Chapter 78: Commencement

Li Qingzhi waited on this side of the river dock until Jin Xiaoye, Jin Xiaoshu, and Fang Jinniang arrived.

Jin Xiaoshu, who had become a husband, suddenly became considerate. After docking the boat, he would first help Fang Jinniang off carefully before returning to the boat to retrieve things.

Carrying many items, Jin Xiaoye jumped off the boat and teased Jin Xiaoshu, “Xiaoshu, I didn’t expect you to be so caring. Why didn’t I see you taking care of me?”

Jin Xiaoshu was a little confused, “Sister, I learned this from you. When my brother-in-law was with us before, you always helped him off the boat like this!”

Does his sister need to be taken care of? I don’t think so. She’s the kind of person who dares to rent a boat even if she can’t row!

Jin Xiaoye: “…Yeah, that’s about right.”

Li Qingzhi stepped forward and helped Jin Xiaoye carry some small items. “Xiaoshu, you should learn more from your sister in the future.”

Jin Xiaoshu nodded earnestly. “Brother-in-law, don’t worry, I will!”

Hearing this conversation, Fang Jinniang smiled and thought to herself, Jin, the innkeeper, is really different from ordinary people!

When the three returned to Li’s house, Li Laogen had already uncovered the pot, accustomed to his work with thick calluses on his hands, he wasn’t afraid of being scalded. He casually took the dishes off the steamer.

“We have braised fish today, it’s delicious, come and eat!” Li Laogen greeted them.

They served themselves and ate together.

With Fang Jinniang joining, Li’s fairy table was full. Due to the large number of people, Li Qingzhi made plenty of food. There was a bowl of braised fish in the middle of the table, accompanied by two bowls of stir-fried vegetables and two bowls of garlic tofu.

The meal wasn’t extravagant, and due to being kept warm on the steamer, the vegetables were slightly overcooked, but it was still very good, and no one complained.

Li Qingzhi picked out the boneless meat from the fish belly and gave it to Li Damao and Li Ermao.

He wanted to serve Zhao Xiaodou as well, but Li Laogen refused, “Xiaodou will choke on the bones.”

Indeed, Zhao Xiaodou was good at eating fish. Growing up in a water town, he had been eating fish since he was a child.

The braised fish was delicious, and even the rice tasted better when mixed with its sauce.

The eight of them quickly finished all the dishes on the table, and Li Laogen began asking what they would eat tomorrow and what he should buy.

Li Qingzhi said, “Dad, buy two kilograms of meat tomorrow, and some dried kelp.” As he spoke, he took out some copper coins to give to Li Laogen.

At this moment, Jin Xiaoshu said, “Brother-in-law, let me contribute to the meal expenses too. I can’t keep freeloading at your place.”

This was suggested by Fang Jinniang. She felt embarrassed to eat and drink for free at Li’s house.

But Li Qingzhi refused, saying, “There’s no need for you to pay.”

However, Jin Xiaoshu insisted on paying. After some consideration, Li Qingzhi said, “How about this, you bring the food rations for the two of you from the Jin family to my place. As for the meal expenses, you don’t have to pay. It’s not much money anyway. Besides, your sister would feel embarrassed to ask you for help if you really calculated everything.”

After Li Qingzhi said this, Jin Xiaoshu agreed and thought about buying some things for the two children in the future.

Thinking about this, Jin Xiaoshu took out a bag of chestnuts and handed it to Li Damao and Li Ermao. “Damao, Ermao, Uncle bought you some delicious chestnuts. Have some.”

Li Damao and Li Ermao looked at the chestnuts curiously. “What’s this?”

“These are chestnuts.” Jin Xiaoshu peeled one and showed them how to eat it.

Li Damao and Li Ermao followed suit and tried it, and they were captivated by the sweet taste of the chestnuts. “So tasty!”

Li Qingzhi hurriedly said, “Damao, Ermao, bring some for Dad to taste.” Since coming to this world, he had never eaten chestnuts.

Li Damao and Li Ermao quickly brought the chestnuts to Li Qingzhi, who then shared them with Jin Xiaoye…

As Jin Xiaoshu led Fang Jinniang home, he couldn’t help but say, “Jinniang, let’s have two children like Damao and Ermao in the future.”

“Okay,” Fang Jinniang smiled and agreed.

She really liked the interaction between Li Qingzhi and his wife and their two children. In the future, when she had children, she would definitely be very good to them.

The two of them happily returned to the Jin family, looking forward to tomorrow’s life.

Time flew by, and several days passed in the blink of an eye. During these days, both Li Qingzhi and Yao Zhenfu paid one or two taels of silver, so they didn’t have to go to repair the dock.

However, the other villagers hadn’t paid. On the morning of the twenty-first of November, just as dawn broke, those who hadn’t paid gathered together, preparing to go and work on the dock.

The location of the dock wasn’t far from the village, and the rules for conscripted laborers this time weren’t too strict. The villagers could return home at night, which somewhat alleviated their mood. They carried the dry rations prepared by their families in their arms, chatting while waiting for others to arrive.

Although the village chief had said that they would be provided with meals at the dock, they didn’t trust the food provided by the government and brought their own provisions just in case.

If they couldn’t eat enough and still had to do heavy work, accidents could easily happen!

“Li Qingzhi and Yao Zhenfu are so lucky. They don’t have to work.”

“Yeah!”

“Didn’t they say Li Qingzhi was going to study? Why hasn’t he gone yet?”

“Maybe he was just talking. He won’t really go.”

“I heard Yao Zhenfu is going to take the exam again next year. I wonder if he’ll pass.”

…

As the villagers conversed, the topic shifted to Jin Xiaoshu: “I envy Jin Xiaoshu the most. He actually married such a beautiful girl.”

“Who wouldn’t envy him?”

“Exactly! His wife even brought so many dowries!”

…

As they talked, they saw Jin Dajiang approaching.

“Dajiang, why are you here?” someone asked curiously.

In previous years, when the government conscripted laborers, it was always Jin Dajiang who went. But since Jin Dajiang had passed forty, it had been Jin Sangshu who went instead.

They all knew Jin Mulangshu was likely busy ferrying boats and probably wouldn’t go. They thought it might be Jin Liushu or Jin Zaoshu who would go. But now… here came Jin Dajiang?

“I’m going this time,” Jin Dajiang said with a smile.

The matter of conscripting laborers by the government had caused quite a stir in the Jin family.

Jin Liushu said he could pay but absolutely wouldn’t go.

Jin Sangshu, being the second son and not favored, used to go when the family asked him to, especially when they compensated him. But now that he was earning his own money, he naturally didn’t want to go. He was the same as Jin Liushu, willing to pay but not willing to go.

With both elder brothers unwilling to go, Jin Zaoshu naturally wouldn’t go either.

In fact, the Jin family was wealthy, and no one wanted to go. Paying one or two taels of silver was sufficient for them.

But Grandma Jin was reluctant to spend this money. She placed great importance on money; asking her to contribute was akin to cutting her flesh.

Especially since Jin Xiaoshu had just gotten married, their family had spent a lot of money on the wedding banquet and related expenses.

With so many men in the family, why should they pay money and not go? In Grandma Jin’s eyes, paying money was no big deal.

As for that one or two taels of silver, they decided anyone from their family could pay on behalf of anyone else. Since the money wasn’t going to outsiders but to their own family members, Grandma Jin could accept this.

In the end, after much discussion within the Jin family, they decided to send Jin Dajiang.

Although Jin Dajiang was already older, the government only cared that the required number of people showed up; they didn’t bother checking the age of the laborers.

In previous years, it had been Jin Mulangshu who had gone in similar situations. Grandma Jin would give Jin Mulangshu the money they were supposed to give to the government. It was because of this that Jin Mulangshu had no complaints.

Logically, this time, the money that was supposed to be given to the government should have been given to Jin Dajiang. But after Jin Dajiang agreed to go, Grandma Jin refused to give him the money.

She was willing to subsidize her son, but asking her to give money to Jin Dajiang… she definitely wouldn’t agree.

Jin Liushu had originally said he was willing to pay, but now he wasn’t willing anymore. With him leading the way, Jin Mulangshu and Jin Zaoshu naturally wouldn’t give any money either.

In the end, Jin Dajiang didn’t receive a single penny!

Afraid that Jin Xiaoye and Jin Xiaoshu would make a fuss if they knew about this, the Jin family didn’t tell them anything and forbade Jin Dajiang from speaking about it.

“Dajiang, with so many strong young men in your family, why did you end up going?” someone asked Jin Dajiang curiously.

“They’re all busy,” Jin Dajiang chuckled. He had agreed to go to the dock to earn one or two taels of silver. He had hoped to save up some money.

But he hadn’t expected them to refuse to give him the money… Jin Dajiang felt quite annoyed.

As the villagers heard this, they looked at Jin Dajiang speechlessly. Jin Mulangshu was indeed busy, but Jin Liushu and Jin Zaoshu, weren’t idle most of the time?

By now, everyone had gathered, and the village chief called out, leading the people toward the dock.

The dock was only eight miles away from their village. If they walked quickly, they would arrive in fifteen minutes. Even at a leisurely pace, it wouldn’t take more than half an hour. After all, they were all grown men and weren’t carrying much.

Jin Xiaoshu didn’t live with his parents. He had left early and didn’t know his father was going to the dock.

At this moment, he was having breakfast at the Li family’s house.

They were still having rice for breakfast today. As Li Qingzhi ate, he instructed Li Damao and Li Ermao, “There are eggs at home. Grandpa will fry some eggs and rice for you at noon. Dad will be back in the afternoon…”

Today was the day they were building the dock, and he was going to the county office to find County Magistrate Gou. Then, he would go to the dock with County Magistrate Gou to inspect the construction site.

County Magistrate Gou planned to share the hardships with the common people and have a meal with the conscripted laborers at the dock… Li Qingzhi would also have lunch there and then walk back by himself.

After finishing his meal, Li Qingzhi boarded Jin Xiaoshu’s boat and asked him to take him to the county office.

It wasn’t until this moment that Fang Jinniang learned that Li Qingzhi actually knew County Magistrate Gou. She was quite surprised but didn’t say much or ask questions.

Upon arriving in the county town, Li Qingzhi immediately went to the county office.

County Magistrate Gou was already dressed neatly. When he saw Li Qingzhi, the first thing he said was, “Nephew, have you finished revising Zhu Qian’s autobiography?”

It seems that Zhu Qian has shown his autobiography to County Magistrate Gou… Li Qingzhi smiled and said, “I’m afraid it will take until the end of the month to finish the revision.”

“Then you can bring it to me directly when it’s done. I’ll read it first, and then you can take it to Zhu Qian,” County Magistrate Gou said.

“Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll definitely bring it to you as soon as possible,” Li Qingzhi immediately promised.

County Magistrate Gou smiled and praised Li Qingzhi’s handwriting, adding, “It’s fortunate that your arm has healed, or it would have been a pity!”

After chatting for a while, the two of them left together.

County Magistrate Gou had a boat much larger than Jin Xiaoshu’s. They were going to ride this boat to the dock today.

There was a spacious cabin in the middle of the boat with an Eight Immortals table and chairs, very comfortable. There was also a small boat trailing behind.

In affluent households, when they went out by boat, they would often have a smaller boat trailing behind. This way, if there were any requests from the people on the main boat, the servants could immediately row over to attend to them.

This was Li Qingzhi’s first time riding such a refined large boat. He felt much more comfortable sitting on this boat than in a sedan chair.

As Li Qingzhi and the others headed toward the dock, the people from Miaoqian Village had already arrived at the construction site.

Since some villages were farther away and people hadn’t arrived yet, they hadn’t started working and were chatting together.

“Jin Dajiang, you should talk to your son when you get back. You’re already so old, yet he still let you come out to build the dock without helping you bear any of the burden,” Yao Zuming kept on talking. “He’s really unfilial. After getting married, he moved out and doesn’t care about you at all…”

Yao Zuming had a grudge against Jin Xiaoye and naturally didn’t like Jin Dajiang. Now, he started making baseless accusations.

Many people from other villages were present, and after hearing Yao Zuming’s words, they all went to look at Jin Dajiang.

Jin Dajiang said, “Xiaoshu isn’t old enough to come. He shouldn’t have come… “

Jin Dajiang wanted to say he was here on behalf of someone else, but before he could speak, Yao Zuming interrupted him, saying, “So you’re here for money? Tsk tsk, with your son being so wealthy, he still lets you earn this little bit of money through hard labor?”

The expressions of the people from other villages turned even worse. Just then, someone suddenly exclaimed, “County Magistrate is here!”

For a moment, nobody paid any attention to Jin Dajiang anymore. Everyone rushed forward to see the County Magistrate.