Only then did Ying Fang discover that the snakeskin bag that Xiang Jiu had brought on her back was full of freshly harvested water chestnuts, lotus pods, and white and tender lotus roots.

"It's only been the first year that you've sent so much?"

Ying Fang happily picked up a handful of dark purple water chestnuts, a little incredulous.

When I first planted it, although I also thought that there might be water chestnuts and lotus seeds to eat this year, it was mainly for the small square pond dug in my mother's backyard as a cover, and more importantly, for raising ducks. I didn't expect such a big gain, it was really an unexpected surprise.

"Master, didn't the master and the lady keep some to eat for themselves?

Ying Fang and the others buried Xiang Jiu in the basin with scooped two spoonfuls of cool well water, washed his face, took the herbal tea bowl brought by Jiang Xinrou and handed it to him to cool off.

Xiang Jiu took a sip of herbal tea and said with a smile:

"I knew you would ask that, the old doctor Zhang explained to me, the water chestnut picked a total of twelve or thirteen catties, he asked me to bring eight catties over, and the rest of the points were given to the secretary, the president and a few of our neighbors to try it.

The yield of the lotus shower head is small, and there are only a few scrapers in a collapsed manner, and the old lady knows that you like the lotus seed rice in it, so she brought it to you. However, the old aunt specially explained that the lotus heart is relatively cold, and you should not eat more at this stage, just eat, it is best to stew it with wolfberries and red dates.

It's just that Gangzi is dusting in the army all day long, and it is good to eat more of this. Otherwise, it's good to dry it and eat it after confinement. The lotus root festival has not been officially excavated, and it is still too tender at this time, so it will be a fresh, and it will be eaten really and you have to wait for the autumn wind to rise. ”

After finishing speaking, he put down the tea bowl, opened another thick cloth bag, and took things out the same: "These two packets are glutinous rice ground flour, and the old lady said that you like to make glutinous rice snacks to eat, and you can't save even more when you are pregnant with a baby. The jar is salted duck eggs, your ducks have begun to lay eggs, the old aunt is afraid that the weather is hot and can't let it go, make salted eggs and let me give them to you. This small bag is dried mulberries, and the two dogs led a few babies to pick up wild mulberries, and let the old aunt dry them to bring to you, saying that it is good for pregnant women to eat this. This pair of cloth shoes is also let by the old aunt, saying that the instep of the baby is easy to swell, specially enlarged for you by one size, the foot is swollen to change this pair to wear, ironclad and comfortable. These two packs are what my second sister-in-law and sister-in-law Deng and the sister-in-law of Brother Youfu's family asked me to give you, dried bamboo shoots and dried plum vegetables are newly dried this year......"

Ying Fang's eyes were full of emotion.

She is in the provincial capital and has more contact with things than when she was in the county seat. But every time I wrote to the master, I asked the master if they had anything to buy or carry, and if she did, she said that she went to the city and it was convenient to buy it and send it to them. But the master was probably afraid that she would be troublesome, so they said they didn't want it every time. In turn, he asked Xiang Jiuda to carry things from the countryside.

"Don't take it to heart, I'm also passing by. Xiang Jiu rubbed his hands, his face was a little embarrassed, "I don't want to go see Yanzi, I don't know how she's doing lately." A while ago, I heard her letter that the last place in the tofu factory this year was taken by the niece of the workshop director, and she was in a very bad mood. ”

Only then did Ying Fang learn that Yanzi had once again missed out on the official job.

It had only been since the last meeting that the two had exchanged letters. I'm still pregnant, and I'm coming to the annunciation. Recently, there have been a lot of things going on at home, and I don't have time to write letters. The girl must have been afraid that she would find out about the fire, and she didn't write to tell her.

"Then Uncle Jiu, I'll go with you. Ying Fang thought for a while and said.

Jiang Xinrou wanted to persuade her, but she swallowed back the words when they came to her mouth. When I went to Ninghe County a few days ago, I heard the secretary and president of Yanqi Commune say that when my daughter was in the commune, thanks to the help of the villagers, especially Zhang Youkang and his wife, if they hadn't accepted her as an apprentice, life might not have been so peaceful. Now Dr. Zhang's granddaughter is bitter when she encounters injustices, and her daughter, as a little sister, wants to go to see and persuade, what qualifications and positions does she have to stop her?

But when I think of the bumpy gravel road from the city to Xiashan, I can't stop worrying.

Suddenly, he had an idea, and said to his daughter: "Good girl, it's just tomorrow Sunday, otherwise, my mother will accompany this young man to the city, take your master's granddaughter over, and stay here for a day." Anyway, now that we have enough rooms for the two of us, let's just bring your brother and sister-in-law over for a get-together. It just so happens that your sister-in-law can take a few spring and autumn thin quilts for me, and I am worried that I can't take it alone, and the young man can help me share a little. ”

Ying Fang thinks about it makes sense, mainly because the senior brother's house is located in the tube building, and the kitchen is located at the staircase. When you cook a meal, so many pairs of eyes are staring, and you have to ask again and again about who's stewing some meat in the pot. Why don't you invite them over and get together for a fresh meal?

Besides, there are few rooms in my brother's house, so it's inconvenient to go and stay overnight, so let's come back immediately if you don't stay overnight, how many words can you say in such a short time?

So, Jiang Xinrou went to the city to Jiu, took the cotton quilt, and picked up the senior brother's family.

Ying Fang stayed at home, cleaned up the mess that Xiang Jiu had brought in, and wondered what to cook for the night.

The senior brother's family came over, and there were eight people to eat at night, and it was hot, and everyone liked to eat cool, so she planned to mix a few more cold dishes.

Water chestnut meat, white and tender lotus seed rice peeled from lotus pods, and the most tender lotus root ribbon at both ends of the lotus root knot can be made into a sour and crisp "Three Treasures of the Lotus Pond". This is what the old man who gave her water chestnut and lotus root seeds taught her.

In addition, the lotus root is sliced in boiling water, mixed with fried peanuts, mixed with sweet and sour raw water chestnut meat, and boiled sweet soup with lotus seed rice, red dates and wolfberries. Then steam a few white flour steamed buns and miscellaneous grains as staple food.

The pickled wild boar meat is cut into a strip and steamed together with the wowotou, the lean meat is red, the fat is transparent, and the sandwich wotou is the most delicious.

In the morning, the tofu fish and tofu that I just bought from the vegetable market are grilled together, fragrant and shredded, fried bacon and beans, then fried home-grown eggplant, loofah, purple lentils, and then fried yellow green onion and goose eggs on a plate. I was able to put together a table of dishes, too.

Ying Fang peeled the water chestnut meat while pondering. The water chestnut is not as good as the lotus pod, the shell is harder, and the peeling is slower, and this sitting is half a day.

Except for the older water chestnuts, which are picked out and boiled in the shell like chestnuts, and eaten as snacks, the relatively tender ones are all peeled by her.

When the sun was about to go down, I gave Shuangying's sister-in-law and Yuxiang's sister-in-law a bowl of water chestnut meat each, plus a small lotus root.

Jiang Xiaoqin had just come back from outside with her son, so she didn't see Wang Xiaohu leading Xiang Jiu up, but she saw a dustpan of water chestnut shells swept out of Yingfang's house, thinking that she had bought it from Xiang Gang again, and couldn't help but say in a weird way: "Yo! You can get such a fresh thing, Xiao Shu? Battalion Commander Xiang is really good to you! It's like my old Du, who doesn't care about anything." The most uncomfortable time for my pregnancy was also summer, and I didn't know how difficult it was to eat the sweet and cool big watermelon. Unlike you, Xiang Battalion Commander pulls melons at home every day, either watermelons, melons, and vegetable melons, and you can see your basket in the well water cylinder every day. It's good to have no in-laws, eat whatever you want. ”

Ying Fang smiled: "He got this, it's my relative in the countryside, and he specially carried it, and the amount is not much, so I will try it." After a while, the water chestnut is cooked, and I will fill a bowl for the soldiers. ”

Children, when they hear that there is food, they don't care what it is, and they nod their heads vigorously and swallow their saliva.

Jiang Xiaoqin only pulled the corners of her mouth. She must be very happy to put it on hold, what fool would refuse to eat for nothing?

But I couldn't be happier today.

In the morning, I went to the army farm, wanted to learn Yingfang, brought a duck or chicken from my hometown, and fostered in the farm, not only worry-free, but also had eggs and duck eggs to eat every day.

But I thought it was a trivial matter, but the farm actually disagreed. She also said that if every military wife operated like her, would the comrades in the farm still be busy?

Jiang Xiaoqin blew up on the spot.

"Why can Shu Yingfang from a regiment and four battalions! Her family still sends a big white goose, which is much more difficult to serve than chickens and ducks. Aren't they all military wives? She can, why can't I?"

The comrades of the farm smiled: "Now it is a level, and it will be impossible to say in a few days." And his family's big white goose was approved by the division commander at that time. Either you also ask the higher-level cadres to make a comment and come over, then we have nothing to say. ”

In the second half of the paragraph, Jiang Xiaoqin didn't listen to it at all, so she listened to the first sentence.

"What do you mean? I can't tell if I can't tell in a few days? Could it be that the candidate for the deputy regiment of our regiment has already been decided?"

The comrades of the farm also heard it, so it was naturally impossible to tell a strange military wife. Immediately ignored her and turned to his own business.

Jiang Xiaoqin still had the heart to care about whether the chickens and ducks were allowed to be fostered, and took her son back to the compound absentmindedly.

What does it mean to be promoted to a deputy regiment? For family members, isn't the most direct benefit the monthly allowance going up? That's a lot of money! Don't say there are other tickets or something.

At the gate of the compound, I met the family of the deputy battalion commander of the second battalion.

Guo Biao, the deputy commander of the second battalion, is also a tragic figure, the former commander of the fourth battalion was transferred, he thought that he could finally get rid of the deputy position and be promoted, and Liu Zhiming in the same period became his boss, and he was still squatting on the deputy position, not to mention how aggrieved he was. Unexpectedly, Xiang Gang, who was stood out halfway, was cut off, and he was transferred to the second battalion to continue to serve as a deputy.

After tossing and turning for half a year, the wild pigeon training plan was completely "aborted", and Guo Biao's military career may have stopped.

If you want to ask the person who is the most hostile to the current fourth battalion commander, it is none other than Guo Biao.

Therefore, seeing Guo Biao's daughter-in-law, Jiang Xiaoqin, who was originally disdainful of the families of the deputy battalion-level cadres, rolled her eyes, stepped forward to talk, and by the way spread the news that the vacant deputy regiment had been selected.

Guo Biao's daughter-in-law is a typical husband-and-singer woman, and her husband has a great opinion on the fourth battalion commander, so it is naturally impossible for a wife to have a good relationship with her sisters. On the contrary, he likes to speak ill of Yingfang behind his back. If it weren't for Xiang Gang coming out to cut off her beard, she would be a battalion-level military sister-in-law now. Therefore, when she saw Jiang Xiaoqin, who was the family member of a cadre at the camp level, and she "put her heart into her heart", she immediately reciprocated the favor and invited people to her home for dinner.

During this time, the men had a tight training task and did not go home at noon. The two women bumped into each other and spoke ill of the noon without scrupulousness.

Not only Yingfang, but also other unpleasant military wives were all scolded by them.

Speaking of the back, Guo Biao's daughter-in-law slapped the table and said indignantly: "I don't accept it! How long has it been since the surname Xiang was promoted to the main battalion? The post of deputy regiment, no matter how short of people there is, he will not be able to take his turn! Not to mention our second battalion, sister-in-law, isn't your battalion commander Du also very good? According to me, this deputy regiment should be made by Battalion Commander Du. ”

It's not that I really think that the commander of the first battalion is outstanding, but that the newly appointed commander of the third battalion is not qualified enough, and the second battalion where he belongs has left a very bad impression on the cadres of the military region because of the wild pigeon domestication plan in the soup, and I am afraid that there will be no way to reverse it in a short time. The rest is only one battalion commander who can fight with the surname Xiang. Even if you can't fight, it's good to make a fish die and break the net.

Jiang Xiaoqin didn't know the little Jiujiu in Guo Biao's daughter-in-law's heart, and when she heard her, she couldn't help but be complacent when she thought her husband was really so good.

After eating at Guo's house, Jiang Xiaoqin led her son home. pondered and meditated along the way, and no matter what, I had to let Lao Du talk to the leader. How old is the battalion commander of the fourth battalion, Xiang? What strength can a young man in his early twenties have to sit in the position of deputy regiment? Give him a battalion commander who has already burned high incense, and he still wants to compete with Lao Du for the deputy regiment, I simply don't know what to say!

"Bingbing, let's not eat it! Isn't it just water chestnut, Mom will go back and buy you sorbet!"

Jiang Xiaoqin was rarely stiff, and even coaxed her greedy son back to the house and slammed the door shut.

Ying Fang raised her eyebrows for some reason.

However, she is really not interested in Jiang Xiaoqin, since people don't want her water chestnut, she is happy to save a bowl.

Eight catties of water chestnut pick out half of the older, picked to this time is estimated to be two days, the weather is hot can not be put down, add water to the pot to boil, cooked and peel the shell to eat, water chestnut meat powder and chestnuts have a fight.

After the water chestnut is boiled, a fire is also lit in the big stove.

After three months of pregnancy, Yingfang's early pregnancy reaction that made her want to vomit when she smelled something magically disappeared. The love for chili dishes is not as strong as it was last month.

In recent days, I have fallen in love with the candied sour jujube cake that Shuangying's sister-in-law gave her to relieve her greasy.

I heard that Shuangying's sister-in-law's aunt sent it from her hometown, a local product from Jiangcheng - a kind of pastry made from sour dates called five-eyed fruit. It looks translucent and jujube-colored, and tastes mainly sour and slightly sweet.

Seeing this, Jiang Xinrou couldn't help but joke that she liked spicy a while ago, and she liked sour this time, maybe she was pregnant with two babies in her belly, a female treasure and a male treasure, because sour men and spicy women.

Xiang Gang couldn't help but worry when he heard it. It is said that when a woman gives birth to a child, she undoubtedly goes around the ghost gate. It's enough to give birth to one, and it's enough to come and go. Twins sound very festive, but for pregnant women, it is not a small ordeal.

Yingfang was speechless when he was worried about it before he was diagnosed, this is not unfounded, so let him relax. As for whether he is really relieved or not, he has to ask about the roundworms in his stomach.

So her mother proposed: If you don't wait for the fetus to be stable and the weather is cool, go to Haicheng Women's Hospital to take a B-ultrasound. That thing is said to be old, and it can not only show how many babies are pregnant, but also the sex of the fetus.