Chapter 219 220 Rumors
A few days later, when Mrs. Liu was buying groceries, she heard the two women in front of her discussing in a low voice: "I heard that Mrs. Zhong went to visit Master Zhou. She was sent out within a quarter of an hour after entering. The county magistrate Madam, you have such a big air!"
"Isn't that right? My wife went to visit his house, and she only sat there for a while before leaving. I heard that the county magistrate's wife was cold to others and didn't have a smile on her face."
Mrs. Liu spat and thought to herself: Damn it, if you have the ability to speak to your face, what is your ability to speak behind your back? I was so angry that I didn't buy any food, so I turned around and went home. I wanted to tell Li Yu about the discussion I heard, but then I thought: Don't make my wife so angry, tell the master.
Zhou Jia listened to Mrs. Liu's indignant words and smiled nonchalantly: "You are right. You don't need to tell my wife these gossips. Besides: your wife is a dignified first-class protector of the country, do you still need to put on airs?"
"Master is right, does my wife still need to put on airs?" Mrs. Liu smiled happily, "Master, I went shopping for groceries."
In a blink of an eye, Li Yu's pregnancy was already three months old and the fetus was already firmly seated. Zhou Jia took Tu Dianshi and the yamen servant to the township to check the household registration and land acres. Mr. Wen and Li Qing followed General Zhong Shen to Qinglongzhai Mountain to collect herbs. went.
It was the time for rice planting and breeding again. Li Yu went to Zhuangzi outside the city and saw that the foundation of the school opposite Zhuangzi had been laid, and more than a dozen craftsmen were busy sweating on the construction site.
Li Yu went to the corn field. After planting the seeds, only a few seeds did not survive. After transplanting the corn with more seeds, it was almost fully grown. In less than a month, the corn had begun to joint and grow taller. , the two-acre cornfield on the slope looks green.
Li Yu came down from the slope and went to the rice field. He saw that the long-term workers had tidied the rice field and dug the furrows. Villagers from Houshan Village also came to Li Yu's village and followed Li Yu to learn seed selection and soaking.
Li Yu taught the villagers all the skills and precautions he had learned about seed selection and soaking without reservation. Li Yu waited in the village until the rice seeds were white, and then separated the wild rice seeds and domestic rice seeds. After throwing the batch into the rice field, he handed it over to Yang Wei before driving the carriage back to the city.
Zhou Jia and Tu Dianshi took several government officials and worked in the countryside for a few days. They counted the population and farmland of each village and town, as well as the undeveloped wasteland. They also informed the village chiefs of each village and encouraged the villagers to open up wasteland and cultivate land. , a group of people returned to the county town from the countryside.
Zhou Jia was sorting out the number of cultivated fields in the signing room during his trip to the countryside. After Tu Dianshi read the counted population, he said excitedly: "Sir, I didn't expect that so many villagers have come back. They are all cultivated. I heard that many villagers are using the methods taught by my wife to select and soak seeds, and some are planning to plant winter wheat at the end of the year!"
Zhou Jia said: "They are all planting winter wheat! This is a good thing! I hope everyone will buy more food and have enough to eat as soon as possible."
At this time, a little girl walked to the door carrying a food box, stood at the door and saluted: "Sir, I am the little girl of your family. My third lady sent cakes to the master, and asked me to bring them to some adults to try. .”
When Tu Dianshi saw that Zhou Jia didn't even raise his head, he walked over with a smile, took the cake from the little girl's hand, and said with a smile: "I happen to be hungry. Please thank your lady on my behalf."
After the little girl bent her knees and saluted, she carried the food box and walked to Yu Yan who was waiting at the door. She whispered: "Miss, Mr. Zhou didn't even look at it. It was the cakes that Tu Dian took."
Yu Yan said with a cold face: "I want you to talk more!"
Li Yu drove the carriage and just walked to the house next to the county government office when he saw Yu Yan next door with a maid and a food box in her hand coming out of the county government office with a gloomy face.
Yu Yan was stunned for a moment when she saw Li Yu, then stepped forward and saluted, "I've met Madam."
Li Yu smiled lightly and said, "No need to be polite!" After saying that, he walked towards the door. Yu Yan looked at Li Yu's back and opened her mouth, but still did not shout out.
In the county government office, Tu Dianshi looked at Zhou Jia with a wicked smile, picked up a piece of pastry and took a bite, "Oh! It's delicious! Mr. Zhou, why don't you have a piece!"
Zhou Jia glanced at Tu Dianshi lightly and threatened: "If you laugh again, I will go home and open fire on my own!"
Tu Dianshi held the plate and covered his mouth, and said: "Don't laugh, I promise not to laugh. Sir, you are too cautious! The little girl brought food to Sir Yu, and also gave it to me and Mr. Qian. This It can only mean that this girl is well-educated and knows etiquette."
Zhou Jia rolled his eyes and thought: You have never been pestered before, so you don't know how powerful it is. Some women can't give her a good look and have to let her back out of trouble.
"Do you think it's a gift to give food to my husband? Old man, why are you laughing?"
Tu Dianshi also imitated Zhou Jia, rolled his eyes and said, "Where am I smiling? Am I smiling?"
The two were joking around when Yu County Lieutenant came in and saw the pastries in Tu Dianshi's hand. He smiled heartily and said, "My three girls are the best at making pastries. They taste great!"
Tu Dianshi chuckled and said, "I'm eating just right. Mr. Zhou doesn't like sweets, so he's taking advantage of me."
"As long as you like it. Mr. Zhou is young and doesn't like sweet things." Yu County Lieutenant took a post and put it on Zhou Jia's table. "Sir, Xu Jinlong, a wealthy businessman who just moved back to Qingchuan, has some friendship with Xiaguan. The post invited us to a banquet at his house, and I heard that several singers from Qingzhou were invited to sing!"
Tu Dianshi looked at Yu County Lieutenant: "Xu Jinlong? That house in the deserted house behind the alley?"
"Yes!" Yu County Lieutenant nodded. Tu Dianshi read the post and said with a smile: "This old boy would put a lot of money on his face, write poems and songs, and sing to the moon! We were studying in a private school back then. He dozed off as soon as he came to class, and his hands were beaten into pig paws by his teacher. Later, the bandits in Qinglong Village became more and more violent, and his family moved away! It seems that the news that our Qingchuan has improved has spread It’s so fast! Even the Xu family is back!”
Seeing that Zhou Jia was still busy sorting out the files, County Lieutenant Yu said to Zhou Jia with a smile: "Sir, I'll let you know whether you want to go or not! The steward of the Xu family is still outside waiting for a reply!"
Zhou Jia put down the file, waved his hand and said: "Old Yu, you and Mr. Tu go together! My wife should come back from Zhuangzi today. You see, I am still dirty. I have to go home and wash up."
Yu Xianwei pulled Zhou Jia and said, "Sir! This is not good! They mainly want to invite you to go, but Mr. Tu and I are going. What's the big deal? Besides! In recent years, farmers' taxes have disappeared, and the county's We have to rely on these merchants to pay taxes!”
Tu Dianshi looked at Yu County Lieutenant's embarrassed look, fearing that there would be a gap between the two of them, so he persuaded Zhou Jiandao: "Sir, Xu Jinlong is quite cheerful. Aren't you worried that there is not enough money to build the county school? We were at the banquet Let’s mobilize this group of people to donate some money to build the county school!”
Yu Xianwei also echoed: "Yes! Yes! These people have a lot of money, and we set up county schools for the benefit of the entire Qingchuan County."