Yuyang County, Xinzhuang Village.
"My poor children."
"What evil has this done?"
Wang Xiaogui was lying on the hospital bed, while his mother was sitting at the door crying.
"Mom, please stop crying. Wait until your injury is healed before you go find the black-hearted Yan family to argue."
Wang Xiaogui shed tears as she spoke and couldn't help but think of the scene when her sister went out.
"Xiaogui, our family has just been allocated a few acres of land. It needs to be reclaimed and cultivated. It can't be done without a man. Dad left early, so you have to shoulder the burden."
"My sister has asked someone to find a job in Chang'an. She will do laundry and serve tea with a wealthy family to supplement the household income. After my sister saves some money, I will marry you."
"Xiaogui, take good care of my mother, and things will gradually get better. I just want you to be safe and marry a good girl."
"When you have time, go to your neighbor Mr. Chen's house more often and learn some words."
Scenes of memories emerged, making the young man's hatred suddenly increase, and he struggled to get out of bed: "Mom! Sister A was killed by the black-hearted Yan family! I'm going to fight with them!"
"Then the Yan family is so wealthy and powerful, how can the poor people defeat them? It's only our fault that our family is miserable."
Thinking of the short-lived old man, the old woman cried even more sadly.
The village is not big, and it quickly attracted a lot of neighbors.
After hearing about it, all the villagers also sighed and expressed comfort.
"Xiuxiu's life is hard."
"Old Wang left early, leaving Xiaogui and his mother to raise a pair of children with great difficulty. God has no mercy on the poor."
"Xiaogui was beaten like this by those evil people. What should we do next spring plowing?"
"Report to the official!"
A sudden voice came over.
He was a scholar in his early twenties. Although he was shabby, his temperament was obviously different from that of these villagers.
The scholar is also from Xinzhuang Village. He lives two houses away from Wang Xiaogui. He has studied hard for many years and is preparing for the big exam next year.
People looked over one after another, and the old woman stopped crying, raised her head and sobbed: "Brother Chen, that rich man Yan is so powerful that he will definitely make money. Is it useful to report to the official? Will the official go after us poor people?"
A fellow villager followed and said, "Brother Chen, you must know a lot because you have read many poems and books. Please help Xiaogui's family."
When the old woman heard this, she seemed to have found a savior. She knelt down in front of the scholar and shed tears: "Brother Chen, you are the only scholar in our village, but you must help this old woman."
"Aunt Li, please get up quickly. How can this be done?" The scholar hurriedly stretched out his hand and said, "I will definitely help my fellow villagers if they can. Besides, Aunt Li saved my life when I was hungry. There is no reason to stand by and watch."
"It just so happened that I was reading "Qin Lv Shu Yi" recently."
"Qin Lv Shu Yi?" The villagers were a little confused, but they felt that they were very high-ranking.
"Brother Chen, what should we do now? Go to Yuyang to report to the county master?" the old woman asked, wiping her tears.
"The incident happened in Chang'an City. It's best to report it to Chang'an. Wuwei Prefecture can report it, and government agencies at all levels can also report it, but it's best to report it to Kyoto Prefecture." The scholar said: "I heard that the order of Kyoto Prefecture is the current minister Liu Changqing. With a reputation of incorruptibility, no matter who is rich, powerful or powerful, as long as he breaks the law, don't even think of showing favoritism to him."
"Is there really such a thing as Master Qingtian?"
"Of course." The scholar said: "Under the rule of the Qin Dynasty, it has always been the best to the common people. It can be seen from the fact that everyone in the village has a field. This world is a new world. It is no longer the past days when people had no means of living. ."
Now, he wants to gain fame so much. The sight of the unified mountains and rivers and the new dynasty is very exciting, especially since he has read some policy articles recently. Compared with the political exploitation of other countries in the past, he deeply feels that the Qin Dynasty attaches great importance to people's livelihood.
In an era when literacy was low, scholars were considered very high-ranking in the hearts of the common people. After hearing this, the old woman saw hope and hurriedly said: "Then let's report to the government now!"
"Aunt Li, don't worry." The scholar said sternly: "Before reporting to the official, you need to sort out all the problems to prevent evil people from confusing right and wrong and making false accusations."
After saying that, without waiting for the old woman to say anything, she continued: "I already understand the matter. Now I need to know whether Xiuxiu was sold to the Yan family."
"Of course not!" the old woman said immediately: "No matter how poor and miserable I am, there is no way I can sell my daughter!"
"That's good." The scholar nodded, because Qin law strictly prohibits human trafficking. If Wang Xiuxiu was sold to the Yan family, the situation would be more complicated.
"Does Xiuxiu have a contract with the Yan family?" he asked again.
"Yes, yes." The old woman said hurriedly: "Xiuxiu said she went to help a wealthy family in the city, doing laundry, serving tea, etc. She signed a three-year contract with the Yan family."
"Is the deed still there?"
"Here, there is." The old woman said, hurriedly ran back into the house, took out the contract from under the bed, ran back and handed it to the scholar: "This is it, Xiu Xiu said to keep it at home for safekeeping."
The scholar took it and read it carefully. The date and text on it were clearly recorded. Wang Xiuxiu worked in the Yan Mansion, washing clothes and serving tea as a maid for a period of three years, paying two taels of silver per month. There was a picture on it.
After he finished reading, he nodded slowly: "That's right, this is a work contract. If Xiuxiu is killed by the Yan family, then the Yan family is guilty of murder!"
"Working contract?" The old woman was illiterate and didn't understand what it meant.
The villagers were also curious and asked: "Brother Chen, what does this work contract mean?"
In the eyes of the villagers, Wang Xiuxiu went to work as a maid in a wealthy family, and her life was in the hands of the Yan family. Although it was pitiful to be beaten to death by her master, there was nothing they could do about it.
This is still the thinking of poor people today.
The scholar explained: "This is not the selling contract of the past. Great Qin does not allow the sale of human beings. For example, it is like a restaurant manager recruiting a waiter to help. Xiuxiu went to work for the Yan family. This is a nature. "
"Therefore, this is malicious murder!"
He was right, Wang Xiuxiu was like a nanny in the Yan family.
ah? People were shocked, and some people said quickly: "So, can you really sue the evildoers of the Yan family?"
"Of course! The government must accept the case! Otherwise, it will be a crime of dereliction of duty!" The scholar spoke righteously.
"If this is the case, Xiu Xiu can rest in peace. Thank you, Brother Chen, thank you, Brother Chen."
The old woman kept talking, and tears flowed out again. She thought she could only blame her family for her misfortune, but she didn't expect that there are laws to control evil people.
"Aunt Li, you're welcome. This is what Xiaoke should do when faced with this injustice." The scholar said, handing back the work contract: "You must keep this contract. It will be of great use in the court."
"Okay, okay, brother Chen, don't worry, I'll hide it close to you." The old woman responded repeatedly.
The scholar said: "In this case, I will help you write a complaint. Tomorrow, I will ask a few villagers to accompany you and file a complaint to the Kyoto Prefecture."
(End of chapter)
