Li Yan: They are also celebrating the New Year, but this year is much more lively than last year.

There are more people in Qili Village this year than last year, and the situation in the village is also better. Although the dumplings this time are vegetarian, there are enough of them, so you can eat them as much as you like. The women of the stockade were invited, the soldiers ate in the barracks, and they were in the kitchen to make and cook. The women, on the other hand, can get three taels of meat as a reward, and they can let their families eat a meal of meat during the Chinese New Year, which is a good day that they have been pursuing for several years.

There are other lively, that is, Ma Chaodong, Wang Renhui, and Wang Renli, the three of them have come back to learn gunpowder manufacturing. They also brought back some fireworks, some of which they made themselves and some of which were delivered from the workshop.

The crackling firecrackers rang off for half an hour, and more than a dozen of them were released. Now the final event is underway, the fireworks are being set off. The soldiers all came out of the barracks, and the residents of the stockade also gathered in the open field, and everyone watched the excitement of their own.

Ma Chaodong and the others dug a few half-foot-deep pits in the middle of the control field, which were made during the day, and it took the three of them a lot of time to dig these pits in the frozen hard ground like stones.

At this time, they put a paper tube about four inches thick and more than two feet long into the dug pits, which were just about the same thickness as these paper tubes, and they were straight, so that the paper tubes could point to the sky after putting them in.

Ma Chaodong lit the exposed fuse with a stick of incense, and then ran away quickly. He came to Li Yan's side and said, "The master said that this game is very dangerous, if you don't dig a pit, the paper tube may be blown up, and if the fireworks explode on the ground, it will be very dangerous for both feet in a radius." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a loud "tong" sound, and the fireworks flew into the sky with a little spark. After flying at a height of more than ten zhang, the fireworks exploded with a "bang". Shiny flowers of green and red bloom in the sky and then slowly disappear.

"Wow, that's beautiful."

"Good-looking, good-looking."

"A few more."

……

People craned their necks to watch, let out a loud exclamation, and after seeing the fireworks fade away, they urged a few more.

At this time, Shi Jincai came to Qiu Niang in the crowd, took out the hairpin he bought in Zhuxian Town, and whispered: "Qiu Niang, give, I bought it for you on purpose." ”

Qiu Niang didn't even look at the hairpin, smiled, and said, "I don't need it, you better give it to someone else." ”

Sister-in-law Zhang, who was next to her, hugged Liniang, saw the hairpin that Shi Jincai was holding, and also heard his words. But she didn't say anything, as if she hadn't seen it. It's been a year, and Li Gongzi doesn't have a statement, it is clear that there is no Qiu Niang in his heart, but Qiu Niang still continues to be courteous to Li Gongzi. She felt that Qiu Niang still had more opportunities, so as not to be delayed. Now there are several border soldiers in the village who have married and are good to their women, which also gives hope to other single women.

Shi Jincai drank some wine and became a lot more courageous. He grabbed Qiu Niang's arm at once and said, "Li Gongzi doesn't look down on you at all, no matter how you do, it's useless!" They are all rich sons, and what they care about most is their reputation, but I don't care. ”

"Let it go!" Although Qiu Niang's voice was not loud, she said viciously: "What I do is my business!" If you don't let go, I'm going to call someone. Li Gongzi has made it clear that if anyone dares to use force, there will be no forgiveness! ”

Although Shi Jincai was a little drunk at this time, he still had basic sanity. He knew that once the incident happened, even if Li Mu pleaded with him, even if he didn't use force, he would definitely be beaten with a military stick. So he let go of his hand unwillingly and said, "Okay, I'll wait, when you figure it out, I'll marry you when I want." ”

After Shi Jincai left, Sister-in-law Zhang whispered: "Qiu Niang, what he said is right, Li Gongzi is the son of a big family, and he can't look down on us women with dirty bodies." Even if you don't look down on this Shi Jincai, don't you have a few other leaders, you don't always have to look at the fruits that you can't pick. ”

Qiu Niang looked around and found that no one was looking at them. But she knew, I don't know how many ears were about to listen. So she pulled Sister-in-law Zhang out of the crowd, went to a secluded place, and said, "What's wrong with us?" It was robbed, and it was not something we wanted. The eldest lord of the landlord's family, one or two of the three wives and four concubines are always prostitutes @ women who are carried back from the city. I don't believe it, I treat him so sincerely, his heart is made of iron? I'm not going to be a genuine lady, why just look at the fruit that can't be picked? ”

Sister-in-law Zhang said helplessly: "I'm also good for you, this year, Li Gongzi is still the same polite to you." This year drags on year after year, and when you lose your appearance, he will look down on you even more. It's better to marry someone who is rare to yourself as soon as possible. ”

Qiu Niang said angrily: "Sister-in-law, don't talk about it, I make my own decisions." ”

Sister-in-law Zhang hurriedly apologized: "Look at you, I just said two sentences, whether I listen to you or not." If you don't like it, I won't say it. If you can really let Li Gongzi marry you, I am even happier than you. Li Gongzi is a good person and has the ability, if he can really be a person in his house, it will really be a blessing from his previous life. ”

Qiu Niang saw that Sister-in-law Zhang apologized, so she was not angry. Zhanyan smiled and teased: "Sister-in-law Zhang, is this also tempting?" ”

Sister-in-law Zhang laughed and said, "Even you, the most outstanding, are still waiting, and an old woman like me is even more hopeless." I can see that the men in the world are unreliable, so I pointed to my family and lived. ”

At this time, Ma Chaodong and the others put two fireworks into the two pits farthest away, and Wang Renhui and Wang Renli lit the fuses almost at the same time. A moment later, two fireworks were launched almost simultaneously and flew into the sky. It was also blooming at almost the same time and at the same height.

Li Yan was very happy to see it and asked, "Can the three of you make such a lead standard?" ”

Ma Chaodong replied: "Wang Renli should be able to, he specializes in the production of leads and rolls, and Wang Renhui and I are specifically learning to make gunpowder." Others naturally need to be learned, but they are not well learned. ”

"Well, that's good." Li Yan then asked: "With such a firework, there should be no problem with replacing the gunpowder pills inside with lead pills, right?" ”

"Well, I guess it's okay." Ma Chaodong, Wang Renhui and Wang Renli looked at each other and said a little unconfidently.

Li Yan became more and more happy, and said: "Very good, I will give you three days off, one pound of meat per person, five pounds of rice noodles, and go back to reunite with your family." On the fourth day of the first lunar month, I came to the county seat to report that we were going to build a gunpowder workshop. ”

"Yes! General Xie. The three of them immediately agreed loudly.