At this time, Zhang Dachun was still thinking about marrying Yiting for his son, and he looked down on the fact that he had embezzled the landlord's land rent for many years-

Zhang Yuan beckoned to Zhang Cai, and Zhang Cai approached and asked, "Young Master, what do you command?" ”

Zhang Yuan handed the thin booklet in his hand to Zhang Cai: "Your father is illiterate, you read it to your father." ”

Zhang Cai agreed, took a few steps back, and opened the book and read: "Xie Qifu, the tenant of the tenant, has 40 acres of Zhang Dachun's paddy field, which is located in the east of Jianhu Lake, and pays 20 stones of wheat and 40 stones of grain every year——"

Zhang Cai was not very clear about the private contract signed by his father with the tenant, and read it aloud.

Zhang Dachun reacted immediately, interrupting his son's recitation and shouting: "Nonsense, there is no such thing!" He took a step forward and bowed to Zhang Yuan and said: "Young master, the old slave has been in the Zhang family for many years, the old slave came when the young master was born, taking care of the countryside, never lazy, the farm tools and utensils of the master's family, dare not be negligent, the land rent contract is made by the master in Shanyin, the old slave collects rent on behalf of the master's family, has always been loyal and diligent, and never selfish, but because the field is close to Jianhu Lake, the Jianhu Lake often has big water, so it often fails to harvest, grandma Bodhisattva heart, the reduction of field rent is agreed by grandma, young master must not listen to other people's gossip - young master, Is it these things that Yiting's cheap maid said to the young master? ”

Zhang Dachun's love words were quite sincere when he confessed, but when he talked about Yiting, his face showed a fierce face.

Zhang Yuan said lightly: "Uncle Zhang, let Zhang Cai finish reading the booklet, it's good to make things clear, Zhang Cai, read it." ”

Zhang Cai looked at the young master Zhang Yuan, and then looked at the father Zhang Dachun, I don't know whether to read it or not-

Zhang Dachun snatched the booklet from his son's hand and said loudly: "This is all nonsense to provoke the relationship between my master and servant, young master, you are still young and don't understand these things, so you should ask grandma to come out, and the old slave will make it clear to grandma in person." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Uncle Zhang, don't you think I've grown up to be sincere, if people don't know, unless you don't do it, you have a private contract, intercept the land rent, and hide it for a while, but it is impossible to deceive it all the time, my mother said, Uncle Zhang has been in my house for many years, and it is also respectful, as long as the land rent intercepted for nearly three years is returned, it will no longer be pursued, Uncle Zhang think about it." ”

Zhang Dachun rubbed his eyes and looked at Zhang Yuan carefully, Zhang Yuan basically stayed in the study in the inner courtyard after he had an eye disease, he rarely saw Zhang Yuan, in his impression, although this young master can't be said to be a waste, but it doesn't seem to be promising, but today he was so impatient to ask him about the land rent, and his very calm appearance made him a little afraid-

Although Zhang Dachun was illiterate, his mind was not dull, and he thought: "If you return the land rent that has been withheld for three years, if you calculate it one by one, there will be almost one hundred and fifty taels of silver, and the ash shop of Ah Da will also be opened in vain. ”

Zhang Dachun said: "Young master, the old slave doesn't know whose gossip the young master listened to to slander the old slave like this, the old slave's family of three was invested in the Zhang family, and they only asked for food and clothing for so many years, the young master wanted to fabricate this lot of rented grain out of thin air to let the old slave repay, it was better to kill the old slave." As he spoke, he knelt down straight and played tricks.

Fan Zhen said to Zhang Yuan: "Young Master Jiezi, this Diao slave lard is blindfolded, how do you know how to repent, let the three tenants come in and confront you." ”

Zhang Yuan knew that this matter could not be solved in good words, so he said, "Let them in." ”

Xiao Xi Nu Wuling ran out, and soon a group of people came in, four of them were male servants from Xizhang's side, and the other three were tenant farmers who rented Zhang Yuan's fields. ”

Zhang Dachun saw that the three tenant farmers were called to confront him, and he knew that something was wrong, and he couldn't hide it, so he hurriedly said: "Young master, it's the old slave who is confused for a while, and the old slave is willing to return the three-year rent, and the old slave will raise money." "trotted out, Zhang Cai was about to leave, but was grabbed by Xi Zhang's Jian Nu.

Zhang Yuan said: "Let him go." ”

As soon as the two Jian slaves let go, Zhang Cai chased his father with a smoke.

Fan Zhen said: "I'm afraid this Diao slave won't be so honest to pay back the three-year deducted land rent, and he won't run away." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "I can't run, I expect him to find someone to find a way, inevitably to see the official, I can't sit still, I went to Xizhang's clan uncle to ask for a post, so as not to be caught off guard when I get it." ”

……

That Zhang Dachun trotted all the way to Yao Xiucai's house by the Fuhe River, Zhang Cai ran fast and caught up, and the father and son came to see this Yao Xiucai together.

Yao Xiucai is a well-known lawyer in Shanyin County, has the reputation of a student, and has been a clerk, familiar with the law of the Ming Dynasty, writing a paper for people, pinching words and instigating, known as Mr. Knife and Pen, ordinary people see this Yao Xiucai are hiding away, for fear that if he accidentally provokes him, he will be sent to the county government with a complaint, the lawsuit is time-consuming and costly, and the small people can't afford to fight the lawsuit, but some people make a fortune through the lawsuit, Shaoxing proverb "ploughing the fertile field is not as good as suing the thin state", this Yao Xiucai has nothing to do to find something to instigate people to sue, Zhang Dachun, who was sent to the door, was naturally kind and listened patiently to his confession-

Yao Xiucai listened for a while and interrupted: "Wait a minute, do you say that the main family is Xizhang or Dongzhang?" ”

"Dongzhang, the family advocates Ruiyang." Zhang Dachun replied.

"Dong Zhang." Yao Xiucai nodded: "Well, go on." Xin said: "I don't dare to take care of Xizhang's affairs, Dongzhang, there is still a way, I have also seen that Zhang Ruiyang, not a ruthless character, oh, he has been away for many years." ”

After Zhang Dachun explained the matter clearly, Yao Xiucai squinted his triangular eyes, twisted his goatee, and said, "You beg me to help you, what benefits do you promise me?" ”

Zhang Dachun hesitated for a moment and said, "If the lawsuit can be won, the villain is willing to reward Mr. Yao with twenty taels of silver." ”

Yao Xiucai said slowly: "My rule here has always been to determine the remuneration based on the amount of money involved in the case, and take one of the three. ”

Zhang Dachun's cheeks twitched, his flesh ached, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Just Mr., the villain still has a condition, the villain doesn't want to be a slave in the Zhang family, and wants to take this opportunity to simply break away from the Zhang family, please help the villain think of a way." ”

Yao Xiucai said: "It's good to say, now that you have been in court, it is obviously impossible to maintain the identity of master and servant in the future - why, have you found a new master's home?" ”

Zhang Dachun said: "Yes, the villain has a relative who is on duty in the mansion of Master Dong in Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, and he sent a letter to summon the villain to run errands. ”

"Master Songjiang Huating Dong?" Yao Xiucai sat up straight and asked, "Is it Dong Qichang and Dong Hanlin?" ”

Zhang Dachun didn't know if that Master Dong was Dong Qichang Dong Hanlin, he just gave himself courage, and when he saw Yao Xiucai, he was a little awe-inspired, so he nodded and said, "Yes, it is Dong Hanlin and Master Dong." ”

Yao Xiucai said: "That's good, you're going to climb the high branches, let me ask you, how much silver is Zhang Ruiyang's son asking you to return the land rent that has been deducted for three years?" ”

Zhang Dachun said: "It's only eighty or ninety taels of silver." ”

Yao Xiucai: "Hugh has to hide from me, there are at least three hundred taels of silver in three years, I helped you win the lawsuit, you have to give me one hundred taels of silver." ”

Zhang Dachun shouted: "Mr. Yao, the Zhang family only has a lot of land, but only a hundred acres, how much can the villain deduct, a total of only one hundred and twenty taels in three years." ”

Yao Xiucai said: "That's it, I won't talk to you about it, you give me eighty taels of silver, and I will help you win the lawsuit and break away from the Zhang family." ”

Zhang Dachun naturally refused to give so much, bargained several times, and said that the remuneration was 50 taels, and he would pay 20 taels first, and the rest would be paid off after winning the lawsuit.

Zhang Dachun waited here for Yao Xiucai to write a paper, and ordered his youngest son Zhang Cai to go to the eldest son's white wax shop to get twenty taels of silver.

Yao Xiucai wrote the paper and put pen to paper, and when it didn't take two moments, the paper was written, blew the ink on the paper, and said: "Why hasn't your son taken the silver yet, the young man is so grinding, let's discount his leg later." ”

Zhang Dachun thought that Yao Xiucai was joking, and said with a smile: "Wait for him to come, the villain will scold him." ”

Yao Xiucai said: "I'm not joking with you, I have to discount his leg, to win the lawsuit, one of your father and son will always have a broken leg, so that you can win, if you feel sorry for your son, then you will break your leg, I am afraid that the old man will be brittle, and he will be disabled if he continues." ”

Zhang Dachun blinked his soybean eyes, guessed Yao Xiucai's clever plan, and said: "It's okay to break your hand, you can't walk within a hundred days if your leg is broken, it's uncomfortable." ”

"Nope." Yao Xiucai refused: "You have to break your leg and carry it to the court, so that it looks miserable and useful." ”

Zhang Dachun thought about it and felt reasonable, so he had to agree.