Chapter 546 - 548: Autumn Harvest

Chapter 546: Chapter 548: Autumn Harvest

Gaoling Village

The Gu family had been busy for over ten days, and they had finally managed to get all the grain from the fields into the granary.

Now, all the able-bodied men in the entire clan had begun to work the clan’s fields.

In recent years, ever since Gu Wenheng passed the imperial examinations, he had helped the clan acquire some clan property bit by bit. All the income was used to supplement the clan’s expenses.

As the Old Clan Leader, Gu Sanbu naturally didn’t want the clan members to develop a habit of getting something for nothing.

These clan fields, whether it was sowing, tending, or harvesting, were all handled by the Gu family members working together.

Looking at the heavy heads of wheat, all the Gu family members were thrilled.

This meant another large income for the clan this year. Although the Silver wouldn’t be distributed directly into their hands, every household could enjoy the benefits it brought.

Even the other villagers with different surnames were busy in the fields with their sickles.

This was because their children attended the clan school in the village and received the same treatment as the Gu family’s children. On this point alone, they were already getting a huge advantage.

So, whenever the busy autumn harvest season arrived, they would always spare a few days to help out, as a way of showing their gratitude.

"Everyone will have to work even harder this year. We have dozens of new acres of land, so we all need to push ourselves." Though Gu Sanbu’s words spoke of hardship, a huge smile bloomed on his face.

"Third Uncle, we don’t mind more of this kind of hard work. But you, sir, the sun is so strong right now. You should hurry and get some shade under a tree." Gu Mingchun swung his sickle, brimming with energy.

Nowadays, whenever they went out, everyone treated them with respect just for being from the Gu family.

With so much tax-free clan land now, besides the portion that would be exchanged for Silver Taels, the rest would be stored in the clan granary. Whenever there was a major happy event in the village, a certain share could be claimed from it.

"Then you all better pick up the pace. I’ll add a big basin of braised pork for you at noon."

Gu Sanbu knew that to make a horse run, you had to feed it well. During every autumn harvest, the food and dishes were all arranged centrally by the village.

"We just had stewed goose yesterday, and today we’re getting braised pork. I really wish this harvest season would last longer." Liu Heizi swallowed hard. Although life at home was better now, his mother and wife were constantly frugal, so he rarely had such rich, oily food on normal days.

"Don’t you worry, this will still take a few more days," Gu Daping said, pausing to twist his back. "To make sure everyone has enough strength, they’ve prepared plenty of rich food."

"How come we haven’t seen Gu Yuanjin and his brothers today?" someone asked in a low voice.

"I know about that. It seems they had to deliver goods to the county town and Shangjing, so they specifically asked the Old Clan Leader for leave. But they had their hired hands come help. They’re busy up ahead."

"You guys don’t know the real story, do you? That’s just their excuse. The real reason is that their old man has stirred up trouble again."

When someone started gossiping, others pricked up their ears to listen quietly.

"Tell us what happened! We’ve been so busy with work in the fields these days, we haven’t heard a thing."

"Alright, but don’t you stop working. You keep at it while I talk." The speaker glanced at Gu Sanbu standing under the tree, then squatted down, using the tall wheat for cover as he began to share his firsthand news.

"Last night, in the middle of the night, I was sleeping soundly at home when I suddenly heard a string of curses. The voice sounded a bit familiar."

"I didn’t want to pay it any mind, but the cursing got louder and louder. Guess who it was?"

"It’s come to this, why are you being so dramatic? Have you been to the town to listen to the storytellers a few times? Picked up a trick or two?"

"You guys saw right through me," the speaker chuckled. "It was our very own Prefect Gu’s biological father. I never knew a man could throw a tantrum like a shrew."

"I was so curious about what was happening that I crept over to the corner of the wall to listen quietly."

"In the dead of night, you must have heard everything very clearly!" someone next to him teased.

"You’re absolutely right about that. I listened for about a quarter of an hour and finally pieced it all together."

"Long story short, it’s that old man getting ideas again."

"Don’t we have a clan rule that a man can only take a concubine if he’s forty and still has no son?"

"Well, he found a loophole. Came up with a brilliant countermeasure."

"Hurry up and tell us! Quick!" More and more people started inching closer, their curiosity piqued.

"Heh, that uncle of ours is still going strong in his old age. He’s already a great-grandfather, and he’s still keeping a woman on the side."

The speaker didn’t say it outright, but with a series of winks and nods, everyone present understood.

"That’s not right. Don’t Yuan Jin and his brothers refuse to give the old man any Silver? Where did he get the Silver from?"

"That’s why Yuan Jin and his brothers didn’t come today. They probably all went to clean up the old man’s mess."

"That old man is really something else. I don’t know how he got in touch with a rich household in town. The family doesn’t dare offend him and also wants to get connected with Seventh, so of course they’d try to curry favor with him."

"From the sounds of the argument yesterday, it seems he not only received a house and Silver Taels, but even that mistress was arranged by this person."

"That’s going too far!" someone immediately said in anger. "Our whole clan works together to protect the reputation of Gaoling Village, terrified that one misstep might affect Seventh’s official reputation."

"But he, the biological father, is taking the lead in stabbing his own son in the back."

"No, this can’t go on like this, all hidden away. We have to tell the Old Clan Leader."

He was about to stand up as he spoke but was yanked back down by someone next to him. "Don’t do anything foolish! The Old Clan Leader is already so old, and his health hasn’t been as good these past two years. If he gets upset and something happens to him, are you going to take responsibility?"

"But the truth always comes out. If we don’t say anything now, won’t the Old Clan Leader be even angrier when he finds out later?"

"Let’s wait a bit longer! Aunt Dashi is no fool. Maybe this time, she’ll be able to suppress the matter again."

"What a mess this is..."

"What are you all doing over there? Don’t hide there and slack off, or you won’t get any of the braised pork at noon today!" Someone in the distance saw them gathered and shouted over.

The other people in the fields also looked in their direction. They exchanged glances, then each returned to their own spots and got back to work.

Li Cuicui’s face had been dark since yesterday. The eldest and the others still hadn’t returned. ’That old coot,’ she thought, ’I wonder how much he took from those people. Did he trade away his own son’s future?’

Gu Dashishi stood under the eaves, one hand on his lower back, trying his best to stay far away from that madwoman.

’That unfilial son of mine set a clan rule forbidding concubines,’ he mused. ’I’m not bringing the woman into the house, so it doesn’t count as breaking the rules.’

’This old hag won’t even serve me anymore. What right does she have to control me?’