The road of the farmer's fortune and the imperial examination

Chapter 38

Chapter 38 Corvette Candidates

"What? Why haven't you heard of it? Where did you know about it?" Father Gu stopped eating, chewed the nest unconsciously, and looked at Gu Chengyi expectantly, hoping that what he said was not true.

"A few days ago, when I went to the town to fight against the package, shopkeeper Zhou said that the official documents are probably going to the town, and it's just a matter of these few days."

Old man Gu put down his bowl and chopsticks, and didn't feel like eating anymore. Everyone who was eating at the table also stopped their chopsticks and listened carefully.

"Is the news true? What kind of corvee are you serving this time?" Old Man Gu sighed and asked.

"Treasurer Zhou has a wide range of contacts, and he can't go wrong. I heard that he is going to Fucheng to build a dam for the Jingyuan River."

Old man Gu gasped. It is very dangerous to build a dam. The last time it was built was ten years ago. Every family in the village produced a strong man. After the dam was repaired, fewer people came back than when they went there. Five, how dangerous is this?I heard that when the dam was built, there was a turbulent river above it, and it would collapse if you were not careful; there was also a huge boulder pulled up, and the rope broke accidentally, and it fell down. If you are lucky, you will break your leg or arm, and you will be unlucky , Those who run slowly will be crushed to death.At that time, there were only him and the eldest in the family who were at the age of smoking, and one of them had to go. He was the pillar of the family and could not go;He gritted his teeth, and took eight liang of silver to go up, and because of this, he had a fight with his mother.The eight liang of silver was still a dowry private house brought by the baby's mother, so he always felt sorry for her.Back then, the one in front had been ill and spent all of his family's savings. He really had no money at the time.

Turning my mind back, there have been some small corvees in the past few years, and they were all taken by the boss and the second child. Although they were all thin and out of shape when they came back, they came back after being raised, but this time is different, This time it's about death.

"How much money will it cost this time? But did you ask Shopkeeper Zhou?" Old Man Gu asked directly without hesitation.

"It is said to be 18 taels." Gu Chengyi frowned, he knew that there were not so many at home, if he had made up before, he still had some, but after losing the money, how could there be so much?
"Why do you want so much money? Back then, I only needed 18 taels of silver, [-] taels. Where can I get so much money?" Father Gu was surprised by the high price of the corvee, and even more worried was that the money at home was not enough. .

Gu Chengyu wanted to say, don't worry, there will be tomorrow.He has already made up his mind to go to Changling Mountain for a tour tomorrow, and then "pick" Ganoderma lucidum, ginseng, etc., first to solve the urgent needs of the family, after all, even if you want to start a small business, you still need capital, right?
"Where can I collect the money? How good is the money? I'd rather let someone pick it up." Mrs. Lu was afraid that the remaining money would not be warmed up. It was the money for the third wife to marry.What's more, there is Xiaobao, she has other plans for Xiaobao.

Gu Chengyi glanced away from the third child, and found that the third child lowered his head and didn't know what he was thinking.Logically speaking, it is not too much for him to make a request because he spent ten taels of silver for the third child today.

A few days ago, Gu Chengyi learned from shopkeeper Zhou that he was going to serve corvee, and he kept thinking about it when he came back, and couldn't even sleep well at night.Only he and his eldest brother are grown-up males in the family. The old man will not go when he is old. Besides, there is no such thing as a son enjoying the blessings at home and asking the old man to serve in corvee.

Then this candidate has to be chosen from the elder brother and him. They are the pillars of the first house and the second house. It is very dangerous to repair the embankment. Whether they can come back really depends on luck.Mother would never take money to go up there, after all, it is 18 taels of silver, not to mention that they are not biological, and they don't have much affection in it.But if they go, there will be good or bad, what will happen to the remaining orphans and widows?If he stayed at home, he would suffer frustration, let alone hold his head up. The two children were still young, and he didn't want to go. He couldn't bear to let his elder brother go, and the old man might not agree.

The matter of the third child today made him think of a way. If the third child stood up, his father would definitely not agree, so would his father find a way to raise money, maybe there is still money at home?It's not that he is cruel, the third child is the mother's own son, and the mother will never watch her son go to die.Although the third child is under the age, what can't be done by the yamen servant as long as he spends money?In order to protect the third child, parents must find a way.

Gu Chengyu sat across from Gu Chengyi. He saw his second brother glance at his third brother with some kind of hope in his eyes, and then thought of his second brother's behavior outside, his heart cooled down.He thought that although the second elder brother was reluctant to part with the money, he still cared about his brotherhood. Who would have thought that his plan was here?After coming back for so many days, I haven't seen him mention the matter of corvee service. Even if it's busy farming, can't it be mentioned at the dinner table?What's more, this is still a major event? It seems that he has no countermeasures in mind, and has been dragging on to find a solution!In his heart, isn't the third brother his own brother?Or has it really come to that point, will he even abandon his own brother who was born by the same mother?He didn't know, and he didn't want to guess wildly.

In short, at this moment, he recognized the reality clearly, even brothers, there are also those who are close and distant.That's good, he doesn't have to feel so guilty in the future, he always wants to make up for his mother's mistakes.Of course, he is still a family after all, he will help if he can, and give if he can, but that's all.

"Father, I lost ten taels of silver today. Although Gu Chengyi had some unfinished words behind this, everyone knew what it meant.

When Gu Chengyi and the others were discussing corvee, Gu Chenglian had a plan in mind. He knew that the money in the family was definitely not enough. for you?But he was willing to go, or was coerced to go, the feeling was very different, he didn't know that the third brother would say that, aren't they blood brothers?
"Father, I'll go!" Gu Chenglian struggled for a moment, before hanging his shoulders weakly.He still opened his mouth. It's not that he doesn't know the danger of repairing the embankment, but he can see that the second brother doesn't want to go. As for the eldest brother, his family can't bully honest people, can they?The eldest brother has four children!One of them was still in its infancy, and he couldn't help it with his conscience.

"Third brother, go back to your room. How can a child interrupt what adults are talking?" Although Lu Shi's tone was unusually calm at the moment, Gu Chengyu could feel that this was the calm before the storm, and Lu Shi was very angry.

"Mom, if it wasn't for paying me back the ten taels, the family must be able to scrape together enough. The eldest brother and the second brother have married, the fourth brother is still young, and my father is not young. If I don't go, who will go?" Gu Chenglian smiled self-deprecatingly.

(End of this chapter)