Chapter 28: A Spy in the Village

But in fact, Da Ya had been working at home for these years, and the long-term exposure to the sun had turned her skin into a dark bronze color, which was not something rouge could cover at all.

Plus Da Ya didn't know anything about zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, her hands were full of calluses from farming, not to mention she was old, and she had no value for cultivation for the brothel.

But Jiang Shizai's family didn't know all this, and they were still discussing happily how many taels of silver Da Ya could be sold for.

Da Ya, standing at the door, lowered her head and didn't make any reaction, as if the person they were going to sell to the brothel wasn't her.

Only through that messy hair could one see what kind of coldness was hidden in those eyes that no one discovered.

The fingers pinching the corner of the clothes turned white, and her body trembled slightly while trying her best to hide her emotions.

Wait a little longer!

She had waited for so many years, not bad for this little while!

By then...

I will be free!

At the foot of Da Jiang Mountain, many villagers were picking wild vegetables here or planning to try their luck to catch some wild rabbits.

Of course, the number of wild vegetables was pitifully small, which led to most people having no harvest, but they didn't dare to go up the mountain.

It is said that there are not only wolves on the mountain, but also fierce beasts like tigers, not to mention such hot weather, and the poisonous snakes in the forest are even more impossible to guard against.

Plus, they didn't dare to cut down trees on the mountain for firewood at will, for fear of being caught by the yamen and beaten with boards, so naturally, no one went up the mountain.

Except for a few villagers with hunting experience who would go up the mountain in groups, most of them were just active at the foot of the mountain.

Li Xinyue took Jiang Li and greeted people skillfully.

"Good morning, Auntie!"

"Where is Zhaodi going?"

"Take my sister for a stroll on the mountain."

"Yo! Isn't this Jiang's Little Lizi, haven't seen you for a while."

"Hello, Auntie!"

After the two walked past, another woman trotted over to chat.

"You are also, why do you still call her Zhaodi! Don't you know she changed her name?"

"What's the situation?"

Then the two whispered for a while, and the aunt who asked earlier suddenly realized, turning her head to look at the direction Li Xinyue left.

"So this girl married someone who knows how to care for people."

The woman who spoke earlier twisted her mouth: "That's not necessarily true, that Jiang Jinshi is idle, and the bitter days are still behind!"

The aunt sighed, suddenly thinking of something, and shouted at Li Xinyue: "Girl, don't go up the mountain to cut firewood! Another one was caught by the yamen in the neighboring village two days ago."

"Got it, thank you Auntie!"

After Li Xinyue responded loudly, she took Jiang Li's little hand and lowered her head: "This aunt is a kind person."

Jiang Li didn't understand why her sister-in-law said this, tilting her head with some confusion.

Li Xinyue patiently explained to Jiang Li.

"The prohibition on cutting trees for firewood isn't just for these two days, we know it without Auntie's reminder, but she still reminded us.

Think about how the county magistrate ordered before, anyone who reports will be rewarded with five hundred wen.

Xiao Lizi, do you understand?"

Jiang Li suddenly realized: "So Auntie wasn't reminding us not to cut trees just now, but saying that someone is watching at the foot of the village."

Li Xinyue smiled calmly, gently rubbing Jiang Li's head: "Xiao Lizi is really smart."

Jiang Li enjoyed Li Xinyue rubbing her head, unlike her brother who would make her hair messy.

"Hehe, sister-in-law is smarter, I wouldn't know if you didn't say it!"

Li Xinyue raised her index finger to her mouth, winking at Jiang Li.

"We won't talk about this, so as not to be heard by that 'spy', we have to find him quietly."

Jiang Li blinked her big eyes: "After finding him? Tell everyone to beat him?"

"No! After knowing who the 'spy' of Da Jiang Cun is, we can avoid him and go up the mountain to cut firewood, which can save your brother some silver."

Although Li Xinyue said so, in fact, she was just bored and found something interesting to do for herself.

There was no mobile phone or internet in this era, and the whole life was centered on firewood, rice, oil, and salt, but she didn't care about these, so she could only find some fun for herself.

Jiang Li nodded happily, being able to pick firewood would indeed save a lot for the family.

Recently, the family bought rice and meat, and even her brother bought her dessert. This must have cost a lot of money, so hearing that she could save money for her brother was what made her happiest.

But Jiang Li still had some doubts: "Then why didn't Auntie tell us directly who the 'spy' is?"

Li Xinyue shook her head: "Because she doesn't know who it is either."

Now Jiang Li's little head was completely crashed. Since Auntie didn't know who this person was, how did she know about the other party's existence?

Li Xinyue didn't answer directly, but asked Jiang Li a question.

"If you were the county magistrate, how would you ensure that your firewood could be sold, and let the villagers obediently not cut trees?"

Jiang Li stopped and thought for a moment, then tentatively said an answer.

"Hire people to watch on the mountain?"

Listening to Jiang Li's uncertain tone, Li Xinyue didn't sell the suspense and said her own views.

"There are several villages at the foot of Da Jiang Mountain, and it even connects to other mountains. How many people would it take to guard every entrance?

And it needs to be guarded day and night, and the cost of this is more than what he earns from selling firewood.

If I were the county magistrate, I would plant a 'spy' in every village. After all, there are not many secrets between villagers."

Jiang Li could still understand up to here, but she still couldn't figure out why she knew there was a 'spy' but didn't know who it was.

Li Xinyue continued to explain to Jiang Li.

"Planting a 'spy' is not difficult. After all, reporting one person is five hundred wen. Few people can withstand such temptation.

But there are always villagers who take risks. Every time you give this 'spy' five hundred wen, it is not a small expense in the long run.

So the best plan is to reveal inadvertently that every village has a 'spy', but don't know who it is, and even don't know the number of people.

In this way, villagers will suspect everyone, and even more afraid that the other party lives next door.

Villagers suspect and guard against each other, so naturally, they dare not go up the mountain to cut firewood, and the yamen doesn't have to spend so much money."

When Li Xinyue was talking freely, the confidence radiating from the inside out attracted Jiang Li's gaze.

Jiang Li looked at Li Xinyue with fiery eyes at this moment, hugging Li Xinyue's waist.

"Sister-in-law, you are really smart!"

Li Xinyue was a bit emotional. What is this?

The business war in the previous life was much more complicated than this. It's just a pity that the company she started, after working hard for several years, didn't know who would become the wedding dress in the end.

The business knowledge she learned by studying late at night seemed to have no use in this era.

After reaching the hillside, there were obviously more trees, and the bushes were more lush. Li Xinyue opened the form of touching here and there. Who let this system only prompt the recycling point price when touched.

"Detected paper mulberry, value 0.1 points, recycle?"

"Detected peach tree seedling, value 0.1 points, recycle?"

...... ===== CHAPTER 29 =====