In October, Xinjiang has reached the season of 'wearing a cotton jacket in the morning, wearing yarn in the afternoon, and eating watermelon with a stove'. Xiangzi was bored, so he rode out of the south gate. I was going to go to the Thousand Buddha Cave to meditate, but I turned around the city wall and looked north, and the vast field showed the scene of autumn harvest everywhere.

A family by the Hongliu Canal is harvesting potatoes dug by ox ploughers. Xiangzi's heart moved, changed his mind, and he believed that the horse was going around with the reins, and he was full of the joy of the autumn harvest.

He led his horse to the field, grabbed two round and white potatoes, and said with a spring breeze on his face: "It seems that this year's harvest is good." ”

The people in the field smiled innocently and said, "Let's do it, this year's hot weather is late, the seeds are a few days late, and the tender artichoke babies are more than in previous years." ”

Shoko said a little melancholy, "Oh, what can I do?" I can't hold the tender artichoke. ”

The people in the field smiled "hehe" and said, "Mo Ma (it's okay), there are pigs at home." ”

Xiangzi nodded knowingly, and walked towards the Baogu field in front of him. On the ground, the two were sitting on the ground tearing the husks. They tore off the two layers on the outside and put them aside, and put the soft skin on the inside on the other side. Shoko knew that the rough skins were fed to the cows, while the thin and soft skins were used to weave things.

When farmers are idle in winter, they simmer the stored corn husks in water to soften, and first knead them into ropes of different thicknesses according to their use. Then, use the rope to weave objects such as cushions, backrests, baskets, etc. In addition to personal use, you can also sell it at the market and temple fair.

Shoko was walking thoughtfully past the ground, when suddenly, a woman's screams came from behind her. When I looked back, it turned out that my horse had stolen and eaten other people's husks.

Shoko hurriedly pulled the horse's head and said sorry repeatedly. Xiangzi's panicked behavior caused the mother and the two to "giggle".

The woman glanced at Xiangzi boldly and said with a smile, "You're here to check the land, right?" ”

Xiangzi was slightly stunned for a moment, and muttered, "Check the ground? Check what's the place. ”

Seeing Xiangzi's confused look, the woman pouted and muttered, "What's the matter, my house is like this, it's the same for open and dark investigations." ”

As if she understood something, Shoko smiled helplessly at the woman and continued to walk forward. After turning the valley field, behind a crooked-necked elm tree, a melon field was revealed.

Even in autumn, half of the field still shimmers with the luster of ripe watermelons. From a distance, there was a tall man wearing an old straw hat in the gourd, holding two watermelons in his arms, looking towards Xiangzi fixedly.

Xiangzi tied his horse, planning to buy a watermelon to quench his thirst, and was about to walk towards the melon farmer, but saw the man walking in three steps and two steps, shouting: "Guo Daxia!" Is it Guo Daxia? ”

Xiangzi fixed his eyes and felt familiar, but he couldn't remember it for a while, and when the man took off his straw hat, Xiangzi lost his voice and shouted: "It's Brother Lu!" I haven't seen you for a few years, how can you grow melons? ”

That person was Lu Kui, the shopkeeper of the grocery store on Dongguan Street back then.

Lu Kui didn't say a word, took out the melon knife from the branch, skillfully cut a row of melons, and said with a little excitement while letting Xiangzi eat: "Three years ago, the soldiers of Usman often went to the shop to make trouble. If you don't give money to take things, you don't say anything, and you're very powerful, and you're angry all day long. It just so happened that I always wanted to get a piece of land in the countryside to plant, so I sold the shop and bought this land. The harvest is okay, and it is not enough to feed the family, mainly to be quiet and comfortable. ”

Xiangzi smiled happily and said, "Move your home too?" ”

Lu Kui happily pointed to the front and said, "No, the house you built." ”

Following the gesture, a corner of the house was faintly revealed behind a small tree a hundred meters away. A wisp of cooking smoke rises and rises, adding a touch of soft cyan to the yellow-green earth.

Xiangzi ate two melons in one go, and muttered to himself: "I said, I see that your shop has changed owners, and no one knows if you ask you." I thought you were going back to your hometown in Gansu. ”

Lu Kui smiled and said, "I came to Xinjiang at the age of fifteen, and now, there is no one in my hometown." Besides, at this age, I don't want to toss anymore, so I just guard a few acres of land and live a stable life. ”

Xiangzi smiled happily and said, "I admire Brother Lu for this, he is not greedy for money." ”

Lu Kui sighed lightly, smiled self-deprecatingly and said: "There are times in life when you have to have it, and there is no time in life when you don't force it." I know that my virtue is thin and my blessings are shallow, so I don't fight with others, as long as I have enough food and drink, and I don't dream of getting rich. ”

Xiangzi nodded approvingly, sighed lightly, and said: "The world is impermanent, if you really get rich, what can you do, how much money you have, you can't withstand the change of fate." ”

Seeing Xiangzi's melancholy look, Lu Kui sighed lightly and said, "You mean the Kong family, right?" ”

Shoko looked a little embarrassed and nodded slightly. After being silent for a while, Lu Kui sighed lightly and said, "Man's fate is predestined. Throughout history, it is the same in any dynasty and generation, and it is not more than three generations rich. ”

Seeing that Xiangzi's expression was still sorrowful, Lu Kui smiled sadly and said: "It stands to reason that County Magistrate Kong is gone, but he has been in office for a few years. Let's talk about the road on Dongguan Street, since I opened the store, it has been muddy on rainy days and wading on sunny days. After the rectification of the county magistrate Kong, it was refreshing and bright. ”

Xiangzi sighed lightly, smiled sadly and said, "Nothing can withstand your life, it's only been a few days since you were stable, and you gave birth to this thing." As he spoke, he looked stunned.

Lu Kui glanced at Xiangzi contemplatively, and asked tentatively: "I heard that the matter of County Magistrate Kong is still involved in you......"

Xiangzi smiled and said: "I didn't do anything about it, I can do it, if I can't do it, we will disperse." It's a big deal to be a farmer like you, big brother. ”

Lu Kui was stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly waved his hand and said: "You can't say that, everything has a cause and must have an effect." You are the tiger of the mountain, I am the rat of the ground. If it is a tiger, it has to dominate one side and coerce its neighbors. Falling into Binh Duong by mistake is also temporary, and you can't give up on yourself. Wyvern is our backbone. ”

Xiangzi smiled sadly and said: "What is not chivalrous, the hero does not mention the courage of the year." At this time and at that time, I don't know how to match me. ”

Lu Kuihu looked at Xiangzi suspiciously, and said with an uneven face: "County Magistrate Kong has been shot, why don't you still hold you and not let go." ”

Xiangzi sighed lightly and said with a melancholy expression: "Things are not as simple as I thought, this gang of cowards who handle the case is specifically looking for faults." There are people above the family, and Secretary Wang has nothing to do with him. ”

Lu Kui shook his head angrily, and sighed lightly: "I heard that Usman's turtle grandson is still making trouble in the South Mountain. A distant relative of mine came to me last month and shouted that he didn't want to stay in the mountains and asked me to give him some good ground. ”

Xiangzi smiled faintly and said, "It's Usman's son who is making trouble, and the county has already sent someone to crack down." ”

As he spoke, he glanced at Lu Kui suspiciously and said, "Isn't it land reform now?" Why are there still people selling land? ”

Lu Kui sighed lightly and said, "Those second-rate people who used to be lazy and lazy, how can they be the masters of the land?" The good land is in their hands, and it is cheap. Although the government does not allow land to be resold, there are also cases that are secretly sold at a low price. ”

Seeing Xiangzi looking at himself suspiciously, Lu Kui smiled and said with a mysterious look: "The few acres of land I took a look at are still from the Kong family. The ground is leveled, not to mention the fertilizer, what is planted grows. ”

Speaking of the Kong family, Xiangzi's expression fell again.