Zhu Nao

"The village master is back!"

Yu Ping was imagining the day when Yu Changming was pushed down by the wall and everyone pushed him, when he heard shouts from down the mountain, his brows twitched.

This time Yu Changming went down the mountain, although Yu Ping didn't know exactly what he was going to do, but he could guess roughly - Yu Changming probably went to find a way to raise money or food.His gloomy and gloomy appearance before he went down the mountain is simply unbearable to watch.However, Yu Ping was very pessimistic about whether Yu Changming could raise money and food for his trip.

How could it be possible to get so many things without robbing them these days?

Yu Ping changed his mind, turned to Sun Datou and Feng Dazui and said, "Come on, let's go and have a look."

The three turned their heads and walked down the mountain.

Walking to Pingdi, I saw that almost half of the people in the cottage were here. People were chattering and laughing, and their joy could be felt from afar.

Yu Ping and the others were a little confused.Yu Changming is well received, but he hasn't been out for long, so people won't be so happy when he comes back, right?

People were discussing excitedly, and Yu Ping vaguely heard words such as "grain" and "money" from people's words. He couldn't help but be surprised, and immediately pushed through the crowd and got in.

The ground is already piled full of goods.Yu Ping was startled, and ran over to lift the lid of a basket, which turned out to be a basket full of millet!He was dumbfounded, and immediately lifted the lid of another basket, and to his surprise, there was a huge salted pork leg inside!

He couldn't believe his eyes: "What is this? Where did it come from?"

"Second village master, this is brought back by the village master. I heard that there are still under the mountain."

As soon as the words were spoken, a group of people came up with poles, put down their things and immediately turned back down the mountain to pick up the next batch of goods.

"Where did my brother get these things??"

The villager replied happily: "I heard that Zhu Zhuang from the bottom of the mountain knew that we were short of food for the winter, and thanked us for helping him plow the land last time, so he specially gave it to the village owner. Zhu Zhu is really a good man."

Yu Ping: "..."

How could there be such a person in the world? ?Are you sick? ?

Not long after, the people from Changming Village came up with the last batch of goods, and Yu Changming followed.Yu Ping was about to go forward to ask what happened, but everyone rushed up and surrounded Yu Changming in an instant, leaving Yu Ping with nowhere to stay and could only watch helplessly outside.

Yu Ping didn't squeeze in, but Lu Qiuyu did.He jumped to Yu Changming's side very flexibly, and asked, "Master Zhu, are these all sent by Zhu Zhuang?"

Yu Changming said, "Yes."

Lu Qiuyu didn't understand: "Why did Zhu Zhuang send us so much food?"

Yu Changming said: "I negotiated a few deals with him. From then on, we will no longer collect money when his caravan passes by; and when the farming season is busy, I will send some people to his farm to help; For some mining, we also have to share the profits with him.”

Lu Qiuyu looked confused.Apart from him, many villagers around him were also confused.They are all from peasant households, they don't have much experience, and they don't know how to do business.Anyway, since the last time when Zhu Nao paid to hire people from Changming Village to help the farmers, they had a very good impression of Jun Nao.The food delivered further convinced them that Jun Nao was a very kind person, a very kind person.

It wasn't too early when Yu Changming came back, and he was surrounded by people chattering for a long time.Seeing that it was getting late.Yu Changming hurriedly asked everyone to put the grain into the granary, so as not to have time to pack it up after dark.

After the crowd dispersed, Yu Ping found a chance to join Yu Changming.

"elder brother……"

Before he could speak, Yu Changming yawned big.

"Let's talk tomorrow if you have anything to say." Yu Changming looked tired, "I'll go back and rest first. "

After finishing speaking, he entered the house, leaving Yu Ping dumbfounded at the food all over the floor.

……

In the morning of the next day, Yu Ping walked to Yu Changming's door, opened the door and saw that it was empty inside.He turned around and asked the female relatives who were weaving nearby: "Where is the master of the village?"

The female family member said: "The village owner said that today he is going to pick up the guests at the foot of the mountain, and he went out early in the morning."

Yu Ping was taken aback: "Pick up the guest? Who is it?"

The female relative shook her head: "I don't know."

Yu Ping frowned.What kind of medicine is sold in Yu Changming's gourd?

Sun Datou noticed that Yu Ping seemed a little anxious, so he quickly comforted him: "Second village master, don't worry. Even if the village supervisor, surnamed Zhu, comes back with some food, he can't save tomorrow if he can save today. As long as the village master continues to raise such a What a waste, sooner or later I will still sit and eat."

Feng Dazui echoed repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes. You can save today, but you can't save tomorrow!"

Both of them are lonely and widowed, neither married nor had children before they fell into the grass.After becoming a bandit, it is even more difficult to marry a wife.Therefore, the two of them saw other people in the village enjoying themselves happily, and they felt jealous.Furthermore, there was a shortage of food in the village. They couldn't eat enough for themselves, and they had to watch the food being distributed to the elderly and children of other people's families. Naturally, they were upset.These emotions turned into dissatisfaction with Yu Changming, which in turn turned into support for Yu Ping.

Yu Ping left angrily.

After a few hours, the assembly bell rang in the village.Yu Ping was taking a nap when he was woken up by the sound of the bell, so he got up angrily and went out.

The grounds were already crowded with people, and Yu Changming stood on the raised platform with a white-haired old man beside him.The old man has a very strange face, he is not from the village.

There are very few outsiders in Changming Village, and all the villagers gathered at this moment are very at a loss, discussing in whispers what the old man's background is.

Yu Changming looked around and saw that there were not many people here, so he said loudly: "From today, all the men in the village who are over 15 years old and under 50 years old will be organized into two teams. One team will gather at the back mountain from Chen to noon every day; The team gathers at Houshan every day from noon to Shenshi. Mr. Zhao will lead you to dig the salt well.”

The crowd erupted instantly!

Yu Ping was also full of astonishment, looking at Yu Changming on the high platform in disbelief.what's the situation? ?Digging a salt well? ? ?

Digging salt wells is no easy task.The so-called salt wells are not like ordinary water wells, but large deep wells, which need to be dug down to a depth of several tens of feet and drilled through rocks to obtain brine.Take the brine and pour it in the field to dry, and several catties of coarse salt can be precipitated every day.If the brine is pure and clean, it can be eaten directly after drying.If the brine is dirty, it needs to go through some purification processes.Such a complicated process requires the joint efforts of many people, so often only the government has the ability to organize mining.

Central Shu was originally a land of salt production. As early as the former dynasty, there were many salt wells in Central Shu.However, with the passage of time, those salt wells gradually became dilapidated.Due to the laziness of the government and the management of the salt industry, there are fewer and fewer people who know how to know the water veins and drill salt wells.As a result, the price of salt soared, and the people began to lack salt again.

And the old man standing next to Yu Changming right now is a rare person nowadays who knows how to know the veins of water and the art of digging salt wells.In fact, Zhu Nao had known for a long time that there were some abandoned ancient salt wells near Longcheng Mountain, and also suspected that Changming Village should be able to produce salt, so he found Mr. Zhao a long time ago.After Yu Changming agreed, he sent Zhao Lai up the mountain to find salt.

In the morning, Yu Changming took Mr. Zhao to see the cracks in the rocks where brine seeped out, and then took Mr. Zhao for a walk around the back mountain.Mr. Zhao had a sharp eye, and he found the place right away, saying that there must be brine in the excavation.

This is a big project and it will take some time to complete.Fortunately, Changming Village has recruited a large number of laborers, and Zhu Nao has provided them with enough food, so they don't need to worry about food, so they can concentrate their efforts to quickly dig out the salt well.

Someone asked: "Master, why do we dig salt wells?"

"To get salt and sell salt." Yu Changming said, "With salt, we can exchange enough food."

No one does not know the value of salt, but they can't believe this sudden news.

Another person asked: "Village Master, can we really open a salt well in the back mountain?"

Yu Changming said: "Old Zhao said yes, I believe him."

The crowd gradually recovered from the shock and became excited. They knew that brine would seep out of the cracks in the back mountain rocks, but the amount was very small, barely enough for the people on the mountain to eat.Since the number of people in the cottage has increased, the amount of salt available to everyone has become less and less, and the food has become more and more bland.But now it is suddenly said that salt wells can be dug, not only will they have enough salt to eat in the future, but they can also sell it.

——That's salt!Salt! !

Someone said worriedly: "Master, but selling private salt is against the law."

Yu Changming gave him a funny look, but didn't answer.

Immediately someone next to the man asked him: "Breaking the law? Isn't it breaking the law if you are a bandit?"

The person who asked the question was stunned, thought for a while, and said, "Yes."

For a moment, everyone on the mountain was immersed in sudden joy and excitement.Even Sun Datou and Feng Dazui were very happy.If they really have money, they will not have to worry about eating enough, and they can also wear cotton-padded clothes!

On the entire mountain, the only unhappy person was probably Yu Ping.How many years will it be enough for them to eat if the salt wells are really produced?How much prestige should be added to Yu Changming? !Is it possible that in the future this Changming Village will really follow Yu Changming's benevolence and righteousness forever? !

No one cared how unhappy he was.Yu Changming acted resolutely, and the men had already started registering as teams, and decided on the order of their work in the future.

……

In a blink of an eye, it is the beginning of spring, and the weather is gradually getting warmer.

Wang Bozheng and Wang Zhongqi were sowing the plow in the field when they suddenly heard someone calling their names in the distance: "Bozheng, Zhongqi!"

The two brothers turned their heads to look, and said happily: "Lu Qiuyu!"

Lu Qiuyu ran to the edge of the field, rolled up his trouser legs, and walked into the field with a handful of farm tools: "I'll help you."

Wang Bozheng asked curiously, "Brother Lu, don't you need to be busy with your own fields?"

Lu Qiuyu said: "It's okay, it's my turn to rest today, someone else will do the work."

The Wang brothers looked at each other, a little strangely.The spring plowing season is the busiest time for farmers, and their brothers are busy from morning to night every day, how does Lu Qiuyu have time to rest?

They looked at Lu Qiuyu not only with jealousy, but with sympathy - the lack of work meant that he had few fields, and that his harvest was also small!He must have not met a good landlord, what a pity.

In fact, Lu Qiuyu is not idle.The people in Changmingzhai dug a salt well all winter. Because of the large number of people, they worked very efficiently. Now the salt well has begun to take shape, and brine will seep from the bottom.In a short time, the first salt well will be completed!

Not only the salt wells need to be repaired, but the people on the mountain are still busy planting tea fields during the spring plowing season.In fact, Lu Qiuyu has been busy for a long time and has not rested. It is rare for him to have a day off today.He couldn't stay idle, so he came to the farm and offered to help the brothers of the Wang family.

The three of them were chatting when they suddenly saw someone walking nearby.Uncle Wang turned his head and saw that it was Shi San.

"Brother Shi, here we come." Uncle Wang greeted him, "How is sister-in-law?"

Shi San blushed: "It's much better. I walked around the yard this morning."

"Wow, sister-in-law can go to the ground now?"

Shi San grinned to the corner of his mouth: "Yes. Thanks to the owner, I really don't know how to repay him."

"We have planted the land well, and this autumn's bountiful harvest is our reward to the owner," Wang Bozheng said, "When we finish our work here, we will come to help you."

Since the doctor came to the farm to see Zhou's doctor and prescribed medicine, Zhou's condition has gradually improved.When Shi San took care of her, he also came to work in the field when he was free.The tenants knew the situation of his family and were very helpful. You can help a little today, and I will help a little tomorrow, so the progress of Shi San's leased land is not much slower than others. "

Wang Zhongqi said: "Brother Yu, please go and help Brother Shi, we can just come here by ourselves."

Lu Qiuyu has a good relationship with the Wang family brothers, and I heard them talk about their neighbor Shi San.Shi San is a poor man. His wife is seriously ill, his family is bankrupt, his relatives have fled, and his flesh and blood are separated.And all the suffering he encountered can be attributed to one reason-the bandit scourge.

As a bandit, Lu Qiuyu felt extremely guilty when he heard this story, wishing he could dig a crack in the ground and sneak in.

Without saying a word, he plunged into Shi San's field and began to work frantically.

Shi San was frightened by Lu Qiuyu's posture, and hurriedly followed suit.

After a while, Shi San plowed one acre of land by himself, and when he looked up, Lu Qiuyu had already plowed two mu of land for him!

Shi San was dumbfounded, and praised: "Brother Lu, you are such a good person, you are so diligent in helping others."

Lu Qiuyu broke out in a cold sweat when he was hit by the word "good guy", and continued to work crazily.

Shi San saw that he was working so hard, so he couldn't be lazy, otherwise he would feel embarrassed.So he also speeded up and worked hard.

The brothers of the Wang family who were not far from them were a little tired after working for a while. When they looked up, they found that the people in the next field were working as if they had been beaten to death.

Brother Wang: "..."

This kind of thing is contagious, and it is easy to arouse people's enthusiasm for life.The latecomers are almost catching up with their work progress, how can this work?So the two brothers didn't rest anymore, and stepped up their efforts.

Before long, the land was almost plowed.Shi San walked to the edge of the field and sat down, and greeted Lu Qiuyu: "Brother Lu, come and have a drink and rest."

Lu Qiuyu was really tired and thirsty, so he walked to the edge of Shi San and sat down.

Shi San chatted casually with him: "I heard from their brothers that you are also a farmer nearby?"

Lu Qiuyu said dryly: "Yes, yes."

Shi San said with concern: "Oh, then you must be careful of bandits. The bandits around here are particularly vicious."

Lu Qiuyu: "..."

He didn't dare to talk about it, so he changed the subject dryly: "You Zhu Zhuangzhu is really a generous person."

Shi San hurriedly said: "Yes, he is really generous. If it weren't for him, we would have been killed by bandits."

Lu Qiuyu: "..."

He laughed dryly and said, "It's quite warm today."

Shi San nodded: "It's spring, and the weather is finally warm. It's really strange that the bandits haven't come here all winter?"

Lu Qiuyu: "..." There is no way to talk today!

"Brother Lu." Shi San wondered, "Why are you sweating? Are you uncomfortable?"

Lu Qiuyu wants to cry but has no tears.Well, let's work quickly!

Without saying a word, he plunged into the field again and got busy.