It didn't take long for Mrs. Feng to hear about what Lao Zhoutou said at the head of the village. She immediately went to find Mrs. Qian, "Mom, Manbao wants to marry Erya. Who are you talking about?"
Mr. Qian: "...There's no sign yet, don't worry."
"Erya is already so old, so there's no rush. All the girls in the village who are the same age as her are now mothers of two children."
Qian's hands didn't stop and continued to grab the dough, "What are you afraid of? Liu Lang got married too late. Didn't he also say that it will be a good marriage? I have the ability, no matter how late it is, I will still have a good marriage."
Mrs. Feng thought thoughtfully and felt that her mother-in-law was right, but...she hadn't seen her daughter in two years and didn't know how she was doing.
Feng couldn't help but ask, "Mom, are you and dad still going to the capital during the Chinese New Year?"
Qian thought for a while and said, "Don't worry, I won't go if there are too many things at home."
Mrs. Feng really wanted them to go, but even if she couldn't go with them, they could still watch the children for a while. They were both in the capital, and they were not young anymore, so it was time for them to kiss.
After Qian comforted her daughter-in-law, she turned to Zhou Lang, who was repairing farm tools, and said, "San Lang, it's getting late. Go call your father back."
In the past, this kind of thing was done by the children at home, but now that the children are not at home, Zhou Lang can only put down his work and call his father.
When Lao Zhou was called back, he was still a little unsatisfied. The people in the village were also unsatisfied. A few people who had played well with him walked back together, and then stood outside the wall of Lao Zhou's house and talked for a long time before they dispersed.
.
Now the old Zhou family is very respectable in Qili Village, and their popularity seems to be better than before.
This is not only because Man Bao has become an official and is the most promising person in Qili Village, but also because of the influence of the old Zhou family on Qili Village.
Now many families in the village have planted medicinal materials, including yam, ginger and ligustrum lucidum in acres and acres. Some of the collected medicinal materials are sold to Zhou Erlang in the county, prefecture and neighboring counties;
Sell it to Zhoulang further afield.
They have made a lot of money because of this in the past two years, so this time Zhou Lang came back with more than a dozen cows, and four families in the village bought them.
Others were sold to several nearby villages.
Because they were all fellow villagers, Lao Zhoutou had less control over the cattle, and each cow was sold for about a hundred cents less than what was sold at the county cattle market.
When Lao Zhoutou made this decision, he was a little distressed, but he said to his sons: "This is the root of our family. You go out to do business. Man Bao is an official in the capital, but no matter where you go,
Where, I will always come back here in the future, so I have to give the benefits that should be given to the villagers. Most of your brothers are outside now. The villagers are building houses, marrying wives, and giving gifts to the elderly. You are all unable to help. My love
I can only give it from other places."
Zhou Erlang and others nodded in agreement.
Old Zhoutou changed his voice and said, "But you can't give too much. You earned all the money at home by working hard. It's dangerous to go out to do business."
Qian said: "If you are a good friend and a good friend, you must pay attention to the propriety even if you bring your cousins with you. Give what you should give and don't give what you shouldn't. Otherwise, you will not spoil a good person."
Already."
When he comes back this time, Zhou Lang plans to take his two cousins from the Qian family out, mainly to and from the grasslands. In many things, he has to work hard for himself.
It's not that they haven't encountered any danger at all. Last time, they added two more vehicles because they were short of manpower, and the people were hired. As a result, they ran away as soon as they encountered danger, and some of their goods were given away.
However, the three sons he brought with him and those under Xiang Mingxue were stable, so Zhou Lang felt that it was better to use his own people.
Zhou Erlang is now in charge of the medicinal materials business in several nearby counties and prefectures. Every time he goes out, he invites young people from the village and people from his uncle's family. However, he is only busy in autumn and winter. After all, the medicinal materials they grow are harvested at that time.
Because of this, the old Zhou family is now very prestigious in the village, and even the village chief likes to come to Zhou Erlang to discuss anything.
Of course, after Lao Zhoutou and the others came back, they turned to discuss it with Lao Zhoutou.
This time, the village chief asked Lao Zhoutou to discuss whether he should offer a pig's head to his ancestors this year.
Qili Village used to be very poor. When worshiping ancestors, they had chickens, meat and fish, but they never offered pig heads. After all, pig heads were very expensive.
The last time I gave a pig head to my ancestor was because I heard that Man Bao had become an official, and the village itself became lively.
Last time, Zhou Yin was wronged and was posthumously named Mianzhou Shepherd...
The village chief mentioned this just to discuss this with Old Zhou and ask him to pay for it, not all of it, but a big part of it.
This is also a customary rule in the village. Whoever's family is richer should pay more. After all, the ancestors bless them.
In the past, the old Zhou family always had little or no money and belonged to the middle group.
However, Lao Zhoutou was not stingy about this at all and agreed without thinking. He didn’t even need to ask Qian for the money. He paid for it himself and said to the village chief: “You have to let your ancestors bless you.”
Our family is prosperous and wealthy, and everyone in the family is safe and healthy."
Village Chief: ...If he has this ability, why bother looking for him? I have already prepared all the sacrifices for my ancestors.
But he said: "Uncle Jin, don't worry, our ancestors will definitely protect your family."
Qili Village was very lively. They started setting off cannons on the 30th day of the Lunar New Year, and the fireworks were the loudest on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year.
The capital is also very lively, but it is the ordinary people who are lively. This year, the officials only meet briefly to pay New Year greetings and bow to each other. Except for their own relatives, the officials do not even confiscate the festive gifts.
As for banquets, no one dares to drink and celebrate in a big way unless they drink secretly behind closed doors.
However, as soon as the Yamen was opened on the eighth day of the lunar month, seven or eight officials were still impeached for having a banquet during the period of national filial piety, and one person was accused of taking a concubine during the period of national filial piety.
Then Man Bao's first court meeting in the new year saw the demotion of eight officials. The concubine was directly demoted from the capital, demoted from the fifth rank to the seventh rank, and was transferred to a lower county as a county.
The order went.
Man Bao was very alert, and then became a little uncertain. After retreating from the court, he followed up with Magistrate Tang.
Magistrate Tang turned his head to look at her curiously and asked, "What's wrong?"
Man Bao pulled him to a remote place, lowered his voice and asked, "I know that it is a taboo for a country to have a concubine, but does it count as having sex with someone in the same room?"
Magistrate Tang's face contorted and he lowered his voice, "Who would pry into the affairs of the boudoir unless someone is killed?"
"What if someone is killed?"
County Magistrate Tang:......
He looked Zhou Man up and down and asked in a low voice: "Who is here to ask for help?"