Chapter 88: Revealing old scores
Li Xiaoshan came running to deliver the message, "Sister, the government has sent food. It's under the old elm tree. Everyone is waiting for you."
The ledger is at Lu Chengjing's place, and the food distribution is based on the ledger, so Shang Wan's family can naturally get through it.
"Wait a moment." Shang Wan came out of the shed, put away the ax, and went to the well to wash his hands.
Xiaohuan took the sawdust out of her hair for her and wanted Shang Wan to change into clothes. Shang Wan waved her hand, "No, the shed still needs to be repaired. We have to continue it when we get back."
Xiaohuan had no choice but to give up.
Lu Chengjing put the account book on his lap and wheeled his wheelchair over.
"Sister, where is Brother Shitou?" Li Xiaoshan looked around but didn't see Shitou.
Shang Wan said: "Shitou went to the city to pick up someone."
She took all the bricks and plaster out of the space last night while everyone was asleep.
Shitou saw it when he got up early in the morning and thought he was dazzled. I wanted to ask Shang Wan, but I was led astray by Xiaohuan's few words. I forgot about it after eating the morning meal.
Now that we have the materials for the early construction of the house, He Si Zhi and his party can be brought in to work. The family cannot live in a shed forever.
Shitou offered to go to the city to pick them up, and after lunch he drove the ox cart into the city.
Li Xiaoshan asked curiously: "Who are you picking up?"
"Builder of a house." Shang Wan bent down and picked up Yuanyuan, who was rolling happily on the soft cushion, and straightened the small knot on the little guy's head.
Li Xiaoshan said "Oh", ran behind Lu Chengjing's wheelchair, and said to Xiaohuan: "Sister Xiaohuan, please rest while I push my brother-in-law."
Li Xiaoshan has become familiar with Shang Wan and others these days, and even Yuanyuan likes this little brother who plays with her.
Xiaohuan smiled and said, "You should be careful."
Li Xiaoshan agreed wholeheartedly.
The half-grown boy eats a lot and is very strong. He can push the wheelchair easily.
There was a little turtle lying on Little Gray's head, and the two stayed together to look after the house.
The group of people were chatting and laughing, but heard a noise before they reached the foot of the old elm tree.
Shang Wan raised his eyebrows, it was a coincidence that the Lin family came back.
"Give way, give way, Master Xiu Cai is here." Li Xiaoshan shouted, and the villagers spontaneously gave way, and their eyes fell on the ledger on Lu Chengjing's lap.
Shang Wan and Xiao Huan walked behind and followed him in.
Shang Wan glanced around and saw that the person delivering relief food this time was actually an acquaintance, Shan Dajun.
Standing next to Shan Dajun was a strange-looking man. He looked to be about the same age as Village Chief Lin. He was slightly chubby and had dark skin.
He has thick eyebrows and long eyes, a hooked nose and lower lip as thin as paper, a goatee on his chin, and a stern face with drooping eyebrows.
Judging from the attitude of the Lin family towards this person and the word "Lizheng" mentioned many times by the villagers, this person should be Qin Lizheng who lives in Xiaohe Village.
Seeing Shang Wan and his party, especially Lu Chengjing, who was coming in a wheelchair, Qin Lizheng's eyes flashed, and he raised his hand to stroke his goatee again and again.
When Father Wu and others saw Lu Chengjing, he seemed to have seen a savior, and hurriedly said: "Master Xiu Cai, please comment. Paying attention to work is a method discussed by everyone. The Lin family has no one to do the work, so now we will share the food." But you want to take the majority, how can there be such a reason in the world? "
Lu Chengjing frowned, but before he could speak, Lin Jianshan, who was standing opposite, said first: "My family has a share of the disaster relief food distributed by the court. My father is the village chief. Doesn't he do enough for everyone on weekdays? My family deserves it." Divide the bulk.”
"Besides, Lu Xiucai has benefited from keeping accounts for you. Naturally, his judgment towards you is also unreasonable. Li Zheng is here, you should listen to Li Zheng."
Li Dashan spat: "You only talk about doing things, why don't you mention how much benefit your Lin family has received?" "Yes, why don't you mention that your family occupies all good land?" Someone took the opportunity to question.
Liu Chengdao: "Your house collapsed due to the flood. When the new house was built, the young and old men in the village worked hard. Not to mention paying wages, but should we take care of the food? But what kind of food did your family cook? There was no oil or meat. Forget it, it’s hard to even eat.”
Someone echoed, "I'm so hungry that I don't even have the energy to work."
Ms. Liu whispered softly, "I didn't ask you for help. I rushed here to beat the autumn wind, and you still have the nerve to blame us."
An aunt was not happy to hear this, "Who is making trouble? Liu Xiaolan, please explain it clearly to me!"
"Yes, make it clear!"
"Good intentions go unpaid, and you don't abuse people like this!"
As they talked, they started to quarrel, and the villagers pointed at the Lin family and cursed them, including both meat and vegetables, which made everyone spit.
The Lin family was not willing to show weakness. If they couldn't argue, they started to settle old scores, each voice getting louder than the other, and it was more than just a mess.
Lu Chengjing ignored the noisy group of people and quietly observed Qin Lizheng while flipping through the ledger.
Xiaohuan silently remembered the various disputes in the village, thinking that the quarrel revealed much more information than just asking.
Shang Wan came over to greet Shan Dajun with Yuanyuan in his arms.
"Brother Shan, how much food can our village get this time?"
Hearing Shang Wan greet Shan Dajun so naturally, Qin Lizheng turned his head slightly and glanced at her more.
Even Mr. An treated Shang Wan with courtesy and was protective. Naturally, Shan Dajun would not take advantage of Qiao and was willing to do a good job in front of Shang Wan.
With a smile on his face, he pointed to the grain bags stacked on the three carts and said: "The grains on the carts are all there. Among the nearby villages, Yushu Village has the largest number of people. Your Excellency specifically ordered an additional 10%. The way to the village I know him well, so he sent me here.”
Shang Wan took a quick look and saw that there were three carts. Each cart could haul about seven to eight shi of grain. Three carts together could feed the villagers for three meals a day and one meal of rice.
If you save a little on food, one month is enough.
Shan Dajun approached Shang Wan and whispered: "Master Lu raised thousands of stones of grain from a group of squires, which solved your lord's urgent need."
Shang Wan raised his eyebrows, how could the grain in the squire's hand be so easy to get? The Lu family must have been bleeding profusely this time, and they must have suffered a lot of anger.
"Ahem, be quiet!" Qin Lizheng suddenly coughed twice and scolded with a straight face, "We are all from the same village. Let's be considerate of each other. What happened in the past is in the past. Now it's important to share food!"
"The messenger is still waiting to return to meet the Lord. If it is delayed, which of you can afford it?"
Shang Wan secretly curled his lips and raised the banner as soon as he opened his mouth, making it clear that he was trying to scare people.
But I have to say that this trick is very effective against villagers.
The noisy group of people, who were blushing and thick-necked, all stopped talking, and their thoughts returned to sharing the food.
Many people looked at Lu Chengjing, Father Wu and others expectantly.
It was they who proposed the method of counting according to work, and they also made a guarantee to the villagers that if the work was in vain in the end, the villagers would not do it.
Village Chief Lin bowed to Qin Lizheng with a look of shame on his face, and said with a hint of helplessness in his tone, "Brother Qin, it's me, the village chief, who is so incompetent in governing the village that an outsider has messed up the village. You’re seeing a joke.”
The words were directed at Shang Wan's family.
If Shang Wan's family hadn't moved to the village, Village Chief Lin would still be a responsive presence in the village, respected and fawned over by everyone.
The Lin family also enjoys the welfare of the village as a matter of course. Even if a disaster occurs, some method of dividing food according to work will not suddenly appear, causing the Lin family to suffer.
(End of chapter)