In the final analysis, Wei Xiucai was just a scholar, not a natural talent. Apart from the land rent, all he earned throughout the year was from teaching.
In addition, although his wife also has two shops in her name, how much income can this bring in the town?
Wei Xiucai had already lost a lot before, and now he brought all the money at home, hoping that Master Cheng would spare him just once.
"With no courtesy, Wei Xiucai, please take a seat."
Wei Xiucai is already in his forties, but now facing a young man who is less than twenty, the pressure is doubled.
"Mr. Cheng, it's all because students are confused. It's just that the family doesn't have enough money, so they can barely scrape together this money to pay taxes. I hope you can forgive me for the sake of the students knowing their mistakes."
Cheng Jingzhou smiled and glanced at the money box, not dwelling on the matter.
"I heard that the private school you opened was good, and you taught two talented people in the past few years. This is your credit."
Wei Xiucai didn't expect that he would be praised again, so he quickly said: "I don't dare to take it seriously. Since I am a teacher, I should teach with my heart."
"Have you brought all the white deeds in your hand?"
Wei Xiucai looked solemn, and then he remembered that the most important thing was not the deeds. He nodded quickly and said: "Yes, yes, I brought them all."
After speaking, Wei Xiucai pointed to the box: "It's all in there."
"How many fields in total can Wei Xiucai calculate?"
Cold sweat began to break out on Wei Xiucai's forehead again. He tremblingly told some stories about the land he bought before and after, but he didn't dare to hide it this time. Several companies were in urgent need of money, so he took the opportunity to lower the price.
Speaking of this, Wei Xiucai suddenly felt ashamed.
Obviously I didn't feel anything was wrong when I did it before, but I don't know why now I feel embarrassed even if I say it.
Cheng Jingzhou asked him some questions about what books he had read recently, what the students in the private school were studying, how much geometry he had studied for the year, etc.
In short, after Wei Xiucai answered tremblingly, he returned home in a daze.
Cheng Jingzhou then asked the chief clerk to open the money box. After careful inspection, he found that there were eighty-six taels of silver in it, a total of three hundred taels of silver notes, and two small gold ingots, totaling ten taels.
"Sir, there are some gold jewelry in here, they seem to belong to Mrs. Wei."
Cheng Jingzhou laughed: "Take out the three hundred taels of silver notes inside, keep the ten taels of gold ingots, and send someone to send the rest back to him."
The bookkeeper was stunned: "Sir, won't you keep these coins?"
Cheng Jingzhou shook his head: "Those taxes and grains were paid by the tenant farmers before. Strictly speaking, he does not owe our yamen taxes and grains. He was worried that his official would punish him severely and expel him from his job, so he thought of taking the money." Come to ward off disaster.”
The chief bookkeeper thought about it. He did not need to pay taxes anymore. After all, the Du family was directly concealing the tax, which was different in nature.
"Then these three hundred taels?"
"These three hundred taels of silver will be put directly into the treasury, and Wei Xiucai will know that he paid the fine in error. As for these ten taels of gold, you can exchange them for silver taels, and then pay one tael of silver per mu as compensation, and then send them to the farmers. Just It was said that Wei Xiucai gave them the tax money."
The chief secretary couldn't figure it out. It was obviously Wei Xiucai who was at fault first, so how come you are now helping Wei Xiucai to cover up his lies?
"If it's one tael of silver per mu, I'm afraid these ten taels of gold won't be enough."
"According to the price on the white deed, only those who have been there for three years or more will be compensated one tael of silver per acre, and the rest will be redistributed evenly. Those farmers now have their fields for free, and they have already taken advantage of it. As for just paying for If the people who paid taxes to Wei Xiucai for a year or two can get a few hundred or dozens of pence, they should be grateful to Wei Xiucai, after all, they just want to sell their land."
In the final analysis, it was Wei Xiucai who took advantage of these farmers and bought the fields at low prices.
But even if it is not a white deed, but replaced by a red deed, these farmers still have to rely on farming to make a living. Perhaps one acre of land can leave dozens of kilograms of more grain, but they will only choose to sell the land when they are desperate. Strictly speaking, , it is difficult to say that Wei Xiucai was a heinous person in this matter.
As for why he wanted to help that Wei Xiucai gain a good reputation, naturally he couldn't take his money in vain. Besides, Wei Xiucai was indeed good at teaching and educating people.
In recent years, he had no intention of taking the imperial examination, but he had taught several scholars, which could be regarded as a favor to Feng County. What's more, there was also a Jinshi who happened to be in the same subject as him. He remembered that his first teacher was Wei Xiucai.
Due to emotions and reasons, you have to give him some dignity.
Cheng Jingzhou still has to serve as an official in Feng County. His purpose is to make Feng County more prosperous, not just for the sake of clearing the father. For all the subsequent matters, he cannot only rely on the government to act, but also needs the cooperation of many parties. .
After Wei Xiucai returned home, he felt as if he was exhausted. Mrs. Wei was so anxious that she immediately sent for the doctor. The family helped him undress and take off his belt, allowing him to have a good rest, and ordered the kitchen to quickly bring some soup.
Unexpectedly, he had just had a sip of hot soup when the concierge came to report that a government official was at his door.
Wei Xiucai didn't care much, put on his clothes in a hurry, and went to the front hall with his wife.
"Wei Xiucai, we adults brought this to you. He said you will know it at a glance."
Wei Xiucai looked at the familiar box. Wasn't it the one he had brought the silver to before?
Mrs. Wei's eyes lit up and she thought she didn't have to pay a fine, but Wei Xiucai thought more.
Wei Xiucai took the box, glanced at the government servant opposite, and opened it anyway.
I saw dozens of taels of cash inside, which should be the part he took to the county government at that time.
In addition, there were some ashes. Wei Xiucai stretched out his hand and twisted it. He suddenly thought of something and looked at the Yamen servant with wide eyes.
The yamen servant truthfully relayed: "Our lord has said that your previous wrongdoing has been settled. I hope you can reflect on yourself and teach well. In addition, your lord has already compensated the twelve gold coins in your name." Those farmers only hope that Wei Xiucai will act more openly and aboveboard in the future."
These words made Wei Xiucai extremely ashamed!
As a family, they say they have too much, but they also say they have too little.
Eighty acres of tax-free land is enough to support their family's expenses. Not to mention they have a shop and can earn dozens of taels of silver a year. They really shouldn't bother with those poor people.
In this matter, he was wrong after all!
Wei Xiucai handed the box to his wife, and then bowed deeply in the direction of the county government office.
"I also asked this young man to tell the county magistrate when he goes back, saying that the student Wei will definitely teach well in the future and set a good example for the students below."
