"Yes." Gu Jiu nodded: "I suffered a huge loss in this transaction. You have seen what I am capable of, but I don't know who you are."
The madam smiled.
"What do you want?"
"I want the jade pendant that Gu Wensheng pledged to you."
"Have you seen it?" The madam secretly looked at Gu Jiu while recalling whether there was anything special about the jade pendant.
"right."
"Why?"
Gu Jiu didn't know why, maybe it was because of the sentence "I came to Beijing". Although there was a high probability that what Gu Wensheng said was false, she still subconsciously allowed herself to seize as many opportunities as possible.
"That's my mother's."
"Since it is a mortgage, there is a possibility of redemption. If you take it away, how should I return it then?"
"I'll just take it back."
Gu Jiu knew very well that Gu Wensheng would not come back to redeem the jade pendant. After all, all they wanted was money. With money, you can't buy any kind of jade pendant.
"Okay. Xiaolu, give her the jade pendant."
After getting the things, Gu Jiu left Hongxiang Pavilion. After cleaning up the shop with Ling Yang, Gu Jiu wanted to go back to the government affairs and told Gu Jing what he knew about the children's examination. Unexpectedly, he met the village chief halfway. .
"Village Chief, what happened?"
The village chief sat on the roadside, his face darkened several times with sadness.
"Xiaojiu." The village chief raised his head, sighed, and then lowered his head.
"You go about your business, you can't solve this matter."
Gu Jiu: ...This is the only way for me to go back to the inn. If you sit inside, you will be at the door.
"OK."
"Wait."
Gu Jiu stopped and looked at the village chief, waiting for him to say something.
"Someone in the village is starving to death."
Gu Jiu was startled. Now that spring has begun and the snow on the mountains has melted, there should be more food.
"The water has also been cut off. I came to the city today to discuss with your uncle to see if they have any good ideas, but I couldn't find where they live after several inquiries. Xiaojiu, do you know where they live?"
Gu Jiu nodded.
The village chief was overjoyed and stood up quickly.
"Xiao Jiu, do you really know?"
"I know where they lived last year. The city gate has just been opened not long ago. I guess they haven't moved to a new place yet."
As soon as these words came out, most of the sadness on the village chief's face immediately disappeared.
"Quick, let's go find them now."
The village chief pulled Gu Jiu, pointed to a road and asked, "Should we go this way or that way?"
"Anything is fine. You can get there."
"Then choose the closest one."
"this."
"good."
Before Gu Jiu could put down his hand, the village chief pulled her and started running without stopping.
"Xiaojiu, is this the place?"
Gu Jiu nodded, and the village chief knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Gu Zheqi's voice came out, and the village chief immediately returned: "I, the village chief, Zheqi, is your father at home?"
With a creak, the door opened, and Gu Zheqi put on his coat and looked like he had just woken up.
"My father will be back soon. How do you know, village chief... Gu Jiu! Why are you here?"
Seeing Gu Jiu, Gu Zheqi's sleepiness suddenly disappeared and he looked at Gu Jiu with wide eyes in disbelief.
"Are you following me? Were you the one who followed me last night?"
Gu Jiu: "...No."
"What's not, who else could it be if you weren't following me? How did you find this place if you hadn't followed me?"
"Whether you believe it or not, I 100% did not follow you yesterday. I can guarantee that!" As he spoke, Gu Jiu raised his left hand with his index finger pointing up, with a sincere attitude.
The corners of Gu Zheqi's mouth twitched, not believing what Gu Jiu said at all: "Then why did you come here?"
"Follow the village chief."
Looking at Gu Zheqi's gaze, the village chief nodded slightly hesitantly: "Ah, yes, I followed him as soon as we met him on the way."
Gu Zheqi let the village chief in doubtfully.
Gu Jiu: "...Goodbye."
Tsk, who wants to go in? You'll have to blame me if you lose something.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Gu Jiu walked out of the alley, he met Gu Wensheng.
"Gu Jiu, why are you here?"
Gu Wensheng looked at Gu Jiu suspiciously and warily, as if she had planted a bomb.
"I met the village chief on the way, and while talking, I came here. Uncle, please go back quickly. The village chief seems to have something important to see you."
After saying that, Gu Jiu was about to leave, but Gu Wensheng immediately grabbed her.
"You're all here, let's hear what's going on together."
Gu Jiu:......
Gu Zheqi: "...Why are you back again?"
Gu did not speak for a long time and found a place to sit by herself. She was indeed a little curious about what the village chief said. It was spring now, how could there be another death?
Although there are many people in the village who are selfish, there are also some who are kind-hearted and have helped the original owner's family.
"Vincent, the village chief came here this time to tell you something important."
"Gujia Village is out of water."
From the village chief's description, Gu Jiu quickly figured out the cause and effect: there was insufficient rain this year and the rivers also stopped flowing. The villagers had just planted the seeds. They were afraid that the situation would happen again last year, so they poured water from wells to irrigate the fields. After repeated visits to Gujia Village, they could not get water.
If there was no water in Gujia Village, they would have to exchange grains from nearby villages. This trip would be like drinking a dove to quench their thirst.
"Zhaojia Village needs one pound of multi-grain noodles for a bucket of water, and Taohua Village needs three pounds of multi-grain noodles!"
"One pound of multi-grain noodles is a day's ration for a family. If this continues, the entire Gujia Village will die!"
Gu Wensheng thought after hearing this: "Can't you go to the town or come to the city to buy some water?"
"well."
The village chief sighed: "We don't want to, but it's not that easy. Although there is still water in the other villages, there is not much. If you want water in the town, you have to pay for it with grain or silver. As for this county, alas , it is no longer allowed to take supplies out of the city."
"Wen Sheng, you don't know as many people as I, the village chief. Let's see if you can think of a good idea."
Gu Wensheng nodded: "Then I'll find someone to see if we can secretly transport some water out."
"Okay, okay, if you have time, come back and take a look."
Gu Wensheng nodded: "No problem, but now there will be an exam in less than two weeks, so he won't go back first."
"The village chief also understands that if..."
From then on, Gu Jiu didn't listen much anymore. The people in Taohua Village wanted three times the food, and it seemed that Wang Dahu had something to do with it. No matter what, he was involved in this matter, so he couldn't let it go.
"What do you want to do?"
Gu Zheqi, who had been watching Gu Jiu closely for fear that he would steal something, suddenly became nervous when he saw Gu Jiu stand up.
Gu Jiu glanced at Gu Zheqi speechlessly. What else could there be in this room besides bad words? Is there anything worth stealing for her.
Bah, what kind of stealing? She wouldn't take other people's things for no reason!
"Go home and eat."
Gu Jiu said angrily, turned around and looked at the village chief and said, "Village Chief, wait for me..." I'll go back and clean up, and I'll look back at my village with you.
"Xiao Jiu has nothing to do during this time, and he has nothing to do. So he will follow the village chief back to see if he can help. In any case, the affairs of Gujia Village are the business of each of us!"
Before Gu Jiu could finish his sentence, he was stopped by Gu Wensheng.
She deserved to live for so many more years and let him take over as a good person. She should have known that this man calling her in would not do anything good.
"My uncle and I have really had nothing to do recently. Yesterday, I saw my uncle visiting the brothel. Village chief, we will pack up later and return to the village with you."
You want to play, right? It’s just right. You can go back with me!
Gu Wensheng immediately retorted: "That won't work. Zheqi has exams in the next two days. I don't worry about him being here by himself."
"It's okay, Xiaojing is about to take the exam, so it's just the right time for them to keep her company."
"Who?" Gu Zheqi said in disbelief: "Gu Jing? Isn't it embarrassing to take the exam with that little potato lump? What's the point of going there?"
"But if I win, my cousin won't be the youngest child within dozens of miles."
Gu Jiu watched Gu Zheqi reply unceremoniously.
For a moment, both Gu Wensheng and Gu Zheqi wanted to skin Gu Jiu alive. The tense atmosphere did not affect the village chief at all, and he happily pushed Gu Wensheng to clean up.
"Xiao Jiu, hurry up and get those things, we'll leave later! You don't need to get the quilt and you can just sleep with your sister-in-law Xia after you go back!"
The village chief said to Gu Jiu cheerfully, although he felt that Gu Jiu was young and could not solve the problem 90% of the time, but after all, he had solved the food problem before, and it was always good to have one more person go back to help find a solution.
"Okay, then I'll pack my things and come back here later."
"Okay, okay, go quickly."
"Wait a minute!" When he was going out, Gu Zheqi stopped Gu Jiu and insisted on searching him.
Gu Jiu rolled his eyes: "Gu Zheqi, are you sick? Your eyes have never left my body since I entered the door. Where can I steal? The village chief and your father are still waiting for me to come back. Hurry up Step aside!"
After pushing away the people, Gu Jiu first went back to "Jiuyang Book Store" and briefly explained the situation to Ling Yang, then returned to the inn and told Ye Qingyi and Gu Jing the whole story.
"Xiao Jing, things in the village are not easy to deal with. There is an exam in half a month. My sister can't check your homework every day. You have to remember to study. My sister may come back to check you suddenly that day. It’s homework!”
Gu Jing nodded: "Don't worry, sister, I will definitely study hard!"
"Xiao Jiu, see if there's anything missing?" Ye Qingyi asked, pointing to a large bundle of things.
When Gu Jiu saw the half-meter-long bundle, he immediately said, "Mom, if I go back like this, I will be robbed that day. Just bring some dry food. I will live in the village chief's house, so I won't be short of anything."
After some instructions, Gu Jiu followed the village chief on his way back to the village, carrying a small burden and Gu Wensheng with a dead look on his face.
"There is actually a carriage here that goes back to the village!"
"Yes, but the price here will be a little higher. It's ten coppers per person. You can go anywhere without leaving the city's jurisdiction." The village chief explained.
Gu Jiu nodded. Gu Wensheng glanced at Gu Jiu and couldn't help rolling his eyes: bumpkin, you don't even know this.
