Old Man Zhao coughed lightly twice, and then said, "This second thing ......"

I don't want to make peace with the mud, but I don't agree!

"Master, is this the end of this? The second uncle embezzled the money from the public school, and you, the head of the family, didn't say anything? ”

Thinking that over the years, they have worked hard in the countryside, and Zhao Yongnian's room in the town is not counted, and they also embezzled the money from the public middle school to build another grocery store, Zhao Sanniang was angry.

The corners of Old Man Zhao's eyes twitched, these bear children would die if they didn't say a word! No matter how bright his tongue is, he can't find a reasonable excuse for Zhao Yongnian's private pockets today!

As a result, the whole hall fell into an eerie silence.

Zhao Yong was still loyal and kind, and he couldn't bear his father's embarrassment any longer, so he handed over a step and said, "Dad, what's the second thing?" ”

Old Man Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief, and hurriedly said: "The order for requisition has come down, the county will control the river canal, and the family with a Chengding will send a Chengding out to serve a month's labor." After that, he looked at Zhao Yongzhong and Zhao Yongxiao, and said, "I also know that forced labor is tiring, but if you don't go, you have to pay two yuan." As you know, now I am the only laborer left in the family, and this time I have to hire short-term laborers, which will cost a lot of money. Plus the grocery store business is not ......"

Miserable! With a slip of his mouth, he brought out the original lines, and Old Man Zhao shouted in his heart.

In fact, after only a few verbal battles, he also knew that the script had to be greatly revised, and it was not appropriate to mention service as originally planned at this moment. It's just that it's not easy to recall the third family now, if he doesn't perform at this time, who will he find to serve in the conscription when the people run away?

That's it, anyway, I've lost enough face today, and it doesn't matter if I lose some more! In the end, it's the affordability that matters.

So, Old Man Zhao remedied and said, "Business is like that." Anyway, I can't raise this money! I'm old, I can't stand this toss, you brothers, who will go this time? ”

The laws of the Yan Kingdom stipulate that a man under the age of 16 is not a man, and those who are not a man are not required to bear the burden of silver and forced labor; Persons who have reached the age of 16 are considered to be adults. Those who have become a Ding must bear the burden of Ding Labor; Those who have reached the age of 60 may be exempted from military service.

In addition to Old Man Zhao, Zhao Yongzhong, and Zhao Yongxiao, the Cheng Ding of the Zhao family obviously has Zhao Yongnian and Zhao Dalang, but what does Old Man Zhao mean, just count on choosing one of the brothers Zhao Yongzhong and Zhao Yongxiao to serve in the conscription?

Zhao Sanniang was furious and said: "Why! Last year, my dad went. The year before last, it was the fourth uncle who went, how could he still push this on them this time! Also, can't raise the money? It's all here, you still have the face to say that! is a lot older, but he doesn't look like an elder. I can't say a fair word on my lips, and my heart is even more biased. Yet, I'm so worried about you! ”

Zhao Siniang saw that her second sister was so angry that she was smoking, so she hurriedly pulled her hand, patted her lightly twice, and comforted: "Second sister, don't be angry!" We're kidding us, why are you serious! ”

Fang was scolded by Zhao Sanniang for being shameless by pointing his nose, which was enough to annoy Old Man Zhao. As a result, Zhao Siniang seems to be gentle, but the words she says are more lethal. almost made Old Man Zhao squirt out a mouthful of old blood.

Who's kidding you! People are very serious, okay!

"Second sister, do you think, although our master is old, he is not old and confused, how can he not remember that he has already separated our family? Although our father kept saying that the family was separated and it was a family, the family separation document he signed by himself had already made us two families in the official mansion. Since it is two families, this conscription should serve their own duties, how can they deduct the conscription of his old Zhao family on our family's head! If this really makes our family bear, won't our father have to serve double duty? Don't say that the government won't do things like this, even if you go anywhere, there is no such reason. Do you think our master is kidding us? Zhao Siniang smiled like a flower road.

"Third child, you can't bear to let your father suffer this pain?" Old Man Zhao also knew that he was completely unreasonable. and Zhao Siniang's theory is definitely not a win. So he skipped Zhao Siniang and played the family card directly to Zhao Yongzhong.

Sure enough, seeing his father pleading bitterly, Zhao Yongzhong couldn't help but stand up and agree. How could Zhao Sanniang agree. Hurriedly grabbed him, and even Jiang gave Zhao Yongzhong a disapproving look.

Zhao Yongzhong's heart tightened, hey, I obviously promised that I would never speak casually today, let alone promise anything indiscriminately. How can you forget about it? However, there is a conscription at home, whether I contribute money or effort, it has nothing to do with the marriage of the fourth brother, right? Even if I promise to come down......

When the wavering Zhao Yongzhong met the warning eyes from Zhao Siniang, he immediately sat down, and the sitting posture was as standardized as possible.

Siniang is right, the old man of heaven and earth has the greatest wish, and he must not let the old man die with hatred. Although I can't think of any connection between conscription and marriage, it's right to listen to Siniang in everything. Since Siniang asked me not to make a sound, I won't make a sound.

In all fairness, Mr. Zhao's character may not be very good, but he is by no means a thief, in fact, he is hardworking and willing to work. However, the conscription was too hard for him to bear. In particular, he witnessed the sudden death of a villager on the riverbank, and since then, he has never wanted to serve. I don't want to serve, but he doesn't want to pay for it, so I have to let my son go. The third child, who has always been filial, is naturally the best candidate, and when the fourth child grows up, he no longer has to worry about service.

However, things have changed this year, at the beginning of the year, he separated the third family, and it stands to reason that the third child can no longer bear his own servitude. However, he believes that the filial third will definitely not bear to let his father serve, even if the third child can't go in person, most of them will give the money.

But he never expected that the third child would be at the mercy of that little slut and pretend to be dead in front of him. How vicious a brute with no humanity!

Although Old Man Zhao was eager to tear Zhao Yongzhong's family apart at this time, he knew that Zhao Siniang was not easy to mess with, so he had to swallow this evil breath for the time being and quickly change his strategy.

In fact, in Old Man Zhao's heart, Zhao Yongzhong and Zhao Yongxiao are the same, and he is not distressed anyway. The slight difference is that now Zhao Yongxiao has not been divided, and the money he earns must be handed over to his family. If Zhao Yongxiao is allowed to go, he will not be able to go to work that month, and the family will lose a month's monthly money for nothing. Therefore, Old Man Zhao asked the brothers who would go, but in his heart he was more inclined to let Zhao Yongzhong go, and he also focused on Zhao Yongzhong. However, it was accompanied by Zhao Yongzhong's uncharacteristically silence. In desperation, Old Man Zhao had to turn his "earnest" gaze to the "spare tire" Zhao Yongxiao.

However, the promise made by Zhao Yongzhong was also made yesterday by Zhao Yongxiao. Therefore, even if he was named by Old Man Zhao, Zhao Yongxiao always kept his head down and looked at his nose. The nose looks at the heart, but it is not heard.

Looking at the brothers who were like old monks, not only Old Man Zhao was anxious, but even Zhao Yongnian was anxious.

At this time, the wind is tight, and Zhao Yongnian doesn't want to pick this time to increase his sense of existence. But he really didn't have a choice. You know, if the two younger brothers don't go, this terrible drudgery will fall on their own heads. No, whether it's money or effort, he doesn't want to.

In desperation, Zhao Yongnian had no choice but to break the silence and teach in the tone of the eldest brother: "Dad is asking you!" All deaf? I don't know how to respond! ”

Zhao Siniang sneered: "Why, you feel that it is not a matter to fill your own money, so you are shaking again?" Yes, just because our lord loves you, you don't have to worry about lawsuits. But what about human abduction? And it's a fugitive slave who abducted an official eunuch's family? Do you know what you are guilty of? ”

Seeing Zhao Yongnian's face was full of shock. Zhao Siniang said again: "Don't put on such an uninformed face, it's been more than ten years together, don't you know?" If you want to act, you still have to go to that family to act, you see if people will believe you, and give you a 'those who don't know are not guilty'. ”

"Are you serious? She's really, really ......" Zhao Yongnian was really not a fake this time, he was indeed shocked by Zhao Siniang's words.

Fake! Or not quite really.

A chance encounter on the road made Zhao Siniang know that Zhao Yongnian's golden house was hidden, so she asked the shopkeeper Wang to check the details of the "golden house" for her, and soon found out that Zhao Yongnian's outer room and illegitimate daughter lived in the "golden house", and the outer room also operated Pingfu groceries on East Street. Although Zhao Yongnian was threatened by Zhao Siniang last time, he quickly sold the "Golden House". The grocery store was closed, and the people were sent out of Changle Town. But how could Zhao Siniang let this good card slip away from her hand, and kept arranging for people to keep an eye on it, such a big movement naturally quickly reached her ears. It's not about sending people out of Youzhou. However, he moved to the county seat, and soon tracked down the location of the outer room.

However, there is only so much that Zhao Siniang has mastered.

Although Shopkeeper Wang had inquired for her in many ways, and she had personally asked the neighbors of the outer room, she only knew that the outer room had no relatives and no reason here, and no one could tell where she came from. Later, according to Zhao Yuanniang's recollection. After marrying Zhao Yongnian as a step-room, the outer room once said that he was born in a small family in Linxian County, and after her husband died, she returned with her daughter, but her brother and sister-in-law did not allow it, so she remarried here. This argument is clearly not credible. However, judging from the words and deeds of the outer room, there is no doubt that it is from a good family.

But this is even more strange, the daughter of a good family with a Chinese posture and good conversation is willing to be an outsider, no matter how you think about it, you are tired. However, after a few dealings with the outer room, the well-informed shopkeeper Wang pointed out that she looked like a maid trained by a large family.

Thinking of the tragic incident that happened to Yuan Chunhua a few days ago, although the Xiao family had nothing to do and provoked and hurt people, they made up an excuse - beating the fugitive slaves, which was indeed allowed by the laws of Yan Kingdom. Even if the master accidentally beats the fugitive slave to death, he only needs to pay a certain amount of fines to get away with the crime. Not only that, but in order to protect the rights and interests of the master, the law also provided for heavy punishment for those who abducted and harbored fugitives.

Regardless of whether the outer room is really a fugitive slave, since Zhao Yongnian's eldest brother gave Zhao Siniang inspiration, then she honestly and unceremoniously used it to deceive Zhao Yongnian.

With this deception, it can be found that Zhao Yongnian is not very clear about the origin of the outer room, and after listening to this statement, he is also beating the drum in his heart.

Now it's good, the card in his hand is still valid, and the effect is overturned, so I don't have to worry about Zhao Yongnian being disobedient today.

"Alright, you private aside." The previous sound of gongs and drums attracted some passers-by who probed their brains, and the distance was far away and they were all irrelevant, and at this time there were actually two respected village elders standing at the door. So, Zhao Siniang no longer exposed her family ugliness in public, and said in a slow tone: "Although our family has been separated by our master, I came back to relieve our father's worries." Second uncle, please tell me who is more suitable for this time to serve as a servant. You are the elder brother, and my father and fourth uncle all listen to you. ”

When she said this, Zhao Siniang turned sideways slightly, and people outside might be able to hear her, but they would never be able to see the expression on her face.

Hypocrisy, too hypocrisy! To put it nicely, let me call the shots, but in fact, her face was full of threats. If I say something she doesn't like to hear, she's not going to send me to prison?

Although I don't know if what Zhao Siniang said before is true or false, the stakes are too great, and Zhao Yongnian doesn't dare to gamble with his life.

It's better to believe it. Not credible. So Zhao Yongnian withdrew his sharp claws and said obediently: "Naturally, I can't let my father go to such a drudgery, and I, as an elder brother, can't let my two younger brothers go, so I should go this time!" It's just that if I go, there will be no one to run the shop. Wouldn't it delay the family's business! So, according to me, we still pay the money, and it's still so affordable. ”

"Pay?" Zhao Siniang asked with a pleasant face.

Of course, Zhao Yongnian understood the imperceptible ridicule on Zhao Siniang's face, and knew that she was not satisfied with this plan, so he gritted his teeth when he was greedy for money: "Of course this money is my own!" ”

"You're out personally? Where did you personally get the money? But the shop you said is empty every year, and I haven't seen you come back with money over the years, but there is, your second room hasn't been separated, and every penny you earn is in the public. Second uncle, where did you get the money? Zhao Sanniang asked knowingly.

Seeing that his father was reprimanded, he was speechless. Zhao Dalang couldn't help but get angry at Zhao Sanniang and said: "My father said it, he took care of the conscription." There's nothing to do with you, so why are you still unforgiving? Aggressive, too much! ”

Zhao Siniang saw that Zhao Sanniang was about to stand up and theorize, so she hurriedly held her down, and said warmly: "Brother Lang, you are also a scholar, you must know what it means to 'not follow the rules, not to form a circle'." What's more, our master often puts the word 'rules' on his lips. We juniors can't be unruly.

"Don't stare at me yet, I didn't say you were unruly. It's just that you've been studying outside for a long time, so I'm afraid you're a little rusty with our family's rules. Today, I will take you to warm up the rules of the old Zhao family.

"The rules of the old Zhao family are naturally the first to be diligent and thrifty, and the money that should not be spent will never be spent indiscriminately. Before my dad was sixteen. After my father was sixteen years old, he served all the conscription. It wasn't until four years ago that the fourth uncle turned sixteen and took turns serving with my father. In the past few decades, there has never been a precedent for paying money instead. Even the year Shiro and I were born. My father was seriously ill and just recovered, but my father still refused to pay the money, so I asked my father to leave my mother, who was not very good at the time, to cultivate the official road. My father almost didn't come back this time, and in the end, Zhao Erbo next door carried him back, and our mothers and sons did not become orphans and widows.

"Brother Da Lang, tell me, isn't the rule of our family that we don't pay if we die, how can we break the old rules for decades for your father alone?"

The imperial court's levy and conscription were not only levied in Zhaojia Village, but Jiangjiatan was also within the scope of conscription. A few days ago, my partner Jiang Baosheng came to tell her that he wanted to take a month off to serve in the conscription. Zhao Siniang didn't respond, but directly advanced his salary to pay him to solve the problem, and by the way, he also asked him to bring Zhao Yongzhong and Jiang Hua's share to his father.

In Zhao Siniang's opinion, there is no need to discuss whether to serve or pay money, and there is no shortage of these funds at home, so there is no need to let people suffer this crime in order to save money. Although the memory of her predecessor is a little vague, she still clearly remembers that every time Zhao Yongzhong comes back from service, the whole person will lose weight, and she will not let her father suffer this pain again no matter what.

However, this bitterness should also be tasted by the old Zhao family, especially after listening to the Yang family talk about those bitter pasts, Zhao Siniang was even more determined to clean them up.

In order to achieve this goal, Zhao Siniang did a lot of homework in advance.

For a while, Zhao Dalang, who was "full of economy", was speechless in front of Zhao Siniang, who was "reasoning with facts", and after a long time, he suppressed his voice and said: "My father went to serve, what should I do with the shop?" He couldn't go. ”

"Then there you go!" Zhao Sanniang scoffed.

"No!" Before Zhao Dalang could say anything, Old Man Zhao shouted.

"Why not? My father can go to serve at the age of sixteen, and he Zhao Dalang is also sixteen years old this year, why can't he become him? Don't you see him missing an arm or a leg? Zhao Sanniang pointed out sharply.

"Da Lang is a scholar." Old Man Zhao said proudly.

"Reader? Scholars can not be diligent, not divided, what do you not do in the town? ”

As soon as Zhao Sanniang's voice fell, Zhao Siniang immediately answered: "Master, it's true that Brother Da Lang is a scholar, but he is first of all your grandson and the son of your second uncle." I rule the world with filial piety, and there is no reason for elders to serve desperately outside, and children and grandchildren sit and study at home. If you don't want Brother Lang to bear the reputation of 'unfilial', let him serve! ”

What is this? I obviously let the third or fourth child take on the service, why did I say that I was crooked to let the boy Dalang? However, this fallacy is not easy to refute for a while.

Old Man Zhao was annoyed, and at this moment, he heard a burst of words in the courtyard. Although he is nearly half a hundred years old, he is still deaf and clear-sighted. He quickly recognized that this was a conversation with a few village elders in the village, and hurriedly greeted him with a smile on his face. (To be continued.) )