The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 371 - 372: Don’t Count on Me

Chapter 371: Chapter 372: Don’t Count on Me

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The Wang Family, thanks to their horse-drawn cart, went down to the fields the earliest and quickest.

They had reaped a significant portion before the neighbors in the adjacent rice fields hurried over.

Looking at nothing else but the neat row of Wang Family members in the field, one couldn’t help but feel envious.

Wang Laozhu had just finished cutting a section and stood up to catch his breath.

A neighbor from the next field couldn’t resist striking up a conversation while reaping, "Old Wang, your family is really something this year!"

Wang Laozhu smiled as he took a drag of his cigarette, "It’s all thanks to good fortune, everyone’s life is better when the harvest is bountiful!"

"Absolutely, our village is doing quite well. I’ve heard there are villages that couldn’t endure these past days; they started harvesting before the rice was even ripe because of the drought. And the Lizheng told me that the taxes are going to rise again this year. For each acre, we’ll have to pay an extra five percent of our crops. How are we peasants supposed to live with this?"

Wang Laozhu frowned and let out a sigh as well.

After cutting another section, he caught up with Wang Yongfu, who was driving the horse-drawn cart. Wang Yongfu felt too ashamed to stand by while his parents worked the fields.

As long as the weather didn’t change, his legs were not much of an issue anymore, so he also went down to the fields.

He was only a bit slower than Lady Lin.

Wang Laozhu shared what he had heard with Wang Yongfu, mumbling, "Ah, the life of a peasant is getting harder and harder. If it were previous years, with Wang Laoer here, our family at least wouldn’t have to pay tribute. This year, I don’t even know how much we’ll have to pay..."

His tone was unexpectedly a bit melancholic and regretful.

In previous years, Eldest Wang would certainly have chimed in, agreeing with Wang Laozhu and heaping praise on Wang Laoer.

After all, a peasant family didn’t have to pay the grain tax if they had a Scholar in their midst.

That was also the capital and special privilege that established the Old Wang Family’s status in Qilidun.

At this time of year, Wang Laozhu used to be particularly proud and boastful of this advantage.

Outsiders unaware of the details simply knew that the Wang Family didn’t have to pay taxes, which saved them a lot of grain. They all envied them, flattering Wang Laozhu each year.

Even the family members who heard this would agree and join in with the praise.

However, they all knew that the saved portion of the grain tax was taken by Wang Laoer.

The Wang Family’s fields were cultivated for multiple seasons: wheat in the spring, then rice, millet, and sorghum in autumn.

Rice had a low yield and was considered a fine grain. Most of it was sold for money, constituting an important source of income for the family.

Wheat, millet, and sorghum would be kept by the family, ground up and mixed together for meals.

This way, the whole family could be fed.

Even when the Wang Family was previously considered among the wealthiest in Qilidun, they did the same, only eating white flour and rice on holidays or when someone was unwell.

It was only Wang Yongan who, each year, did not have to hand over the tax grains to the Government Office; however, not a single grain less would Wang Yongan haul to the city and take to his own house.

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Moreover, even though the tax grain could be mixed with other things, Wang Yongan always insisted on having only white rice. He never wanted millet or sorghum.

Ultimately, the rice harvested by the family each year was either sold for money to support his education, or taken directly to the city to be consumed by him and his father-in-law’s family.

Did the Wang Family really have no objections? They were merely pinning their hopes on Wang Yongan succeeding one day and pulling up his brothers and nephews. That’s why they gritted their teeth to support him.

Now, overhearing Wang Laozhu sounding rather regretful, Wang Yongfu couldn’t hold back. "Dad, weren’t you fully aware of the situation in past years? Although the tax grain wasn’t paid, it was given to Laoer. Over these years, our family, besides a hollow reputation, hasn’t gained any tangible benefits from Laoer."

"I actually think it’s better this way. After paying the tax grain, our family can keep a bit more fine grain. I see my sister likes to eat it, and as you and mom are getting older, you should eat more fine grain to nourish yourselves. Besides that, we can still sell some for silver coins, which is much better than in previous years!"

Wang Laozhu was silent for a long time, then took a puff from his pipe.

He sighed. "I know, the good days our family is having now, it’s all thanks to your sister! It’s just that, I think, there are different classes of people in the world: the scholarly, agricultural, and commercial sectors. If our family’s days keep getting better and we don’t have a title to protect us, others may become envious in the future."

"Although the mountain goods business makes money, the reputation isn’t good. Our family still needs to produce a scholar!" This had been Wang Laozhu’s lifelong obsession.

Wang Yongan did fulfill this obsession of his, but sadly, he ended up hurting the Wang Family and Wang Laozhu the most.

Wang Yongfu didn’t have a good response to that.

On the other hand, Wang Yonggui, who was being scolded by Old Granny Zhang in the back, happened to come over and took up the conversation. "Dad, I think we should forget about it! If we support another scholar like Laoer, our land will have to be sold again! Once my little sister gets married, who will you count on to redeem the land? Don’t expect me, I, Wang Laosan, don’t have that capacity!"

"Besides, of our brothers’ generation, except for Laoer, none has the talent for reading. Of the younger generation, we’ve already given up on Jindou and Jinhoo. That leaves only Jinguan, my Jinpan, and Jinshao. Dad, which one are you planning to support? Or all three together? Even if our family had a mountain of silver, we couldn’t afford it!"

Although he was always being lectured by his sister these few days and it was quite embarrassing, he had been accustomed to it since childhood. In front of his sister, pride did not exist.

Furthermore, with life at home being easier and being able to eat meat every day and fill his stomach, and most importantly, receiving a monthly allowance, Wang Yonggui felt life was much better now than before at home.

He himself didn’t have a talent for studying, but he was very dissatisfied with the situation where almost all of the family’s money and food were devoted to Laoer, with all the good things prioritized for Laoer.

While Laoer ate meat, they couldn’t even gnaw on bones; Laoer ate fine white rice and flour, while they had to eat coarse grains every day.

They scrimped and saved to support the education of Laoer. To him, the whole family hadn’t really benefited from it, instead, Laoer strutted around all day as if everyone had to rely on him, as if they had to curry favor with him.

Back then, he saw through it all. You couldn’t rely on anyone, and he certainly wasn’t like Eldest Brother, who still hoped Laoer would give Jindou and the others a hand, always putting up with it.

From a young age, Wang Yonggui knew that it was the crying child that got the milk. Dad valued Laoer and relied on Eldest Brother, mom doted on the little sister, and no one doted on him and Laosi. Laosi might be dull-witted, but he certainly was not.

Since he couldn’t count on his parents, he soon learned to look out for himself. With a sweet mouth, he buttered up his sister and his parents, and his days were much more comfortable than those of Eldest Brother and Laosi.

He also figured it out: A person lives only once, and everything is fake—only when you enjoy yourself does life have value.

Just when it had finally become possible to enjoy the good days provided by the family, his own father, instead of cherishing the peaceful life, was bringing up the idea of a scholar again.

Was it a craving for more loss? Or was there something wrong with his brain?

Wang Laozhu, unable to save face from Wang Yonggui’s rebuttal, struck out with his tobacco pipe. "Enough of your nonsense! Get to work!"

Wang Yonggui didn’t take offense. He just grinned and continued his work.

Wang Yongfu, fearing that Wang Laozhu would start talking about these things again, also hurriedly bowed his head and started cutting the rice. In a few moments, he had moved ahead.