The place where Zhu Guoxiang inspected was later called Jintanling Reservoir, but now it is only a long and narrow river valley.

There is not much flat land on both sides of the river, and paddy fields are extremely scarce, most of which are dry land at the foot of the mountain.

Huge bamboos towering in the river valley, interspersed with some thatched houses made of bamboo mud.

Abandoning the ship and landing on the shore, wandering around for a while, Zhu Guoxiang couldn't help but ask: "Why don't you see rich people in the valley?" ”

Wen Luan, who accompanied him, replied: "There are not many people in the valley, only more than 100 households, all of whom are tenant farmers of the Nianfo Temple. ”

"Nenfo Temple?" Zhu Guoxiang frowned.

Wen Xiaomei pointed to the mountains to the west: "There is a Buddha Rock in the west, and there is a Nian Buddha Temple in the mountain, which is the dojo of the fourth generation patriarch of the Pure Land Sect. Master Fazhao was once respected as a national teacher by the Tang Dynasty, and the Nianfo Temple has also flourished to this day. ”

Zhu Guoxiang continued to move forward, and saw smoke on the other side of the river, so he crossed the river by boat to check and found that it was a bamboo charcoal burning workshop.

The charcoal burners were busy working, but a monk was lying outside basking in the sun.

Hearing the footsteps of the crowd, the monk yawned and opened his eyes. Seeing that Zhu Guoxiang was extraordinary, and with many followers, he hurriedly stood up and folded: "Amitabha, I don't know what happened to the donor." ”

Zhu Guoxiang actually replied to the Taoist priest: "I am a four-grade purple-clothed Taoist official, and I came here to visit the mountains and rivers." ”

The monk secretly complained in his heart, since Song Huizong believed in Taoism, the monks in the world are no longer beautiful, and even ordered to encourage monks to become Taoists. The monk said: "The little monk is aware of it, and he is ordered to take charge of the charcoal field here. ”

"The bamboo charcoal here has to be transported back to the Nianfo Temple?" Zhu Guoxiang asked.

Monk Nianzhi said: "Only pay a fixed amount every month, if there is excess bamboo charcoal, it is allowed to be sold in Yangzhou City." ”

Zhu Guoxiang asked again: "Is there a disaster here in the spring drought this year?" ”

Monk Nianzhi said: "The drought is quite serious, fortunately the elders in the temple opened a warehouse to help the people, and the people in the valley can tide over the difficulties." ”

"It's really compassionate." Zhu Guoxiang sighed.

Monk Nianzhi asked: "Can the Taoist official go to the Nianfo Temple for a visit?" ”

Zhu Guoxiang said: "No, I came to visit Wenjia and Yundang Valley, and by the way, I went to the valley here to enjoy the beautiful scenery." ”

"I see." Monk Nianzhi finally reassured that this Taoist priest was not here to find fault.

Bidding farewell to the charcoal field, after walking a little farther, Zhu Guoxiang asked, "How does the temple behave?" ”

Wen Luan didn't want to say bad things about the temple, so he only replied euphemistically: "My ancestors worshiped Confucianism, believed in Buddhism, and had good ways all their lives, and I and other descendants did the same." It's just that in recent years, I have been disturbed by mundane things, and I have not gone to the Buddhist temple to burn incense and worship the Buddha. ”

The whole family believes in Buddhism, and the Buddha Temple is close at hand, but they have not been going to the temple to burn incense.

Why is that?

Of course, it's not pleasing to the eye to see the Buddhist temple!

Wen Tongna was really honest all his life, and he presided over the repair of the city wall of Yangzhou City. The school on the side of Xingyuan Mansion was also expanded by him. Handled many projects and made a little oil and water, which was enough for him to make a fortune.

However, many famous ministers in the Northern Song Dynasty unanimously evaluated Wen Tong as "incorruptible" and "poor".

He had accumulated most of his life's money, and he could only buy a few hundred acres of land in Yundang Valley (which cost less than 1,500 yuan), and the rest of the money was even a shabby house.

Wen Wuguang maintains this family style, is poor and happy, and lives in seclusion in the valley all the year round, and does not even go to the state city much.

When encountering a monk who is greedy for money and abuses the people, he disdains to be with him.

Zhu Guoxiang turned to look at Wen Xiaomei: "Sister can say it clearly." ”

Wen Xiaomei said: "When the ancestors were alive, the Buddhist Temple was still compassionate. In recent years, the Son of Heaven has worshiped the Tao and suppressed the Buddha, and the state officials no longer come to burn incense. Even folk believers often go to Taoist temples to worship. The temple lacked a lot of incense money, so it exploited the nearby people. Even in the year of famine, he no longer gave porridge to the people, but took the opportunity to borrow money and annex nearby land. The Buddha Rock has a radius of four or five miles, all of which have become temple properties, and the rent is extremely heavy. ”

The Song Dynasty collected taxes and treated them equally.

Temples are also required to pay land taxes, but they are not subject to exorbitant taxes and forced labor.

However, excesses and miscellaneous taxes and forced labor are often several times or even more than ten times the regular tax. This is the reason why the temple can grow, and it is also where the degree can be used as a securities.

Generally speaking, in places where taxes are very heavy, farmers are willing to donate their fields to temples as tenants.

It can make the Wen family feel disgusted, which shows that the land rent of the Nianfo Temple is extremely heavy, and the peasants are attached to the temple, and their lives are similar to being exploited by the government.

Zhu Guoxiang smiled: "How about I harvest this valley?" ”

Wen Xiaomei pursed her lips and smiled: "I'm afraid I'm going to be angry with those bald donkeys." ”

Different from Shen Yourong's plump and charming, Wen Xiaomei's figure is slender and slender, with a strong bookish atmosphere. At this moment, the smile bloomed, like an orchid blooming, and Zhu Guoxiang was stunned for a few seconds.

Wen Xiaomei was stared at by him, her cheeks flushed, but she didn't turn her head to dodge, but looked back with a smile.

Zheng Fatzi suddenly felt that the atmosphere was wrong, and subconsciously looked at Zhao Fengji.

Zhao Fengji had already turned around and admired the beautiful scenery in the valley, as if he didn't know anything. He had already realized that Zhu Guoxiang and Wen Xiaomei chatted closer and closer along the way.

"Ahem!"

Wen Luan coughed twice, breaking the ambiguous atmosphere.

His sister-in-law once married Huzhou, because she had not given birth to a son and a half daughter for many years, and she had a very unpleasant quarrel with her mother-in-law. Because of the Wen family's affection, they didn't dare to divorce their wives, and they accepted several concubines one after another.

But those concubines can't give birth to children, and it is obvious that the man has a problem.

The mother-in-law doesn't care about all this, she relies on Wen Xiaomei's head. Although he didn't beat and scolded, he didn't give a good face all day long, and the family atmosphere was extremely depressing.

After a long time, Wen Xiaomei couldn't stand it, so she simply took the initiative to file for divorce. I asked my aunt and uncle for help, forcibly sentenced me to reconcile, and returned to my mother's house in Yangzhou last autumn.

If Zhu Guoxiang has not renewed, Wen Luan will naturally be happy to see good things, and both parties will not be wronged by anyone even if they are married for the second time.

But Zhu Guoxiang has already renewed, do you want to marry your sister as a concubine?

The Wen family can't afford to lose that person!

Look at your own uncle...... Uh, no, it's to look at Wen Jialangjun, Zhu Guoxiang's old face turned red, and he continued to explore the situation.

Until they were hungry anymore, everyone finally returned to Yundang Valley.

After eating, Zhu Guoxiang took out the emperor's gift of land documents, handed it to Zheng Hong and said: "I'm tired of Erlang to go and take this document to see the Xingdao County Order." Let's just say that the Son of Heaven gave the land, I took a fancy to the river valley east of the Nianfo Temple, and planned to occupy even the mountains and valleys, so that the county government would send officials to come over to demarcate the land boundary, and by the way, the nearby people would resettle. ”

"Yes!" Zheng Fatzi ran away with the paperwork of Citian, full of energy.

When the emperor gives land, he often gives it together with people and land, and directly gives the people on the ground to be customers.

Totally unreasonable!

Zhu Guoxiang didn't feel sorry, it was better for him to accept the land and people than to be occupied by the temple. Moreover, he was lenient to the people, and the peasants in the valley would definitely prefer to follow him rather than continue to endure the exploitation of the monks.

As soon as Zheng Hong left, Wen Xiaomei said: "The slave still has some questions about the scriptures, and I want to ask Mr. ”

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I also want to ask my little sister to teach her painting skills. ”

A pair of dog men and women, Lang went to the study with affection, completely ignoring the opinions of others.

Wen Luan hurriedly ran to see his father: "Dad, my little sister seems to be interested in Mr. Zhu." ”

Wen Wuguang was slightly surprised and asked, "This Zhu Yuanzhang should have a wife, right?" ”

Wen Luan said: "The child has inquired, Mr. Zhu's original partner is deceased, and he remarried two years ago. ”

"Ridiculous!" Wen Wuguang was angry, "Call your mother." ”

Not long after, Su Shi walked into the room, and Wen Wuguang explained the situation: "I have to find another family for my little sister." ”

Su Shi said angrily: "If she wants to marry, the young talents in Yangzhou can be chosen at will." But in the past six months, she has looked for several things, but she still refuses to nod. Can you still find an in-law and tie her up to get married? ”

Although Wen Xiaomei is a divorced woman, she is beautiful and talented, and she is Wen Tong's granddaughter and Su Zhe's granddaughter.

Don't say anything else, just the Min family.

Once Wen Xiaomei nodded, the Min family would definitely hire her immediately, and let the main sect's sister-in-law, Ming Media, be married, and she would not care about her identity as a divorced woman at all.

Hearing his wife's words, Wen Wuguang was quite annoyed, and scolded again: "That Zhu Yuanzhang is extremely famous, but he didn't expect to be such a disciple." I was kind enough to stay as a guest, but he hooked up with my beloved daughter! ”

Su Shi smiled: "What are you annoyed about? The little sister has been depressed in Huzhou for many years, so what if she is the wife of the wang family, can she live happily one day? When she returned to her parents' house last year, she was thin and out of shape, and she would take half a year to improve her complexion. In my opinion, as long as she is happy in her heart, she will be the same as a wife and a concubine. ”

"Confused," Wen Wuguang said, "not to mention the shame, if you marry to be a concubine, you must not be insulted by your wife." Where can you be happy? ”

Su Shi smiled, slapped the table and said, "I see who dares to make things difficult!" ”

Wen Wuguang complained: "My little sister has been angry in Huzhou for many years, and I don't see you come forward to support you. ”

Su Shi said: "That's because I don't know, otherwise I would have been killed in Huzhou a long time ago." I have the final say in this matter, as long as my little sister is happy, don't worry about the parents. ”

"The Wen family has been innocent for generations, how can there be daughters and people as concubines?" Wen Wuguang instantly pulled down his face.

Su Shi asked, "Who in this family has the final say?" ”

Wen Wu Guang was speechless, and looked at his son with a weak heart, but saw that his son had already slipped away.

Wen Wuguang didn't admit that his wife had the final say, and he didn't dare to quarrel with his wife, so he could only sit there and sulk.

Su said: "This Mr. Zhu, although he is not young, is handsome and upright. is still a cultivator, there are no wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his skin is as smooth as a teenager. With such a beautiful man's appearance, even I like it, how can my little sister not be moved? Speaking of talent, who doesn't know that he is good at farming? "Zhu's Agricultural Book" was transmitted to Xingyuan Mansion. "Zhu's Arithmetic Sutra" is an edict issued by the Son of Heaven, ordering arithmetic students in all states to study. ”

Wen Wuguang wanted to roll his eyes when he heard this.

Su Shi continued, and with a smile on his face, he completely appreciated his son-in-law's tone: "His son Zhu Chenggong, a young tanhua, even the official family is full of praise. I heard that Zhu Chenggong's knowledge was passed on from his father, and this Mr. Zhu must be full of wealth. Such a talented and good-looking lover, where to find this miss? My daughter's vision is much better than Ling. ”

Wen Wuguang couldn't help it: "No matter how good it is, it's not a good match, people already have a wife!" ”

Su Shi still said: "Who in the family has the final say?" ”

"It's up to me!" Wen Wuguang roared with courage, and then quickly got up and brushed his sleeves away.

"Stop!" Su Shi drank heavily.

Wen Wuguang trembled when he heard this, but he didn't stop, and continued to speed up and walk outside, unwilling to see the same as a woman again.

(If you notice that punctuation is missing, it's a display issue with the starting point.) I often put a comma, but I can't show it, so that the two paragraphs are connected. ）

(End of chapter)