Do you know that it starts with Meng Tong?

At this moment, Wei Chen saw tears of joy rolling down the faces of Zhang Ming and Wei Ruyi. He understood in his heart that winning the title of scholar was actually not just his business.

The old patriarch of the Wei clan stepped forward with a cane and presented a lion-head paperweight to Wei Chen: "Brother Chen, among the hundreds of people in our Xiyin Wei clan, there has never been any decent person since your father Ming Zhao. , I hope you will win consecutively in the provincial examination and help our Wei family to honor our ancestors!"

"Thank you third uncle."

Wei Chen took the heavy paperweight from the old patriarch's hand and felt quite emotional in his heart.

A year ago, he was just a young boy in the eyes of the villagers, but now, he is the leader of hundreds of Wei family members in Xiyin Village.

This is an honor, but it also comes with an unshirkable responsibility...

After finishing the ancestral ceremony, Zhang Ming and Wei Ruyi led Wei Chen to the east end of Xiyin Village.

It was September at this time, and the rice in the fields had not been harvested yet. It was golden and very pleasing to the eye.

Zhang Ming was high-spirited and pointed forward: "This is the twenty acres of paddy field I just bought. It's in your name, Brother Chen. What do you think of it?"

Wei Ruyi explained from the side: "Brother Chen, you are a student, and you have thirty acres of tax-free land. It's better not to waste it. Your uncle will buy these twenty acres of land, plus the original few acres of land at home, it will be just right." Use the credit."

"These are the best paddy fields!"

Zhang Ming squatted on the ground excitedly, grabbed a handful of soil, let the broken soil fall from his fingers, and then nodded with satisfaction.

This is a good field that my second uncle helped cultivate. The villagers just reclaimed it together. It is right next to Jingxi River, and you can get water from the stream for watering at any time.

Nowadays, Zhang Ming has enough food and clothing to rely on the wine shop, but he still thinks about the things in the fields. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't leave the wine shop, Zhang Ming would really rather go back to the countryside and continue farming.

The feelings of people of this era towards land are difficult for future generations to understand. Having money is not as good as having land. This is a universal value.

Therefore, Wei Chen did not blame his aunt and uncle for taking the initiative to buy land in their own names, as long as the couple were happy.

"only……"

Wei Chen looked at the [-] acres of fertile land in front of him and suddenly felt a little guilty: "Aunt, uncle, our family lives in the city now, what should we do with this land? We can't leave it uncultivated, right?"

"Don't worry." Wei Ruyi smiled sweetly: "I have already discussed it with my second uncle. We will give the land to three families in the village for rent. We don't have to worry about it."

Wei Chen shook his head and laughed dumbly.

Yes, I have been promoted to the landlord class.

Chapter 65 Sheng Wei comes to visit

In the early morning, as the sun rises slowly from the sky, Xiyin Village wakes up from the morning mist. The hard-working farmers have already come to the fields to start working.

The breeze blows, and golden waves roll up in the rice fields, sending the fragrance of rice to the tip of their noses, putting a bright smile on the faces of sweaty farmers.

After finishing his morning work at Jingxi River, Wei Chen set foot on the country road home. From time to time he greeted his neighbors in the fields and complimented them on how well the crops were growing in the fields, which could make these farmers happy for a long time.

When Wei Chen was about to get home, he saw Wei Ruyi sitting under a big tree, chatting with a group of aunts. Wei Ruyi was talking happily, and the aunts and sisters beside her had envious expressions on their faces.

"Hey, Ruyi, isn't that your scholar?" A sharp-eyed aunt said to Wei Ruyi when she saw Wei Chen returning home.

Wei Ruyi turned around and saw Wei Chen, smiled and waved to Wei Chen to come over.

Wei Chen took two quick steps and walked up to Wei Ruyi. He first called his aunt, and then politely greeted the aunties around him.

"Cough, that..."

Wei Ruyi cleared her throat, her face full of pride: "Brother Chen, please tell my aunt again, what's the use of a junior like you? My aunt has a bad memory and can't always remember."

Wei Chen couldn't help but feel funny in his heart. He had never noticed the hidden attributes of his aunt before. Just this matter, he had already repeated it over and over twenty times in the past three days since he returned to his hometown.

My aunt really enjoys it.

However, since his aunt likes it, Wei Chen must of course cooperate fully.

Therefore, Wei Chen took the trouble to describe the privileges and benefits of Linsheng in simple language: "Linsheng is the first-class scholar. The Yamen will give me six buckets of rice every month, as well as fish oil and other miscellaneous things. "

At this time, the aunts and ladies sitting around Wei Ruyi exclaimed in admiration, and the smile and pride on Wei Ruyi's face became more intense.

"What's more, I heard you say that you can still be on an equal footing with the county master?" Wei Ruyi reminded.

Wei Chen is so sweaty... isn't it, aunt, who remembers so clearly and still says she has a bad memory?

"I don't want to bow before an official, and I can submit a letter of greeting and ask to see the county magistrate at any time. Even if I make a mistake, the Yamen can't slap me, let alone abuse the punishment, unless Master Xuezheng reduces my reputation..."

"Bah, bah, bah, what's wrong with saying these are unlucky!" Wei Ruyi heard this and hurriedly interrupted Wei Chen's words and glared at Wei Chen angrily.

"Of course, my nephew will not know the law and break the law. There is no reason for Sir Xuezheng to revoke my honor."

Wei Chen patted his chest and promised again and again, and then Wei Ruyi beamed.

"Tsk, no wonder we have to take the scholar exam. It turns out that the scholar master is so powerful!"

"I was selected as a scholar when I was only 11 years old. In a few years, I will be the top pick in the exam."

"Ruyi, you can wait and enjoy the blessings. Your brother Chen is so promising, he may become a high official in the future!"

The aunts and uncles around were surprised and envious, and they all praised Wei Chen for his cleverness and determination, which made Wei Ruyi smile so hard that she couldn't close her mouth.

"No matter what, it's all Brother Chen who studies hard on his own. He gets up early in the morning to read and practice calligraphy in the cold winter months...

"

Wei Ruyi spoke modestly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise.

Wei Chen followed Shale beside him.

Wei Ruyi didn't like chatting very much in the past, but in the past two days, she always took the initiative to join the group of aunties. No matter what they talked about, they could always change the topic to Wei Chen, and then enjoy everyone's envy, jealousy, hate, and happiness All day long.

It was the same this time. After enjoying everyone's admiration and compliments, Wei Ruyi reluctantly went home with Wei Chen.

Along the way, the smile on Wei Ruyi's face never stopped, and her whole face was radiant, as if she was more than ten years younger.

When the two arrived home, Zhang Ming had already prepared the mule cart and was telling the guys to move the boxes up.

Wei Chen couldn't help but be surprised when he saw this: "Uncle, are we going back to Youyang today?"

"Yes, your aunt and I are inseparable from the wine shop for a day. It's already very difficult to stay here for three days after taking leave. If we stay here any longer, Mr. Sheng will probably send someone to urge us to go back. ."

Zhang Ming put his naughty son into the car and turned to Wei Chen with a smile.

"Oh, these three days have really gone by in a blink of an eye. It feels like we have only been back for two days." Wei Ruyi complained softly, looking at the big willow tree at the entrance of the courtyard, his eyes full of reluctance.

"Auntie doesn't want to go back because she can't bear to leave her supportive audience, right?"

Wei Chen probably guessed what Wei Ruyi was thinking, and couldn't help but feel a little funny.

Showing off also needs to be divided into objects.

When they moved to Youyang City, the Zhang family was already considered a middle-class family, and their conditions were similar to those of the surrounding neighbors. Wei Ruyi and the new neighbors were showing off, so naturally they wouldn't have the same kind of salty luck that they had in their hometown. The feeling of pleasure.

Although Wei Ruyi was reluctant to let go of these proud days, she finally did not delay the business. The family finally got on the mule cart and embarked on the journey back to Youyang.

After driving for more than two hours, I finally saw the tall and majestic Youyang City in the distance. Zhang Ming, who was driving the carriage, was refreshed. He shook the reins, the wheels spun, and drove the group of people into the city gate.

The car kept bumping and turned through several alleys, and finally came to the house that the family bought in the city.

Wei Chen opened the car curtain, and just as he was about to get out of the car, he heard someone shouting: "Good nephew!"

Wei Chen looked around and saw Sheng Wei, the eldest master of the Sheng family, followed by two servants carrying gifts.

"It turns out to be Uncle Sheng."

Wei Chen smiled, cupped his fists and saluted.

Zhang Ming and Wei Ruyi over there heard the sound and came over. Seeing Sheng Wei looking like he had been waiting for a long time, they felt a little embarrassed: "Master Sheng, let's settle down at home and go back to the winery to work today."

"I'm not here to rush you to work. I'm here because I have another important matter to discuss with my nephew."

Sheng Wei sighed, looking disappointed.

Wei Ruyi and Zhang Ming looked at each other. In their impression, Sheng Wei had always been wise and calm. How had he ever looked so depressed?

"Come in and talk."

Wei Chen invited Sheng Wei to sit in the front hall, and Wei Ruyi hurriedly found a kettle to pour tea for Sheng Wei.

"No need to bother." Sheng Wei stopped Wei Chen and said with a wry smile: "My heart is burning right now, how can I be in the mood to drink tea?"

"Then it's even more necessary to bring down the fire."

Wei Chen took a bowl of water from Wei Ruyi and placed it in front of Sheng Wei.

"Ugh……"

Sheng Wei picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp, then sighed heavily: "A disaster is coming, my dear nephew!"

Chapter 66 Tribute

"what happened?"

Wei Chen frowned and waited for Sheng Wei to continue.

Sheng Wei said bitterly: "Yesterday someone came from the governor's office and told me that amber wine was included in the tribute list of Jiangnan Province! Starting from this year, every October, one hundred jars of the original wine will be escorted to the governor's office and bought. .”

Of course Wei Chen knew that the so-called Hemai meant trading goods according to the quantity and price specified by the government. But judging from Sheng Wei's ugly face, it was clear that Hemai was not a good person this time.

"How much price will the government give?" Wei Chen asked hurriedly.

"Three or two."

"Three or two?"

Wei Chen's eyes widened: "A jar of raw wine is 200 jins, and the cost alone costs five taels of silver. One hundred jars is [-] jins. We could have made an income of tens of thousands taels, but now we have lost [-] taels. Besides, we How much amber wine can the winery make in a year?”

"Last year, it was more than 8 kilograms..." Sheng Wei said harshly: "Anyway, we can't survive it. There is less than a month left before the date of purchase. How can we make it in time?"

"Didn't uncle make it clear to the people coming from the Yamen?" Wei Chen stared at Sheng Wei and said angrily: "This is not asking for wine, this is asking for life!"

"Of course I did." Sheng Wei sighed: "But the man said that he was under the orders of the governor's Yamen and could not tolerate bargaining."

"What about the Shanda people in Yangzhou?"

"I have written a letter, Hongdi said... He said that he is now at the critical moment of being promoted to a capital official, so he cannot cause trouble. Besides, the other party is the governor's yamen and cannot be provoked. He advised me to endure this tone and take care of the Sheng family's property. There are so many, at worst, it’s as if there has never been a wine shop like this..."

At this point, Sheng Wei couldn't help but blush.

"Just pretend that you have never been to this winery before," Sheng Hong said lightly, but how could he understand how much effort Sheng Wei put into the winery?

Sheng Wei was also frustrated with his cousin and had no other options, so he came to Wei Chen for discussion, hoping that Wei Chen could give him some advice.

Sheng Wei said in frustration: "I used to think that paying tribute was out of reach, so why did we have to do it?"