After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the villagers began to plough the land and prepare for the winter wheat sowing.

Before sowing, the soil must be cultivated delicately, remove stones and weeds in the soil, and crush the clumps of soil, so that the winter wheat can grow better into the soil and absorb more nutrients, so as to promote the rooting and germination of winter wheat plants.

Moreover, before sowing, it is necessary to add well-rotted organic fertilizer to the soil to improve the fertility of the soil, and the manure and wheat rhizome straw that are soaked in advance during the summer harvest season will come in handy at this time.

Ma Renli is rich in theoretical knowledge, but there is no practical experience, Wang Chong's theoretical knowledge is only a lot more than Ma Renli, all kinds of agricultural books handed down in ancient times are basically in Wang Chong's mind, in the copy of mountains and seas, he also ran a boss farm, he did it himself, opened hundreds of acres of land, and accumulated a lot of experience on the Gobi Desert in Yuquan Camp.

Although Yuquanying is far away in the northwest, it also grows winter wheat, which is slightly different from that of Maixiang Village in terms of time, but the management of winter wheat is almost the same.

Coupled with the prestige accumulated by Wang Chong before, several people in the mutual aid group, although they are all veterans of farming for many years, still follow Wang Chong's method of farming.

When the wheat seeds are put into the ground, the first phase of the water diversion and irrigation project officially began, Wang Chong took the old dry stick, and the blind old Yin and several carpenters began to rush to the waterwheel and overturned, part of the wood was made up by the villagers, and part of it was Zhou Yihu and Wang Wanchun who went to the county to find the leaders to turn their fate.

After hearing the news of the water diversion and irrigation project in Maixiang Village, the county leaders also made a special trip to send people who knew water conservancy to give guidance.

The excavation of irrigation ditches and weir ponds is not too difficult, the line and slope, the trend Wang Zhong and Ma Renli have been calculated a while ago, the villagers only need to be responsible, under the command of Ma Renli, eighty or ninety strong laborers in the front village worked together, counting the time of a few days of rain and rest, it took a total of 20 days, Ma Renli took the villagers to dig the first stage of the canal and weir pond and the irrigation canal leading to all the fields in the first stage.

Wang Chong and Lao Ganbang blindly Lao Yin were responsible for the waterwheel Fortunately, the production began before the autumn sowing, and Wang Chong's mutual aid group was also the first to complete the autumn sowing.

The craftsmanship of the old dry stick is still a little worse, some fine parts are not standard enough, but simple work such as wooden trough is not difficult for him, the village will do carpentry work in addition to the old dry stick There are a few, involving the whole village irrigation project, everyone naturally has ten strength to use out twelve points.

It took more than a month, and it took three or four days for Ma Renli and people to start the excavation of the second phase of the project, and the wheat in the field was popping up, and Wang Chong's six-meter-high waterwheel was finally completed.

Seeing that the waterwheel had been properly fixed, Wang Chongcai led everyone to install the tripod, fixed the aqueduct that had been made long ago, and connected it to the canal, before installing the last horizontal channel parallel to the waterwheel, and the water of the waterwheel fell into the horizontal channel, and then flowed into the aqueduct below the horizontal channel, and flowed into the trapezoidal ditch that had been dug long ago.

The walls on both sides of the trapezoidal ditch at the bottom are hammered and compacted, which can ensure the service life of this rough soil canal to the greatest extent and reduce the cost of later maintenance.

"There's water! There's water! ”

Looking at the murmuring Maixiang River in the canal, the villagers were extremely excited, but the first weir pond about 100 meters away from the waterwheel was two meters deep, five meters square, and could store about eight or nine cubic meters of water.

Drinking water flows from the ditch into the weir pond, when it is full, it will flow into the ground from the outlet along the ditch leading to the ground, and the water begins to appear in the weir pond, at the beginning because the river water washes away the soil, the water becomes turbid, but as long as the precipitation of time, the muddy water will eventually become lighter.

Knowing that it takes time for the weir pond to accumulate water, the villagers around it have no intention of leaving, one by one or standing or squatting, waiting on the edge of the weir pond, watching the water in the weir pond rise higher and higher, not only do not feel bored at all, but begin to be nervous and excited, and their hearts are more and more looking forward to it.

Seeing that the water in the weir pond was accumulating higher and higher, the villagers' mood became more and more excited.

When the waterline of the weir pond Li was higher than the irrigation canal, the water finally flowed along the ditch to the direction of the field, and the villagers were full of excitement on their faces, and subconsciously followed the canal and followed the water all the way to the field.

Seeing the successful completion of the first phase of the project, and the smooth arrival of the Maixiang River in all the planned fields, the entire Maixiang Village couldn't help but revel.

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This means that in the future, the villagers no longer need to use their shoulders to carry water from the river to the ground, and it also means that even in the dry and rainy season, as long as the water level of the Maixiang River is not dry, Maixiang Village can always be poured with water from the Maixiang River.

The successful completion of the first phase of the project alarmed the leaders of the county, and the top leaders of the county personally came down to inspect it, and after seeing the first phase of the irrigation project in Maixiang Village, they immediately gave a thumbs up, gave high praise to Wang Chong and Ma Renli, the two designers, and gave verbal rewards to Zhou Yihu and Wang Wanchun, the leaders of Maixiang Village, and said that they would be given credit.

With the end of the first phase of the project, the villagers showed an unprecedented high mood for the second phase of the project, the second phase of the project is more complex than the first phase of the project is much more difficult, but the villagers did not have a bitter and tired, but one by one showed an unprecedented high mood, it took less than a month of effort, in the late tenth month of the lunar calendar, the second phase of the project was completed.

The production of the overturned car is much simpler than that of the waterwheel, but the only drawback is that the overturned car cannot be automatic like the waterwheel, and the overturned car must be pushed by external force.

Now that the autumn ploughing has long ended, the cattle in the village are idle, which is just in handy.

With the successful completion of the second phase of the project, under the unified arrangement of the village and the peasant association, the remaining wheat fields in Maixiang Village were basically irrigated in only five days, and only a few particularly remote and limited ditches could not be crossed temporarily.

But Wang Chong and Lao Ganbang had already made a small wooden trough and set up a trough to divert water from the canal, and they also successfully completed the winter irrigation.

With the successful completion of the first and second phases of the water conservancy project in Maixiang Village, Wang Chong's prestige in the village has risen to a new level, and the villagers have praised each other, and everyone has to give a thumbs up when they talk about Wang Chong.

Even Ma Renli, the son of the landlord, has also gained a lot of goodwill, and the villagers' attitude towards Ma Renli has changed greatly, and they are no longer prejudiced against him as before.

Ma Renli happily, carrying two bottles of Lao Baigan to find Wang Chong, got drunk, and was unconscious.

Not only Maixiang Village, but also the top leaders praised Maixiang Village and Zhou Yihu Wang Chong and others at several conferences in the county, so that the villages and towns below could learn from Maixiang Village, but in just a few days, the names of Wang Chong and Ma Renli spread all over the country with the name of Maixiang Village.

Wang Chong knows that in this era, fame is important to himself, and this kind of thing is beneficial to others and harmless to himself.

But what Wang Chong didn't expect was that among the people looking for him, there would be a girl.

Two big braids hanging down in front of the shoulders, a floral cotton jacket, a pair of cotton pants, melon seed face, eyebrows are a little delicate, looking smart and capable, speaking very crisply, but vaguely seems to be a little mean.

"Hello! You are Comrade Wang Chong, right? ”

Wang Chong looked at the little girl in front of him who looked cool and capable, and nodded, "I am Wang Chong." ”

"My name is Han Meili, and I'm from Jixian Village next door!" Han Meili grinned, and stretched out her hand to Chong Wang Zhong generously.

Wang Chong shook hands with Han Meimei, and immediately let go: "It turned out to be Comrade Han, hello hello, I don't know what Comrade Han is looking for me?" ”

"I came to Maixiang Village to visit your water diversion and irrigation project and ask Comrade Wang Zhong for advice and experience."

Wang Chongdao: "So that's the case, no problem, let's go and see it on the spot?" ”

Han Meili was still good at the beginning, cool and capable, and she had the demeanor of a strong woman in doing things, but she was not so domineering and cold, and she was still very likable.

As for the later stage, it will be a matter of opinion.

led Han Meili from the waterwheel to the irrigation canal, looked around from beginning to end, roughly explained the principle, and the rest was mostly chatter.

For example, Han Meili asked curiously: "Comrade Wang Chong, how did you and Comrade Ma Renli come up with such a big project?" ”

Those bright eyes were full of admiration.

Wang Zhong replied with a smile: "The waterwheel, as early as more than a thousand years ago, our ancestors have invented it, not to mention the south, let's say that we are in the north, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei and our Shandong, in fact, most areas have waterwheels, because the terrain is different, the volume and structure of the waterwheel are also different, I have been to a lot of places in the early years when I fled the famine, learned a few crafts, and seen a lot of examples of water diversion and digging ditches for irrigation, Ma Renli worked as a librarian in Yanjing, the two of us are hands-on, a theory, It doesn't add up. ”

"Why didn't you see Comrade Ma Renli today?" Han Meili asked.

Wang Chongdao: "It's not a coincidence that you came, Ma Renli happened to go to the county seat today, and I don't know when I will be able to come back." ”

The two talked as they walked.

Han Meili suddenly pointed to the overturned car at the weir pond curiously and asked, "Then why don't you use a waterwheel driven by water power here, but use this kind of overturned car that needs to be driven by external force?" ”

The waterwheel and the overturned car were all introduced to Han Meili by Wang Chong just now.

Wang Zhong smiled and said: "The waterwheel is really good, but the amount of water we bring up from the Maixiang River is not large, and we have to take into account the direction and slope of the canal, the speed of the water flow is naturally not fast, and such a large high car, the specifications of the waterwheel must not be small, the larger the waterwheel, the stronger the thrust needed, just rely on the water we bring up, whether it is the speed and the amount is not enough to drive such a large volume of the waterwheel, for the time being, it can only be replaced by a rollover." ”

"I see." Han Meili said.

"I heard that Ma Renli is the son of a landlord, his father Ma Datou is the biggest rich man in your Maixiang Village, and most of the land in Maixiang Village is basically his family's, since Ma Renli knows so much, why didn't their family think about building a waterwheel and digging a canal before?"

Han Meili is a person who likes to be more serious.

Wang Zhong said with a smile: "Didn't Ma Renli go to Yanjing to study at that time, although Ma Datou's family has a lot of fields, but his education is not high, and at that time, Ma Datou didn't have to work in the field by himself, planting and watering are all done by us poor tenant long-term workers, even if the grain is planted, most of it has been taken away by Ma Datou, and the villagers hate to grow in the field all year round, how can there be so much effort and thought about these things." ”

"Whether it's digging ditches or building water trucks, it's not a job that a few people in a family can do."

"But now it's different, we have dozens of families in Maixiang Village, more than 100 people, every household has divided the land, as long as the grain grows has paid enough taxes, the rest is their own, everyone is holding back a force in their hearts, building water wheels, digging irrigation canals, is to let the crops drink water, can increase the grain production in the field, the villagers have a scale in their hearts, knowing that this matter is only good for our big guys, there is no harm, so everyone can twist into a rope, all the strength is made to one place, the big guys work together, Nature is different from before. ”

Han Meili suddenly realized, with a bright smile on her face, and said a lot of words praising the organization and policies.

For Han Meimei's words, Wang Chong also deeply agreed.

If there is no organization, ordinary people like them who live at the bottom of the ladder, their children and grandchildren, are estimated to be exploited and oppressed.

Wang Zhong invited Han Meili to have a lunch, the yellow bun made of stick noodles was scrambled eggs with leeks, and a plate of bean sprouts, and Han Meili was sent away after eating.

When Han Meili left, she also said that when she was free to go back, she would definitely come to consult with Wang Chong more and learn from Wang Chong.

Gradually in the middle of winter, I don't know from which day, the sky gradually snowed, the weather is getting colder and colder, if the villagers are fine, they are all nested in their own homes, sitting on the kang, or a few people go to a house, sit on a kang, close the doors and windows, talk and chat.

The same is true of the women, who have to sew clothes, knit sweaters and trousers, make shoes, and tidy up the house.

At this time in previous years, the old ganbang also followed others to smoke and chat, but this year is different, looking for Wang Chongding to make windmills and threshers for the old people queued up until the new year, the old ganbang every day at dawn, after breakfast went to Wang Chong's house, and it was almost dark before finishing work and going home.

Most of those who came to Wang Chong to beat the windmill thresher came from village to village, and the settlement of wages was also used for grain, or wheat, corn, and soybeans.

At first, Wang Chong wanted to share it with the old ganbang, but the old ganbang was unwilling to live or die, not to say that Wang Chong was teaching him the craft, and he also managed two meals a day, the master took the apprentice, in addition to managing the rice, there has never been a precedent for starting work, and the work is all taken by Wang Chong, if there is no Wang Chong, the old ganbang will not be able to receive these jobs at all.

But Wang Chong said, now that they are all liberated, it is a new era, and they can't use the old ideas of the past, if they don't pay their wages, then he Wang Chongguo will be the same as Ma Datou, and finally the two of them broke back and forth, and the old reluctantly agreed to nineteen points.

Rao only took one percent, and the windmills made by the two of them this year also made Lao Ganbang earn a lot of food and live a thick fat year.

On this day, it was snowing outside, and the two of them shrank in the big house on the south side of the West Wing, chatting while doing their work.

Wang Zhong asked, "Old Ganbang, how old are you this year?" ”

The old ganstick said: "Twenty-nine! ”

Wang Zhong said: "Twenty-nine, it's time to ask for a daughter-in-law." ”

The old gan blushed: "I'm so old, how can any girl look up to me." ”

"You want to have craftsmanship now, you want fields to have fields, which girl can't look down on you!" Wang Zhong smiled and said: "And now that your craft can make your own windmill, the division between the two of us should also change." ”

"No way!" The old gan stick refused in one bite!

"Listen to me first." Wang Zhong said bitterly: "With your current craftsmanship, even if you take over the work to make a windmill for others, there is no problem, but one person is not as fast as two people after all, and when assembling, two people are also easier, and the windmill and thresher are not disposable things, we have enough materials for two purposes, good handwork, and it is not a problem to use it for decades." ”

"We don't count the previous ones, from the irrigation ditch to the present, we have built a total of three windmills, two pedal threshers, I do more work than you, and the speed is faster than you, let's do what I said before, three seven divides, you three and I seven."

"Big worm, I ······" The old ganbang wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Wang Chong's raised hand.

"Listen to me first, what I just said has been delivered, let's make a windmill, the salary is ten liters of wheat, a thresher, is twelve liters of wheat, if you pack rice and soybeans, you need more, let's make it simpler, I will count all wheat for you, three windmills, that is, thirty liters, three three get nine, three achievements are nine liters, two threshers are twenty-four liters, three percent is almost seven liters, let's count seven liters, add up to sixteen liters."

"Sixteen liters? No, no, too much, too much! The voice of the old ganbang suddenly rose, and he refused again and again, his expression was sincere, and it was by no means a fake.

"It's not the same as before, every household has divided the land, we have been working for almost two months, and you have only divided 16 liters, which is only more than 30 catties when converted, which is not much."

"No, no, no, I don't want to fold it in half anymore!" Old Dry Sticks.

Wang Zhong sighed, patted the arm of the old, and said: "Lao Ganbang, you are twenty-nine, your family is such a lone seedling as you, now this day is getting better, if you don't marry a daughter-in-law back, are you worthy of your father's spirit in the sky?" ”

"When you go to sweep the tombs of your fathers and ancestors during the New Year's holidays, don't you feel panicked!"

If it's not soft enough, add some hard.

Sure enough, as soon as Wang Chong's words came out, the old gang's face changed, and he lowered his head with a look of guilt.

Wang Chong walked to the old, patted him on the shoulder, and said: "The most important thing for us now is to hurry up and tell you a daughter-in-law first, it is best to get married this year, and at this time next year, give birth to a big fat boy to come out, give your family heirloom and continue the incense." ”

Lao Ganbang raised his eyes and looked at Wang Chongdao: "Big worm, I know you have good intentions, but haven't you married a daughter-in-law yet!" ”

Wang Zhong smiled and said: "How old am I, how old are you, and I have both craftsmanship and strength, and the fields are also well served, I must choose slowly, find a handsome and virtuous daughter-in-law, besides, I have more than you." ”

"But you're twenty-nine, and you'll be thirty years old, while it's not yet thirty, you're still young, hurry up and find a yellow flower girl as a daughter-in-law, otherwise in a few years, it won't be so easy for you to find a yellow flower girl."

Lao Ganbang is very entangled, in his heart, Wang Chong taught him the craft, take him to work, just like his master, although Wang Chong is younger than himself, but in the heart of Lao Ganbang, Wang Chong has long been regarded as a benefactor, as the so-called one day as a teacher, lifelong father, Lao Ganbang is kind-hearted, upright, simple temperament, naturally does not want to take advantage of Wang Chong.

But what Wang Chong said just now, but it really talked about his heart, there was no condition before, the poor family looked down on him, not to mention the daughter-in-law, now there is a field, there is no shortage of food at home, and he learned the craft with Wang Chong, marrying a daughter-in-law and inheriting the lineage, these two things, naturally Xiao can also think about Xiao Xiang.

Looking at the tangled expression on Lao Ganbang's face, Wang Chong knew what Lao Ganbang was thinking: "I know, you must feel that you have taken advantage of me." ”

Lao Ganbang looked at Wang Chong and said sincerely: "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had a chance to earn these wheat." ”

Wang Zhong smiled and said, "But without your help, I wouldn't have been able to earn so much food by myself." ”

"So, don't have a burden in your heart, I teach you the craft, so that you can get started quickly, let's make more windmills and threshers, earn more food, and hone the craft by the way, maybe someone will come to us to make a waterwheel next year!"

The old suddenly bent his knees and was about to kneel and kowtow to Wang Chong, but Wang Chong's eyes were quick and he held the old.

Wang Chong also said with a reproachful face: "What are you doing here!" ”

Wang Chong's strength can't be compared at all, so he can only choke and say: "Big worm, I'm stupid, I don't know how to thank you, but you are so good, teach me the craft, and help me say daughter-in-law, all I can think of is to kowtow to you." ”

"Brother Dao!" Wang Chong is not called an old gangster, "As the saying goes, distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors, I am alone, and I don't have a relative to help, if you really want to thank me, you will take care of me in the village in the future, practice your skills with your heart, and let's earn more food together." ”

"Don't worry, I won't let you down!" Old stick, Niu Youdao gritted his teeth and said firmly.

Wang Zhong let go of Niu Youdao and said with a smile: "Brother Youdao, I think when Niu boldly went to Yang Deng'er's house to propose, the dowry was only three liters ······of wheat, these sixteen liters of wheat, you take out ten liters, add ten eggs, and pull a few feet of cloth as a dowry, and then invite a matchmaker."

"By the way, I haven't asked you yet, what kind of girl do you like? Handsome? Slim? ”

Niu Youdao's old face blushed slightly: "I have this condition, how dare I have any requirements, it doesn't matter if I am handsome or not, as long as I am honest and diligent." ”

Wang nodded and said, "Then find someone who looks Zhouzheng, with big breasts and round buttocks, and is easy to raise." ”

Niu Youdao smirked: "······"