The two of them went to school, but the weather was very bad.
It had been more than an hour since Gu Laotai and the others left, and it was almost dark.
Chen couldn't wait any longer. Besides her, there were only a few children in the house, so she took over Gu Laotai's work and cooked dinner, and asked Gu Liang to take care of several sisters.
Due to Gu Laotai's instructions, the children didn't dare to go out to play, and could only lie by the window and look outside. The noises from the village were getting louder and louder, with cries and shouts mixed together. Although the specific situation was unknown, it seemed very sad.
When it was completely dark, Gu Laotai returned with Li and her third uncle Gu Boxi. Since Chen went to cook late, the meal was not ready until Gu Laotai and the others came back, but they could eat right after they came back.
Today was a special case, so the Gu family also ate with oil lamps, which was very rare. Everything in the Gu family was dark at night, except for the circle of light on the dining table. The brightness of the oil lamp was limited and could only illuminate one table, but it was enough. After all, the lamp oil was rapeseed oil, and people were reluctant to put more in the dishes.
Second Aunt Li, who always ate heartily at the table, put down her chopsticks today for the first time after eating a few bites. It was discovered by Gu Liang's mother, Chen. Chen asked Li: "Sister-in-law, why do you eat so little? Is it because I cooked today instead of mother, so it doesn't suit your taste?"
"No, sister-in-law," Li said hurriedly when she saw Chen's concern for her: "I really have no appetite. I saw Tiezhu lying there in the afternoon, and it was really..."
Chen was relieved to see that it was not because her cooking was not delicious. She turned around and asked Gu Laotai: "Mother, what is the situation with Tiezhu's family? Didn't he go to the state government to perform corvée labor? How can a person disappear without a trace?"
There are not many rules for eating in the countryside. Old Mrs. Gu didn't care about these rules because the incident happened suddenly. She said: "This iron pillar was lost when the King of England was doing corvée labor. I heard that it was because the weather was too hot recently, and the construction site was too tight, and the iron pillar couldn't withstand it..."
"His Royal Highness the King of England is so inhuman. This man who was as strong as a calf was exhausted to death!" Chen said in surprise. In his world, people who help with work should be treated preferentially, and this kind of situation should not happen.
Li also said to Chen sadly: "Sister-in-law, you didn't see how Tiezhu was carried back. It was so miserable that I didn't dare to look closely! I heard from the people who brought Tiezhu back that Tiezhu was responsible for carrying stones because he was tall and strong. There was no water to drink on the construction site in the hot weather. I guess he died of heat."
Gu Liang was horrified when he heard this. He only thought that serving corvée was at most a little hardship, but he didn't expect that his life would be in danger. Several sisters looked at the heavy tone of the adults at the table. Even if they didn't know what they were talking about, they could feel the sadness. Several people didn't make a fuss and ate obediently.
Gu Boxi was very angry at this time. Although Tiezhu was two years older than him, he was also a playmate since childhood. How could he not be angry when he died because of corvée? He said to Old Lady Gu in grief and anger: "Mom, do you know that Tiezhu died, but he was married for less than two years! What's more, after Tiezhu died, the King of Ying only gave their family ten taels of silver, which is a life! I saw Tiezhu's mother and his wife fainted from crying several times. How will their family survive in the future?"
Old Lady Gu sighed, because she had no ability to solve the problem. They all stayed in Lanxi Village, so who was better off than who? They were all just digging for food in the fields. It was probably just that my family could eat a little more this year, and your family could eat a little more next year.
When Old Lady Gu sighed, everyone else sighed with her. After all, no one could do anything at this time.
"Mom, what about Grandpa, Dad, and Second Uncle in the state capital? What if something happens to them!" Gu Liang suddenly remembered that there were still people working for the King of Ying, and hurriedly reminded Old Lady Gu.
"Yes, mother, what should we do? There are a lot of men on the construction site, and no one is looking after them. What if something happens?"
Chen and Li echoed, and their attention was completely shifted from Tiezhu's family to their own men. After all, their own family is the most important.
"Mother, why don't I go to the state capital to take a look? If there is anything, I can take care of my eldest brother, second brother and father." The one who said this was Gu Boxi. He didn't go this time because of his father and brothers.
Take care of him, otherwise he will be the one suffering on the construction site. How can he just sit there and do nothing?
Although Mrs. Gu also wanted her youngest son to go there to help take care of the children, after all, it would be good to help them deliver water to quench their thirst during the day and help them get bath water at night. But reason told her not to go, and she also gave her reasons: "Xier, you can't go. The new King of England is obviously conscripting men to help him dig a lake. If you walk in there with your physique, they will immediately arrest you to work. At that time, not only will you not be able to help your father and your eldest and second brothers, but you will be in trouble yourself."
"Mother, if my third brother can't go, I will go. Men are easy to be conscripted, and I, a woman, will not be arrested!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice that said this, and it turned out to be Li, who usually liked to hide behind when working.
"Are you serious?" Mrs. Gu didn't expect Li to take the initiative to stand up and say that she wanted to go.
Li nodded. After all, Mrs. Gu couldn't leave, and Gu Boxi couldn't go. His eldest sister-in-law was always quiet and weak, so it would be useless for her to go. The only suitable person was her, although she had a little selfish thought that her father and brother from her mother's family were also there, and she could take care of them.
Chen, who was standing aside, also agreed with Li's going. Although she had her own ideas, she always felt that her temperament was not suitable for doing these things. But she also raised her concerns and said, "Sister-in-law, it's good for you to go, but where will you live? Our prefecture Jiangzhou is not like our village. You can just find a place to sleep. Jiangzhou is a money-spending cave."
What Chen said made sense. After all, everything costs money when you go out.
Mrs. Gu also thought about it, and then took out two taels of silver from her bosom. This was all the cash that the Gu family could take out. Old Man Gu took some with him when he left. Now, except for the bottom of the box that can't be moved, the whole family has so much.
Although two taels of silver may seem like a lot, some will be spent on the road, accommodation, and food. When we really arrive in Jiangzhou, we don’t know how much will be left, and we don’t know what kind of help we can provide!
"Mom, I will only eat steamed buns on the way. It is not convenient for women like us to stay at other people's homes, so I will just find a tree to sleep under. It won't cost much on the way." Li comforted Mrs. Gu. After all, two taels of silver was indeed a lot, and her private savings never exceeded one hundred coins.
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