Second Master Xue of the Red Chamber has space

Chapter 73
Da Mao didn't take a few steps, and when he heard this, he just turned his head and waved his hands. Seeing this, the soldier looked Xue Hong up and down again, and then stepped aside without saying a word.

Not many people were still working on the pier at night, just the Yongzi group they saw during the day. They heard the conversation between Xue Hong and Da Mao, but they didn't dare to stop their work until Tang Jiu brought two people full of them. When the cart of wine and meat came back, Xue Hong personally yelled to invite them to eat, and then everyone realized that Xue Hong wanted to invite them to eat.

These people are used to suffering, food and clothing are problems on weekdays, where can they get meat?Seeing so many steaming braised pork sitting there, the smell of meat wafting in the air had already made them so hungry that they could not wait to go up and take a bite right away.

"This... Since it's the young master's kindness, we're not respectful. Let's eat first, don't do it."

The person who spoke was the elder who was talking to Yongzi today. The group of workers seemed to listen to him very much. Seeing that this person spoke, the soldiers of the supervisor did not come out to stop him. A group of workers surrounded him happily. Thank you Xue Hong After a while, I couldn't wait to eat it.

At this moment, there are not so many rules, the tired and hungry workers started to eat, the soft and juicy stewed meat and the mellow wine have long been so greedy that people can't walk.

Those soldiers wanted to eat, but they just approached them, and when they saw Tang Jiu and Zhuxi guarding there like plague gods, they shyly withdrew their hands.

In fact, I have been working at the dock for a long time, and every few years I can meet a kind-hearted rich businessman who treats the workers to dinner, but it is rare for Xue Hong to extort soldiers to treat guests.

However, this approach is really relieved, and the workers are very happy in their hearts. As for whether they will be retaliated by the soldiers after the young master leaves, that is another matter.

Seeing the workers eating in full swing, Xue Hong felt gratified and at the same time depressed, thinking that the cotton coats for these workers would be delivered tomorrow, and he even came here overnight to treat them to a big meal. What about this side mission? Not done yet?Doesn’t everything I do count as helping these workers?
"My lord, I would like to offer you a toast, thank you for your hospitality." Xue Hong was in a daze here, and the elder brought Yong Zi and a few others to toast Xue Hong with wine bowls.

Xue Hong didn't hesitate, picked up the bowl in front of her and took a sip: "You're welcome, my family name is Xue, and I'm the second child at home, so you can just call me Xue's second child. Is this enough to eat? If not, I'll call you another child." people to buy."

Second Xue?Well, it’s fine to call himself that, these workers would never dare to call him that, but seeing him like this, everyone just felt that there was a warm wind blowing into their hearts in the cold weather.

The old man waved his hand: "Enough is enough, but I dare not let Second Master Xue spend any more money. Our group of people is not worthy of the master's attention."

Xue Hong smiled: "Old sir, there is no need to say this. Let me ask you, why are you still willing to work on the dock at night in such a cold weather? This is more miserable than working during the day."

You old man sighed, revealing a look of sadness.

Seeing this, Xue Hong looked to his side: "Your name is Yongzi, right? I saw that you seem to have some skills and courage during the day. You may wish to tell me what difficulties you have. If I can help Don't refuse, if you really can't control it, you should speak out and complain."

After hearing this, Yongzi nodded, but instead of opening his mouth to say it, he kowtowed to Xue Hong first.

Xue Hong was taken aback by this, but before he could get up on his knees, Yongzi had already kowtowed heavily: "It is our blessing to see Second Master Xue today, if Second Master is really willing to help us, he will never Let’s kill that Luo Laoliu.”

Luo Lao Liu?Who?
As soon as Yongzi mentioned this name, the workers who were eating stopped, and hurriedly stopped Yongzi from saying it, and some people scolded him for being impatient.

But under Xue Hong's repeated questioning, everyone talked to each other, and finally told the whole story.

In fact, this group of people are all villagers from Shangwu Village outside the city, and most of the people in the village are surnamed Chang.According to the ancestors, they should be descendants of Chang Yuchun, the founding general of the Ming Dynasty.It's just that after several wars, even the family tree can't be found, and there is nowhere to verify this section.

All I know is that the first generation of ancestors who settled in Shangwu Village was indeed Kong Wuyouli, who cultivated fertile land with his own hands and thrived here.

Originally, everyone's life was very good, because the men in Shangwu Village were strong, grew crops well, and were relatively wealthy among several nearby villages, so they would not end up having to carry big bags at the dock. day's level.

It was all due to poor crops last year and heavy taxes. Apart from paying taxes and keeping rations for their own families, the villagers collected food that was not even enough for the next year's crops.

"Why is the tax here so strict? No matter how bad the harvest is, how come there is no grain? Then you didn't go to the yamen to get grain?"

Xue Hong was puzzled. It stands to reason that the country's taxes and grains are not fixed every year, but based on the actual harvest of the people. The local officials will draw up the tax amount and report it to the household department in the capital. Therefore, it is impossible not to leave the grain for the next year to the common people.

Besides, even if the common people really ran out of grain seeds, local governments at all levels were obliged to distribute grain seeds to the farmers for free, so it was impossible to delay the next year's cultivation no matter what.

The old man, Chang Huaishan, the head of Shangwu Village, sighed and said, "Second Master doesn't know, our village has always paid two taxes, except for the part that goes to the court, and the part that goes to the landlord Luo Lao. Six's "filial piety", how can there be anything left? As for the grain seeds of the yamen...we don't know what other places are like. The fineness is too low, and whether it will germinate in the next year or not will have to be discussed, let alone whether the harvest is guaranteed or not."

"That's right. The grain seeds sold in the grain store are very good, full of grains, but the price is more expensive than the top-grade rice. If we don't prepare the grain seeds before the spring plowing, next year I'm afraid I can't survive anymore."

"Oh, so it's like this..." That's why this group of people will find the hardest work to do. They originally hoped to make some money, but they were bullied and embezzled by the pier soldiers. How bitter, there are still not a few copper coins left in my pocket, right?

Xue Hong thought for a while and asked, "Then what is Luo Lao Liu's background? Could it be that the local officials don't know about his evil deeds, and no one cares about him?"

(End of this chapter)