Jiang Long walked straight through the crowd and walked into the main room of Old Man Guo's house.
His eyes glanced around subconsciously.
The family is surrounded by walls!
There was no furniture except for a worn-out low-legged wooden table with one leg missing.
Around the wooden table, there are several large stones with relatively flat surfaces. It is obvious that the Guo family sat on the cold and hard stones when eating.
Looking outside, you can only see cracks in some places on the wall.
The light inside the house was dark, but it was bright outside, so when I walked into the house, I found that the sunlight was shining through the cracks, forming dazzling beams of light.
Someone lifted the door curtain, and Jiang Long stooped from the main room to the connecting back bedroom.
I saw Lao Guotou with red eyes holding a broken porcelain bowl and pouring water into the mouth of an old woman with snow-white hair.
On top of the kang, several women were supporting the old woman.
Two little boys were crying and wiping their tears.
"The old lady fainted from hunger."
"pitiful."
Several voices came to his ears one after another. Jiang Long turned his eyes and looked around. There was no furniture, and there were only a few thin quilts on the earthen bed.
The walls were leaky and the bedding was so thin. I really don't know how this family of four survived last year's cold winter.
"Who has eggs?"
The old woman's face was very thin and covered with traces of time. She was fainted from hunger. Just drinking some water was not enough. Jiang Long said, "Help me make a bowl of brown sugar and egg porridge. I'll settle the money with Manager Li."
"No, no, no." A middle-aged woman wearing a cotton skirt ran out.
Facing Jiang Long's questioning gaze, Tian Dazhuang introduced in a low voice: "That's Zheng Zhi's mother-in-law. His family lives next door."
Jiang Long turned around and glanced at Zheng Zhi.
Zheng Zhi was very satisfied with his woman taking the initiative to take the eggs at this time, and felt that he had gained face.
Seeing Jiang Long looking over, he bent down and bowed his head with a smile.
But unexpectedly, Jiang Long was not heard to praise him.
He raised his head in surprise, and Jiang Long had already turned his attention to Lao Guotou's family of four.
After a while, the old woman who had been given some water twitched her eyelashes slightly and slowly opened her dim eyes.
"woke up!"
Everyone around was beaming with joy.
Old Guo Tou also looked excited, "You scared me to death. If you leave, how can I be alone?" As he spoke, muddy tears flowed down his face.
Guo's wife forced a smile and slowly looked around, "What's going on? Why are everyone here at our house?"
"Old aunt, you fainted from hunger earlier."
"Yes, fortunately your eldest grandson saw it and hurried out to find the master."
"When Zhutou's wife met, she went to find old Uncle Guo, and we all rushed over."
People started to explain one after another.
"The young master is also here to see you."
Zheng Zhi rolled his eyes at this moment, took a few steps forward and spoke.
"Ah?" Guo's wife struggled to get up.
After Jiang Long glanced at Zheng Zhi lightly, he took a few steps forward and sat on the bed. He stretched out his hands to hold Guo's wife's shoulders to prevent her from getting up, "I have already asked someone to make brown sugar and egg porridge, old aunt."
If you hold on a little longer, someone will bring it over right away."
"You made the young master laugh." The old woman looked embarrassed, her eyes were flustered, and she was also a little cautious.
Although she has lived for nearly sixty years, she has never had such close contact with the master of Jing Mansion.
"Thank you, young master."
Old Guo Tou also spoke, his face full of gratitude.
Jiang Long waved his hand gently and sighed: "The old aunt fainted because of my negligence."
Just as he was about to explain the reason, Zheng's wife walked in quickly carrying a bowl of hot egg soup.
"Let the old aunt eat something first."
Jiang Long stopped talking, stood up and moved out of the way.
Zheng's wife stepped forward and handed the bowl to Lao Guotou.
Lao Guotou scooped up a spoonful and blew it gently with his mouth before feeding it to his wife's mouth.
After Guo's wife drank a few sips, she felt her body warm and she gradually gained some strength.
Then he shook his head to avoid the spoon and stopped drinking, wanting to leave the remaining brown sugar and egg porridge for his two grandchildren.
Although the two children of the Guo family also care about their grandmother, their family is poor and they have not eaten eggs for a long time.
So I looked longingly at the bowl of fragrant brown sugar and egg porridge and swallowed hard.
Old Guo Tou was a little hesitant.
At this time, Baoping suddenly stepped forward and said with a smile: "Auntie, please continue to finish the porridge. The two of them can eat this."
As he said that, like a magic trick, he shook his little hand, and there were already a few pieces of soft pastry in his palm.
The two children were attracted and boldly stretched out their hands.
After eating one piece, the two children narrowed their eyes in intoxication.
"smell good."
"So sweet."
Upon seeing this, Baoping took out a few more pieces and placed them in the palms of the two children.
"Grandma eats it."
"Grandpa eats."
Most children from poor families are more sensible. After eating another piece, the two children brought the cake to Grandpa ***'s mouth.
Lao Guotou took a small bite with tears in his eyes and stopped opening his mouth.
Guo's wife had a kind face and continued to drink brown sugar and egg porridge.
When Baoping turned around and walked back, the smile on his face had disappeared.
Seeing that nothing happened here, Guo's wife woke up and turned around. Jiang Long breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.
Tian Dazhuang, Zheng Zhi, and Yang Qiang raised their legs and followed closely behind him.
"so poor."
Walking out of the door of Guo's house, Baoping said softly.
Yuchai nodded silently.
Jiang Long's heart was heavy at this moment, and he suddenly spoke, "Old Zheng, you should have known about the situation of Old Guotou's family for a long time, right?"
"Yes, yes." Zheng Zhi responded cautiously when he saw Jiang Long's expression was not good-looking.
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Jiang Long's voice became stern.
His wife was the first to make brown sugar and egg porridge. Zheng Zhi originally wanted to get a few words of praise, but when Jiang Long suddenly got angry, cold sweat oozed from his forehead, "This, this..."
I didn't know how to answer for a while.
Most of the tenant farmers on the farm are poor. In the past, under the harsh oppression of Guanshi Hu and his family, how many could have enough to eat every day?
If there is really no food, these people will go to Steward Hu's house to borrow loan sharks at usurious rates to tide over the current difficulties.
But in this case, because the interest rate is very high, they will owe more and more money to Steward Hu's family.
Jiang Long took care of Guanshi Hu and his family as soon as he arrived, which was a great thing.
All debts owed in the past no longer need to be paid.
But at the same time, without Manager Hu to borrow money and food, they would naturally go hungry.
"And Lao Yang!" Jiang Long directed his anger at Yang Qiang again, "The head of the farm has been going out to buy livestock every day these days. I have left all the things on the farm to you two to manage, and now there are people who don't have the money.
I fainted from hunger after eating and almost died, what do you say?"
Suddenly, Jiang Long's aura changed drastically.
Zheng Zhi and Yang Qiang could not withstand the pressure and fell to their knees with a plop. While admitting their mistake, they also begged for mercy.
"My little mistake!"
"Please, young master, please forgive me this time."
Seeing Jiang Long's cold face and being unmoved, the two of them looked at Tian Dazhuang for help.
Tian Dazhuang hesitated for a moment, then knelt down and said, "Young people are also wrong."
"Get up." Jiang Long frowned slightly, "I said before that if I let you do things, I will give you monthly money. You, the head of the farm, are responsible for purchasing livestock and have to run out every day, while they are temporarily responsible for everything in the farm.
Matter, this matter has nothing to do with you."
Tian Dazhuang did not get up, his face was full of shame, "Actually, I also know that Old Guo Tou's family is poor, but I didn't tell the young master in time that in the past years..."
Then, Tian Dazhuang told Jiang Long about the situation at the farm.
Jiang Long sighed softly after hearing this. It turned out that Guo's wife had her own reasons for fainting from hunger.
His expression softened a lot.
Asking Tian Dazhuang to stand up, he snorted again, "Old Zheng and Lao Yang, this time the head of the farm intercedes for you, I will spare you for once. If something like this happens again in the farm, the house will be in trouble."
I won’t show any mercy!”
"Thank you, young master!"
"Thank you, young master!"
"Huh?" Jiang Long spoke from his nostrils.
The two of them were not fools, so they immediately thanked Tian Dazhuang and called him "Tian Zhuangtou".
The chill on Jiang Long's face slowed down.
Zheng Zhi and Yang Qiang both have some brains and abilities, so they usually have no respect for Tian Dazhuang.
And they all want to replace it.
Where can't Jiang Long be seen?
Today I just take this opportunity to build up prestige to Tian Dazhuang.
In the future, Tian Dazhuang will be able to manage the farm better and become a veritable head of the farm.
"Young master, there are many families in the farm who are in the same situation as old Guo Tou's family." Zheng Zhi immediately reported the situation because he wanted to investigate the responsibility.
Tian Dazhuang and Yang Qiang also spoke in agreement.
"Old Zheng, you should go to each household now and check how much food they have in stock and how long they can last." Jiang Long ordered.
Zheng Zhi responded and hurriedly went to do things.
Yang Qiang said at this time: "Actually, as long as the wild vegetables grow out, it will be fine."
The tenant farmers on the farm are very poor, and few families can eat food all year round. After spring, the children of every family will go to the fields and mountains and forests to dig various wild vegetables and mushrooms, and then add a little to the pot.
Order some brown rice and cook wild vegetable porridge.
"How can you do it by eating only wild vegetables?"
Jiang Long shook his head gently, "After the statistics are completed..."
Having said this, he suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
He wanted to distribute some grain to the tenant farmers, but some of the tenant farmers were in better circumstances and some were very poor.
When the time comes, it will only be given to the poor, and those from well-off families will inevitably feel it is unfair.
But if you give them the same amount of food, even though you have good intentions, you are not a Buddhist Bodhisattva.
Help those who should be helped, and those who shouldn’t be helped. Why should we help?
When Manager Li heard this, he felt bad and hurriedly said, "Young Master, are you planning to send them food?"
Yuchai and Baoping immediately glared at Manager Li.
They were all sold by their parents.
I used to feel very resentful towards my biological parents. If they didn't want me, why did they give birth to me?
But when I came to the farm, I saw the women of their own age who were all in tattered clothes, with dark faces and calluses on their hands, and the children who followed them were also sallow and thin, and I understood the bitterness of life of biological parents.
The hatred in my heart gradually faded away.
In Jingfu, they hardly suffered any hardships, and their life was even better than that of a landlord's mother-in-law.
Although I did not stay with my parents, my destiny changed and I did not experience the hardships of life.
They had never suffered much hardship, and they were kind-hearted, so they naturally sympathized with these tenant farmers.
It makes me feel a little sad to think that my parents may have lived like this.
Therefore, they very much agreed with Jiang Long's distribution of grain to the tenant farmers.
At this time, Manager Li jumped out, obviously trying to stop them. How could they not feel angry in their hearts?
"Guanshi Li means..."
Hearing Jiang Long's inquiry, Manager Li immediately said: "You can only borrow it, you can't give it to them for free! Our Jing Mansion treats the servants very favorably, but we can't give food to them for free! Otherwise, we will be eaten by several other farms.
The tenant farmers knew about it, and they started to make a fuss and asked for food. No matter how big our family and business are, our Jing family cannot afford it."