Chapter 5 The Noble Man
"Brother, we have early work!" After a while, someone shouted outside.
This man is Zhao Datou's son, named Tieniu, who also works in the cowshed. Meng Yuan liked that he was honest and honest, and took good care of him. Sometimes he would give him eggs to eat, so they had a good relationship with him and asked Meng Yuan to work together every day.
Meng Yuan went out and went to the cowshed with Tieniu.
There is not much work to do in winter, just shoveling manure, drinking water and adding grass, and there are very few chores left. After all, winter is a leisure time, and the fields do not need to be cultivated.
But Li Zhuangtou was really not a human being and did not allow others to rest for a while. Seeing that Meng Yuan was capable, he assigned many tasks to him. In addition to gelding sheep and oxen, he also shoveled manure, cut grass, leveled the soil and swept snow, so he sent him to replace him. Sleeping with my wife.
Moreover, even Uncle Jiang, the only veterinarian in the village, had no time to spare. As long as there was nothing in the village, he was sent to a nearby village to do private work, and his second son was also asked to follow him. All the money he got went to his second son.
Even a child like Jiang Tang had to weave as many straw rope bamboo baskets as the village wives, and all the weaved baskets were given to his eldest son Li Dabiao to sell.
There is absolutely no meat in three meals a day, and they often skip meals. They resell manure from the farm, chickens and piglets, which can be described as both stingy and greedy.
There was nothing the villagers could do. Li Zhuangtou was an old man who came with the princess as a dowry, and he was also ingratiating himself with Manager Liu of the palace. The father and son really dominated the village.
After working for more than an hour, everyone took a shower and then went to the dining hall to have breakfast.
Jiang Tang was already waiting. She took out two dried dates and wanted to give them to Meng Yuan, but Meng Yuan glared back.
After dinner, Meng Yuan was talking to Tie Niu about bullshit skills when he heard the rapid sound of a gong outside, which was meant to summon the villagers.
When everyone came to Zhuangzi's hall, they saw a carriage and two mounted guards.
The two maids got off the carriage first, and finally the master.
The man was wearing a light-colored cloak, with a ring of white fox fur on the edge of the hood. He had his hands in his sleeves. He was a good-looking man, about twenty years old. He stood upright and looked around at everyone.
"Miss Xunmei, why are you here? Wasn't it always Mr. Liu in the past?" Li Zhuangtou, who usually yelled, bowed his head and stepped forward to please.
Meng Yuan had heard of this girl. She was the princess's capable maid and was deeply loved by the princess.
It's just that this person is full of grandeur. He doesn't look like a maid at all, but more like a serious master.
"The New Year is coming soon, and the princess ordered me to come and take a look." Xunmei's voice was as calm as a snowy plum, and she walked towards the lobby.
Li Zhuangtou quickly followed in, and the other villagers didn't know what they were doing, so they just stood outside.
Meng Yuan could tell clearly that this girl Xunmei was most likely here to check the annual accounts.
Sure enough, after waiting for a while, Li Zhuangtou came out of the lobby and called people in for questioning, but he didn't go in again. The people who came out after asking were all happy, but the faces of Li Zhuangtou and his son became increasingly ugly.
After waiting for less than half an hour, Meng Yuan, Old Man Jiang, and Jiang Tang also got the opportunity to enter.
The girl Xunmei had already taken off her cloak and was looking at the account books in front of the small desk, with her other hand still holding an abacus.
"Are you the new veterinarian?"
"As you say, that's right." Meng Yuan replied.
"Have you ever been bullied or treated harshly in the village?" Xunmei asked again.
"The princess treats me kindly and no one bullies me." Meng Yuan had long wanted to kill Li Zhuangtou and his son, but he did not report casually.
From Meng Yuan's point of view, Zhuangtou Li might have settled his account long ago. And even if the report was made, it was just a trivial matter of reselling manure and chickens and piglets. As Li Zhuangtou's dowry servant, there was probably no danger today.
"How much money does the banker give you every month?"
"Replying to your words, we have only been to the village for a month and we haven't received it yet."
"Do you know whether Mu Zhuang used the name of the palace to bully nearby villagers?"
"I'm waiting for someone new, but I haven't heard of it."
"I see you are smart in your answers. Have you studied?" Xunmei raised her head and looked at Meng Yuan. When she saw that although Meng Yuan's clothes were ragged, he could not hide his handsome aura, she took a second look before leaning over to settle the account.
"I've read it before and know a few words." Meng Yuan said.
"Can it be settled? Can it be calculated?" Xunmei asked again.
"I have read a few arithmetic scriptures," Meng Yuan replied.
"Today there are chickens and rabbits in the same cage. There are eight heads on top and twenty-six legs on the bottom. I want to ask how many chickens and rabbits there are." Xunmei directly asked the question. Meng Yuan knew the answer immediately without even lifting a finger, but he looked like he was thinking, paused for a few breaths, and then said: "But five rabbits and three chickens?"
The girl Xunmei smiled slightly, with a hint of admiration, and said: "The princess is kind and will not let the servants starve and freeze. You are a new arrival. You will have a good life here and you will have a bright future." ”
Meng Yuan understood. This meant that he could read and calculate accounts and was already a prepared "high-class servant", but because his status was too new, he had to wait a little longer.
"Thank you, sir." Meng Yuan thanked him quickly, but he didn't know when he would be supported.
"I'm not a noble person. Just like you and me, we only work for the princess." Xunmei seemed to have a good impression of Meng Yuan. She took out a small porcelain vase, "It's hard work, but there is always time to pick up a book again. I just happened to bring it with me. A bottle of frostbite ointment, you can cure the frostbite on your hands.”
"Sister Xie Mei." Meng Yuan stepped forward to take it. He had already changed his title. He was really climbing up the pole.
Xunmei waved, and the little maid next to her took out three pieces of broken silver and gave them to Meng Yuan and the others.
Weigh it gently, it's about one tael. No wonder the people who were questioned before went out happily. It turned out that they had received the reward.
"The New Year is coming. This is what the princess ordered. Everyone has it. But you are new here. I gave you more. Don't publicize it." Xunmei smiled, and the three of them were moved when they saw Meng Yuan. After crying and snotting, the three of them were allowed to leave.
Meng Yuan didn't have the chance to use his licking skills, so he couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Check out the 16-9 book bar and see the correct version!
After leaving the lobby, Li Zhuangtou and his son outside stared at Meng Yuan and Old Man Jiang with gloomy faces.
Uncle Jiang was frightened and whispered: "We didn't say anything."
Li Zhuangtou waved his hand impatiently.
Meng Yuan didn't say anything, but he had an idea in his heart.
Xunmei's hand in distributing the New Year's silver reward was obviously to prevent someone from intercepting the profits. This also shows that the princess is not only kind, but also good at doing things.
It can be seen that the people above are good, but Li Zhuangtou and his son below are greedy and cunning, and their execution is bad.
On the other hand, Xunmei isolated Li Zhuangtou and his son, and asked the villagers about the affairs of the village. This was to find out in detail whether there was any deception in Muzhuang. It can be seen that the princess also knew the virtues of the people below, and she was trying to prevent the slightest mistakes.
Sure enough, after checking the accounts, Miss Xunmei walked a few more pens, and then strictly ordered Li Zhuangtou not to treat the villagers harshly, not to withhold food or drink without permission, not to cause trouble in the name of the palace.
Li Zhuangtou and his son were so angry that they didn't dare to breathe, so they responded eagerly. But as soon as Xunmei left, they burst out laughing and didn't avoid people at all.
Meng Yuan watched with cold eyes, guessing that Li Zhuangtou and his son must have committed more than this trivial matter, and couldn't help but feel proud as soon as they passed the test.
But Meng Yuan didn't have any clue to bring them down.
After a busy day, I finished my work and returned to my residence.
After washing up briefly, Meng Yuan was pulled into her small thatched house by Jiang Tang.
A lamp was like a bean, and the two of them sat side by side on the bench. Meng Yuan wet his fingers and wrote Jiang Tang's name on the broken table.
Jiang Tang didn't learn it very carefully, and after a few strokes, he whispered: "Sister Xunmei is so beautiful today."
"You will be more beautiful than her in the future." Meng Yuan said matter-of-factly. This girl has a good foundation, but is a little thinner. If she takes good care of her, she will probably be a flower in a few years.
Hearing this, Jiang Tang lowered his head, and his face could still be seen blushing under the dim light.
Although the yellow-haired girl's shyness is innocent and cute, it also makes her unable to flirt with her at all.
"Brother, how do you use this?" Jiang Tang took out a small porcelain bottle. This was the frostbite ointment that Xunmei gave to Meng Yuan, but Meng Yuan threw it to Jiang Tang.
It’s just frostbite ointment, how else can I use it? This girl is very mean-spirited at such a young age!
Meng Yuan took the porcelain vase, and Jiang Tang quickly stretched out his hand.
She weaves straw rope bamboo baskets every day, and her delicate palms are covered with tiny cuts cracked by the frost, which makes Meng Yuan feel distressed.
Applying the ointment to the cracked area on her hand, Meng Yuan rubbed it gently and said, "Next year, you won't have frostbite again."
Jiang Tang nodded happily, and then she applied ointment to Meng Yuan's hand while humming an incoherent shepherd's song.
(End of chapter)