In place of Lord Cao Shuncao, the one who came to deliver the meal was a mute father-in-law, with a wrinkled face, silver hair, a stiff back, and a hard walk. Zhang Erzhen tried to communicate with him, but found that he just looked at Zhang Erzhen's mouth open and closed in confusion, and then trembled and put the food box into the hand of the delicate-faced girl in front of him.

It turned out that the poor old man was deaf and dumb.

Zhang Erzhen sighed, then opened the lid of the food box and took out a dish and handed it to her father-in-law, leaving with only three dishes. The dumb father-in-law had tears in his eyes, and he looked at the butterfly with the meat foam and trembled his lips. Seeing the mute father-in-law walking away slowly, Zhang Erzhen sighed with pity: "In this high wall, there are many poor people. How many of them have become poor people who can't speak, and they have done evil, and they have done evil......"

Even with Cao Shun's special care, Zhang Erzhen's meals are simple and pitiful, the most sumptuous daily is the four dishes and one soup for lunch, the soup is often sauerkraut and tofu soup, and the most delicious dish is sour and hot tofu pieces, no fruit and no snacks, and the food seems to be more bitter than in Jing'an Temple.

"Yinqiu, go to the garden to pick a few cucumbers, pat and cut them into shreds, and then go to the lotus pond to pick a few lotus flowers, let's make a silk doll to eat." ”

Yinqiu went to pick lotus flowers, and Zhang Erzhen also followed. The lotus leaves in the pond are staggered together, and the pink lotus flowers are proudly holding their heads motionless. This is true of everything, some are beautiful and enchanting on the surface, and some are crisp and refreshing deep in the mud. So after sighing, Concubine Zhen took off her shoes and socks and tentatively stepped into the lotus pond. The water in the lotus pond is not deep, it will reach the knees, Zhang Erzhen bent down and hung her head, the pool water still wet the skirt, she didn't care, she directly put her hand into the mud and groped for a while. This is already an old pool, the new and old lotus roots can be touched, starting with the hard lotus root and the long lotus root belt, Zhang Erzhen used his best strength, slowly pulled a long lotus root up. Watching the lotus root with black silt slowly poke out of the water, I heard a "bang", and the second half was also far away from the silt, a long three-section lotus root waved in Zhang Erzhen's hand, Zhang Erzhen was quite proud, and said loudly to Yinqiu, who was still picking flowers: "We can make snacks to eat, it's good, add another dish for lunch, and see how strong this lotus root grows." ”

Yinqiu saw the concubine standing in the pond with her trousers, and then saw the big lotus root in the hand of the concubine with black mud on her wrist, and said with a happy face: "It's so good to have a lotus root here, concubine, you are so powerful." ”

"Drag it out more, and when it's all ground up in a while, we'll be able to eat lotus root flour balls tomorrow." Zhang Erzhen thought of the sweet but not greasy refreshing feeling is a burst of joy, forgive her, from thrift to luxury, from luxury to thrift, and then continue to work hard.

Yinqiu was holding a few pink and white lotus flowers in her hand, and said loudly: "Slave maid, let's call Jin Qiu and Xiangxiu to come over, don't be busy with the side concubine, this pool is not clean." Yinqiu quickly ran away and quickly ran back. Xiangxiu, who followed behind, looked at the lotus root that Zhang Erzhen put on the side with a surprised face, she probably never knew that the lotus root was pulled out like this, she touched the lotus root happily and contentedly, and then neatly took off her shoes and socks to join the lotus root pulling activity.

Zhang Erzhen has an extraordinary enthusiasm for this activity, and pulling out a whole lotus root is even more proud and proud than a good ink painting she painted. Zhang Erzhen thought boredly, maybe she is still a hard-working farmer in her bones, and so many years of pampered life can't wipe out her desire to work.

The play in the pool was in full swing, Jin Qiu was busy pulling lotus roots, and looked at the side concubine worriedly, she wanted to speak many times and stopped, and then shook her arms and continued, pulling out quickly.

Since the last time they finished sweating and tidying up the house with the secret room, there has been a dark cloud in the hearts of the four of them. Zhang Erzhen always thought of the tomb under her feet containing Wan Guifei, and she couldn't feel better. Cao Shun didn't come anymore, and the dumb father-in-law couldn't pass the word on his behalf, and the possibility of wanting to change rooms came to naught, Zhang Erzhen lamented for a long time, feeling that the clouds of Wan Guifei were shrouded, and it was really ghostly. But the facts are established, and after being irritable for a few days, I can finally be relieved, Zhang Erzhen muttered, Wan Guifei is dead, and I have to be trampled under my feet all day long, I don't know if her soul can be comforted? Now that I am rarely happy, I don't think about it anymore.

The fruits of the four people's labor are quite rich, and there is a pile of lotus roots like a hill on the side, which is durable, and they are not in a hurry to deal with it. Zhang Erzhen didn't want to wait, and pointed to the country: "This piece ...... Grind all into powder, save some lotus root flour and eat it slowly in the future. This slice - chop the croquettes, cut them into thin slices and fry them, or cook them and salad. ”

Yinqiu was quite admired: "Concubine You've known so much, the slave sighs to herself." ”

Zhang Erzhen said boldly: "The side concubine knows a lot, this is the tip of the iceberg, and this side concubine will slowly show it to you in the future." ”

Yinqiu was even more admired, and both of them were in a good mood to put lotus roots in the frame, and then carried them to the small kitchen together.

Zhang Erzhen was puzzled: "Yinqiu, why don't you stop me from working?"

"If the slave stops you, you will do it, and it will make you unhappy, the most important thing is that you are happy, concubine. Yinqiu's answer was very simple and touching, Zhang Erzhen sighed: "In the future, let's open up this wasteland together, let us fight together for a better tomorrow for Daming!"

Yinqiu nodded as if she didn't understand, and muttered in her heart, where did this greenery and trees come from?

After a full meal at noon, the four of them began to gather around the lotus roots. Fengyajian is a well-equipped place, a thin piece of iron sheet was drilled into neat holes by Zhang Erzhen's orders, and then embedded in two wooden planks. Zhang Erzhen stepped on the freshly made lotus root, holding a cleaned white fat lotus root and rubbing it on it, the process was very smooth, the finely ground lotus root slag slipped into the big wooden basin held below along the small hole, the three people who looked at this process were dumbfounded, the most noble person here is now sweating like rain with his sleeves, Jin Qiu was especially unacceptable, and rushed to push Zhang Erzhen aside, Zhang Erzhen was having a good time, how to lose interest, and said: " Wait until I finish this one and then go to rest, you don't have to watch dry, wash what should be washed, cut what should be cut, and rest for a while when you are tired, let's not worry. Then I started grinding again.

Zhang Erzhen was not a farmer in her previous life, let alone in this life, so she has no practical experience in making lotus root powder, and the only memory she has is seen on TV. At that time, I seemed to sigh: I will try it myself in the future, and the lotus root noodles I made must taste like a must. Now that I have the opportunity, I am naturally excited. The subordinates flew over, and the lotus roots were about to grind out flowers. Gradually, the initial interest began to have a burden, and sure enough, it was a pampered rich body, and it was hard for his subordinates to work hard. Zhang Erzhen shook his arm, thinking that he would rest after grinding this one. God probably wanted to satisfy Zhang Erzhen's wishes, Comrade Zhang Erzhen, who had no strength, slipped under his hand, half of the lotus root fell off from his hand, and his strong hand rubbed it with inertia, and before Zhang Erzhen could react, the two fingers had been scratched by the lizard, and the blood flowed out.

The pain that she felt after realizing it came, Zhang Erzhen looked at the blood-stained fingers, and thought with some optimism: I really don't have to work now.

Jin Qiu has been paying attention to the side concubine, and at the first time, she saw Zhang Erzhen scratching her hand, she screamed and rushed over, and said with a sad look that was more anxious than the person concerned: "Side concubine, your hand is broken, side concubine, your hand is broken! Yinqiu! Hurry up and find the white porcelain berries and leaves." Concubine Fang, your hand is broken, why are you so careless, it's all the slave's fault, the slave shouldn't let you work......"

"Golden autumn, how can there be white porcelain berries here, a little injury, it doesn't hurt, it's not in the way, just wash it. Zhang Erzhen looked at Jin Qiu with a smile and didn't care. In fact, it still hurts a little, and this blood is not in vain. But it is also true that there is no medicine here, Zhang Erzhen once investigated, Fengyajian is rich in materials but does not include medicine, so not to get sick is the first priority.

"But your hand ......," Jin Qiu choked up.

"It's just a broken skin, what's the big deal. Zhang Erzhen's indifference completely made Jin Qiu explode, Jin Qiu carefully protected Zhang Erzhen's hand in his arms and cried: "It's not worth it for you, you shouldn't do this, where can you do this, concubine, I know you are bitter in your heart, if you are not comfortable in your heart, don't be strong......"

They had been in Fengyajian for more than three months, and this was a real prison-like life! Except for the four of them, there was not a single living thing.

Zhang Erzhen touched the top of Jin Qiu's hair with some guilt and comforted: "Don't be sad, I really don't hurt, isn't it good for us to live like this, compared to when I was in the palace, it's more comfortable here." ”

"You lie, where has the side concubine suffered such a hardship since she was a child, in the past few months, the slave maid has watched you get thinner and thinner, how can the slave and maid feel better. Concubine Fang, are we going to stay like this forever, can we still go out in this life?" Jin Qiu hugged Zhang Erzhen's hand and cried, tears couldn't stop flowing, and her voice trembled and despaired.

Zhang Erzhen knew that Jin Qiu was really for her good, she was a little moved, a little emotional, and asked her softly: "Jin Qiu, do you regret coming with me?"

Jin Qiu raised her teary eyes and shook her head fiercely: "The slave doesn't regret it, the slave doesn't regret it! The slave and maid are just for the side concubine, you are not worthy, obviously Wan Guifei was not killed by you, His Royal Highness the Prince can save you out, obviously you don't have to suffer here, but you still bear all this." Why can they sit back and enjoy their success, why can they, you have to endure these hardships, the slave and maid think it's not worth it!"

“...... In fact, I can't say that, I'm here, what kind of suffering can I suffer, I really suffer a lot more than this. It should be unclothed and not full, how can you still have a high bed and soft pillow like me, and be free and free?" Zhang Erzhen smiled and comforted Jin Qiu, but Jin Qiu still stubbornly shook his head and said: "You were not born like this, how can you live such a life, slaves and maids are people who have suffered hardships, but you are not......! , obviously ......"