Chapter 98 - 94: Pressing for Grain (Part 2)
Chapter 98: Chapter 94: Pressing for Grain (Part 2)
As she was speaking, it finally dawned on Ms. Chen.
She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes instantly turning red.
"Zhi’Er, you’re finally well..."
The next moment, Ms. Chen threw her arms around Fang Yue, sobbing as she lightly pounded on his shoulder a few times.
"Mom, I’m okay now."
Fang Yue gently patted Ms. Chen’s back. This was the profound bond of family, thicker than water.
~~~~~~
The news of Fang Yue’s recovery spread quickly through the Fang Family. In an instant, the dark cloud that had been hanging over them was swept away.
They didn’t go so far as to hang lanterns and banners, but they did set off firecrackers to celebrate.
Ms. Chen even had Fang Yue step over a brazier to ward off bad luck and lingering illness.
By noon, Ms. Chen and Fang Cheng’s wife, the mother- and daughter-in-law duo, had worked together to prepare a grand, sumptuous feast.
During the meal.
"Here, Zhi, eat."
Fang Cheng placed a chicken drumstick in Fang Yue’s bowl. He was overjoyed that his younger brother had recovered.
"Big Brother, aren’t you going to serve Sister-in-law? Careful, or she might ignore you."
Fang Yue accepted the food and teased his older brother.
At that, Fang Cheng quickly glanced at his wife sitting beside him.
However, his wife was holding their child and paid him no mind.
So Fang Cheng hurriedly put some food on his wife’s plate.
The scene brought more smiles to the faces of the family.
With Fang Yue’s recovery and a new baby in the Fang Family this year, it was truly one joyous occasion piled on another.
Then,
Fang Yue picked up some bean sprouts with his chopsticks, and after a bite, he said:
"Mom, these bean sprouts... you coated them in egg batter, deep-fried them, then stir-fried them with shredded chicken and chili. Only you, Mom. The dish looks simple, but it’s just so delicious."
Fang Yue easily listed off Ms. Chen’s cooking method, finding a clever way to praise her.
The meal soon came to an end.
The family gathered in the main hall.
"Zhi’Er, you’re well now, but... but we can’t let anyone outside the family know," Father Fang said.
"You! Fang Mu, you really are a blockhead! My Zhi’Er is well again! This is a joyous occasion, why can’t we let people know? If we don’t tell them, are you going to let that riff-raff keep calling him ’little cripple’?!"
Ms. Chen immediately grabbed Fang Mu’s ear and twisted.
Even though Fang Yue was a Martial Scholar and the biggest landowner in Da Liushu Village...
...his fellow clansmen in the village, and indeed many others, were tenants of the Fang Family.
But among them were some malicious people. They wouldn’t dare say anything to their faces, but behind their backs, they called her Zhi’Er a "little cripple."
How could Ms. Chen not be heartbroken and furious?
Now that Fang Yue was well, how could she possibly keep it from everyone?
This way, they’d see who still dared to wag their tongues behind their backs.
"Wife, wife, it hurts! Let go!" Fang Mu grimaced in pain. After begging for mercy for some time, he finally managed to pull free.
"I’m only thinking of what’s best for Zhi’Er! Think about it, what if the Government Office finds out he’s recovered? What if they conscript him for the war?"
The provincial and County Magistrate’s Offices had been conscripting Martial Scholars and drafting able-bodied men to attack the Mo Mountain Tribe for a long time now.
Even people as far away as Da Liushu Village had heard plenty of rumors, some true and some false.
Besides, their Zhi’Er had been injured by one of those Mo Mountain Tribe rebels last time.
How could Fang Mu dare let Fang Yue go to war again?
If word of Fang Yue’s recovery got out, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t be conscripted.
And what would they do if he were injured again?
"Ah! Zhi’Er, your father’s right! Quick, quick! Fang Cheng, hurry and get the wheelchair! What if someone comes to the house and sees that he’s well!"
It dawned on Ms. Chen as well. She immediately ordered Fang Cheng to bring the wheelchair, preparing for Fang Yue to continue faking his injury.
"Mom, it’s fine. There’s no need, really," Fang Yue quickly protested.
The wheelchair was genuinely uncomfortable. Why did he need to keep up the act inside his own home?
At the same time, Fang Yue looked toward his father.
Father Fang looked simple, honest, and even a bit slow-witted.
But in reality, his mind was as clear as a mirror. He understood everything perfectly, he just wasn’t good at expressing it.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK...
Just then, a series of knocks sounded at the door.
"Is this the home of Fang Wuju?"
A loud, resonant voice accompanied the knocking.
The voice was unfamiliar, clearly not one of the villagers from Da Liushu Village. They had no idea who could be looking for Fang Yue.
Yet, the voice carried clearly even through the courtyard wall.
The visitor was undoubtedly a Martial Artist, and a skilled one at that.
"Oh no, oh no... Could it be that people from the Government Office found out? Are they here to take Zhi’Er to the war?" Ms. Chen immediately began to panic.
"Mom, don’t worry. It’s not the Government Office," Fang Yue said.
’The people at the Government Office don’t have superhuman senses; how could they possibly know about my recovery already?’
’Even if they did find out, it would take two or three days for them to send someone. There’s no way they could be here now.’
’No matter who it is, I’ll know once I meet them.’
「A few moments later, in the Fang Family’s front courtyard.」
The visitor was a middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of a government constable. He had a kind face and a very polite demeanor.
"Haha, Fang Wuju is indeed as young and distinguished as they say. I am Lian Bajin. I’ve come today because there is a matter I’d like to trouble you with."
The man then explained the matter of the grain levy.
It turned out that for the past two years, all the villages and estates had been suffering from a severe grain shortage.
There was hardly any grain left to be collected, yet with the army on the move, provisions could not run short.
So, the Government Office had turned its attention to some of the wealthy households.
Of course, they wouldn’t dare to have any improper ideas about the truly powerful and well-connected families.
So, someone like Fang Yue—who had lost his future and had no powerful backing—became a target.
"Constable Lian is right. When the imperial court is in trouble, it is our duty to offer support. However, as you can see from my family’s situation, we haven’t been able to collect any rent for the past two years. Where would we find any surplus grain?"
"However, I’m also aware of the Government Office’s difficulties. It wouldn’t be right for me to offer nothing. How about this? For over a year now, I haven’t collected my regular stipend from the Government Office. I will donate that silver," Fang Yue said with a chuckle.
It didn’t matter whether this man was using the Government Office’s name for his own extortion...
...or if the Government Office was genuinely in a difficult situation and needed support.
Fang Yue couldn’t concern himself with any of that.
But it was true that in the year since his injury, he had not collected the stipend granted to Martial Scholars by the imperial court.
He hadn’t gone to collect it, and the court naturally hadn’t sent it to him. By now, that sum must amount to at least several hundred taels of silver.
Donating this silver to the court was no small sum.
"Fang Wuju, I’m talking business with you. I’m not joking!" Lian Bajin’s brow furrowed, and his tone hardened.
’The Martial Scholar’s stipend... If Fang Wuju could actually collect his stipend, why would I even be here?’
’It was precisely because of Fang Yue’s current situation. The man himself was crippled, the White Tiger Boxing Hall had grown distant, and all he had left was that Martial Uncle from the examinations.’
’And that Zhang Boyang had recently been conscripted to fight the Mo Mountain Tribe.’
’So, out of politeness, I call him Fang Wuju. If I weren’t being polite, it’d be Fang Quezi.’
"I’m also being serious. What, do you think my donation is too small? Are six hundred taels of silver not enough?" Fang Yue retorted.
A year’s stipend amounted to a full six hundred taels.
Six hundred taels might not be much for a Martial Artist, but for an ordinary person, it was a staggering fortune.
It was enough to buy over two hundred mu of land.
And that was in previous years when harvests were good. In the current climate, it could buy at least four or five hundred mu.
It was a very significant amount of silver.
If you took it to another province to buy grain, you could purchase over a thousand jin.
However, Fang Yue expected Lian Bajin to turn hostile, but surprisingly, he didn’t. Instead, he continued trying to persuade him:
"That may be so, but what the Government Office needs most right now is grain. There’s a shortage everywhere. You can’t buy grain even if you have silver."
"How about this: I’ll go to the other villages to collect grain first. As long as I can complete my quota, I won’t trouble Fang Wuju again. But if I can’t... then I’m afraid Fang Wuju will have to contribute."
After speaking, Lian Bajin offered a few more polite words and then took his leave.