In front of the big temple in the center of Liuwan Village, there is a square that is neither big nor too small, and on the south side of the square are three ordinary brick houses facing north and south. This is the village of Liuwan.

There are a few yellowed pieces of paper pasted on the wall in the village department, and the people's notices, family notices, and village prohibitions are written in small letters. There was a stove in the middle of the room, and a circle of chairs along the wall. By the window there were two old-fashioned tables and chairs, and on one side there was a cabinet, and on the wall hung a blue-gray homespun cloth with rows of small pockets sewn onto it, with strips of paper attached.

In the second half of the day, the three patriarchs surnamed Liu, Xing, and Zhang in the village, as well as the more capable people in each lane, gathered here to discuss things. The village chief ate a few sips of shisha, stroked his white beard, and said, "Oh, there was a meeting in the town, and we talked about a lot of things, let's discuss it." ”

"Hey, the people are not even together, and the old fairy hasn't come yet. The patriarch of the Zhang family, who was smoking a dry tobacco pot, said. "Hehe, I don't think I'm going to come, and I'm out of energy in the past two years. The Xing family patriarch took a sip of hookah and interjected. "It's pitiful, such a big family business, it's gone, and I don't know what the babies are doing outside. ”

"Oh, it's all guessing, who knows what's going on. "Ah, there may be everything, it's not the price, the old fairy is a little old." "Oh, let's get down to business, let's talk about what you're doing. "Yes, don't wait, the village chief will represent, they are all in the same alley, and they are the sons of the family. Another chimed in. "Ah, yes. The next one also chimed in.

"The town held a meeting to convey the above requirements, and said......" "Oops, and played an official role." Xitou Xiang Zhi'er interjected with a smile. "Haha, let's keep it simple. "That's not right. "Hey, what do you say? Other provinces are fighting wars, and our old Yan said that we must improve ourselves to save the country, create production to save the country, and also reform and educate. ”

"It's officialdom again. What do you want exactly?" "Oh, let the village chief talk about it, why don't you talk about it?" "Hehe, it's not like hitting him, it sounds awkward. ”

"Haha, Lao Yan is not running a school, building a railway, opening a mine, running a bank or something, but wants us to run a school, build water conservancy, build roads, and run a factory in our village. ”

"Oh, we can't get a factory. An old man stroked his beard and said. "Ah, build the road, opposite the mile. "I also have to run a school, and the baby's family has to read well." "Hehe, inside and outside the ditch, the landscape trough is also messed up. "Hey, what are you doing with a landscape trough?" "Look at you, the ground in the ditch is good, you can make a lot of it." "Hey, it's better to dig a well. "Yes, digging wells is also considered water conservancy. ”

"Well, if you want to build a road, first repair the road on the mountain, make it wider, and make steps on the slope if you can get steps. You, so many people, old and young, crowded to see the danger. "It takes a lot of land to widen it, so many miles of land, people have to be willing." ”

"Well, it should be simple and simple, put the weir down, and then fill in the ditch along the upper and outer pits, and press the cliff protection strip along the trend, which will not be wide. Troublesome moving. "Yes, that's the way to do it. The other roads do the same. Whether it is in the field or in another village, it is repaired in this way, which is trouble-free and effective. ”

"Ah, complex things are easy to do. As long as it works, it's okay. "Hehe, let's discuss it, there's a good way." ”

"Well, it's important to build a school. "Ah, now the things that this baby's family learns are different, the private school is no longer good, and the larger villages are running the new school. "Ah, that's it, no matter how much you delay, you can't delay the baby's family. ”

"If you want a school, what kind of nest are you looking for, isn't it a good place behind this, it's empty, isn't it just a wheat field? "Hey, yes, this nest is good. "Hehe, outside, the old Zhang family has to be willing to sell. "Hey, village chief, you have to come forward to talk about this, running a school is a major event in the village, and it is also a good thing, everyone must support it." ”

"Ah, this nest is suitable, in the middle of the village, close to all sides. "Hey, by the way, Wang'er, you and the village chief will talk about the affairs of your Zhang family. Let's also divide the labor. "Yes, it's still hard. "It's not difficult, by the way, the matter of this base has been implemented. "Hey, hey, railroad cops, each in charge. "Yes. Everybody's all in a hurry. ”

"Outside, what do you say about digging wells? You know, there are wells in Nantou Lane, there are wells in Houtou Lane, but there are no wells in Xitou Lane. "Oh, this well is not up to us, it has to have water strings. "On the other hand, you have to ask someone to look at the water strings to see if there are water strings. ”

"That's it, if it doesn't work, it's okay to fight in the ditch, and you can water the ground by installing a waterwheel, and you can plant a vegetable or something. "Hey, you have a ditch, otherwise you want to dig a well in the ditch, hehe." ”

"Hey, there's really a well, let's eat the vegetables when you plant them, hehe. "What you say is better than what you sing, haha. "That's it, I'll just sell it cheaper. "Haha, listen, you still have to pay for it. "For nothing, where is there a dish that doesn't pay for it? ”

"Oops, you two. If you dig a well in the ditch, if you want to come down to the big mountain, the well will not be a hole (hole, here is the verb usage, referring to the big water to the well, quickly forming a vortex flood well situation under the state of the collapse of the well). ”

"Haha, it's not crooked today. "Then let's talk about it, the three stinkers beat Zhuge Liang. "It's still early, let's talk a little longer." "Hey, you're going back? "Haven't we all discussed it? ”

"Hey, what about the work, the money, the stall. "Needless to say, it's everyone's business, and it's the same as repairing the city walls and gates. "Dare not give it to you?" "Who will give it?" "Damn, isn't your eldest baby in front of Lao Yan, don't open a back door, a little leakage in someone's fingers is enough for us to work for several years." ”

"Hey, that's right, village chief, you have to tell your dragon baby, it's best to give it. "Gee, that's a problem. "Try it, your eldest child is Lao Yan's great military doctor, can you speak." "Oh, I don't dare to pack a ticket, no, I have an extra one this time." ”

"Haha, happy, it's still the village chief, we didn't find the wrong person. If you have more village heads, and then ask Lao Yan to get one, won't our burden be lighter, they are all crop households, so dare to be easy. ”

"Hey, when it comes to Lao Yan, I want to say a few more words. "Oh, the village chief is well-informed, tell me about it. "Haha, there's nothing new, that is, Lao Yan has a meaning. "Ah, big slippery head. perfunctory old Jiang, his head drilled down to strengthen his strength. ”

"Ah, yes. Whether he is self-reliant to save the country, or to create production to save the country, he is changing his methods to strengthen himself. "Ah, that's it, Lao Jiang is fighting for a day, today I will fight this, tomorrow I will fight that; ”

"Ahh However, I have done a lot of good things. How stable are you in our province, model province, haha. "Ah, it's not the price, in the past few years, Henan and Shandong have all arrived. ”

"Hehe, the railroad has been repaired. "Railway?have you ever seen a train?" "Hehe, I haven't seen it, don't you dare to listen to people." "Hey, our Shanxi railway, other trains can't get in." "What's the matter?" "This is a narrow railroad track, and the others are wide." "Why is it different from the railway?" "Ah, what can you say?" ”

"Hehe, this is Lao Yan's hand. "He also said that if the train can't come in, the soldiers won't be so fast. "Heck, a narrow railroad saves money. "It shows that Lao Yan is treacherous. "Hey, which dynasty and which generation is not, the princes of one side are all calculus. "Haha. "Outside of the word, no one is shut. "If you dare to be like our village, it's all based on your strength, who will look down on you if you don't have two shots." ”

In this way, everyone chatted idly, and seeing that it was almost time to eat dark, they got up and walked out of the village.

The two old men in the back alley, Yunwa and Zhigui, were chatting while walking. "Hehe, I've put Xiangwa in it today. "Hehe, his baby is in front of Lao Yan, and that's what it means to teach him to be the village chief. ”

"Haha, you still have a way, otherwise, you can't change anyone. Alas, this sky-high price is tossed, not to make that. "Outside of that, you can't do this. "He also said that in the future, he will wear a high hat and let him take out more silver, haha." ”

Coming out of the village, passing the big temple, walking along the north bank of the pond, there is an alley to the north, and there is a gatehouse carved in bricks facing south on the east side of the alley. This gatehouse is wide and tall, and unlike other gatehouses, the stone lion is under the column in the east and west gables, that is to say, one squatting on the left and one on the right, and one on each side has a pillar on top.

Climb the stairs up, inside is a quadrangle, south from west to east is the gatehouse, three south buildings and a thatched house, three rooms each in the east and west buildings, five rooms in the north building. Yunwa's family lives here.

From here along the north bank of the pond to the east, there are two courtyards facing south, in fact, there are three, but the third is the Xingjia Temple. It can be said that these four courtyards occupy the best location and scenery of Liuwan Village, isn't it, all sit in the north and face south, not to mention, in front of the door is the pond surrounded by willows, and not far from the east is the old well called the back well, which is called the old well of the back well, and life is very convenient.

Behind this row of four courtyards facing north and facing south are still four courtyards, but they are sitting south and facing north, in the back alley. That is to say, these eight courtyards are relatively centered in the northeast of Liuwan. It can be seen that the Xing family is also a big surname in Liuwan, and in fact, there are many people surnamed Xing who live in Xitou Lane.

As for the Zhigui family, it is in the back. It is from the door of Yunwa's house to the north into the back alley, walk a section, you will arrive at a row of courtyards facing north and south, turn east, go to the end, there is a very narrow alley in the north and south, on the east side of this small intersection, is a courtyard that sits east and faces west, that is Zhigui's house.

Gradually, the streets and alleys in the village were smoothed, the four roads outside the village gatehouse were smoothed and widened, the carriages came and went to the villages conveniently, the path to the mountains was much easier, and even the main road of the village across the ditch was also smooth. Of course, these are all dirt roads.

It was also during this period that the village bought the base behind the village and built a decent school. I invited a gentleman from another village, and arranged for those with high cultural points in the village to teach in the school.

The gentleman from another village, who usually couldn't go home, arranged a house in the school, where he lived and prepared for classes; he ate three meals at the student's house on weekdays, and everyone took turns to take care of the meals one by one, or invited the husband to eat at home, or sent the meals to the school, in short, to ensure that the three meals a day were well eaten.

It's just a matter of digging a well, but it has not been implemented, because the person who will see the best has been turned around in the village, and a new well location has not been found.

As for whether the village chief asked for money from Lao Yan through his eldest son, and how much, most people in the village couldn't say clearly, anyway, this time Xiangwa gave out some money under the clever persuasion of several patriarchs, a little more than others.

Look at this auspicious baby, usually picking the door, cute face, isn't it? The wedding of his second baby is just like that.