Chapter 23: Escaping

  "Fifteen strings of cash, heavens! This is robbery!" Liu Tou shouted miserably, continuously pounding his own head: "What was I doing for the past twenty years? If only I had discovered it earlier, I would have had tens of thousands in wealth."

  "You're thinking too much, this is just a New Year's gift, it's personal, I just want to add something to my family, usually no more than five yuan at most. Besides, this money also needs to be used to buy things from the mountain people, not all of it is ours. I'm known for being honest and reliable, I'll definitely deliver the goods to them."

  "Heavens, a leopard skin sells for five guan, and then you give those fools two hatchets, a vegetable knife, some silk threads and flower patterns. Can you calculate if it's possible to spend one guan? And then you give them an additional 100 wen, you're a black-hearted little turtle egg!" Liu Doutou continued to rave.

  "This is a risk I've taken, this money was earned from the Great Song Dynasty's laws, which clearly state that bandits must be beaten, and mountain people have already been listed as bandits by you, forcing them to hide in the mountains and not dare to come out, they can't even buy things without risking their lives, how pitiful."

  "I'll give you two options, choose one. First, the county government sets up a free market in a certain place, allowing mountain people to come and trade freely, and the county government imposes heavy taxes on them. This way, it can also make up for the lost land tax, and over time, slowly start distributing land to the mountain people, that is, giving them the land they have already cultivated, without any loss to the county government. In this way, they will become subjects under your rule, you can continue to collect taxes, and the mountain people will gradually need to provide labor service, there will be no more powerful men like Cao Heihu or Wang Datou appearing, the county magistrate will achieve political merit, everyone will live in peace, and each will get what they want."

  "Second one, hurry up and say the second one!" Liu Doutou had no interest in this matter at all. Everyone was relieved, and he had no money left. This must be his most genuine psychological portrayal.

  Yun Zheng saw that Liu Dutou didn't understand the first idea, so he sighed and said: "The second idea is that we continue to do this, find you, it's just a plan to buy your eyes, close them at the right time, don't go catch people, who will help us hunt if you catch all of them? After a while, I'll go to the mountain people's place and make a count, exchange small goods for big ones, that is, exchange once a month. If your monthly income is less than twenty guan, I'll dig out my eyes and let you use them as a stepping stone.

  This is just the beginning, by the end, I didn't dare say anything, because all the mountain people in the big mountain will come to you to exchange things.

  Liu Dutou swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his eyes had lost their focus, and he was probably immersed in the fantasy of having a fortune at this moment. This is one of the most wonderful moments in life. Yun Zheng didn't want to disturb him, so he let the cured meat help him pack up the scattered copper coins again, which would be used to buy things for the mountain people tomorrow, and they also needed to buy an ox cart for their own family.

  "What are you doing?" Liu Dou asked hastily as he struggled to wake up from his trance-like state, asking Yun Zheng about his plan.

  "I? I'm going to Donghua Gate to register, who has the time to bother with your trivial matters? If it weren't for my family having no overnight food, do you think a scholar like me would stoop to doing business and lose face? From now on, don't dare say that I was the one who gave you this idea, it's too humiliating!"

  Liu Dutou clasped his fists together and bowed: "You are the future official who will be called to the Donghua Gate, I'll give you a bow first, wishing you a prosperous and noble life for generations to come. This small business can be handled by someone like me, but my future official sir, aren't you going to break the ice first? If we go there, the mountain people will think we're there to arrest them."

  Yun Zheng pressed down Old Liu's fist and said: "Old Liu, there is something I must make clear to you. The reason why these people believe in me is that I am not greedy, I keep my promises, and the second reason is that this business is a mutually beneficial transaction. The more goods you sell to the mountain people, the fewer times they will go out to rob. As long as you do these two things, as long as the imperial court's decree is not lifted, you can become rich and powerful forever. Most importantly, you will become the leader of these mountain people in the future. Think about what your power will be like at that time."

  "Don't be nervous, how can you magnify things with such a small breath?"

  "Heavens, such a huge situation, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it, Cloud is too big, you'd better take care of it!" Liu Tou gave himself two heavy punches, forcing himself to calm down, still knowing that his ability was not enough, and he was still lucky.

  "Dousha County, Chengdu Prefecture is too small for me. I want to go to Tokyo Bianliang City to take a look. They say that the capital is full of talented people, if I don't go and experience it for myself, I won't be at peace with myself this lifetime. Liu Ge, you have done me a great favor, Yun Da will never forget it in this life. Let loose your hands and feet to do as you please. Old steward controlling Dousha County is just controlling the city walls, if you can control these ten thousand mountains, then you are truly a good man. At that time, either Dousha County or Chengdu Prefecture will know of Liu Da Li's existence."

  Yun Zheng finished speaking, leaving Liu Doutou alone in a daze. He whipped the old cow's buttocks and took the cured meat back to the village. This cow and cart were not intended to be returned to Old Liu anymore. Tomorrow, there was no need to go to the construction site to get rained on again. It is believed that Liu Doutou will handle this matter very satisfactorily.

  Yun Er held Yun San's neck and curiously watched the busy salted meat, seeing Yun Da sitting by the fire pit drinking tea without a care. The salted meat not only had to be busy cleaning up the house but also had to constantly pay attention to Yun Da's teacup, and as soon as the water inside was less, it would immediately come over to refill it.

  "Big brother, you've bought a little girl? How evil! Cloud Two finally let go of the humiliated Cloud Three and leaned in close to Big Cloud, whispering."

  "You don't understand the humiliation, if I didn't buy her back, she would have been dead, this is accumulating virtue and doing good deeds. Once she's in our home, no one will beat her, and I think you won't scold her either? She can eat her fill, live like a human being, and we two won't have to do those chores every day. Are you tired of doing household chores?" Yundae put down the book in his hand, patted Yun'er's butt, and was extremely pleased with himself.

  "I'm so fed up with it, I hate those blankets with lice on them, can we throw them away now?"

  "I've already thrown it away."

  "Will there be lice on cured meat too?"

  "It's all gone, she was already washed with medicine at the brothel, it's said to be arsenic water."

  "How shameless can you be? You actually went to a brothel!" Yun Er finally grasped the key point and severely criticized Yun Da.

  "I'm going to save people, even if it's a muddy pit!"

  "I was just asking, when can I go to a brothel? Ah, why did you hit me? You can go, why can't I?"

  Yun Er was beaten and sat at the door with a huff, suddenly shouting loudly: "Cured meat, I want to pee!"