Chapter Twenty-Six: The Village Head Seeks Help!

by mom first!In Li's courtyard, Old Mrs. Li had already changed into a new dress, washed up, and walked around the front yard again, but she still didn't see her granddaughter get up. She was a littl..."That's right! Since the Li family moved in, our village has become much livelier!"

Today, it was the turn of a plot of land at the south end of the village. Jia An was squatting, diligently cutting stalks of sorghum.

Seeing Lao Li holding Jia Yin walking over from the edge of the field, she hurried to greet her.

"Milk, how did you come here The sun is scorching, my sister must be hot."

Jia Yin's fair and delicate little face was turning her big eyes back and forth, looking especially cute.

Jia An wiped his hands vigorously on his clothes, then pulled out a slingshot from his pocket and showed it off to his sister.

"Sister, look at this! This can shoot birds. Tomorrow, brother will go get you some bird eggs to eat!"

The slingshot was exquisitely made, the wooden handle smooth and rounded as if it had been frequently polished over time.

"Ooh!" Jiayin had played with it in her past life when she was little. Out of curiosity, she reached out with her small hand to grab it. Jia'an then placed the slingshot into her hand.

Li Laotai looked at the slingshot and it didn't look like the one from home, so she casually asked, "Where did you get this slingshot"

"It was given by Grandpa Zhao, and Grandpa Zhang also gave some. Brother Jiayi even got a small dagger, it's so beautiful!"

Jiā'ān lifted his little head proudly, as if showing off their spoils.

Hearing that it was from those veterans, Lao Li didn't say anything.

These days, everyone who helped the Li family seems to have made an appointment and has been sending things to their house.

All kinds of dried vegetables, fermented black beans, and mustard greens are neatly arranged, nothing is left behind!

Li Laotai understood that this was the villagers' gratitude and slowly stopped refusing.

If you cook delicious food at home later, just send some back.

"Little Blessing is here again!"

Zhang Ersao from the west side of the village was sending water to her husband and saw Lao Tai Li from afar. She hurried over to greet her.

Seeing Jia Yin behaving so sweetly and nestled in Lao Tai Li's embrace, Zhang Ersao couldn't get enough of her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silk flower made from patchwork fabric, handing it to Jia Yin's small hand.

"A piece of scrap fabric I found in the closet yesterday is just perfect for making a little flower for Xiao Funiu to play with!"

Zhang Er's sister-in-law saw Jia Yin holding a silk flower and smiling, her heart melted. She reached out and pinched her little cheek.

Her skin was delicate, so even without force, his rough hands could leave a red mark on her small face.

Jia Yin quickly turned her head to avoid, which made Zhang Er's wife laugh even harder.

"Such a little girl, always so shy."

Jia Yin was speechless, who was shy It was clearly disgust, wasn't it

Following grandma to the field never ends well, it’s better to be with mother and the others up in the mountains. No sun exposure to worry about, plus you can take things out of storage...

Every household in the village was busy with the autumn harvest, but not the Liu family.

The whole family was huddled inside, with no one going out to work.

Seeing the crops mature, if they are not harvested soon, if it rains in a few days, this year's harvest will be ruined.

Mrs. Guo was so anxious that her throat felt like it would burst into flames, but she couldn't get anyone to move.

When Liu Tiezhu was told to work, he would hold his stomach and groan, rushing straight to the toilet.

Liu Laifu said he went to the county town to find Wu Er, but there was no news from him for days.

The two daughters-in-law were each more lazy than the other. When it came to working, they ran faster than anyone else.

"Mother, the Li family has so many people. These past few days, they've been helping this household and that household. Why haven't they come to help our own We're relatives, aren't they heartless"

Liu Laifú's wife sat on the kang, fat to the point that her eyes were narrowed into a slit, and her tone was sour.

Guo shi's eyes lit up when she heard this. Hiring someone would definitely cost a lot of money.

The Lee family loves to work, why not just have them help directly!

Thus thinking, she skipped merrily all the way to Li's house.

"Big sister, are you resting"

Seeing Li, the elderly matriarch, sitting at the gate of the courtyard coaxing her granddaughter, Guo approached with a fawning smile.

Li Laotai glanced at her sideways, without saying a word. She felt a little regret for not locking the door, anyone could just come in.

Guo shi was not annoyed, still smiling happily.

"Sister, the crops in my family haven't been harvested yet. Your family has many people, could you please help us harvest them"

"My whole family is busy, they can't help you. The fourth one will be back soon, you better go back! Be careful, he has a bad temper and might throw you out!"

Li Lao Tai, with a composed face, finished speaking and then, holding Jia Yin, got up and went back into the room, not even glancing at Guo Shi.

Guoshi ended up with nothing, wanting to get angry but afraid that Lao Si Li would really come back.

Then she spat at Li Laotai's back and grumbled her way home.

"A bunch of heartless things! Not even family will help! They really think someone is begging them Bah!"

Guo cursed as she walked, and when she encountered villagers along the way, her insults grew even more intense. However, none of the villagers paid any attention to her...

This year's autumn harvest in Qing Shui Village was completed several days earlier than usual thanks to the help from the Li family.

The villagers of Qingshui Village were extremely friendly and welcoming to the Li family.

"Is Yu Sheng at home"

This morning, Li Jiagang had just finished breakfast when he heard the village head's voice at the gate.

Li Lao'er responded with a sound and quickly got up to go out.

"Yusheng, I remember you used to be an accountant. There's something I want to ask for your help with." The village head got straight to the point.

Li Lao'er, hearing him say this, guessed it was about writing calculations. He agreed readily.

"Alright, mister, what can I do for you"

"Tomorrow is the day the county's tax collectors come to collect grain taxes. I want you to help me calculate the amount."

As expected, the village head brought up the matter of paying grain taxes. He let out a heavy sigh and continued,

"In the past, I was always the one busy with everything. Many elderly soldiers and older villagers in the village didn't understand these things. Those tax collectors would always take advantage of my busyness to cheat them, collecting a lot more grain..."

The grain harvested in autumn is the vital lifeline for surviving the winter, but corrupt officials and their subordinates don't care about that. They still exploit the grain tax to make a fortune.

When Li Laer heard this, he quickly agreed.

"Don't worry, Uncle! Tomorrow our whole family will go help, and we'll definitely make sure the villagers don't get taken advantage of again!"

"Well, Yusheng, let me thank your family on behalf of everyone first."

The village head patted Li Lao Er's shoulder with satisfaction and was very happy.

He became even more certain that agreeing to the Li family's settlement in the village was a great thing for QingShui Village!

After the village head left, Li Laoer went back home and told Li Laotai about it. The whole Li family agreed to help out.

Only Wu Cuiflower was sitting by the kang, with two shelled chestnuts in her hand and stuffing them into her mouth.

"Always meddling in other people's business when there's work to be done at home!"

She muttered under her breath, discontent but afraid to speak aloud, like a rat stealing scraps in the sewer.

Everyone in the family heard her, but no one paid attention. They pretended not to hear, otherwise, it would be a waste of time and energy, and also ruin their mood.

The next day, before dawn broke, the Li family got up early, started a fire to cook breakfast, and after tidying up, went to the village head's house.

In Junyang County, grain taxes were collected by having villagers from each village transport their due taxes to an open space in the village.

Wait for the yamen officers to arrive. After a unified calculation, they will transport them away using the oxcarts from the government office.

The Li family had many people, so they inevitably had to help each other carry bags of grain.

Especially Li Laosi and Jiayì, carrying over a hundred catties still walking briskly, the villagers all envied them.ntle, replied, "I see. What's the matter The Gou family and the Jia family are in-laws, and the Li family has always been close to the Jia family. It's nothing unusual to come here for a congratulator...