Just half a quarter of an hour later, Jia Chao, who had been so excited before, was now a little lost.

No wonder the prison guard there asked him if he had received the letter as soon as he saw him. No wonder his elder brother lamented how quickly he came when he heard his voice. No wonder his sister-in-law thought of money as soon as he heard that he was back... It turns out that his widowhood

My mother didn't survive this winter. Just when she was struggling in Lulongsai, she was already dead!

Moreover, in order to treat the mother's illness and bury her, the family borrowed money from Ma's husband, a wealthy family in Sanmali next door, through the village chief last year. Yes, it was a typical loan shark. For this reason, it cost the family's only 30 acres.

field!

The eldest brother had written a letter asking him to come back before. Not only did he hope that he could come to attend the funeral for his mother, but he also hoped that he could bring money back to pay off the debt, and at least save the family's ancestral farmland... He is an honest farmer.

There is no way.

"It's also my fault." After a long time, the eldest brother Jia Ping let out a breath of cold air and spoke first. "Actually, my mother was a little ill before winter. It was just that the immortal master of Taiping Dao happened to come to Lizhong to give a lecture. I sincerely begged for one.

I drank a bowl of Fu Shui and rested it overnight, so I didn’t care. But when the cold came in winter and my mother fell ill again, I got so confused that I listened to other people’s nonsense and went to borrow money to seek medical advice.

!Actually, that day I should have gone to the countryside to find the immortal master of Taiping Dao, and begged him to reward me with a piece of talisman water. Later, the immortal master still came, but by that time I had already sought medical advice, probably from Huang Tian.

I feel like I’m not sincere, so the talisman water is useless... It’s all my fault for being unfilial!”

"Brother, these words really make me feel ashamed." Jia Chao, holding the handle of the knife at his waist, came to his senses and was extremely ashamed. "My mother is seriously ill, and you and your sister-in-law are waiting here day and night without saying a word, asking for medicine and talismans.

Shui, if this is considered unfilial, then who am I?"

At this point, Jia Chao managed to regain his composure and said, "Since things are like this, there is no need to say anything more. Besides, brother and sister-in-law, since I'm back, you don't have to worry about the Ma family's persecution. This time I'm here."

Lulongsaili was rewarded for his meritorious service, and met noble people to take care of him, so he brought enough wealth. It was only a few thousand dollars. This afternoon we went to pay homage to our parents first, and we will go to the village chief early tomorrow morning to pay homage to him.

Man, just give him the money back."

"That's good, that's good." The elder brother Jia Ping nodded repeatedly, and his face became a little more colorful. "I really didn't expect that my second brother, you would be so successful if you joined the army. Not only did you bring such a

When I come back with a lot of money, there are two pieces of silk that are so slippery, and there is actually a horse... Don't worry, since my mother has left, the family should be divided according to the rules. After paying off the debt, the money will still be yours.

of……"

"Cough!" Sister-in-law Jia Chao, who was sitting at the table, suddenly coughed, then stood up and picked up the clay pot beside her. "This soup has gone cold. I'll heat it up again."

"No need." Jia Chao didn't have time to worry about this at this time. "Sister-in-law, please do your best to heat up the meat and cook some dry rice so that I can take it over to pay homage to my mother."

The two brothers and sister-in-law were naturally speechless, and the three of them immediately started to gather together, planning to let Jia Chao go to the grave to cry and sacrifice for his dead mother while the soil was still wet. However, it was just a poor family, and it was just a poor family.

Where do those scholar families have so many rules? They just cook some dried meat and rice... If Jia Chao comes back without dried meat, he may have to cook rice... Then the three of them talked about it roughly

The old linen cloth can be regarded as wearing filial piety.

However, just when the three of them were ready to lock the door and go to the tomb to cry and offer sacrifices, unexpectedly, an evil guest suddenly came to the door.

"Jia Chao, I heard that you are back with a fortune?!" An old fat man who is really rare these days, in his forties or fifties, with small eyes and short stature, walked straight from the door with his eyes twirled and his beard twirled.

There were five or six sword-crossing companions behind him, and the head of the local Dasangli also followed behind this person with a submissive look.

Yes, this man is the only rich man in the neighborhood, the big man Ma in Sanmali next door, who is the one who gave money to the Jia family. He is known as Mr. Ma in the neighborhood... This man claims to be born in

Hongnong Ma's name is Ma Fei. In fact, everyone knows that this guy is a local, and he is just a rich man who started his family only three generations ago.

"Husband Ma, long time no see!" Upon seeing this, Jia Chao quickly put down the things in his hands and stepped forward to salute. No matter what, the person he met was a fellow villager or an elder.

As for Jia Ping and his wife, they were so shocked that they took a few steps back, while Nono did not dare to speak.

"Sure enough, he has made a fortune." The horse's husband ignored the other party's salute, but directly looked at the Northland horse in the courtyard. "What a good horse. Did you bring it from Youzhou?"

"Yes." Jia Chao answered patiently.

"Did you borrow it from the army, or is it your own horse?"

"Returning to the prince, this was given to me by a promising comrade when he returned from the army. I didn't know he could be so heroic and generous."

"I see." Mr. Ma rolled his eyes and said, "I know that the rangers in Youzhou are always poor and generous, and I don't want you to have such luck."

"It's really luck."

"Do you know why I came to your house? Your brother and sister-in-law should have told you... While you were away, your mother got sick first and then was buried..."

"Yes, I already know." Jia Chao quickly replied. "Please don't worry, Mr. Ma. I came back this time because I achieved military exploits in western Liaoning and was rewarded. I brought enough money with me. You go home to rest first and wait for me."

After I went to the grave to cry and offer sacrifices, I will personally take the money to your hometown early tomorrow morning to settle the debt..."

"I'm a fellow countryman, why bother with tomorrow?" Mr. Ma walked half a circle around the horse that was taller than him. "That's good. I've brought the debt deed, so I'll treat you well."

Now, I'll take the horse away, and we won't owe anything to each other, how about that?! Look, how fun it is for Mr. Ma to take the horse?"

As he said this, the two companions behind the horse's husband actually stepped forward to untie the reins.

Jia Chao was shocked and angry... You must know that his brother had just calculated it clearly for him. Even if it was a loan shark, including principal and interest, he only owed the other party a mere five thousand dollars at this time. And such a legitimate horse

Even in front of the Wuhuan camp in western Liaoning, it would cost 10,000 yuan to get a steed from the Northland. To sell it all the way to Jizhou, it would cost at least 5,000 yuan more, which is 15,000 yuan!

Besides, he kept this horse just to get a job as a rider in the pavilion to make a living... If he really wanted to sell it for money, he could quickly follow the young master of the Gongsun family's motorcade all the way.

Then we went to Hanoi, south of the Yellow River. Over there, such a fine horse cost at least 20,000 yuan!

In short, how can such a good horse pay off a debt deed of more than 5,000 yuan and still not owe anything? Just because your surname is Ma? This is too bullying!

Not to mention Jia Chao, even Jia Ping and his wife understood the power of this, so they quickly stepped forward to stop the two Ma family companions.

Jia Chao also hurriedly gritted his teeth and knelt down in the yard: "Mr. Ma, don't worry, I'm not afraid of trouble. You can do the crying ceremony tomorrow. The money is in the house. I will withdraw the money and settle it with you. It must be

A lot of money."

By the way, as I said before, it was the off-season of farming and the first month of the year. Many people were chatting outside in a sheltered place facing the sun. After hearing the commotion, many people curiously gathered in front of the door to look around.

.

The head of the local Dasang Village also hurriedly came to persuade him, saying that since he had the cash and the debt deed, he might as well just settle it.

The horse's husband looked out the door, rolled his eyes, and shook his head: "That's all, even though we are not from the same place, we are still fellow villagers. If you don't know, you might think I'm trying to get your horse. That's it.

Okay, I won’t lead the horse, I won’t stop you from fulfilling your filial piety, and I won’t rush into money matters... Well, let me do the math, these three days... no, four days! I have these four days

If you are busy with things, don't come to me. Wait until the fifth day. Calculate the time by yourself, and don't forget to bring money to my house to settle accounts. That's it, I have other accounts to settle!"

After saying that, the horse's husband didn't stay too much. He just went out with his beard and short legs, and he didn't know which family he was going to harm again.

The three members of the Jia family were shocked and doubtful. They quickly pulled the horse into the house and tied it in front of their own stove. Only then did they dare to set off to pay homage to their deceased mother. After a lot of trouble, they returned to the house in the evening and met the man from a distance.

The two powerful men met each other and hid around each other for a while before they dared to return home.

By the way, Jia Chao has been working abroad for several years after all. There are so many brothers in the army who always have various insights, so he has more concerns in his heart, so he couldn't help but ask questions as soon as he returned home.

: "I remember when I left that day, this horse's husband was just a rich man. I haven't seen him for several years. Why was he so tyrannical? If we hadn't been surrounded by so many villagers in Dasangli today, I'm afraid they would have robbed him... But is there anything to rely on?"

"

"Brother is right, this husband Ma is really becoming more and more careless about his face. It's okay here, but there are many people in Sanmali who have been destroyed by him... As for what you said about his support, he really doesn't have that much.

Something." Jia Ping thought for a moment and then told something that Mr. Ma did when his brother was away.

It turns out that in this southern part of Jizhou, there is such a family that you must not mess with. It is not Zhang Jiao, the great sage, but the Zhao family of Zhao Zhong... Yes, it is the one who was called Ah by the emperor.

Zhao Zhong, the leader of his mother's ten constant attendants.

This power has dominated the government and the public. Counting from the time he killed the general Liang Ji, he has been in power for sixteen or seventeen years.

Therefore, after such a long period of time, even though the common people in the countryside did not know about eunuchs or Shi Changshi, they also knew how tyrannical this family was. No one could control how many powerful people could get along with Zhao Zhong and Zhao Changshi's family.

Of course, Mr. Ma, a rich man in the township, cannot reach the real Zhao family anyway, but he can reach the Zhao family's dogs... A descendant of the Zhao family built a manor in Zedong, mainland China.

, and also grabbed a large piece of fertile farmland and passed the household registration. Naturally, the man named Zhao did not care about anything. He just had fun in Yecheng all day long. The person in charge of this manor was one of his confidants named Liu, and people from several nearby counties were

Call him Manager Liu.

Mr. Ma got in touch with a nephew of Manager Liu.

"Second brother, I still remember that there was a very poor family in the Ma Huanggong clan. The whole family almost died during the epidemic, but they left a daughter, who is considered the niece of Ma Husband. And Ma Husband is the patriarch of the clan, so she can't escape.

So I had to keep her at home... In fact, she was raised as a maid... But she was born white and very beautiful. Speaking of which, before you left that day, your mother was still thinking of asking for her to be your wife!"

"Of course I remember." Jia Chao looked dazed, and he didn't know if he was remembering something from the past.

"That's her." Jia Ping shook his head and said. "The nephew in charge came to Mr. Ma's place as a guest a few years ago... I heard the villagers in Sanmali talking about it... The nephew in charge probably just looked at the girl on the way.

After a quick glance, it turned out that Ma's husband stripped his niece naked that night and sent her to the bed of Manager Han's nephew, making her a concubine. Then he told the people in the house that she was his own daughter, and anyone who dared to talk nonsense would be beaten.

Death... From then on, no matter in the village, in the pavilion, or even some nobles in the county, they no longer dared to interfere with Husband Ma's affairs, and many of them seemed to be quite flattering.

Mr. Ma, I don’t know what these noble people think?”

"How can you not be flattering?" Jia Chao said with a bitter smile after hearing this. "That's the Zhao family. A single word can make all the nobles destroy their families. Even if they are only indirectly involved with the Zhao family,

Even if you are disrespectful, you have to hide."

"I don't understand these things." Jia Ping shook his head repeatedly. "But it's great that you can come back, second brother... You don't know that in just two years, seven or eight miles of fertile land in our village has been taken care of by this husband."

The French bought more than 20% of it. If you don't come back, our thirty acres of fertile land will probably be lost."

"Maybe?" Jia Chaoqiang said with a smile. "Let's not talk about this anymore. I also asked my sister-in-law to cook quickly. While there is still light, let's have a rest early today."

"Yes, yes," the honest Jia Ping nodded repeatedly. "Brother, you just came back. I think you were very tired along the way. Eat and rest quickly. If you have anything to say, we will talk tomorrow."

In this way, the three people of the Zhang family had dinner. Jia Chao first let his eldest brother and sister-in-law live in the main house, and then said that he would take care of the horse, so he and the horse moved into a side room early. However, poor families these days,

I didn’t have any money to light any candles or oil lamps, so of course I worked when the sun rose and rested when the sun came in.
To be continued...