Chapter 96
96 Reap What One Sows
Two days later, Zhu Zhencheng sent someone to invite Chen Yaozu and Zhou Jia to Tongzhou. Before Zhou Jia left, he took Li Qing away and prepared to find an academy in Qingzhou for Li Qing. He began to prepare for the exam in peace.
Two days later, Chen Yaohui returned from Tongzhou and told Li Yu that the government office had sentenced Ye Lianggong to 50 strokes of beating and 50 taels of silver. He was also exiled.
After the village chief recovered, he brought the hunched and trembling Madam Liu and the dazed Chen Baozhen to Li Yu’s house to apologize.
Madam Liu pulled Chen Baozhen to kneel in front of Li Yu. She begged with tears in her eyes, “Xiaoyu, I didn’t teach my daughter well. Please let her off on account that Baozhen has already suffered retribution!”
Li Yu looked at the village chief and Madam Liu, who had aged a lot in just a few days. She then looked at Chen Baozhen, who was kneeling behind Madam Liu. “Grandpa Village Chief, let them get up! The matter has already passed. Don’t take it to heart.”
The village chief glanced at Li Yu and cried. “Xiaoyu! I’ve let you down. I originally relied on your support to flee all the way here to have such a stable life. Everyone should have worked together to live a good life. Who knew that that evil creature would make such a huge mistake? I’m too ashamed to see you!”
The village chief panted and continued, “I’m not as energetic as before. Can you talk to Mr. Zhou and see if he’s willing to take care of the village?”
Li Yu shook her head. “Grandpa Village Chief, Zhou Jia is preparing to participate in the examination next year. I think your Uncle Yaohui and Uncle Yao are good people and fair. No matter who becomes the village chief, it’s the best thing for our village.”
The village chief thought for a moment. “If Mr. Zhou wants to take the imperial examination, it’s a big matter that our entire village has to fully support. Let’s let him prepare for the examination in peace. As for the candidate for the village chief, your Uncle Yaohui is a little indecisive. I’ll plan it with the other families.”
Li Yu nodded and smiled. “I think the most important quality of the chief is to be righteous and fair.”
“Okay, I’ll make a note of what you said. I’ll go back and work with the old ones. Thank you for your magnanimity.”
After Li Yu sent the village chief away, she carried a basket of wool thread to the Zhou family. Uncle Zhou took out the madder, bluegrass, and purple grass that he had dug up for Li Yu.. “Miss, these can all be dyed. What color do you want to dye?”
Li Yu asked curiously, “Uncle Zhou, I only know that blue grass and madder can be dyed. I’ve also seen someone dye it after boiling water. I don’t know how it was done exactly. How do you dye the colors?”
Uncle Zhou smiled and took out the madder from the box. He pointed at the roots of the madder and said to Li Yu, “Dyeing with Madder is done with the roots of the madder. After cutting it, we boil it with vinegar and put it in a jar. After covering it and fermenting it for a few days, you can use it to dye things red. The color will be different if the medium is used. You have to add salt appropriately to ensure that the color lasts and doesn’t fade easily.
With bluegrass, the dye is made from the leaves and roots of bluegrass. It’s soaked in water in a vat and pressed down with stones. After soaking for a few days, it’s added to the lime powder in a ratio of one to five… It’s recorded in these top techniques.”
Li Yu did not expect the ancient people to have such good knowledge of plant dyeing. She raised her thumb and praised, “Uncle Zhou, you’re still the best. I’ll leave the dyeing to you.”
Uncle Zhou smiled until his face was full of wrinkles. “Alright, don’t worry, Miss. I’ll do it well.”
Li Yu left the Zhou family’s house in relief and went to the pond. She saw that the workers had already tidied up the pond and poured the mud into the wasteland.
Ruyi, who was supervising the workers, came out of the field and said to Li Yu, “Miss, the wheat field has already been covered with winter soil. There are still more than 100 acres of wasteland left. The short-term worker said that he wants to finish plowing before the winter solstice.”
“Alright, if you’re done early, ask them to dig the septic tank and cistern. I think that’s fine. Go and hire more people to fix them all at once to avoid trouble next year. Keep an eye out for short-term workers who are sincere and dutiful. Ask them if they’re willing to sign a contract with our family and work for us. Those who are willing to work can wait until the farm is fixed next year. We’ll provide them with accommodation and the family can come to work and get their salary.”
“Okay. A few of the short-term workers have already asked me. They said they want to come to our house to work as long-term workers or tenants. But I haven’t noticed the rest. From today onwards, I’ll pay attention.”
Li Yu smiled in relief. “Alright, go ahead! I’m going back.”
Ruyi bowed to Li Yu. “Alright, I’ll go back and talk to those short-term workers and get them to call more people to work.”
Li Yu nodded and turned around to walk back. She planned to go to the village entrance to cut a few bamboos and go home to shave them and knit sweaters.
Li Yu chose three thick pieces of bamboo and cut them down. She picked up the clean bamboo branches and carried the bamboo back. At this point, Zhou Jia and Li Qing had just rushed back from Tongzhou and saw Li Yu. They chased after her.
“Sister, let me carry the bamboo.” Li Qing jumped out of the car and took the bamboo Li Yu was carrying, letting Li Yu take the cart home.
After Li Yu got into the cart, Zhou Jia smiled and said, “Xiaoyu, I found a private school called Xiushan for Ah Qing. The teacher is a scholar in his forties. His character is upright and not pedantic. His knowledge is also not bad.” Zhou Jia smiled. “It’s just that he doesn’t have good luck in the exams. Every time he goes, he either has diarrhea or ruins the paper.”
“You can arrange these things. Are you going to the academy or are you going to prepare for the exam at home?”
Zhou Jia said in a low voice, “It’s better to prepare for the exam at home! I saw more and more people escaping to Tongzhou this time. I heard that the drought and locust plague in Qingzhou are still ongoing. The victims even peeled off and ate tree bark.”
When Li Yu heard this, she felt extremely indignant against the bureaucrats. “These dogs. They’re already in such a state, yet they’re not helping with the disaster relief. When the time comes, we’ll cause chaos and kill them all.”
Zhou Jia mocked, “They only want money as officials. Do you think they will care about the lives of the commoners if they treat them as tools to accumulate wealth?”
Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia and smiled. “I didn’t expect you to be an angry youth.”
“What do you mean?” Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu in confusion.
“It means young men who are dissatisfied with the present and somewhat cynical.”
“I see. This description is appropriate, but I’m not cynical. I just hate those corrupt officials,” Zhou Jia said.
Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia and said meaningfully, “I heard from Master that as time passes, most people will live to be cynical and hateful after being tortured by life. Don’t become someone you hate in the future.”
Zhou Jia held Li Yu’s hand. “Yu’er, as long as you’re around, no matter how difficult it is, I’ll protect my heart. No matter how long it takes, my heart will be the same.”
Li Qing stood at the door. When he turned around and saw Zhou Jia holding Li Yu’s hand again, he shouted unhappily at Zhou Jia, “Xiao Xi, it’s so cold outside! Let my sister in!”
“Little brat, you’re getting bolder.” Zhou Jia looked at Li Qing resentfully.
Li Yu smiled and jumped out of the cart to follow Li Qing home.
The women working in the rooms began to get off work. Seeing Li Qing return from Tongzhou, they asked, “Ah Qing, how’s the business in Tongzhou?”
Li Qing frowned. “Business is still good. I heard that more and more people are fleeing here. The drought in Qingzhou is still so serious.”
When everyone heard this, they were a little sad and glad that they had escaped early and had a stable life.