For what?”
Chen was a little heartbroken, this time Zhu Pingan was successful in the examination, just the congratulatory gifts received in this moment in the middle of the day were so much, and there would definitely be more in the future.
“There is a provision in the law that accepting gifts is equivalent to taking bribes,” Zhu Pingan said softly.
When Chen heard this, she felt that the silver cheques and land deeds in her hand were very hot, and she threw them all on the bed without thinking about it.
“Then I’ll hurry to return them all.”
Despite some reluctance, but Chen’s still anxious to give all the things back, in her heart, her son is still in the first place, can not because of the gift delayed the son’s future.
“This time it’s nothing, it’s still considered a humane exchange. But in the future, don’t accept it. Don’t worry, my son will definitely be filial to my mother, and I don’t need to accept gifts to let my mother eat well and dress warmly.”
Looking at his mother Chen’s unwillingness but anxious to return the gift, Zhu Pingan could not help but smile and persuade Chen.
“Is it really alright this time?” Chen picked up the silver cheque and land deed and asked with a hopeful look.
Zhu Pingan nodded his head.
“Then mother put it away for you.” Chen’s immediately turned from cloudy to sunny, gorgeous, and put a brain of things under the pillow, and then hid them later when no one was around.
For the townspeople in the courtyard who had heard about the offerings, Zhu Pingan had his own ideas, after communicating with Chen in advance in the house, Zhu Pingan walked out of the house into the courtyard.
“Thank you uncles for your love, but as you can see, my house is small and the courtyard is not big, so I really don’t need a houseboy, chef or anything like that. If there is a need in the future, I will definitely bother you uncles.”
When Zhu Pingan exited the house, he arched his hand and explained to the people in the courtyard.
This made many of the villagers who had come to offer themselves as house slaves, house servants and the like a little disappointed, but fortunately, Zhu Pingan replied to the land offer, making the villagers who had been waiting for a long time on the sidelines overjoyed.
Voluntary offerings were just to avoid taxes and levies, the people who offered land in the courtyard were all living in misery, being tortured by levies and taxes, and offering land would be beneficial to them. Therefore, Zhu Pingan still accepted the land dedication in the courtyard.
Sacrificial offerings were strictly prohibited by the imperial court. Although it was also prevalent on the surface, it was also a matter of being found out. Zhu Pingan did things in the habit of being considerate and not leaving a handle on people, and made two contracts with the townspeople who offered land in the courtyard.
Two deeds. One was a deed of sale and purchase of fields, a real but unfulfilled deed that avoided the casting of offerings;
The other was a deed of sharecropping, which read in general terms:
Liu Erniu, the person who made the sharecropping contract, now shares in a number of fields under the name of Zhu Pingan. Agreed to pay annual rent geometry, such as floods and droughts will reduce the rent geometry, autumn harvest on time to pay the rent, forever tenant farming, not limited to the year. There is no proof, so I will give you a copy of this document.
The villagers got the second sharecropping contract and were very happy. With this contract, the nominal contribution of land, in fact, by their own cultivation, and Zhu Pingan in order to comfort the townspeople deliberately added to the contract “forever ploughing tenant. Unlimited years” agreement, which is equivalent to this land is actually no different from the villagers.
“How much is the general rent?”
Zhu Pingan asked while writing the contract.
“Pick up one.”
“Two-eight.”
The townspeople answered differently, and looked at each other afterwards. Glean one meant that the rent collected was one-tenth of a cent, and two-eighths was two-tenths of a cent. Generally speaking, the agricultural tax that Daming levied squarely in the name of the state was less than glean one, though landless peasants who became tenants paid money and grain to the landlord as rent on top of that, usually slightly higher than the state’s proper agricultural tax, and unscrupulous landlords might pull it up to thirty-seven or even fifty-five. Answers from the townspeople varied, supposedly depending on the landowner.
After listening to the villagers’ answers, Zhu Pingan, when writing the tenancy agreement. Set the land rent at 5 per cent, half of the minimum rent answered by the villagers.
Such a low land rent made the villagers who got the sharecropping contract almost cry with joy, thanking Zhu Pingan again and again.
The thanks of the villagers made Zhu Ping An, who got nearly 100 mu of good land for no reason, blush a little. Can’t help but blush a little, that is to say, he got nearly a hundred acres of good land for no reason and still collect rent, but the other party is thankful to himself, it feels like Fan Wei that year’s classic thank you.
After lunch, in order to avoid gifts and offerings of people, Zhu Pingan slung his bag to the village of Shanghe to leave home for a moment.
Before leaving. Mother Chen said that if someone comes, say that he is reviewing for the examination.
“Master Zhu is here ah, congratulations Master Zhu high school, quickly please come in, outside cold quickly roast your hands.”
Uncle Li, the concierge of Da Caiwei Li’s house, was more enthusiastic than ever, directly carrying a small iron stove to open the door, and as soon as he opened the door, he stuffed the small iron stove into Zhu Pingan’s hand.
After getting rid of the enthusiastic Uncle Li with great difficulty, Zhu Pingan walked towards the study. The door to the study was closed, Zhu Pingan knocked on the door from the outside and soon heard footsteps approaching and someone opened the door.
A bun-faced little maid poked her head out from inside the study, seeing Zhu Pingan’s little mouth grew into a circle in surprise.
“Master Zhu Ping An.”
The bun-faced little maid, Painter, habitually called out Zhu Pingan’s name, but after calling out Zhu Pingan’s name, she remembered that Zhu Pingan was already a Lifter, and was busy chagrined to add the word Master at the end.
Feeling that the two words “Master” are so awkward, the little maid Painter’s bun face wrinkled up.
“It’s better to call me by my name.” The corners of Zhu Pingan’s mouth twitched slightly.
“This is what you asked for, don’t regret it.” The bun-faced little maid, Painter, readily accepts good advice, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
“Painting you stinky girl but you’re skinny, the cold wind outside is blowing in.”
Right at this moment, a lazy female voice came from inside the study, just like a lark flying into the house in winter.
“Miss, Zhu Pingan has come to borrow a book.” The bun little maid, Painter, explains to her own miss, then turns her head and flies to whisper to Zhu Pingan, “You come in quickly.”
Zhu Pingan nods his head and enters, the bun little maid, Painting Er, quickly closes the door of the room and paws at the hem of her skirt to rub herself in front of her own young lady.
The study and the outside are like two seasons, the study is warmed by several charcoal pots, Zhu Pingan just entered the study and felt warm and comfortable.
“Yo, I thought someone had won the lottery and disliked our Li family’s low threshold.”
That lazy female voice came out once again, conspiratorial and full of sarcastic flavour.
Zhu Pingan looked up and saw a bright-eyed young girl reclining on a chaise lounge covered with the fur of an unknown animal in the study, rolling her eyes at herself.
In addition to this young girl who rolled her eyes and the buns little maid painting, there are also two old mums and two maids in the study who are guarding the charcoal fire pots on one side to make clothes.
“How not to speak ah, but was I said in the heart, hum, not just a lifer, complacent what strength ah.”
The young girl who rolled her eyes saw Zhu Pingan looking at himself and not saying anything, couldn’t help but roll her eyes again and once again sneered and said
