Qin Official

At this moment, in the setting sun, the door of Heifu's house was surrounded by dozens of people. They were all common people in the village, and there were more women than men.

It stands to reason that although there is no farm work in winter, farmers are not allowed to relax. Because the law of Qin stipulates that after February in spring, people are not allowed to cut wood in the mountains and forests. The ban is not lifted until July. Only coffins that need to be cut down due to death are not subject to seasonal restrictions.

Therefore, all adult men in farmers’ families have to take advantage of the absence of bans in winter to cut enough firewood after spring. If you have a skill, you can go up the mountain to set traps and nets for catching birds and beasts, and go down the river to collect fish and turtles to supplement your family income.

As for women, apart from weaving, they hold wooden pestles at home and pound seemingly endless amounts of grain all day long.

This afternoon, which should have been business as usual, was interrupted when Rizheng's wife came to the door.

Li Zheng's wife told the peasant women who were busy at home that she heard that the Zhong family living in Lidong had made a new rice pounding device, which could greatly reduce the time for pounding rice, and it did not require much effort, and there was no need for sore arms. .

"These were all leaked by the wife of the craftsman Citron while chatting with her neighbors. I heard that they were finished in the middle of the month and kept at Zhong's house. They have spent more than half a month pounding dozens of stones of millet!"

"Is this true?"

As soon as they heard that there was such a good thing, the women in the house suddenly exploded, throwing down the wooden pestles in their hands, clamoring to go and take a look.

Just as they were walking out of the house chatting and laughing, ready to knock on the door as usual, Li Zheng appeared.

He told them with a gloomy expression that he had just gone to find Citron who made this artifact. Unexpectedly, Citron was unwilling to make this artifact for others, and even took his wife to Zhong's house!

"Citron said it." Li Zheng said to the gathered men and women: "He said he swore an oath that he would not make this thing for others!"

Many women immediately started shouting when they heard this.

"This is really unreasonable!"

"As a craftsman, shouldn't he make utensils for our soldiers? He has an order, how dare he not do it!"

Seeing the indignation among the crowd, Li Zheng raised his hands and said incitingly: "Listen to me, for several generations, the villagers in the sunset have become like a family. They worship their ancestors together in the twelfth lunar month and drink together in the village." When we get together, we also take out the food from each family and share it. Whenever there is something good, it should be shared with everyone in the house! This is the rule that has been set long ago in the house!"

"right."

"That's right!"

Everyone agreed, although no one took this so-called rule seriously for a long time.

"But now, Zhong and Citron are unwilling to hand over this thing, and don't want to let the women in Li Zhong pound rice to save some energy. Even if I am Li Zheng, I can't do anything to them. Since I can't convince them two, I hope you will Come with me and persuade them to hand over this thing. If it is really useful, let Citron make one for every household, how about it?"

"What Li Zheng said is very good!" When everyone heard that Li Zheng wanted every household to use that good thing, they were immediately happy and agreed one after another.

So, not long after, outside Zhong's house, the once empty half-acre mulberry forest was filled with people, and the ground was trampled into a mess. Others stood on tiptoe, peering over the wall and looking inside.

More village women started shouting outside:

"Zhong, come out and say something!"

"Is it true that rice pounding can save labor and time?"

"Citron, if this thing really exists, why don't you, as a craftsman, make it for someone here?"

The wooden door of Zhong's house was closed tightly, and the people inside said nothing, except for the faint sound of children crying...

…

Seeing Zhong's family blocked in the door and being questioned by others, Sunset Li Zheng felt extremely relieved.

Although Li Zheng is small, he is also very long. He is responsible for taking charge of household registration, checking illegal affairs, and collecting taxes and services. Whoever sees him on weekdays should not bow to him respectfully?

But ever since the black man went to serve in the county town and returned with a title for his meritorious service, their family became more and more arrogant and did not take him seriously. Heifu, that little boy, usually greets everyone he meets on the street in a friendly way, but when he meets Li Zheng, he doesn't even want to nod his head. Does this boy really think that he is a great person just because he has won the title of Duke?

Because Heifu asked his family to keep silent and not to reveal that he was going to be the director of the pavilion until it was done, everyone including Li Zheng and Li Zhong didn't know...

Li Zheng and the Zhong brothers had some grudges to begin with, and he had already thought about it. When Zhong and Heifu came to borrow cattle again this spring, he must know who has the final say here!

But the opportunity came sooner than Li Zheng expected. Two days ago, when his wife went to Libei for a visit, a piece of news came back: the craftsman Citron's wife, who is also Heifu's sister Huan, let it slip while chatting with the neighbors. , boasting that Citron helped Heifu and Zhong make a rice-pounding instrument that can be stepped on with feet, which can save half the time of pounding millet, and it is effortless...

Li Zheng didn't believe it, but he couldn't resist his wife's nagging. Today he went to Citron's house to ask about the matter.

Unexpectedly, Citron hesitated and hesitated, obviously having something on his mind!

Li Zheng was suspicious, so he pretended to go to the toilet, and when he touched the backyard of Citron's house, he actually saw a rice-pounding instrument that looked exactly like Citrus!

Now Citron couldn't argue, and Li Zheng ordered him to make a similar one for himself and send it home the next day. Unexpectedly, this citron was cruel enough. He rejected Li Zheng on the spot and smashed the thing! Then he took his wife and daughter and ran to Zhong's house...

Li Zheng failed to succeed, and he was so angry that today's scene happened.

He couldn't get it himself, so he pretended to be fair and wanted to make this whole family look bad and make everyone in the city hate him!

"Let's see how your family will gain a foothold here in the future!"

Just as Li Zheng was proudly watching the Zhong family being surrounded, Tian Dian came over. He whispered to Li Zheng, saying that things are no better than in the past, and Zhong's younger brother Heifu was not an easy person to get along with. He was well-known throughout the county. As for the sound, who knows what will happen in the future, so don’t make things impossible!

"So what if I just do it?"

Li Zheng is not angry. He is a stubborn little landowner. He is proud of his family's status as a "scholar" and wants to maintain his status in Li Zhong.

When the matter reached this point, it was no longer a question of rice-pounding utensils, but a matter of his prestige in the community. If even a small worker dares to disobey him, and even the Zhong family brothers can't deal with it, how can he take it seriously? The old man from the Prison Gate who has a higher title than him is always coveting this position!

Therefore, Li Zheng insisted on going his own way and said to Tian Dian: "Don't try to persuade me anymore. Today, I will make the Zhong family bow their heads and obediently offer the artifact!"

Tian Dian shook his head and left. Before leaving, he said that he would not help each other in this matter.

"My lord, I don't need your help! I am the master of this sunset!"

Seeing Tian Dian's cowardly appearance, Li Zheng was very contemptuous. He continued to say some inciting words to the Li people, making them even more resentful towards the Zhong family, as if the Zhong family owed them a debt if they did not hand over the artifact.

Life in the countryside is like this. The place is small, you can't see when you look up and you can't see when you look down, so there is a lot of friction. Although neighbors are usually harmonious, once your family has something that my family does not have, and I want what you have, it will lead to jealousy and envy.

Since Heifu came back, the Zhong family has been prospering. Not only have their doors and walls been newly repaired, but they can also eat some fish and meat every few days. In order to keep the secret of Tamei, they don't invite neighbors to their home these days. Sit down...

Slowly, the surrounding neighbors began to have opinions about the Zhong family, and various emotions began to brew. Many people secretly said that their family was arrogant and looked down upon others. Now that Li Zheng is adding to the irritation, those village women whose husbands and sons go out and are left alone to pound rice at home are willing to follow Li Zheng to watch the fun...

Some even maliciously threw mud at his brand-new door to vent their jealousy.

Seeing that it was almost done, Li Zheng pretended to stop everyone. He separated from the crowd, raised his proud head, stood in the front row, put his hands on his hips, and shouted loudly to Zhong's family: "Zhong, if you don't come out, we will If you go in by yourself, your mother and children will be frightened, so don’t blame us for not being compassionate!"

He knew that although the black man was a ruthless man, he was not at home today.

As for your sincerity? Haha, Li Zheng watched him grow up. Zhong has been an honest and responsible child since he was a child. After he injured his leg on the battlefield, he became even more humble in front of others. He would not argue about anything and would be polite everywhere. Tolerance. In the past, when it came to borrowing cattle, borrowing farm tools, or allocating fields, Zhong would just smile helplessly, not daring to have any objections.

Therefore, Li Zheng is determined and Zhong will definitely bow to himself!

As soon as he finished speaking, the dark wooden door of Zhong's house opened with a creak.

Zhong had one foot outside the threshold and one foot still inside. He held the door with his left hand and hid his right hand behind his back.

He looked at the dark villagers outside and the arrogant Li Zheng, his face a little pale, and the injured leg inside the threshold seemed to be trembling slightly...