People say that the sunset is the end of the world, but I can’t see my home even if I look to the end of the world.
Zhu Pingan sat on the top of the island, watching the sunset slowly sink into the boundless sea, and he couldn't help feeling melancholy. There was nothing else on the sea except the waves, and he couldn't see a sail. It was a long time before he could return home. Everything else was fine, except that he was afraid that his mother, Chen, would worry and worry after hearing the news... ...
However, the departure of the sunset is only a brief separation, and it will come back tomorrow morning.
Don't worry, mother, your son will definitely come back.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, the bustling Xiahe Village returned to its tranquility. Without a bride and groom, the villagers' favorite bridal chamber prank was omitted, and the entire wedding ended early. The people who came to attend the Zhu family's wedding banquet also returned to their homes one after another.
After everyone had dispersed, a group of five people appeared on the front street of Xiahe Village and walked towards Zhu Ping'an's home. They were Mr. Zhu, Mrs. Zhu, uncle Zhu Shouren, aunt, and Zhu Pingjun's wife.
Almost as soon as people dispersed, Uncle Zhu Shouren came over with Old Man Zhu and others.
"Uncle, what are you doing?" A villager who had just returned from helping Zhu Ping'an clean up the yard saw Grandpa Zhu and his group of five and asked casually with some curiosity.
"Zhang Er, let's go help Lao Er's family clean up."
My uncle Zhu Shouren was wearing a jade-colored silk student's uniform, which made him look more elegant. He raised his head and glanced at the man from the side. He spoke with the pride of a scholar, and his words were full of the attitude of a kind brother.
oh
The villager said "oh", glanced at Mr. Zhu and the others, and then walked past. After walking a distance, the villager rolled his eyes heavily, and he was disdainful of Zhu Shouren's words. If you said you were helping Zhu Ping'an clean up, then why did you run home so quickly after the banquet? You waited until we had cleaned up and finished all the work before you slowly walked over.
Another thing is that I think my uncle Zhu Shouren is too arrogant. He is not even a scholar, but he is so arrogant and never looks people in the eye when he speaks. Ping Anlang has passed the imperial examination and won the first place in the imperial examination. Whenever he comes back to the village, he greets everyone he sees. He always calls them uncles and aunts. No one in the village has ever seen Ping Anlang put on airs.
There is also the Shouyi family. They have become rich, but they never show off. The bridge in the village was built by the Shouyi family. What a good family. Didn’t the Zhu family rely on Shouyi to go hunting in the mountains and work in the fields? He worked so hard. I don’t know what Mr. Zhu was thinking at the time. He almost made the second son’s family leave with nothing!
Now look at Shouyi’s family. They have two big houses, a living by driving a ox-cart, and a son who is the number one scholar in the imperial examination.
I don't know if Mr. Zhu is regretting his decision now...
Ping An Lang is a good boy. He is learning about grain and reducing land rent. This year, the county government has reduced the corvée labor for Xiahe Village by half compared to last year.
What a pity. I hope God will be merciful and Ping An Lang is safe and sound.
... ...
"Boss, I think we should take this matter slow." Mr. Zhu was walking when he suddenly stopped and said to his uncle Zhu Shouren.
"Dad, we have already agreed on this at home." Upon seeing this, the aunt said anxiously.
"How do you talk to Dad?"
Uncle Zhu Shouren scolded Auntie, and when he turned around, he blocked Old Man Zhu and Old Lady Zhu. He gave Auntie a look, signaling her to be patient.
"Dad, I also want to slow down, but I can't. My son will go to take the college entrance examination in a few days. It will be too late if I miss the time. This time my son is sure to pass, Lord Liu and the others have promised him. Once my son passes the exam, it will be too late. Before he passes the exam, if he added more land to his name, the government will not care. He does not have to pay taxes as he has the title of scholar; but after he passes the exam, if he adds so much land at once, the government will investigate, and according to the law, he will be severely punished." After scolding his aunt, uncle Zhu Shouren turned around and explained to old man Zhu.
"After Zhu'er passed the imperial examination, didn't many people donate land to him? Why didn't the government investigate?" Old Master Zhu hesitated.
"My father, my son passed the imperial examination and became a juren. Of course the government won't investigate. Juren are all officials and are family to the government. Who would dare to investigate? But my son, a scholar, is not a good candidate. Once he passes the imperial examination, there will be no need to worry. But my son is a scholar now." Uncle Zhu Shouren said with a bitter look on his face.
"Alas, it's all because of my son's incompetence. If I could have passed the imperial examination earlier, it would have been great. In this way, even if the second brother's family's land did not need to be renamed, I could still protect them from paying taxes." As he said this, uncle Zhu Shouren sighed heavily with guilt.
"The eldest brother is right. The second brother's family has so much land. When Zhu'er was here, they didn't have to pay taxes. But now that Zhu'er is gone, I'm afraid each family will have to pay hundreds of taels of silver just for taxes." Old Mrs. Zhu nodded, then said with a pained look, "Hundreds of taels of silver, you can do anything with them, but you just pay them for nothing. What a loss."
"Hundreds of taels of silver..." Mr. Zhu also felt a little painful.
"Not only that, Dad, you don't know what's happening in the court recently. I heard about it when I went to Anqing Prefecture with a few older brothers to meet Lord Liu last time. I was afraid that you would worry, so I never told you." Uncle Zhu Shouren shook his head, as if there were some things he was difficult to say.
"What did you hear?" Mr. Zhu's heart skipped a beat and he asked worriedly.
"Oh, your son is so confused." Uncle Zhu Shouren sighed heavily before he could say anything.
"What happened to Zhu'er?" asked Mr. Zhu.
"Zhi'er is so confused. Oh, Dad, let me tell you the truth, Zhi'er is in trouble." Uncle Zhu Shouren shook his head and said with a heavy face.
"What kind of trouble can Zhu'er get into? Zhu'er is already..." Old Master Zhu's face turned pale.
"Dad, it was before Zhu'er got into trouble. Alas, Zhu'er was well-educated, but he was still too young. He lacked experience and was easily misled." Uncle Zhu Shouren sighed again.
"What happened?" Mr. Zhu was anxious.
"Now the news has spread. Before the accident, Zhi'er submitted a memorial impeaching the murder of innocent people and claiming credit for it. It impeached a general who killed ordinary people and pretended to be the enemy to report his credit." Uncle Zhu Shouren said with a heavy face.
"Zhi'er is right. People like this deserve to be punished." Old Master Zhu was puzzled.
"Dad, you don't understand. Zhu'er was deceived. The general was fighting bravely on the front line, not avoiding the sword and shed his blood to kill the enemy. The head he handed over even had the hair in the hairstyle of a barbarian. How could he be killing innocent people and taking credit for it? He was a real barbarian. The general was killing the enemy on the front line, but Zhu'er believed the slander and impeached the general. What do you think of this?" said uncle Zhu Shouren, shaking his head.
Mr. Zhu opened his mouth, wanting to speak but no words came out.
"When the general heard about it, he felt so aggrieved that he took off his armor, revealing his scars, and knelt at the door of the Ministry of Justice to appeal..." Uncle Zhu Shouren sighed.
Mr. Zhu opened his mouth even wider...
"There's more to it than that. Dad, do you know what this general's background is?" Uncle Zhu Shouren asked Grandpa Zhu.
Mr. Zhu shook his head with a pale face.
"This general is the current cabinet minister, or what we commonly call the current prime minister, and a disciple of Lord Yan Song!" As my uncle Zhu Shouren spoke, he clasped his fists toward the north with a look of awe on his face.
"Ah..." Mr. Zhu was frightened.
"This year, there were two people who were bold enough to impeach Lord Yan. They were both dismissed from their official positions and thrown into prison. Last year, several more were beheaded...Zhi'er was indirectly impeaching Lord Yan," continued uncle Zhu Shouren.
"Behead..." Old Master Zhu was completely frightened.
"That's right." Uncle Zhu Shouren nodded vigorously, and then continued, "You say that Zhi'er is confused or not. Just one day before Zhi'er got into trouble, the court issued an edict to Zhi'er, asking Zhi'er to go to the Ministry of Justice to petition."
"The Ministry of Justice is under the jurisdiction of Lord Yan, my father. It would be good for Zhu'er to go to the Ministry of Justice..." Uncle Zhu Shouren looked at Grandpa Zhu's face, and then added, "Zhu'er is gone, but the family is still there. How many officials have had their homes confiscated... but there is nothing left after the confiscation... Even if their homes are not confiscated, but Zhu'er is gone, who can protect the second brother's family? The other officials who don't flatter Lord Yan have many means, some of which are obvious. If they want to punish the second brother's family, it will be no less serious than confiscating the family..."
Mr. Zhu was so frightened that he almost couldn't stand.
"But if the land is transferred to my son's name, it will be different. The second son's family and ours have already been separated, and it has been registered at the county government office. There is no way our family will be implicated. The land will be saved."
"I don't want the second family's land. The land is only in my name, but it actually belongs to the second family. I can save hundreds of taels of silver in taxes every year. What can't I do with hundreds of taels of silver? I can buy you and mother some clothes and good food every year, and buy some good tobacco. I only need to give my son ten taels of silver to buy some writing brushes, inkstones, and paper. The rest of the money belongs to the second family, and I don't want a penny. If something goes wrong, the second family will have a way out."
Uncle Zhu Shouren swore to the sky and said sincerely.
Mr. Zhu was persuaded by his uncle Zhu Shouren. He knocked the pipe bowl hard, put it on his waist, and said one word: "Let's go." (To be continued.)