After walking westward, Lu Zhen regretted it a little, although it was only a moment, but it was the height of summer, the heat was unbearable, and it was the hottest afternoon of the day exposed to the scorching sun, and his back was already wet.

In fact, it was not only him, but Qian Manjiang beside him was also sweating, while Lin Lie, who was two steps behind, was slightly better. Because the first two came out because they were neatly dressed and covered themselves tightly, while Lin Lie and the others were dressed short, and their entire arms were exposed, so they were naturally more comfortable.

"Brother Lu, where do you want to go? If it's farther away, you can't walk like this. Finally, Qian Manjiang couldn't help but open his mouth.

Lu Zhen smiled bitterly: "I plan to go out of the city to Da Li Zhuang in the west outside the city to have a look." ”

"Then hire a car." Qian Manjiang turned around as he spoke, and walked towards a big car on the side.

At this time, except for those in the capital whose status was high enough, the Ming officials almost did not travel in a sedan chair. Because in the concept of people at this time, sitting in a sedan chair is a practice of using people as animals, which is really against the way of the sage, and it is not as spacious and comfortable as taking a carriage.

This concept is particularly prevalent at the local level. And for ordinary petty officials, they can't afford to raise a driver, and if they really want to go out, they can only hire a car temporarily. As a result, there will be several car dealers in the capitals and counties of various prefectures, and Hangzhou is naturally no exception, and there is a car dealership near the government.

With the guidance of Qian Manjiang, a person familiar with the place, Lu Zhen and the others finally didn't have to rush to the outside of the city in the sun, so they took a fairly spacious carriage and went out of the city to Da Li Zhuang in the west. Along the way, I didn't meet a few pedestrians, and no one would come out to hang out on such a hot day.

After walking a little further out of the city, the carriage stopped in front of a small village with dozens of families in the surrounding scenery: "A few masters, Da Li Zhuang has arrived." ”

Lu Zhen and the others got out of the car one after another, and only after paying the money and letting the coachman wait here did they walk to the village. At this time, the village was also somewhat quiet, except for a few yellow dogs dragging their tongues under the shade of the trees beside the road, the village was empty.

Lu Zhen did not hesitate, and immediately came to the door of a family at the head of the village, knocked on the door and asked, "Is there anyone at home?" ”

After a while, a strong black man with a bare spine and only wearing a pair of calf-nosed pants walked out of the house, originally a little vigilant, but after seeing Lu Jin's outfit, he immediately became respectful again: "You two are here to find me?" ”

"Oh, this big brother, we are from Hangzhou City, and we want to ask Li Laoshi about your village." Lu Zhen said with a polite smile.

The man's expression changed again, and he looked a little worried. was stunned for a moment, and quickly pointed his hand to the village: "His house is in the west of the village, and the two grass houses are there." With that, he quickly turned around and slipped back into the house, not caring about any etiquette.

Lu Zhen was nothing, but Qian Manjiang on the side frowned: "This village man is so rude, he actually sent us away like this, and he didn't ask us if we wanted water to drink." ”

"That's it, apparently he doesn't want to cause trouble." Lu Zhen hurriedly persuaded him, knowing that it should have something to do with Li Laoshi's current lawsuit, which made the people in the same village dare not get involved too much with him.

That's right, the dispute between the two families of Zhao Xie started over this Li Laoshi's five acres of land, so Lu Zhen thought of coming here to ask about the specific situation. Qian Manjiang, who had briefly heard Lu Jin's plan on the way here, made his expression look a little better: "Then let's go find that Li Laoshi." ”

At this time, a whisper came out of the room: "Let's just say that Li Laoshi has caused a lot of trouble this time, so how can the Zhao family and the Xie family be provoked by people like us?" I saw him as a loyal and honest person before, how could he dare to sell two of the land this time? ”

"That's not because of his wife's illness...... Just be lighter, don't let the unidentified guests outside listen to it......" and then his voice was much softer.

Lu Jin and the others glanced at each other, knowing that it was as they expected, so they didn't bother these villagers anymore, and turned to leave.

After walking along the sheep intestine path in the village, he soon came to the west of the village, and then Lu Zhen knew why the other party pointed out Li Laoshi's location so briefly. Because although there are several houses in this area, most of them are wooden houses or brick houses, and only one room shrunk in the corner is made of the simplest grass and trees, and it seems that a gust of wind can blow this house down.

Moreover, I don't know if it's a psychological effect, Lu Zhen also felt that this house seemed to be deliberately distancing himself from other village houses, and he had a sense of inferiority complex to avoid everyone. Obviously, this Li Laoshi's status in the village is also extremely low.

With a thought in his heart, Lu Jin's feet did not stop, and soon he came to the small and low fence, and shouted inside: "Is Li Laoshi at home?" ”

In the middle of the night, a middle-aged man with a thin body and an honest man walked out of the house. This is a person who has been tortured by life and completely lost his sharpness, although he looks only in his forties, his body has long been rickety, and his hair has turned gray. As soon as he saw the outfits of Lu Jin's people, his body trembled obviously: "A few masters, villains...... The villain is wrong......"

Seeing that as soon as he saw him, it was like a mouse seeing a cat, Lu Zhen couldn't bear it, so he hurriedly stepped forward and said softly: "Don't worry, we are not from the Zhao Xie family, and we are not here to trouble you today." Let us come into the house and talk, or we'll make the villagers laugh at it." ”

At this time, because of Lu Jin's greeting just now, several villagers had already come out of their houses and stood at the door from a distance to look around. A few people were still pointing there, obviously speculating about what would happen to Li Laoshi.

From this point, it can be seen how low the status of this Li Laoshi in the village is. You must know that the local concept at this time is far stronger than in later generations, generally speaking, if someone really goes to the village to trouble the villagers, the people of the same village will always come to help. But today, these villagers are all standing by and watching.

Li Laoshi's face was full of helplessness and timidity, and after struggling for a while, he still opened the fence door according to Lu Jin's intention and invited them in.

The two thatched houses are not very large, one side is Li Laoshi's bedroom, and the other side is used as a guest hall. When they followed Li Laoshi into the living room, Lu Zhen and the others also heard a coughing sound from the room on the other side, obviously there was a patient in that room.

The living room was very shabby, just a dilapidated table and two stools, seeing this, Li Laoshi showed a cringeful expression: "This, a few masters......"

"It's okay, let's just have a casual conversation." After Lu Zhen sat down by himself, he motioned for Qian Manjiang to sit on another stool, and then spoke: "We are from the prefect's yamen, and today we are indeed here for the case of Zhao Xie's family and you buying land." ”

As soon as he heard that he was from the government, Li Laoshi's face changed again, and his body fell to the ground as soon as he softened: "A few big masters, the grass people know their mistakes, ......" Tears flowed down while speaking.

Seeing this, Lu Zhen also sighed, and hurriedly asked Lin Lie beside him to help people up. This was originally timid and honest, but now when he heard that the government came to the door, he was naturally even more afraid, so it was really not easy to ask him what was going on.

After comforting him a few words and repeatedly explaining that he was not here to ask him for guilt, but just wanted to know something about the situation with him, Li honestly looked at it and calmed down, but the whole person was still trembling.

"If the official asks you something now, you must answer honestly, and you must not hide anything, otherwise even if the official wants to help you protect you, I am afraid it will be difficult." Lu Zhen saw that he had finally calmed down, so he straightened up.

"Excuse me, big man, the little ones must not dare to hide it."

"When did you negotiate the land sale with the Zhao family? Why sell the land on which you live your life? Lu Zhen asked. This is indeed a bit strange, for the peasant, the land is the foundation of his survival, unless there is a famine year will sell all the land.

"In February this year, my mother became seriously ill, and the family did not have the money to hire a doctor and buy medicine for her. But until March, no one bought ......."

Why is that? Are you asking for a high price? ”

"No, it's because the small land is too poor, it's all saline-alkali land, and it can't grow any good crops."

"In that case, why did the Zhao family take a fancy to your land in the future and pay such a high price?"

At the end of March, a steward of the Zhao family suddenly came to me and told me that they wanted to buy my land, and they were willing to pay a high price of five taels and one mu. When I heard this, I signed a note with them that day. I didn't expect ......" said Li Laoshi and lowered his head a little ashamedly.

"I didn't expect someone from the Xie family to come to the door later?" Lu Zhen immediately understood, and helped the other party to add.

"Exactly, on the second day, the Xie family also came to the door, and said that they were willing to pay forty taels to buy me five acres of land, and they also gave a small deposit of twenty taels on the spot. The little one is ...... because he wants to treat the old lady. So I promised them. Li Laoshi said the matter for a while.

When Lu Zhen heard this, his brows furrowed, and he looked at Qian Manjiang beside him. The latter is also puzzled, the problem is obvious, a few acres of land that no one wants can be sold at such a high price, or is it rushed to buy by the two families, and no one can believe it if there is no cat.

"Your five acres of land are near the village? I'd like to go over and see. Lu Zhen thought that the problem should be in the five acres of land itself, and immediately proposed.

Li Laoshi naturally didn't dare to refuse, and nodded hurriedly: "It's just outside the village, let's bring a few people over with the small ones......"