Coping
Considering the current high grain prices, Zhou Erlang couldn't help but reprimand in a low voice, "Don't spend money frivolously outside." Let's endure it for now, and we'll go back soon. Tomorrow, we will bring our own dry rations.
It was quite unexpected that the prices in the county town had skyrocketed; otherwise, they would have definitely brought their own dry rations.
"By the way, how much are the buns now?"
Zhou Rulang: "Two wen each."
"Pork buns?"
"No, vegetarian buns."
Zhou Erlang glared, "Doubled?"
Manbao nodded with a heavy heart, "Second Brother, just now the bun seller said that the price of rice has already risen to thirty-two wen."
Zhou Erlang fell silent for a moment and then turned, saying, "Hurry and eat; let's go home after we finish our meal."
After all, they couldn't sell a single bamboo weaving all day; they might as well go home.
They hadn't been out for a long time, so they had no idea how the outside world had changed. They needed to hurry back to the village and tell their father.
Manbao ate the buns with relish, feeling full and satisfied, then sat on the cart swaying on the way back home.
Upon hearing about the skyrocketing grain prices outside, Old Zhou remained silent for a while before saying, "Save some of the food at home and eat sparingly."
Manbao sat by his side, tilting her head to look at him.
Old Zhou patted her little head and said, "Save a little every day." In critical times, it can be life-saving. Manbao, you have to endure hardship.
"I'm not afraid of hardship!" Manbao said, clenching her little fist. "Father, rest assured, I will earn a lot of money."
Old Zhou sighed, "Sometimes money alone cannot buy food." "I only hope that this year, the county government will be merciful and allow us to use money instead of grain."
Otherwise, if the grain prices kept rising without falling, even if they had money, they couldn't buy any. Just thinking about the autumn taxes they had to pay made Old Zhou tremble.
It was only at this moment that Old Zhou realized having so many sons at home was not a good thing. The autumn taxes they had to pay were several times higher than those of other households.
Old Zhou looked at his sons with disdain, his brows furrowed in worry.
Manbao whispered in his father's ear, "Father, I read in a book that if a place experiences a natural disaster, the court may exempt it from taxes."
Old Zhou didn't hold much hope and said, "Our village hasn't been flooded, so the exemption may not apply to us." Moreover...
What Old Zhou didn't say was that even if the autumn taxes were exempted, the county government could always arrange for other donations to make up for the taxes. During the great drought in the eleventh year of the Dade Era, this was precisely what occurred.
The village head informed them that the court had exempted their grain tax for the year, and shortly after, the county government arrived to collect donations. The donations distributed among the villages were three times higher than in previous years.
Manbao proudly said, "I told my friend to speak to her father about it."
Old Zhou couldn't help but laugh when he saw her smug face and asked, "Who is your friend's father?"
"The County Magistrate."
Old Zhou:...
The county magistrate returned home in the dark, his boots covered in mud. Instead of going to the dining room, he went to wash up first, cleaning the mud off before heading to the dining room.
Seeing his wife and children sitting at the dining table, he furrowed his brow and said, "Didn't I mention that if I come back late, you should just eat first and not wait for me?"
Madam Fu served him food and smiled, "We didn't wait long." The children also want to have dinner with you. "You must be tired today, so sit down and eat first."
The county magistrate sat down to eat.
The Fu family had a rule of silence during meals, so everyone ate quietly. After finishing their meals, they sat together to drink tea. Madam Fu then asked, "Do you still need to go to the village tomorrow?"
The County Magistrate sighed, "I need to visit a few villages near Daoli Village tomorrow to assess the losses in that area."
Madam Fu felt sorry for him and muttered, "Just let the village head report it." Why do you have to go check in person? You visit this village or that township every day, many of which are in flood-prone areas. "I'm afraid that…"
"The water in Luojiang does not flow into the Min River, and despite being affected by floods, there have not been any major disasters." "Don't worry; I'll be fine."
Fu Wenyun took the opportunity to ask, "Father, isn't there a Seven Li Village next to Dali Village?"
"Yes, how did you know?" The County Magistrate remembered and said, "Was it that little friend of yours who mentioned it?"
Fu Wenyun nodded and didn't hide anything, "She and her brothers came to town today to sell things."
The county magistrate curiously asked her, "What did she say?" "Did she talk about the situation in their village?"
The reason the County Magistrate remembered Manbao was that she was very intelligent, despite her young age.
Fu Wenyun disclosed everything Manbao had told her to her father and even asked, "Father, what will happen if there is no harvest in the fall?"
The county magistrate remained silent. After a while, he put down his teacup and stood up, saying, "You all rest; I'm going to the front hall."
The front hall in the Fu house was where the county government was located.
The County Magistrate hurried off.
Madam Fu couldn't help but scold her second daughter, "Your father finally has some time to relax." Can't you tell him something cheerful? "Do you have to discuss official matters at home as well?"
Fu Wenyun lowered her head.
Fu Wenxuan quickly held her mother's hand and smiled, "Mother, Sister is just reminding Father with good intentions." "If something really happens, Father will be even busier."
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" And why does your little sister, who is only a few years old, know what's going on? Madam Fu felt that such matters should not involve girls, especially since Fu Wenyun was only eleven years old.
Previously, the county magistrate wouldn't discuss such matters with children, especially not with his two daughters.
But ever since he met Zhou Man and Bai Shan last year, the County Magistrate no longer avoided discussing such matters with his children, especially with Fu Wenxuan, who showed interest. Sometimes, while discussing matters with the county official, he would even ask her to make tea.
He naturally had considered the matter his daughter had brought up this time. In fact, he had discussed it with the county official and others a long time ago but couldn't make a decision.
Because there were both supporters and opponents of the idea.
Instead of calling the county official and others, the County Magistrate sat behind his desk in the front hall, pondering for a while before sending for the teacher.
The previous discussions involved the county official, the sheriff, the recorder, and others, but this time, he wanted to hear the teacher's opinion.
Unlike the others, the teacher was his strategist and the most loyal person to him.
The teacher arrived quickly. He had also accompanied the County Magistrate to the village today, had eaten, bathed, and changed clothes.
Upon his entrance, the County Magistrate closed the door, turned to him, and asked, "Wenbo, have you considered what will happen to me after this autumn?"