"Auntie, I have made my request clear. I would like you to run around more. If this happens, in addition to the thank you gift given by Lao Ganbang, I will give you an extra three liters of wheat!"
"Three liters of wheat?" The matchmaker's face was full of shock. She was originally sitting on the kang, but now she stood up. She didn't believe her ears. She raised two fingers and confirmed to Wang Zhong: "Captain Wang, it's really Three liters of wheat? Don't mess with my old lady."
In fact, three liters of wheat is not much. One liter is only about one and a half kilograms, and three liters is about four or five kilograms. During the summer harvest this year, every household basically collected one or two hundred kilograms of wheat, and the harvest can be turned over. Apart from taxes and grain, there is not much left.
The flour ground from wheat is a fine grain, and people in the countryside don't eat much of it. They mostly take it to the city and exchange it for corn, sweet potatoes and other coarse grains.
Three liters of wheat can be exchanged for a lot of coarse grains, which is enough for a family to eat for several days. If there is a bad year, these three liters of wheat may be able to save a few lives.
The matchmaker's face was full of anticipation.
Wang Zhong said solemnly: "I, Wang Zhong, speak with spit and nails. As long as my aunt agrees to marry me to brother Dao, I will give you two liters of wheat with both hands. I will never be like that big head of the horse." Use that covered wheat lake to trick people."
"With what you said, Captain Wang, this marriage is all on me!"
"Auntie, there is one more thing!"
"What's going on?"
"As long as you know about the three liters of wheat, don't tell others." Wang Zhong said.
The matchmaker was stunned for a moment, then reacted: "Don't worry, your aunt is the best at keeping my mouth shut, so I won't let any third person know about it."
"Aunt! Then I'll trouble you!"
"No trouble, no trouble!"
After a while of prevarication, Wang Zhong came out of the matchmaker's house.
"Brother Chong?" As soon as Wang Zhong stepped out of the door, he heard an exclamation not far from his back.
"It's the three monkeys!" The three monkeys were dressed in cotton-padded jackets, gloves, and hats. There were several layers of straw stuffed in the shoes under their feet. They carried a fork on their shoulders and a basket on their backs.
Looking at him like this, you knew he was picking up dung: "How much dung did you pick up?"
The three monkeys looked annoyed and depressed: "When I went there, I happened to see the old donkey walking back with a dung basket and a dung rake. There was still dung for me to pick up."
"When the weather gets warmer in a while, let's dig some mud out of the river and dry it in the sun to use as fertilizer!"
"Dig silt from the river?" The three monkeys frowned: "Can the silt be used as fertilizer?"
"What, you don't believe me?"
"No way!"
"I can do whatever you say!" Three Monkeys said with a smile.
After saying that, the three monkeys suddenly realized that Wang Zhong had just come out of the door, so they curiously stretched their necks and looked into the courtyard. Although they didn't see anything, an idea flashed in their minds, and they turned to look Wang Zhong, with a smile on his face, the fire of gossip was ignited: "Brother Chong, are you planning to find a wife?"
Wang Zhong smiled mysteriously: "The secret must not be leaked." After saying that, he turned around and left.
"Brother Big Chong!" The three monkeys hurriedly caught up and walked side by side with Wang Zhong: "Whose girl have you fallen in love with? Is she handsome? How old are you?"
The curious questions of the three monkeys were gradually covered up by the whistling north wind and the heavy snow falling like goose feathers.
In the twelfth lunar month of winter, heavy snow fell, and the mountains and fields turned into a vast expanse of white.
"The scenery of the North is covered with thousands of miles of ice and thousands of miles of snow. Looking inside and outside the Great Wall, there is nothing but vastness; the rivers up and down suddenly lose their torrents. Silver snakes are dancing in the mountains, and wax figures are galloping in the mountains, wanting to compete with the gods. On a sunny day, look at the red clothes Wrapped in plain clothes, it is extremely enchanting.
There are so many beauties in the country that it attracts countless heroes to bow down. I regret that Emperor Qin and Han Wu were slightly less talented in literature; Emperor Zong of Tang and Song Dynasty were slightly less elegant. The genius of the generation, Genghis Khan, only knew how to bend his bow and shoot at the enemy. It's all gone, let's count the famous people, but let's look at the present. "
On the upper reaches of the Maixiang River, beside the large waterwheel, Wang Zhong stood by the river with a bamboo hat, the wind and snow on his head, and the earth under his feet. Looking at the snowy scenery on both sides of the Maixiang River, he couldn't help but sigh, and read out this poem composed in 36 "Qinyuan Spring·Snow"
"Good words, so appropriate for the occasion, so interesting!" Ma Renli, wearing a mandarin jacket and felt hat, strode to Wang Zhong's side with three good words in succession.
"Why are you here?" Wang Zhong did not look back, still looking at the distant scenery.
"It's snowing too much. I was thinking about asking you to come and see our big water tanker. When I arrived at your house, I found that you were not at home. I asked Ma Renlian and found out that you were already here." Ma Renli put his hands in his sleeves , with his neck curled up and his body curled up, like a monkey.
"Auspicious snow heralds a good harvest. With such heavy snow, there will definitely be a good harvest next year." Seeing that Wang Zhong didn't speak, Ma Renli sighed again.
Wang Zhong withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Ma Renli: "If you don't go out to please your sweetheart, what are you doing here to ruin the scenery?"
Ma Renli couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with Wang Zhong's words: "What kind of sweetheart, don't talk nonsense."
Wang Zhong didn't even bother to expose his poor acting skills: "As the ancients said, you should marry a virtuous wife. As you are now, people won't look down on you."
"What's wrong with me?" If it were anything else, Ma Renli would have given in, but when it came to Qiao Yue, this was his last dignity as a man.
"Then why did you invite her to join our mutual aid group and she didn't agree, but instead she was determined to follow Niu DaDa?"
"I...how do I know!" Ma Renli said.
"Qiao Yue is a pampered person with delicate skin and tender flesh. She is not as good as you. She works hard in the fields. She holds an orchid on the ridge and sings opera. She wears a scarf from autumn to spring and never leaves it behind while working. , like the kind of people who work hard?
Besides, Niu is brave, he is full of strength, is good at work, and good at camp affairs. He can do the work in Qiao Yue's field, can you? "
"I..." Ma Renli still wanted to defend himself, but he really didn't have the confidence.
Wang Zhong said disdainfully: "You can't even do the work in your own field. If you were Qiao Yue, between you and Niu DaDa, which one would you choose?"
"Although I promised your father to take care of you, you are not my son. These words are the last time I tell you. If you are a smart person, you should get rid of the unrealistic thoughts in your mind as soon as possible. Seriously, let’s live your life well first, that’s better than anything else.”
"In a few years, people will put aside their prejudices against you. Then find a wife who is honest, has good grades, works hard, and can help you. If you have a few more children, your life will not be the same. So sad.”
This is what Wang Zhong said from the bottom of his heart. Nowadays, although Ma Renli has gained a wave of fame because of the waterwheel and aqueduct, because of his identity as Ma Datou's son and the short time, people's prejudice against Ma Renli has not been completely eliminated. Fortunately, most of the people in Maixiang Village are relatively simple and have no bad intentions. Otherwise, given Ma Renli's background, he might have suffered a lot.
"Okay, it's cold outside, and you're so weak, go home and stay on the kang."
After saying that, Wang Zhong turned around and went back first. Ma Renli looked at Wang Zhong's tall back, gritted his teeth, and followed him.
Wang Zhong has already said what needs to be said. Whether he listens to it or not is Ma Renli's business. After all, Ma Renli is a mature adult who has read poetry and books. He has his own ideas, not Wang Zhong's. Marionette.
On New Year's Eve, as the first New Year after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the folks in Maixiang Village were immersed in unprecedented jubilation and joy.
Although life is still difficult nowadays, it is much better than before. Other entertainment projects cannot be arranged, but pasting couplets, setting off firecrackers, and making dumplings can still be arranged.
Early in the morning, not long after the day dawned, sporadic firecrackers were heard in the village.
During the Chinese New Year, Wang Zhong also planned to give himself a few days off to rest.
Not long after breakfast, Lao Ganbang and Three Monkeys came to Wang Chong's house.
In the study room of the east wing, in front of the desk, Lao Gan sticks and lays paper, Three Monkeys grinds ink, Wang Zhong lifts the pen and dips it in ink, and the pen moves smoothly, and in a moment, a couplet is written.
"It's beautiful, the writing is beautiful!" Three Monkeys praised sincerely.
"It does look good!" Lao Ganbang couldn't help but nod.
"Brother Big Chong, how do you pronounce these words?"
The Three Monkeys and Lao Ganbang were both born in poverty. They spent their lives digging for food in the fields. They never went to school and naturally did not know how to read.
"After a hundred years, the heaven and earth have returned to their full strength!" Wang Zhong pointed his hand from top to bottom and read word for word.
"What about the second line?" Three Monkeys asked impatiently.
Wang Chongchong winked at Lao Ganbang, who immediately put the written couplet aside and replaced it with a new piece of paper.
"This second line is: Unify peace between mountains and rivers."
"The horizontal comment is: The country is peaceful and the people are safe!"
"Unify the mountains and rivers, the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe!" Lao Ganbang nodded his head, looking satisfied with his comments, "It sounds quite impressive."
"The momentum is enough, but a little less festive." Three Monkeys said with a shy smile: "Brother, can you write me something more festive!"
"Ignorance!" This kid obviously didn't take notice of this painting. Wang Zhong glanced at him sideways and said, "We put up lanterns and colorful decorations to welcome the new year and celebrate the festival with joy. How about this couplet?"
"This is good! This is good!" The three monkeys almost burst into laughter.
Wang Zhong shook his head, picked up his pen and wrote down this couplet. The horizontal line was simple and popular, with only the words "Celebrate the Spring Festival". The three monkeys liked it very much.
The stick for Lao Gan is: Good fortune always shines on a safe house, good times always come to a happy home, and the horizontal comment says Sanyang Kaitai.
Ma Renlian in the front yard and Niu Dangdao in the side yard saw Lao Ganbang and Three Monkeys going out happily with the couplets they had just written. Ma Renlian took a plate of steamed buns, and Niu Dangdao brought a bowl of dumplings. , one person asked Wang Zhong for a couplet, and looking at the big characters with flying dragons and phoenixes, their faces were also full of smiles.
"Bold brother, post the couplet!"
Niu DaDang had just set up the ladder to scrape the lake on the opposite side and was about to climb up the ladder to stick it on. Suddenly, Qiao Yue's voice came from the door of the courtyard.
"It's Qiao Yue! What's wrong? What's the matter?" Niu boldly turned his head and took a look and continued to climb the ladder.
Qiao Yue hurriedly trotted to the edge of the ladder and helped Niu Daudao hold the ladder: "It's okay, just take a stroll."
"Where did this couplet come from? The handwriting is pretty good!" Qiao Yue could barely be considered a half-literate person. Although she didn't have much ability, she knew a little bit.
"Spring is everywhere, and this couplet is not bad either."
"Not bad! The second line is: Thousands of rivers and mountains are all shining brightly, and the horizontal line is: Everything is renewed." Niu Dadan showed a smile on his face and said with emotion: "It was written by Wang Dashong. He wrote several copies, and I fell in love with this one. "
"Written by Wang Chong?" Qiao Yue was stunned: "Is his handwriting so good?"
"It's very good, upright, and good-looking!"
The couplets Wang Zhong wrote to everyone were all written in regular script, with regular and elegant fonts.
These large characters are different from small regular characters. Those who can write small regular characters well may not be able to write large characters well. Looking at the flying and dancing brushwork and the strong and powerful skeleton, without a lot of hard practice, you will never be able to write such characters.
It's a pity that Qiao Yue is only a dabbler. After all, he is just an actor. If it were Ma Renli, he might still be able to see some clues.
After helping Niu DaBang put up the couplets, Qiao Yue did not stay. She said a few words to Niu DaBang and then left. As they walked, they went to the inner courtyard by accident.
】
"Is anyone home?" Qiao Yue shouted at the top of her lungs as soon as she entered the courtyard.
"It's inside the house! The door is unlocked, come in by yourself!"
The sound came from the east wing. Qiao Yue walked to the south room of the east wing, opened the door and walked inside.
"It's Qiao Yue! What do you want from me?"
Qiao Yue closed the door behind her back: "I can't find you if nothing happens!"
Qiao Yue pursed her lips, nodded and walked towards the kang with a smile, and gave Wang Zhong a wink.
"It's such a cold day, why did you come to the side room without waiting for the big kang in the main room?" Qiao Yue walked to the kang and sat on it with her buttocks. She immediately jumped up in shock and exclaimed: "Oh, why is this kang still cold? You're not afraid of freezing."
Wang Zhongdao: "I am young, my body is strong and I can resist freezing."
Hearing this, Qiao Yue couldn't help but look up and down at the tall figure sitting cross-legged on the kang with his back to the window. She couldn't help biting her lower lip and said, "You are a person. I care about you."
"I appreciate your kindness, but it's really not necessary. If you have this free time, you might as well pay more attention to Niu Daudao. He helps you a lot on weekdays. If it weren't for him, you would have been hungry this year."
Qiao Yue didn't take it seriously: "Brother Daring really takes good care of me..."
"Wang Zhong! Are you at home?"
Before Qiao Yue finished speaking, Ma Renli's voice suddenly came from outside.
"Here!" Wang called back.
Immediately, the sound of footsteps getting closer and closer came from outside the door. Along with the sound of the door opening, there was also Ma Renli's voice: "Why can't you stay in the main house and come to the east wing?"
As soon as Ma Renli finished speaking, he saw Qiao Yue sitting by the kang.
Wearing a floral cotton-padded jacket, he still has the same short, shoulder-length hair, which is smooth and smooth. He has obviously taken care of it every day. His face is clean and his eyebrows are picturesque. Compared with his youth, there is not much change. The red hair around his neck is still the same. The scarf was given by Ma Renli back then.
"Qiao Yue?" Ma Renli was surprised when he saw Qiao Yue: "Why are you here?"
"Why can't I be here?" Qiao Yue replied.
"That's not what I meant!" Ma Renli quickly explained.
"I came to Wang Zhong to ask for a couplet, what are you doing here?" Qiao Yue now kept a distance from Ma Renli, for fear that others would associate her with Ma Renli.
"I plan to go to the county town and come here to ask Wang Zhong if he wants to go together!"
"Go, why don't you go!" Wang Zhong asked: "You go to Mrs. Jinhua's place to bring the cow back, and I'll go to the backyard to push the car out."
There is also a backyard at the back of the inner courtyard. It used to be where the farm workers worked and the livestock sheds were used. The woodshed, pig pens, chicken pens and duck coops were all in the back. Now it is divided into two parts. The west part was originally used for chickens. The duck pen house was allocated to Niu Daudao. The east side is the woodshed, pig pen and cow shed. Because it is right behind Wang Zhong’s main house, it was allocated to Wang Zhong. There is a side road from the west of the main house. You can go there.
Wang Zhong was about to go out, so Qiao Yue naturally couldn't stay any longer. However, when she heard that the two of them were going to the county town, Qiao Yue immediately became interested.
"Captain Wang, can you take me with you?" Qiao Yue said, "I also want to go to the county town to buy some things."
"No problem!" Before Wang Zhong could speak, Ma Renli agreed on Wang Zhong's behalf.
Seriously, another licking dog.
Wang Zhong shook his head and said nothing. It was useless to say anything. Wang Zhong had already said what needed to be said before.
The next day, on the morning of the first day of the new year, just after breakfast, people came over one after another to wish Wang Zhong New Year. With the incident of the Homecoming Regiment, the construction of windmills and threshing machines, and the successful completion of the first and second stages of water conservancy irrigation. , the winter wheat that the villagers had worked so hard to plant no longer had to worry about irrigation in winter and spring. With accumulation time after time, Wang Zhong’s prestige in the hearts of the villagers naturally became higher and higher.
Especially in recent times, village chiefs and party secretaries from all over the country have come to visit Wang Zhong one after another, asking for advice and learning experience in water conservancy irrigation, and asking Wang Zhong to help build windmills and threshing machines.
In the hearts of the villagers in Maixiang Village, Wang Zhong has become a figure like Zhou Yihu.
Wang Zhong was naturally happy to hear about this situation, otherwise, he wouldn't have worked so hard.
After all, the main mission given by the system is to change the fate of everyone in Maixiang Village as much as possible and avoid those regrettable tragedies.
Wang Zhong already had preliminary plans in mind, but if he wanted to realize these plans, the first step was to expand his reputation as much as possible, and it could not just be limited to Maixiang Village.
On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the matchmaker came to Wang Zhong happily and congratulated Wang Zhong.
"Aunt, it's not me who asked someone to marry me, so why are you congratulating me?" Wang Zhong gestured in the direction of Lao Ganbang: "The person you should congratulate is over there!"
"Aunt, sit in the room and drink some hot water to warm your stomach first." Wang Zhong welcomed the person into the main room, sat on the kang, and poured a bowl of hot water.
Lao Ganbang grinned. Although he was a little embarrassed, he was more expectant: "Auntie, is there any news?"
That was a daughter-in-law, something that Lao Ganbang would not even dare to think about in the past ten years.
The matchmaker took a sip of water and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, you will definitely be satisfied with this this time."
Years ago, the matchmaker also introduced a girl to Lao Ganbang, and she agreed at first. But when Wang Zhong and Lao Ganbang came to see her, the girl was also pretty, only eighteen years old, and she looked like a flower. At that age, the girl's parents originally agreed, but when the girl saw that Lao Ganbang was older, not tall, and not good-looking, she was unhappy.
No matter what her parents said, the girl just refused to let go. When it comes to getting married, what matters is your will. After all, the couple will still live together in the future. He didn't know how things would turn out, but Lao Ganbang didn't want to force the girl, let alone embarrass his parents, so he simply used the matchmaker to refuse the matter.
"Which girl is she from?" Lao Ganbang asked impatiently.
"She is the second girl from Han Laosi's family in Jixian Town. Her name is Han Chunmei. She is twenty-two years old this year. She has a decent appearance. She does laundry, cooking, and tidying up the house. She does sewing and mending. She also works in the fields. Good hands."
"How can such a good girl like me?" Lao Ganbang said without confidence.
"Auntie, if this girl is as good as you say, anyone who comes to her house to propose marriage will have to break down the threshold of her house." Wang Zhong said.
The matchmaker said: "Who says it's not the case? Before, people might not have thought highly of Lao Ganbang, but it's different now. Han Laosi has six children, two girls and four sons. His eldest son last year They just got married, and now their second son and third son have reached the age of proposing marriage. However, the fields were just divided into households last year. The fourth Han family has a large population, so there is not much food left in the family. Now the whole family is working for the second and third sons of his family. I’m worried about the bride price.”
"Lao Ganbang is indeed not young, but the betrothal gift is so high. Ten liters of wheat, ten eggs, three feet of flower cloth. Such a thick betrothal gift. I have been a matchmaker for most of my life. In our villagers' house, This is the first time I’ve seen you inside.”
"Then let's find some time. Auntie will take Lao Ganbang to visit the girl's house. Let's meet her first and then talk about it!"
"No problem, you can do it anytime!" the matchmaker assured, patting her chest.
"How about tomorrow?" Looking at Lao Ganbang's eager look, Wang Zhong suggested.
"Sure! Then tomorrow, we'll go there early tomorrow morning."
The next day, when Lao Ganbang came back, the smile on his face never broke.
"Is it done?" Wang Zhong asked.
"It's done!" Lao Ganbang said happily.
"When is the date set?"
"Booked on the day of eighteen."
"So fast?" Wang Zhong was a little surprised. It was already the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, and it was only nine days before the eighteenth.
"Is it your future father-in-law who is anxious to find a wife for your two future brothers-in-law? Is he afraid that you will change your mind and regret it?" Wang Zhong guessed.
Lao Ganbang smiled and didn't defend himself.
Wang Zhong: "Have you told your second grandfather about this?"
Lao Ganbang shook his head and said: "Not yet, I'm going to talk to the second grandpa right now!"
The news that Lao Ganbang used ten liters of wheat as a betrothal gift that day spread throughout Maixiang Village in an instant, causing quite a stir. The three monkeys and the three monkeys had always been on good terms with Lao Ganbang. , came to Lao Ganbang one after another to confirm the news.
Everyone started to help Lao Ganbang arrange the marriage. Of course, Lao Ganbang didn't have the ability to arrange a banquet and arrange a big deal. Nowadays, every family's life is very tight. Although Lao Ganbang has some food in his hand, he only needs the betrothal gift. Most of them were eaten, but there wasn’t much left. Moreover, after getting married, his family would have one more mouth to eat. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the summer harvest. He changed the wheat at home to whole grains such as rice and sweet potatoes, and he should eat it until the summer harvest. There's still a little left.
