"Last year's harvest was not good, and now we have to collect grain again. How can we survive?"
On the edge of a farmland, a farmer with dark skin, wrinkles, and dry and calloused hands squatted on the snow-covered field and sighed.
Just now, the village chief sent people to talk to each house.
Between the lines is nothing more than asking for food.
The old farmer doesn't understand any big principles. He just wants to have enough food for his whole family.
However, there was no food to eat. There were two food levies around last year, and the second son of the family was taken away from the army, leaving only the young grandson and daughter-in-law.
Although there were two grain requisitions last year, the season was good, and at least I could survive on the wild vegetables in the fields. But now, under the heavy snow, it is hard to find food anywhere, and the last remaining grain in the house has been taken away.
This old farmer, who is responsible for the livelihood of his family, is now as stooped as an ant in the field.
"Second uncle, why are you here?"
There was a sound from behind, and the old farmer looked back. It was his eldest brother's second son. He often ran away. He heard that he had done some business and his family was gradually getting better.
"Hei Niu, are you back today?"
The old farmer wiped the water droplets from his face, stood up and smiled.
"It's pretty good. He's much stronger and looks more stable. He's much better than that boy of mine."
Hei Niu hummed. He had just returned from the car and saw a familiar figure in the field, so he got out of the car and came to take a look. Unexpectedly, it was his second uncle.
"Why did my second uncle come to the fields in such a cold weather?"
"Nothing, nothing, I just want to see if the ground has thawed. It's February, so it's time to plow the land. Why is the black cow coming back this time?"
"I'm coming back to see you. I heard that Shitou has joined the army and Brother Tieshu is injured again. I plan to come back to see my second uncle and give you some food."
"Did you bring food back?"
The old farmer's expression changed.
Hei Niu nodded, a little confused.
"Hide it quickly. There is a grain official in the village. If you take it out at this time, you will definitely be taken away."
Hei Niu's expression changed: "Didn't we already collect taxes last year? And we also paid the taxes!"
"How did I know this? When they said they were going to fight, they asked us to provide them with food. If we didn't, they would drag people to do corvee labor. Alas."
The old farmer let out a long sigh.
Hei Niu's expression changed again and again, and finally nodded, and asked the old farmer to hide the grain he brought back in the snow and cover it with white snow.
Back in the village, I could see the gloomy clouds. Sanshi Village, a small village in Dongjun, has only two hundred households and less than a thousand people.
At this moment, almost every household in Sanshi Village could hear weeping. Hei Niu and the old farmer returned to the village. His hands were clenched into fists, and his knuckles turned white.
Return home.
The old man was no different from the villagers outside, with a gloomy look on his face. It seemed that the situation at home was not good either. He said that he had sent money home a lot over the years, but why was he still in such a miserable state.
"Grandpa."
Hei Niu knelt on the ground and kowtowed to his father.
"Oh, it's good to be back. It's good to be back."
The cow's father stepped forward and helped the black cow up, murmuring.
"Grandpa, I have sent a lot of money to my family in the past two years. Why..."
Before he finished speaking, Hei Niu couldn't explain it too clearly, as it would hurt his father's majesty.
"Well, without corvee, poll tax, land tax, and some taxes I don't understand, as well as several grain levies, your money is basically only seven or eight.
Our family is still good, at least we still have food. You didn't go to your second uncle's house. They have a harder time than us. "
"My child has already met his second uncle."
Black Bull's fists clenched tighter.
"This life is so difficult."
Father Niu's voice was extremely hoarse, and his deep-set eyes were filled with confusion.
"Father, please rest. The child is back. Let's go visit grandma first."
"Well, go ahead, your mother is at the loom."
Hei Niu walked towards the back room. He was very familiar with the dim and unlit corridor.
Haloxylon click.
Haloxylon click.
Before he got close, Heiniu heard the familiar sound of the loom.
That was the voice that lingered in his ears since childhood. Looking back on the past, Hei Niu was surprised to find that his mother seemed to have grown up on that stool and he had never seen her go anywhere else.
Da da.
The sound of the loom stopped.
The familiar voice of Black Bull sounded in the room.
"The cow is back?"
"It's me, Aniang."
Hei Niu opened the door, and in the dark and cold room there was only the light coming from the window.
The window was open, making it even colder in this cold day.
"I'm darker and thinner. I must be suffering outside."
The Black Cow Mother took the Black Cow and caressed his cheek.
"The child is not miserable. The child has a group of good brothers who take good care of the child."
Compared to what he was doing, Hei Niu looked at his mother with wrinkles on her face and her heavy fatigue, and the fire in Hei Niu's heart burned even hotter.
Yes, the things I do are indeed tiring, but at least I can see hope and live a life full of progress, but what about my family?
First there was the second uncle. His skinny appearance made even Hei Niu, who was used to seeing slaves, tremble in his heart.
Grandpa is also much older, and grandma’s back is even more rickety.
It can't be like this anymore, it can't be like this anymore.
If you want to leave, the whole family must leave!
"Grandma, please stop being busy. Close the window and take a rest. I'll go find Grandpa to discuss something."
Letting go of his mother's hand, Hei Niu stood up and walked out.
But when he walked out of the door, the familiar clicking sound of Haloxylon ammodendron was heard in the room again.
"well."
With a silent sigh, Black Bull returned to the outhouse.
"Grandpa."
Quickly walking to his father's side, Hei Niu knelt down and grabbed his father's hand tightly.
"What's wrong?"
Niu's father looked at Hei Niu with some confusion.
Hei Niu choked up and said: "Grandpa, you, my mother, and my brother can come with me. I have made a living. I have about twenty acres of land outside. There is no tax. I can have a lot of surplus food a year. You Come with me, brother, and help me take care of the fields."
"What are you talking about? How to leave? If we leave, we will no longer be citizens, we will become gangsters. This is called running away!"
"Grandpa, I just want us to escape!"
"Grandpa, I promise, if we escape, we will live a better life. We will be able to eat well and have surplus food. My eldest brother's children will also have the opportunity to go to school and become literate and educated people."
"Grandpa, my child hasn't asked you for anything in so many years, just listen to me for once! Okay?"
Looking at Hei Niu's pleading and extremely determined eyes, Niu's father sighed inwardly. Thinking of the money he had sent back from time to time in the past two years, he seemed to know something.
Nodding: "Okay."
Hei Niu's face was ecstatic, but the next moment, he was stunned again.
"But how can we escape?"
"Ten Miles and a Pavilion, kid, once you are caught, our whole family will be sent away."
"I'll figure it out!"
Heiniu's face was firm. As a Wuhuan spy for two and a half years, he still had some tricks up his sleeve!
(End of chapter)
