Traveling through the Prosperous Pastoral of Peasant Girls

Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Paying for Your Life

"Aha..."

There was a long cry, the grandfather threw away the chopsticks and cried in a mess, the aunt's tears also fell down, and the shopkeeper threw away the chopsticks and fell back. Thanks to the chef's quick hands and eyes, he was able to hold him up.

The magistrate of the county slapped the gavel: "Brave profiteers, you know that dried black wolf fish is very poisonous, but you just patronize making money and harming people with no conscience..."

When the magistrate of the county said this, the family members of the victims also burst into tears. A daughter-in-law of the victim cried: "My lord, don't let them go, let them take their lives. The head of the family was killed, leaving us orphans and widows." But how do you live? If you don’t die, let them pay more money!”

The first few words of the sufferer are reasonable, but the message conveyed by the last few words can be bought with money. Even the county magistrate felt a little different after hearing it, and the audience even whispered to each other.

After hearing this, the shopkeeper's face turned from cloudy to sunny, and his dull eyes began to shine. He saw the hope of living and hurriedly said: "My lord, I was really deceived by them. They said this The dried black wolf fish in the big restaurant in Fucheng are all supplied by them, and they have never eaten to death. That's why I trusted them and killed people. Seeing how pitiful their orphans and widows are, I am willing to spend money with them Make up for the loss of the suffering master!"

It turned out that the husbands of the two sufferers were both street thugs. They had similar tastes and often drank and gambled together, and they were not good to their own families.Whenever they beat their wives, they would swear to their faces that they would die badly. If they really died today, they would be grateful to these murderers in their hearts.However, they still have to live with the children in the future. Anyway, the two men deserve to die. If they can get some money, they don't have to pay for their lives.

"You want money, don't you want these people to die?"

"Yes, my lord, our men are dead, and our orphans and widows have to live on. It is best to let them lose money, so that they can support their children."

"How much do you want?"

A woman said: "Everyone will give 100 taels, no, 200 taels..."

Another woman stopped her and said, "No, let's give each person 150 taels."

"150 taels is too much." The county magistrate said.

"Then 120 taels."

"That's about the same. The total is 240 taels of silver. The shopkeeper sells the dried black wolf fish to customers without trying it. You should pay a lot for opening a restaurant. You and the chef are fined 70 taels each, and the total is 140 taels of silver." .Liu Botong is the source of the goods. He sold the dried fish improperly. Thinking that you are a farmer, you will be fined 50 taels of silver. The two of you will each be fined 30 taels, a total of 60 taels of silver. If you have no objection, you will leave the court now, and if you can’t get the money, you will be imprisoned temporarily!"

Seeing that everyone nodded and there was no objection, the magistrate Jing Tangmu slapped and shouted: "Retire!" Then he turned around and took two steps, instructed a servant to put the dried fish in the pot on a plate, and looked at him The master made a gesture of drinking before leaving.

Everyone dispersed, and the eldest cousin and maid also came together.The master came to check the cash register, and the shopkeeper was arrested. Some family members had already brought the bank notes and waited aside. The chef was just a foil, and the shopkeeper paid the fine. He cursed and went back.The eldest uncle also has 100 taels of banknotes, two in total.I also found out for the master, took a look at my father and said, "This is not enough for 50 taels", and put the rest of the money in his arms.

The eldest cousin moved her lips, but she didn't make a sound when she saw Liu Tao and Jin Yang's hostile eyes.

Dad and father-in-law didn't have money in their pockets either. They glanced at the second uncle in the distance, and the second uncle spread his hands to express his helplessness.If it was Liu Tao's father who was fined, the second uncle would not sit idly by, but now it is Liu Tao's grandfather, he knows the details of such relatives, and he even met them at Liu Tao's house during the Chinese New Year. Shameless, now instead of harming others, he has harmed himself, so he is too lazy to pay back these stupid things, he is happy to watch the fun from the sidelines.

Dad thought that Grandpa Liu Tao was getting old and had fainted just now, and if he wanted his old father to stay in a dark cell overnight, he might be half dead tomorrow.Although he did things unfairly and bit his son to shirk responsibility for no reason, but that was the father who gave birth to him and raised him!Thinking of this, he tugged at his hair and squatted down on the ground.

"See if you know anyone in the county. If you have one, can you borrow it for emergency?" The father-in-law said this, which proved that he didn't know anyone in the county.

Dad didn't know that Liu Tao brought out 50 taels of silver, which was also a 50 taels of silver, which belonged to Liu Tao himself.Liu Tao saw that he felt a little pitiful because of his grandfather's distress, and compared his heart to his father's, he and his father were father and son, and when his father was worried, a daughter should relieve him of his worries. Said: "Auntie, you can give me the silver, I will give you more if it is not enough..."

These days, the smallest denomination of banknotes is 50 taels. When my aunt saw his banknotes, she immediately shouted: "You have enough money, why use mine? Your father shouldn't pay for your grandpa." The money?"

"The money is my own and has nothing to do with my dad."

"What a joke, yours. You have 50 taels of silver yourself. Is that possible? Even if it's yours, you should lend it to your dad. What do you and your daughter want between you and me?"

"We father and daughter can't divide you and me. Aren't you and grandpa also father and daughter? It's not right to pay for it. I can lend it to my dad, but can't you lend it to your dad..."

"Is it just different? I'm already married, and the married girl has no obligation to pour water..."

Liu Tao didn't listen to her babbling, and said to the master: "Mr., can you break this bank note, please?"

The master also wanted to go drink with the magistrate as soon as possible, and he had been admiring the dried black wolf fish for a long time. After listening to Liu Tao's words, he nodded repeatedly, "Little girl, give me the silver ticket."

He gave Liu Tao ten five taels of silver ingots, and Liu Tao counted out two and handed them to her father. She squinted at her eldest cousin, and was about to run away with the golden seedlings.The rest of the aunt and aunt were dumbfounded, and the aunt gritted her teeth in anger and said, "What a treacherous girl."

The eldest cousin stepped forward and stopped Liu Tao: "What are you doing? Hurry up and pay, don't you know that you should save your elders?"

"Isn't that also your elder? You have pawned more than 50 taels of silver, right? Since you are filial, you should save grandpa! Our family is poor, why are you comparing us..." Jin Yang was angry that she once ordered her servant girl to beat Liu Tao and herself, and she also wanted to make her feel embarrassed, so she ignored her and led Liu Tao away with her breasts and belly folded.

"What, you don't know your last name if you have a few stinky money, and even a few taels of silver can't change your poor life!"

The swearing is the swearing. It is obvious that her mother has to pay 40 taels of silver, which is combined with her father's 50 taels. The aunt almost cried when she paid the money in a very reluctant state of mind.Although their family runs a grocery store, their annual income is only two to thirty taels of silver, and if they take out 30 taels at once, it is equivalent to a year and a half of work for nothing.It's not that the whole family doesn't come in, even the eldest uncle's face is livid with anger, shaking his head like an old cow who is tired from work and panting heavily.

Jin Yang drove the cart and waited outside the county government gate with Liu Tao. After they came out, they got into the cart one after another, and the eldest cousin also went to her carriage.Grandpa was so exhausted today that he fell asleep when he got in the car.After Liu Tao bid farewell to her second uncle, she amusedly felt those sinister gazes on her back, but she didn't care, and talked to Jin Yang and ignored them with a smile.They are all in a good mood except for the eldest aunt and his wife. They not only got their innocence, but also took revenge on their eldest cousin. They also advertised for free, and by the way, warned those who want to make dried black wolf fish, but they paid for it. There is no chance.

The car was about to arrive at Qifeng Town, and my father looked at the dejected aunt and his wife, and secretly stabbed Liu Tao, gesticulating to her the meaning of money. Liu Tao knew what his father meant, but in fact he couldn't bear his aunt and the others to replace grandpa. With so much money, her family said it was a business, but in fact it was a small grocery store, and the income was not high.

For people like grandparents, no matter who paid for it, since they paid for it, there is absolutely no possibility for them to pay back the money.Liu Tao thought about it, she couldn't foolishly take out all the money, but secretly gave her father five small ingots.When the auntie and his wife got out of the car, her father stopped her: "Sister, you take this money. As our father's son, I will take more. You can discuss it with your elder brother and third brother later. Let them share the 15 taels of silver evenly..."

The carriage was about to leave, and the couple stared blankly at them with mixed emotions in their hearts.She was the first to put forward the idea of ​​slandering the second child, and she worked out the details with Liu Tao's grandparents, and she scolded Liu Tao angrily in the county government. Unexpectedly, this little girl is quite sensible.After calculating, I only paid 15 taels, and the 15 taels will be shared with the boss and the third child, and the family will be five taels. If you count the share of the two elders, it will be insignificant....

There was an ox cart parked in front of the grocery store, and the people in the house saw the auntie and his wife coming back, because the grandpa on the cart was lying asleep, and someone was sitting on the cart to cover his head. From a distance, Grandpa looks like a dead man.

Four or five people rushed out of the room, the first was the grandma, followed by the uncle, the third uncle, the third aunt, and an old man with a stiff back.The grandma yelled at the carriage and the auntie and the couple: "A bunch of goddammits, how come your father was beheaded and you are fine? Is there any reason for this? Your dried fish poisoned the man and let the old man pay for his life. I Oh my god, why didn't lightning strike them..." When she cried, the uncle, mother and uncle behind her also started to cry, and even the old man behind wiped away tears.

Misunderstanding, they designated a misunderstanding.Grandpa had woken up a long time ago, but he was embarrassed to open his eyes. It was all their fault, so he had no face to explain.This time, people were crying like a dead body, which was a great bad luck. At this time, he stopped pretending to be asleep, and immediately sat up and shouted: "I'm not dead yet, why are you crying?" The crying stopped abruptly. , watching him stand there in a daze.

Grandpa got out of the car and waved his hand to let the carriage go on. The old man turned out to be the head of the village. After his father and father-in-law greeted him, they would continue to walk home. They were taken away, and the family was also worried about it. They had to go back as soon as possible. They are at ease.The third uncle saw that there was nothing wrong with the grandfather, so he called the third aunt to catch up with the carriage and took a taxi together.

Along the way, the third uncle explained to them what had happened; since the grandfather was taken away, the whole family blew up the temple. Later, when they heard that their second child and in-laws had also been taken away, even the village head was alarmed.Grandma knew the ins and outs of the black wolf dried fish. When the aunt came to collect the dried fish, she had already thought of what excuses to use if something happened. Liu Tao and the others didn't know that the three dried fishes they brought back were eaten on the same day.Now it really poisoned people to death, of course it was Liu Tao's family who paid for it.But if the county magistrate is shrewd, he will find flaws during the court trial, and it will be a disaster if he is involved in homicide.We discussed it for a while, and that is to quickly raise money to save people.Grandma didn't have a few taels of money at home, so she rushed to Liu Tao's house crying for money to save her.

Later, according to my mother: "When your grandma comes, at least 300 taels of silver is required for a mouth. I don't believe her, but I believe in you as a mother. Liu Tao took 50 taels of silver when you left. Silver ticket, seeing your determination and shrewd character, I believe that Liu Tao will straighten things out. I don't want to give money to your grandma, and I dare not take the silver ticket in front of her. Because the banknotes are all in a jar buried in the ground at the foot of the wall, which contains more than 500 taels of banknotes and some cash. If your grandma sees it, there is no guarantee that she will not keep the pot? She only found one More than two taels of silver and hundreds of copper coins, the total is only two taels of silver. Your grandma thought it was too little, but she couldn't find it after searching for a long time, so she went back cursing."

The third uncle didn't know the above, but he picked up what he knew and said: "The old man asked a doctor to treat the old man because his big foot was injured. The family's money has long been spent, and the third son's family has more than five taels. The third daughter-in-law took it out to show After a while, I put it in my arms, saying that I would take it out when I needed it, because I was afraid that if the money got into grandma’s hands, she might not get it back if she didn’t spend it.”

What even my mother didn't know was that grandma and the others raised very little money after raising for a long time. After tossing and tossing for a long time, they walked to Qifeng Town in a slow ox cart. Feng'er cried and said that his parents were also taken away with bank notes, but he didn't know the number of bank notes.

Grandma didn't give up, seeing that there was only one child at home, she rummaged around, only found a few scattered copper coins, and they were about to continue to the county when they saw Jin Yang's carriage arriving.

When I got home, the sun was almost setting, and the family members were in a hurry. My mother-in-law and my mother and Lao Huang were outside the door.As soon as they came back, the hearts of the family fell.They saw that the work at home was not delayed, but the black dragon screamed in pain when it moved. That was when grandma came to ask for money, and the black dragon blocked her from letting her in, and she hit her with a stone.

The weather at this time was already in April of the lunar calendar, and the house in the front yard had been built, and it was only waiting for a few more days for Lao Huang's family to move in.The furniture in Liu Tao's house is in place, and the styles are all designed by her and Jin Yang.The magnificent big bed in her room attracted Huang Ying and Liumao Liuzhi's admiration, which made Huang Ying unwilling to move away.

The new house by the river is still open to dry, and Liu Tao's new custom-made furniture is also in place. The two bedrooms of the house were originally built with earth kangs, and wooden beds cannot be placed. Huang Ying thought it was good after seeing it , Just waiting for the day to pour out the time to move.

Dad didn't want to visit grandpa's house at first, but now that he's so busy, he doesn't want to go.The aunt failed to do harm to others, but instead asked the shopkeeper of the restaurant to spit out the money for the dried fish, and she lost a lot of money after tossing around.There is no way, if you want to make money, you have to be cheeky to get the shrimp bran. I am very envious when I see the dried shrimp and fish in the yard.

When my mother asked about the 15 taels of silver shared equally, the aunt became furious: "Don't mention the second one. The two old people don't want to pay a copper coin. Your elder brother's leg has just recovered. All the money in the family was used up for medical treatment, but the third child has money, and I heard that it will be shared equally, so I really paid more than three liang of silver!"

"How can there be more than three and two? Isn't three families five and two?"

"He counted the two elders, plus we have a total of four families!"

"Accordingly, hiss... they should be counted in."

"It's right to count them in, but they don't give me money, so what tricks do I have! The disadvantage is that our two families have paid in advance. If we don't pay in advance, something like this will happen there... …”

But Liu Tao understood, and said disdainfully: "I said aunt, if my father hadn't given 35 taels alone, do you know how much the five families would share equally, each family would be ten taels, okay? If there were four families If you share it evenly, there will be more. You paid 15 taels, and now the third uncle gave you more than three taels, which is still more than one tael. Hey, mom..." She turned to her mother and said, "Grandma didn't start from Did our family take less than two taels? I just asked my aunt to ask grandma for it. If you want to come over, it will be yours, and it will make up for your family's shortfall!"

The aunt thought that Qian really listened to Liu Tao's obedience, and drove an ox cart with a load of shrimp husks to grandma's place. Grandma heard that she was here to ask for money, so she said, "You mean I was in Laotao's house?" Can the second family get the money? It’s just over one or two. It’s not easy for the village chief to follow him. The few days ago, it cost the village chief a meal. Besides, your dad was sick when he came back from the county office. , I didn’t ask you and the second child’s family for the medical treatment money, it’s not bad, but the stinky woman of the second child’s family even asked you to come and ask for money, go and make her mother’s Qingqiu dream..."

Now the work is going smoothly. Most of the work is concentrated in the morning and morning. In the afternoon, I am busy with my own several acres of land. The crayfish and shrimp seedlings in the nursery pond have bred a lot, and some of the larger ones have been picked out and put in. In the big pond, the big pond is divided into two ponds. The smaller one must be separated from the larger one. If not, once there is a shortage of food, there will be a phenomenon of cannibalism.

(End of this chapter)