrate Liang will also be accompanying us." Shi Tu touched his head and added, "I hope the county lady will be satisfied. This way, I can get an extra sixty coins as a reward."
Shi Jin nodded silently, feeling a little sorry that he could not see Lin Si again.
After a while, a woman came out from the gate and asked Kang Zhuqing to come out.
But when Kang Zhuqing came back, he put his hands on his hips, his expression extremely unhappy, and he started cursing, "Just now, the Jiang family's wife asked me to go out, and I thought it was something important. I didn't expect her to tell me that she wanted to buy farm tools with me. But she also said that my family has more land and we have a piece of land for farming, so she will pay 40% and I will pay 60%. Bah, she really knows how to take advantage of me."
Shi Jin immediately analyzed, "Every family is busy with farming during the autumn harvest. Even if we buy all the money ourselves, we still won't be able to use it all. How will we know who gets to use it first? Besides, her family is also participating in the manor renovations, so they should be able to contribute."
Kang Zhuqing snorted: "Being able to pay is one thing, being stingy is another."
Shitou also agreed, "I think so too, and Madam Jiang's son is also very annoying."
Amidst the chaotic complaints, Shi Tu only whispered, "I hope the price of farm tools can be cheaper, so that the children can have meat for the New Year."
*
Liang Nian didn't know what kind of magic potion Lin Si had given to his mother. He didn't eat dinner and the lights in the room were on brightly.
Even if I talk to her, she will say that I am disturbing her while she is doing her homework.
Liang Nian didn't understand. What kind of question was it? Was it just those tadpole symbols?
Lin Si walked around the manor with great satisfaction. The construction was almost completely according to the blueprint, and a large open space was left in the middle.
Liang Nian was a little distracted, but the yamen runners were all nervously observing Lin Si's expression.
During this period, they took turns to supervise the work. As long as Lin Si was satisfied, they would get rewards. The monthly salary of the yamen runners was not high, and they also wanted to earn more money so that their families could have meat to eat during the New Year.
Nan Shuang and Nan Qiao supported Lin Si, and Lin Si acted like a royal relative and spoke formal words.
"This county lady is very pleased with the construction of the manor. All those who supervise the construction will be rewarded."
The yamen runners breathed a sigh of relief, with smiles on their faces. Now everyone had received their sixty-cent reward, and the entire Li County could have a good New Year.
Only Liang Nian was still immersed in her own world. She took advantage of the fact that there were few people around and asked Lin Si in a low voice.
"May I ask, County Lady, what did you say to my mother yesterday? Why did she become so strange?"
It was a bit difficult to explain the whole story. When Lin Si thought about having to explain the questions to Zuo You for the whole afternoon, she didn't want to say much at the moment. Her throat was almost smoking when she went home yesterday.
Lin Si gestured to Liang Nian to squat in front of her.
Liang Nian did as he was told.
Lin Si patted Liang Nian's shoulder with a serious tone, "It's hard to explain it to County Magistrate Liang in a few words. Let's wait for Madam Zuo to explain it to you personally."
Then he left, leaving Liang Nian alone with his face disheveled in the wind.
Zuo You solved the problem yesterday according to the formula taught by Lin Si and figured out the answer quickly. Not only that, she was able to draw inferences from one example and come up with several other ideas for solving the problem.
Even after finishing the math problems, Zuo You could still ponder for a moment and take out a piece of paper to write down his teaching ideas. It would be fine if he didn't write, but once he started writing, he simply couldn't stop and wrote three long pages.
When she realized she had finished writing and looked up, it was already late at night and the maidservants who were serving her were almost falling asleep while standing.
Zuo You was surprised to find that she felt so happy and even looked forward to her future teaching career. When she was writing her teaching ideas, the gender, appearance and personality of the bought children flashed through her mind.
But I can’t seem to remember their names clearly. When class starts, I have to remember each of their names.
Zuo You slept late last night and woke up early in the morning. She knew that Lin Si was going to inspect the manor and would definitely not come too early today. However, all kinds of thoughts filled her mind, and she felt inexplicably excited, which made it impossible for her to fall asleep.
Lin Si arrived at about the same time Zuo You predicted. Zuo You didn't greet Lin Si now, but directly showed him the process of how he solved the problem last night.
He was even very considerate and wrote down the explanation of the characters that Lin Si usually wrote.
Lin Si gasped. Had he really chosen the right teacher? Although Zuo You had a foundation in ancient mathematics, modern formulas and solutions were unfamiliar to her. He wasn't surprised she could solve this problem; he was surprised she could draw inferences from one example and come up with other solutions.
Lin Si suppressed the smile on his lips and tried his best to appear calm and not to make an exaggerated expression.
"Mrs. Zuo is amazing. She can draw inferences about other situations from one example." Lin Si praised sincerely.
Zuo You received Lin Si's praise, but he only smiled faintly to suppress his joy.
Both of them held their expressions tight.
After answering the question correctly, Zuo You took out the teaching ideas she wrote last night and handed them to Lin Si.
Lin Si watched and listened as Zuo You said, "I think that teaching children shouldn't just be about learning to read and write. We also need to consider people's character and habits, how to distinguish between good and evil, and what a county lord's servant should be like. So, I don't want to choose something too complicated when it comes to learning to write. A thousand-character essay will be enough."
Lin Si was quite satisfied. The Thousand Character Classic had four characters in a pair, rhymed and antithesized, and also included content such as astronomy and geography, making it very suitable for children to learn to read and write.
After reading Zuo You's teaching ideas, Lin Si understood. Zuo You knew that what she wanted was not a sour scholar who only knew how to read, but a domestic servant who could actually do things for her.
Seeing Lin Si finishing reading the teaching ideas and wanting to stand up, Zuo You quickly held down Lin Si's fair little hand.
"I have prepared some ringo for the county lady, and some sweet and sour plum soup to moisten her throat. Please, county lady, please talk for a while."
Lin Si who wanted to escape:........Okay.
*
"Di Yan, why do you think that noble master gave Yin'er treatment? Why did he give us food every day? At first we had mixed bean cakes, but recently we have been eating wheat rice. Yesterday, there were even a few pieces of lard! You have a good brain, did you know that?" Guo Zi asked while looking outside the door after finishing his wheat rice.
Zhong Diyan shook his head. At first he thought they were going to be slaves, but they were not assigned any work. Instead, they were fed and nourished. He didn't even know where he was.
But the child who stole other people's food was sent away, and Grandma Qian's daily brainwashing made him have a vague guess in his heart.
I once heard from my grandfather that some noble families in the previous dynasty would raise a group of death squads, raising a group of beggar orphans from childhood, cultivating their obedience, and letting them kill each other, thus cutting off their humanity and ensuring their loyalty.
From the mixed bean cakes they ate at the beginning, to Grandma Qian saying that as long as they were obedient and willing to be loyal to the master, they would be able to eat better, step by step, now they have eaten wheat rice. Yesterday's wheat rice not only had vegetables fried in oil, but also a few rare pieces of lard.
Zhong Diyan felt that his current situation was both similar and different.
So he really doesn't know.
After Guo Han had eaten his fill, he slept for a while in the pile of dry grass on the ground with Cong Yin'er in his arms.
After Cong Yin'er's fever was cured, he was sent to this room. Guo Han almost cried when he saw the healthy Cong Yin'er.
After the flood and earthquake a year ago, Guo Zi and Guo Han became orphans without parents and land. Then they met Zhong Diyan, who was also an orphan due to the flood. Finally, they picked up Cong Yin'er.
If these four people were in modern times, they would still be in the first and second grade of elementary school or kindergarten. They helped each other, stole things, rummaged through dirty things, and got beaten for trying to scam people. They did everything they could to get a bite to eat.
The present life makes Guo Han feel very unreal. If it were in the past, how could he dare to imagine eating wheat rice with oily vegetables on it every day?
Even if there hadn't been a flood, Guo Han's family wouldn't have used oil to cook every day.
At that time, Guo Zi and Guo Han still held on to a glimmer of hope and waited for the relief grain from the court, but after waiting for a long time, they got a bag of relief grain that was almost entirely made of stones.
Apart from the stones, there was only a handful of corn with chaff in it in the bag.
Guo Zi and Guo Han's parents gave the rice to their children.
Then they became sick and died.
Guo Zi and Guo Han didn't understand why there were stones in the promised disaster relief food and why there was only a handful of rice.
Until later, they met Zhong Diyan, who told them that the rice was replaced with stones because an official had embezzled the court's disaster relief funds.
At that time, Guo Han thought that she must kill this official with her own hands in the future.
But after a while, Zhong Diyan went out to dig out some dirty things and came back to tell her that the official had been executed along with his entire family.
But Guo Han was still unwilling to accept it. What about her parents and the innocent people who died tragically in the city?
Zhong Diyan cried, "I am more unwilling than you."
Guo Han came back to his senses from his trance and waited for Grandma Qian to come and tell them the rules today, and then test whether they were really loyal to the master.
The door was opened and the sunlight came in, making Guo Han unable to open his eyes. An ox cart was parked at the door and Grandma Qian had a blank expression on her face.
"From today on, you will have a special place to live and new clothes to wear. You must learn what the Master wants you to learn and become useful to the Master. All of this is a gift from the Master. Do you understand?"
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