Zhao Ergou turned around.
I saw the magistrate.
The county magistrate did not wear official uniform, but his silk and satin attire and his slightly fat figure could still be recognized at a glance.
Cheng Wanwan and his party quickly saluted.
"I've met the magistrate."
The county magistrate waved his hand: "We are all old acquaintances. No need to be polite when we see you in the future."
After saying this, his eyes fell on Zhao Ergou, "If Ergou is not busy recently, you can come to the county government office to see me. My son is about the same age as you. You should have something to talk about."
Zhao Ergou smiled bitterly and twitched the corners of his lips.
When he was digging ditches a while ago, he met the county magistrate's son. He was born in the same year as him, but he didn't know how many times more naive than him.
The most critical problem is that the county magistrate's son thinks he is superior to others and always orders him around and treats him like a slave. He doesn't like this feeling very much.
He said respectfully: "The rice harvest is coming soon. The common people have to keep an eye on the fields all the time and may not be able to spare time to go to the county government office."
The county magistrate nodded: "That's fine, let's wait until we finish our work."
He looked at Cheng Wanwan and said, "You two bitch mother-in-law have raised a good son. If he is literate, he can still be the book boy of his unfilial son. It's a pity... But he can also be a playmate. Let's wait until the autumn harvest is over to mention this matter." .”
The magistrate waved his sleeves and left.
Zhao Ergou immediately said: "Mom, I don't want to be a playmate for the county magistrate's son. I don't want to go."
Wasn't it just that when he was looking for water last time, he performed better, but he was recorded by the county magistrate. He really didn't want to be a slave...
Cheng Wanwan was also a little stunned. She knew that apart from being a little emotionally confused, Ergou was quite smart and clever in other aspects, but she didn't expect that he would catch the eye of the county magistrate.
Being a book boy is actually okay, but being a playmate is not. It is not a good thing to lose one's ambition with playthings.
Cheng Zhao, who had been lowering his presence, said: "The county magistrate is a good official. If you don't want to, just refuse."
What they, the scholars, talk about together are these court affairs. The scholars know best what the temperament of the county magistrates in the nearby towns is.
The county magistrate of Hekou Town has the best political performance. Relying on the dock as a transportation hub, Hekou Town has developed into the largest town in the vicinity.
The one with the worst character is the county magistrate of Fenghuang Town. Every year during the good harvest, he plunders the people’s wealth and wealth, making the people of Fenghuang Town miserable.
The county magistrate of Ping'an Town is the most considerate of the people. He is fat and has a broad mind. He often goes out on the streets and has good friends with many shopkeepers. Unfortunately, Ping'an Town is too small. The county magistrate has been transferred to this place for seven years and has not been able to do anything. What great achievements have been made?
Cheng Zhaodu said this, and Cheng Wanwan put the matter aside first.
She looked at Cheng Zhao and said: "You go back to Chengjia Village today and bring some changes of clothes. From now on, you will live in the second aunt's house. When you pay off your debts, you can leave. But, this matter Your grandma, grandma, and mom will definitely object. I only have one request, I don’t want the Cheng family to come to the Zhao family again to cause trouble."
Cheng Zhao nodded repeatedly: "Second aunt, I know."
As the ox cart was going back, it separated at a fork in the road.
Cheng Zhao walked back to Chengjia Village. It was almost noon and the Cheng family was making lunch.
As soon as he entered, Mrs. Cheng came up to him: "Zhao'er, you're back. What did your second aunt say? Did they give you money?"
Cheng Zhao didn't answer. He went into the house and took out the two cages he put in yesterday. He said in a cold voice: "I can't study for the time being. I found a teaching job to support myself. Grandma doesn't have to worry about me."
"What kind of books are you teaching? Isn't this delaying the examination for scholarly examinations?" Old Mrs. Cheng said anxiously, "Zhao'er, I asked Li Zheng to ask. There is an academy in Fenghuang Town that is still enrolling students. Your father will take you there later. To sign up, we must study and become a scholar..."
Cheng Zhao shook his head.
One of the people who falsely accused him was the biological son of the magistrate of Fenghuang Town. If he went to study there, he would be falling into a trap.
Now, we can only take one step at a time.
"Grandma, please leave me alone." Cheng Zhao took a step back forcefully, "I am eighteen years old and will be nineteen soon. There are some things I should handle by myself. I will definitely overcome this difficulty."
He walked out without looking back.
Old Mrs. Cheng wanted to catch up, but she was the only one cooking at home at the moment. There was a fire burning in the stove, and there were things in the pot. She couldn't get away from anyone. She just watched her eldest grandson disappear at the gate of Chengjia Village. .
Cheng Wanwan and Zhao Ergou had just arrived at the door of their house.
Before the barrels and basins on the ox cart could be unloaded, the village was heard boiling.
"No! The locusts are coming!"
"Oh my God! Why so many locusts!"
"Don't be anxious, don't panic, these locusts are not even one-tenth the size of last year. Everyone must calm down!"
"Go back and get the guy to drive away the locusts!"
Zhao Da rolled off the bullock cart and ran home quickly.
Cheng Wanwan and Zhao Ergou also hurriedly got off the bullock cart, each holding tools in their hands and banging on them, trying to drive away the locusts with their voices.
In the sky, a small area of locusts flew over, not too many, but definitely not too few. Although these locusts would not eat up all the crops, they would definitely cause considerable losses to the harvest.
The people in Dahe Village were like crazy, beating the rice fields to drive them away.
After an unknown amount of time, the swarms of locusts slowly disappeared, and the villagers sat tiredly on the field ridges, each with lingering fears.
Locusts can eat food that is three times their body size in an instant. In such a short time, some people's homes have suffered heavy losses, and at least half an acre of rice has been eaten.
Although there were losses, it was much better than last year.
Last year, in just half a day, thousands of acres of rice fields in the entire village were completely eaten.
Many people dare not recall that scene.
Li Zheng asked with a serious face the losses of each household. Basically, they were all eaten to some extent. Only Cheng Wanwan's house and Aunt Wang's house showed no traces of being invaded by locusts.
Aunt Wang said with a smile on her face: "So many locusts flew over, but they just won't eat my rice. I don't know why."
She used many tools to drive away the locusts, but the locusts didn't give her a chance at all.
Cheng Wanwan looked at his rice field. Dozens of ducks that Zhao Sidan had driven down were swimming leisurely. It looked like they were full.
She said: "Ducks are the natural enemy of locusts. There are ducks in my and Aunt Wang's fields, so locusts will naturally choose rice fields without ducks."
People don't quite believe that ducks can eat locusts. Ducks can't fly. Locusts can fly, but people can't catch them. Can ducks be caught?
When they looked at the ducks, the ducks that were not full quickly raised their heads, stretched out their beaks, pecked one in one bite, then swallowed it, and continued to look for the next one.
Li Zheng waved his hand: "The locusts that flew in today are a wake-up call for us. The harvest is less than half a month away. We must not make mistakes at this juncture. If you still have money at home, buy ducks and raise them in the ground." Well, if you can prevent it, it’s better.”
Everyone nodded quickly.
Ducks can drive away locusts, lay eggs, and kill them for soup. Raising ducks is a hugely profitable thing, so there is no reason not to agree.
