Farmer of Shu Han

A small bucket is as big as a person, and the bottom of the bucket is only about ten or twenty centimeters from the ground. If there are small rocks on the ground, be careful to let the bucket go around.

Otherwise, the rocks can easily hit the bottom of the bucket.

At that time, there will be a sound of "boom", it is a trivial matter for the little person to trip because of the imbalance of the bucket, but it is a major event for the bucket to be smashed.

Although it looks a bit funny, the people I saw in the stockade not only didn't make jokes, but greeted them warmly:

"Si'er, are you off to school?"

"Yes, Uncle."

"Si'er, come back so early today?"

"Yes, aunt."

Even the cowherd boy, who was waiting to fetch water from the well, followed suit:

"Brother Si, have you returned to the village?"

As he said, he stretched out his hand and took out two or three small wild fruits from his body, "Here, I picked these when I was grazing cattle today, it's so sweet!"

"Thank you!"

Si'er was not polite, took it and put it in his mouth.

"You're welcome, I will go to the school next year, please remember to help me more, I also want to go to the Qiongdu school..."

The adults next to me laughed when they heard this.

Not all school-age children in the village have the opportunity to go to school.

On the contrary, even less than half of them have the opportunity to go to school.

And boys accounted for a considerable proportion.

After all, these days, it is very lucky for the family to have enough to eat.

Of course, in order to encourage girls to go to school, Xing Han Hui also has policies.

For example, girls do not need to go through Qiongdu Academy to go to school. As long as they pass the test, they are basically sent directly to Nanxiang.

You can study for one, two or three years, depending on your aptitude to arrange a position.

At the lowest level, you can join Nanxiang nationality and get a group leader position in the workshop.

Especially in the past few years, the shortage of workshop weavers is really too big.

The woman works in the workshop, and the monthly money sent back every month can make the family's investment for her study return in one year.

Two or three years is enough for the family to live a good life.

But people's ideas cannot be changed in a few years.

In the consciousness of the common people, women belong to other people's family after all.

For boys, reading is a lifelong affair in the family.

Therefore, most of the girls who can go to school are wealthy families who still have enough money to spare after feeding the boys.

But in the past two years, the number of girls going to school has gradually increased.

Because of the shortage of workshop weavers, Xing Han Hui implemented a policy.

Under the guarantee of the government, Xinghan will sign a contract with a family with a baby girl.

Xinghan will pay a sum of money in advance and escort the girl all the way to Nanxiang School. After entering the workshop to work, the money will be paid back slowly.

After repayment, earn money for the family for another two or three years, and it will be time to get married.

It's quite a bit like signing a long-term contract.

However, the female weavers in the workshop are very popular, let alone become the "manager" in the eyes of the common people in the workshop.

Anyway, at that point, the woman will have nothing to worry about in her life.

On the contrary, it is like the cattle herding boy, although he is a boy, but he has not been able to go to school for the time being, so he must be very envious of the fourth brother.

"Danbai, go back and urge your lord to send you to the school as soon as possible, otherwise after this year, Siba will go to Qiongdu to study!"

The schooling in the primary school is a two-year system, which is just right for the people of Yuejue, neither too long nor too short.

It's too long and the family can't afford it.

If it's too short, you won't learn much.

After two years of study, even if you can't go to Qiongdu Academy, you can still learn some arithmetic and know hundreds of words.

At that time, I will keep an account for the grain at home, and when I go out to sell silk, I can calculate the account, which is also very good.

Others don't dare to fool themselves easily outside.

Those with a little long-term vision can still think of the next generation, at least start higher than others.

Si'er is often ranked first in the school, and everyone in the village knows that there is a promising child in this village.

When the villagers talk to people from other villages, their momentum can be strengthened by two points.

"I'm not afraid, our village has good feng shui!"

Egg Wa replied loudly.

Everyone laughed loudly again, and the well was full of joy.

It is certain that the village has good feng shui, otherwise how could there be scholars?

"That's right, even your cattle drink well water, which is better than those in other villages."

Someone joked about the egg baby.

Danwa is waiting in line with a bucket to carry water, but he is not carrying water for his family, but for the buffalo tethered not far away.

"My Ada said that the well water is clean, let our cattle drink it too."

Egg Wa blushed and said.

The cow was rented from the government, and it was a cow.

Last year, because the cow gave birth to a calf, there was no need to return the interest money to the government for three years.

If a calf can be born within three years, then this calf will belong to his family.

If the family really wants to have a cow of their own, life will be up.

So it is natural to serve carefully.

As long as it is not pulled out to work, this cow even has its own special wooden bucket for drinking water.

Seeing Danwa like this, everyone laughed again.

On the contrary, an old man cursed:

"A bunch of idiots. They are the ones who raise cattle. What's so funny? In the next two years, the cattle in this kid's family are really going to give birth to a calf. Let's see if you are jealous."

"Uncle, how can we not know these truths? It's just a joke."

While talking, someone brought up the water from the well and poured it into Danwa's bucket, "Here, let's go."

Soon it was Si'er's turn, and he was not strong enough to carry two full buckets of water, so he could only carry two and a half buckets of water, lower his head, and pay attention to the road.

The shoulder pole was on his small shoulders, making him bend over a little, like a little old man.

After picking out the water, he started to make dinner.

Use bamboo tubes to measure the rice that the family needs for dinner, put them into a gourd, fill it with water, and then carefully shake it from side to side to continuously shake the rice out of the gourd.

Because rice is dried in the grain field, it will be mixed with soil and sand, so rice washing is to sieve out these sundries.

In the end, there are only some fine gravel and a little bit of broken rice left in the scoop.

He poured the mixture of fine gravel and broken rice into an old crock.

After scouring twice in a row, I put the rice pot on the stove.

Then I grabbed a few handfuls of bran, put them in the old crock, mixed with water, and mixed well.

"Cuckoo..."

He yelled a few times, put the crock pot in the yard, and a few chickens flapped their wings and started to grab food.

Looking to the west, he had already hid behind the hill for half a day, and he wanted to make dinner quickly.

Cooking smoke soon curled up from the small courtyard made of yellow mud and straw.

The woman also came out of the silkworm room and began to choose vegetables.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, every household started to cook dinner, and the whole village was shrouded in green smoke.

Farmers working outside also began to carry farm tools or drive cattle, and rushed back to the village one after another.

After dinner was ready at home, voices came from the gate of the courtyard.

"Are you back? Wash your hands and eat dinner."

The woman walked out of the courtyard, took her husband's farm tools, and smiled at her second son:

"Come back, Si'er has already filled the water, remember to wash your hands before eating dinner."

Si'er took the ox rope from his second brother and led the ox into the cowshed.

Very ordinary everyday, but also very peaceful.

Si'er is ranked fourth. Originally, there was an elder sister above her, but she was already married.

There was an older brother who died prematurely.

So now there are only four people in the family.

Taking advantage of the last night, in order to save some lamp oil, the family moved two short tables to the yard.

The parents share one case, and the fourth son and the second brother share the same case.

The so-called short case is actually a thick board with four legs made of bamboo.

The surface of the table is a bit bumpy, like pockmarks, and the four table legs are not level, and they need to be padded with small wooden blocks to balance it.

But compared to squatting at the base of the wall with a tile bowl in hand, it is considered decent.

"Oh, it seems that I came just in time."

The family picked up the chopsticks and were about to eat dinner when the courtyard door was pushed open and a person walked in. Seeing this scene, he couldn't help but said with a smile.

Hearing this voice, Si'er's family hurriedly got up.

"Zhang Tingchang, why are you here?"

As the head of the family, Si'er's adults greeted him.

"I just passed by your yard and smelled the aroma of rice, so I couldn't help but come in cheekily."

The head of the pavilion said jokingly, "How about it, would you mind having an extra pair of chopsticks?"

"I can't even invite you on weekdays!"

Master Si'er said in panic, then turned to tell his mother-in-law, "Quickly, add a pair of chopsticks bowls to the pavilion chief."

The woman was about to turn around, but was stopped by the pavilion chief:

"Don't panic, cut up the cooked meat first."

As he spoke, he passed the tarpaulin in his hand, walking with a slight limp.

The woman dared not reach out her hand a little hastily, and glanced at her A-Lang.

"Take it, how can the head of the pavilion have any reason to take advantage of our family? Cut it all up and send it up."

Only then did the woman take it, and then took away all her chopsticks and bowls, and gave up the seat to the pavilion chief.

Si'er helped to go to the kitchen and added bowls and chopsticks to the pavilion chief: "Please, pavilion chief."

Zhang Tingchang patted Si'er's head, and said happily: "Okay! Let's all sit down."

The woman quickly cut up the cooked meat and brought it up, Zhang Ting Zhang stopped her again: "There is no need to be busy, and there is no need to regenerate the fire to add vegetables, it's good like this."

The woman had no choice but to respond, and then retreated.

"How is Si'er at school recently?"

"Back to Uncle Zhang, I got the first place in the last exam."

Si'er replied respectfully.

"Okay, okay, this is a good kid in our village! When you go to Qiongdu Academy, I will pay all the expenses there, so you can study hard and don't have to worry about your family."

Zhang Tingchang said happily.

The so-called recommended transportation means that students have their own sources of food and clothing, and they don't have to bear the burden of their families.

The only thing you need to do is to sign a contract, and after you come out, you will work for the Xinghanhui's industry for how many years.

Therefore, Zhang Tingchang's so-called all-inclusive fee is at most a little miscellaneous fee.

It's just that Si'er's adult is an honest farmer, how can he know these ways?

Hearing Zhang Tingzhang's words, he hurriedly stood up again, his hands and feet were at a loss, his lips moved, but he didn't know how to answer.

"Oh, sit, sit, sit, you are like this, people still call me a bad guest!"

Zhang Tingchang forced Si'er's adult to sit down, "I am also Si'er's half husband, and Si'er will be promising in the future, and my face will also be bright."

Zhang Tingchang fought with Feng Junhou in the battle of Longyou before, but was injured later, and three of his left toes were chopped off by the bandits, so he had to retreat from the army.

But he didn't stay in vain in the army, at least he learned some words.

When I am free on weekdays, I love to tell the children in the village about military affairs, and by the way, I am a half-hearted gentleman, teaching Braille to the children.

Si'er is sober and a quick learner, so Zhang Tingzhang tried his best to persuade his family to send Si'er to study in the school.

Facts have proved that Zhang Tingchang has seen the world after all. Judging from the current situation, it is a certainty that Si'er will go to Qiongdu Academy, and even going to Nanxiang Academy is very promising.

Seeing that the family is about to turn around, the Si'er family really treat Zhang Tingzhang as benefactors.

"Eat, eat, eat! Eat!"

Zhang Tingchang picked up the bowl first, took a few big mouthfuls, and the bowl was more than half empty in no time.

Si'er watched Zhang Tingchang eat quickly, took the bowl again, and was about to add more rice.

"Wait."

Zhang Tingchang called him suddenly, and saw that he divided some of the cooked meat and green vegetables on the table and handed them to Si'er, "Go, bring them to your mother, as a son of man, you must remember to be filial."

When guests came to the house, the woman couldn't go to the table, so she could only hide in the kitchen and eat alone. Zhang Tingchang's behavior was really careful.

Si'er took it over, bowed deeply to Pavilion Chief Zhang, and then turned and walked towards the kitchen.

After walking a few steps, you can still see him raising his arm and wiping it.

"Si'er will be a promising person in the future. I came here this time to see him. He is studying in school and exhausting his mind, so I took some meat to make up for him."

Zhang Tingchang sat there, and said to Si'er's adult, "This is the second, I want to discuss something with you."

"Ting Zhang, please tell me."

Si'er's adult hurriedly put down the chopsticks and wanted to stand up again, but remembered Zhang Tingzhang's order, so he had to hold back, but he still twisted his body, and he was uncomfortable.

"I have been the head of the pavilion for several years, and within ten miles, there are many houses that I personally settled."

"Who's family looks like, to put it bluntly, I know exactly what it looks like."

Zhang Tingchang took another piece of meat and put it in his mouth. While chewing, he pointed to the vegetables on the table and said, "Don't look at your family's food like this, but I know that your family has surplus food."

"Now the imperial court wants to buy grain, and it's bought at a high price, two hundred and thirty dollars. It's probably spread around these days, so..."

Speaking of this, Zhang Tingchang glanced at Si'er's lord, "What is your family thinking?"

Si'er's lord did not expect that the pavilion chief came to his house to ask him this question.

Immediately, his hands and feet were messed up, the whole rough man looked like a bride, his face was a little hot, and he didn't know where to put his hands and feet.

He groaned for a long time before he forced out a few words: "Pavilion chief...here, the food at home..."

After talking for a long time, I don't know what he wants to express.

Zhang Tingchang couldn't help sighing when he saw his appearance.

He already understood what the other party meant.

"How does the wheat grow this year?"

"It's...not bad."

"Yes!" Zhang Tingchang said deeply, "It seems that this year's summer grain harvest is good again."

"A few years ago, who would have thought that we would be able to live today? At this time, we have already started to eat chaff and wild vegetables."

Si'er's lord stammered in response: "Thanks to you, Junhou!"

There is only one prince in Yuexuan, and that is Feng Junhou.

Of course, some people call Feng Junhou Feng Jun.

In ten or twenty years, it is not impossible to be called Grandpa Feng.

Of the seven counties in Nanzhong, all six counties are called King Feng Gui, except for one county in Yuexuan.

If Feng Junhou knew about this, the resentment towards Nanzhong these years would probably dissipate a lot.

"Yes, thanks to Junhou." The pavilion chief sighed, "It's just that he left a good life for the people of Yuexuan, but he himself went to Liangzhou to suffer!"

Speaking of this, Zhang Tingchang said with sadness and worry on his face, "Last year, Jun Hou was appointed governor of Liangzhou, but he encountered a famine again."

"Now the imperial court wants to transport grain to Liangzhou, but when they are unable to receive it, they hear that the barbarians in Liangzhou are cruel, and even if there is nothing to do, they will make trouble."

"Now I just hope that Junhou can be safe in Liangzhou, and don't get into trouble because of those barbarians."

"ah!"

Hearing this news, Si'er's lord finally stood up uncontrollably, and cried out, "What happened to Junhou?"