There was not much oil or water in the dinner, and there was even less salt. Just a handful was added, which gave it a taste that was very spicy like Cantonese food.
However, Jin Yao also knew that salt in this era was more expensive than oil, and he was able to put this small amount in it just for his own sake. I am afraid he would not even be able to put this small amount in.
And just after they finished eating, several figures came under the cover of night carrying lanterns, but the lanterns were not lit.
"Lao San, is sir at your house?" The visitor asked loudly without entering the door. First, he wanted to say hello to Lao San and let him know who was coming. Second, he wanted to confirm whether Jin Yao was still there.
"It's Lao Wu. Sir is still here. We just had dinner. Have you eaten?" Lao San also replied, then turned to Jin Yao and said, "It's Lao Wu from the village. I guess he wants Mr. to go to him first tomorrow.
Home!"
"Sir! I am the fifth son of the village!" As he spoke, the third son's wife had already opened the door and welcomed in a man who looked somewhat like the third son.
Behind Lao Wu, there were several children, teenagers and young adults ranging from seven or eight to ten or twenty years old.
"Dad!" Several children shouted directly after seeing the third child.
Jin Yao was also stunned for a moment. Why did the person brought by Lao Wu call Lao San his father? Your relationship is a bit messy!
"Lao Wu is not in the village usually. He helps us look after the children in the back mountain. He will bring them back for us at night and bring them back to the mountains early in the morning!" Lao San knew what Jin Yao was thinking, so he explained.
"I sent other children home today because they came to you last, so it was a little late!" Lao Wu also explained to Lao San.
Jin Yao nodded, but became more curious.
"Since you are trying to avoid military disaster, aren't you afraid that I am from the government?" Jin Yao asked doubtfully.
"We've seen people from the government, but they won't come to help us repair so many things, and they won't just take one coin!" Lao San said with a smile.
It’s true that they are the powerless bottom class, but that doesn’t mean they are fools. Their eyes are brighter than anyone else!
Jin Yao nodded and understood that there were so many people gathered around the threshing floor at noon, and there was a warning in his eyes. It turned out that he was worried that he was a young man from the government.
"How many days will Sir stay with us?" Lao Wu suddenly asked.
"I don't know!" Jin Yao didn't know how long he would stay here, so he answered honestly, and then asked, "What's the matter?"
"It's like this. The shelter for children in the mountains is also leaked. Once it's windy and rainy, I don't know how many children can survive it. So if you're not in a hurry, sir, can you come with me to the mountains first to help the children?"
Let's repair the house!" Lao Wu said nervously, grabbing the corners of his clothes.
"Of course!" Jin Yao had no reason not to agree.
"It's just that we may not have much money to give to Mr., so the whole village has come together to come up with it!" Lao Wu then took out a white-washed but extremely clean cloth bag from his arms and handed it to Jin Yao.
Jin Yao took the bag and could feel the obvious relief from Lao Wu, Lao San and Lao San's wife.
Jin Yao opened the cloth bag and saw the scattered sword coins, some of which only had half a coin. It could be seen that this was their limit, so he took out one from it, and then handed the rest back to Lao Wu along with the cloth bag.
.
"Sir, what do you mean? It's too little. I'll go to each house and ask!" Lao Wu said and walked out the door.
"No!" Jin Yao hurriedly stopped Lao Wu.
"Lao Wu, don't worry. This is the rule of the master. No matter what you practice, you only get one coin!" Lao San also hurriedly explained. After coming here in the afternoon, he probably knew Jin Yao's character and rules.
Take only one of everything.
"But the mountain road is not easy to walk on!" Lao Wu said hurriedly, and then he bowed to Jin Yao and imitated the manner of a city dweller, "It's not that no craftsmen have come here before, but after hearing that,
The mountains and the lack of money make me unwilling to go there!”
"Are you in charge of the food?" Jin Yao asked.
"Ah?" Lao Wu was stunned for a moment, then realized and said hurriedly, "Of course, of course, there must be this! I will ask the hunters in the village to go to the mountains to hunt some game for my husband tomorrow!"
"No, no, I'll just eat something normal!" Jin Yao hurriedly refused. The easy prey might have been hunted long ago. What if, in order to entertain themselves, these villagers went to find those ferocious beasts that they usually avoid?
, something will happen.
Lao Wu also hesitated. He also knew that the remaining prey in the mountains were ferocious beasts. If he really touched these, something would really happen.
"I'm sorry for neglecting you, sir. I'll take you to the mountains early tomorrow morning!" After the fifth child finished speaking, he said hello to the third child and walked home.
Jin Yao looked at Lao San's wife who was taking the children to eat, and then at Lao San who was watching with a smile on her face, and sighed deeply. This is the life of the most ordinary people in this era.
Although he is poor, he still holds hope.
The next day, before dawn, Lao Wu knocked on the door, with several children behind him.
"So early?" Jin Yao looked at the morning star still hanging high in the sky, a little surprised.
"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but I have no choice but to do it. Who knows when the government will come, so we have to do this!" Lao Wu said apologetically.
"It's okay!" Jin Yao stood up, and then saw the third child and his wife each carrying a sleeping child on their backs, while the older child followed behind them carrying a bag of grain.
After walking out of the village in the dark, Jin Yao also saw many families like Lao San on the mountain road in the rugged area, all carrying young children on their backs and walking towards the back mountain, waiting for them
When the sun rose, we finally reached a temporary resting place.
It was only here that Jin Yao saw nearly hundreds of children and teenagers sitting on the stones and trees waiting on the roadside at the resting place on the path in this rugged area.
"I'll send you here, boss, take care of your younger brothers and sisters!" The third wife put the child down on her back and said to the older child.
"Yeah!" The eldest son nodded.
Although the other children looked reluctant to give up, they neither cried nor made fuss, and were obviously used to it.
"Lao Wu, take care of your children and husband!" Other parents also greeted Lao Wu.
"Don't worry!" Lao Wu nodded.
"Are they all children who went to the mountains?" Jin Yao asked with a frown, a little confused. Even if the government arrests strong men, it is impossible to arrest children who are only six or seven years old. The same goes for girls.
"Yes, there are still some in the mountains!" Lao Wu nodded.
Jin Yao still asked his doubts.
Lao Wu was silent for a while, and then he said, "Sir, he should be from those big sects, right?"
"That's right!" Jin Yao nodded.
"What I don't know, sir, is that the government collects taxes on a per capita basis, and each household will register the number of children they have. When they reach the age, they will come to the village to arrest them. Boys will be recruited into the army, and girls will also be required to do so when they reach the age."
Marry out, otherwise it will also increase taxes, so there is nothing we can do!" Lao Wu explained.
】
Jin Yao understood that taxation was as fierce as a tiger. He thought that what he thought was severe enough, but he did not expect that the reality was more terrifying than he imagined.
However, neither Mohism, Confucianism, nor officials from hundreds of other schools and countries know this!