The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Su Jin clasped his hands and said with a smile: "I have just come to Weizhou, and I don't know the situation here, so I just came to visit today. I really don't know how difficult the folks are. If what the old man said is true, I will definitely not stand idly by, but Please tell me in detail, old man, I know what to do."

The old man looked at Su Jin for a while, then shook his head and said: "The old man doesn't know anything. The old man doesn't want to have anything to do with your officials. He doesn't want to get angry. The old man wants to live for two more years."

Su Jin smiled and said: "Forgive me for speaking bluntly. I think you are too spineless, old man. You should be over 60 years old. I am afraid that the [-] years of life have been messed up. I have never done a thing with spine. Let's do it."

The old man stared and said: "Why do you open your mouth to hurt people? Why am I so spineless, old man?"

Su Jin said: "You would rather eat these poison ivy to kill yourself slowly than wait to explain the situation to me. Isn't that spineless? I guess I can only live for three or two years after eating these poison ivy. In order to live for two more years, you scare Don’t dare to tell the truth, isn’t this spineless?”

The old man said angrily: "Don't provoke me. I have nothing to say to you officials. Do you want me to tell you about the dark things you have done? What kind of person is the old man? You can go and find out. A few years ago, gangsters came to the village to harass the village, and the old man pierced the stomachs of three bald-haired soldiers with a steel fork.

Su Jin was in awe, if what the old man said was true, he would be a strong character, but he wanted to know what happened in this city, but he refused to say it, presumably there was something important hidden in it, and the old man didn't want to cause trouble .

Wang Chao stepped forward and cupped his hands and said: "Old man, we are from the capital, and we have nothing to do with these local officials. My son is the number one scholar with a bachelor's degree. He could have lived comfortably in the capital or in a wealthy place in the south." Guan'er, you just came to this place where the birds don't shit. You just want to do something. You are probably afraid that the officials will protect each other. If you tell the truth, you will get into trouble. There is no need to worry about it, my son. Since you have come here as an official, seeing that the people are starved of food, you will naturally have to deal with it, if everyone doesn’t speak up, how will my young master do it?”

The old man looked at Su Jin and said, "Are you the number one scholar?"

Su Jin smiled and said: "No, it's true, but when you come here, you will be the official of Weizhou's parents. Don't have too many scruples, old man, just say what you know."

The old man was hesitant, Su Jin sighed and said: "Forget it, I can't force you if you don't want to say it clearly, I will go ask someone else, there will always be someone willing to tell me why this happened." Su Jin cupped his hands , waved his hand and led everyone away, the old man shouted from behind: "I'm afraid no one will tell you the reason, so you better stop wasting your efforts."

Su Jin turned his head and frowned and said: "To be disrespectful, if everyone is afraid to speak up when they are bullied, then I can't help them even if they are so insensitive. If they are so insensitive, they deserve to die of starvation, illness, and death. I can save food and live. , but it can’t save people’s hearts. If people’s hearts are insensitive, they are no different from dead people, and living is a waste of food.”

What Su Jin said was rather harsh, but the old man did not refute, his face seemed to be deeply touched, seeing Su Jin turned around and was about to leave again, the old man gritted his teeth, and cupped his hands as if making up his mind: "My lord, go to my humble house How about sitting down?"

Su Jin was overjoyed, turned her head and said: "Thank you, old man, I just asked for a bowl of water."

……

The thatched hut was low and narrow, and not many people could enter, so Su Jin ordered everyone to wait outside, and entered the hut by himself.However, judging from the furnishings inside, the thatched hut is not too shabby. There are tables, chairs and benches, and there are coir raincoats and bamboo hats hanging on the wall. The most conspicuous thing is a steel fork in the corner and a bamboo basket nearly one person tall.

Su Jin sat at the wooden table, patted the woody-scented tabletop and said, "This is the table made by the old man himself. The craftsmanship is really good."

The old man took a broken bowl, scooped up a bowl of water, brought it to Su Jin with both hands, and said with a smile: "The little old man learned some carpentry skills in his early years, so he got some wood to make some tables, chairs and benches. The poor can make do with it." That's it, it will make adults laugh."

Su Jin took the black and dirty bowl, hesitating whether to drink from the broken bowl, looking at the dirt on the rim of the bowl, his heart skipped a beat, but out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to see the old man staring at him. Seeing it for myself, I put my mind to the side, opened my mouth and drank a bowl of water clean, wiped the water stains on my mouth and said: "It's so cool, I didn't expect the water in Weizhou to be so delicious, it's cool and refreshing Slightly sweet."

The old man saw that Su Jin didn't bother to drink up the clear water, the smile on his face softened a lot, and he got closer psychologically, and said with a smile: "Master Su doesn't know that this water is not from the city of Weizhou. It’s the snow water from Longshan Mountain thirty miles to the west, and the old man has to walk for half a day to get back with a bucket of water, so the water is naturally delicious.”

Su Jin praised: "My Tao is so refreshing and delicious, so it's so rare. But why did the old man go to Longshan? Just to carry water back to drink?"

The old man pointed to the Malan vines outside to dry and said: "Isn't it just to get some food? By the way, bring some water back to drink. My husband, I have lived at the foot of Longshan Mountain since I was a child. I have lived here for decades. When I am old, I am dying because of the war. Being forced to live in Weizhou City, I am used to drinking snow water, but I am not used to the muddy water in Weizhou City, so I took the trouble to bring back some water to drink."

Su Jin nodded and said: "So that's the case, I dare to ask the old man Gao's name."

The old man bowed and said: "The little old man's surname is Lu, and he has no name. Since he was a child, he is the third in the family, and adults call the old man Lu Laosan."

Su Jin smiled and said: "It turns out that it was Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu probably didn't farm the land for a living. Let me guess what you used to do."

Lu Laosan smiled and said, "Your Excellency, let's guess."

Su Jin pretended to ponder and said: "I guess, old man, you must be a hunter. You usually hunt for a living on the Longshan Mountains. Also, you must also collect medicines and sell them to the medicine shops in Weizhou City in exchange for money. I don't know if it's right or wrong."

Lu Laosan was surprised: "Your Excellency has good eyesight. I don't know how you guessed it."

Su Jin laughed, pointed at the corner of the wall, "Isn't that the guy you make a living with? Steel forks, medicine baskets, there should be bows and arrows, why haven't you seen them?"

Lu Laosan laughed and said, "Your Excellency is indeed a caring person. I do have a bow and arrow, but the old man was afraid of being confiscated by the officers and soldiers, so I didn't post it. Your Excellency won't want to search for my bow and arrow."

Su Jin waved his hand and said: "How could it be? Besides, I couldn't find it after searching. My bow and arrow must be hidden in a cave on Longshan Mountain. The old man can take it when he enters the mountain, and he comes out empty-handed, right?"

Lu Laosan was embarrassed on all sides, that's what he did to avoid being confiscated by the officers and soldiers. Unexpectedly, these careful thoughts were punctured by Su Jin's words.

Su Jin changed the topic and said, "Since the old man can hunt wild animals, why does he still eat this unpalatable Malan vine?"

Lu Lao San said: "Although there are many wild animals, they are not easy to hunt. Besides, it is not easy to get out of the city now, and the city gate is severely searched. The old man went out of the city five days ago, shot three grouse and two rabbits, and passed through the city gate. There is only one hare left, and they are conscientious, otherwise they won't even be able to eat a piece of meat."

Su Jin was stunned and said: "The soldiers at the gate of the city are still robbing you of food?"

Lu Laosan said: "Ma Lanteng and the others won't snatch it, but the wild game must be sacrificed."

Su Jin said: "Then why don't you come back after roasting outside and eating enough, but you brought so much game back, isn't this delivered to your door?"

Lu Laosan said: "My lord doesn't know. If they can't get some game from the old man, how can they let the old man out of the city? It's like buying road money. You can only go in and out after paying the road money. The old man can occasionally get some game. taste."

Su Jin nodded silently, thought for a while and said, "Master Lu, let's open the skylight and tell the truth. I came from the capital. As far as I know, the food allocated by the imperial court to the northwest includes rations for the relief of the common people. How much do you get every month?" Food? Isn’t this enough?”

Lu Lao San looked at Su Jin, cupped his hands and said, "I don't think the lord is really with them. Today, since the lord came to ask, the old man poured beans from the bamboo tube with the lord. I have no regrets, because the old man can't help but seize this opportunity, if no one cares about it, the people in the city will probably die of starvation and disease."

Su Jin got up and cupped his hands and said: "Old man, it's okay. I didn't come to deceive you as you thought. Walking on the street today, I can see a bleakness. This is under the rule of the official. From now on, I will be here for you. Either side, how can you not be anxious; at the beginning, the words were offending, and I wanted to provoke the old man to tell the truth, I faintly feel that there are many tricks in this, so I ask the old man to know everything."