In the midst of the commotion, Li Gui and others rushed over, pointing at Jia Baoyu's family members, and exclamations came one after another.

As a small mountain village, it is a bit exaggerated to say that Heitu Village is isolated from the world, but it is true that there have never been so many horses in this village, which is like a small mountain village in later generations, and more than a dozen Ferraris came at once.

Not to mention that there are still many heads hanging on the horse's buttocks, which are bloody and even more infiltrating.

Li Gui walked over with Mama Li in his arms, and when he saw Jia Baoyu, the two of them quickly knelt down, how could Jia Baoyu accept Mama Li's courtesy, and said, "Mama Li, what are you doing here, you want to break my life." ”

Mama Li said with tears in her eyes: "It's all my old immortal blindness, I shouldn't make any distinction between priorities and the following offenses, please punish the second master." ”

Jia Baoyu helped Mama Li up and said with a smile: "That's all in the past, as long as you do things for me wholeheartedly, I won't treat you badly, this is what the old lady asked me to bring to you, she said that you are old, you have to make up for it." ”

Jia Baoyu handed a sandalwood box to Mama Li, and when she opened it, it was actually a piece of ginseng whiskers.

"This is a hundred-year-old mountain ginseng, and it is said that as long as it is not a fatal injury, it can hang for at least three days."

When Mama Li heard that it was given by the old lady, her tears couldn't stop flowing.

Jia Baoyu continued: "Mama Li, I originally planned to pick you up during the New Year, but considering that you are old and tired, I am afraid that your body will not be able to bear it, and when the Chinese New Year next year, I will ask someone to come and pick you up in the house for the New Year!" ”

"Okay, well, the old woman knows that the old lady is in good health, and I am satisfied." Mama Li still has feelings for Rongguo Mansion in the end, and she is older and more nostalgic.

Mama Li also wanted to ask about the current situation of the other people in Rongguo Mansion, so she heard Li Gui say beside her: "Mother, the second master is tired of traveling and driving, let him rest first, if you have anything to say, let's go into the house and say." ”

Mama Li patted her thigh and said: "I'm all confused, just thinking about the old lady, I forgot about this stubble, second master, you haven't eaten yet, I'll let my daughter-in-law cook a few dishes." ”

Jia Baoyu held Mama Li's hand and said, "Mama Li, I grew up drinking your milk when I was a child, and you are still the same as before, just call me Baoyu." ”

"That's a good feeling, Baoyu, Mama will make you your favorite noodle soup."

Seeing Jia Baoyu, Mama Li showed great enthusiasm, and her previous arrogance seemed to go with the wind, and she couldn't see it at all.

It is said that labor can transform people, the white and chubby Mama Li is gone, and now this black and thin Mama Li with rough skin on her palms is even more cute and amiable.

Dinner was eaten at Li Gui's house.

Li Gui's father Li Fugui is the head of Heitu Village, and the house at home is also the leading existence in the entire Heitu Village.

Although the house is not very exquisite, it is clean and tidy, and the yard is paved with many bluestone slabs, so even if it rains, you will not get muddy.

When she came to Li Gui's house, Mama Li took Li Gui's daughter-in-law to the kitchen to cook.

Leaving Li Gui and Li Fugui, father and son, to accompany Jia Baoyu to talk.

Through the dialogue, Jia Baoyu learned that Heitu Village has a total population of 250 people, of which only 70 are adult men, and the rest are old, weak, sick and disabled, and women.

Heitu Village is a small village in Wanping County, and the cultivated land in the village is also small, only more than 3,000 acres, on average to each person's head, it is about ten acres of land, and Li Fugui's family alone accounts for more than half, so the current situation in the village is that almost half of the village is working for Li Fugui's family as tenant farmers.

However, the villagers were very happy to do this, because Li Gui and Li Mama were on errands in Rongguo Mansion, and their land was attached to the name of Rongguo Mansion, and in addition to giving Li Fugui a rent, the taxes of the imperial court did not have to be paid.

Therefore, Li Fugui's prestige in the village is very high.

Jia Baoyu asked Li Gui to come over to requisition the land, but he relied on Li Fugui's talent to do this, otherwise other villages would have been besieged by the villagers a long time ago.

When asked about the progress of the factory, Li Gui said: "Second master, people are easy to recruit, but the grain is consumed too quickly, and now the grain in the capital has been sold to three taels and one stone, and even in the countryside, one stone of grain costs two taels of silver, and now half of the factory is built, and the grain in the village is almost eaten up." ”

Li Fugui squatted at the door, smoking a dry cigarette.

He is a reluctant person to talk more, and when he encounters a rich and noble brother like Jia Baoyu, he has nothing to say, so he squats aside, and the province makes Jia Baoyu unhappy.

Jia Baoyu frowned and said, "Didn't I ask Jia Yun to send the silver over?" Could it be that you can't buy food even if you have money? ”

Li Gui suddenly became angry: "It's all because the grain merchants in the city are dark-hearted, now the price of grain is rising day by day, all grain merchants are hoarding and unwilling to sell grain, waiting for the price to rise, ordinary people buy some It's okay, we have a lot of people here, and other grain merchants don't sell to us at all."

So I asked my father to take people to the surrounding villages every day to buy food, but we have too many workers, and the daily consumption is like a bottomless pit, and all the villages in ten miles and eight towns are bought clean for us.

If you want to buy more food, you have to go farther, not to mention the time and effort, and the mountain bandits and rogues on this road are also a threat.

Even if we pay a high price, we won't be able to recruit people to follow us to buy food. ”

What Li Gui said was the truth, Shenjing City is a bottomless pit, a big city where millions of people live, and the amount of food consumed is astronomical.

If it was a peaceful season, it would naturally be safe, but now there is a collapse in the land of Gyeonggi, causing trouble everywhere, making people panic, and grain merchants taking the opportunity to raise prices.

The more chaotic the world becomes, the more reluctant the people are to take out the grain, and a vicious circle is formed.

Jia Baoyu asked again: "How many homeless people have been recruited now?" ”

"There are more than two hundred." Li Gui pointed towards the south of the village, "Some of them are from nearby villages, because the rent is too high, and some of them are because they can't afford to beg for food because their families have run out of food, but most of them are refugees who have fled from the south."

It's just that the homeless people from other places drag their families with their families, and often work alone, but they have seven or eight mouths waiting to eat. ”

Jia Baoyu asked again: "How many days of food are left?" ”

"Is the second master asking the workers for food or everyone's rations?" Li Gui replied, "If the workers eat, there are three days' worth of food, but if the whole village plus the families of the displaced people, there will only be two days' rations." ”

While talking, Mama Li walked in with a clay pot: "Hahaha, chicken soup is here!" ”

In the clay pot was a whole chicken stewed chicken soup, Mama Li wiped her hands on her apron and said, "Baoyu, this is our own little stupid chicken, it is very delicious, you can taste it." ”

Before Jia Baoyu could speak, Mama Li kicked Li Fugui, who was squatting at the door: "Dead old man, why don't you go wash your hands and accompany Baoyu to eat!" ”