Shipin Dalizheng

Oh my god, Rong Tang was almost at his wit's end. "Me? The village head? County Magistrate Cui doesn't have a fever, right?"

"No, no." Mayor Gao pressed the letter of appointment into his hand, fearing he would refuse to accept it. "In principle, Prince Rong is also a member of Rong Village, so there's nothing inappropriate about him serving as the village head. Besides, the imperial court doesn't stipulate that the son of a noble can't serve as a village official."

This Rong Tangxin, nobles and officials are two completely different systems, although they are not parallel lines that cannot intersect. One relies on military merit to get promoted, or inherit the influence of ancestors, while the other needs to participate in the imperial examinations and climb up step by step.

Officials who have made great contributions may be granted titles, and nobles who have great abilities may also be given official positions, but most of them are empty positions that only save face.

Mayor Gao continued to encourage him, "Although the position of village chief is not high, it is still a real job, and the concerns are the same as those of the county magistrate. If you do a good job and achieve more in your political career, your future will be bright!"

Well, this is the pie he once drew for Mayor Gao.

Rong Tang didn't ask if it was possible, but asked first, "Are you just saying that the county magistrate and I have the same concerns and receive the same salary? How many taels of silver does the village head make a month?"

Mayor Gao: "Five hundred..."

Rong Tang: "I'll do it for five hundred taels."

Mayor Gao: "...Wen."

"Five hundred wen? Are you kidding?"

It was really retribution. He was only willing to give 500 coins to the people around him, and now it was his turn, and he was only worthy of 500 coins as well.

Sure enough, I heard Rong Wanli's unbridled suppressed laughter and Rong Qianqi's distorted smile.

"It's a little less, but with this status, you can command the seven villages to do anything in the future, and that would be a hundred responses, wouldn't it? You're worried about a lot now, and it's not justified. Those who know you will be grateful for your support of your neighbors, while those who don't will say you're meddling in other villages' affairs. Besides, as for the money, you don't need it, Prince Rong."

Rong Tang touched his chin and it seemed to make sense. These five hundred coins could be used as wages for Ma.

"Alright, I'll take this letter of appointment. Let me ask you another question: are you older or am I?"

This put Mayor Gao in a difficult position. The head of a village was equivalent to the head of a large village. How could he be more powerful than the mayor?

but.

"My position is a bit exaggerated, but I will definitely listen to you. I will do whatever you say. You eat the meat and I just have to chew the bones."

Rong Tang patted his shoulder and said, "Just your words are enough. Come here, take the measurements of the carpentry workshop we picked out yesterday, and get the deed done quickly."

Mayor Gao followed him and said, "Don't you want to wait for the official document from the Ministry of Industry? If this doesn't work out, the land you bought will be abandoned."

"It won't be abandoned. It's just as well that the Ministry of Industry didn't approve it. We can do it ourselves. I have the blueprints and the people in the village. We won't have trouble selling it once we make it. Besides, if we don't do this, we can do something else."

Mayor Gao's blood suddenly boiled.

A horse-drawn carriage drove onto the village road leading to Rongjia Village. Tang Tiantian, who was wearing a light-colored summer shirt, lifted the curtain and looked out. Green waves were rolling everywhere, and the scorching sun had wilted even the green gauze curtains.

Rui'er fanned her and advised: "Miss, if you come here without telling the lady, she will be angry. Let's go back."

Tang Tiantian sighed, her hand supporting her chin. "I can't reply. I need to ask him something today. If he thinks my mother and father's breakup is shameful, then forget about the marriage. I can't let my mother hold back on this just for me. She'll get sick."

"But from my perspective, that was Madam Rong's opinion alone. Prince Rong's parents have also broken off their relationship. I heard..."

She glanced around furtively, her voice mysterious: "I heard that it was Prince Rong who forced Master Jin to agree. If he didn't agree, he would kill him. He also sold Master Jin's concubine and illegitimate child to avoid disputes over the family property in the future."

Tang Tiantian frowned. "Who told you this? It's nothing. The people at the pawnbrokerage said it was the indenture written by Master Jin himself. Besides, what other property is there in the Jin family to fight for? Not to mention the Jin family, even the property of the Bo Mansion has been almost squandered by Master Jin. He's such a vicious and hateful person. He's so unjust that Madam Rong can't rest in peace in the afterlife. Those were all spread by the Liang family on purpose to ruin Master Rong's reputation."

Rui Er smiled and said, "Look, the young lady is protecting me now."

Tang Tiantian still had a worried look on her face. "I'm not trying to protect him, and I don't understand him. But everything he did was to protect my mother. I think he can understand a little bit about what my mother has been through."

"Miss, do you mean you don't want to cancel the engagement?"

Tang Tiantian smiled bitterly, "How can we say whether we want to or not? My mother always thought I was worried about getting married and was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get married. But I really don't care. This world makes it a hundred times harder for girls to survive than men. If they don't get married, they are suppressed by their fathers. If they get married, they are suppressed by their husbands. When they get old, they have to listen to their sons. They have no control over themselves. If possible, I don't want to get married at all."

Rui'er shrieked, "Miss, please don't scare me. If Madam hears, she might think I've instigated you to stay single. I know the world is unfair to women, but if you don't marry, who will protect you in the future? Isn't the purpose of marriage to find someone to rely on, to have children, and to provide for you in your old age?"

"That's easy to say! I'd rather end up alone than marry someone like my father or Master Jin."

"Miss, don't say that. Doesn't the Madam have you and the eldest young master? You two are filial to the Madam. This is the meaning of the Madam getting married and having children, not the master."

More than a mile behind their carriage, there was another carriage speeding by, with the anxious face of Butler Tao on it.

I don't know what kind of evil thing happened to the lady. After visiting Mrs. Tang yesterday, she tossed and turned all night and couldn't sleep. In the morning, she suddenly came to talk to him to discuss whether to cancel the marriage with the Tang family.

Housekeeper Tao was confused and asked her the reason. She said, "Right now, Madam Tang and Master Tang are also breaking up. The whole capital is spreading terrible rumors. If the engagement is not cancelled, Tang'er's reputation will only be ruined. I overheard a few times at the street corner. The rumors are raging on the street. They say Tang'er is cruel and ruthless, killing his father and selling out his brother. No matter who gets involved with him, the relationship between husband and wife will end, and father and son will kill each other. He is like this himself, and the Tang family is also harmed by him. If he hadn't stood up for Young Master Tang, the Tang family would have been safe and sound, and they would still be a harmonious and happy family."

Housekeeper Tao was a little confused. "Madam, this is all fabricated by outsiders, deliberately trying to discredit the prince. Besides, it's okay if it's just spread by outsiders. Do you agree with this?"

Not to mention outsiders coming to fabricate rumors about the prince, even their own uncle's mansion sent out many people to discredit the Liang family. The difference was that the rumors spread by the Liang family were all speculation, while the rumors spread by the uncle's mansion about the Liang family were real.

Rong Xiu said, "I know Tang'er isn't that kind of person. It's just someone else who fabricated his story. But outsiders don't know that! They just say that the Tang family was torn apart by Tang'er."

"But if the engagement is called off, no one will talk about the prince anymore?"

"Actually, I don't really want to cancel the engagement. As long as Madam Tang doesn't make a scene and lives peacefully with Master Tang, I won't cancel the engagement."

"What if Madam Tang refuses to go back and refuses to live with Master Tang even if the engagement is broken off?"

Rong Xiu said, "There's nothing wrong with resigning. I only saw Miss Tang's appearance yesterday. No wonder she was misunderstood by the people of Shangjing for so many years. She looks like a Hu woman. How can she be Tang'er's legal wife with this appearance? What if the next generation takes after her? Our Rong family's bloodline will be impure!"