It's time to hand over the royal rations.
Bai Jiaxuan and Lu Zilin organized everyone to hand over the imperial grain.
Bai Jiaxuan's family.
Zhou Qiang went to get stuck for lunch.
Xiancao is making fried noodles.
"Xiaoqiang is here, let's have a bowl of noodles together?" Bai Jiaxuan greeted warmly.
Last time at Lu Zilin's house, Zhou Qiang helped Bai Jiaxuan again.
The relationship between Bai Jiaxuan and Zhou Qiang has become even better.
"Okay, Brother Jiaxuan, let's try the fried noodles made by my sister-in-law today." Zhou Qiang was not polite. He wanted to eat noodles made from grass jelly.
Zhou Qiang felt that the fried noodles made with grass jelly tasted like home.
Of course, Zhou Qiang didn't come empty-handed. He brought some tofu he made and handed it to the fairy grass who came over to say hello.
"Just in time to make green onions mixed with tofu." Xiancao had a good impression of Zhou Qiang.
Because Zhou Qiang helped a lot with the marriage between Xiancao and Bai Jiaxuan.
In the eyes of fairy grass,
If it weren't for Zhou Qiang, the marriage between Xiancao and Bai Jiaxuan would not have happened.
If it weren't for Zhou Qiang, there wouldn't be such a decent wedding.
If it weren't for Zhou Qiang, I would have to guard the empty room alone during the night of flowers and candles in the celestial bridal chamber.
Therefore, Xiancao is very grateful to Zhou Qiang.
"Third brother, what have you been busy with recently?" Zhou Qiang greeted Lu San.
Before, Zhou Qiang asked Lu San's gang for help in building a vegetable greenhouse or something.
Zhou Qiang cannot do some tasks alone and needs help.
Zhou Qiang asked Lu San for help and gave him a few meals without paying.
"Nothing to do." Lu San responded without saying much.
"Where's Heiwa?"
"I don't know where I went to play." Lu San squatted on the ground, smoking a cigarette.
"Brother Jiaxuan, how is my uncle? Is he feeling well?"
"It's okay. I had diarrhea last time, so I drank the lotus root you gave me, and it didn't take long to get better."
"That's good." Zhou Qiang said a few words about home affairs and then started talking about business, "Brother Jiaxuan, something has been wrong in the county these days. I heard from people who came back from the provincial capital that the years have changed and the emperor is gone."
"What? The emperor is gone?" Bai Jiaxuan was shocked. Lu San on the side also looked surprised. They don't even know that the emperor is gone.
"Yeah, it's said to be a revolution, but I don't know what's going on.
In the place where the emperor's rations were handed over, there were a few soldiers who were arresting people and cutting their pigtails.
All the officials who used to be officials in the yamen have disappeared. "Zhou Qiang often goes to the county seat.
I saw short-haired soldiers wearing coarse military uniforms and carrying guns.
The previous officials from the Qing Dynasty's Yamen disappeared.
"What? Arrest people and cut their pigtails?" Bai Jiaxuan and Lu San looked surprised again. The braids on their heads have been ingrained for hundreds of years.
If you want to cut off your braids, it will be difficult, very difficult!
In the 21st century, many people have not cut off the braids on their heads.
"Fortunately, my pigtails have long since disappeared, and no one caught me." Zhou Qiang looked thankful, as he had shaved his head before.
"This is fine, why is the emperor gone?" Bai Jiaxuan still couldn't accept it.
"I don't know either. Brother Jiaxuan, the emperor is gone, do we still need to pay the emperor's rations?"
"Imperial rations?" Bai Jiaxuan was also a little unsure whether he should continue to hand over the imperial rations.
"Brother Jiaxuan, how about we wait and have someone go to the county to check on the situation?" Zhou Qiang knew that handing over the imperial grain now would be in vain.
"Okay, then let's wait and see what happens." Bai Jiaxuan nodded in agreement. However, he still had a confused look on his face.
His brother-in-law hasn't come back yet, and he still wants to ask his brother-in-law what to do now that the emperor is gone.
After a while.
"Sister-in-law, the fried noodles you made are so delicious." Zhou Qiang had already eaten two bowls.
"There's still some noodles. Can I get you another bowl?" Xiancao hadn't even bothered to eat yet and was waiting on the side.
"Okay, let's have another bowl." Zhou Qiang was still polite.
"Xiaoqiang, you're doing a good job in making tofu. From now on, I'll ask Third Brother to go to your place to exchange for tofu every day." Bai Jiaxuan's face was also shiny after eating.
"Okay, I'll make more in the future." Zhou Qiang's tofu is better than others, and his reputation has spread. Many people go to his house every day to exchange for tofu.
Not a few days.
Lu San went to Zhou Qiang’s house to exchange for tofu.
"Xiaoqiang, do you know that it's a shame you didn't pay the emperor's rations?"
"What's wrong?"
"Many of those who paid the emperor's rations had their pigtails cut off. Some of them ran away quickly, but the imperial rations were lost."
"What? The royal rations are lost?"
"Yes, the royal rations are lost."
"I lost this imperial ration. What should I do if the government asks me to hand over the imperial ration in a few days?"
"Isn't that what I'm saying, if I ask you to pay the emperor's food again, I won't starve to death."
"Third brother, have we lost our royal rations?"
"I haven't lost it, I haven't dared to hand it over yet."
"Then just take it slow."
"Yes, take it slow." Lu San replaced it with a large piece of tofu and went back.
The days passed.
this day.
Mr. Zhu finally came back.
Bai Jiaxuan hurriedly ran to find Mr. Zhu.
Mr. Zhu does not live in Bailu Village.
But on a slope not far from the county seat.
There is an academy here, Bailu Academy.
Mr. Zhu lives here.
"Brother-in-law, you're back." Bai Jiaxuan came running and was sweating all over.
"Back." Mr. Zhu was wearing a long gown. He was a scholar in the Qing Dynasty and a scholar. Scholars have to wear long gowns, which are different from what Bai Jiaxuan wears.
Bai Jiaxuan looked at Mr. Zhu and had a lot to say in his heart, but he didn't know what to say at the moment.
"I heard from your sister that you are married?" Mr. Zhu asked casually.
"Yes, married."
"I heard that you went to the ancestral hall on the night of your wedding?"
"Yes." Bai Jiaxuan nodded, not knowing how to explain.
"A descendant of Zhou Qiang told you a story?"
"yes."
"I heard your sister tell this story. She said it was about a young man named Zeng Aniu." Mr. Zhu roughly told the story Zhou Qiang told.
"That's right. Brother-in-law, can I burn the fairy grass to death? Can the fairy grass live forever?" Bai Jiaxuan asked what he had been worried about.
“It won’t burn to death.
How can it be burned to death?
Look at the weeds all over the place, they keep growing year after year. Mr. Zhu said with a smile.
Mr. Zhu felt that the story told by Zhou Qiang was quite good. At least it could deceive Bai Jiaxuan and the villagers, so that Bai Jiaxuan would not be entangled in the issue of 'sleep-to-death fairy grass'.
"That's good, I'm afraid of harming the fairy grass.
Brother-in-law, this woman Xiancao is pitiful.
People did not die of hunger in famine, and people did not die of disease in plague.
Don't let me die from misfortune. "This is Bai Jiaxuan's heart knot.
He didn't want to kill the ambrosia.
He feels that his life is too strong to defeat his wife, and he is afraid that the grass jelly will kill her.
"Don't worry, I won't die, my days are still long.
I heard that Zhou Qiang is only thirteen or fourteen years old? "
"Yes, he is still a half-year-old child. His parents died of illness six months ago.
At that time, Zhou Qiang almost died of illness.
Later, someone wanted to occupy Zhou Qiang's land, so I went to help take care of it. "Bai Jiaxuan helped Zhou Qiang a lot.
At that time, without Bai Jiaxuan, Zhou Qiang's fate would probably be hard to say. Of course, the premise is that Zhou Qiang is just an ordinary person.
"You should help." Mr. Zhu nodded, he was a little interested in Zhou Qiang. But he is not in a hurry to see Zhou Qiang, he can always see him in the future.
"Brother-in-law, I heard recently that the years have changed, the emperor is gone, and even his pigtails are cut off when paying for the emperor's food."
"Yes, the emperor is gone and the world has changed." Mr. Zhu looked at Chang'an City with deep eyes. He knows more about the situation outside.
Even he was surprised by the changes outside.
There are more and more foreigners coming from outside, and their influence on Daxia is also growing.
However, the people of Daxia are living less and less like human beings.
"Brother-in-law, how will we live in the future now that the emperor is gone?" Bai Jiaxuan never knew what to do now that the emperor is gone.
"Let's get through it the way it should be."
"Brother-in-law, do you still need to pay for the royal rations?"
"Sooner or later, I have to hand it over, but the name has to be changed. It won't be called Imperial Food anymore."
“It doesn’t matter what you call me, you have to pay for the food anyway.
Brother-in-law, it was our fault that we didn’t pay the emperor’s rations earlier.
I heard that several villages had lost their royal rations, and many people had their pigtails cut off. "Bai Jiaxuan looked happy.
"Braids." Mr. Zhu smiled and shook his head without saying anything.
"Brother-in-law, it would be nice if you came back, otherwise I would feel empty." Bai Jiaxuan and Mr. Zhu chatted for a while before going home.
Time passes day by day.
The large yard of Zhou Qiang's house was all used.
Greenhouse vegetables.
Small fish pond.
Bullpen.
Pigsty.
Chicken coop.
Earthworm breeding.
Compost outside the yard.
There are also tofu sheds, small wine shops, etc.
Zhou Qiang has done a lot of things.
All the crops, medicinal materials and so on in the fields that should be planted have been planted.
Zhou Qiang estimated his annual income and found that it was not bad. A few hundred dollars should be fine.
"Today's tofu has been replaced, please come early tomorrow!" Zhou Qiang's tofu has always been a bestseller.
There is an endless stream of people coming to exchange for tofu.
"Do you want to buy Tian Xiao'e in advance?" Zhou Qiang planned to find a helper.
"Xiaoqiang, why does your house still smell like alcohol?" Lu San asked. He had just replaced a large piece of tofu, which was specially reserved by Zhou Qiang.
"Third brother, I brewed some wine. Wait a minute and I'll make you a pot. You and Brother Jiaxuan can taste it when you get back." Zhou Qiang finished speaking and went to make wine.
After a while.
Zhou Qiang brought a small jar of wine.
"No, this is impossible." Lu San refused hastily.
"Why don't you do anything? If you think it tastes good, come and exchange it for wine." Zhou forced it to Lu San.
"What can I exchange for wine?"
"Anything can be exchanged, including grains, beans, mountain products, and medicinal materials." Zhou Qiang accepted everything and refused to accept anyone who came.
When he saved a lot of things at home, he sent them to the provincial capital to sell them.
Zhou Qiang has become dissatisfied with the county town recently and thinks the prices are low.
He would go to the provincial capital to buy and sell things.
Take a look at the changes outside.
"Then I'll go back and talk to the young master's family." Lu Sangang was about to leave.
At this time, Widow Li came over.
"Xiao Qiang, are you short of manpower here? I can help you change the tofu." Widow Li wanted to find a job at Zhou Qiang's place.
"No need, no need, sister-in-law." Zhou Qiang refused directly. He didn't want to have anything to do with Widow Li. As a young young man, he must not ruin his reputation, otherwise he will not be able to find a good wife.
"If you are short of manpower, just say, I don't have anything to do today, I have nothing to do." Widow Li left in no hurry.
"What has Brother Zilin been busy with lately?" Zhou Qiang suddenly asked.
"He's busy." Widow Li almost let it slip, "How would I know."
Widow Li left in a hurry.
Her relationship with Lu Zilin had been going on for a long time, and everyone in the village knew that it was exposed by Zhou Qiang in person, and Widow Li was a little embarrassed.
The day goes on.
Zhou Qiang’s little life was good.
I drink wine every day, eat tender tofu, eat meat from time to time, and make my own fried noodles. Life is beautiful.
On this day, Zhou Qiang was bored and thinking about Tian Xiao'e.
"Tian Xiao'e is still too young. I guess her father Tian Xiucai won't sell her."
"But that's not necessarily the case. It's better to take the time to go outside the customs and ask someone to ask."
"It will be a bit troublesome to go outside the customs. There may be bandits on the road."
Of course Zhou Qiang is not afraid of bandits.
However, Zhou Qiang is a half-year-old child.
A man ran outside the customs, met a bandit, and killed the bandit. This is somewhat unreasonable.
In addition, how does Zhou Qiang know about Tian Xiaoe from Tianjia Village outside Guanhai?
There is so much that cannot be explained.
Zhou Qiang still needs to think about Tian Xiao'e's matter.
I don’t know when it started, but suddenly there were many disaster victims in Bailuyuan.
Bai Jiaxuan came to Zhou Qiang's tofu stall, and Lu Zilin also came.
"Xiaoqiang, you often go to the provincial capital. Do you know why there are so many disaster victims outside? There is no disaster here." Bai Jiaxuan asked. Lu Zilin listened.
Lu Zilin still has some opinions on Zhou Qiang. Before, Zhou Qiang won a lot of money from Lu Zilin and also disturbed the birthday party.
"I know, there are Qing soldiers outside Chang'an City." When Zhou Qiang went to the provincial capital, he had already heard about the Qing soldiers.
"What? Qing soldiers?" Bai Jiaxuan looked surprised. He usually only works in the fields and doesn't care about things outside.
"Yes, I heard that the Qing soldiers are back again. Two hundred thousand Qing soldiers are going to kill all the revolutionaries."
"Revolutionary?"
"Yes, the ones with braids."
"The one who cuts the braids? It's a good thing that I didn't pay the royal ration, so our braids are still there."
"It's broken. My pigtails are gone. Will they treat me as a revolutionary and kill me?" Zhou Qiang deliberately made nonsense.
"No, you're still young." Bai Jiaxuan didn't stay long, he went to find Mr. Zhu again. He wanted to ask, is the emperor coming back outside? Are you going to pay royal rations?
Lu Zilin also followed.
Lu Zilin likes to rush to do whatever Bai Jiaxuan does.
Bai Jiaxuan's family.
Bai Bingde looked anxious and said to Zhu Bai, "Why didn't you stop him?"
Zhu Bai is Mr. Zhu's wife and Bai Jiaxuan's sister.
Just now, Bai Jiaxuan went to see Mr. Zhu.
Mr. Zhu was away and went to Chang'an City.
There were Qing soldiers outside Chang'an City. Zhu Bai was worried about Mr. Zhu and had no master, so he followed Bai Jiaxuan back to the Bai family.
"Can I stop him?" Zhu Bai asked back, and then said: "He got news in the morning that many Qing soldiers were coming here, saying they wanted to bloodbath Chang'an City.
He was so anxious that he wandered around the academy.
He said that he would go to the city to find Governor Zhang and ask him to find a way to withdraw his troops.
It didn't take long before the governor's men came looking for him.
So he went along. "
"Well, it was a scholar meeting a soldier. I can't explain why he insisted on hitting the gun." Bai Bingde was worried about his son-in-law.
"His dad, we have to stop this guy." Bai Jiaxuan's mother, Bai Zhao, was also worried about her son-in-law. I hope someone calls Mr. Zhu back.
"We should stop him." Bai Bingde nodded.
"I'll go. I'll stop my brother-in-law from coming back." Bai Jiaxuan spoke.
Most people avoid this kind of thing.
But Bai Jiaxuan is not an ordinary person. He wants to pick up Mr. Zhu.
After a while.
Lu San drove the donkey cart towards the village entrance, with Bai Jiaxuan and Xiancao walking behind.
Bai Jiaxuan is going to Chang'an City.
Xiancao looked reluctant to give up, but did not stop Bai Jiaxuan.
Xiancao is not an ordinary woman.
Village entrance.
"Okay, let's go back." Bai Jiaxuan said goodbye to Xiancao, "When we get there, grab my brother-in-law and come back."
"I'm happy." Xiancao said.
"Okay, let's go back." Bai Jiaxuan didn't hear.
"I'm pregnant." Xiancao said again.
"Yeah" Bai Jiaxuan nodded and was stunned for a moment before reacting, "What?"
"I said I was pregnant." Xiancao was pregnant.
"Really?!" Bai Jiaxuan's eyes widened and he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
"Really!" Xiancao also looked happy. In this day and age, pregnancy is a good thing.
Bai Jiaxuan was so happy that he picked up the fairy grass.
"What are you doing? It's broad daylight." A voice came over.
When Zhou Qiang came, he smiled and said, "Brother Jiaxuan, sister-in-law, what are you doing?"
"Haha, Xiaoqiang, your sister-in-law is pregnant." Bai Jiaxuan looked happy.
"What? Is your sister-in-law happy? This is a good thing. It's time to have a good meal and celebrate." Zhou Qiang also had a smile on his face.
"I can't care about celebrating now, I have to go to Chang'an City." Thinking of Mr. Zhu, Bai Jiaxuan was a little worried.
"Going to Chang'an City? This is in chaos, why do you want to go?"
"My brother-in-law went to Chang'an City and said he wanted to withdraw the Qing troops."
"What? Mr. Zhu wants to persuade 200,000 Qing soldiers to retreat?" Zhou Qiang looked surprised, "This is something that will kill your head."
"Yes, my brother-in-law doesn't want a war." Bai Jiaxuan looked worried when he heard that his head was about to fall off.
Zhou Qiang looked admiring: "Brother Jiaxuan, Mr. Zhu's move is so kind and righteous!"
"It's Renyi. However, I have to take him back."
"Shall I go with you? I've been to provincial capitals a lot, so I'm familiar with the road."
"No, third brother and I will go." Bai Jiaxuan was worried that Chang'an City was in danger and didn't want Zhou Qiang to take risks.
"There are many people and many ideas. I might be able to help if I go." Zhou Qiang said and jumped on the donkey cart driven by Lu San.
"This" Bai Jiaxuan wants to say something else.
"Let Xiao Qiang go." Xiancao felt that Zhou Qiang could be relied on at critical times and could indeed help with ideas.
"Okay." Bai Jiaxuan agreed.
"Promise me that when Ansheng comes back, you won't cause trouble outside." Xiancao whispered to Bai Jiaxuan.
"Don't worry, just grab my brother-in-law and I'll be back."
Xiancao looked at Lu San and Zhou Qiang, "Third brother, Xiaoqiang, Jiaxuan has a tough temper and doesn't know how to turn around when encountering difficulties. You two should try to persuade him."
"Hey." Lu San responded.
"Okay, sister-in-law, don't worry, I promise to look after you." Zhou Qiang also responded.
"Then I'm leaving." Bai Jiaxuan told Xiancao and jumped on the donkey cart.
"Drive!" Lu San drove off.
Xiancao watched them go away. (End of chapter)
