At half past five in the morning, it was still dark outside, and a man suddenly interjected:

"Lord Zhenting, even if you don't have these goods, you won't be able to hold those frozen fish that you have received. You can't hire a donkey, huh? ”

Here in the Northeast, what word is used to describe too much work, and it has reached the point of exhaustion, that is: if it doesn't work, hire someone.

This one is good, let the donkey be hired.

Liu Jingdong was in the middle of the team, and he seemed to hear his uncle's voice: "Old Acquaintance (uncle), is it you, why are you here?" ”

Liu Laozhu's younger brother put warm sleeves in his hands, didn't even look at Liu Jingdong, and thought:

is air-conditioned, has no time to pay attention to his nephew, and is talking about business.

Liu Laozhu's younger brother got a batch of donkeys not long ago, and he was very optimistic about the farmers who had already belonged to the land of Zhenbei, and firmly believed that they would work hard and buy more donkeys next year, so he took advantage of the low price to buy a batch.

But the big animal, before it is sold, it is not used to chew it, and that is an expense.

So he was grinding Zhao Zhenting, and wanted to share a single donkey, so he asked the official to rent his car. He didn't dare to change the previous town pavilion, and the requisition of cattle and donkeys from the governance office at that time would not give money.

But now it is classified as the land of Zhenbei, Zhao Zhenting is upright again, Liu Laozhu's third brother thinks about it, and it is enough to open his mouth for three points.

Zhao Dashan looked at Xu Youliang, who was hesitant, and guessed that he was hesitating to go with them.

But tomorrow is the New Year, the aunt sold that batch of goods through his hand to hand over the deed, and the frozen fish is under the control of the government, the servants are guilty of a trip to forget it, this is the duty, let the second brother and a few boys follow is not the case.

Thinking of the twenty ox carts and donkey carts he had put together, plus his old horse was really not enough, and if his old horse could not carry the goods and then collapsed, his heart ached when he thought about it, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Cheng, rent." ”

"Okay, Lord Zhenting, for the sake of the twenty-ninth day of your lunar month, you still have to run around for our little people, so kind-hearted, I will specify the lowest rental price for you. Another one, you will know when you use it, my donkeys can do a lot of away at once, running up and swishing, absolute red rabbit among horses, donkey among horses. ”

Here, the mouth can't talk too much and can't sell the goods, and the words will never fall to the ground, and everyone has their own work.

With those donkey carts of Liu Laozhu's third brother, plus the Chen butler who accompanied the team, I heard that the Zhishu was going to send the fish for the Chinese New Year's Eve meal to the Zhenbei Army, and the Erdao River, right, the Erdao River where he lived last night also had a New Year's gift, and it was to be given to General Jia and General Lu?!

Steward Chen's chubby face showed surprise.

Steward Chen didn't know that there was actually General Huo's, and without knowing it, he also stretched out his little fat hand of wealth and love, beckoned and said, "Load our car, our car still has some empty space." ”

Before Zhao Dashan set off, he specially explained to the Xu family: "Your sister-in-law and I will not go to your house until the fourth day of junior high school. Your sister-in-law has to be tomorrow, not tomorrow, and she will be on duty tomorrow morning when she comes back with the goods, and I will be on the first day of the 30th lunar month. In the second year of junior high school, I have to go back to my hometown to worship my ancestors and tell your mother. ”

While helping to load the car, Xu Jiayan responded happily: "Don't worry, Brother Dashan, you can go to your own house whenever you want." "The main reason is that they are not available to entertain.

Seven o'clock in the morning, hour.

The Erdaohe boys first went to the town market to buy bits and pieces.

The first thing that catches your eye is the pork stall, and the price of pork has risen this year.

From the initial 20 Wen to 22, it soared directly to 26 Wen a pound on the New Year's Day.

Now the Xu family often goes into the town to buy grain and oil, and there is a lot of gossip about their own business, so I heard that the current meat price is still regulated by the Zhenbei Army.

The Zhenbei Army itself bought a lot of meat and cooperated with all the towns and counties outside, so a lot of pork was transferred from outside, otherwise there would be no sale at the moment.

Yes, it's not sold, it's so exaggerated.

Because there are a number of people who raise pigs, and they used to have a hard time, and there were few people who bought meat, who dared to raise so many pigs in one go?

And the Xu family is still complaining about others, saying who is this? Buying so much meat and hoarding it, it is designated that those big families are doing this, and they are making a lot of fun.

Don't you know that there is his house inside, and they are embarrassed to scold others.

I make sausages every day, and I sell meat to the shops every day. Not to mention, since October, I bought a lot of pig pancreas and pig fat to make soaphorns, and at that time, all the fat on the market was scratched out, and the Xu family bought a pig in three days.

For example, the pork sellers who supplied the Xu family, in previous years, they could not sell meat and had to come out of the stall in the Chinese New Year's Eve, and the pigsty was empty early this year, and the pig intestines were all sent to the Xu family in vain, which called it a day and developed. At this time, he was sitting on the hot kang and studying with his wife, whether to go to the Xu family in the first month of the year, for fear that the Xu family would not cooperate with their family for a long time next year.

His wife slammed the door, saying that there are still boys in the Xu family who have not yet started a family, so can't they wait until they become a family in the future? The New Year is going to be a gift, and building a new house has to be a gift, why do the Xu family have so many things to do. Our boys are all married, and if they don't give them a gift in return, they will be compensated.

As a result, her man reprimanded: "Don't calculate, you don't know what's going on here." Look at it, seeing that our family makes a lot of money this year, there will definitely be more people raising pigs next year. Everyone has a better life, and when you raise a child to play, you will raise pigs. Don't say it's far away, you can't raise pigs by yourself when the Xu family is gone? The buckets of swill with oil and water, even if the Xu family doesn't look down on this little money, there will be people to raise Erdaohe if they borrow it. ”

It can be seen that only one company's business can be sold to other places, and in the case of being bigger and stronger, this can be related to the lives of many people, and all related parties can make money with it.

If there are many "Xu families" rising up in the north of the town, and if the general's mansion itself has to do business, then the people here will have a lot of work to do.

No, although this pork seller has never cooperated with the Xu family, he knows the Xu family, but he doesn't know him.

Seeing Xu Youcang and Liu Jingdong, who were not dressed badly, there was light in their eyes, could they close the stall just after they came out of the stall, and hurriedly said: "This is a rare customer, do you want to buy meat?" I'll give you high scales. ”

"Uncle, how do you sell pig's feet?"

Xu Youliang came over from behind and added: "What is the price of Houji?" ”

Liangzi felt that the aunts in the village were right, although there was a hoarding of meat at home, it was best not to move, lest the guests go and have nothing to eat, which would affect the reputation. Leave a bad impression, the next time people don't come, it will affect their own family and all the villagers to earn dozens of taels.

So I'd rather spend three or five dollars more on a pound outside.

Xu Youliang planned to buy some meat for his mother-in-law and brother-in-law at home.

Xiaoqin has been married to him for three years, and as an uncle, he has never given his mother-in-law any decent New Year's gifts.

Yes, this year, my mother and Tian Xin gave two sets of clothes and cloth for my mother-in-law.

But that was the heart of my mother and niece.

He wanted to use the money from the younger couple to buy some more for his mother-in-law. At that time, as Yin said, on the day he returned to the door, he drove the ox cart, and he had to pass by the door of Uncle Xiaoqin's house to show the family. When the Yu family was separated, he bullied his brothers-in-law a lot.

It's one thing to be vigorous now, and it's another thing for him, the only uncle, to help vent his anger.

Xu Youliang bought thirty catties of Houshu meat in one go, and he didn't think much about it, thinking that it was ordered by Mrs. Xu, and was going to the stall to answer Liu Jingdong's question.

Liu Jingdong asked: "Who else in our village wants to buy pig feet?" I was stunned and forgot. ”

Vigorously said: "There are four of the fourth master's family, four of the second lazy uncle's family, the seventh master's family and Uncle Cao's family, and Sister Meizhuang's family wants to give two gifts to the Mozi aunt's family." There are also Uncle Lizheng's family and Uncle Wan's family who want a pork rib. Brother Wang, how much do you want from your family? ”

Wang Yusheng said: "When I opened a shop to buy food, my father-in-law lent me a lot of money, and I wanted to buy pig's head meat for him." Alas? Shopkeeper, are all your pig feet roasted? ”

"Hair loss, okay, I'll give you a high scale." The pork dealers are happy to choke.

The twelve boys got together and spoke with an excited smile on their faces, giggling and saying that Liu Jingdong is not hungry for pork ribs, Liu Jingdong said: "You know me best, I have never been a glutton, it is my grandma who is in the village this year, and my grandmother loves to eat." ”

His mother also said that since his father came back from the county, he has always been thinking about inviting the old brothers in the village to drink, so he simply took advantage of the New Year's Festival to invite the family to have a meal. As a Li Zheng family, in previous years, they never invited guests, and this stewed with a big pot of pork ribs made people go out and say that they were all hard dishes.

Xu Youyin had already gone to the stall next to him, and was blocking the boy from the same village from asking him not to buy the feathered chicken: "Don't you know? The ladies in our village are not uncommon white chickens, and the chickens, ducks and goose feathers are all saved. ”

However, no one has saved as much as his sister-in-law, and the Xu family has already saved several sacks.

The boys bought two more baskets of geese, six geese in one basket, and twelve geese. I also inquired about how pheasants and ducks were sold.

As the various types of meat are bought, there are more and more people in the market.

There are charcoal sellers in the bazaar, and there are shoe soles sellers.

"The guest officers should buy some, Wuwen has a pair of insoles, and my mother won't let me go home for dinner if I can't sell them out."

You don't come to this set, we bought your insoles, and my mother won't let us in.

"Selling cotton pants, selling slippers or not, you come to me if you fall a big belly."

Fooling foreign merchants, how can there be shoes that do not slip when walking here, and the road is full of ice to climb and walk when it snows. Lao Niu also took one step and took three steps back.

There were also people selling cassava flour, tofu, and mustard gnocchi, and there were hills of mustard gnocchi on the ground, covered with torn quilts.

Further on, it is the stone mill that sells pepper materials, grinding powder on the spot.

Selling candy, bean buns, selling red paper, and helping to write couplets in five languages, Liu Jingdong felt that he could earn this money.

There are also a lot of people who sell fungus hazelnuts and small frozen fish, and finally let the boys catch the egg sellers, "Come to four baskets." ”

I was waiting to fill the eggs, and I heard a familiar voice again: "Sell donkeys!" ”

Next to him, his daughter-in-law and her son shouted: "He also sells donkey meat for fire." ”

"Mature", what uncle meant, Liu Jingdong wondered: "How many donkeys did your family get back, and the cattle that were consigned in the village have not been sold, you see, this is not for us to use." And in addition to the live donkey, there are also dead donkeys, auntie, how can you sell it on fire, when will you go home for the New Year, my grandfather is looking forward to killing pigs in the village today. ”

"Ming'er, tomorrow's morning." Liu Laozhu's younger brother was also troubled, why did he meet his nephew again, and he had to put a few donkey meat upside down to burn, and with a smile on his face, he took out the fire and burned it: "No, no, you must have one person, don't push back and forth to affect your aunt's sales, and taste what donkey meat is like." ”

Only Liu Jingdong made it on the spot, and everyone else made excuses that they had to buy food and had no time to eat.

The Xu family and Dapeng coincidentally burned the fire in their arms, planning to take it back to the family to share the food, this is the real life of several "young masters" of the Xu family.

"Two less, three less, four less, the little ones are giving you New Year's greetings, who are these?"

Xu Youyin looked at Dapeng: "This should be Xiaoshao." ”

The young master's children or nephews must be called that.

"Those are also the young masters of our village, little brother, we are all here to buy food."

After a while, the voice of the three juniors came from the grain store, and they discussed whether to go to the money clerk's house to find the owner and ask if they would sell it. On the one hand, he explained to Xu Jiayu:

"To tell you the truth, you will be emptied after all the sale.

First, the heavy snowfall a year ago, such as wine, grain, and other heavy goods, were not transported much.

Second, I also heard that next year, there will be big grain merchants coming to us to open a branch and monopolize those officials, so our owner did not dare to hoard more grain.

And our industry is controlled, even if it is not managed, our owner has always been a grain store that is not allowed to sell short.

said that no matter when, even if the city is broken, the grain store cannot be sold short and cannot be the first to leave, otherwise the people will be more panicked, which is the rule set by our ancestors. Or, brothers, leave me more than 100 pounds for each? ”

"For the character of your host, our brothers will not pick on it, Cheng!"

If you don't make it, you will succeed, with the handling of the twelve cars found that the twelve cars were full, Dapeng had pig's trotters hanging around his neck, Wang Yusheng was carrying millet, Liu Jingdong was hanging a pig's head on his chest, ribs were on his back, and four baskets of eggs were carefully placed on the top of the grain bag, and a straw curtain was laid on the top.

"It's over, it's snowing, don't make a big splash, we have to rush back to kill the pig as soon as possible."

When I went out of the city, there was a scene where passers-by stopped.

That is, a caravan suddenly called out to Xu Er: "Is it Erdaohe?" ”

The Xu family looked back in unison: "Yes." ”

Could it be that you are the legendary caravan that is going to our village for the New Year?

More than.

There is also a caravan running out of the big car shop, and as it runs, the leader of the team is ridiculed by many people: "You just said that you won't go, saying that you are in a different place anywhere, deal with it for two days, and leave directly when the second day of the first year is full of goods." ”

Suddenly I don't want to deal with it.

"Wait for us!"

At the same time, Zhao Dashan's delivery team also encountered a special horse team.

Steward Chen recognized at a glance that the leader opposite was Huo Yunqian's personal guard, surnamed Yue.

Originally, Huo Yunqian planned to give gifts to Erdaohe in the name of Mu Gongzi, and it was most appropriate to send Jiubao.

But in the New Year's gift that Huo Yunqian gave to Erdaohe, one of them was a basket of pomegranates.

Huo Yunqian was afraid that Jiubao would describe this basket of pomegranate seeds as similar to a relic, so he planned to choose another person and find someone who didn't talk much.

And when he was choosing, I heard Jiubao say that Lu Yan was sending someone to load a car to give Xu Tianxin a New Year's gift, and he installed a lot of fireworks. After Jia Lai found out, he was also loading the truck, and he didn't pack the salted hairtail fish transported from the seaside, so he simply mixed his New Year's gift here. There is no need to use the name of Mu Gongzi, and if he finds something to do for Jia Lai and Lu Yan, he sent his own personal guard.

(End of chapter)