The fertile water of farming does not flow to outsiders' fields

After lunch, Xiao Xiucai offered to settle the household registration. At this time, the household registration is strictly controlled. Traveling and traveling must be guided by officials, and the household registration must also have a guarantor.

The three went out to Lizheng's house, Xue Yinsong hugged Changhui and walked beside the little scholar, only to hear Xue's father ask: "How much is the poll tax for this Chen family village?" The little scholar said: "It's not that high. , collected once every half a year, about three or four in a year."

Father Xue sighed: "Sure enough, our Tianba Village is better, less than two or two a year." Xue Yinsong squinted his eyes: "Looking at my father thinking about his hometown, I'm always afraid that you won't be used to living here, or I'll subsidize it." Some broken silver to let you go back?"

Father Xue immediately fell silent, looking left and right, pretending to appreciate the scenery: "The people in this Chenjia Village are rich, and every household is a house with blue tiles and bricks."

The little scholar smiled and said, "I don't know what Uncle Xue's hometown is like?"

"Our Tianba Village is a poor place," Father Xue said with a sigh: "I was still rich in life, but I met a terrible county magistrate."

"Oh?" Little Xiucai became interested.

"Well, our place has mountains and water, so it is supposed to be a good place, but it is a pity that the mountains can't go up, and the water can't go down. Two years ago, we killed a wild boar that went down the mountain, and the county government made a lot of trouble. The wild boar If they are not eaten, a lot of cornfields will be ruined."

"Why is that?"

Father Xue snorted and said, "Three years ago, a county magistrate surnamed Liang came to the county seat. Not long after he came, he said that the green scales from the Ganoderma lucidum river on the mountain were tributes. In order to prevent the villagers from harvesting them privately, All the mountains and rivers are sealed off, and those who dare to go up and down the mountains and rivers will be put in prison."

"What happened to the wild boar?"

"The wild boar came down the mountain to steal corn to eat. It happened to be discovered by me and the tiger. It took a lot of effort to catch it. I didn't want someone to sue the county government. The next day the government sent someone to say that the mountain is Gongshan. , The wild boar is naturally a tribute pig, so it was confiscated." Father Xue became angry after thinking about it: "The wild boar trampled a whole 70 corn plants, but the county government said it didn't care, and only dragged the pork away."

The little scholar frowned and said: "Even if you can't go up the mountain and down the river, how can the wild boar running down the mountain by itself count as a tribute?"

"Well, anyway, what the government says is what it says. Those who refuse to accept it will be thrown into prison, and those who are locked up for ten and a half months will be released. The family has to arrange for someone to deliver food every day. Farmers have neither power nor power, so how can they stand it?" It’s such a toss.” Father Xue sighed: “In the past, there were people who had the courage to go up the mountain and down the river, and the county government would put them in prison if they caught them, and beat them with 20 killing sticks first, and they couldn’t get out of bed for half a month with their skin and flesh bruised. If you dare to move your mind, you can only live by guarding a piece of land, who would have thought that there will be another flood this year... the world is difficult."

The little scholar nodded thoughtfully, and the three of them came to Lizheng's house, and when they entered the door, they first explained the purpose of their visit, and Father Xue handed over several wrapped road citations and household registration.

Li Zheng read the paperwork and said with a smile: "Since there is a talented person as a security guard, there is no problem. Your family has a lot of land and you need manpower. It is a good thing that Mr. Xue can come. How about it, I happen to be going to the county seat the day after tomorrow. Let’s get this done together.”

Naturally, Father Xue thanked him a thousand times, and gave Li Zheng a large amount of money to ask him to pay tribute to the government servants on his behalf. Li Zheng also accepted it with a smile, saying that he would definitely help with making arrangements for getting his household registration as soon as possible.

It was the first time for the little scholar to see such a bold, frontal and undisguised bribery, so nervous that he dared not look directly, and turned his eyes to look elsewhere.Xue Yinsong saw that things were almost done, so he casually asked about the big man surnamed Xiong collecting money indiscriminately.

Li Zheng listened and sighed: "Although this matter is not complicated, the matter involved is much bigger. It turned out to be an old case in Chenjia Village. The big man's surname is Xiong, and his sister married to this village seven years ago. She is also that woman." Life is hard, and she has been abused not long after she got married. There are many people in his family, her father-in-law and mother-in-law beat and scold her, and even her brother-in-law sometimes punches her. About last winter, her mother-in-law died unexpectedly in the well, not long after. The father-in-law drowned in the paddy field. The yamen servants came to check several times, but they couldn't find out the case, so they had to let it go, but the neighbors' gossips became more and more. The woman couldn't bear it, and she went crazy within a few days. The fire burned her house to ashes, but fortunately no one was injured. It happened that her younger brother came to seek relatives and saw this scene with his own eyes. He insisted on saying that the people in the village drove his sister crazy. The land of his house has been leveled out as a market, everyone buys and sells things and pays him some money, and he takes it to support his sister."

Xue Yinsong said: "Even if you pay some money, it doesn't cost as much as five Wen?"

"No, one penny at a time. What you see is collected in five days. Although our Chenjia Village is relatively rich, five pennies can buy half a catty of meat, and you won't pay that much." Just as he was answering, he asked the scholar in a low voice: "Is Xue kid still working?"

The little scholar nodded and said: "I think both of them are good hands inside and out. A few days ago, they harvested 2 acres of land and said that they planted it by themselves, and the food is also good."

Li Zheng nodded with a smile. The appearance and character of Xiucai are among the best in Chenjia Village, so he asked, "Is Xiucai going to take the examination for fame?"

The little scholar replied: "I am studying hard every day, just preparing to take the provincial examination next year."

Lizheng made a quick calculation in his mind: Xiu'er will be 13 in the provincial examination next year, and Xiu'er will be 15 in the next two years. It is the age to marry. If Xiucai wins the Jinshi, wouldn't it be beautiful to get a gold list and get a bridal chamber flower candle?In the future, my daughter will be the wife's life, not to mention wearing gold and silver, maybe she can be given a royal order... Even if the scholar does not go into office, the 20 acres of the family is good, at least it can be regarded as an upper-middle class family, which is better than other people in Chenjia Village. The person is much stronger... After making up his mind, he immediately smiled and said: "Scholar, just sit down, and I will come as soon as I go."

Xiao Xiucai agreed, and asked Father Xue to go home first, and sat in the hall waiting for Lizheng.

Li Zheng entered the backyard and told Jiu Niang about the matter in this way, and Jiu Niang immediately agreed to let Li Zheng go out to sit with Xiu Cai, and hurried into the house to comb Xiu Er's hair and go out to meet her.

Lizheng brewed a pot of good tea and brought it out with a smile, "I have kept the scholar waiting for a long time, come and taste the Biluochun I entrusted."

Xiao Xiucai accepted it with a smile: "Lizheng specially asked me to stay here, thinking there is something to discuss?" Lizheng stroked his beard twice and said with a smile, "Before Xiaoxiucai came to Chen Family Village, was there any engagement?" Xiaoxiucai immediately understood , quickly replied: "No."

Li Zheng said with a smile: "I have a daughter named Xiu'er, who is twelve years old and has never been married to anyone. I think Xiucai is a good-looking talent, and her family is also well-off. I wonder if you have this intention?"

Before the little scholar could speak, Xue Yinsong, who was eavesdropping at the door, had already recorded the enmity of Lizheng's family, and it was useless to listen more. The two walked out of the yard lightly. Get rid of this heart, and you are living a life of begging a woman."

Xue Yinsong stared at him: "Father, I assure you, as long as Xiaoxiu is willing to nod and follow me, I will take care of myself and live a good life, and I will let you hug the big fat boy."

Father Xue's eyes straightened: "You...and a scholar??"