"The third sister-in-law's cousin who is doing business in the county sent a letter saying that the county has begun to look for girls with good looks. They just need to be taught the rules and sent to the palace for the draft next spring!" Zhang Hugua lowered his voice a little.
Sounds, mysterious passages.
This dynasty's draft is different from other dynasties, which only select officials' daughters as show girls. Instead, as long as they are of the right age and have good looks, regardless of their family background, they can participate.
In the draft held every three years, candidates are selected layer by layer from each state and county, and then go to the palace to participate in the selection.
As the parent official of every state and county, we have this responsibility to select people.
Dongling County, where Panshi Town is located, belongs to Jingzhou Prefecture and is not close to the capital, but it is also known that the current Holy Emperor has only been in power for a few years and is still young. It would be great if he could send his daughter to the draft.
Zhang Laodou had served as a soldier and fought in the war. He had gained a lot of experience by following the Shangguan at that time, so he naturally knew what this draft meant.
"How can a young couple have such foresight?"
Xinghua is beautiful, which is praised by everyone who meets her. If she can go to the draft, she will definitely have a bright future.
And if Xinghua can be chosen, then their Zhang family will also be in a better position.
Zhang Hugua nodded and continued: "This is the second draft since taking the throne. I heard from the third sister-in-law and her cousin that the entire Jingzhou Prefecture only has a hundred places in total. Those who are divided into counties will have one."
There are only ten counties, so it’s not easy!”
"But our county magistrate is a bit greedy for money. The third sister-in-law's cousin has a brother who is a clerk in the county with whom we can get along. If we can get through this relationship, if we can come up with five hundred taels of silver, maybe we can make Xing
The flower will directly occupy a quota."
"This news was also passed on to Third Sister-in-law and her cousin by this official. The above document has just come down and has not spread yet, so we must seize this opportunity first. Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law have been preparing for it early.
I’m collecting money!”
Old Mr. Deng had long hair and short knowledge, so he didn't think that far. When he heard the five hundred taels of silver, he was so frightened that he screamed, "Hey, how can you get such a lot of silver so easily?"
That’s not five taels and fifty taels!
"Is the third daughter-in-law crazy? Okay, what are you doing? Didn't they say not long ago that the Wang family of the town's cloth village intends to hire Xinghua as their daughter-in-law? How good are the conditions of the Wang family? Xinghua will be a young mistress after marrying her, and she will have nothing to worry about.
Yes, the youngest two can still get a lot of betrothal gifts, how about keeping them for Bai'er to find a wife? If you send them to the top, you won't get a penny, and you have to put money in. You have to do a loss-making business.
, are they doing business stupidly?"
As soon as old Mrs. Deng opened her mouth, the others did not dare to say anything. Only Mr. Zhang glanced at her and said to her: "What do you know? The third and third sons are very smart! If Xinghua can get this quota, she can go to the palace."
Go there, based on her appearance, there is a high probability that she will be selected. As long as she can be selected, five hundred taels of silver is nothing. You can't see the wealth behind it now."
If you can be favored and give birth to a son and a half daughters, then the Zhang family will be even more incredible.
Old Mrs. Deng heard that his wife agreed. Although he complained in his heart that he didn't look at wealth, he still didn't say anything against it on his face.
The man is more knowledgeable than her, and she always listens to him on major matters, otherwise how could she be the head of the family.
only.
"Then how do you think you can get these five hundred taels of silver together?"
Zhang Laodou put down his chopsticks, took off the big cigarette stick from his waist, lit the tobacco leaves, and took a puff in his mouth, causing the smoke to fill up.
After a moment, he said: "Let's see what Lao San and the others say. I estimate that they will be able to come up with hundreds of taels in these years. Let's wait until they come back to tell us."
As soon as Old Deng heard this, he knew that the head of the household would definitely have to pay for it. He couldn't help but think about the money he had left, which was all the money he had saved for his fourth son's business, and it wasn't even enough!
Five hundred taels is too much.
Early the next morning, when Zhang Lihua went up the mountain with Song Qiu, she couldn't help but mutter to Song Qiu, "You must have listened to what I said yesterday. My third uncle wants to send Sister Xinghua to the talent show!"
Yesterday, when Zhang Hugua was acting like that, her grandmother quickly gave her a wink and asked her to go to the kitchen together. She didn't hear what Zhang Hugua said.
Only now did I understand what Zhang Lihua said.
Draft?
Is the draft so easy to choose?
But this was someone else's business, and she couldn't say anything. She just said: "Sister Xinghua is quite beautiful. It's not surprising that Uncle Digua and the others have this idea."
After all, she knows that in this dynasty, the draft does not depend on family background, and ordinary people can be selected.
As for Zhang Xinghua, Song Qiu recalled her appearance in his mind. He had seen her during the Chinese New Year. She was indeed beautiful, with delicate facial features and skin as smooth as cream. She did not look like a farm girl at all. Perhaps it was because she had been in the country since she was a child.
He must have been raised pampered in the town.
It has to be said that the Zhang family is not bad in appearance. After all, old Deng was the beauty of eight villages in the country when she was young, and Zhang Lao Dou also has thick eyebrows and big eyes, so his descendants are not bad.
But the only variable is that the two brothers Zhang Donggua and Zhang Shuiqin have half the appearance of Li Dachui, so they are more ordinary.
Further down, the Chen family is also very dark, so the two brothers Zhang Yang and Zhang Lihua are more ordinary.
Because she has been working all year round, Zhang Lihua's complexion is a typical wheat color, her facial features are regular, and her eyes are exceptionally bright, but because she is not fair, she cannot tell whether she is handsome or not.
But Song Qiu came from later generations. When he looked at Zhang Lihua, he felt that she was beautiful. Her skin color was so healthy.
"I'm not jealous of whether she goes to the draft or not, but you don't know, Aqiu, that the number of places in this draft is not very good. It is said that you need five hundred taels of silver to have a chance! How can our family get so much money!" Zhang
Lihua sighed heavily, worrying about this.
It is conceivable that if all the money at home has been raised, one would still need to borrow money, right?
When the time comes, who will pay back the money?
I'm afraid her parents will have to work as long-term workers in the Cheng family until they are old.
Working as a long-term laborer in the Cheng family earns you four taels of silver a year. In addition, it includes food and accommodation, and two sets of clothes for a season. It is a very good job.
But Zhang Lihua doesn't see her parents a few times throughout the year, but she still wants her parents to be at home all the time.
Originally, if Nai had saved enough money to buy a shop for her fourth uncle, her parents might not have to continue working as long-term workers in the Cheng family, right?
Or you can come back with one.
Her brother is already fifteen, and she will definitely not think about marrying him. Her parents work long-term jobs and have no time, so where does she get this opportunity to meet her brother?
Five hundred taels of silver?
When Song Qiu heard that he wanted more money, he smacked his lips, five hundred taels, that's a lot.
Once you enter the palace, the gate is as deep as the sea, and this draft is not that easy to choose.
But again, she doesn't want to talk about other people's affairs.
But Lihua is her good friend, and she should think about her.
"No matter how much money you save, it won't be your turn, right? As long as you don't separate, your parents' wages will have to be handed over, so it's useless for you to worry about this. How about you work hard and save money? You can do it yourself.