Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

“You don’t farm every year?”

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but ask again.

The old woman replied loudly: "Zhong, my family has planted fifteen acres of land!"

At this time, Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but feel a little confused, "What about the food you planted?"

The old woman looked at Zhu Gaochi in surprise, and then replied slowly: "The grain taken back will need to be paid as tenant rent, and taxes will also be paid to the Yamen... In addition, I will return some grain to Mr. Wang in the village. The men in the family and If my son is going to work, he must bring enough food with him, otherwise he will starve to death..."

"This……"

Zhu Gaochi was already a little scared after hearing this, and continued to ask: "There are still seven or eight months until next year's autumn harvest. If all the rice is finished, what will you eat?"

The old woman said expressionlessly: "I can only go to Mr. Wang's house in the village to borrow some money!"

"Loan?"

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but feel a bad feeling in his heart, and quickly asked: "How to borrow money?"

The old woman said: "Borrow one liter, and after the next autumn harvest, I will return two liters, and they will borrow it!"

Zhu Gaochi only felt his scalp numb and his whole body cold, "Then what will you do when the cold winter comes next year?"

The old woman's eyes subconsciously showed a trace of confusion, "I can only continue to borrow money..."

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but murmured to himself: "But, the loan can be renewed next year, but what about the year after that, or the year after that?"

The old woman gradually became sluggish. She hadn't thought that far yet. Maybe she would die before the year after next, or...

After being stunned for a long time, the old woman hurriedly said: "The year after next, my grandson will grow up and can help Mr. Wang's family herd cattle and cut grass.

After a few years of this, my grandson will be able to rent more fields for planting as he grows older..."

Zhu Gaochi asked again: "What about the fields before your home?"

"previous……"

Speaking of this, the old woman's eyes regained some sparkle.

"There was no food to eat, so I couldn't pay off the loan, so I sold some... A few years ago, in order to find a wife for my boss, I sold the remaining three acres of land!"

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but murmured to himself: "But, without the fields, how will you live in the future?"

"There is always a way... there will definitely be one... If it really doesn't work, you can still sell yourself, to Mr. Wang or Mr. Li..."

Zhu Gaochi's breath tightened. He was in charge of the cabinet this year. He looked at the memorials sent from various places in the Ming Dynasty. He thought that although the lives of the people in various states and counties in the Ming Dynasty were difficult, they should have enough food and clothing.

However, he never expected that the people around the capital were already in such hardship. Even before the end of the year, they had already reached the stage of borrowing food. If they borrowed money for another two years, they would need to sell themselves as slaves...

On the side, the old woman was holding a bowl of rice bran in her hand, looking at Guo An blankly, wondering whether she should put the rice bran into the pot.

However, if she didn't take the pot, she would have to give back the four taels of silver banknotes she had just received.

Thinking about it, the old woman seemed to have made up her mind and begged Guo An: "How about I, bitch, borrow a liter of white rice from Mr. Wang..."

"No need to bother like this!"

Zhu Di waved his hands a little irritably, "If you, an old woman, borrow rice again, I'm afraid you will have to sell yourself next year.

Let’s go to a restaurant out front to eat later. You’d better give these rice bran to your grandson..."

"That……"

A trace of disappointment flashed in the old woman's eyes, but then she still felt cruel, took out the four taels of treasure banknotes in her arms, and reluctantly returned them to Jiang Hu.

"These four taels of treasure money will be returned to the noble man!"

"No need for this, we are destined to meet each other, let me help you some more!"

Zhu Di sighed heavily and said to Jiang Hu: "Give her another ten taels of treasure money!"

"Yes, sir!"

Jiang Hu quickly took out another twelve treasure notes from his pocket and stuffed it into the old woman's hand.

The old woman immediately knelt on the ground and thanked her repeatedly, "Thank you so much, sir. You are truly a kind person with a bodhisattva heart..."

"Okay, get up quickly!"

Zhu Di said in a deep voice.

The old woman was startled, and she stood up slowly involuntarily.

Zhu Di asked again: "How many families in your village are there like yours?"

"my home……"

The old woman was stunned for a moment, then quickly replied: "My family is relatively well. My neighbor to the south, my son served as a corvee last year. He didn't bring enough food to repair the river. He was tired and hungry. He fell into the river and couldn't come back. This year, his family The old man probably won’t be able to come back either…

In the house to the south, because the son of the family provoked Mr. Wang, the man was beaten to death by the men sent by Mr. Wang to protect his son, leaving only orphans and widows... In the house to the north, the old man in the family lost a leg, and the old woman was in poor health. The bitch is not asking for money, her son is already twenty, and he has not yet married...

and also……"

Zhu Di took a deep breath and asked, "Why is life so hard here?"

"It's hard...it's so hard for everyone!"

The old woman said slowly.

Zhu Di felt worried and asked again: "A few days ago, the government didn't distribute some money, food and clothing to you to help you?"

"Alchemy? Already alms..."

The old woman thought hard and said, "It's just that we are just untouchables. Those money, food and clothes cannot be given to us!"

Zhu Di asked in a deep voice: "Where did he go?"

The old woman whispered: "Of course it's Mr. Wang and other gentlemen. They all have great reputations and have good relations with the officials in the yamen. Isn't the purpose of giving money to them?"

"These bastards!"

Zhu Gaochi cursed bitterly and asked the old woman: "Those people dare to bully you like this, why don't you think of suing them?"

"How to sue?"

The old woman had a calm face and no mood swings, "We untouchables, if we want to sue them, we have to get slapped with twenty boards first.

We were beaten to death before we even complained!

Even if we are lucky enough not to be beaten to death, we will starve to death if we come back and lie in bed to recuperate for a month...

And those gentlemen who want to deal with us untouchables have many ways to deal with them. Our unworthy lives are worthless, but there are still children and grandchildren in the family who want to live..."

"hateful!"

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but cursed angrily again, but he didn't know who he should scold?

More than 9000 million people in the Ming Dynasty were all so oppressed and exploited, but they didn't dare to resist. He, the prince of the Ming Dynasty, couldn't think of any way to do it!

A feeling of powerlessness suddenly arose in my heart.

"Let's go to the next village and have a look!"

Zhu Di said something in a deep voice and walked straight out.

"It's...Dad!"

Zhu Gaochi responded slowly and hurriedly followed.

However, a few people had just walked out of the old woman's yard, and before they had gone far, a group of people caught up behind them.

"My noble lords, please stay, stay!"

A group of strong men wearing silk directly stopped Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi and others.

"Who are you?"

Jiang Hu quickly took several servants to separate these men from Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi.

"Don't misunderstand me. When my master heard that a noble person was coming to the village, he came out specially. He wanted to invite you to come to the house to have a rest and make friends..."

Before the leading man finished speaking, a fat, white, middle-aged man wearing silk satin came up and saluted Zhu Di.

"Xiaosheng Wang Dequan has met this wise brother!"

Immediately, he looked at Guo An and his group with curiosity.

Guo An, Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi and others were all dressed in silk and satin. They were either famous or powerful officials.

And Wang Dequan likes to make friends with people like Guo An and Zhu Di the most!

"You are wearing silk and satin, you must be that Mr. Wang?"

Zhu Di squinted his eyes and asked quietly.

Wang Dequan smiled a little reservedly, "This noble man is so polite. Because Xiaosheng has lived here for generations, he is fortunate to have the reputation of being a scholar, and he often helps the neighbors around him, so all the neighbors look up to Xiaosheng like this!"

"Oh?"

Seeing Wang Dequan's look of a kind man, Zhu Di felt an unknown fire rising in his heart, and asked in a cold voice: "Do you often help the surrounding countryside?"

"Exactly!"

Wang Dequan still looked at Zhu Di with a humble face and a smile.

... (end of this chapter)