He Zifeng learned about this matter. Chief Zhu told him not to lose heart – there was still more than a month before tax collection, and as long as he could collect part of it, that would be fine.
After Chief Zhu left, Xie Rui also comforted He Zifeng, saying: “At worst, you won’t get promoted this time. There’ll definitely be a chance for you next time.”
Although He Zifeng arrived late, no one at the government office had greater merit than him. If they had let the male and ger villains run wild in the county town back then, who knew how much chaos would have resulted. These were criminals that even the provincial capital hadn’t caught. Even officials from the province had specifically sent letters when they heard – this was a political achievement for both the county magistrate and the advisor.
Ever since Xie Rui came to the county office (yamen), no one associated with him except He Zifeng, who didn’t mind. He now truly regarded He Zifeng as an older brother. He also said: “I still have some silver. If it doesn’t work out, I can advance some. No one would know anyway.”
The Xie family’s influence in the county was on par with the Gong family. It’s just that Xie Rui kept a low profile. Apart from Chief Zhu, probably only He Zifeng knew his background in the government office. To him, that bit of silver wasn’t much – he sincerely wanted to befriend He Zifeng.
He Zifeng naturally wouldn’t let Xie Rui pay. As Xie Rui said, at worst he wouldn’t get promoted this time. But he wanted to clarify some things first!
He went out, and Xie Rui quickly followed: “Brother He, where are you going?”
“I plan to go to Lingshan Village.” He wanted to see what the situation there really was.
Although Xie Rui was as timid as a mouse, his curiosity was quite strong. Hearing there was excitement to join, he wanted to go along too. He Zifeng agreed to take him along.
After hearing this, Xie Rui went out for a while, then brought out a flat-topped small carriage with its own driver. Xie Rui smiled and said this was borrowed, but He Zifeng knew it was from his family.
He Zifeng didn’t act pretentious and quickly got on the cart. Sure enough, as soon as he entered, he found it very spacious inside, with soft cushions, and even a partition in the middle with some dried fruits and pastries on it. Even the wood had patterns.
The carriage drove all the way to Lingshan Village. This place was some distance from their village. There was a woman from their village who had married here, but there had been no news for decades.
Just as He Zifeng was about to enter the village, he was stopped. An old man said: “Who are you looking for?”
He Zifeng said: “I’m looking for Aunt Hongju.”
When the old man heard he also had a local accent, he said: “Hongju is in the earthen house at the very back.”
They drove all the way there, and He Zifeng discovered this place was really desolate. The muddy roads kicked up dust two feet high when the carriage ran, making it impossible to lift the curtains.
Now the government sold yellow clay for road repairs. Well-built roads were straight and proper. One load of yellow clay cost only ten wen, which most villages could afford. It was said that wealthy villages even used glutinous rice juice for paving walls to make road surfaces more level.
The carriage soon stopped after a while – there was really no way to continue forward. It was full of potholes, with mud puddles, and if the carriage wheels got stuck, they couldn’t be pushed out. They had to get out and walk.
Xie Rui had never seen such terrible roads in his life. This village was truly poor compared to theirs. Both sides were lined with low thatched houses. There were at least sixty households, with only one or two brick and tile houses, and those looked old too.
On the road were either bare-bottomed children or elderly people sitting outside sunning themselves. When He Zifeng and the others entered, no one really talked to them.
Soon He Zifeng found Aunt Hongju. She was about the same age as Fang Shi, with four sons. The eldest was thirty this year and still unmarried!
After He Zifeng introduced himself, Aunt Hongju said: “You’ve grown so big?” Then she chatted about family matters.
Aunt Hongju had been deceived by a matchmaker back then, who said the conditions were quite good. After marrying and coming here, she was dumbfounded – there was nothing here. It was very far away, and even if she regretted it, it was too late. All these years she couldn’t leave. Her husband died the year before last. Plus after so many years, life was still hand-to-mouth, so she was too embarrassed to go back, afraid of being laughed at.
He Zifeng then asked about their village affairs: “I heard your village doesn’t pay taxes every year, and last year you even beat government officers to death.”
The village chief of Lingshan Village had long ordered this matter to be kept secret, but Hongju hadn’t seen a young man from their village in so many years. She couldn’t help telling them about it.
“Our village’s land doesn’t grow grain. Every household has to live by weaving coarse cloth, but the grain at home has to be exchanged for coarse cloth. There’s really no money left to pay taxes. If we pay more taxes, the whole village will have to hang themselves. Last year those officers spoke disrespectfully and even beat old people – the whole village got really angry.”
After beating two to death, the whole village didn’t dare sleep day or night, afraid the county would send troops to destroy them. But they only came to arrest people, and it was said no one was sentenced.
He Zifeng then went with them to wander around the nearby mountains. Since it was called Lingshan Village, he wondered where its spiritual power lay. Their village also had mountains, and mountain climbing was routine for him. This mountain shouldn’t be called Lingshan Village – it should be called Stone Mountain.
Apart from some dead trees, there was nothing else on the mountain. Moreover, most of the land here lay barren – you could tell at a glance that the fields were no good. Even the wild grass was sparse and withered yellow.
He Zifeng then took the carriage back with Xie Rui. Returning to the county, Xie Rui couldn’t stand it and had to hurry back to change clothes and shoes – his shoe soles were now covered with yellow mud.
He Zifeng looked through the files. Last year’s armed conflict resulted in two government officer casualties. Twenty young men from Lingshan Village were arrested and sent to mines to dig.
When He Zifeng went to ask Chief Zhu about it, Chief Zhu said: “Those people? I’ll take you there.” Then he went with He Zifeng to their county’s iron mine, which had to pay tribute every year. This wasn’t under the government officers’ jurisdiction – there were special administrators.
However, these people were all Chief Zhu’s drinking buddies. When they heard their purpose was to find those people from Lingshan Village, this fat official immediately patted his chest and said he’d handle it, saying: “I’ll find you a capable one. There’s someone called Sanshun – he’s the village chief’s youngest son.”
Then he had someone call Sanshun over. His upper body was bare, his skin tanned bronze, with muscles all over, and scars on his hands and legs. He wore straw shoes on his feet. If nothing unexpected happened, unless he died in the mine, he had no chance of getting out in this lifetime.
Chief Zhu went to talk and drink with the fat official. He Zifeng said: “You’re the son of Lingshan Village’s village chief.” Sanshun nodded.
He Zifeng said: “Has your village never grown grass?”
Sanshun said: “It’s never grown much, but the neighboring villages are very lush.” He was also envious and had once hoped that planting would grow grain so they wouldn’t starve to death.
Their village was the most miserable in the area. Life was already difficult, and they survived entirely by weaving cloth, but the cloth they wove was only the cheapest rough cloth that couldn’t sell for much money. Once natural disasters or man-made calamities hit and grain prices soared, their village would always starve several people to death.
The young people in their village all wanted to leave. Many who left never returned, or sold themselves into slavery – village life was too bitter. But there were also people like him whose ancestors had lived here for generations. He could leave, but he was unwilling to live a life of abandoning home and family just for a meal.
Unfortunately, now it was too late to say anything.
He Zifeng said: “Your village is also unlucky, living next to a feng shui treasure site.”
Sanshun saw that He Zifeng was kind and didn’t bark orders like other government officers. Seeing this, Sanshun relaxed and seriously talked with him, saying: “The village elders also say this, but we really don’t see any feng shui treasure site. Can it starve people to death?”
He Zifeng said: “Lingshan should mean Tomb Mountain. There might be some important figure buried underneath.” That mountain might be a pile of stones and soil dug up, or it might be hollowed out, which is why crops didn’t grow well.
But even knowing this, the villagers wouldn’t dig. First, people were superstitious, and second, burial objects were considered unlucky by people of this dynasty and weren’t valued.
When Sanshun heard He Zifeng’s explanation, he suddenly understood, murmuring: “So that’s how it is?” This actually solved his years of confusion.
He Zifeng said: “You need to find a solution. If this continues, when will it end?” Everyone was sallow and emaciated. With chronic malnutrition, local people had short lifespans. Plus having had conflicts with government officers, if it happened again, their village might disappear entirely.
When Sanshun heard this, he fell to his knees with a thud: “Please, teach me.”
If not for this accident, he should have been the village chief’s successor. He Zifeng talking to him so much showed he was a good person. Who would usually meddle in such affairs?
He Zifeng said: “Even if I told you, it wouldn’t be useful since you can’t get out.”
Sanshun said: “The mine allows people to be redeemed – five taels of silver per person.” After saying this, his mood actually became depressed. Although this policy existed, no one would pay five taels of silver to redeem him.
He Zifeng said: “Since you’re guarding Lingshan Village, why not make some paper offerings? Wealthy people believe in treating death as life. You could make paper offerings exquisite and complex – that would certainly be better than just weaving cloth.”
Sanshun kowtowed to him several times with loud thuds. When he got up, he had tears in his eyes and said: “I can’t get out, but please tell my father this method. In the next life, I’ll be a big turtle and carry you on my back.”
Before He Zifeng could speak, Chief Zhu returned and said: “What, you’ve taken a liking to this person?” He Zifeng nodded.
Chief Zhu said: “That’s simple. I’ll go talk to their boss.” Then he went to find the fat official.
Sanshun said: “You are my benefactor. If I can get out, I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.”
He Zifeng said: “After you get out, there’s really something I need you to do. No matter what method you use to help the village make money, pay this year’s taxes on time.”
Sanshun and the others had deep hostility toward the yamen, but they listened to He Zifeng’s words very much.
R : Even I.. listen to He Zifeng’s words ah..
R tmi : A lot of updates today !! Happy summer event !
