The three sides of the house are covered with brick walls that were once painted but are now mottled, showing signs of age. There is a black lacquered wooden cabinet in the west corner, which is the most decent piece of furniture. The one next to it cannot be said.
In the pottery or earthenware pot, a few random unknown flowers are blooming, bringing a bit of freshness to the house.
However, Zhang Shou knew that it was dug out of fresh soil and planted in the field in the morning.
I saw several children crowding at the door and watching curiously, but they were impatiently expelled by the adults guarding the door. Except for Zhu Ying, who occupied the only wicker chair, there were not more than two or three others.
They squeezed into a bench and could only sit on a small pony, but their waists were as straight as the others. Zhang Shou, who was standing in the middle, couldn't help but look at the eldest lady twice.
Since he passed the news to the Yang family last night, this wicker chair has been washed over and over again with well water. At this time, this chair that has been sat on by too many people has a bit of age.
She is glossy and a bit quaint, but she can sit calmly as if she were sitting on the imperial chair in the high hall of a mansion. Only this Miss Zhu does not look like a eldest lady in many aspects.
He withdrew his gaze, cleared his throat, and spoke a concise and concise opening statement that sounded like a village committee meeting: "Since everyone is here, let's start the meeting now. Mr. Yang, you go ahead and speak."
Yang Laoguan stole a glance at Zhu Ying with awe-filled eyes, then held his head high, looked at everyone else with a condescending gaze, and said solemnly: "Today, in front of the eldest lady and uncle, I will tell you something.
Our Rongshui Village.”
Hearing the title of uncle, Zhang Shou was helpless. He had already warned him, but this damn old man actually knowingly committed the crime!
However, whether it was Yang Laoguan's serious tone or the address of his uncle, Zhu Ying was amused anyway. And her smile made a group of farmers below who wanted to see but didn't dare feel extremely surprised.
For a moment, his mouth was dry and he couldn't speak. Even Qi Liang, who was specially called over by Zhang Shou but was listening in the corner as a junior in the village, couldn't help but his heart beat twice.
Seeing that no one else dared to say anything, Yang Laoguan thought he had intimidated everyone, so he just pretended not to see Zhang Shou's annoyed look and started his topic.
"Our village used to grow mostly wheat. Thanks to my uncle, we rebuilt canals and diverted water to irrigate the fields. In the past two years, we have planted a lot of rice. The sandy land that was flooded before the river embankment was repaired is now planted with cotton.
Many trees have been replanted on the hillside, and tussahs are released twice a year. The situation is much better than before."
At this moment, the oldest man, his face glowing red, said happily: "If my uncle hadn't persuaded Mrs. Wu to spend a lot of money to open water canals, select seeds, buy silkworm seeds and cotton seeds, she would also be exempted from the first year's tax.
We can’t hold on to the rent! The harvest in the rice fields and cotton fields last year was average, and a lot of tussahs died. It was better last year, but this year it looks like it will be a bumper harvest!”
"You know, there are many southerners who are officials in the capital, and they prefer rice. There is more wheat and less rice in the north, and most of the rice is transported from the south to the north, so the price of rice has always been much more expensive than in the south of the Yangtze River. What we sell is polished rice, not brown rice. This year we only need
If you sell it, it will definitely be more than the profit of the past two years plus one yuan. What's more, there are fish to eat directly in the rice fields, so you can eat meat often if you want."
"As for the cotton fields, not to mention the money, every household now has two new cotton-padded jackets to wear. Not to mention raising tussahs. During this year's spring silkworm season, everyone made a lot more. If we hadn't backed up with big trees to enjoy the shade, the cotton fields would have been better.
The tax on silk and silk is said to be lighter than that on rice and wheat, but those tax collectors are not easy to talk to. They look at us suddenly becoming rich and wonder how much they will exploit us!"
"So, I'm going to say something here today. From now on, no matter what my uncle says, we, the old Yang family, will do whatever we do without any hesitation!"
Although just now he was annoyed that Old Man Yang was talking about his uncle, but at this moment after Old Man Yang said this, Zhang Shou had to admit that this cunning old man really knew how to talk.
This is not an explanation of the situation, it is clearly a sign of loyalty!
Sure enough, with Yang Laoguan taking the lead, the others also echoed in unison, and the voices of the responses seemed to be competing with who had the loudest voice. It was not until Zhan Jin, who was standing next to Zhu Ying, couldn't help but reached out to cover his ears, that someone shut up.
Zhu Ying, however, didn't mind the noise. She seemed to be listening attentively, but in fact she glanced at Zhang Shou from time to time, thinking about what he had said before inviting her here.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Shou was really popular in this small village... But what kind of help did he want from him?
"What Yang Laoguan said before is just that it will take some years to go from subsistence to food and clothing, and from food and clothing to well-off society. And from well-off society to getting rich, it is even more difficult. Since we are near the capital, if you want to get rich...
…”
Zhang Shou paused for a moment and swallowed back the words "build the road first" - you know, the village is not far from the main road, and the small road extending from the main road is very solidly built and can accommodate carriages and horses.
It is no problem to pass and transport things in and out, otherwise the carriages and horses of Zhao Guogong's mansion would not be able to pass. It can be said that the innate conditions of this village are very good.
He took a breath and said seriously: "If we want to be rich, we at least can't let this village look so shabby. We have to renovate the houses. You know, in the near future, there will be a steady stream of people coming from the capital.
!”
Zhu Ying was suddenly surprised and immediately asked: "Ah Shou, what do you mean by this?"
Zhang Shou turned around and looked at Zhu Ying, who was sitting on a wicker chair like a master in the middle, and said with a smile: "Since the eldest lady of the Duke of Zhao has come to live in this small village, won't some people who got the news come in droves?
"
Thinking that Zhang Shou didn't believe what she said in the Zhang family mansion before, Zhu Ying couldn't help but snorted and said with an unhappy face: "I told you not to pay attention to them, they don't have the guts to do anything nonsense! If anyone dares, I'll spare my life
Can’t reach them!”
"Maybe they won't make trouble, but what if they plan to live like you? But these people are running rampant on the streets of the capital, let alone the countryside?"
Zhang Shou looked at Miss Zhu who was a bit out of temper with a smile, and deliberately winked at her, "So, since our village has finished harvesting, let's dry the grain, thresh and grind the rice immediately, and then start renovating the house."
As soon as these words came out, Zhan Jin and Liu Yin, who had been quietly staring at Zhang Shou, were immediately shocked. Liu Yin even shouted out loud: "Are you planning to use Miss to attract those noble disciples to come over and pay for accommodation?"
Before she could finish her words, Zhu Ying interrupted domineeringly: "What kind of use is this! Ah Shou is right, these guys may really gather like flies. But they will only circle around me."
Guys who don’t know how to make progress and don’t know how to do anything serious, they are all pig-headed fools who fail to achieve anything but fail!”
In the past, with the connivance of her father and grandmother, Zhu Ying often played tricks on the dandies in the capital. At this time, instead of being angry at Zhang Shou's plan to take advantage of her arrival, she was actually a little eager to try.
"But if you, Ah Shou, renovate the houses in the village just to accommodate them, that will never work. Even your house, people like them who are accustomed to wealth and wealth may not take it seriously. These pig heads are bigger than each other.
One is rich, the other is more wasteful than the other, and the other is pickier than the other!"
Zhang Shou was not surprised by Zhu Ying's attitude, but even if he guessed that she wouldn't care, he still couldn't help but feel that this young lady had an interesting temperament. In some ways,
She and he are actually somewhat compatible!
Hearing this, Zhang Shou couldn't help but smile: "The purpose of renovating the village is to prevent them from living in the village, so as not to disturb everyone's life."
Hearing this, a group of villagers immediately nodded their heads. There are no bullies here, and the subordinate officials do not come here except to collect taxes. But anyone who has been to the city has always seen one or two cases where bullies are rampant, and no one wants to
This life that I had been looking forward to for so long came to an end.
Seeing that everyone was supporting but Zhu Ying looked suspicious, Zhang Shou said with a smile: "The village is being renovated and the dust is flying. How can these Guijie children who are used to living a luxurious life live in it? And there is no way these guys can bear to set up tents.
.”
The more Zhu Ying listened, the more itchy she became: "Ah Shou, tell me, where should they live?"