Chapter 1354: Chapter 1332: Obtained
“Isn’t it almost the New Year? The debt collectors from the gambling house have co, and they can’t pay, so they want to sell their cattle. People everywhere are talking about how the Jia brothers are bullies. Anyone who goes to see the cattle, whether they buy them or not, has to pay ten coins, or else they’ll be beaten. So, no one goes to see the cattle. I heard they even took the cattle to the county early this morning, but they couldn’t sell them either.”
Zhou Dalang said, “It’s almost the New Year, and not many people are at the cattle and horse market. Most of the cattle dealers have gone ho for the New Year, so there aren’t many buyers. They couldn’t sell them, so they brought them back to ask us.”
Upon hearing this, Old Zhou imdiately put away his pipe, got up, and said, “Let’s go, call Third, and we’ll go to Dali Village to take a look.”
Manbao wanted to join in the fun, but Old Zhou didn’t let her. The Jia brothers had a bad temper, and even if there was no fight, there would definitely be an argunt before buying them. It’s better not to bring Manbao for this kind of thing.
Manbao could only watch them leave with wide eyes.
Ms. Feng ca back from picking vegetables in the garden and saw Manbao. She smiled and said, “Manbao, co over and help Second Sister-in-law pick vegetables. Just now, your Fifth Brother had Third and the others co back with a ssage that your Fourth Brother and the others have returned to the county and will co ho for dinner tonight.”
Manbao put the dical box back in the house properly, sat opposite Ms. Feng, and picked vegetables while asking, “Why haven’t they co back yet?”
“They said they had to et so people to buy tea leaves and such. Your Fifth Brother went along to help, so Third ca back first.”
Since it’s almost the New Year, these days Zhou Wulang often went to the county to check on Zhou SiLang’s news, and buy so New Year’s supplies and things needed for the wedding banquet.
The one getting married is Daya, Third’s older sister. Naturally, he busied himself helping out, so he’s also been going to the county these days.
Manbao knew that Second Sister-in-law had the most up-to-date news, so she couldn’t help but ask, “Second Sister-in-law, do you know about the Jia brothers from Dali Village?”
“I know, they’re just two rascals, even worse than your Fourth Brother was when he was young.” There was no one else within a ten-mile radius who knew more, and nothing escaped Ms. Feng’s attention.
If sothing did, it’s because Qili Village is too remote and recently, no one has gone to the market.
In the past, Ms. Qian wasn’t in good health and had to stay in the house for years without even stepping out, but the news in and out of the village never escaped her because of Ms. Feng.
Manbao also liked to get news from her Second Sister-in-law, and Ms. Feng loved to talk about gossip, often continuing without waiting for Manbao to ask, “Your Fourth Brother got beaten once, at least he learned his lesson, but the brothers are like Lai Tou from our village, once they’re on you, you can’t shake them off. They’ve already lost quite a bit of money in the past two years.”
Manbao was curious and asked, “Recently, there’s been gossip about them, so no one wants to go see their cattle or buy them?”
“It’s not just gossip. It’s spread through the whole area. Just two days ago, when we went to the temple, soone from White Horse Village went to see the cattle. Can you guess what happened?”
Ms. Feng’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Manbao, wanting her to ask.
Manbao said, “Their family forced people to pay ten coins to see the cattle?”
Ms. Feng was montarily stunned and asked, “How did you know? But it’s not ten coins, I heard it’s fifty coins, and if you want to touch the cattle, it’s another twenty coins.”
Manbao: … How many tis has this been passed on to beco like this?
When listening to gossip, nothing is more annoying than an uncooperative listener like Manbao. So Ms. Feng briefly ntioned it, “In any case, the whole area knows, the Jia brothers are very domineering, yet no one dares to offend them. Trying to reason with two rascals is asking for trouble, so even those interested in buying cattle didn’t go.”
In the countryside, buying and selling cattle is not like in the city, where you can just go to the cattle and horse market.
In the countryside, both buyers and sellers rely on villagers to introduce and spread the word to complete transactions.
For example, if the Jia brothers wanted to sell cattle, their family and friends would tell their own contacts about it, and those contacts would tell others, so those interested in buying would co looking.
If that wasn’t the case, who would know the Jia family had cattle to sell?
And now, with the Jia family’s reputation tarnished and tales of strong-arming money out of people spreading, who would still want to buy cattle from them?
Only Old Zhou, who’s stingy and looks for bargains, with six sons, and when the Zhou family was poorer than the Jia family, they couldn’t be bullied. Now that their reputation is so good, it’s even less likely.
So Old Zhou took two sons there and unceremoniously pressed the price down to three taels and eight qian.
That price almost made the Jia brothers spit blood, and after haggling with Old Zhou for a long ti, they still had to sell the cow to him for four taels of silver after dark.
There’s no choice; the debt collectors would co tomorrow. If the Zhou family didn’t buy, they wouldn’t find another buyer in ti.
The debt collectors said if they couldn’t get the money, they’d chop off a hand, and they ant it,
Old Zhou happily tucked the cattle’s number and the note signed under the witness of the two Chiefs into his coat, personally led the cow out, and bid farewell to Chief Guan.
Chief Guan smiled and said, “It’s already dark, why not stay and eat at our ho before going back?”
Old Zhou hurriedly replied, “No need, no need, my Fourth is back today, and they’re surely waiting for us to eat at ho. I’ll invite Chief to our house another day.”
By his side, Zhou Dalang quietly remarked, “Dad, the day after tomorrow is the day Daya gets married.”
“That’s right, tomorrow our two families will et and eat together.”
Before the wedding, the Guan family had to send their betrothal gifts to the Zhou family first.
Old Zhou warmly invited Chief Guan to visit tomorrow and have a al together.
Chief Guan smilingly agreed.
The father and sons returned ho from Dali Village in the dark. Old Zhou complained all the way, “I told them four taels was a fair price, but they insisted on dragging it until dark before agreeing. Those fools made us walk back in the dark, it’s so cold…”
Zhou Sanlang said, “Dad, didn’t you also insist on the price of three taels and nine qian until the end?”
If you had agreed to four taels earlier, you might have returned ho before it got dark.
Old Zhou glared at Zhou Sanlang, but the night was so dark that Zhou Sanlang didn’t see it.
He could only grumble, “Don’t think just because we’ve made a little money now that you can spend it carelessly. One qian, that’s a hundred copper coins. How many jobs would it take to earn that qian of silver before?”
He said, “No matter how much money we make in the future, we have to save whenever we can; otherwise, no amount of money will be enough. Don’t learn from Manbao, always spending money lavishly.”
Zhou Dalang and Zhou Sanlang agreed.
From a distance, they saw a torch at the village entrance and knew it was soone from their family waiting, so they quickened their pace, leading the cow.
When they got closer, they saw Zhou Wulang hurrying to et them, “Dad, why did it take so long? We’ve been waiting for you to eat. Fourth Brother is back, and he’s made a lot of money.”
Old Zhou’s spirits lifted. He handed the cow rope to Zhou Dalang and walked quickly with Zhou Wulang towards ho, asking, “How much did he make?”
“Dad, you should ask Fourth Brother yourself.”
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