Mulberry Town is not too far from Jiangzhou. The road is relatively flat. There are green mulberry leaves on both sides, and you can't see the edge at a glance.
A carriage came slowly.
"Brother-in-law, look! There are so many mulberry leaves!"
Su Lingyue poked her head out of the carriage, her face full of surprise, like a country bumpkin.
"Look at your potential!"
Lin Bai rolled his eyes.
I originally wanted to travel with public funds, but this girl caught me and forced me to follow her.
The key is that the old mother-in-law actually agreed. According to Siniang, the old mother-in-law couldn't control it anyway, so she let him, the brother-in-law, take charge.
Who knows that my brother-in-law can write poems and fight? The little girl is convinced.
All right!
The old mother-in-law has said so, Lin Bai dare not take her. After all, the lady has spoken, and this time they will get married, but the key is the old mother-in-law’s nod, so...
I can only please you in all aspects.
"Uncle, the town of Mulberry is just ahead. Should we go to the town first or..."
Zhuiyue asked while driving the car.
She was specially sent by Su Mingyue. She had been with Su Mingyue since she came here. She had been here with Su Mingyue before and was relatively familiar with it.
Secondly, she knows some martial arts and can ensure Lin Bai's safety when she goes out.
Although Zhuiyue didn't feel it herself, the events of that day were still fresh in her memory, and it was not certain who would protect whom, she still came happily.
"Go to town first."
We don't know anything about the situation here, so we can only start with the Su family's original channels.
"Look! There are silkworm farmers there, picking mulberry leaves."
The little girl was startled.
Lin Bai gave her a headache.
Gaze away.
There were many silkworm farmers picking mulberry leaves on both sides of the road, and there was a small village in the distance, with smoke rising from the kitchens, urchins chasing each other, and the sounds of fighting.
In addition, there was also the sound of a woman crying.
"what happened?"
Su Lingyue was out of curiosity.
The carriage gradually approached, and I saw several men surrounding a woman. The woman was sitting on the ground crying, saying something unknown.
"Damn it, a few grown men bullying a woman?"
The little girl was so full of chivalry that she seemed about to rush out.
very good!
He has the potential to cause trouble!
Lin Bai grabbed her collar and said with a straight face: "You little girl, what did you say when you came here?"
"Brother-in-law, they bully others. Don't you scholars always say that when the road is rough, you draw your sword to help?"
"Second Miss, that's what the martial arts practitioners said."
Chaiyue interjected.
"It's the same anyway."
Lin Bai said angrily: "Why are you bullying someone? They just stood there and didn't do anything. It's nothing."
"Use your brain, this is a village, outsiders don't dare to mess around."
Lin Bai was a little curious as he said this, and the little girl kept chattering, so he decided to go and have a look, and learn about the market situation of silkworm cocoons.
As the three of them approached, they heard the woman's crying voice become clearer and clearer, "You guys do well, we can't open the pot anymore, we can't lower the price any more, we won't be able to survive if we continue to do so. Xiaohu is still lying on the hospital bed, the village chief said. …”
"Don't cry so much. Outsiders think we did something to you. You want to sign or not. Now you don't want to inquire about the market."
"That's right, if you don't sign now, you won't be able to sign it later if you want to."
"Brothers and sisters! We are all the same, and we are not your family. Think about it for yourself!"
The man called the village chief waved his hand, "Let's go to the next house first!"
The little girl originally wanted to do something heroic, but when everyone left, she was a little disappointed.
But the woman's crying did not stop, but became more and more sad.
"Auntie, are they bullying you? Don't be afraid, we will stand up for you."
The little girl said that and wanted to chase her out, but Lin Bai grabbed her by the collar and could only punch the air with both hands, "Brother-in-law, let me go!"
The woman finally stopped crying, glanced at a few people, seemed to not want to say anything more, and tried to get up.
Zhuiyue hurriedly stepped forward to help and said, "Auntie, are you in any trouble? Tell me, and maybe my uncle can help you."
Having just heard the other party cry and complain about lowering the price, Zhuiyue had roughly guessed what was going on.
This is the purpose of the group's coming here.
When the woman heard this, she looked at the people seriously, "Who are you?"
Zhuiyue said: "We are from the Su family cloth shop, and this is my uncle."
"Buzhuang?"
The woman was startled when she heard these two words, and then knelt down directly, "Master, Master, please do well, the price cannot be lowered, the women of the common people really can't survive anymore, the women of the common people are orphans and widows... …”
"Mom, please don't do this."
Lin Bai was stunned, so he quickly helped him, "Get up first, and talk to me if you have anything to say!"
"Yes! Auntie, my uncle and those people just now are not together." Zhuiyue also explained quickly.
The two of them talked hard and finally persuaded the woman.
"Auntie, what kind of agreement did they sign for you? Did the price go down a lot?"
Lin Bai asked.
The woman nodded, "Sir, it's not that civilian women are greedy for money. We really can't live anymore. The young silkworms are prone to disease and will die if you're not careful. Your work will be in vain all year round. There are also various taxes. In good years, we can Those who stutter are pretty good..."
The woman seemed to have found an outlet to vent her hardships.
Lin Bai was also born as a farmer in his previous life. Although it was not so hard, he could understand it to some extent. The little girl grew up in fine clothes and had a good life, so she couldn't understand it at all and was filled with incredulity.
"Auntie, even so, life won't be unbearable, right?"
When the woman asked, she started sobbing again, "It's all my fault, the civilian husband. He was originally a soldier and had gone to the battlefield to kill the enemy, but later he was seriously injured. One of his legs was crippled. He could no longer work while lying on the bed. He was also very long." The medicine is kept on my lips every year, and the poll tax from the imperial court is also indispensable. If it goes on year after year, my life will be unbearable."
"Isn't there any pension from the court?"
Zhuiyue couldn't help but said.
"It is said that there is, but the women have not seen much money, so they are probably embezzled."
"Damn it, these corrupt officials!"
Su Lingyue gritted her teeth and asked, "What about uncle?"
When someone asked about her husband, the woman's tears seemed to burst.
"Let's go! The tax collectors came last month and the family couldn't get the money out. The husband didn't want to burden the women and children, so he secretly hanged himself on the bedside in the middle of the night."
What! !
The little girl's face instantly turned pale, and she was stunned.
Chai Yue was not much better, his whole body was shaking.
Even Lin Bai couldn't stand it. Although this kind of thing is not uncommon in history books, this is Jiangnan!
Jiangnan has been prosperous since ancient times!
If this is the case in Jiangnan, wouldn't it be true in other places...
"Sir, please do your best. A common woman really can't live anymore. Her husband has left. A common woman cannot lose another child."
She seemed to think of something when she mentioned the child, and ran home quickly, "Tiger tiger tiger boy!"
…
