The autumn ploughing work went very smoothly, and even the rapeseed and melon seeds were delivered, and they were ready for planting immediately. But at this time, there was a little trouble.

Wen Yi stood beside her grandmother, listening to Uncle Zhang's return, and felt a little headache.

At this time, the autumn equinox has passed, and it seems that the Mid-Autumn Festival will be in two days. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunions. Because the local farmers have their own fields to take care of, and they can't find manpower during the busy farming season, Gu and Nie's land are cultivated by idle people from other villages around Taiping Mountain, and the farthest one is even from the east of Taipingshan. Now that the festival is coming, they all ask to go home for the holiday, and it will take at least two or three days to come and go, in case something delays them when they go home, or they go to work on the farm work in their own village, it is not impossible to be ten days late. However, the seeds of melons and vegetables have been delivered, and if they are not planted early, I am afraid that the agricultural season will be missed.

When she bought land here, Wen Yi thought that she could hire people from her village, even if it was the New Year's Festival, it would only be a day and a half of a day, and it was not a big problem, so she didn't expect this to happen, but there was no reason to stop people from going home for reunion.

She looked at her grandmother in embarrassment, a little ashamed: "My granddaughter didn't think enough about it, so she made this mistake......"

Old Madam Lu waved her hand and asked Uncle Zhang, "What do the people of the Nie family say?" The manpower was hired by his family, didn't you think of it at the beginning? In fact, she did not expect this to happen, after all, the two dowry farms she was in charge of had enough tenant farmers to hire people from outside. It's just that her granddaughter has mentioned Nie Heng's cleverness in front of her more than once, and she has almost no last resort, and now that this kind of thing has happened, she can't help but question.

Uncle Zhang whispered: "I asked the Ye steward of the Nie family for the little one, and he said that these people have always been used to helping others because their families have no land, and every year around the Mid-Autumn Festival, because they are busy with farming, they have not tried to spend the festival outside." As early as when he hired people, the young master of the Nie family had reminded him, so he had already asked the Chinese people in charge of the introduction to tell those hired workers that they would pay an extra 30% of their wages on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, so that they could finish the work as soon as possible. Before it came to an end, those people changed their minds again. Steward Ye is looking for someone to speak, listen to his tone, and probably add some wages...... It's going to be fine......"

When Mrs. Lu heard this, her face sank. Wen Yi knew that her grandmother hated this kind of untrustworthy thing the most, and hurriedly said, "The eldest cousin must not have expected those people to do this. Now our family is in need of manpower, and we don't have time to find people, so those hired workers will have no fear. Shall I go and discuss it with my eldest cousin? He's going to have a way. ”

Old Madam Lu snorted coldly: "Even if he has a way, I can't keep such a hired worker anymore!" This time, they got what they wanted, and two days later, they made trouble again, and I didn't hire people, but hired a group of ancestors! After a pause, she slowed down her tone and turned to her granddaughter and said, "You are young and have little experience, so you don't know that people in this world are sinister!" When those people saw that we were from out of town, and that we were women, they made up their minds to slander us! Hugh to be appeased! ”

Wen Yi bowed her head and agreed, but she was worried in her heart. If you don't leave these hired workers, where will you get the people to grow vegetables by hand? You can't just throw away all the seeds, right?

Uncle Zhang was still waiting for the master's order, so Mrs. Lu instructed him: "You go and tell the Nie family, let them stay as many people as they want, we don't want any of them here, give them a salary!" When you have settled the account, you will report it to me, and I will give you the money immediately! ”

The old lady gave the order to speak, no matter how difficult it was for Yi Yi, she could only shut up. Uncle Zhang immediately received the order, and when it reached the ears of the Nie family, Nie Heng thought about it sideways, and said lightly: "Just follow the old man's instructions, and change another person with a good reputation, no matter how much salary, find enough twenty or thirty people to come within three days as soon as possible, and be sure to plant all the vegetable fields of the Gu family." ”

Steward Ye hesitated for a moment and asked, "Young Master, what about our family's work?" We just need to clean up the branches and weeds, dig the tree holes, and then build the house before the rain and snow comes. Even if you let someone go back for a few days, it doesn't matter. ”

Nie Heng smiled: "Since our family doesn't have to rush to farm, where can we not find anyone to come?" If you keep these people, you are afraid that when it comes to the critical moment, they will have to talk about the conditions again. Old Madam Gu's words are reasonable, it's not that our two families are stingy, but that we can't condone this kind of greedy villain! His eyes rolled and the corners of his mouth curled slightly: "I think there must be someone who takes the lead among the hired people who make trouble, and it is very likely that they are newcomers." Otherwise, they have been doing this for so many years, why have they never heard of such a thing? You inquire quietly, if there is such a person, don't alarm him, just come and tell me, I will find a way to deal with it. ”

Steward Ye felt a pang in his heart, and hurriedly took the order, and when he found the hired workers, he kept an eye on it, and while conveying the master's instructions, he carefully looked at the few men led by him.

A few people listened to Steward Ye's words, and they panicked immediately, and a dark-skinned man in his thirties and forties hurriedly stepped forward and pulled Steward Ye and said, "Uncle Ye, what's going on?!" We just wanted to go home for the holidays, why did you suddenly quit us?! ”

Steward Ye said unhurriedly: "If you just ask for leave to go home for the holidays, whether it is the old lady of the Gu family or the eldest young master of our family, they are all benevolent and soft-hearted masters, and there is no one who refuses." But you obviously don't really want to go home for the holidays, but you just use this as an excuse to ask for more wages! This breaks the rules! At the beginning, it was clearly said, and the contract was agreed with you, our family has always been generous, and the daily meals and accommodation have never treated you badly. Uncles, your shelves are too big, and the two of us can't afford to wait, so please settle the wages with the account office and go to find another high! With that, he flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

The swarthy man looked anxiously at his companions, and the eldest of them spat on the ground and scolded: "I have said a long time ago that you cannot do such a treacherous thing, and now that you have lost your errand, you will have a bad reputation!" What is the origin of the Nie family, who doesn't know the villagers?! As soon as Ming'er's family returns to the city, who else will hire us to work again?! ”

Someone whispered: "Didn't you just complain twice, and you didn't persuade much......

The old man smacked him in front of him and said, "Stinky boy, who instigated Boss Chen to come in the first place?!" Yours is there! Now that you've suffered a loss, you kid still have to blame me?! ”

The swarthy man hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Grandpa Zhang, I was confused for a while, and I affected the villagers. I'm going to go to the uncles of the Nie family and make amends to them. I won't go back to this festival, so I can keep my errand! ”

The grandfather glared at him angrily: "Who are you to be a family member?!" Just a few words you can fool around? People have already seen through your plans, and no matter what good things you say, they will not keep anyone anymore! If I were you, I would immediately tie up the root of the bane, escort me to see the Nie family, tell the truth clearly, and it will not be too late to make amends! If his family is willing to let go, even if it is to reduce some wages, he must keep his errand, if people refuse to let go, you should not be crooked, settle the salary as soon as possible, and then give some gifts to the housekeeper, don't be reluctant, so that people don't shout about things everywhere, and keep our reputation. In the future, no matter who you go to, you are not allowed to mention any more money! ”

The swarthy man hesitated, and secretly glanced at a man on the side: "Grandpa Zhang, Brother Liu...... After all, it's our relatives, and it's no different from our own family......"

"Fart!" Grandpa Zhang was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, "What kind of relative is he?!" It's just that you accepted someone else's godsister as a concubine, and it is true that our Zhang family's daughter is dead?! You don't care, Grandpa Zhang doesn't eat dry rice! Catch Ming'er and sell your little concubine, what a thing! Sao fox one! ”

In front of so many people, being scolded like this by the elders in his wife's clan, the swarthy man couldn't help but feel embarrassed, and secretly glanced at the people around him, and saw that although everyone didn't speak, they all agreed with each other, so he had to sigh helplessly.

Not to mention the appearance of his own concubine, she is also gentle and considerate, and she has both inner beauty, and she pounces on him, cooking a good dish from time to time, sewing clothes or something, which is very pleasing to him, which is like his wife, five big and three thick, not only ugly, but also unable to give birth. It's a pity, no matter how good the concubine is, she can't bear to have a troublesome brother-in-law, I thought he was really a capable person, but I didn't expect to get into trouble in a few days. Fortunately, the concubine has just entered the door and is not pregnant yet, so in the future, let's find another girl who knows the roots and is good at giving birth to enter the door.

He was about to agree here, but over there, the owner was not happy: "Everyone wants to tie me up, I don't have a word, it's just a pity for the villagers!" What a good opportunity, I was scared by others, and I became a turtle with a shrunken head first! No wonder the villagers have been cattle and horses for a lifetime, and they can't make a fortune! It's because some people are timid and stop in the head everywhere! ”

Grandpa Zhang glanced at him: "Liu Laoba, what kind of goods are you, you know it in your heart!" You've only been here for a month, you hide far away when you work, but you run in your head when you divide the money, the big guys have eyes, and it's not so easy to be fooled by you! You don't want to sow discord here! ”

The "Liu Laoba" snorted: "Uncle Zhang, you are old, and you haven't even figured out the simplest truth." Now, even if the Nie family is not busy building a house, the Gu family's vegetable patch is not waiting for anyone! It's only been a few days? Where do they go to find someone? In the end, it's not asking us to do it?! Who doesn't go home for a reunion during the Mid-Autumn Festival?! Their family is mean and refuses to let go! He also threatened to quit us if we went home for the holidays! If you want me to say, everyone should go to his house together to ask for an explanation! There are only two old widows and little granddaughters in his family, and as long as they are scared, they will not dare to speak again, and they may give us more silver......"

Before he could finish speaking, Grandpa Zhang was about to smash him with a hoe, but he hurriedly dodged, and everyone was startled and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him. Grandpa Zhang was stopped, and he didn't forget to scold in his mouth: "The black-hearted king of the eight lambs who can't die well!" If you really want to do what you say, Ming'er will have a radius of 500 miles, and there will be no way for us old and young masters to live! Do you want us to go up to the mountains and be bandits?! Even the women and children of the family will suffer! Who raised such a son of a king like you?! ”

The swarthy man shouted at the "Liu Laoba": "You still don't want to get out of here?!" For your sister's sake, I won't tie you up to see the official, go back and take your sister away, don't let us see you in the future! ”

"Liu Laoba" snorted hatefully, turned around and slipped away quickly. The others wanted to stop him, but they didn't stop him, so someone turned around and complained to the swarthy man: "Boss Chen, why did you let him run away?!" Grandpa Zhang said, let's tie him up and go to see the Nie family! ”

Boss Chen knew that he was at a loss, so he had to look at him left and right: "Did Grandpa Zhang sprain his waist?" Shall I help you to sit on the side and take a rest? When I get back, I'll go and get paid, and I'll say some nice things to the butler, and ask him not to spread the word......"

Grandpa Zhang spat him and scolded: "You are papier-mâché when you are Grandpa Zhang?!" Which sprained?! You don't need to get your salary! Little second son, you go! You have always been the best at talking, make amends to the housekeeper, and say that I have taught your eldest brother a lesson, and there will be no such thing in the future, please have a lot of him, and there will be work in the future, we will arrive immediately, even if you don't eat or sleep, you will help him do a good job! ”

Boss Chen's face was red and white for a while, looking at the faces of the people around him, he regretted it indescribably.

The hired men were all in a hurry, and they did not notice for a moment that a young man was eavesdropping on them behind a mound of earth in a field not far from them. When the young man saw that "Liu Laoba" had fled, he secretly noted the direction in which he fled, so he quietly retreated, quickly jumped into the mountain forest, climbed all the way up the high slope, jumped off the rocks, turned a few corners along the rugged mountain path, and came to a small valley. Liu Dongxing and Luo Mingmin each carried a bamboo basket and had been waiting there for a long time.

After listening to the young man's report, Luo Mingmin sneered: "When I first exterminated the mountain bandits, I found out that he was missing, I thought that he would not be able to become a climate alone, but I didn't expect that he was not ambitious, and the officers and soldiers exterminated his accomplices, so he planned to pull another gang by himself!" ”

Liu Dongxing snorted: "Who told you to be careless, so that he found a flaw and escaped?!" Then he glanced at the boy, "Do you know who he is now?" Let's see if you will be a good person in the future! ”

The young man was so ashamed that his face was red: "Xunwen will not be coaxed by him again!" After a pause, "Young Master Liu, what should I do about this?" The hired men are gone, and the Nie family ...... And the Gu family, there is no one to call it?! ”

Luo Mingmin touched his head and looked at his friend: "That's right, no matter what, Nie Heng and I are also friends." Liu Dongxing was silent, and the corners of his mouth curved: "Isn't it?" We can't leave it alone, if we hadn't accidentally let Liu Chongba go, his family would be fine now......"

Wen Yi was worried about the hired labor for two days, and then encountered another trouble. Uncle Zhang quietly told her that Nie Heng had ordered someone to buy sweet potato seedlings before, but he only bought very little, and he still paid a high price. Because sweet potatoes have always been harvested in spring and autumn, in addition to selling some, most families will keep sweet potatoes for seeds, or prepare to eat them as grain when they are not green and yellow next year, and there are almost no potato seedlings on the market for sale.

Wen Yi was frightened, and hurriedly went to ask the old farmer for advice. The old farmer thought that she didn't believe in herself, and was excited for a while: "Really! I can plant! Southwest slope, no wind! Warm! Just plant it and you can grow it! ”

Wen Yi didn't understand, and a man next to him smiled: "What his old man means is that the soil slope of the Nie family is southwest, and the cold wind can't blow it, and it is close to the hot springs, there is no frost in autumn, and it is warmer than elsewhere in winter, so you can grow sweet potatoes." Although it is not as productive as the spring plant, it can also harvest a lot. When there is no food at home, that one can last for a long time! If it doesn't grow well, take it and feed it to the pigs. ”

Wen Yi then understood, and couldn't help but feel embarrassed for a while. If the sweet potatoes can really grow, if they can't grow, where will the Nie family have many pigs to feed?!

She returned to the village dejectedly, and was about to go to make amends to her eldest cousin, but she only bought a part of the potato seedlings anyway, and while she didn't lose too much money, she might as well find another crop that could be planted.

When she walked to the door of the courtyard of the farmhouse rented by the Nie family, she saw a young man talking to Steward Ye of the Nie family, and Steward Ye's face was full of joy. As soon as the young man inadvertently turned around, she recognized that it was one of the three mountain people who robbed her last time, and remembered that he had been a scholar with a big cousin.

As soon as she approached, the boy noticed her, and hurriedly saluted her. She nodded, called him up, and looked at Steward Ye again, asking each other with her eyes. Steward Ye said happily: "Miss Cousin, Xunwen's family lives on the mountain, and there are thirty or forty idlers in his whole village, so they can come over to help!" The salary is only 70% of the previous one! ”

Wen Yi was taken aback, first happy in her heart, and then began to hesitate. This Xun Wen said that he was a mountain man, but he was a robber, and I don't know if the people in his village are reliable......

As soon as there was a look of hesitation on her face, Xunwen was anxious, and hurriedly said, "Miss Gu, we can really do a good job!" Aren't you worried that you have nowhere to find sweet potato seedlings? We have it in our village! A lot of uncles and uncles will take care of this! ”

When Wen Yi heard this, not only did she not feel happy, but became vigilant: "How do you know?!" ”

(Merry Christmas to everyone~~~)