Yao Hei'er decided to take a trip to Jiyan City.

Spring has arrived, everything is revived, and the grass grows and the warbler flies. The whole mountain forest is thriving. The bright spring did not make Yao Hei'er happy, but her heart became heavier. The birthday of the mother, Mrs. Wen, is April 18. But where is she?

After selling the last cellar of charcoal, there will be nothing to do for at least half a year.

The crops in the fields are growing to their heart's content under the moisture of the rain and dew, and under the caress of the sun. The mountain people have also begun to work in the spring. Yao Hei'er and Shan Hulu cleaned up the charcoal cellar, sealed it, and prepared to use it again in autumn and winter.

Even the honest single gourd saw the loneliness on Yao Hei'er's face, and said with a smile: "Brother Hei, you have been busy this winter, and you have saved some silver, so you will rest for a few months, and you will not worry." Your body is weak and weak, why do you have to work so hard? If you are tired and sick, it is even worse. After thinking about it, he said: "I still have a few acres of land at home, and the grain we have beaten down is enough for us to eat." ”

Yao Hei'er understood that this was a piece of kindness from Shan Hulu, in fact, these few acres of land located in the barren mountain col, the grain that was beaten down, except for the rent, there was not much left, and even the single family was not enough to eat, let alone the Yao family. Therefore, the single family had to take the grain to the market and change it to cheap black noodles to barely support it. In the past half a year, both families have saved some money, which is a little more generous for the single family, but for Yao Heier, it is far from enough.

Yao Hei'er said with a smile: "Brother Hulu, when we went up the mountain just now, didn't my sister-in-law go to the field?" There's nothing else to do today, so go and help your sister-in-law. Biting her lip, Yao Hei'er said again: "Brother Hulu, I'm going to go elsewhere, it will take about three or two months, and I will trouble you to take care of it at home." ”

Shan Hulu, who was washing his hands, was stunned for a moment and said, "Brother Hei, where are you going?" ”

Yao Hei'er said: "We haven't had anything to do in the past few months, I want to sell some cloth in the county town and go to the border area." I've heard people in the county town say that these are the most scarce there, and they can be sold at a good price. If you can get some interest, it will naturally be more generous. Seeing the worried look on Shan Hulu's face, Yao Hei'er added in a relaxed tone: "Anyway, being idle is idle." ”

Shan Hulu seemed to remember again at this time that Yao Hei'er was a woman, and couldn't help but say: "You are a woman's family, and you run so far alone......"

An elusive expression appeared on Yao Hei'er's face, and she smiled faintly: "Brother Hulu, look at me now, where do I still look like a woman?" ”

Shan Hulu couldn't help but glance at Yao Hei'er again, sighed, and said, "You have more ideas than men, and I can't persuade you, if you really want to go, be careful all the way." With that, he bowed his head and hurried away.

Yao Hei'er sat on the stone next to the charcoal cellar, and after a while, he slowly walked down the mountain.

Several mountain people who were watering in the terraced fields, saw Yao Hei'er coming down from the mountain, greeted warmly, Yao Hei'er absentmindedly agreed, casually tore off a tender yellow willow on the side of the road, rubbed it in his hand, twisted, unscrewed off a section of finger-length bark, and took out a knife, and cut off the outer cyan skin at the top of the bark, leaving only a slightly bluish white lining, puffed in his mouth, and gently blow, the willow bark made a clear sound.

This is the method of making the willow flute that Yao Heier and Tie Zhu learned recently.

Qingyue's willow flute sound could not eliminate the troubles in Yao Hei'er's heart, and she still frowned tightly.

She had heard from her father in previous years that Jiyan City was in the northernmost part of the Xu State, bordering the Hu State. Over the years, the two countries have reconciled today, but tomorrow they will fight again, and the day after tomorrow they will become friendly neighbors. Therefore, the closer you get to Jiyan City, the more peaceful the land boundary is.

There are strongmen who cross the border from time to time to plunder, there are deserters on the border of Xu who occupy the mountains as kings, and ordinary people who are forced to take risks and have to take risks. Who is the rich businessman who bought his mother and sister-in-law? Why did you suddenly come to the capital? What kind of business does he have? More importantly, how can you find him? And how can you keep yourself safe along the way?

The silver given by the man is still one hundred and seventy taels left, and in the past six months or so, Yao Hei'er has earned, and after deducting the family's expenses, there are also one hundred and ten taels, and she and Cuiling's hairpin rings can always be sold for two or three hundred taels of silver.

Enough should be enough, right? Fifty taels were set aside for the expenses of the four members of the family, which was about the same.

Even if you come back with nothing, it's time to sell charcoal, and after a few days of hard work, there will be income.

Unconsciously, Yao Hei'er had already walked to the dead forest behind the village, she subconsciously looked into the woods, there were still a few children playing in the woods, picking up firewood, but there were no iron pillars and Qiong'er.

Where did these two children go? Qiong'er has always been a sensible child, and from the first day she started collecting firewood with the iron pillar, she decided that it was her responsibility to collect firewood for the family. She wouldn't run around for no reason.

But where did she go? Yao Hei'er was a little worried in her heart, so she hurriedly quickened her pace and hurriedly walked out of the house.

Zhong Cuiling was sitting on the stone slab at the door, feeding steamed eggs to Jiu'er, and Pei'er was holding her cheeks, squatting beside her, watching with her eyes open. Zhong Cuiling couldn't bear it, so she scooped a spoonful from time to time and stuffed it into Pei'er's mouth.

Yao Hei'er handed the willow flute in her hand to Pei'er and asked, "Cuiling, are Qiong'er and Tiezhu back?" ”

Zhong Cuiling said: "I just heard Tie Zhu and a few children talking not far away, and I didn't pay attention to it. ”

Pei'er took the willow flute and blew it with her cheeks, but she didn't make any sound. Yao Hei'er smiled, rubbed her daughter's hair, and patiently handed Pei'er the method of playing the willow flute. After a while, Pei'er was playing the willow flute happily and chattering around the village.

Yao Hei'er and Zhong Cuiling both smiled and watched Pei'er run away.

Yao Hei'er said faintly: "Cuiling, I want to go to Jiyan City." ”

The smile on Zhong Cuiling's face froze for a moment, gently fed the last steamed egg in the bowl to Jiu'er, and carefully scraped the remaining residue on the wall of the bowl with a spoon, until the whole bowl was clean, and then said slowly: "Sister, you are careful all the way." I will take good care of these children. ”

It was slowly getting dark, and Qiong'er hadn't come back yet. Yao Hei'er and Zhong Cuiling were a little anxious.

Yao Hei'er was about to go to Shan's house to look for it, but she saw two small figures stepping in at the door, not Qiong'er and Tiezhu, who were they?

Tie Zhu cautiously looked at Yao Hei'er's face, and said with a smile: "Aunt Hei, we're back!" Seeing that Yao Hei'er was not in her usual tone, she said quickly: "I'm going home!" With that, he ran away.

When Yao Hei'er saw that her daughter had come back safely, her initial worry had turned into anger, and she asked sharply, "Qiong'er!" Where have you gone? Why did you come back at this time? ”

Qiong'er shouted aggrievedly: "Mother! Seeing that Yao Hei'er still had a straight face, he hurriedly said, "Mother! Today, Uncle Dong's big tiger brother said that he saw a hole in the back mountain, and there were monsters in it, and said that only he was the most daring and dared to go to that hole. also said that Brother Tiezhu is a coward and can only ...... It will only ...... I will only follow the girl to pick up firewood, Brother Tiezhu is angry, I want to go to the hole to see, I can't pull it, and I don't feel at ease, so I have to follow Brother Tiezhu to the back mountain......"

Zhong Cuiling was busy persuading beside her: "Sister, this is not a big deal, children are often angry and playing." Why be angry? He hurriedly said to Qiong'er: "How dangerous is the back mountain, have you forgotten where your mother fell?" Don't go again! ”

Qiong'er hurriedly smiled at Yao Hei'er and said, "Mother, I won't dare in the future!" ”

Yao Hei'er's face softened a little, and said: "Mother is about to tell you that Mother is going out for a trip in the next few days, you are a sister, and you will help Aunt Zhong take two younger sisters at home in the future, let alone make Aunt Zhong angry!" Got it? ”

Qiong'er's face was immediately filled with worry again, and she said, "Mother, where are you going?" ”

Yao Hei'er patted her daughter's little face and didn't speak.