Zuo Shaoyang sneered: "I said it wrong, I mean we choose about ten acres from the one hundred acres of abandoned land and plant it according to my method, anyway, no one comes to see the doctor now, and the land is also deserted, and it is idle when it is idle." ”

Zuo Gui hesitated for a moment, turned his head to look at his son-in-law Hou Pu, and said, "What does my uncle think?" ”

Hou Pu said: "I am also a layman in farming, but I think Da Lang is not a person who does not know the importance of the matter, he can propose this method, there must be his reason, anyway, the twenty acres of rice fields planted by the Li brothers with the help of the rice produced into rice, in a normal year, there are about two hundred and forty buckets, deducting two percent of the field tax, and nearly two hundred buckets." The annual ration of one person is twenty-four buckets, which can be almost nine people's annual rations. If you add wild vegetables, it can provide a year's ration for almost twenty people, and the five members of the old man's family (plus two slaves and maids of Zhi'er and Cao'er), plus six members of the Miao family and six members of the Li family, are only seventeen people, and they can be fed casually. This is not counting the ten acres planted by Miss Miao, if their fields also produce grain, they can not only feed the three families, but also eat white rice for at least half a year, and add wild vegetables for half a year. ”

Hou Pu is a member of the Yamen, and the Yamen can easily support his family, as long as the war subsides and the grain can be transported in, he will not worry about eating, so his family is not counted in the scope of the Zuo family's fields.

Zuo Gui's father has always respected his son-in-law's opinion, and when he said this, he also felt reasonable, and nodded: "Okay, that's it." ”

Zuo Shaoyang said: "I still have to find a suitable seedling field to raise seedlings." ”

Miao Peilan said: "How many fields do you want for seedlings?" ”

"It doesn't take a lot, because the seedlings in the seedling field should be densely planted, mainly because they must be flat and sunny, well drained, easy to irrigate, and the soil should be fertile, and it should be used for a long time in the future, and it should be fertilized every year. The topsoil should be loose, and the lower layer should have appropriate permeable soil. ”

Li Dazhuang said: "I'm afraid that it can't be planted outside the city, otherwise, now almost all the food that can be eaten on the mountains outside the city will be eaten, and the hungry people in the city will dig it up and eat it as long as they can eat it." I'm afraid that if I see the seedlings, I won't let them go. ”

Everyone nodded frequently. However, if it is not planted outside the city, how can it be planted in the city? Zuo Shaoyang looked at Bai Zhihan, who had been silent: "You don't need to be in the field to raise seedlings, you can also raise seedlings on dry land." ――How about raising seedlings in the back garden? ”

Bai Zhihan smiled: "The old lady said that now this mansion is yours, you can decide what you want to do, you don't need to ask me." ”

"I'm not asking you, I'm asking if there's a suitable place in the back garden?"

"I don't know how to farm, I don't know."

Zuo Shaoyang thought for a while and said, "Most of the back garden is occupied by ponds, and only the place where you plant flowers is relatively flat." Some flowers and plants may need to be removed to level the seedbed. ”

"It's up to you."

"Okay, let's do it, wait until you can raise seedlings outside in the future, and then restore the flowers and plants."

Li Sizhuang didn't like to talk very much, and said sullenly: "What about farm tools?" Are there so many farm tools? ”

The Zuo family did not farm before, and only had simple tools such as hoes and shovels, and no special agricultural tools such as plows and rakes. Liang said: "Uncle Cai's house in the grocery store opposite has farm tools to sell, just buy them from him." Ploughs and rakes and everything. ”

The problem of farm tools is solved, and now how to start work.

No matter which method is used for farming, it is necessary to plough the land first, plough the land, and level the field. If it was before, the four brothers of the Li family could do it, but now they have experienced two months of famine torture, their bodies have been weakened, and their whole bodies are swollen, not to mention turning over the ground, it is difficult to even walk to the ground.

Zuo Shaoyang had already thought of how to solve this problem, and said: "Let's choose and dry seeds first, I know that there is a machine that can replace cattle farming." It is also more labor-saving. If it's fast, it will be built tomorrow. Hopefully you'll be able to regain some of your strength tomorrow. ”

When everyone heard that he could design a machine to replace the ploughing ox, they were very curious, and asked him what kind of machine he was, but he refused to say, but only said that he would know when the time came.

After the disbandment, Liang went to the grocery store Uncle Cai and told him about buying farm tools, and Uncle Cai said: "My son and I saved our lives from your family, just take any farm tools you want, don't want anything." Having said that, the Liang family refused to take advantage of this, and in the end they still gave it according to the capital and bought enough farm tools.

That night, Zuo Shaoyang drew a sketch of a rope pulling a plow, and asked carpenter Li Dazhuang to make it overnight according to the drawings.

Li Dazhuang didn't ask much, there was still a surplus of wood for the bed in the ward last time, this machine was relatively simple, and there were not many materials, so he didn't sleep all night, so he made three!

Early the next morning, the four brothers of the Li family got up and prepared to carry their hoes to the ground, Zuo Shaoyang and his father Zuo Gui were going to the Yamen this morning to find the Fu team to receive rice seeds, this could not be delayed any longer, and they had to go immediately.

After two days of normal diet and pork nutrition, the edema of the four brothers of the Li family has improved significantly, and it is no problem to work slowly in the field.

Because it is estimated that there will be more rice seeds given by the official army, Zuo Gui and Zuo Shaoyang brought Miao Peilan and Bai Zhihan to go up to receive them. The four of them stepped out of the gate of the house, and met the four brothers of the Li family at the door, and ran back out of breath, with a surprised expression on their faces, panting and saying:

"The rebels ......, the rebels are ......, they are recruited! No ......, no more wars! ”

Zuo Shaoyang and the four of them were stunned, they were a little stunned for a while, and before they could wake up, the four brothers of the Li family had already rushed into the courtyard with plows, rakes and hoes, and shouted all the way: "The rebels have been recruited!" No more wars......! ”

At this time, the street also began to be in turmoil, and the hungry people who had been lying on the ground also heard the wind, and they all got up, and there was a lot of discussion, and some people ran back and forth, and their faces were full of excited smiles. Others shouted and ran through the door: "No more fighting!" The rebels have surrendered! ”

Zuo Shaoyang didn't have time to ask the four brothers of the Li family, so they ran into the house, and when they heard this person also call him that, they knew the news, and immediately rushed out of the door, stopped and asked, "What's going on?" ”

The hungry man once received medicine porridge in Guizhi Hall to survive, and he recognized Zuo Shaoyang, but at this moment the tears were down, and he kept grinning: "The rebels have been recruited, and the notices at the entrance of the yamen have been posted!" There are also officials who are helping everyone read official notices! Moreover, from today onwards, the yamen will open porridge fields in the southeast, south, and northwest to provide disaster relief! One bowl per person! Hurry up and line up to get porridge! ”

Zuo Gui's father was so happy that his white beard trembled: "Let's go!" Check it out! ”

The four of them walked quickly and went straight to the yamen of the state capital.

When they arrived at the gate of the state capital, it was already full of weak and hungry people, but their faces were full of excited smiles.

There is a high platform next to the yamen of the state capital, there is a flagpole inserted on it, this high platform is specially used to shackle the public and the officials to speak, at this moment, there are several teams of soldiers around the guard below, on the high platform, there are several military academies, first a fat military academy, wearing military uniforms and armor, hands into a trumpet shape, shouting loudly, the voice is very loud, the sound is vibrating in all directions: "Folks, this morning, the rebels surrendered, accepted the general's recruitment, and there was no need to fight!" ”

The officer seemed to have said this many times, but the hungry people below still let out a burst of cheers when they heard this.

The officers and soldiers shouted loudly again: "Starting from noon today, at the entrances of the four main streets in the southeast, northwest, and northwest of the city, the officers and soldiers will put porridge for the people, one bowl per person, not many people!" Rest assured, folks, from now on, you don't have to worry about starving to death! The Great General has come to disaster relief! ”

There was another burst of cheers, and the already extremely weak bodies of the hungry people, stimulated by these words, cheered up, waved their arms and shouted wildly, and ran to the various places where the porridge was placed.

This news is indeed true!

Zuo Gui's father was still not at ease, and he was pleasantly surprised to squeeze to the yamen to look at the wall to look at the notice, sure enough, the notice was clearly written, the rebels have accepted Zhao'an, the war has ended, and the officials and soldiers are divided into four places to open porridge fields to help the people!

Zuo Shaoyang and the others didn't care about getting the rice seeds, so they went back to discuss the matter first, and hurriedly ran back to the Qu family's old house. It was the door opened by the Liang family, and after entering the door, the courtyard was empty and there was no one left, and the Liang family was already crying with joy, and said to Zuo Gui: "The master doesn't know yet, the rebels have accepted Zhao'an!" The officers and soldiers are putting porridge for disaster relief! Except for the old lady Qu and the old mother of the Ni family, everyone went to see the notice and get the porridge! ”

The Zuo family didn't need to queue up to receive porridge, and when they came to the lobby of the Qu family's old house, the old lady Qu and several other old people were sitting in the lobby, happily discussing.

Old Lady Qu's daughter-in-law and Aunt Long went to get the porridge, and Old Lady Qu smiled and said, "Okay! It's good now, the rebels have surrendered, there is no need to fight, the officers and soldiers have really opened a porridge field to put porridge, hehehe, we don't have to flee the famine to ask for food! Hey, hey, hey."

Yu shopkeeper holds his own identity, he himself will not go to the queue to receive porridge, let his wife take his son to go, after all, it will be lighter if he can reduce the burden on the Zuo family, at this moment he stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Yes, a few days ago, to be honest, thinking that I would beg along the street for food in the future, I wanted to die headlong, now it's okay, the bitterness is over!" ”

Zhu medicine cabinet will not go to get porridge by himself, but forcing his son to lead the family, he can also save some for the Zuo family, and said to Zuo Shaoyang: "Zuo Gongzi, thanks to your family's help, otherwise, we would not have survived today." ”

Uncle Cai from the grocery store said: "I heard that Shuanghuai County and Taihe County are already free to come and go, and many hungry people have fled the famine, this is really not a place for people to stay, and I also want to take my son to escape the famine." ”

Mother Ni was happy and worried, sighed, and said, "Let's take a look at the disaster relief situation in the city first, if there is really no food in the city, I am afraid that I will have to flee the famine." She was old and swollen and couldn't walk, and her second son couldn't walk with a broken leg, so Dr. Ni personally lined up to get the porridge, and if he didn't go, no one would go to get the porridge.

(To be continued)