Wang's compound.

Steward He reported to the old lady about today's grain rent, "A total of 63 households were rented, and a total of 352 stones of grain were collected. ”

The old lady pondered, "Hu'er has worked hard today, and tomorrow I will collect grain rent, so I have a good rest tonight." But I don't think that's the right number. These tenants have generally had a better harvest this year, so why do I hear that the number is so much lower than in previous years? ”

"Mother, that's right. Hu'er took matters into his own hands and reduced the grain rent of each household by 10 percent this year, and will harvest according to this every year in the future, and in the year when the harvest is not good, it will be reduced by another 10 percent. ”

When the old lady heard this, it was like hearing a thunderbolt from the sky, and she said angrily: "Hu'er, my Hu'er, such a big matter, why don't you discuss it with me, the foundation of our Wang family for hundreds of years will be destroyed in your hands, sins, sins, ......." ”

Wang Laohu knows what his mother is hurting about, the Wang family has relied on the land for generations to eat, and the grain rent on this land is the inexhaustible wealth of the Wang family.

"Mother, have you ever been to the houses of these tenants? These tenants toiled day and night, but they lived a life that was not as good as cattle and horses, and the houses were surrounded by walls, and I couldn't bear to see them continue to live like this. ”

"Hu'er, you can measure them, this is a good thing, but can you measure me, the Wang family. This is the inheritance left by our ancestors of the Wang family, and they have been collected like this for generations, and you look at others, some of them collect more than us, which of these poor ghosts dares to say nothing? If they have the ability, they can do it themselves! ”

"People are born equal, they don't have the ability now, it doesn't mean that it will be the same in the future, they don't have land, so they can only live by renting land, and we deprive them of food with such a high rent, what do they eat every day? We will not lose one percent of the grain we harvest every year, but for them it is a month or even two months of food, which can give enough nutrition to the children, and can give women and the elderly no longer to feed their hunger with thin porridge because they have no food! ”

"Hu'er, when did you think so much about the poor ghost? They don't need you to pity them so much, they are born to be cheap bones, and it's not a big deal to eat one less meal and one more meal. You see, our royal palace has such a large population now, and they all have to eat. If you harvest less than one percent for no reason, the gap in the royal family's grain will get bigger and bigger! ”

"Mother, this harvest is less than one percent of the grain, and it is actually not much less for our Wang family. The Wang family has a surplus of grain every year, and sometimes there is a surplus of leftover food from each meal that can feed the pigs of a pig farm. Sometimes we only need to save some, save more, and waste less, and the royal family's food will only be more, not less. ”

"No matter what you say, I just don't agree! We are not philanthropists, and we can't control the toiling people in the world, and we can't manage it. ”

"But I've already spoken, mother, what do you say?"

"What to do? If we collect it again tomorrow, we will definitely make up for the missing part. ”

"So what I said didn't work? Mother, I don't even have the power to make an independent decision, how can I face my subordinates again, and what will I do in the future? Seeing that the old lady was still a little hesitant, Wang Laohu said, "Mother, please rest assured, you can be relieved, I will make up for these missing parts." ”

"How do you make it up? By your mouth? Hu'er, when did you start, you were so boastful, you used to be resolute. ”

"Mother, then let me ask you, you answer me honestly, do you like the tiger in the past or the tiger now?"

This question stopped the old lady, and also asked the old lady in the bottom of her heart, which of these two Wang Laohu who are so distinct, which one does the old lady like more? The old lady understands in her heart! But...... She prefers that some things will be done by the former Wang Laohu.

"Our business status in the Ming Dynasty has always been relatively low, and there are many harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, so many small merchants and hawkers are barely surviving. I, Wang Laohu, want to be a different businessman in this Ming Dynasty. Mother, it won't be long before our Wang family's wealth will be so much that you don't believe it. ”

The old lady believes this, just the business of Wanchunfang and Bian Yifang, and now the annual income is already the income of the Wang family in the past few years.

"But isn't it better than before? They will not have any doubts, and they will not rebel. ”

"Yes, no problem, but Hu'er thinks that our tenants should be different from other people's families, I want to let them get rich together, the so-called first rich lead to get rich, and finally go rich together."

"Well, it's up to you! I'm old, and the royal family will depend on you in the future. ”

"Old lady." Steward He said, "There is one more thing, I think you should let the old lady know." ”

"Steward He, if there is anything else, please tell me directly."

"Is that Li Caitou's grain rent?"

"What happened to his family's grain rent? Just do as Childe said. ”

"Yes, it is done according to what Gongzi said, but Gongzi said that from this year onwards, the grain rent of this Li Caitou's family will not be collected. So ......"

"Ah," the old lady was stunned, "this, what's the matter?" Hu'er, what's going on? How can this grain rent be completely waived? ”

"Hu'er feels guilty, so he will no longer collect Li Caitou's food rent."

"Are you because of last year?"

"Exactly."

"Last year's affair is over, and that incident has nothing to do with you!"

"Is it really none of mine? You and I both know in our hearts that Li Caitou vomited blood and died, and the girl of the Li family was delirious because of me. How can I sit idly by? ”

"Okay, it's up to you."

"Thank you for your mother's fulfillment!"

At night, the king of the tiger's room. Zhang Zheng replied, "Childe, the identity of the little beggar has been clarified. ”

"Okay, what kind of person is he?"

"That little beggar is twenty-one years old this year, Anji Qingshuikou people's family, there is a blind old mother on it, no brothers and sisters, and he is a gangster on the street on weekdays, stealing chickens and dogs for a living."

"A thief?"

"Yes. However, he is very filial to his mother and is a rare filial son. ”

"What's his name?"

"Pantai."

"Pantai?"

"Childe, this person, according to our observation, he doesn't know martial arts, and he doesn't have special skills except for stealing chickens and dogs on weekdays."

"That's what he's capable of! Zhang Zheng, next time we meet, let you see his skills. ”

Zhang Zheng still didn't believe it. "By the way, Childe, this man is still very idle, he has some pigeons, I don't know what he is doing?"

"Oh, pigeon, this Pan Tai is really interesting," Wang Laohu said, "Zhang Zheng, there is one more thing that I want you to do immediately." ”

"Childe, please command."

"You help me find some women who can do martial arts, and I want to recruit some women to guard."

"Childe, there should be no problem for our special forces to protect Childe!" Zhang Zheng is Zhang Zheng after all, and compared with Feng Sheng, he has less tendons.

"The special team has the usefulness of the special team, Zhang Zheng, you can help me do this these days."

"Yes, Childe."

"Okay, you step back and rest early."

There were only five tigers and the maid Xiaocui left in the house, "Xiaocui, come here." ”

"Is Childe going to rest? Xiao Cui is a wide coat for you. ”

"No, no, no." Wang Laohu said, "Xiaocui, in a few days, I will send you to another courtyard, where there is a very important person for you to take care of." ”

"Yes." Xiao Cui responded.

The next day, a notice was posted at the gate of the Wang family's compound, "Recruit five teachers, the first two require knowledge of Bagu Wen, one requires good moral character and high morality, and the last two need to know arithmetic or foreign languages." "Once these gentlemen are hired, they can be fed and fed, and the pay is also very good.

As soon as the notice came out, it was in Taili County, and no one knew what medicine was being sold in this Wang Laohu gourd.

County office.

Wang Laohu visited Zhu County.

"Virtuous nephew, before this submission, Xingbu's approval has come down, and there are not many days left, and your brothers will have one less side when they see each other."

"Down? So fast," Wang Laohu said with some disbelief, "This Zhang Chengqian, alas? ”

"Don't be sad, if you do something wrong, you should be punished."