In an ordinary courtyard, a man squatted under the eaves, holding a bowl in one hand and nibbling on a steamed bun in the other.
The woman only drank a bowl of yellow rice porridge, then put down the bowl and chopsticks, took out a basin of clothes and started washing.
While eating, the man muttered: "The output in the fields is not good this year. I have to go to the city to find a part-time worker tomorrow. Otherwise, how will I survive this year..."
He knew that his wife had only eaten thin food for many days and kept dry food for herself. It was not that she was not hungry, but that... there was not much food in the house.
The woman raised her head and said: "Tell the owner of the village later, if someone needs some sewing or cleaning, just bring it back. Anyway, I am idle at home, and I can make some money by doing odd jobs."
."
"How about that?"
The man was unhappy and frowned: "It's our men's business to make money to support our families, it's not your women's turn to worry about it!"
Women know in their hearts that men only say something unpleasant, but actually they feel sorry for themselves.
What's more, if a woman needs to show up in a family, she will definitely be criticized.
However, seeing that the harvest is decreasing every year, if this continues, the future will be even more difficult.
At this time, the door suddenly creaked, as if someone had pushed it open.
The man suddenly remembered that during the day, when he was holding the door open to watch the excitement, he secretly opened the door because he couldn't see it, and seemed to have forgotten to close it!
Oops!
Zhuangtou Qian warned and urged not to open the door today, what should I do...
At this time, Zhu Qizhen had already walked in and came to the front of the house.
Then I saw a young man carrying a bowl of rice, with steamed buns stuffed in his mouth, and a look of panic on his face.
Beside, a woman stood up in a panic and walked behind the man.
This person is very thin, and she is unhealthy in an unhealthy way. Her dress has a lot of patches, but it is very clean with starch. At first glance, she is a hard-working person.
Zhu Qizhen said with a smile on his face: "Don't be nervous, we were just walking around casually. When we saw the door open, we came over to take a look."
The man looked at the three of them and seemed to recognize none of them.
In Zhuangzi, the biggest official he had ever seen was Zhuangtou, and even Eunuch Xiao was rarely seen. However, when he was watching the excitement through the crack of the door during the day, he seemed to see this man walking in front, with Zhuangtou following far behind.
, whose identity is certainly not simple.
"Big...big master..."
He didn't know what to call her at the moment, so he quickly put down his rice bowl and said, "Well, it's cold outside. Come and sit in the room. Xiu Niang, you go boil some water."
"Hey, hey!"
The woman agreed and hurried to the stove to boil water.
Zhu Qizhen nodded, followed the man into the house, and then saw a young child lying on the bed, only one or two years old, sleeping soundly.
There were no chairs in the room, so the man brought a few small benches. Zhu Qizhen was not polite, sat down and asked: "What do you call me?"
"Ah?"
The man was a little confused and seemed not to hear clearly.
Wynn said softly: "I just want to ask you what your name is?"
"Oh, oh!"
The man scratched his head and said sheepishly: "The younger one's surname is Wang, and his name is Ergouzi!"
Wynn shook his head secretly and said: "I want to ask you your name!"
"Daiming? The daimyo is also called Ergouzi!"
Zhu Qizhen waved his hand to Huaien and said, "That's Wang Ergou. This name is not bad."
Wang Ergou said sheepishly: "Young people are cheap. It doesn't matter whether you have a name or not."
Zhu Qizhen asked: "Where are there people who are born with a bad fate?"
Wang Ergou scratched his head and said, "Master, you really know how to joke. Aren't we just cheap people?"
Zhu Qizhen turned to look at the child on the bed and asked: "Daughter or son?"
"Back to the eldest master, it's my son!"
At this moment, Wang Ergou's face was filled with a sense of contentment and happiness.
"Have you chosen a name?"
"Not yet, the child is still young, and I, the father, cannot read. In a few years, when the child is older, I will go to the city to find a gentleman to help him choose a name."
In this era, most of the people were illiterate, and it was not always possible to find a scholar in a village. The matter of naming seemed very technical. Usually, you would carry two kilograms of bacon or a basket of eggs or something.
Ask a gentleman who can read and write for help.
Zhu Qizhen suddenly asked: "Is your son also a despicable person?"
Wang Ergou was stunned for a moment, and then said angrily: "Of course it's a cheap life..."
Zhu Qizhen noticed that when he said this, although there was a bit of unwillingness in his tone, it was more helpless.
It seems that no one wants to be born with a bad fate.
And isn’t the so-called high and low created by humans?
"Are his sons, and his sons' sons, also despicable?"
Wang Ergou's eyes began to look lonely, and then turned into self-mockery, and said slowly: "I'm afraid... this is the only way..."
Zhu Qizhen sighed and said: "Don't you want your descendants to get out of this miserable life? Why are they born as inferiors?"
"I... never thought about this..."
Wang Ergou's voice was very low, even a little choked. He usually wakes up early and works hard at night. At most, he can only have enough food and clothing. How can he have time to think about this?
Who doesn’t want their son to succeed and become a high official or something?
But, is this realistic...
Zhu Qizhen stood up and said: "This child is about to witness the rise of the Ming Dynasty. What follows will be a new era. Let's call him Wang Xinming!"
Wang Ergou was stunned for a moment, then he immediately realized what he was doing and said quickly: "Thank you, sir, for the name!"
Although I don’t understand what it means, at least I saved money on buying bacon!
Zhu Qizhen nodded, turned around and left.
Wang Ergou hurriedly said: "Sir, the water will boil soon. Drink some water before leaving!"
Wynn turned around and stopped him and said, "Okay, I won't drink the water anymore. You can go back!"
Looking at the backs of the three people walking away, Wang Ergou slapped his thigh and said, "How do you write the word Xin Ming?"
His wife, Xiu Niang, rolled her eyes at him and said, "Why don't you let the old man write it down for you?"
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"Didn't I forget just now..."
Wang Ergou felt very annoyed. He seemed to be a noble person at first glance, and his son was somewhat noble. However, he was so happy that he forgot to ask others how to write.
The embroiderer seemed to have thought of something and asked: "Master, do you think the young master just now was the distinguished guest during the day? At that time, the head of the village did not dare to come near, and even Eunuch Xiao could only wait by his side.
, wouldn’t he be a prince?”
"What nonsense are you talking about? Your Majesty has such a rich body, why do you come to this poor village of ours in the middle of winter?"
Wang Ergou analyzed it decently and said: "I see, most of the people who come here are the father-in-law who is in charge of things. Look at Eunuch Xiao in the village, how majestic he is. The person who came today must have a higher official than him!"
The embroiderer nodded repeatedly and said doubtfully: "But why did the father-in-law from the palace come to our village? It's not to collect the rent, right? Didn't he pay it all this year?"
At this point, she sighed, with some resentment in her tone.
"Well, the harvest is not as good as the previous year. This year our family has received food, and the rations are 15% less than last year. Seeing that the children are getting older day by day, I don't know how long the remaining food will last..." Wang Ergou said: "Tomorrow I will go to the capital to see if there are any noble people to hire workers. If I am lucky enough to meet a kind-hearted person and I can have a long-term job, then I won't have to worry about it."
The embroiderer shook her head and felt secretly sad. In the past, her husband would go to the capital to work during the slack season. However, the dignitaries in the capital all had their own servants and long-term workers. How could the rich landlords in the villages and towns be willing to spend money to hire people?<
/p>
At this time, the sky was completely dark, and the two of them went to bed early. Rural people always work at sunrise and rest at sunset, because... they can't light a lamp.
Early the next morning, Xiu Niang had already prepared rice porridge and steamed bread, and said, "You should bring enough dry food when you go out. If you can't find a job, come back early."
After Wang Ergou finished his rice porridge, he put two nests on his body and said, "Then I'm leaving!"
The embroiderer stopped him and said, "Take two more and go out to work hard. Two wotou are not enough?"
Wang Ergou chuckled and said: "Everyone who works in the city is in charge of the food. Don't worry, I can eat enough. I'll leave those two wotou for you!"
At this moment, the sound of a gong was heard outside, and then someone shouted loudly: "Listen, folks, the heads of each household are gathering at the grain drying field. Xiao Fengyu has something important to announce!"
Wang Ergou was stunned for a moment and said, "Could it be that the palace thinks that we have received too little food? Is the nobleman who came yesterday really here to raise taxes?"
The embroiderer was also worried about this, with a sad look on her face and sighing repeatedly.
Wang Ergou put down the nest and said, "I'll go take a look. You can take care of the baby at home!"
The drying field was covered with a light layer of white snow. At this time, many people had arrived, and they were all talking in low voices and making various speculations.
However, the conclusions everyone drew were not good things. Everyone felt uneasy and there was a gloomy atmosphere in the air.
About a quarter of an hour later, Xiao Jing, followed by Zhuangtou, came down to the courtyard.
Zhuangtou came forward first and said to the people: "Eunuch Xiao has called you here today to announce several important things, and these things are all good things, great things!" p>
Everyone, look at me, I look at you, the crowd started talking again.
Xiao Jing looked at the people in the audience, coughed sharply, and everyone immediately fell silent.
"Do you know which noble person came yesterday?"
Everyone shook their heads. Wang Ergou was crowded in the crowd. Although he saw the noble man with his own eyes, he didn't know anything, so he shook his head along with everyone.
Xiao Jing clasped his fists, cupped his hands in the direction of the capital, and said respectfully: "The one who came yesterday is the current Holy Emperor!"
Buzz!
The crowd immediately exploded. Although no one went out, most of them glanced through the cracks in the door. That young man turned out to be the current emperor?
Wang Ergou was stunned on the spot, his mind went blank, and he only repeated one sentence, Today's Holy Lord, Today's Holy Lord...
The emperor came to my house?
And gave my son a name?
What is it called...
When everyone heard that Long Live Lord had come to Huangzhuang, they had all kinds of expressions. Some were scared, some expressed doubts, some were trembling with excitement, some were blushing, and most of them just stood there like Wang Ergou.
.
In this society where imperial power is paramount, not to mention ordinary people, even most officials will never have the opportunity to see the emperor in their lifetime.
Seeing that the scene was a little out of control, Zhuangtou hurriedly shouted: "Quiet, quiet! Listen to Eunuch Xiao!"
After a while, everyone's emotions calmed down and the scene began to regain its calm.
Xiao Jing continued: "The Emperor takes pity on your difficult life, and has granted you permission to change your payment from seventeen to thirteen, starting from next year!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience became noisy again.
This time, there was even more excitement. Everyone knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. The rent was reduced from 70% to 30%. It was like pie in the sky. Such a good thing, I couldn't even dream of it! <
/p>
In this way, every household no longer has to worry about food and clothing, which is a great blessing.
Seeing everyone kowtow, Xiao Jing hurriedly avoided it. This gift was for the emperor, and he was just a messenger, so he couldn't bear it!
"This is the emperor's grace. Our family can't stand your great gift. Let's get up first. We haven't finished talking yet. There are still good things to come!"
Everyone stood up one after another and looked at Xiao Jing on the stage with expectant eyes.
I didn't realize before that Eunuch Xiao was so amiable.
"The emperor also ordered our family to purchase some livestock and distribute them to each household. If the family is wealthy, they can raise cattle and sheep, and if the family is nervous, they can also raise some chickens and ducks. When these livestock grow up, the village will buy them back at the market price!" After everyone listened, they started to make noise again. Someone asked: "Eunuch Xiao, do you need to pay for adopting livestock?"
Xiao Jing shook his head and said: "All will be distributed free of charge, but they will be registered and registered. If you cannot hand it over at that time, you will be deducted the cost!"
Everyone became even more excited when they heard that no money was required.
With the current living standards, no matter how hard you are willing to eat meat, you can’t take the livestock back home and offer them to you like your ancestors!
There was an older man at the front, who knelt down on the ground, raised his hands over his head, and said with trembling lips: "Old man, I have lived for more than fifty years, and I have never seen such a holy king. We are all like ants.
It was actually the Emperor who personally intervened. Even if I die now, old man, I will be satisfied! Holy Lord!"
Everyone was infected one after another and fell to their knees. There was a sound of kowtows, mixed with sobs.
Xiao Jing felt something in his heart and said: "Everyone, get up, we still have something to tell you!"
As soon as everyone heard that something was going on, they stopped crying and looked at each other expectantly.
"We are going to build a textile workshop in Zhuangzi. The men can prepare now. When the imperial court comes out with good drawings, construction will start in the spring. The emperor has specially instructed that building a workshop is not a labor service. All participants will be required to pay ten coins per day.
Money, take care of two meals!"
Everyone was so moved that they were a little numb. In the past, each family had to contribute to such errands. They would come out from home in the morning, bring lunch, and work hard all day. If they couldn't make a penny, they would have to pay back.
Nowadays, wages are paid and food is taken care of, and it is right at your doorstep. Where can you find such good things?