"Team Leader Niu!"
Niu boldly passed by with a hoe on his shoulder. He saw Mrs. Jin Hua, Han Chunmei and Ma Renli using hoes, rakes and shovels to divide the plowed land into ditches, and couldn't help but stop.
"What are you doing?" Niu Bingdao asked curiously.
"Isn't it time to plant some summer corn and soybeans? Our captain Wang asked us to plow deeply and divide the fields into ridges to avoid waterlogging due to too much rain in summer!" Ma Renli explained.
Niu DaDang looked at Ma Renli's skillful use of the hoe and couldn't help but nodded: "She looks a bit like a farmer."
Ma Renli grinned: "Aren't you studying hard with our captain?"
"Work hard and keep working!" Niu Dadan encouraged Ma Renli a few words, then left with the hoe. The weather is just right now, neither hot nor cold, so hurry up and work a little longer.
For seven or eight days, Wang Zhong and the others plowed the wheat field for the first time, and then followed Sister Jinhua and others to prepare the land, transplant the seedlings, and plant peanuts into the ground.
This is the first year that Wang Zhong's more than one acre of irrigated land and more than one acre of semi-sloping land are all intercropped, with soybeans and corn being planted together.
The villagers looked at the very different planting method in Wang Zhongdi, and naturally couldn't help but curiously inquired about it. After learning that it was an experiment, they all watched the excitement out of curiosity.
Land reform is still continuing. In addition to the original cultivated land, the remaining wasteland, barren mountains, forest land and other work teams around the village have also been gradually measured and distributed to the villagers by household and population.
Wang Zhong was allocated another five acres of forest land and more than four acres of wasteland. Most of the wasteland was gravel land, which was difficult to cultivate. The reason why the work team allocated the land to farmers was to respond to the country's call to encourage farmers. They quickly married wives and had children, preferably more children, to make up for the sharp decline in population caused by years of war and the inability of Chiang Kai-shek to escape.
In order to facilitate the work of the mutual aid group, the land assigned to each mutual aid group member is basically together.
When the autumn harvest came, Wang Zhong’s more than two acres of intercropped land, whether it was corn or soybeans, the total amount harvested was much more than planting one type alone. The team members immediately understood It was decided that next year, like Wang Zhong, we would use a combination of intercropping and rotation.
With the irrigation project and more scientific planting methods, although there is still a shortage of fertilizers, the annual grain output of several people in the second mutual aid group of Maixiang Village is indeed much higher than last year. The average output is the highest in the entire Maixiang Village.
There are fewer and fewer people coming to Wang Zhong to build windmills and threshing machines. After all, these items are not too rare and the craftsmanship is simple. Wang Zhong is also very selfless and returns the windmills and threshing machines that he has modified. The drawings with waterwheels were handed over to the work team, and the work team was asked to help submit them to the county, so that these things could be popularized faster and the people could feel more relaxed.
Another big event happened before the autumn harvest. Zhou Yihu, the captain of the work team, responded to the call and went north to join the volunteer army. Zhou Yihu also extended an invitation to Wang Zhong. After all, if a sharpshooter like Wang Zhong went to the battlefield, it would be a rare big kill. device.
However, Wang Zhong had a mission and was a little greedy for life. Now he finally got rid of the illness. He was not ready to sacrifice his life and shed blood, so he could only decline Zhou Yihu. Moreover, Wang Zhong was at home. Farming can help the villagers grow more food and support the front line.
Zhou Yihu could only say goodbye to everyone with regret and followed the troops on the train heading north.
Time soon came to 51 years.
In the past two years, the number of mutual aid groups in the village has increased to seven. All the villagers in Maixiang Village have seen the benefits of the Dier mutual aid group and have chosen to join the mutual aid group. Niu Dadan, Zhao Youtian and others also led the group members to learn from Wang Regarding their advanced experience, Wang Zhong also explained everything to the villagers patiently and meticulously, and gained a lot of reputation from the villagers through words and deeds.
With the promotion of advanced scientific planting technology, the output of the villagers' fields has indeed increased significantly. After two years of accumulation, coupled with the good weather, the villagers have gradually accumulated a lot of food in their hands. .
Wang Zhong took the lead in leading the members of the second group to raise poultry and livestock in a rational and scientific manner, collect the manure of poultry and livestock, and put it together with crop straw and kitchen waste into dug septic tanks for retting.
Every time in late autumn and early spring, when there is drought and little rain, Wang Zhong also organizes team members to dig silt by the river. The excavated silt is first sprinkled with insecticide prepared by Wang Zhong using traditional Chinese medicine, and then dried and collected. Although mud cannot be used directly as fertilizer, it can be mixed into newly reclaimed wasteland.
It is definitely not possible to grow wheat in newly reclaimed wasteland, but it does not matter for drought crops such as peanuts, corn, and sweet potatoes. The yield may not be high, but after a year, as long as you work hard, take care of it, and dig irrigation canals, you can still grow wheat. of.
Most of the emperors assigned to the villagers were on slopes far away from the village. Wang Zhong led the members of the second group to open part of the land where the canals were used for irrigation into terraced fields similar to those in the south. The remaining areas with higher terrain and water canals In places that are out of reach, depending on the geological characteristics, either fruit trees, corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts and potatoes can be planted.
Villagers from other groups saw this and followed suit. However, the population of Maixiang Village is now small, the production tools are backward, and the productivity is naturally low. Therefore, most of the wasteland is still in a state of abandonment, and the only ones that have been reclaimed by the villagers are About a third.
Just two days after the autumn harvest, Wang Zhong, Ma Renli, and Wang Wanchun were checking the conditions of several main canals along the ditch, preparing to lead people to widen and strengthen the irrigation canals after sowing this autumn.
Without cement hardening, the ditch is prone to problems, such as accumulation of dead branches and rotten leaves, accumulation of silt and blockage, or collapse after heavy rains. Various problems arise one after another.
Just when I checked not far from the entrance of the village, I saw Niu Bingdao leading the cow towards the village.
"Boldly, have you bought a cow?" Wang Wanchun greeted Niu boldly with a smile.
"Village chief, captain!" Niu Dadan also stopped: "Isn't it almost autumn plowing? Buy an ox to plow the fields, reduce the burden on the team members and promote production."
"Not bad, not bad!" Wang Wanchun nodded and said, "In the past few years, your group's harvest has been good, second only to Captain Wang and his group. You have done a very good job as a team leader."
"Brother Bold, there seems to be something wrong with your cow!" Wang Zhong looked around the cow and found that the cow's right hind leg was indeed a bit deformed.
It seems that Niu Daring is still the same as in the original plot, choosing a cheap sick cow.
"No one in our group is as capable as you. They can make money by operating windmills and threshing machines. Good cattle are too expensive, and we can't afford them!" Niu boldly said.
Wang Zhong walked back to the front, looked at the cow that he was holding boldly, and said: "Although this cow is a little lame, its eyes are good, its head is full of energy, it looks like it has a lot of energy, and its body is not bad. If you can serve it well, Working will definitely be no problem.”
"Captain Wang, do you still know how to look at animals?" Niu boldly asked curiously.
"You know something about it!" Wang Zhong said with a smile.
Niu boldly gave a thumbs up: "No wonder even Captain Zhou said you are a capable person."
"It's overrated, it's overrated. By the way, we need to start preparing for winter irrigation in advance. Let's talk to the team members someday. After the autumn sowing is over, we will find time to open the ditch together again."
"No problem!" When it comes to winter irrigation, Niu is bold and dare not neglect it.
After checking the irrigation canals and water trucks, Wang Zhong returned home without even entering. I saw someone dressed up beautifully. Qiao Yue, who was painting her eyebrows, was sitting on a small stool in her courtyard.
"Captain Wang!" Seeing Wang Zhong, he immediately stood up excitedly: "You're back!"
"Do you have a problem with me?" Wang Zhong frowned slightly. He really didn't like Qiao Yue very much.
Qiao Yue said: "Don't you have a lot of eggs at home? I would like to exchange some with you for some rice."
Wang Zhong looked at the cloth bag placed by the door, a little surprised, and said with a smile: "You want me to exchange eggs? Where did you hear that I have a lot of eggs at home?"
Qiao Yue said: "Don't you raise a dozen chickens in the backyard? Five or six of them are hens."
Wang Zhong said: "Go to Mrs. Jinhua's house and ask Mrs. Jinhua to exchange. She will definitely be willing to exchange with you."
"Sister Jinhua's house is in the west of the village. It's so close to you." Qiao Yue said.
"The key point is that I don't have any eggs for you here."
"You raise so many hens and lay eggs every morning, how could you not have any?" Qiao Yue said unwillingly.
"Why am I lying to you? I really don't have many eggs here to give you in exchange. You don't know that I have a big appetite. How can I eat enough just eating grain every day? The few chickens I raise can still lay eggs. It’s not enough for me to eat.” Wang Zhong said: “Besides, I’m not the only one raising chickens in the village, so go and ask other people.”
While he was talking, Wang Zhong had already pushed Qiao Yue out of the door and bolted the wooden door leading to the front yard passage.
Even though Qiao Yue stomped her feet in the outer courtyard and ignored her, Wang Zhong didn't want to have anything to do with this woman Qiao Yue.
Ma Renlian, who was sitting on the edge of the threshold, couldn't help laughing when he saw this scene.
The excuse for changing the eggs was really bad, and the excuse Wang Zhong gave to shirk the key was even worse.
Qiao Yue suddenly stiffened when she heard the laughter, and then she realized that there was someone behind her. She could dig out a courtyard with her embarrassed toes, and wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl in. Chong Ma Renlian smiled, said hello, and then He quickly ran back to his courtyard.
Ma Renlian looked at Qiao Yue's leaving back, then looked at the closed door of the inner courtyard, and couldn't help but shake his head.
This was not the first time that Qiao Yue was rejected by Wang Zhong, but every time he saw her, Ma Renlian couldn't help but want to laugh, but he was also surprised in his heart that such a strong young man like Wang Zhong could be so good-looking to Qiao Yue. The girl didn't think anything about it. Looking at Qiao Yue's attitude, if Wang Zhong had that intention, he would have done it long ago.
Qiao Yue returned to her room and couldn't help but spit a few times. She had run into trouble with Wang Zhong more than once, but it happened every time. Wang Zhong didn't give her the slightest chance, and Qiao Yue's enthusiasm was also suppressed. The cold water poured on it almost extinguished it.
What Qiao Yue didn't know was that the situation when she was pushed out of her home by Wang Zhong also fell into the eyes of a man who was holding a bowl of freshly cooked poached eggs and was about to come to visit her.
Ma Renli originally wanted to go in, but after hearing Ma Renlian's laughter that was a bit watchful, his legs suddenly felt as heavy as a thousand pounds and he couldn't move any further.
Within a few days, the two groups gathered together again and began plowing and fertilizing in preparation for sowing winter wheat.
Although Wang Zhong has gone through many dungeons and has hundreds of years of experience, he still doesn't know how to build an engine and can only use the most primitive oxen for farming.
Fortunately, after this summer's harvest, everyone in the second group pooled their money to buy another ox and timber, allowing Wang Zhong and Lao Ganbang to drive another ox cart. The group members also raised money to buy this cart. It is shared by all members of the second group.
"Stand still, first you have to make sure you are standing firmly, and then push the plowshare down. If one hand doesn't work, use two hands."
Wang Zhong faced Ma Renli who was pulling the plow in front, and put the ox yoke on his waist. The yoke is also called a yoke, which is a bent wood that is put on the neck of the ox. He pulled it forward while pointing to Ma Renli. Wang Zhong was strong. Like an ox, its strength is more than six times that of an ordinary person in peak condition. It can easily pull a plow without putting an ox yoke on its shoulders like ordinary people.
But Ma Renli's plow skills were too crude.
"I'm not asking you to lift the plow, I'm asking you to press the plowshare down. That's right, hold it down!"
After three years of farm work, Ma Renli's skin has darkened and his hands have become thicker. Calluses have already formed on the palms of his palms. They are completely different from those three years ago, especially when Wang Zhong and Niu Da boldly took turns beating him. In certain matters, Wang Zhong showed no mercy at all. No one else was allowed to help with the tasks assigned to Ma Renli. Ma Renli had to do it by himself. Even if Ma Renli wanted to be lazy, he had no chance.
"Yes, yes, that's it. It doesn't take much effort to speed up!"
In fact, plowing is not difficult. Ma Renli has followed him for three years and has done it several times. Lao Ganbang and Three Monkeys also taught him, but this guy's heart is not in the field.
But Wang Zhong didn't talk to him about this. He gave Ma Renli a certain amount of land to plow every day. If he couldn't finish it and delayed the autumn sowing, he would deduct part of his grain during the next summer harvest and share it equally with other people who worked harder. Team members.
Wang Zhong was not just talking, he really deducted a lot of food from Ma Renli in the first two years.
Nowadays, food is life. After Ma Renli got hurt a few times, he didn't dare to be lazy anymore.
After an autumn plowing, although Ma Renli plowed the least land, he was the most tiring. However, over the past few years, his eldest son's body has gradually become stronger, and he looks a bit like a farmer. appearance.
However, Wang Zhong patted his arm and praised him: "This performance is good, let's keep up the good work in the future! Bankers should behave like bankers, don't keep thinking about this and that."
"Isn't this what you taught me?" Ma Renli forced a smile.
"There's no need to flatter me. Doing your job well is better than anything else."
"Also, your interest in observing weather is good, keep up the good work."
"You've done well during this period. Come to my house tomorrow and have dinner and I'll give you a reward." Wang Chong said with a smile.
"Reward?" Ma Renli was very surprised: "What reward!"
"Aren't you particular about your food? I'll make you a particular one tomorrow!"
Ma Renli's eyes lit up and he swallowed subconsciously.
Why did he work so hard? In addition to being afraid that Wang Zhong would deprive him of food, he had also tasted the dishes Wang Zhong cooked. Although they were just simple stir-fried dishes, the taste was better than others, even the most ordinary ones. The same goes for steamed buns.
In the afternoon of the next day, Ma Renli couldn't wait to come to Wang Zhong's house. As soon as he entered the inner courtyard, he heard the chatter in the house. When he walked in, he found that all the members of the second group were here.
Han Chunmei and Mrs. Jinhua were cutting meat and washing vegetables. Wang Zhong stood in front of the eucalyptus board and kneaded dough. Looking at the piece of pork belly, which weighed at least two kilograms, under Han Chunmei's hand, Ma Renli couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
"What are you doing?" Ma Renli asked curiously.
"Guess!" Wang Zhong pretended to be mysterious.
Ma Renli looked at the Xianggu, day lily, minced garlic, and minced ginger that Mrs. Jinhua was cleaning. He couldn't help but look up at Wang Zhong who was kneading the dough: "Aren't you going to make noodles with soybean paste?"
"Try it later and see if it tastes like the one you had in Peiping."
"Here comes the firewood!" As he was talking, the three monkeys came in with freshly chopped firewood, pushed Ma Renli aside, and shouted: "Make way! Don't get in the way."
While the three monkeys were lighting the fire, they said, "If you have nothing to do, go to the backyard and help Lao Gan crack firewood with sticks."
"I..." Ma Renli didn't know how to refute.
"The water in the tank is almost used. Why don't brothers Renli go and pick up a few loads of water from the well?" Han Chunmei said.
"Okay! I'll go right away!" Ma Renli showed a smile on his face and rushed out immediately.
The Three Monkeys raised the fire. Han Chunmei had cut the pork belly into pieces. Wang Zhong turned the urn upside down on the eucalyptus board to wake it up. He walked to the stove, scooped out water to wash the pot, brushed it clean, and waited for the pot to dry.
He picked up the earthenware oil pot placed on the spice shelf on the wall, poured oil into the pot, and said to the three monkeys: "Look carefully, if you want to make this fried sauce, you can't have less oil, but you can't have more oil either." .”
"Bring the minced meat!"
"Brother, here it is!" The three monkeys quickly brought the chopped meat to Wang Zhong.
"For making fried sauce, it's best to use this kind of fat and lean pork belly." As he spoke, Wang Zhong poured the meat into the pot and said: "Put in the fat first, and after braiding the lard, add in Lean meat, remember to stir-fry, wait until the lean meat changes color, then add..."
Nearly half an hour, almost an hour later, a large plate of fragrant fried sauce came out of the pan. While the fried sauce was cooking, Wang Zhong rolled out the noodles and cut them out.
After the fried sauce came out of the pot, Wang Zhong added three ladles of water to the pot, put firewood under the stove, and continued to burn.
The noodles have been cooked and put in cold water in a large basin.
A large bowl of fried sauce, a small bowl of chopped green onions, a large bowl of shabu-shabu soup, and a large bowl of noodles were placed in the middle of the Eight Immortals table. In front of a few men were three bottles of unopened Baigan.
The six people in the second group sat around the table. Wang Zhong was still at the head of the table. The aroma of fried sauce filled the whole room. Everyone except Wang Zhong stared at the plate of tempting fried sauce on the Kang table. .
While Wang Zhong was opening the ceremony, two female comrades, Mrs. Jin Hua and Han Chunmei, were holding bowls of noodles from the basin and delivering them to everyone in turn.
"It has been three years since our mutual aid group was established. Although it is mainly due to God's favor and good weather every year, it is also inseparable from our concerted efforts and hard work. This summer and autumn harvests are both bumper harvests. We The per capita output of the second group is the first in the village. If it is more, we will not say anything. Next, we must guard against arrogance and impatience. We must not be arrogant and complacent. We must keep up our efforts. I hope our future will be better and better."
"I won't say too much. Everyone is eating with open stomachs today!"
"We've been hungry all day, let's eat noodles first and then drink."
"Renli, try this and see how it compares to what you had in Peiping."
Each person poured a large spoonful of fried sauce onto the noodles, and after mixing well, except for Ma Renli and Wang Zhong, the other four eagerly stuffed the noodles into their mouths.
"too delicious!"
"fragrant!"
“It smells so good!”
"Ever since I was a child, I have never eaten noodles that taste so delicious!" The three monkeys were so moved by the food that they almost shed horse urine.
Ma Renli was a little polite at first, but when he took the noodles into his mouth, his eyes immediately widened with a look of shock on his face. Then like everyone else, he quickly shoveled the noodles into his mouth, taking big gulps. Chewing.
Without him!
Two words: delicious.
"Eat slowly, don't be in a hurry."
Seeing everyone devouring their food, Wang Zhong couldn't help but smile, and poured himself a bowl of wine leisurely.
"Brother, don't drink alone! We have to offer you a bowl first!" Seeing Wang Zhonggang pouring himself wine, the three monkeys immediately put down the bowl, poured a bowl for themselves, and gave it to the old man next to him. Dry sticks were also poured into a bowl.
Ma Renli poured himself a bowl.
"Wait a minute!" Seeing the three men about to toast Wang Zhong, Jin Hua's sister-in-law stopped: "Although I am a lesbian, it's not like I can't drink. The captain will take care of us and lead us to have a good harvest." It’s been several years, and things are getting better and better. Even though I’m a woman, I still know how to be grateful, and I have to give a bowl to the captain.”
As she said this, Mrs. Jinhua had already taken the bottle of Baigan from Ma Renli, went to get a bowl from the cupboard, and poured herself a bowl.
Seeing this, Han Chunmei also took a bowl and poured a bowl.
Sister-in-law Jin Hua stood up, picked up the wine bowl, and said to Wang Zhong: "Captain, I won't say too much. It's all in the wine. I'll give you a toast."
Han Chunmei, Lao Ganbang, Three Monkeys and others also stood up and picked up their wine bowls, just like the others.
Wang Zhong also stood up, picked up the wine bowl, and said: "I have received everyone's thoughts. Let's not say any polite words. We have to go on living this day. We must continue to work together in the future to complete the production. If you do it well, your life will be better."
"Let's work together to improve production and live a good life!"
"Done!"
"Done!"
After a few words, everyone became a little excited. They brought the wine bowl to their mouths and drank it all in one gulp.
The meal brought the two groups closer together.
Having worked as a farmer in Maixiang Ridge for several years, the murderous aura accumulated in "Shuangji Town Swordsmen" and in the Return of Home Corps a few years ago has slowly dissipated.
As he experienced more and more copy worlds and his knowledge became wider and wider, Wang Zhong's pursuit was not that high. He could learn from Mr. Wuliu and spend his days picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence and leisurely seeing Nanshan. Don't have an experience.
In the past few years, in addition to practicing a few sets of boxing every night to practice weapons, Wang Zhong has practiced less on pile skills. However, the two hours of breathing and practicing Qi in the middle of the night have never fallen behind, and the Qi accumulated in his body has never failed. It also became more and more profound. Wang Zhong vaguely felt as if he had touched a bottleneck. Maybe he would be able to make a breakthrough after practicing for a few more months.
After the autumn sowing is over, you can grow some vegetables for your own consumption in the mountain land reserved by the family. The most popular thing grown in the village is radishes, because radishes can last for a long time as long as they are stored properly.
