"Isn't it almost the Chinese New Year? The casino comes to collect the bill, but they can't take it out. They want to sell the cattle. In the past two days, there are rumors everywhere that their Jia brothers are overbearing. Anyone who goes to see the cattle must be punished regardless of whether they succeed or not.
Pay them ten cents or they will be beaten, so no one went to see the cow. I heard that they took the cow to the county early this morning, but they didn't sell it."
Zhou Dalang said: "The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and there are not many people in the cattle and horse market. Most of the cattle dealers have gone home to celebrate the New Year, so there are not many people buying cattle. They can't sell them, so they brought them back to ask us."
When Lao Zhou heard this, he immediately put away the cigarette pole, stood up and said, "Let's go, call Lao San, let's go to Dali Village to have a look."
Man Bao wanted to join in the fun, but Lao Zhoutou didn't let her follow. The Jia brothers had bad tempers. Even if they didn't fight, they would definitely have to quarrel before they bought it. It's better not to take Man Bao with you for this kind of thing.
Man Bao could only watch them go.
Feng came back from picking vegetables from the vegetable garden. When she saw it, she smiled and said: "Manbao, come here and help the second sister-in-law choose vegetables. Just now your fifth brother asked Santou and the others to come back to send a message, saying that your fourth brother and the others have returned to the county. Tonight
I need to go home for dinner."
Man Bao took the medicine box back into the house and put it away. He sat opposite Feng and asked while choosing vegetables, "Then why don't they come back now?"
"I said I wanted to meet a few people and buy tea or something. Your fifth brother came to help me, so I asked Santou to come back first."
Because the Chinese New Year is coming soon, Friday Lang will go to the county town in the past two days to inquire about Zhou Lang, and buy some New Year goods and things needed for the wedding reception.
It was Da Ya who was getting married, San Tou's biological sister, so he naturally ran errands with her, so he also went to the county town these two days.
Manbao knew that his second sister-in-law had the best information, so he couldn't help but ask her, "Second sister-in-law, do you know the Jia brothers in Dali Village?"
"I know, they are two gangsters who were even gangster than your fourth brother when he was younger." There is no news in these ten miles and eight villages that other people know, but Feng doesn't know.
If so, it must be because Qili Village is too remote and no one goes to the market recently.
In the past, Ms. Qian was in poor health and had to stay indoors all year round, unable to even leave the house. However, the news in and outside the village could not be hidden from her, just because Ms. Feng was there.
Man Bao also likes to inquire about news from her second sister-in-law, and Feng likes to chat with people. She didn’t even wait for Man Bao to ask, and just kept talking, "Your fourth brother was beaten."
After a meal, you will finally know that you have changed. The two brothers are just like the leprous in our village. Once you get involved, you can't get rid of them. They have exported a lot of money in the past two years."
Man Bao was curious, "Someone has been gossiping about them recently, so no one wants to see his cattle or buy cattle?"
"It's not just gossip. It's spread all over the eight villages in the ten miles away. Two days ago, on the day we went to the Taoist temple to worship, someone from Baima Village went to their house to look at the cows. Guess what?"
Feng looked at Man Bao with bright eyes, wanting Man Bao to ask her.
Man Bao said: "They force the people who look after the cattle to pay ten cents?"
Feng hesitated and asked: "How do you know? It's just not ten cents. I heard that you have to pay fifty cents. If you touch a cow, you have to pay another twenty cents."
Man Bao: ...This has to be passed on several times before it reaches this level.
The most annoying thing when gossiping is an uncooperative audience like Manbao, so Feng mentioned the matter in one word, saying: "Anyway, the news has spread all over these ten miles and eight villages. The Jia brothers are very arrogant, but they haven't yet
If someone dares to offend them and try to reason with these two bastards, isn't that asking for trouble? So even those who want to buy cattle don't go."
Buying and selling cattle in the countryside is not like in the city. You can go directly to the cattle and horse market.
In the countryside, whether it is a buyer or a seller, the transactions are completed through introductions and letters from fellow villagers.
For example, if the Jia brothers intend to sell cattle, their relatives and friends will tell their relatives and friends about it, and the relatives and friends will spread the word to their acquaintances, so that people who are interested in buying cattle will come to their door.
Otherwise, the Jia family is not a cattle and horse market. Who would know that his family has cattle for sale?
But now, once the Jia family's reputation is ruined and the news about the forced money comes out, who will go to his family to buy cattle?
As for Lao Zhou, he is stingy and wants to take advantage of others. He also has six sons. When Lao Zhou's family was poorer than the Jia family, the Jia family couldn't bully him, let alone their family's prestige now.
It's still so high.
So Lao Zhoutou came to the door with his two sons and without any politeness lowered the price to thirty-two or eight cents.
When the price was announced, the Jia brothers almost vomited blood out of anger. After haggling with Lao Zhoutou for a long time, they still had to sell the cow to Lao Zhoutou for four taels of silver after dark.
There is no way, people from the casino will come to collect the money tomorrow. If the Zhou family doesn't buy it, they won't be able to find a second buyer in a while.
If the people at the casino say that they will chop off one of their hands if they don't get any more money, they will definitely chop off their hands.
Lao Zhoutou happily took the cow's serial number and the knotting book written under the witness of the two lieutenants and stuffed it into his arms, then personally led the cow out and said goodbye to the chief.
Guan Lichang said with a smile: "It's getting dark today. Let's go back after the in-laws have dinner at home."
Lao Zhoutou said quickly: "No, no, my fourth child will be waiting for dinner when he comes back today. I will invite my in-laws to eat at home another day."
Zhou Dalang on the side said in a low voice: "Dad, the day after tomorrow is the day when Da Ya gets married."
"That's right, our two families can meet and have dinner together tomorrow."
Before getting married, the Guan family has to send a betrothal gift to the Zhou family.
Lao Zhoutou warmly invited Mr. Guan Li to come and have dinner with him tomorrow.
Guan Lichang agreed with a smile.
The father and son walked home from Dali Village in the dark. Lao Zhoutou complained all the way, "We have said that four taels is a fair price, but we have to wait until dark before agreeing. Two dogs will kill each other, and we will be harmed."
We still have to walk back in the dark, it’s very cold today..."
Zhou Lang said: "Dad, didn't you also hold on to the price of thirty-two or nine yuan until the end?"
If you could have asked for four taels of silver earlier, maybe they could still get home before it gets completely dark.
Lao Zhou glared at Zhou Lang, but it was too dark and Zhou Lang couldn't see.
He could only open his mouth and hum: "Don't think that now that your family has earned some money, you won't treat money as money. One penny is a hundred copper coins. How much work did you have to do to earn back this one penny?"
He said: "No matter how much money you make in the future, you have to save when you need to. Otherwise, no matter how much money you make, you won't be able to spend it. Don't be like Man Bao. You will always spend money lavishly."
Zhou Dalang and Zhou Lang agreed.
From a distance, they saw a torch at the entrance of the village. They knew that their family members were waiting, so they led the cows and quickened their pace.
When he arrived, he saw Wu Lang coming up to him quickly, "Dad, what's taking you so long? We're just waiting for you to have dinner at home. Fourth brother is back. He's made a lot of money."
Old Zhoutou regained his energy, gave Zhou Dalang the cow rope he had been holding, and walked quickly home with Wu Lang, asking: "How much did you earn?"