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

The canal was dug for ten days. It meanders from the riverside to Xue’s house. The body of the canal was not much repaired, only two feet deep and one foot wide. The mouth of the canal was blocked by large stones. Can enter water.

Because the terrain of the field is higher than the canal, it is necessary to manually scoop up buckets of water from the canal to irrigate the field, but even so, it saves labor than using buckets to carry water in the past.

In fact, many people in the village wanted to dig canals in the past, but there were not many times when Chenjia Village was short of water, and there was no leader to take the lead. Of course, the most important thing is that no one wants to be taken advantage of by others, so this idea is just a flash However, now that they have dug the canal, the gossip has started to fly all over the sky again.

There were both good and bad things, from the time he moved in and started gossiping to planting spring wheat recently, and the most unpopular thing was Zhang Matchmaker who said that Chen Dafu wanted to recruit Xue Yinsong as his son-in-law.

Chen Dafu is one of the leading figures in the village. He has a relatively high status in the Chen family. Although his family only has three acres of land, it is the most fertile three acres in the whole village. The land is in a good location, and there are only two daughters in his family.

The eldest daughter has a gentle temperament. Because she broke her leg while walking when she was young, she walked with a little limp, so she stayed in her boudoir all the time.The second daughter was born with a beautiful face, and she was engaged to the Lin family in the city as early as she was a child.The Lin family is in the silk business and has been selling silk from the north to the south, and can be considered a wealthy family in the upper middle class.

Everyone's gossip agreed that once Xue Yinsong became Chen Dafu's son-in-law, it would be the sparrow that flew up the branch and turned into a phoenix, and jumped from chaff to Miwowo.What's more, when Chen Dafu said something, as long as Xue Yinsong nodded, he didn't want Xue's family to treat each needle and thread, but just treat his daughter well, such a good thing is really hard to find.

In fact, Chen Dafu understands very well. After listening to the matchmaker's feedback, he also knows that this Xue boy is very wild, and he is not something that can be caught by three mus. You don't need others to intervene. If you want someone, you have to show your favor now, so that you can firmly hold it in your hands for the rest of your life.

What he has to do now is to use everyone's mouths to exert pressure, so that you, Xue Yinsong, understand that if you don't marry his daughter, then you have to weigh up when you marry someone else.

Think about it, he drives such a good condition, who can drive higher and better than him?He, Chen Dafu, could be regarded as a senior figure in the village. He could sit in the top five seats in family meetings, and he didn't have a son-in-law. Who would dare to take the risk of offending him to come and talk to him as a matchmaker?

Unless Xue Yinsong can hand over all his daughter and family property, but looking at the whole Chenjia Village, no one is willing to do so.If the only downside to the marriage was that his eldest daughter had a limp, it wasn't serious.

The reason why he stayed for so long and didn't want to marry a daughter is mainly because he didn't like any family in Chenjia Village. Now that you, Xue Yinsong, are shameless, let the people of Chenjia Village discuss it, I can't resist you Always bow your head first.

Xue Yinsong was completely indifferent to this matter, anyway, Chen Dafu didn't come to the door directly, and he didn't send a matchmaker or anything, so the rumors about the marriage were nothing more than looking at the flowers in the fog and looking at the moon in the water.

Since it's groundless, then of course it can't be taken seriously, you can't come to the door yourself and say: Hey, Chen Dafu, I heard people say that you want to marry your daughter to me?

Leaving this aside, even if all the women in the village dare not marry him because of this matter, he doesn't mind at all. He even wishes that all the women in the village would spurn him. It would be best if he could write a note on his forehead : All talented people, keep away from women.

Some people gossip, and some people come to listen to the news. Father Xue and Aunt Huan discussed it for a while, and they both refused to help anyone to find out gossip on the grounds that they could solve the matter of the younger generation by themselves.

Pei Yuanqi and Chang Hui didn't even know how to talk about right and wrong, they followed Xue Yinsong's example of saying no comment, and when he opened his mouth, they both had no comment, choking the questioner to death.

However, gossip is gossip, but the matter gradually faded away in a few days. Chen Dafu didn't wait for Xue Yinsong's visit or any reaction from Xue's family. That's the end of the game, since people don't mention it, you can't put your daughter on others.

Fortunately, the eldest daughter was calm, and she didn't react except that she still didn't go out. She had received a lot of stares because of her feet since she was a child, and thought that Xue Yinsong was just one of the ordinary people who looked at people with dog eyes.

Not long after the canal was dug, the second spring rain came, but this rain had a taste of summer rain. It was heavy and fierce, and it fell with a crackling sound, raising dust half a person's height from the ground.

Xue Yinsong stood on the porch and watched the rain. The rain gave him peace of mind, at least there would be no drought before the wheat harvest.The little scholar walked around the room wearily, sniffing the earthy fragrance in the humid air, and closed the window with a snap.

Xue Yinsong laughed, walked into the room and said, "What's wrong with you?"

It took the little scholar a long time to say: "Counting the time, it has been two days since the list was released, do you think I should go to see it or not?"

"Then let's go and see it. It's not far from the county seat, so it's better to go to the city for a stroll."

The little scholar was tangled again: "If you don't pass the exam, it's not for nothing..."

"Where are there so many ideas?" Xue Yinsong smiled, "Let's go together. It happens that some groceries are also in the shop, so we will just drop by."

The two of them were talking, when they saw a person suddenly running in from the front yard, wiping the rain from his face, and shouting: "Xiu Cai, Xiu Cai, Come out, boy Xue!"

Xue Yinsong walked to the door and saw Chen Xiaowu, his tenant, and asked with a smile, "What's the matter, I don't bring a bamboo hat, so I'll get one for you." Xiao Wu hurriedly shook his head, "I'm here The reporter, Li Zheng said that he had read the list and said that a scholar was admitted to Juren."

The little scholar's ears pricked up, and he hurriedly jumped out of the room and asked, "Who said that? Who said I got hit?"

Xiao Wudao: "Li Zheng said that he went to the county today and asked me to report the news. Is there any reward?" He was about to run outside when he turned his head, but hurriedly stopped him: "Where are you going?"

The scholar spoke incoherently with excitement: "Li Zheng, Li Zheng, don't lie to me, make me happy."

Xue Yinsong hurriedly said: "It's raining heavily now, and your clothes and shoes will get soaked every time you come and go. Let's sit in the room for a while, and go when the rain stops."

The little scholar refused, and wanted to go outside when he had nothing to do, but Xue Yinsong grabbed him tightly and begged: "Let me ask, change the wet clothes as soon as I come back, or I will bring a bamboo hat, yes, yes, a bamboo hat Take the coir raincoats with you."

Xue Yinsong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he had to give in and said: "I'll accompany you, don't leave while you stand, I'll go get the coir raincoat and bamboo hat."

The two of them approved the bamboo hats and coir raincoats, but the rain was heavy and urgent, and the long-dried soil was softened, and the road was very wet and slippery, and they could fall into a tumble if they didn't pay attention.

Xue Yinsong pulled Xiucai, afraid that he would accidentally fall, although he walked hard, he finally arrived at Lizheng's house safely.

Li Zheng just came back from the county seat. Seeing the two people coming, he greeted them with a busy smile and congratulated him: "Xiu Cai, oh, no no, now he is a Juren, so he should be called Mr. Pei." Uncle, we are all from the same village, this is called Taishengfen, it’s better to call it by name.”

Li Zheng hurriedly smiled and said, "How can that be done? Now there is only such a master in this village, and he is just taking the official examination. How dare he be contemptuous."

The little scholar also hurriedly said: "It's not a problem, it's not a problem, Uncle Liu, have you ever seen it clearly?"

Li Zheng nodded: "I've read it twice, Pei Renjie, Chenjia Village, Fuchun County, you are the only family in our village with the surname Pei, how can you make a mistake?"

The scholar was relieved and breathed a sigh of relief: "I really passed the exam. My teacher just said that my essay is ready."

Li Zheng smiled and complimented, and then announced his happy event beamingly: "I am engaged to the Cui family in Xiangyang Lane in the city, and they will come to hire me in a few days."

Xiucai and Xue Yinsong hurriedly bowed to congratulate: "It's really gratifying, congratulations to Lizheng."

Li Zheng accepted the gift with a smile, and hinted: "I only have one daughter. After my daughter marries into the county, I plan to sell my house and move into the county town. This place always requires a personal host. I think the next Li It is very likely that Chen Dafu, Chen Wenzheng and Chen Xiangju will be selected. Oh, Chen Qiaoling's family is also possible. Coincidentally, these four families have rich daughters. Mr. Pei has not married a wife yet. I think this The identities of the four families are also well matched, why don't you talk about it?"

When he said Chen Dafu's name, Li Zheng also looked at Xue Yinsong clearly, Xue Yinsong just lowered his head and smiled.

Xiao Xiucai thought for a while, then smiled and refused: "Li is showing love, I want to go to Beijing next year to try my luck, so let's talk about it a year later, and you will not leave in a while, so let's make a long-term plan and make a long-term plan."

Li was busy laughing: "Yes, yes."

Little Xiucai and Xue Yinsong came out, and after only two steps, Xiucai fell on his back and sat on the ground with a smirk: "I'm so proud, God is reminding me to keep my feet on the ground, I must remember it, I must bear it in mind .”

Xue Yinsong helped him up, and the scholar rose up again. He took off his sandals and chanted loudly: "I am a crazy person, walking barefoot in the rain."

Xue Yinsong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he had to grab it on his back and walk home: "Hold your neck tight, I'll carry you back, Master Pei."

The little scholar paused, and hurriedly hit Xue Yinsong on the back: "Quick! Quick! Turn back quickly! Turn back quickly!"

Xue Yinsong didn't know what happened to him, so he hurriedly walked back: "What's wrong? Something was pulled down?"

Only then did the little scholar laugh and threw himself on his back and hugged him, "I'll let you off, let's off, once a real man speaks, it's hard to follow."

Li Zheng was still in the front hall, and he was very happy to see them turn back: "Okay, it's easy to get rid of the loan, and I will take care of it. You only need to pay some money and then transfer the household registration to your house. In a few days, I will Let you go all the way to the county seat."

The two of them were naturally grateful, and as soon as they got home, they asked their father to buy meat and wine to prepare for a good meal.

The news that the scholar had won the Juren soon spread throughout the village. The meat that Mr. Xue bought was not yet cooked in the pot, and the people in the village who came to congratulate him quickly stepped on the threshold.

The tenants got together and brought chickens, ducks and a few pieces of bacon, and some of them came with red envelopes as congratulations, and Chen Dafu was one of them.He dragged Xiucai to the side and stayed alone for a while before leaving. When Xiucai saw another person coming from behind, he forced himself to smile and greet him.

The intentions of the neighbors were various, some came to insinuate, some came to inquire about marriage, and some came to ask if they could accept the land.

Scholars in the Celestial Dynasty enjoyed the right to be exempted from land taxes and corvee. Natian is to put other people's land into your name, contribute some benefits to you, and borrow your name to exempt tax.

Of course, the little scholar understands the benefits of this land acquisition. Juren has 200 acres of tax-free quota, except for his own 20 acres, and can take most of the land in the entire Chenjia Village to his name for rent-free.

Xue Yinsong also wanted to understand after a second thought, and he nodded quietly to Xiao Xiucai, asking him to come down and discuss it slowly.

What Xue Yinsong meant was to agree, this is an income after all, and for their family, income is the most lacking thing at present.The little scholar was not very willing. Scholars naturally have the nobility of a scholar, and he hated being entangled because of such and such interests.

The housework of these two couples is the most difficult for honest officials to decide. The two began to bicker after everyone left, and they didn't stop until before eating.Of course, the cheerful atmosphere was gone, and the two people at the dinner table immersed themselves in eating.

Father Xue looked at the two of them, and didn't know who to persuade, and Aunt Huan had no choice but to persuade them to eat more vegetables, and restrain Xiao Qi and Chang Hui so that they wouldn't cause trouble.

Father Xue had never been very optimistic about these two people before, but now seeing them quarreling, he became anxious again for fear that they would break up after the quarrel. Apart from being unable to give birth to a son for the Xue family, Xiucai's character, appearance and background are all first-class. To put it mildly, it was his son who climbed the ladder.

Father Xue thought about it and couldn't do it himself, so he ordered his wife to find a scholar, and he dragged his son to the east room to talk.

Xue Yinsong was pulled into the room and raised his eyebrows: "Why do you persuade me? It's not for the affairs of that place at all, what do you think, it's for Chen Dafu. Chen Dafu came just now, and when he came to the door, he pulled him aside and whispered Talking means to let him stop detaining me, the Chen family is willing to redeem me. He said that his daughter could not get married because of my disturbance, and he felt sorry for his daughter, saying that if his conditions were not good, let me make the conditions myself , as long as he is not a lowly man, he will agree to his daughter's lifelong happiness. If it is for the matter of intruding, he is willing to make concessions. As long as he has two sons, he will allow one to be named Xue. If there is one son and one daughter, the daughter can be named Xue. Listen Listen, isn't this intentionally provoking?"

Father Xue was stunned: "Did you really say it? It seems that the rumors are true. Chen Dafu really wants to find you as his son-in-law."

Xue Yinsong sneered: "Of course it's true. The matchmaker had tried to find me a long time ago, but I just evaded it. I had already discussed with Lizheng today about getting out of citizenship, and we will go together when Zhengzheng enters the city in a few days. It’s such a simple excuse to go out of the country and settle down. All he needs to say is that he has already given up my citizenship and put the responsibility on me, but he refuses to say that. , I just took the opportunity to attack me."

Father Xue also rubbed his hands: "Then what should we do? He is young, you have to let him go." Xue Yinsong raised his eyebrows: "Are you really my real father? Why do you help him speak."

Father Xue chuckled: "At least it's Master Juren. If you have something to do, you have to make room for it. Isn't he an orthodox official?"

"Cut," Xue Yinsong couldn't bear it: "what's the official status, she is also my daughter-in-law. This matter can be big or small, but in order to make it clear in the future, otherwise anyone will be unhappy in the future and talk nonsense. It's too noisy, besides, I'm his man, even if something happens, I should be the one to resist, and I'm going to show off by myself."

Father Xue was so shocked by this sentence that I am his man, he thought for a while and said, "You should go and accompany him first."

Xue Yinsong was also angry: "It's all right, don't meddle in it, no one can persuade him about this, just get angry if he likes, and get used to it after getting angry a few times."

Xiucai was coaxed by Aunt Huan at first, and she also felt that she was making trouble for no reason. Aunt Huan wanted to come over and say a few short words to make up, but when she walked to the door, she just heard a sentence: If he is angry, he will be angry, and he will be angry a few times in the future I got used to it, and kicked the door of the east room vigorously, with a bang, turned and ran away.

Aunt Huan was really worried about the gray hair by these two people, and she turned her head and scolded after the scholar had gone away: "You said what to do, you finally coaxed me to come here, this is good, I was scolded by you again."

Xue Yinsong said with a smile: "Don't worry about it, let's go, he will go around twice in a while, and he will come back."

Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Aunt Huan twisted Xue Yinsong's arm and said coldly: "I hate you stinky men the most. What do you think of good people? What do you mean I will come back? Why did I suffer from you?" It depends on your faces to be angry, go and find him for me immediately, and don't come back if you can't find him." Saying that, he pushed Xue Yinsong out of the door.

Xue Yinsong touched the arm that had been twisted so much red, and walked outside dumbfounded. It seemed that Aunt Huan had regarded Xiucai as a united front. If she dared to bully Xiucai in the future, she would definitely get Auntie Huan's eyes and sticks.

As the sun set and the temperature dropped, Xue Yinsong thought that the scholar didn't wear much, so he hurriedly called his name while walking forward.

Residents in the village are not far from each other, but there are houses all around, and the paths are clear. For a while, I really don't know where Xiucai went.Xue Yinsong asked the two children without knowing it. Thinking that he was angry at most, he probably would not run away from home, so he went to the bamboo forest first, and then walked to the river.

There were some rocky beaches by the river, and Xiucai was sitting on a big rock in the water, not knowing why he was in a daze.

Xue Yinsong walked over hurriedly, touched his cold hands, took off his coat, put it on him, and said, "Go back, it's cold here, and you'll cough again after you catch the wind and cold."

Little Xiucai turned around and threw off his clothes: "I can't stand your kindness, so go find Chen Dafu by yourself, anyway, you are out of your registration now, you can do whatever you like, don't you want to register, don't If you're in trouble, you'll be sent directly to the Chen family."

Xue Yinsong smiled and put the clothes back on him again: "You are angry enough, just go home, aren't you afraid of making yourself feel uncomfortable for such a small matter, then Chen or something, how can I like it, Qian How can I be better than you."