The whole family stocked up on supplies two years in advance, so they could live a life of luxury wh

I have to say.

Many hands make light work.

With the help of two to three hundred people, the earthen wall has grown considerably taller, and it looks like it will be completed the day after tomorrow.

It was evening.

Li Laosan, Li Fusheng, and others first obtained the land deeds and mountain deeds from the Wang family patriarch, and only after confirming the land allocated to each family did they carry their hoes and head back.

We just arrived at the village entrance.

Madam Yang was already waiting with ointment and medicated cloth.

When she saw her husband and the villagers return, she became excited and waved to him incessantly.

"You're so bold! You've finally returned. I've been waiting for you for so long."

Zhu Dadan waved to her and then walked over quickly. Chen Sanmei and the village's young wives were also waiting for everyone to return.

Li Laosan saw that his two grandsons were also staring at him expectantly.

His eyes immediately reddened, and he reached out to touch the heads of his two grandsons:

"Didn't I tell you to wait in the cellar? Why did you all come out?"

"Sister Xing'er said we could leave now, that everything was alright. There are even a lot of people coming from the village to help Sister Xing'er build a house."

"What? A lot of people are coming to my house to build a house?"

Li Dashan was stunned.

How many people are there?

Li Fusheng, who was walking behind, was also stunned for a moment. He asked Dashan and Xiaoshan to stay at the village entrance to help, while he went back to check on the situation.

He paused for a moment, then said to Li Laosan:

"Third Uncle, thank you all so much for today. I'll go back and check on things now."

Li Laosan nodded. "You go first. Da Dan and the others are here. They have ointment and bandages. Don't worry about us."

Zhu Dadan patted him on the shoulder and said:

"Brother Fusheng, go back and check on the situation first."

Don't worry about this. Your Xing'er definitely put this ointment on it. It's nothing serious, just a superficial wound.

Blood was seeping through the burlap on his forehead, but he still smiled and comforted Fusheng, since Fusheng's arm was still broken and not healed, so there was no point in him staying there.

Li Fusheng was moved after hearing this and said:

"Okay, thank you all for your help today. I'll definitely treat you to a good meal tomorrow."

Zhu Dadan replied with a smile:

"No, no, no, we're all from the same village, don't say such things. You've had a hard life, don't spend money on us. Everyone knows Xinghua Village is poor, but we're united, so don't overthink it."

Li Laosan's wrinkled face was now beaming with joy. "Go back, Fusheng. Remember, we're from the same village, and we even shared the same ancestor. Don't be shy."

"Yes, yes, I'll go back first."

As the villagers watched him walk back with bandages wrapped around his arm, they all knew that if it weren't for Xing'er taking their children to the forbidden mountain to hunt wild boars, they would all have had to sell their children.

Because this autumn's harvest was very poor.

Take Zhu Dadan's family as an example. His family of four only has eight mu of barren land. When the harvest is good, they can harvest eight or nine hundred jin of millet, but when the harvest is bad, they can only harvest about two hundred jin of millet.

However, the imperial court had to collect at least four taels and six mace of silver a year for a family of four, including poll tax, transportation fees, and other taxes. They could barely make ends meet by selling herbs.

Then there's the Li family in the village.

Then there's absolutely nothing that can be done.

Li Laosan's son and daughter-in-law died years ago, leaving only Gou'er and Tiedan. The family only has four mu of land and barely makes ends meet by borrowing money from his wife's family.

With all these factors in mind, the villagers didn't want anything to happen to Fusheng's family.

......

Old house.

Li Fusheng rushed back in a hurry, and what he saw truly astonished him. There were so many people busy at work that he couldn't even count them all.

As soon as Xing'er saw her father return, she hurriedly stepped forward and asked:

"Father, what happened?"

Li Fusheng replied with a smile:

"Don't worry, it's all taken care of, everything's fine now."

"Xing'er, why are so many people suddenly coming to our house?"

As he was asking the question, his eyes suddenly caught sight of a familiar face. "Isn't that... isn't that the old gentleman who came to see you? Did he bring all these people?"

Xing'er nodded:

"Yes, Master Lu wants me to help manage his youngest son, so he sent the steward with so many people to help us build the house?"

Li Fusheng looked at them with a worried expression and said:

"Xing, there are so many people, where are we going to get so much food? The villagers are counting on us to help build houses and have a full meal, and we don't even pay them."

"How about...we let them go back?"

Li Fusheng was in a dilemma when a passing bricklayer put down a tile, picked up a teacup, took a sip, and laughed:

"Brother, you're so lucky! Master Lu hired us to build you a house. We'll bring our own food, so don't worry, you won't have to pay a single penny."

Upon hearing this, Li Fusheng was filled with trepidation and immediately wanted to go and talk to the old steward. Xing'er quickly stopped him, saying, "Father, don't worry about this. Master Lu has something he needs me to do."

This is just an exchange.

"Exchange? What do we have to exchange with him? Xing'er...you...you wouldn't, would you?"

Li Fusheng was shocked when he heard his daughter say this.

she....

She couldn't possibly have sold herself to Master Lu, could she?

The thought of this made Li Fusheng's mind go blank.

Seeing that he was frightened, Xing'er quickly explained:

"Father, it's like this."

Master Lu's youngest son is only eight or nine years old, but he already weighs over 200 pounds. He's far too fat; his family can't control him, so they asked us to come and help them manage him."

"What? You're serious?"

"How can a boy who's only eight or nine years old grow to 300 pounds?"

"Yes, it's true. They might send the person over tomorrow?"

"Then... what can we do?"

"Nothing needs to be done, just let him do the work, and he can eat whatever we eat."

"This, this won't do! He's a young master from a wealthy family, how can he eat porridge with us?"

"Why not? He's a human being, and so are we."

"Dad, don't worry about this. Just help me start the fire. It's getting dark, and we need to get the food ready."

The two were talking.

The old steward put down a piece of wood, then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and said with a smile:

"Don't worry, I brought a cook with me. The meal should be ready soon. You and the villagers can all eat together."

"Sir, this is terrible!"

"We...we have done nothing wrong and dare not accept such a reward!"

Li Fusheng was always trembling with fear in front of those in power, not even daring to look people in the eye, only daring to lower his head and speak in a low voice. He even timidly hid behind Xing'er.

Xing'er, on the contrary, replied quite frankly:

"Then I'll have to trouble you, old butler. You can tell Master Lu when you get back tonight, and we'll send the person over tomorrow."

The old steward's eyes lit up when he heard this, and his voice became excited, "Yes...yes, my master has been looking forward to this day. There's always a doctor on hand in the mansion, just in case something happens to him."

"If Miss Xing'er were to keep an eye on him, our young master would be truly blessed."