"You old man, just take it if I give it to you. Does our Master Chu need this string of coins? Tell us everything you know. Our Master is an all-knowing person. If he is in a good mood, he can let your whole village eat white rice every day." Lu Bing scolded softly from the side.

"Then I'll take it. Dalang and Erlang, you can do the farm work tomorrow. Take the money home and ask your mother to prepare something delicious for the young masters. I'll also cook the pheasants and rabbits I hunted last time. I won't sell them."

The people of ancient times were very simple, just as described in the poem, "Don't laugh at the muddy wine of the farmers; in a good year there are enough chickens and pigs to entertain guests. Mountains and rivers are so steep that you may think there is no way out, but when you bend the willows and see the flowers, you will find another village. Flutes and drums follow the approaching Spring Festival, and people dress simply, preserving the ancient style. From now on, if I am allowed to ride the moon at my leisure, I will lean on my cane and knock on your door at any time of the night."

Zhao Huan didn't refuse. Firstly, Old Man Li was already nervous about accepting the money, and he wouldn't feel comfortable if he didn't entertain him. Secondly, Zhao Huan also wanted to understand the real living conditions of the Ming people. Poverty and hardship were inevitable, and it all depended on the degree of poverty.

Old man Li led the way in front, and Zhao Huan, Lu Bing, and Xiao Asi followed behind, walking towards the Wuding River that runs through Taiping Village.

The road conditions near the village have improved. Although it is still bumpy and uneven, it is no longer overgrown with weeds.

With the help of Old Man Li's generous explanation, Zhao Huan got a general understanding of Taiping Village, the village at the foot of the West Mountain.

Taiping Village is really peaceful. Because it is close to Beijing, it has not experienced any war in the past two hundred years.

Taiping Village has 344 households, who primarily rely on farming and hunting for herbs. Savvy villagers collect pheasants, ducks, and herbs they hunt, then walk 30 to 40 kilometers to Beijing to trade them for oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, cloth, and other items, bringing them back to the village and profiting from the difference.

The villagers of Taiping Village don't have a bad life, with no one forced to flee due to hunger. But that's about it; most villagers manage to make ends meet. After a year of hard work, they enjoy a good meal at the end of the year, only to start a new busy year.

There is actually not much difference between the social animals in the 21st century and the people in the Ming Dynasty. They all start from scratch throughout the year.

We feel that we live better than the ancients, but in fact it is just the dividend brought by the development of science and technology. The exploitation of the inferior by the superior has not changed for thousands of years.

Along the way, I saw many villagers working in the fields, and I also saw naughty children cheering in the fields. They didn't care when they were scolded by adults for trampling on the crops, and they just ran away roaring.

Soon, they reached the river. Zhao Huan looked out and saw that the Wuding River was about fifteen meters wide, flowing slowly and with clear water.

There was indeed a high pile of coal on one side of the Wuding River. Zhao Huan walked forward, picked up a piece of coal the size of a brick, and held it in his hand to examine it carefully.

The quality of coal can be judged by its color and weight.

High-quality coal is shiny black and pure in color, while low-quality coal appears dirty, yellow, or reddish.

High-quality coal is light, low-quality coal is heavy.

Of course, practice is the only criterion for testing truth. Burning coal is the most effective and intuitive way to identify poor quality coal. Low-quality coal generally burns poorly or poorly, has low heat, is difficult to ignite, is easily extinguished, and also has a strong odor.

The piece of coal in Zhao Huan's hand was pure in color, shiny black, and relatively light in weight. Preliminary analysis showed that it was top-quality coal.

Whether it is good or not, we will know it only after burning it.

May is the dryest month of the year. Following Zhao Huan's suggestion, Lu Bing and Xiao A Si quickly found some dry grass, dead branches and rotten wood nearby.

Zhao Huan asked Old Man Li for another shovel and started digging a hole in the ground.

"My lord, how can you do this kind of work? Let me do it, let me do it." When little Ah Si came back with the dead branches, Zhao Huan was digging a hole with great effort.

"I'm not good at fighting, I'm not good at riding a horse, and when it comes to digging pits, all of you combined are no match for me. I'm professionally trained."

Lu Bing was confused. Didn’t we grow up together? How come I didn’t know you had this skill? Did you secretly teach me something?

In fact, Zhao Huan learned this skill in his previous life while serving in the army. They say that serving in the military is a regret for a year or two, but not serving is a regret for a lifetime. During his sophomore year, Zhao Huan chose to take a two-year leave of absence to serve in the military. Afterward, he was assigned to the kitchen squad.

The skill of digging a stove is ignited at that time. When you are proficient in the business, you can dig out a lightless and smokeless stove in five minutes.

Now, he has degenerated into a helpless kid.

Zhao Huan handed the shovel in his hand to Xiao A Si, and then instructed Xiao A Si to start working.

"Dig a trapezoidal pit here, large enough for a person to squat in. Dig a two-inch circular pit here, and then connect the bottom to the trapezoid. Dig a few cigarette cartridges in these three directions, and then cover the top with soil."

Under Zhao Huan's guidance, a lightless and smokeless stove was quickly dug by the river.

Little Ah Si looked at the pits on the ground, his face full of doubt. If he dug a few pits underground, he could make a fire and cook without any light or smoke, and people fifty meters away wouldn't be able to see him. If he were to fight a war, wouldn't he not have to worry about being exposed and ambushed while eating?

Old man Li also looked unconvinced. In his opinion, these rich young men had no idea how to make a fire or cook. They were probably just bragging.

Fire stoves are usually built on the ground, not dug underground. How can you light a fire without ventilation? But Old Man Li wouldn't say anything. He couldn't afford to offend him.

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