CHAPTER 168: CHAPTER 168 STEALING THE CHILD (3)

The twenty or so mu of barren land at home was only registered as ten mu, which made the Li Family very grateful.

Prince Luling sighed and said, "The village chief is really a good person."

The Princess Consort Luling also said, "I never expected he would think of our family. If we had to pay taxes on twenty mu of land, it would really be hard times -- two taels of silver per mu per year is quite a large expenditure."

In the past, they were part of the imperial family and did not have to pay land tax.

Now that they had come to the village to farm, they realized what a significant advantage that was back then.

It’s no wonder there were revolts in some places, because of the heavy tax burden.

"Two taels of silver per mu per year -- that’s not a light tax," said Li Yuzhu.

In the village, most families own only three to five mu of land, and the poorer families have only one or two mu.

On average, they have to pay several taels of silver a year.

For a household with an annual income of less than ten taels of silver, losing a few taels is undoubtedly a significant burden.

"You see, even you acknowledge the heavy tax burden now. Back then, when I advised the Emperor that the land tax was too high, he didn’t listen, and even docked my pay. You all said I shouldn’t argue with the Emperor, and now you see the taxes are heavy, don’t you?" Prince Luling snorted, blowing his beard.

The Princely Heir said, "Once the land tax is touched, the country becomes unstable, the Emperor must have been concerned about this."

Prince Luling sneered, "When has Zhao Country ever been stable? If it’s not refugees here, it’s displaced people there, or a state warehouse getting robbed. Isn’t it all because they have nothing to eat? Give them food, and see if they still make trouble?"

The Second Young Master said, "Three years of floods, followed by three years of drought, that’s when disasters break out."

Li Xing’an snorted, "Only our Qingzhou’s land never has refugees, yet the Emperor doesn’t praise us, and even demotes our entire family to commoners, humph!"

"Alright, alright, let’s stop talking about this. Discuss politics in the court, talk about livelihood in the wild. We’re not in the capital anymore, it’s not your concern. We should focus on how to farm. The weeds in the field are cut, but the land is flat. How can we plant crops?" Princess Consort Luling looked around and said.

Though she had never farmed, she had planted flowers herself at the Prince Mansion.

The land outside the house was as hard as stone slabs, not even suitable for flowers, let alone crops.

"Let’s go borrow an ox and plow from the village, turn over the soil first, then ask Grandpa Qin from the Li Zheng’s house how to farm," Li Yuzhu suggested.

The Princely Heir said, "I’ll take care of it, I’ll ask the village chief who has farm oxen."

Li Yuzhu was going to check the fetal heartbeat for Liu Da Niu and said, "I’ll go with big brother, I want to see Da Niu."

The Great Princess said, "Third sister, Da Niu barely goes out now, what’s she doing? Help me see how she’s doing."

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "She’s doing well. She’s at home, busy with chores. The outside matters are handled by Hu Shuangcheng, no need for her to go out."

"I didn’t expect that Hu Shuangcheng treats her well," the Great Princess said in surprise.

"The couple has no major grievances, just arguing a bit but still living their days," Princess Consort said.

She glanced at Xue Family as she spoke.

Xue Family had been sulking with the Princely Heir recently, and no matter how much he coaxed, she wouldn’t cheer up.

Princess Consort Luling felt a surge of anger seeing Xue Family.

.

In the afternoon, the Princely Heir and Li Yuzhu arrived at the Li Zheng’s house in Taohua River Village.

The village chief happened to be at home, and the Princely Heir asked about borrowing an ox.

The village chief shook his head and said, "It’s unfortunate, both families’ oxen in the village can’t be borrowed right now."

The Princely Heir asked, "Have they been borrowed out? It’s fine, I can wait a few days."

The village chief chuckled, "One cow just calved yesterday, and the other will calve in two days. You’ll have to wait a month. If you can wait, your field can’t afford to wait either."

Farming waits for no one and no weather.

Delaying the season would mean a poor harvest.

The family’s field is already two months behind others; if it delays further, there will be no food to eat this year.

The Princely Heir had been asking villagers who passed by the path in front of the house for advice on farming while managing the barren land.

He had already gathered some theoretical knowledge and could now only practice it himself.

"This is really unfortunate," the Princely Heir frowned.

Li Yuzhu comforted him, "Don’t worry, big brother, if there are no oxen in the village, let’s go borrow from another village."

"That’s all we can do," the Princely Heir said.

The village chief then said, "I have some connections with the village chief of neighboring Qingshui River Village. If you say I sent you, he will help you find an ox."

The Princely Heir thanked him, "Thank you very much, village chief."

The village chief chuckled, "It’s just a small effort, no need to thank me. My family is busy with farming these days; otherwise, I would accompany you."

"Uncle Li Zheng, we can handle such small matters ourselves, no need to trouble you," Li Yuzhu smiled.

After leaving the village chief’s house, Li Yuzhu and the Princely Heir went to the Liu Family.

The Liu Family had been quiet for a few days, but today someone was causing a scene again.

"Didn’t Aunt Liu scare them off? Who’s this woman scolding now?" Li Yuzhu was curious, heading over to take a look.

"Slow down, there are a lot of people around!" The Princely Heir had to follow her.

As they got closer, Li Yuzhu saw that it was Hu Shuangcheng’s old mother who had come.

The woman shouting abuse, stomping her feet, was about thirty years old.

She looked a lot like Hu Shuangcheng’s mother. Judging from what she was shouting, Li Yuzhu guessed that this woman must be Hu Shuangcheng’s sister.

"Shuangcheng, was it easy for mother to raise you? And now you’ve gone and become a live-in son-in-law just like that? Have some ambition, will you?" the Hu Family Nun scolded, pointing at Hu Shuangcheng.

Hu Shuangcheng ignored her and said nothing, just stood cold-faced in front of Liu Da Niu’s main house.

Liu Laoda, Lady Liu, and the couple Liu Er and Liu the bricklayer were all standing in the courtyard. Liu Da Niu wasn’t in sight.

Apparently, the familly was protecting Liu Da Niu well.

"Your old woman broke my daughter’s arm, and it hasn’t healed yet. She’s still in a sling. He came to my house to take my daughter’s place working, what, got a problem?" Lady Liu said angrily.

"So what if he’s a live-in son-in-law? Why can my daughter marry into your family, but your son can’t come to mine?" Liu Laoda also sneered, "He came on his own, I didn’t tie him up and make him come."

"Get out, get out -- causing trouble in my village? Want a stick?" Liu Er also cursed.

"If it weren’t for the fact that you’re from Shuangcheng’s family, you’d have had your legs broken for causing trouble so many times," Second Lady Liu also scolded.

"Shuangcheng, you ungrateful wretch, everyone says having a son is useless. It seems the old saying is true. Alright, alright, you marry, but Da Niu has to come with me," Hu Niangzi shouted.

"Why? Da Niu is my daughter, why should she go with you? Didn’t you write a divorce letter? Da Niu has nothing to do with your family financially, and you still have the face to come and ask for her? Hmph!" Lady Liu retorted sharply.

Hu Niangzi also cursed, "She stole my grandson, that little bitch! If she doesn’t come back with me to the Hu family, give me back my grandson!"

Lady Liu was taken aback but immediately retorted, "Shameless, who stole your grandson?"

"Liu Family, you all calculated well, causing trouble on purpose then deliberately taking Da Niu in, oh ho ho, so you wanted to steal the kid in Da Niu’s belly to be your Liu family’s heir? Hmph, shameless! Give me back my grandson!"

The entire Liu Family was stunned.

Liu Laoda and Madam Liu exchanged looks with each other.

Madam Liu shook her head angrily, "It wasn’t me who said it!"

Liu Laoda squinted and looked towards his daughters.

The youngest one looked panicked.

"You wretched girl! Was it you who talked too much?" Liu Laoda was so angry he spanked his fourth daughter.

The thin, six or seven-year-old girl cried out.

"Ha ha, hiding it all, just to steal my grandson? Oh my, really shameless!" Hu Niangzi laughed, pointing at the Liu Family and cursing, "With such a rotten family, you think you can have a boy? You have no blessing for it!"

Liu Laoda picked up a broom, "Want to take Da Niu away? No way!"

Liu the bricklayer also ran to stop them, shouting angrily, "Hu Family’s woman, try taking my granddaughter or great-grandson, and I’ll fight you!"

"Stop arguing, Mother, Sister, just go back, Da Niu doesn’t want to go back. Da Niu is not well, aren’t you afraid of scaring her with her condition?" Hu Shuangcheng stood between the two families, looking distressed, not knowing what to do.

The Princely Heir frowned and sighed to Li Yuzhu, "With these two families carrying on like this, when will it end? Life is unbearable."

Li Yuzhu’s eyes flashed with an idea.

She smiled and said, "I have a way."

The Princely Heir looked at her, "What way do you have to mediate?"

"Watch me," Li Yuzhu smiled, walking towards Liu Si Ni.