Quick Wear: I'm Really Not a Scumbag

——Chenjia Village

"How is it?" Chen Shaokun was wiping the sweat from his head with a rag.

It is the hottest time of the year now, and people who are busy with farming are rushing home. It will take about another hour before they can go out to work.

Chen Bingjie and Chen Shaorong also looked at him, waiting for his response.

Chen Shaoqi shrugged and smiled, "How can I believe what Chen Hegui said?"

"Even the North Gate is open today. The city is bustling with activity, and there are fewer refugees."

Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"That's good." Chen Bingjie finally put down the stone in his heart.

"Not only that, General Zheng personally led people to inspect today! It's a pity that we were a little slow. He just walked past and we just listened to the excitement." Chen Shaoqi still felt it was a pity.

God knows that the person he admired most since he was a child was Chen Xuyan, and then General Zheng.

But he didn't dare say this, because his father must have thought that the person he admired most should be General Zheng.

Chen Shaorong snorted coldly, "Chen Heguinas is just making things up, spouting alarmist rhetoric all the time. If he put his time into studying, he'd be a decent person. But unfortunately, not only is he bad at studying, he also has no conscience."

"Then we don't need to stockpile food, right?" Chen Shaokun asked.

Chen Shaoqi sat on the bench and said, "Second brother, do you really want to stockpile food? I think the food shortage is just fake news spread by those grain merchants in the city. If there really is a food shortage, would General Zheng give food to those refugees for free?"

"They must be trying to sell the old grain from their granaries to us common people so they can bargain down the price and buy our new grain!"

None of these businessmen are good people. They do nothing all day long.

Chen Shaokun rarely denied his words. "Yes, that's right. Didn't they do that before? Now they must be trying to do it again! We have to protect our own money and don't let them cheat us out of it."

It is really not easy for farmers like them to earn money throughout the year. In addition, the family is still supporting the fourth child to go to school, so the pressure is even greater.

According to what my father said, he wants to send his two grandchildren to school as well, so I'm afraid our lives will be even more difficult in the future.

Of course one has to read. In the past, Chen Shun's family had a much harder time supporting Chen Xuyan than theirs, but since Chen Xuyan passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, their family's situation has been completely different.

Everything that can be avoided has been avoided, and the pressure is less. The most important thing is that maybe I can change my fate in the future.

"Then don't bother with Chen Hegui anymore. Let him make a fuss. If he wants to leave, he can leave. We just need to not be fooled." Chen Shaorong said.

Chen Hegui came to ask him again just now, but he was brushed off. If he comes again later, he can directly refuse him this time.

Now every household in the village is busy farming, except their family, who are said to be busy packing up.

"Chen Hegui just said he wanted to sell the land to our family. What do you think, Dad?"

Chen Bingjie took a puff of his cigarette. "I don't think it's a good idea. Everyone in the village knows that his family has no credibility. If he runs away and regrets coming back soon, wouldn't we have farmed his land for nothing? Will we even have the food then?"

Chen Shaoqi said seriously, "Why don't we just buy it in black and white? Is there any chance he'll go back on his word? Even if he takes the case to the government, we'll still be in the right."

The other brothers thought so too.

Besides, they have a big family, so they are not afraid that Chen Hegui will bring his mother to cause trouble.

Chen Bingjie shook his head. "That's not how it works in the village. If they don't even have enough food to eat, everyone will start to criticize us. I won't be able to sit comfortably in my position as village chief."

"It's better not to cause this trouble. It will only make you dirty."

It is a turbulent time now, so the less trouble there is, the better. He occupies the position of village chief for the sake of his descendants.

It would be nice if the fourth child could become successful in his studies. He would definitely not want to be the village chief.

"Dad is right. The wives of the fifth and sixth brothers are both pregnant. If they do something bad, we will be unable to defend ourselves. Besides, our family has a lot of land, and we have to pay a lot of taxes. We also have to do some labor every year. We should save some energy." Chen Shaorong analyzed it carefully.

This convinced everyone, and Chen Bingjie was also very pleased that the boss was now really doing something.

--afternoon

"What, you don't want to leave? Why not leave? Houyun City is full of dangers now. Wouldn't it be better if you leave?" Chen Hegui was a little upset.

He continued to say, "There are opportunities everywhere out there now. Maybe we can find a suitable master and get a job!"

These were all his own ideas, and this was the first time he said them out loud, also to increase the credibility.

Chen Shaorong put down the shovel in his hand. "We are just ordinary farmers. We just want to stay in the village and not starve to death. We have never dreamed of becoming rich and powerful. You should keep this good life for yourself. I hope you can make a name for yourself outside."

It seems that Chen Hegui is really crazy. He can actually say such words now.

A young boy actually had such a dream.

And still get a position as an official?

"Brother Chen! You really need to think about this carefully. Time waits for no one! Those refugees outside the city may rush in at any time. If we really wait for them to come in, we will have no way out! It's still time to pack up and run away today!" Chen Hegui was really worried that he would not be able to hold on and fall down on the road, so he had to include the village chief and his family.

In his previous life, he had witnessed with his own eyes that several of his brothers held on to the end, but he was hacked to death early on.

Chen Shaorong almost cursed, but he looked at his two sons and held back, "I think you've damaged your brain from studying."

"What could possibly happen to Houyun City? With General Zheng here, even if the North Gate is opened, those refugees won't dare to act rashly. If you have the time to talk nonsense in front of me, why don't you just farm your land?"

Chen Hegui waved his hand and said, "I have already sold my family's land to someone else. I really can't reason with you. I'd better go talk to your father."

Chen Shaorong reached out and grabbed him, "What I mean is what our family means. It's useless for you to find anyone else."

After saying that, he took the shovel and walked towards the field.

"Hurry up and catch up."

The two little kids quickly caught up with him carrying bamboo tubes. There was resentment in Chen Hegui's eyes, which made the two kids a little scared.

Chen Hegui's expression was a little ugly. Since he passed the examination and became a student, this was the first time he was disrespected by the men in the village.

He saved their lives out of kindness, but they were so ungrateful. If that's the case, then he'll just leave!

Staying in the village will only lead to faster death.

—Chen Hegui's family

"Guizi, what's wrong? Did we agree to go together today?" Mrs. Chun looked at him with a flattering expression.

Chen Hegui kicked the table hard, "Humph! These people are just worthless! They can't even eat hot shit!"

Mrs. Chun held the table distressedly and said, "Don't kick it, this is the only good table we have in our house!"

The rest had been sold, but she was reluctant to sell this table, so she specially moved it to Chen Hegui's room.

This is her dowry.

We can't sell all the things in the house. Maybe one day we'll need to come back, and then the house won't be so empty.

"If they don't leave, then they don't leave. Why don't we just leave on our own?"

But Chun Pozi was still a little hesitant. After all, she thought the village chief's family were all smart people. If they refused to leave, would there be no problem at all? Was her son overthinking it?

"What do you think? Should we wait a little longer and find out more?" she asked tentatively.

Chen Hegui glanced at her coldly, "Mom, you don't believe what I say?"

"Do you think I'm making something up, just like they do?"

It's fine if others don't believe him, but even his mother doesn't believe him? If this gets out, won't people laugh to death?

Chen Hegui stood up and said, "Pack your things, we'll leave in the dark tonight!"

Chun Pozi still couldn't defeat him, so she had to start picking up his things.

She then asked, "What about Song Guihua and that money-losing bastard? How about taking them with you to serve you?"

"If we take them with us, how much less food will we have to eat? Are you getting senile? You can't even figure this out?" What's the point of taking these two burdens with you?

Isn’t it enough for her and dad to serve me?

Besides, it’s a good thing to lose Song Guihua and the money-losing girl. Maybe he can meet someone better outside. Maybe a rich lady will fall in love with him!

Mrs. Chun quickly agreed, "Okay, okay, my son, you are really thoughtful. Then don't take them with you. Let them stay at home to prevent our house from being occupied by others."

Just leave some coarse food at home so they won't starve.

"I'll go out again and sell some more things. We'll still have more money. Maybe we'll have to rely on this money to live and rebuild our family business."

Chun Pozi has never left Houyun City in her life, but she still yearns for life outside.

Chen Hegui ignored her and started packing up his valuables.

He never allowed anyone to touch these things, not even Mrs. Chun.

He hid some things that he really couldn't take away. He learned this skill of hiding things from Mrs. Chun, so he made sure no one would find them.

——Chen Xuyanjia

Chen Shun and Chen Zhao saw Chen Shaoqi out.

"Thank you for coming to tell us. Now we feel a lot more at ease." Chen Shun said with a smile.

Chen Shaoqi was holding the pancake in his hand and laughed happily, "You're welcome. This is also what Chen Xuyan asked me to do. I must come and tell you."

"Then I'll leave first. I have work to do at home."

Chen Shun waved his hand, "Okay."

He closed the door again.

"It's good that he's safe. I'm afraid he's not safe. After all, Xiaoyan still has to stay in Qingshan Academy. We have old and young people in our family. If we really have to flee from famine, it will be a big trouble." Chen Shun took out a big stone from somewhere and leaned it against the door.

"Yeah." Chen Zhao was still as silent as ever.

Chen Shun asked again, "After we finish our work in a few days, shall we go see him?"

In the past, they were worried that if they went to Chen Xuyan, their classmates would look down on them because of their background, but now that all the students of Qingshan Academy are gone, it probably won’t have much of an impact.

Wu Yueying also wanted to go to the city to buy some fabric to make clothes early in the morning, because the clothes of the whole family were already torn to pieces.

This busy farming season is almost making her old clothes completely unwearable. Even if she is stingy, she knows it's time to change them.

It is mostly made of coarse cloth, and clothes made of coarse cloth are sturdy and durable.

"Okay." Chen Zhao also had to get the enlightenment books that Chen Xuyan had bought for his two sons.

They have memorized the previous books, and Chen Xuyan will copy new ones for them. He copies books very quickly, so it shouldn't take long.

"What happened?" Wu Yueying ran out hurriedly and asked.

......

——Zheng Mansion in Houyun City

"General, Xia Fengxun has confessed everything. This is the letter we found from the secret room in his mansion." Lu Yixing placed the letter on his desk.

Zheng Huan opened a few of them and took a look. He then sneered, "I didn't expect that he would be bribed so early. I actually thought too highly of him."

Lu Yixing also smiled. "As you instructed, we didn't stop those hidden pigeons. I'm sure they'll know about your recovery without any medicine soon."

Although he didn't know how Zheng Huan did it, he could only admire him at this moment. He now had only one goal, which was to settle his wife and children in Houyun City. He had already sent someone to pick them up.

Fortunately, he had a plan and only sent his wife and children to a farmer's house instead of letting them follow those rich families to the south.

Zheng Huan carefully examined the water in the cup. Now that he had changed to a glass cup, he finally felt relieved. However, there were more ways to harm people in this world than just the man-eating poison. He had to be on guard at all times.

"Let them be, but there are some movements that must not be ignored."

"Yes! Then I'll do it right away." Lu Yixing quickly understood what he meant.

Zheng Huan drank it all in one gulp. "Go ahead. This is your time to prove yourself, isn't it?"

He is a smart man, the kind of smart man that I don't hate.

The problems in the city have been resolved, but Zheng Huan still has no answer to the doubts in his heart. When will the mysterious man come to find him?

Zheng Huan walked down from the platform and felt inexplicably annoyed when he saw the messy flags on the map.

In the past, he had thought about helping the Zhou Dynasty resolve these internal and external troubles, but now, he no longer trusted the Zhou Dynasty. Loyalty to the emperor and love for the country? To which emperor was he loyal? And to which country was he loving?

In the Zhou Dynasty, there were already people who wanted to die.

——Qingshan Academy

"What are you drawing?" Wei Siqi came over.

"I'm drawing a map of the Zhou Dynasty." Chen Xuyan was still writing and drawing.

Although the painting was somewhat abstract, it basically expressed everything that needed to be expressed, and he was able to understand it.

Wei Siqi shook his head. "Your painting skills are really not that good, just like your poetry."

"Let me do it." He raised his hand and rolled up his sleeves.

Chen Xuyan decisively gave up his position. If he remembered correctly, Wei Siqi's painting skills were first-class.