The troubles of the villagers, Situ Yan and Li Dalang didn't feel anything. At the beginning of autumn on June 24, as the saying goes, "everything is harvested in July and everything is lost in June and autumn" refers to the beginning of autumn in July, and the five grains can be expected to be harvested, but if the beginning of autumn is in June, the five grains are not ripe and will lead to a poor harvest. This year, not only was there a severe drought, but the beginning of autumn was just in time for the end of June.

Because Situ Yan raised seedlings and soaked seeds early, such a statement lost its original meaning for her, and the land in her backyard had been harvested after the beginning of autumn, and new seedlings had been planted on the whole land.

After being busy for a few months, although Situ Yan took good care of her, the four brothers of the Li family still lost weight, and on the day of sticking autumn fat, they stewed a large pot of meat to make up for the whole family.

On the tenth day of the seventh month, Situ Yan specially cooked a bowl of noodles made of white wheat noodles for Li Dalang and made a poached egg. As soon as they saw this, the four brothers of the Li family knew that today was the eldest brother's birthday. Li Dalang was born from below, it was the first time to celebrate his birthday, and his eyes were full of tears while eating noodles, or Situ Yan said that his birthday star couldn't cry today, so he couldn't help crying.

After July 15, when the villagers of Lijia Village were still looking for water sources everywhere and praying for rain, Situ Yan's 100 acres of wheat fields were swaying with waves of harvested wheat.

Because Situ Yan's land is not next to the people in the village, and it is at the end of the village, there are not many people who know about it, only a few people who often come and go to each other know. This is exactly what Situ Yan wants, when everyone else is sad and sad, she doesn't want to show off and sprinkle salt on other people's wounds. Taking advantage of the time when no one was paying attention, he found the four brothers Xiao Yang'er, Shanwazi, Gouzi, Li Aniu, Li Si and Li Dalang to grab it together.

One hundred acres of wheat fields were all harvested in three days, Situ Yan weighed it, the least one acre of land has one stone, the most is nearly one and a half stones, a total of 114 stones have been harvested. In order to thank the villagers for their help, I specially made a table of meat dishes and bought wine, and invited the village to come to the house for a banquet.

"Girl, how did you plant this land? All the seedlings in my field have died of drought, hey! It's been a busy year. Li Aniu looked at the food on the table, had no appetite at all, sat on the edge of the kang and smoked a dry cigarette and sighed violently.

These days, he helped Li Dalang harvest grain, he was both curious and sad, the land in the whole village had died of drought, and only the land planted by Li Dalang could be harvested nearly a month earlier.

Not only did he wonder in his heart, but all the people who helped, like Li Si, Muramasa and a few half-sized children, were suspicious.

"Uncle Niu, this kind of seed was bought by the county, and the land was planted by the eldest brother, except for watering more and sprinkling some river mud, nothing else has been done. However, at the beginning of spring, I dug three large water cellars at the head of the field to store water for watering, and from planting to autumn harvest, there was no shortage of water in my family's field. ”

"Maybe that's the reason?" Li Si felt that what Situ Yan said was also reasonable, he also came to the field to see it twice, and at first he only thought that the seedlings planted by Li Dalang were stronger and taller, and he didn't see anything else. But at this point, I realized that it was different, but it was too late, and it was too late to regret it.

"If there is no uncle and brothers to help these days, our family will not be able to harvest this land, today there is wine and meat, uncles will be open to drink and eat, this day has to live, there is no threshold that cannot be passed."

"Yes, Ah Niu, the fourth, don't worry about anything today, have a good drink, I will use the girl's wine to toast you a bowl." A few people raised their heads and a bowl of wine went into their stomachs.

"Girl, in the past few days, I have watched Da Lang drive the mule to turn the land out again, and also apply fertilizer, do you still want to plant something?"

"I want to plant some horse beans (soybeans), that thing can be planted and eaten as food, and if it can't be planted, I'm not afraid, it's all used as fertilizer."

"Girl, the horse beans are for livestock, and people can't eat them." Muramasa was a little opposed, afraid that a few children would eat their bodies.

"Uncle Niu, if the livestock can eat, the people can eat, and if the drought continues like this, I see that the grass roots and bark are eaten, how can anyone care about this." Situ Yan couldn't change the minds of these people, but she just hoped that through her own words, she could let them understand and follow her to plant soybeans. At least you don't have to go hungry this winter.

"The girl is right, it's just that there is no water in my field, and even if I plant it, I won't be able to live." A few people sighed while drinking, maybe they were depressed these days, and a few people got drunk without drinking much.

Situ Yan was a little helpless, it seemed that she had said all these words in vain today, and several people were not moved. had to let Li Dalang catch up with the car, send everyone back door to door, and sent 100 yuan to each of the three aunts. Several aunts refused to say it at first, but Situ Yan insisted on accepting it.

In the next ten days, Situ Yan drove the mule to grind out all the wheat that had been dried and washed. 114 stone wheat, grinding 7980 kg of white wheat flour, 2280 kg of black flour, 1140 kg of wheat bran.

Li Dalang led San Lang and Shiro to stay at home and plough the ground and apply fertilizer, and Situ Yan and Li Erlang drove mule carts to sell grain to the county every day. Due to this year's famine year, the price of grain has soared, and the purchase price of white wheat noodles has risen to 25 wen a catty before the winter, and the purchase price of black noodles has also risen to 10 wen a catty. sold 7,000 catties of white noodles and 2,000 catties of black noodles, and got 195 taels of silver. Excluding the nearly 40 taels spent before, there are 155 taels left.

After being busy for so long, it was finally not in vain. Looking at the silver ingots earned in her hand, Situ Yan was also a little excited. This is the most money she has made since she came here. Although it is not the first pot of gold, it is the happiest income.

Do a good job of accounting, save the silver money and the 97 taels you earned from selling things and fish before, according to 1 tael of silver and 1,000 yuan, she made 252 taels of silver at once, and she Situ Yan is also a 10,000 yuan household, and there is a ring full of grain.

At dinner in the evening, Li Erlang, who had been selling grain with him these days, couldn't sit still, "Xiao Wu, I see that the grain is very expensive, if you sell it in the wax moon, you can sell more." ”

"Second brother, the whole Liaodong County has been hit by the disaster, when we go to sell grain, there are no less disaster victims, people still have food at this time, if it snows in winter, there is no food in the mountains and fields, do you think we dare to transport this truckload of grain to the county seat? I'm afraid that if I don't leave the village, I will be robbed of it. ”

"No, this robbery is going to be a prison sentence and a lawsuit." Li Shilang has only been busy in the field these days, and he has not seen the situation outside.

"People are going to starve to death, and there are still people who care about eating in prison, maybe they will still have food to eat in prison, at least they will still be alive."

"Xiao Wu is right, but Xiao Wu, we have sold all this grain, what can we pay for this tax?"

Situ Yan didn't tell Li Dalang that she still had some left, nor did she tell them that there was already grain stored at home, "The entire Liaodong County has been hit by the disaster, and the imperial court shouldn't look at it, just wait, no, it's the same if we just pay the money." ”

Li Dalang thinks that this is good, at least there is no shortage of money in the family now. "Big brother, I think I'll sell the pigs and chickens tomorrow."

"Isn't it time to kill the pig? It's sold now, but it's a pity (liao three sounds), and it hasn't been long since the chicken started laying eggs. Li Dalang is very reluctant, these days the family can eat dishes made of eggs every day, the younger brothers' faces are getting better and better, Xiao Wu has grown taller, he really doesn't want to sell.

"Big brother, as I said just now, the colder the weather, the more victims there are, if the court can't distribute food, I'm afraid that someone will take advantage of the chaos to rob the house, and then our pigs will become for others to raise. And the people in this village are about to run out of food, and we are still big fish and meat, isn't that making people look red and uncomfortable! ”

"Xiao Wu is right. I also think that this pig and chicken should be sold early and relieved. Li Sanlang didn't speak, he faintly felt a trace of uneasiness from Situ Yan's words, and looked at the little sister preparing for some possibility, he also felt the danger. But the eldest brother didn't realize it yet, and he didn't want to worry his brothers for a little speculation, so he just agreed with the younger sister's approach, but didn't say why.

"Okay, then I'll go to the county tomorrow to find a butcher." The matter is decided, now just busy planting soybeans, cabbage, sugar cane, buds, etc. In fact, Situ Yan's official field not only planted soybeans, but also planted ten acres of sweet potatoes. Sweet potato seedlings can be eaten as vegetables, while sweet potatoes can be used as grain.

The next day, Li Dalang first went to the field to take a look, and was about to leave the village, when he saw that the village was accompanying a group of officials into the village.

Hurriedly went home and told Situ Yan about it, "Big brother first went to the county to find a butcher, most of these people came to check the disaster situation in the village." It has nothing to do with us. ”

Li Dalang thought about it and thought that this was the case, so he told Li Erlang to lock the door and take care of his little sister, and then drove the mule cart into the city.

As Situ Yan expected, several officials brought in by the village were sent by the county to inspect the disaster. A few people swept around the fields, "The village leader of Lijia Village, why is your village so dry, can't you pick some water to water?" I only know that I want food from the imperial court, so I can't think of a way by myself. ”

"This official, there is no river in front of this Lijia Village, there is no river in front of me, there is only one well in the whole village, and the nearest Daliang River has to walk back and forth for four hours, it's not that we don't want to do it, it's really impossible to think about it."

"You don't have to cry poor with me here, it's not easy for you, it's even more difficult for him in the court, I see that there is a mountain behind this village, you can't go up the mountain to carry some water, but if you work hard, you won't let the crops die of drought."

"Back to the official's words, the big barren mountain, I took the villagers all over, and I could still find a water source at the beginning, and I also took bamboo to divert water to farm, but there was no water in the mountains during this time. I really can't help it. ”

This official is only talking on paper, how will he know the hard work of the peasants farming, but if there is a little possibility, the peasants will not let the land die of drought, after a few conversations, see that this Lijia Village is really helpless to suffer from the disaster, write down the matter, and go directly back to the county seat.

After sending off the official errand, Mura Zheng returned home and talked about the matter with his father, "This official government can come, it seems that it should be able to reduce the tax this year, as for how much it can be reduced, it depends on how the county magistrate reports to the authorities." I hope that this county order is not the kind of lord who is happy and happy, and reports good news but not bad news. ”

"Dad, I calculated yesterday, the family now has more than five taels of silver, you have more 'more' money this year, and then buy some grain to keep for the winter, our family can still survive this winter, but this tax silver, I don't know if it can be completely exempted?"

"I can't look at it, four years ago, it didn't rain for four months in a row, and in the end, the court still collected 100 yuan per acre of land. I'm afraid it's going to be the same as it was four years ago. The money in the family is still earned by the little lamb's mother and the girl, right? Without this, I'm afraid we won't be able to live like other people's families this year. ”

"Originally, I looked at the girl this year, and took some people in the village to work to make money, everyone's life has just improved, and I am quite happy, but I didn't expect to catch up with a famine year."

"This is God's punishment, and we can only bear it. Okay, you hurry up and go to the village and walk around the house again. The more this time, the more you can't have an accident. ”

The village also had this intention, put on his shoes on the ground, and went out to walk to several houses at the head of the village.