New ink fragrance in old times

Lin Xuejin took over the conversation and said softly, "Yes, Mom, this stewed white melon with bacon is really delicious. I remember the last time I ate it was around the 15th day of July. This bacon tastes like the richness of meat, the freshness of dried vegetables, and the freshness of winter melon and potatoes. It's really a perfect combination of color, aroma and taste."

"Shengzi is right, this meat is indeed a rare delicacy." Lin Wenru also agreed. He picked up a piece of bacon and put it in his mouth, chewing it carefully, with a look of enjoyment on his face.

Qian Xiufang smiled and nodded, her eyes full of tenderness: "Yes, sister-in-law, your stewed meat is really unique."

Lin Mo chewed the cornmeal in big mouthfuls. Every grain seemed to contain the sweetness of the earth. The winter melon stewed with meat was even more delicious and fragrant. He couldn't help but squint his eyes and enjoy this rare satisfaction.

He thought to himself that although he felt physically exhausted from all the hard work during this period, the feast for his taste buds at this moment made all the hard work seem so worthwhile.

"Grandma, this meal is so delicious. I feel like I can work two more acres of land!" Lin Mo said half-jokingly and half-seriously, causing the family members around the table to laugh.

Old Mrs. Lin smiled from ear to ear and looked at Lin Mo lovingly: "Good boy, you have worked hard. Eat more and keep your body strong."

After the meal, Old Madam Lin stood up, wiped her hands gently with her apron, and turned to Shen, Lu, and Xing'er who were helping, and said, "Eldest daughter-in-law, third daughter-in-law, and Xing'er, take these meals to Shuisheng, Shuizhi, and the others."

Shen quickly responded: "Mom, don't worry, I'll prepare it right away." As she said that, she stood up and began to clean up the dishes and prepare to pack the meal.

Mrs. Lu also stood up and smiled gently, "Yes, mother, you can take a rest first. Leave these small matters to us."

The three of them took the food and walked out of the yard.

Lin Mo sat in the yard, waiting for Grandpa Lin's order to go to the fields.

Time passed minute by minute, and even after Mrs. Lin, Mrs. Han, and Qian Xiufang cleaned the yard, no one had any intention of leaving.

Not until Mrs. Lin and Qian Xiufang cleaned the yard spotlessly did Mrs. Lin exchange a tacit look with Mr. Lin in satisfaction.

"Okay, everyone get ready."

Old Master Lin's resounding voice echoed in the yard, like a horn, waking everyone's attention.

Lin Mo stood up and prepared to go to the field with everyone.

However, just as Lin Mo was about to leave, Lin Sixuan and Old Lady Lin suddenly turned around and walked into the house. A moment later, the two reappeared in front of everyone. Lin Sixuan was holding a pen and paper, while Old Lady Lin was holding two exquisite abacuses, obviously about to carry out some important activity.

Lin Mo looked at the two of them in confusion: What are they doing? Settling scores?

Everyone gathered in the middle of the yard again. Old Man Lin, Lin Wenru, Old Lady Lin, Qian Xiufang, Lin Sixuan and Lin Siyuan sat around the stone table in the yard, while the others sat or stood, surrounding a few people.

Lin Mo also squeezed in curiously.

"Sanlang, sit next to me." Lin Siyuan said to Lin Mo.

"Okay, let's get started." Old Master Lin spoke in a steady and powerful voice.

The air was filled with an almost frozen silence, and everyone seemed to be breathing deliberately lightly, for fear of breaking the silence.

Old Master Lin slowly took out a stack of folded papers from his chest and gently unfolded them, as if he was unfolding a long scroll of history.

His voice was steady and powerful as he began to read out the contents of the record item by item:

"Record, Lin Wenhong owns a total of thirty acres of paddy fields and fifty acres of dry land. The paddy fields are divided into three grades: upper, middle, and lower. The upper grade is twenty acres, the upper-middle grade is five acres, and the lower-middle grade is five acres, totaling ten acres of medium paddy fields. The same applies to the dry land: upper grade is twenty-five acres, the upper-middle grade is fifteen acres, and the lower-middle grade is ten acres, totaling twenty-five acres of medium dry land."

After reading this, Grandpa Lin paused and glanced at Lin Sixuan and Lin Siyuan. The two grandsons nodded quickly in response: "I've got it in mind."

Then, Mr. Lin continued, "Remember, our family's land tax is three liters, three hectares, and five spoons per mu. This is the imperial court's rule, and there can be no negligence."

Mr. Lin once again emphasized the details of land tax and output:

"Also, remember that our different grades of paddy fields and dry fields have different yields. Top-quality paddy fields yield one dan, three dou, three liters, three hes, and three scoops of rice; medium-quality paddy fields yield one dan; and low-quality paddy fields yield nine dan. As for dry fields, top-quality fields yield one dan, one dou, six liters, six hes, and six scoops of corn, and four dou of beans; medium-quality fields yield nine dou, three liters, three hes, and three scoops of corn, and three dou of beans; and low-quality fields yield eight dou of corn and two dou of beans."

After reading off these tedious statistics, Mr. Lin changed the subject and mentioned the family's tax burden. "In addition to this, our family also needs to pay deed tax, livestock tax, and additional taxes. In total, we need to pay 3 dan 3 dou 3 sheng 3 he 3 tsp of rice, 4 dan of corn, and 5 dou of soybeans. Dalang, Erlang, have you memorized all this?"

Lin Sixuan and Lin Siyuan nodded again to confirm: "I've got it."

Mr. Lin nodded with satisfaction and then announced:

"Okay, now that we have everything memorized, let's start calculating how much grain these fields can produce this year and how much tax we will have to pay."

Mr. Lin nodded with satisfaction and then announced, "Okay, now that we have everything memorized, let's start calculating the approximate harvest of these fields this year."

At this time, Mrs. Lin held the abacus in her hand and said in a clear and powerful voice:

"Our rice harvest was 36 shi 6 dou 6 liters 6 he 6 sho, and the field tax was 1 shi 4 dou 6 liters 6 he 6 sho, so the total rice tax we have to pay is 4 shi 8 sho. Our corn harvest was 52 shi 5 sho, but the field tax was 2 shi 1 sho, so the total tax we have to pay is 6 shi 1 sho. As for beans, we harvested 17 shi 5 sho, and the field tax was 7 sho, so we have to pay 1 shi 2 sho."

After listening to what Old Lady Lin said, Mr. Lin asked Lin Siyuan and Lin Sixuan again whether they had written down the data, and both nodded in confirmation.

Then, Mr. Lin turned to Qian Xiufang and asked, "Sister-in-law, how are the results on your side?"

Qian Xiufang looked up: "Brother, my results are exactly the same as my sister-in-law's."

After hearing this, Mr. Lin felt relieved. He compared the results he had calculated in advance with the results calculated by the two people one by one. After confirming that they were correct, he nodded with satisfaction.

Lin Wenru, who was standing aside, slowly pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and said to Lin Siyuan and Lin Sixuan with a serious look:

"Record, Lin Wenru owns 15 mu of paddy fields, 8 mu of which are top-grade; 5 mu of mid-upper-grade; and 2 mu of mid-lower-grade, totaling 7 mu; and 40 mu of dry land, divided into 20 mu of top-grade, 10 mu of mid-upper-grade, and 10 mu of mid-lower-grade. The total tax, including deed tax, livestock tax, and additional taxes, is 1 dan of rice, 2 dan, 3 dou, 3 sheng, 3 he, 3 tsp of corn, and 2 sheng, 5 he of beans."

Chapter 72 There is definitely something fishy