A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 908 Three Pioneers

Heron Island.

In Wanhoutun, Brother Seng is pushing a cart, and the two Shanyue slaves in front are pulling it with ropes. A cart full of food weighs seven or eight hundred kilograms, but now he can push it easily.

My wife, Chun Sansanniang, was walking beside me with a broom and dustpan. She felt much more relaxed without having to carry a burden, with a smile on her face.

"The autumn harvest is finally over. The weather has been kind and the rice has been dried and put into the warehouse. Now I feel at ease."

The children were jumping up and down, they were exhausted from the autumn harvest period, and it was finally over.

"Did the owner of the village say when the rent will be collected?"

"I didn't tell you. I'll ask tomorrow."

The sunset is infinitely beautiful.

The two Shanyue men pulling the cart lowered their heads and said nothing. They were depressed at this time. They came from Longxi to rob Ludao but were captured.

Finally, it was assigned to this Han man named Brother Seng.

Even if they find a chance to run now, they won't be able to run far.

It was originally a green and strong mountain, but now it has become a soft-footed shrimp.

"It's not bad. One acre can produce two loads of dry grain. The acres here are wider. There's no shortage of water for late rice this year. It's a good harvest."

After the grain was put into the warehouse and the warehouse board was built, Brother Meng put the family's tabby cat on top of the warehouse to guard it, and also rewarded him with a small dried salted fish.

Looking at the dried salted fish, the two Shanyue slaves began to salivate unconsciously. Since the surrender, they had hardly had a full meal.

He was taken home by Brother Seng and became a slave of Brother Seng's family. He worked in shackles every day. Home became a luxury that he could not return to. The excitement when he came to the south for robbery has now turned into tears of regret at night. .

"Is the harvest good this year?"

"Are your two mountain Yue slaves honest?" Song Baochang asked.

I don’t know how my family is doing.

Xiao Mao also came over at this time, "I heard that there will be an auction of slaves at the dock market soon, and there will be many female slaves. I plan to exchange one of the slaves I got for female slaves, and I can make some extra money back."

The women in the village began to burn firewood for cooking, and clear smoke rose from the chimneys on the thatched roofs.

One meal of porridge every day,

The hungry stomach is burning with sourness and the hunger is so weak, but what more can a slave ask for?

Song Baochang smiled and said, "Then there will be no need to queue up to borrow cattle for plowing this year."

When everyone talks about these Shanyue slaves, no one feels pity for them.

"Brother Monk, have you finished drying the grain?"

"Be honest. If you dare to be dishonest, you will be starved and whipped." Brother Seng was very satisfied with the two slaves. They were both young. After asking, one was twenty-two and the other was thirty-one. Although they were a bit short and thin, But the strength is okay.

At the end of the autumn harvest, the village was full of laughter and joy. This was the contented smile of a family that had food and was not worried. The men were sitting together chatting, and the children were playing together.

The autumn harvest made everyone very tired and they all lost weight.

"I finished drying today,"

At this time, the sun had just set and it was still dark.

They wanted to run away, but this was on the island. They, slaves with tattoos on their faces after being captured, could not leave their master's village. If they left the village without their master, they would be regarded as runaway slaves.

Even if they were assigned to Brother Meng's house, they would only have one meal instead of two meals, either sweet potato porridge or potato porridge. There weren't many rice grains, mostly sweet potatoes and potatoes.

Back home,

The last cart of seven to eight hundred kilograms of rice was moved into the barn.

"Why, you are so hungry and thirsty, and you want a female mountain slave? She is a slave and cannot be a wife. If you want to use a slave as your wife, you will be punished." Song Baochang reminded him.

Xiao Mao has not yet married a wife and is a bachelor. He could not afford to marry before, so he decided to sign up here. He is a Wu family worker in the village. He is provided with food and accommodation for a year and two clothes, and he is also given money, food, and wages.

Compared to messing around in my hometown, the conditions here are pretty good. At least I have two full meals a day, and I can add a side dish from time to time, and the wages are decent.

When I feel full and warm, I want to have a woman to start a family and have children.

But Xiao Mao has no savings. After all, he only came here this year. Before, he could only think about it in his dreams, but now he has made great contributions in defending Ludao. When he was recruited, he was given fifty settlement money, and his team performed particularly well. After killing level 7, all three members of their team were awarded a third-class reward, one hundred coins per person and one slave.

Then he won a third-class collective reward, which was also 100 yuan plus a slave.

In the end, they also received an injury allowance of 50 yuan. The three of them, inside and outside, received 300 yuan each, plus two slaves.

It's just a matter of one day,

This is equivalent to earning twelve shi of rice and two mountain slaves.

I heard that a mountain slave can be sold for ten thousand to twenty thousand yuan.

It was like a windfall,

Almost all the young people in the village were summoned that day, but there were only a few people guarding the town, and those few people were not as fierce as them and did not receive extra rewards.

"Xiao Mao, why don't you sell one of your slaves, or just sell them all, and then find someone to find a matchmaker to marry a young lady, and then buy a cow. Next year you won't be a long-term laborer, but will farm with the Wu guy. This is not as good as a long-term laborer." It’s more cost-effective and more promising.” Brother Seng gave Xiaomao advice, after all, it was considered a life and death together.

"It's just that if you come back as a Sanyue maid, you can't understand what she's saying. She might run away at some point, and she won't be able to be your wife."

There were also several villagers nearby who advised me that it was not necessary to change the maidservant. Although it could solve the temporary need, it was not a long-term solution.

There are also many older girls in many villages from the south. Even if they have money, they are afraid that they will not be able to find a wife.

A Shanyue Dinnu is worth almost twenty strings, which is enough for a ping ceremony.

With the money from selling a slave and a few coins to buy a cow, and then asking the villagers to help repair a few thatched houses and buy some household items, you can live a small life.

Xiao Mao was moved after hearing this. He originally just wanted to solve the bachelor's problem first, but he didn't expect that he could start a family and start a business in one step.

"Xiao Mao, I do know a good girl," Song Baochang said with a smile.

"Brother Song, I'll treat you to a drink later." Xiao Mao said quickly.

Song Baochang pursed his lips to Brother Seng, "Don't you have a little girl in Brother Seng's house?" Xiao Mao was stunned for a moment.

Even Brother Seng was stunned.

"Brother Seng's sister seems to be in her twelfth or thirteenth year this year," Song Baochang said.

When Brother Seng came here, he immediately recognized Chun Sansanniang’s mother-in-law as his mother. His uncle and sister-in-law also recognized him as his younger brothers and sisters, and Sansanniang’s three children were all regarded as his own.

We only say that we are a family to the outside world, and others don’t know the details.

Chun Sanniang's mother-in-law and others will not expose themselves.

"My sister celebrated the 13th day of the new year," Brother Seng said.

"Thirteen is not too young. You can get engaged first. You can get married in a year or two. Although your sister is a little thin, it is because she had a hard life in the past. Now that she has enough to eat, she will definitely grow well. ," Song Baochang coordinated.

Of course, Xiao Mao also knew Brother Seng's girl, but he wasn't familiar with her. His impression was that she was a very honest girl who worked hard.

He didn't dislike it, on the contrary, he thought it was pretty good.

"Brother Seng, what do you think of my Xiaomao? As long as your family is willing, I will sell a Shanyue slave as a gift."

For a small household, 20,000 yuan as a gift is definitely a very generous and honorable thing. Here, 20,000 yuan can buy four or five cows.

Brother Seng smiled and said, "This matter must be decided by my mother-in-law, but I don't object. If it can really be done, we can't ask for so many gifts. We are all from the Central Plains, and it will not be easy."

If it hadn't been for that windfall, it would have been difficult for them to save twenty thousand dollars. Even if they no longer had the burden of renting a mediocre rent, it would still be difficult to save money.

It’s great to have enough food and clothing.

"Well, then I will go to the market tomorrow to buy some wine and food and come back, and invite Brother Liu and your family to come for dinner. Brother Song will also bring his sisters-in-law with him."

Xiaomao couldn't wait any longer.

Even though the girl is still young, she can only get engaged first, and it will take a year or two before she can get married, but Xiao Mao feels that it is good to know the basics. If this marriage is really done, Brother Seng will be his uncle in the village from now on. I have more relatives, and I am no longer so alone.

Song Baochang smiled and agreed, happy to see good things happen.

"I really plan to take a Sanyue slave to the market tomorrow to sell. After selling the money, I can buy a female buffalo and then go to a blacksmith shop to buy rakes, hoes, shovels and other agricultural tools. Next year, I won't have to use my boss's for everything. The share of the sharecropping can also be reduced, and after two years, you can directly share the farm, and there is no need for a sharecropping."

In cooperative farming, the landlord provides farm tools, seeds, cattle, fertilizers, etc., and they contribute manpower and get a share of the harvest. However, in the case of tenant farming, the landlord only rents land for them to plant, and the rent is much less.

Brother Seng was also very moved after hearing this.

The share of the Wu family's members is relatively fair. Not much is taken away, and there are not even some extra burdens, such as letting you help with various tasks for free. The members are members.

This year they also said they would reduce rent by 10%, which is really caring for people like them.

But who doesn’t want to be rewarded with more for their hard work? If you have cattle, farm tools, seeds and other conditions, you can keep more if you farm directly.

Every grain of food is soaked in sweat.

"Then I will take one to sell tomorrow."

They all planned to sell only one Shanyue slave,

There is a Din slave at home, who can actually help with a lot of physical work. It is as important as the cattle and horses. If it were not for the lack of money, it would actually be better to keep the two Shanyue slaves to work.

For farmers, there is work in the fields all year round. Even during the winter slack, they still have to cut firewood, prepare fields, etc.

"Aye, it's time to eat!"

Spring Thirty Niang's boy came to call Brother Seng for dinner. The boy was five years old, with a big head and belly, but very thin limbs. He came barefoot and called him, and his shabby clothes were full of patches.

Brother Seng rubbed his head, said goodbye to Song Baochang and Xiao Mao, and made an appointment to go to the market together tomorrow. Then he picked up the boy and held him up to his neck.

"Go home and eat."

The boy rode on his adoptive father's neck and shouted happily, and they returned home.

In the dusk, the two thatched houses are filled with the laughter and laughter of their families.

In the evening, we had corn steamed buns, sweet potato porridge, a pot of wild vegetable soup, and a plate of pickles and dumplings.

After the two Shanyue slaves finished their work, they squatted by the fire and each received a bowl of sweet potato porridge. Because they worked harder today, they were rewarded with three pickle sticks.

The porridge has been served, and the family is waiting for Brother Seng to come back.

Put the kid down and sit down with your family.

"Just now, Baochang Song said that he wanted to be a matchmaker for our girl, and he said it was for Xiao Mao. Xiao Mao also said that he was willing to sell a mountain slave as a gift. I said that you have to listen to your mother's idea, and you also have to listen to your sister's wishes. He said that he will go tomorrow I'm buying wine and meat at the dock to cook and treat guests,"

Brother Seng said with a smile,

The whole family was stunned.

"That little guy in our village?"

"Well, he is the long-term worker of Wujia Zhuangzi. Last time I went to the market to hunt Shanyue with me, that little guy was rewarded. He also got a reward of three hundred coins and two Shanyue slaves. He is also in his twenties this year, and there is no one in his hometown. Now I am a single person, and now I want to start a family."

Spring Thirty Mother-in-law also knows Xiao Mao. After all, she has been living in this village for more than half a year. "That Xiao Mao is also young and lively."

The sister-in-law's face was on fire. A girl of this age was actually mentally prepared to get married, but she was still ashamed to face it.

Chun Sanniang smiled and said, "Xiao Mao is a diligent person, but our girl is still young."

"Xiao Mao said we can get engaged first and then get married in a year or two."

"That's good. I really don't want my sister to get married now. Life is getting better and I want to stay at home for a few more years."

Her mother-in-law, on the other hand, looked at Brother Seng and then at Chun Sansanniang, "Sooner or later, the girl will get married. Xiaomao knows everything. He is young and diligent. This time, he has been rewarded for his meritorious service, and he has gained some wealth. If two people are married and work together to live together, they will live a good life.

I think this will work. "

Brother Seng asked the girl whose head was almost lowered to the bottom of the table, "Little sister, do you like Xiaomao yourself?"

"I listen to my mother and brother and sister-in-law."

(End of this chapter)