Chapter 9: The Accountant

  "In total, 56 taels and 735 coins were spent here. The warehouse still has three silk account books, eleven hoes, 3000 catties of white ash, 400 catties of coarse charcoal, 80 catties of bamboo charcoal, two jars of glutinous rice wine, two loads of rough rice, and twenty-five chicken eggs. Liu the head, this account book has stated these things, but I don't know the unit prices of these items, so I couldn't verify them, please forgive me."

  Yun Zheng closed the account book and handed it back to Liu Duotou with both hands. The old man was overjoyed, but a bit restless. However, Liu Duotou held his wine cup and drank by himself, so Yun Zheng continued to wait respectfully for Liu Duotou to speak.

  Until he finished the bowl of wine, Liu Dou Tou finally looked up at Yun Zheng's eyes and said: "Didn't you find any loopholes? We are all rough people, sometimes it's hard to avoid making mistakes in accounting. You're a scholar, didn't you notice anything wrong?"

  Yun Cong filled Liu Doutou's wine bowl with wine and placed it in front of him, saying: "The little one only heard the head say that he wants to check this account book, but didn't hear anything about checking accounts. If the head needs the little one to re-audit the accounts, the little one will go do it."

  Liu Doutou, with a thick beard, burst out laughing and gave the old man's shoulder a heavy slap, saying: "You old dog are lucky, to have such a clever kid born in your village, it's a good omen for the prosperity of your village!"

  The same account book, I showed it to the young master of the Huo family in Guangling Village. He actually pointed at the account book and said that I had made a mistake in recording the accounts, and even wanted to help me re-record them. Damn it! Our old Liu has been eating this mouthful of rice for two generations, does he not know three sevens are twenty-one? If I didn't record it as three sevens are twenty-eight, where would the wine money come from for my brothers under me? Such an account book, even if the county magistrate were to inquire about it, a white丁 who recognizes only two characters dares to look down on me. Reading books has made him stupid, he'd better go to the rain-soaked land to carry stones and wake up!

  A twenty-something-year-old doesn't understand human relationships as well as a little kid, old bald head, I, Old Liu, have given you face, it's settled with this kid. Tomorrow when you go to work, come find me, the accounting job will be handed over to him. What kind of person is he? His surname is quite strange too.

  "Yun Tong once again cupped his hands and said: 'My surname is Yun, my name is Tong.'"

  Liu Doutou stood up and put on his raincoat, the other yamen runners also got up and started preparing to leave. The old man tried to persuade them to stay for dinner before leaving, but Liu Doutou declined, citing that it was already late and he was worried about not being able to return to Dou Sha Guan.

  As he was about to leave, Yun Zheng looked at him with a profound gaze and said: "The food account book doesn't have any fat to be skimmed off. After peeling off layer by layer, it's just enough to fill your belly. Young master, you can eat as much as you want, and it's only natural to bring some back for your siblings at home. But if your hands are dirty, beware of the heavens striking you with lightning."

  Yun Cong smiled and stretched out his hands to Liu Du, saying: "Thank you for your teachings, Head Liu. Look at my hands, up until now, although I chop firewood every day, they have never been stained with even half a point of impurity. I very much hope that when I die, these hands will still remain so clean."

  Liu Doutou pulled out a lotus leaf package from his bosom and placed it in Yun Zheng's hand, smiling as he said: "Interesting little doll, not bad, there's half a chicken here, consider it a reward for you, the emperor doesn't stint on starving soldiers."

  Without waiting for Yun Zheng to refuse, Liu Dou Tou let out a loud shout and led the yamen runners downstairs. He mounted his own ridiculous Yunnan horse and rode off into the rain, disappearing once again into the green mist.

  Yun Cong supported the old man, saw off Liu Doutou and returned to the bamboo building. This time the bamboo building was not as depressing as before. Cang Er, Xiao Shu, and three women all gathered around, chattering non-stop. Only Xiao Shu stared at the lotus leaf package with drooling mouth.

  Yun Cong opened the oil paper package, tore open half a chicken, and handed the chicken breast meat to Cang Lao with both hands. Cang Lao laughed and took it over to eat. Yun Cong then tore off the chicken leg, wrapped it in lotus leaves, and prepared to take it back for Yun Jianqiang. The remaining bit of chicken was given entirely to the impatient little mouse.

  The old man wiped the oil from his mouth and pulled Yunzheng's hand, saying: "Our village has finally produced a child who can replace his spine with a pen holder. Good, Grandpa didn't misjudge you. Tomorrow, follow Grandpa to the Dou Sha Guan construction site. Leave Yun Er here, and the family will take care of him, so he won't get into trouble. With labor work, it's forty days of hard work from dawn till dusk, and you can't take care of him anyway."

  Yun Cong thanked Lao Er once again and hurriedly took his leave, worried that Yun Er might have an accident at home alone.

  When I got home, I found Yun Er and Yun San covering themselves with a quilt and talking, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. The sound of the dog barking was very loud. Yun Zheng first threw some dry firewood into the stove and started cooking dinner.

  "Big brother, are you really going to respond to the labor call? I heard from Bao Gu and others that it's very bitter. I thought we wouldn't have to respond this year, but who knew it came again. Can you bear it? If not, let's leave and go to a big city where our path will be much wider. With your skills, it won't be hard to make a living."

  Yun Er hugged Huang Gou and worriedly said to Yun Zheng.

  Yun Cong continued to cook, taking out the chicken leg from his bosom and roasting it on a branch over the fire. After it was hot, he handed it to Yun Er and said: "These things are not for you to consider, your task now is to grow up quickly. In the future, you can't say such heartless words again. A man must have a sense of responsibility. We ran away with a slap on the butt, how would we let Lao Zhang (the old clan head) manage? Do you think those yamen (local officials) were just joking when they said that if one person is missing, they'll take the old clan head to replace him? We finally got our household registration, now if we leave, it's considered escaping, and if caught, we'll be turned into a military household, which would be even more miserable."

  Yun Er knew Yun Zhong's temper, muttered a sentence, and started hugging the chicken leg to gnaw. One chicken leg was not enough for Yun Da, Yun Er, and Yun San to eat. Yun Da only ate a small piece, and the rest all went into Yun Er and Yun San's stomachs.

  "Big brother, actually I'm quite satisfied now, really, my life is much better than before. No one has ever been willing to suffer for me, only you, big brother. I know that if it weren't for me holding you back, you wouldn't have to eat such bitter fruit, nor would you have to move stones, and you wouldn't have to struggle desperately for that useless household registration."

  Yun Teng gave Yun Er a strange look and said, "Who says I'm going to suffer? If I, your big brother, can't even escape one labor service, then all these years of socializing have been in vain. Speak less nonsense from now on."

  Yun Er suddenly drilled out of the quilt and jumped onto Yun Zheng's back, holding his arm with all his might, trying to strangle him to death. He had really thought that Yun Zheng would go move stones, and was heartbroken to the extreme. Who knew this guy was just waiting to see his own joke, it was infuriating.

  Yun Er's small arm could have how much strength, Yun Zheng didn't pay any attention to it, continuing to sit by the fire pit, stirring the vegetable soup in the ceramic pot, letting Yun Er mess around on his own body.

  Yun San helped Yun Er call out twice, seeing no one paying attention to him, he put his chin on his front paws and yawned, continuing to rest with his eyes closed.

  The freezing rain outside was still falling slowly and steadily, but the cold air in the bamboo building seemed to have been driven out by the fragrance of rice.