I was divorced because I got pregnant during the lean years, so I went back to my parents’ home and

Erya's mother felt a little guilty. These garlic sprouts were from her own family. She probably wouldn't be able to sell them at the market. They were something that every household had, so how could they be worth much?

However, since the second daughter-in-law said so, let's extort the silver.

She said to the whispering crowd, "These seeds were indeed brought back by my second daughter-in-law from her parents' home. Go and take a look at the fields. It's only March, but the garlic underneath has grown so big!"

Ji Xiaobei: Bah! Broken garlic sprouts, they are almost rotten into mud!

"I'll give you the silver, and the big garlic will be mine!"

"Of course, go and get the silver!" Erya's mother said impatiently.

"Mr. Village Head, you are here!" Ji Xiaobei said with a smile.

"What silver? I heard that your garlic sprouts are made of gold?" asked the director with a roll of his eyes.

"No, ours are just trivial matters. Why is it your turn now?" Erya's mother said with an apologetic smile.

"Why, I can't even take care of small matters?" Li Zheng's beard puffed up in anger.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Erya's mother explained hurriedly.

"Village Chief, Erya's father has long spread the word that after you step down, according to seniority, he will be the village chief. The Wang family doesn't take you seriously."

Shitou secretly interjected from behind!

Ji Xiaobei praised secretly, if he hadn't told her, she wouldn't have known about it.

In that case, don't blame me for being rude.

"The Wang family and the Ji family in Jijiawan are both big families. If we elect the next head of the village, we must vote fairly and justly! Ji Lizheng has been in the village for many years, and his contributions are obvious to all.

Organizing flood relief, arranging autumn harvest and winter planting, mediating conflicts between young couples, and when a sow gives birth to piglets, the head of the village will be concerned about the safety of the piglets. Without head of the village, our Jijiawan would be disbanded!"

Ji Xiaobei spoke with such emotion that tears almost came out.

Ji Lizheng straightened his back. Even though this was a bit too much, he had a clear conscience.

"Yes, last time my sow gave birth to piglets, the village head helped deliver the baby."

"Ji Lizheng is a good official. How can we live without him..." a woman said crying.

Her family's land was next to the village head's. One year, the village head actually weeded her land. In fact, Ji Lizheng entered the wrong field in a daze.

He could only swallow his anger. After returning home, his wife made him kneel for half the night.

Erya's father couldn't hold back his face in the crowd, and said with a wave of his arm: "Who wants to be that thing? Just do it, I won't compete with you."

"Uncle Wang, how could he be interested in this? If he can marry a daughter-in-law from the provincial capital, he will be a high-ranking official in the future!" Ji Xiaobei said with a laugh.

Someone in the crowd said, "Ji Lizheng has been in office for ten years, and it's almost time for a replacement. Who will be the next one? There really isn't anyone suitable among the younger generation in our village."

"Of course there is. Isn't Ji Shugen, the eldest son of the village head, very suitable? He is literate and can read and write. Before he passes the imperial examination to become a scholar, he can be the village head for our villagers first. If he does, we won't be able to marry him." Ji Xiaobei looked at Ji Lizheng with a smile.

Ji Lizheng straightened his back even more. His son was the only one in the village who had been to school. As for literacy, he didn't know many words, but it was enough for him to be a village head.

He smiled and said, "Shugen has been to school and can recognize a few words. He is more knowledgeable than me. Young people are also smart!"

At this time, a man squeezed into the crowd and shouted loudly: "Ji Xiaobei, just talk nonsense, you have become fluent in talking after not seeing you for a few days!"

People looked back and saw that it was Wang Erya. She had just seen her father go home angrily, so she just now knew about this and hurried over to help.

"Erya, long time no see. I missed you so much!" Ji Xiaobei was about to go forward and hold her hand.

"You are so attentive! The problem of my family's garlic seeds hasn't been resolved yet, why are you dragging it up to the election of the village head?" Erya was quick-witted and brought people back to their senses.

Ji Lizheng cleared his throat and said, "Well, let's continue talking about garlic seeds. The most expensive garlic seeds in the market are 10 cents per bunch, but no one buys them.

"Daughter-in-law of the Wang family, the garlic that the emperor eats is not that precious! So, I'll make the decision. The Ji family will compensate your family 15 coins, and this matter is settled!"

"No, the garlic in my house has grown so big..." Lian Ye argued. She couldn't accept that one tael of silver became fifteen cents.

Erya's mother tugged at her sleeve from behind, signaling her to stop talking. Fifteen cents was already a lot.

Erya sneered, pointed at Ji Xiaobei and said, "Don't let me tell your secret!"

"Secret? I, Ji Xiaobei, have no secrets! Mother, go get the copper coins, and kids, don't leave. I'll get you something to eat..." Ji Xiaobei said with a smile.

Lin hurriedly went into the house to get the copper coins.

Ji Xiaobei took out an oil-paper bag from his sleeve. After he opened it, everyone stretched their necks to look over.

"I come from my husband's family and I don't have anything good to bring. Here are some sausages pickled by my mother-in-law. Everyone can try them. It's a craft passed down from our ancestors!" She put them in Xiaoju's hands and asked her to share them with a bunch of dirty dolls to avoid a fight.

The children quickly gathered around and stretched out their hands to ask for the sausages, one piece each, which was barely enough to share.

The black little hands held the sausage and ate it carefully, drooling as he ate.

These children haven't had any oil since the Chinese New Year. Their stomachs are very empty, let alone oil and water. They have no food to eat even the wild vegetables.

The greasy sausages looked so delicious that the adults just stared blankly, stretched their necks to swallow their saliva. Some could not help but snatch them from the children, saying that they would take them home to share with their brothers.

"Xiaobei, your in-laws are so generous. We can still eat sausages in this day and age!" said a young wife enviously.

Jijiawan and Liujiacun are located in the south and north of the county town respectively. They are far apart and information is not easily circulated.

Damn it, I was almost scared by Wang Erya. When she saw me coming back, she said nonsense and tried to embarrass me.

But it’s not a bad thing for my family to know that I was divorced. It’s very difficult to lie.

"She came back to her parents' home because she was divorced. It's not a festival and her husband didn't come. Why did she come back?" Wang Erya jumped up and said.

She kept the matter to herself and originally wanted to blackmail Ji Xiaobei alone, but she didn't expect to be interrupted by her family.

There was silence all around. The divorced girl must have committed a serious taboo in her husband's family.

This is a big deal. If this gets out, the girls in Jijiawan will be looked down upon.

Even Ji Lizheng's face fell. The reputation of the girl from Jijiawan could not be ruined because of Ji Xiaobei, as there was still an unmarried girl in his family.

"Ms. Lin, this is where you are wrong. Do you want all the girls in the village to be scolded?" Mrs. Song said arrogantly.