in2ebook Chapter 297: Grain Tax
Chapter 297: Grain Tax
Zhang Jinlan was overwhelmed by the words of praise.
Her old face flushed.
Somewhat embarrassed.
In fact, the mung beans, flour, etc. stored at home can be sold for a year.
The reason they say this is simply because they are afraid that someone will plot against them and steal their food.
Besides, her family runs a shop, not a charity, so it is impossible for them to never raise prices.
But otherwise, she was telling the truth.
The overall rise in food prices has driven up vegetable prices.
Nowadays, if you want to have a meal in town, you have to pay more than three times more than before.
Some unscrupulous merchants even increase the price tenfold.
I can't afford it at all.
I heard that the food at Jiang’s Snack Shop was sold at full price.
These people were immediately attracted.
The line that was originally as long as a dragon now looks as long as a kite string.
I walked around several alleys in Baishi Street.
Some uninformed people saw people queuing in another alley and thought that it was some landlord giving out porridge, so they followed suit.
After waiting for an hour, I found myself at Jiang's snack shop.
There were a lot of jokes.
"Mom, business is so good today, how about we close the shop later?" Jiang Eryong came over in a hurry.
He was so tired that he was sweating profusely.
My hands were sore from carrying things that they were twitching slightly.
But he was in pain and happy.
Who doesn't like money?
"No, if we don't raise the price, we've already offended many merchants in the city. If I hadn't said that we should sell out all the stock before raising the price, I'm afraid they would have troubled us. At this time, we can't be too ostentatious. As usual, we should sell out all the prepared goods and close the store."
Zhang Jinlan shook her head repeatedly.
The news she said this morning has spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred.
Plus there was a notice posted on the shop door.
So today the shop's business is more than ten times better than usual.
However, the head of the family reminded her.
So, she directly rejected her second son's proposal.
"Okay, I'll listen to mom." Jiang Eryong nodded and went back to the front to work.
When Jiang Fubao returned home in the evening, he did not behave as usual.
She sat on the sacks of grain.
It swayed back and forth along with the shaking of the ox cart.
It's like riding a roller coaster, so fun.
Jiang Siyin and Zhang Yanzi were worried that their daughter would fall out, so they surrounded her from the left and right.
Return to the village.
Jiang Fubao saw Jiang Guangyi's face was covered with bruises and he came out of the house with a sad look on his face.
Since that beating.
The whole family was paralyzed in bed for several days.
So we missed the chance to grab food.
Only Zhou Gai'er's daughters carried basins and bamboo baskets to pick up a lot, otherwise there was no brown rice at all in the house.
No one knew who harvested the brown rice from their fields.
As a result, when they want to cause trouble, they don’t know who to turn to.
The village, which was originally disunited, is now unusually united, and everyone said that they didn't see who cut the brown rice from his family.
Jiang Guangyi could only swallow his anger.
There are two days left before the grain tax and fines have to be paid.
If you can't take it out again.
I was afraid that my son would be taken away by the officials to perform labor service.
After all, grain tax cannot be avoided.
That's all the money left at home.
Maybe we can’t even buy enough brown rice to pay the grain tax.
Jiang Guangyi was so worried that his hair turned white.
He thought of one last solution, which was to go to Jiang Guangan's house to borrow food.
Go in, then come out.
Behind him, his eldest son, who was originally adopted, was pushing a wooden cart.
"Lin Feng, Dad..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Jiang Linfeng.
"What did you promise my father just now? You can borrow this grain and never bother me again in this life. From now on, you and I have nothing to do with each other."
Jiang Linfeng had a stern face and didn't even look at him while he spoke.
The contrast is huge compared to his filial appearance in previous years.
Jiang Guangyi felt a little regretful.
His youngest son, whom he had always valued, disappointed him greatly.
But the eldest son, whom he originally looked down upon, has been adopted away.
Ever since my eldest son and his family passed away.
He never had a good life again.
He knew that he couldn't say anything to regret it.
I’m afraid I really can’t recognize this son.
The day to pay the grain tax soon arrived.
Ten constables, led by the chief constable named Lu, drove over in several horse-drawn carriages.
Those villagers who did not receive help from the Jiang family did not know where they got the food.
After all, the grain tax was paid in full.
However, there are also many families who cannot afford the fine.
So a son or grandson was sent to perform corvée labor.
Some families with few people even sent out an old man who was almost fifty years old.
As a result, he was scolded by the officials and sent back.
In the end, his only grandson was dragged away by the officials.
The family knelt on the muddy ground at the entrance of the village, crying miserably.
Jiang Fubao felt that they looked unfamiliar.
After thinking for a long time, I remembered that they seemed to live in a mud house at the westernmost end of the village.
The surname is Chen.
Grandma said they fled to Jiangjia Village many years ago.
They did not participate in the rush to harvest.
The villagers knelt down and begged for help, but they didn't come.
They are just invisible people, standing neutral and not getting involved in anything.
The couple had only one son, who died of illness a few years ago, and their daughter-in-law also abandoned the child and remarried.
Only two granddaughters and one grandson are left.
The eldest granddaughter is fifteen years old, the grandson is fourteen years old, and the youngest granddaughter is twelve years old.
"Old Chen, are you stupid? Your eldest granddaughter is already fifteen years old, you just collect the betrothal money and marry her off casually. A granddaughter is not as important as a grandson."
"That's right. If you can't marry into my family, I'll help you get married. The betrothal gift is two taels, which is just enough to pay the fine. My nephew from my family is old enough. I can go to the next village and call them before the officials leave. If you can't wait, I can pay first."
"Wang, everyone in the village knows your nephew is stupid and has no idea what's going on. Don't harm Hongju. This girl is diligent and capable. She's good in every way. If she marries your nephew, her life will be ruined."
"You're talking nonsense. My nephew is not very smart, but he is not stupid. He knows to wipe his butt when he poops and runs home when it rains. How can he be stupid?"
The topic was quickly diverted.
Old Chen, who was kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy, ignored them.
He just kept kowtowed regardless of anything.
Even though his forehead was broken, he did not stop.
"Grandpa, please marry me off. You can't let the police take my brother away. If anything happens to my brother, how can my parents rest in peace?"
Chen Hongju cried miserably.
She knelt on the ground, her forehead red from the knocks.
"No, sister, I'll go. I promise to come back. Grandpa, don't sell my sister. Find a good family for her."
Chen Tianfeng, who was grabbed by the police, shouted.
He was afraid that his grandparents would really make up their minds and marry his sister to a fool.
"No, Grandpa won't sell you. If God wants to exterminate my descendants, then do it. I deserve it. I must have done something wrong in my previous life. Otherwise, why would he take my son away in this life and take you away too? I accept it!"
Old Chen wiped his tears and looked at his grandson.
There seemed to be a farewell in his eyes.