Living in the mountains and forests as hunters

Chapter 89

Wang Daqi hurried all the way, and finally arrived at An Dalang's house before dark, and then walked into the yard of An's family, and saw the eldest son of An's family, 9-year-old An Xiaobao, packing firewood, and couldn't help but make a noise. asked:

"Xiaobao, why are you cleaning up here today? Dabao and the others didn't come?"

The child who was arranging the firewood stood up, showing a sturdy body that was a head taller than ordinary children, smiled honestly, and then replied:

"Big cousin is pregnant now, mother asked big cousin to go home."

An Xiaobao is not very talkative, just like An Dalang from back then, but he is better than An Dalang in that this kid is very good at reading, and now he can earn some money by helping people write letters in the market. With the money, with this hand, which one of the nearby people who come and goes is not anxiously waiting, thinking that when An Xiaobao grows up and talks about marriage, he can get himself a son-in-law!

Wang Daqi is also one of them. He has a little girl who is the same age as An Xiaobao, so he gets closer to An's family.

"This is a good thing! The two children, Dabao and Erbao, are also promising. One is a hunter and the other is a carpenter. They have learned your father's skills well. Your father helped them set up yards, houses, etc. After marrying a daughter-in-law, this uncle is more caring than my father, and now that I have a queen, I see that this is on the rise, and in a few years, Anjiazhai will really become a big village."

Wang Daqi talked a lot, but when he was walking towards the main room, he just had a crackling speech. An Xiaobao just laughed when he heard this, and didn't interrupt a word, he just led the people inside. Now the An's courtyard is much bigger than before In addition to the original cave and courtyard, three more rooms were built at the place where the original gate was, and this place was directly made into a two-entry courtyard. No matter how coordinated, but to be honest, these three rooms are more like hospitality, backed by the mountain, facing down the mountain, very neat.Even the original barn was moved out and placed here, making a small side room.Now Wang Daqi is going to the main room among these three rooms.

An Dalang was arranging things in the room, he was not polite when he saw Wang Daqi coming in, he just greeted him with a smile, and asked his 6-year-old boy, An Xiaobei, to pour tea quickly, but he kept making it in his hands.

"You are also a master now, what's the matter, you still only care about your own work."

Wang Daqi was sitting on a stool beside him, sipping tea to quench his thirst, but he was still talking. He didn't know how many things he could say in a day, so why did he never feel tired?

"What kind of master, you also rely on craftsmanship to make a living, how can you match your status as a master."

An Dalang was also sharp-tongued, and it sounded reasonable when he said it, but Wang Daqi didn't think so, he interfaced and said:
"Why not? At least he is the village head of Anjiazhai. Your family now has more than 70 acres of fruit forest on the south slope and ten acres of land at the foot of the mountain. How many long-term tenants have been supported? Just to help you look after the orchard is four families. Well, there are still two households in the field, and there are four or five households renting your shop at the foot of the mountain. Your Anjiazhai is no longer the poor family that you used to be, and there are nearly twenty households. The village is not small anymore, it is about the same size as Zhao’s house, so it’s the master. Since the market opened three times a month, your place has become more and more lively. I heard that your inn is now also It’s very good, there’s not a single day that’s free, and the hot springs have gotten a lot of benefits, not to mention your famous mutton steamed buns and An’s wine, it’s not the master, it’s just that you don’t know how to enjoy it. The servants don't want it, but they do it themselves."

Wang Daqi snapped and said that An Dalang couldn't continue working, so he finally stopped and couldn't help but refute.

"It's not that I have no hands and no feet. Why do I wait to die without doing anything? You also said that there are long-term tenant laborers in the fields and fruit forests. The heaviest work has already been done. I just need to wait to collect the money." That’s it, then should I do the rest? Dabao helps to look after the hot spring, Erbao helps to look after the inn, Xiaobao takes Xiaobei, and the two children just help me make wine. The mutton steamed bun store asked the tenant’s daughter-in-law to help look after the store and pay a few wages. It’s convenient for us, and they can also earn money. It’s not good there! Why buy someone when you can’t do it yourself? I still have to save the money, and wait to use it when I marry Xiaobao a daughter-in-law!"

"Well, I'm talking too much, I'm just looking for something to do when I have nothing to do."

When Wang Daqi heard An Dalang talk about marrying Xiaobao a daughter-in-law, he was immediately speechless, but he only wanted to let Xiaobao be his son-in-law, so how could he not support his future in-laws to save money for his son-in-law.I can only find another topic and talk about the purpose of my visit this time.

"Let me tell you, the new county magistrate above said that he wants to set up an elementary school in your Anjiazhai, so that the children in the vicinity can be educated, and by the way, a few families will be resettled at the foot of the mountain next to the market. Those who escaped from the flood in the north, you know, there are no less than 3000 people here, and the county magistrate is also worried. He just wants to distribute them to various villages, and at least loosen the people so that these people have a way out. You have these six households here. One is from an old boy who just happens to be an educated gentleman, the other is a blacksmith, one is a mason, and three are farmers. I want to put these households into the household registration of Anjiazhai, by the way. It can be regarded as drawing that Mountain Leopard Mountain into the territory of Anjiazhai. These families must open up wasteland for them. There are not many places you can open up here. The east side of the city is open, and the river beach is the hillside. At least one family can open up three to five acres. It doesn’t match your place. Of course, it’s yours to manage. The yamen said, let’s set up a house in the market and make a tax Guan Tingzi, it’s good to sit and collect stall fees on the market day, a stall in the market costs two cents a day, and a shop ten cents, at least it can give the yamen more money for tea, isn’t it!”

Wang Daqi is now the team leader of the yamen servants, and he is very well informed, and because he can talk, he is the one who communicates with various villages.The matter of dispersing the refugees is naturally under his control.It's nothing for other families to send people into the village, but it's just a matter of tossing around to see if there are any vacant houses or something. Only An Dalang is in trouble here, because it's Jianmeng school, and it's also a matter of market taxes, so he can only calm down. speak slowly.Why did An Dalang own most of the so-called Anjiazhai, and the rest belonged to the rest.Most of them lived on An Dalang's life. If An Dalang didn't want to do this, it would be really difficult. Although it was not An Dalang's original territory, it was right under his nose!
An Dalang didn't say anything, just lowered his head silently, thought for a while, then raised his head and said:
"It's not easy for them. There is a way to resettle them. It is indeed a kind-hearted adult. It is a good thing to have an education. It's nothing to say. The land reclamation is not on my mountain, and I can't say it can't be done. It's just that a tax official came here suddenly, what's the matter? He said it was my Anjiazhai site, and he got a hand in it. I understand that tax is a legitimate thing, but what if something goes wrong? I still have to live, I don't have time to mess with people. "

An Dalang knew that the yamen had made a decision, so if he could come over to say hello to him, he would have already looked up to him, and it was also the benefit of his diligence in walking around the county in the past few years, but people can never be too easy to talk, because too easy to talk, It is easy to make people think that they are easy to bully. People born as hunters in the mountains, even if they don't know the tricks of communicating with others, they know what advance and retreat are through those animals.So when he came, he directly hit the key point, which is also the room for bargaining that the Yamen can afford.

When Wang Daqi heard this, he immediately laughed, and knowing what An Dalang meant, he immediately said:

"Don't worry about this matter. It has been agreed in the yamen. From now on, our yamen servant brothers will come over and take turns. Each person will watch for a day. As long as you pay a fixed daily market tax of [-] yuan to the yamen, the rest will be collected. The money is the hard-earned money of the brothers, who can be uncertain, and of course you are the one who is in charge, after all, it is on your territory, right? The brothers are clear! And your shop does not charge money, that’s for sure. Who asked us to occupy your place to do business! By the way, next year, this market may be changed to once every five days. In this way, those shops in your family may be worth more. Hurry up and take advantage of it. At this opportunity, let’s build a few more shops and get the land deed. Whether it’s renting or selling, some are welcome. Brother, I’ll tell you about this good thing first, so don’t tell it!”

Hearing this, An Dalang frowned, and the corners of his mouth smiled a little more, but naturally he still wanted to say a few words,

"The excitement is lively, but this way, my hunting is even more troublesome. My family is also a hunter. I can't forget my origin. Dabao also relies on hunting to support his family. There are too many people. The prey is very difficult." Run away, how can this be good in the future? Forget it, I can only continue walking west."

Hearing this, Wang Daqi really wanted to make a good joke about An Dalang, saying that he was a good boy for being cheap, but he didn't want to hear the crying of a child in the east room, and the two children who were listening to their conversation for a long time got up immediately He ran into the house, and after a while, a three or four-year-old doll came out, with braids blinking, big round eyes, and tears on his eyelashes. When he saw An Dalang, he immediately opened his hands, motioning for a hug. That aggrieved little face looks so cute, An Dalang immediately forgot everything, he just looked at the child with a flattering expression:

"Hey, Daddy's Xiaoxi, you're awake now? Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"

"Dad, I'm hungry."

"Okay, it's good if you know you're hungry. It's a good thing that Xiaoxi has recovered from his illness! Xiaobao, hurry up and call your mother to see if the porridge is ready. Give your third brother a few mouthfuls, and he will recover from his illness." Quicker."

"Hey."

An Xiaobao responded with a crisp sound, and immediately went outside, hurriedly went to the room in the north to call Zhao Yiyi, while An Xiaobei walked over to get a bowl, poured a bowl of water, and tested the temperature of the water. , then handed it to An Xiaoxi's mouth, and whispered:
"Brother, drink water, your stomach will feel better after eating water."

Wang Daqi on the other side looked at the two children, couldn't help being extremely jealous, and said with some acid:

"Your life is also good, it's only been a few years! You have three sons. I heard that your wife is still a son in her womb. With this feeling, your family actually gave birth to a son, and let people live."

Here he had pantothenic acid, while An Dalang was very proud there, and immediately retorted:

"You've given birth to three daughters, so let's talk about this. Don't worry, just let your daughter-in-law continue to have children. There will always be a son."

"That's right, I will definitely have a son. Don't worry too much. If you have many sons, you will cry for some in the future. Dowry, building a house, land, whatever will not eat you to death, like me, then only For the gift, hee hee, I still earn it."

As soon as he said this, An Dalang was not happy again, and the two immediately began to fight each other again, until Zhao Yiyi walked in with his stomach full, and An Dalang stopped. He has the skills to quarrel with others, he might as well be alive Let's help my daughter-in-law to walk a few steps. The daughter-in-law is the hero of the old An's family. Which of these boys is not a good seed for the old An's family. Think about it becoming a veritable An's village in the future. An Dalang is a descendant of the An family, and An Dalang feels full of joy.

(End of this chapter)