Scholar and old attack

The next day Mu Junxi got up refreshed and prepared to greet Wang Xiangyun, but his voice was completely hoarse, and I'm afraid it won't get better for a while.

"Mother, drink tea." Mu Junxi took a cup of warm tea with a hoarse voice, kneeling respectfully and said.

Although his voice was a bit harsh, Wang Xiangyun didn't mind at all, and took it with a smile.

"Sister-in-law, please drink tea." After seeing Wang Xiangyun, he gave Chen Xiuxiu a sister-in-law gift.

"Okay, okay." Chen Xiuxiu was not prepared at all, she still asked someone to buy a pair of silver bracelets at a gold and silver shop this morning, and after drinking tea, she took advantage of the opportunity to bring them to Mu Junxi.

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

After he finished a circle of salutes, Jiang Jingyuan and Xu Shuizhou got up to greet Mu Junxi, "I have seen my aunt."

"En." Mu Junxi was also unambiguous, and prepared a gift for Jiang Jingyuan and Xu Shuizhou.

Jiang Jingyuan's is a top-grade set of the Four Treasures of the Study, and Xu Shuizhou's is a thumb-sized Suet Jade Birth Avalokitesvara Pendant.

Chen Xiuxiu's face was a little uneasy, compared to the gift he gave Mu Junxi, it was still too light, thinking about whether to buy another meeting gift to make up for it.

Mu Junxi seemed to have seen through Chen Xiuxiu's thoughts, and said with a gentle smile, "Sister-in-law, we are all a family, and the ceremony is light and affectionate. I like the greeting ceremony of sister-in-law very much."

"Yes, Xiaoxi is right, it's all a family, so don't be too polite." Wang Xiangyun was even more satisfied with Mu Junxi immediately.

Ren Quan didn't wake up until Mu Junxi saluted. Seeing that the daughter-in-law who had been with him all night on the bed was gone, she hurriedly dressed and went out to look for her.

When he found the lobby and saw Mu Junxi chatting and laughing with his family, he was relieved. He was really afraid that someone would run away.

Hearing Mu Junxi's hoarse voice, Ren Quan frowned and asked, "What's wrong with your throat."

Mu Junxi glanced at Ren Quan angrily, he really didn't know which pot was not opened and which pot was lifted, what happened to his throat, he might not know.

Ren Quan looked a little embarrassed, thinking of the crazy night last night, it's no wonder his voice is not hoarse.

"Then what, I ordered the kitchen to make you something refreshing to moisten your throat." Ren Quan scratched his ears, thought for a long time before blushing.

"No need." Mu Junxi looked indifferent, with an expression of not wanting to talk to Ren Quan.

"You bastard, the sun was so hot that you didn't get up. If you let Xiaoxi come over to salute alone, I would be angry if I were to take it down and have a good rest."

Wang Xiangyun slammed his crutches, as if he hated iron but not steel.

"Hey, mother, I understand." Ren Quan scratched his head, and looked at Mu Junxi flatteringly, "Well, let's go back to the room and rest."

"I don't have a name." When Mu Junxi heard Ren Quan's words, his face immediately pulled down. He didn't even have a name for his feelings.

"Xiaoxi?" Ren Quan blushed and asked tentatively.

Mu Junxi turned her body to one side and ignored him.

"Jun Xi?" Tried again.

Still no response.

"Then Mu Junxi?"

Hearing Jiang Jingyuan and Xu Shuizhou hold back their faces and laugh, my uncle is too naive, it's no wonder he doesn't get angry when he calls someone by his first name.

Mu Junxi stood up directly, walked out of the lobby, and walked towards the gate.

"My silly son, married, this is your daughter-in-law, you will die if you call her a daughter-in-law, go and chase her back." Wang Xiangyun is really going to be pissed to death by his son's incomprehensible head , How did she give birth to such a silly son.

"Oh oh oh." Ren Quan hurriedly chased after him.

"Where are you going?" Ren Quan asked hurriedly, seeing Mu Junxi was about to go out.

"Go home, since you don't regard me as your wife, what's the point of me staying here." Mu Junxi's face was determined, curling her lips as if she had been greatly wronged.

Ren Quan rushed forward to stop him, "No, no, we consummated the house last night, how could you be an outsider, you are my wife, the one I carried in eight palanquins."

"Then you just called me by my name when you first came here, but you didn't regard me as yours, so I knew that you didn't want to marry me willingly, so I was holding a sigh of relief. Tomorrow, I will take ten or eight concubines to come back." I."

Mu Junxi covered her face with her sleeves, her eyes were full of tears, and she looked aggrieved.

"No, no, oh, how could we marry a concubine, I like you, I swear, I will never take a concubine in my life, okay?"

Ren Quan suddenly became anxious, he he he he he can't coax people.

"No, my father said that a man's mouth is a deceit, and he will forget it without turning his back." Mu Junxi still had that indomitable look.

Ren Quan was anxious and angry, seeing the servants around him gathered around to watch the excitement, he put Mu Junxi on his shoulders and fled back to the room.

"Let me down, Ren Quan, what are you doing?" Mu Junxi was carried by Ren Quan, frightened and angry, and kept beating his back.

However, his hands are so strong that hitting Ren Quan is like beating his back.

After entering the room and waving the maids back, Ren Quan carefully put Mu Junxi on the bed, blushing and said, "Then what do you have to do to trust me, let me make a letter for you, okay?"

"Not good." Mu Junxi still had lingering fears in his heart, and his heart had actually softened, but he didn't want to admit defeat.

"Then I kneel down for you. I beg you not to go. From now on, I will obey you in everything. If you tell me to go east, I will go east. If you tell me to go west, I will go west."

Ren Quan was so anxious that he had no choice but to kneel down in front of Mu Junxi's bed.

"Fool, get up quickly, the man has gold under his knees, how can you kneel to me." Mu Junxi was terrified, and hurriedly helped him up.

"I don't want to leave, I just threatened you." Mu Junxi bit her lips, and nodded Ren Quan's head. Why is this person so stupid? Others are married, so where else can he go?

"Hey, okay, as long as you don't leave." Ren Quan suddenly became elated, hugged Mu Junxi and refused to let go.

If Mu Junxi really ran away, where would he go to find such a good daughter-in-law, thinking of the scenes they met, it's not that he hasn't been tempted.

He is ten years older than Mu Junxi. He is a ten-year old man. He doesn't believe it in his heart, and he can't believe that there is a beautiful brother who is willing to marry him.

If it wasn't for Mu Junxi's initiative yesterday, which made him understand that he actually has himself in his heart, I don't know when this knot will be untied.

"Young Master, Young Madam, Old Madam asked me to bring something to Young Madam." At this moment, the voice of the servant girl outside the door came in at an inopportune time.

Opening the door, a maid came in with all the ledgers and land deeds of the Ren family, put them on the table, and bowed to Mu Junxi, "Young madam, the old madam said that from now on this family will be under the management of the young madam."

"Ah?" Mu Junxi was completely stunned, it's not good to be in charge of the house on the first day after passing through the door.

Seeing Mu Junxi's stunned expression, the servant girl covered her mouth and smiled without saying a word, and then backed out after saluting.

"It's just the head of the house. After you have rested, I will take you to see our Ren family's property. I will give you everything I have. If you run away, I will really have nothing."

Ren Quan held Mu Junxi's hand reluctantly.

"Stop it?" Wang Xiangyun asked anxiously when the maid returned to the lobby.

The maid nodded, and Wang Xiangyun immediately felt relieved. She turned her head to look at Jiang Jingyuan and Xu Shuizhou and said with a smile, "Now that Quan'er also belongs, a big stone has fallen in my heart. Grandma is looking forward to you giving birth to grandma now." Great-grandson come out."

Jiang Jingyuan and Xu Shuizhou blushed, and after all, the topic returned to them.

"Grandma is not in a hurry right now, Ah Zhou's body still needs more conditioning." Seeing Xu Shuizhou lowering his head and playing with his fingers, Jiang Jingyuan could only answer by himself.

"Okay, okay, as long as you know what's in your mind, if you need something later, just tell grandma, grandma has a lot of medicines hidden in the warehouse, half for your uncle, and half for you."

Maybe because Ren Quan's life-long event was settled, Wang Xiangyun's complexion looked much better, and his energy and spirit were different when he spoke.

Jiang Jingyuan didn't want to accept it at first, but thinking that this was also the old man's wish, if he refused directly, he was afraid of hurting Wang Xiangyun's heart, so he nodded and said, "Okay, a grandson in need will definitely not be polite to grandma."

"That's right." Wang Xiangyun nodded in satisfaction.

Several people talked again, Wang Xiangyun asked people to prepare lunch, but heard the sound of gongs and drums coming from outside.

Several people looked at each other suspiciously, it is possible that the joy band invited yesterday has been invited for several days in a row.

While in doubt, the housekeeper quickly came in and told, "Go back to the old lady, what the young lady said, the county magistrate has brought a team to the front of the house."

"What." Chen Xiuxiu and Wang Xiangyun were stunned at the same time, unable to figure out what kind of trick this county magistrate was up to again.

Jiang Jingyuan was the calmest one. Thinking that most of this matter was related to the method of substituting work for tax that he offered, it's just that the efficiency of the court's work is really not flattering.

How long has passed, and now there is a result.

Everyone was puzzled, but they all packed up their clothes and headed for the gate. Even Ren Quan and Mu Junxi rushed out when they heard the movement.

Xi Le went straight to the gate of Ren's house, and played for a while before stopping. When County Magistrate Zhang saw Jiang Jingyuan and the others coming out, he smiled and stepped forward and said, "Jing Yuan, you have passed the unanimous praise of the court with the method of replacing taxes with work. , This is the reward that the imperial court gave you, kneel down and thank you."

Jiang Jingyuan was not surprised, he straightened his clothes calmly, and knelt down to thank him.

The imperial decree didn't say much, it just praised Jiang Jingyuan for his youthful achievements, he had done so at such a young age, let him continue to work hard, get a good reputation, and serve the court, the other thing is to reward a hundred taels of gold, Obtained a word of wisdom hand-picked by the Holy Spirit.

After Jiang Jingyuan received the imperial edict and expressed his loyalty to the imperial court, County Magistrate Zhang put down the airs on his face.

"I was supposed to go to your house to announce the decree. I heard that you had a wedding at Ren's house, so I came to Ren's house, so that your family can have a double happiness." County magistrate Zhang is very respectful to Jiang Jingyuan now.

At such a young age, he worshiped the grand master of the court as his teacher, and he also paid attention to the emperor. Who would dare not give Jiang Jingyuan face in the future imperial examinations?

"Master County Magistrate, do you want to come in and ask for a wedding wine?" Jiang Jingyuan took advantage of the situation and invited.

"No, no, by the way, Grand Master Gu asked me to bring you a sentence, telling you not to be as knowledgeable as the imperial court. The Holy Majesty may not take it to heart." County magistrate Zhang also wanted to have a good time with Jiang Jingyuan, but when he thought of Jiang Jingyuan With the promulgation of the work instead of the tax, Wutong County should set an example, and they have to work for a long time up and down the yamen, but they can't get out.

Jiang Jingyuan carefully chewed on the words that Gu Renhuai asked County Magistrate Zhang to bring him, and then smiled dumbly. Master, the old man, was afraid that he would be dissatisfied with the award from the Holy Majesty, so he specially asked County Magistrate Zhang to bring him such words.

But he never cared about this matter from the beginning to the end, as long as the imperial court can promote this method and reduce the burden on the people all over the world, it doesn't matter if he rewards Jiang Jingyuan or not.

I was still afraid that he was too young and energetic.

----

Replacing taxes with workers was promoted very quickly in the Ming Dynasty, with each county government as the center, recruiting workers from all unemployed people.

Following the promulgation of the imperial decree to abolish the labor of the people, the people in every household are cheering for the Holy Spirit.

The voices of government servants recruiting workers can be heard in the streets and alleys.

"Lijia Village is recruiting workers for road construction, ten cents a day, and three meals a day. Sign up quickly."

"Wangjiacun digs ditches on the lower road, and takes two catties of grain a day, and manages three meals. A large number of people need to come quickly."

"Liu's village built a dam, food and housing, ten cents a day, money is not enough to make up for food, as many people as there are."

In the past, what the common people were most afraid of was that the corvée didn’t treat you like a human being, and no one would take care of you when you were exhausted, but now it’s different, this is working for the government office, and if you are exhausted, you will be held accountable by the law.

Coupled with money and food, people who are in the slack in the fields have participated in it one after another. Even the little beggars on the street ran to sign up, so small people can help run errands anyway.

Jiang Lu was the happiest. After all, he had also been a beggar, and he understood the sadness of being looked down upon by others. At this moment, a bunch of his beggar friends were talking around him.

"Let me tell you, Xiaolu, I was recruited to build roads, and I push a cart to help transport soil every day. It costs ten cents a day. I heard from the foreman that I can work until the twelfth lunar month. It's only September, and In four months, I can save one or two taels of silver, and in winter I can buy cotton-padded clothes and rent a warm place to spend the winter.”

"And me, I'm going to help repair the dam, the food is good, I can still see the meat, and I can eat fish every few days. I heard people say that the Qingjiang fish is delicious. I know it. How beautiful is this smell?"

Jiang Lu's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he wished he could go to work with everyone, but he was really too young, only a little over seven years old, and the youngest recruit was 12 years old.

He had no choice but to make gestures to ask his friends to work hard, and at the same time told them not to be afraid, this job will still be available next spring. He heard that there are not enough people in other counties. If there is no job in Wutong County, he can go to other counties to make a living.

After a few years of working and having accumulated savings, you can ask the county magistrate to approve a note, build a house in the countryside, and plant one or two plots of land, which is better than begging all day and living in no fixed place.

He heard from his elder brother that in the Ming Dynasty, the land was vast and sparsely populated, and many counties could not have thousands of households. As long as someone settled in the yamen, the people in the yamen were the happiest.

"There are such good things. Didn't you say that you need to stuff a lot of money into the yamen? With our little money, can it be done?" These beggars were puzzled when they saw Jiang Lu's gesture.

"Yeah, Xiaolu, I've heard people say that the eight-character yamen opens to the south, so don't come in if you have a reason and no money, so don't trick me."

Jiang Lu scratched his ears and gills for a while, then made gestures, [Maybe other counties are not reliable, but our county is absolutely reliable, when you want to settle down, come to me, I told my elder brother, he There must be a way to make the county magistrate not charge you money. ]

Everyone was overjoyed. No one in Wutong County knew Jiang Jingyuan's name. It was because of him that the imperial court abolished hard labor and made their life easier.

With Jiang Jingyuan as the guarantor, they can put their hearts into their stomachs.

"Then it's settled. When I have collected enough money, I will come to you. Let's not talk about it. I have to go to work."

"We're leaving too."

Everyone waved goodbye to Jiang Lu, Jiang Lu also waved goodbye to them, and led his rhubarb back to the bookstore.

"You're back, did you have fun with your friends?" Jiang Jingyuan patted his head and asked.

Jiang Lu nodded repeatedly, and told Jiang Jingyuan what he said to the children with gestures, and Jiang Jingyuan could only talk to him with guesswork.

At this time Xu Shuizhou went out to buy vegetables and came home, sweating profusely, without any vegetables in his hands, he found a fan to cool himself down, and kept talking, "The vegetable farmers in the town are crazy. If you want to stuff it into my arms, I don’t charge money, how dare I accept it, put down the food, turn around and run, luckily I didn’t catch up.”

Xu Shuizhou looked at the door with lingering fear as he spoke, and was completely relieved when he saw that there were really no people on both sides of the street.

"People are afraid of being famous and pigs are afraid of being strong. I have experienced it." Xu Shuizhou slumped on the chair, his eyes completely empty.

Jiang Jingyuan poured him a glass of water and handed it in front of him, "It's fine if you can't buy vegetables. The vegetable garden at home doesn't matter, so let's go to the Phoenix Tower for a tooth festival."

Xu Shuizhou was speechless for a while, "If I eat every day, I'm afraid my aunt will be poor by us."

Ever since my uncle got married, his husband has been completely shameless. He went to the Phoenix Tower every now and then to have a dental festival, and he still didn't charge for it every time, which really made him feel ashamed.

"It's okay, let's go home and see if the fish in Tiantian have been raised. If they are fatter, we can sell them to Phoenix Tower at a cheaper price to save my aunt from having to go to the market to collect them."

Jiang Jingyuan calculated in his heart, he has never forgotten his fish, no matter what happened in the past half a year, he must grow up a bit.

"Yes, we still have fish." Xu Shuizhou didn't forget that he had poured a lot of money into the fish pond, so no matter what, he could see some splashes.

"A piece of clear water fish in the vegetable market costs ten cents a catty. If our fish grows well, we can give my aunt eight cents a catty. loss."

As Xu Shuizhou said, he took out his abacus and skillfully rolled the abacus beads.

Unfortunately, at this time, a middle-aged woman dressed like a butterfly walked in. She was wearing a long pink dress and a cock on her head, but she was still plump.

It looks a bit like a painted sow.

Jiang Jingyuan frowned when he smelled the pungent smell of makeup on her body.

He has always liked clean and refreshing people, and the people who come to his bookstore are also clean scholars. Occasionally, a maid lady comes to buy a storybook, and she will not dress up so hot and suffocating.

"Yo, they're all here." Matchmaker Qian raised her orchid fingers, shrugged the silver hairpin on her head, and glanced lightly at everyone in the room.

Xu Shuizhou raised his eyes, seeing such a woman with sharp eyes, she felt good about herself, and suppressed a smile.

Where did this come from?

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, Matchmaker Qian was a little displeased, and coughed, "Ahem, I'm Matchmaker Qian from Wutong County, I'm sure you've all heard my name, I'm here today to tell Mr. Jiang about a good marriage .”

Jiang Jingyuan's face turned cold instantly, "I'm married, let's go out."

Matchmaker Qian looked at Jiang Jing Yuanyan and smiled at Yan Yan, the powder on her old face fell down, causing a layer of powder on the bluestone floor that Xu Shuizhou had cleaned so that it was not stained.

Jiang Jingyuan frowned even more, and his expression became more unhappy.

"Look at Mr. Jiang, what you said, you and I both know that people who want to take the imperial examination cannot marry their older brothers as their regular wives. I came here specially to solve this trouble for you today. As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face no."

Matchmaker Qian is not afraid of Jiang Jingyuan at all, no matter what, she has been a matchmaker for more than 20 years, and she has never seen any kind of person.

This man, isn't he just superficial and inward, he likes the new and dislikes the old, with a peerless beauty, who still remembers Xiaojiabiyu.

"Go out, our bookstore is a place where scholars come in, and I can't stand you, a dirty person." Jiang Jing slapped the table vigorously, then stared coldly at Qian Matchmaker and sneered, "As for my own affairs, it's not my turn. Say it to you, an outsider."

Matchmaker Qian was stared at by Jiang Jingyuan, as if stared at by a vicious poisonous snake. She shuddered all over, but when she remembered the matchmaker money of 100 taels of silver given by the Zuo family, she still bite the bullet and said, "The rich man in this county The Zuo family has a daughter in waiting, named Zuo Yunyun, she is a beauty who can be chosen by chance, her family intends to betroth her to you as your wife."

"Pfft, matchmaker Qian, don't you know that my family, Jing Yuan, has already married a wife, and you even came to kiss me? How big is your face?"

Xu Shuizhou couldn't help laughing when he heard it, he didn't know anyone in Wutong County, Jiang Jingyuan had already married a wife, he didn't believe that the matchmaker didn't ask before she came to the house.

Matchmaker Qian looked at Xu Shuizhou with displeasure, and a look of contempt flashed in her eyes. She never liked brothers, neither male nor female, and she had never been a matchmaker for him since the first day she entered the industry.

"You must be the brother Jiang Xianggong married. You look very ordinary. Then Zuo Yunyun is a top-notch woman who is proficient in everything. You are just a peasant brother. You can talk to others than?"

Matchmaker Qian believed that even a man knew how to change. Xu Shuizhou was pretty handsome, but compared with a real beauty, she still lacked a temperament.

"Have you said enough? If you've said enough, get out." Jiang Jingyuan was already furious, and he hadn't been so angry for a long time.

He even vaguely had the urge to hit someone, but he wasn't so angry when facing the Jiang family members.

This matchmaker clearly wanted to force Xu Shuizhou to ask her to come down, what a shame.

"So what, there are so many beautiful people in the world, so it's possible that as long as they fall in love with my husband-in-law, they will have to give way to them. Matchmaker Qian, you're taking it for granted."

Xu Shuizhou stepped forward to hold Jiang Jingyuan, and gently stroked his back, telling him not to be angry, it's not worth being angry for such a person.

"That's better than a brother of yours occupying the position of the main wife and delaying Mr. Jiang's future." Matchmaker Qian is indeed used to being eloquent, and poked Xu Shuizhou's sore spot as soon as she opened her mouth.

"Get lost." Jiang Jingyuan grabbed the teacup on the table and threw it at Matchmaker Qian's feet. Usually, he would not bear to say harsh words about his A Zhou, so what qualifications does this matchmaker have.

"Jiang Jingyuan, I respect you as a gentleman because you have exempted the people of the world from hard labor. Otherwise, you think you are a scholar who would treat you differently..." Matchmaker Qian was taken aback by Jiang Jingyuan's actions , at the moment, no matter what face it is, just talk nonsense.

Xu Shuizhou was so angry that his chest heaved violently, and he couldn't listen anymore, so he picked up the broom placed on the wall and used it on Matchmaker Qian, "I told you to insult my husband, to slander my husband, and I will kill you, you rotten matchmaker."

"Aww—" Qian Matchmaker felt the pain, and went straight to the door to hide, but was blocked by a wall of meat and fell to the ground.