The Lunar New Year is just around the corner after the Laba Festival, but the festive atmosphere this year is unusually weak.

At this time last year, every household in Shanshui Village was building new houses and preparing food for the New Year. Even though it was unusually cold last year, it did not dampen the joy of the New Year or the anticipation for this year.

While hoarding firewood and food, they believed that the flood might not come and that life would get better and better.

Despite the floods that struck in June, they didn't succumb to despair. In particular, they were later hired by Master Bai to deliver potatoes, which earned them several taels of silver, greatly improving their family's diet and allowing them to stock up on supplies. Things only got better afterward.

But then, with a thud, it fell to the ground from the highest point!

The world immediately descended into chaos.

How could they go to the prefectural city to sell rabbits? If they couldn't sell the rabbits, they wouldn't have any income, and they wouldn't be able to buy anything to bring back.

In particular, the herbal medicine shop also needs to go to the prefectural city to sell herbs. If it doesn't sell herbs, how will the herbal medicine shop make any money? If it doesn't make any money, where will the people working in the herbal medicine shop get their wages?

Now, money is one concern, but safety is even more important. According to the old village chief, even the poor official schools have been targeted by bandits, making their village even more dangerous.

Sigh, how did a war break out?

The village of Shanshui was shrouded in gloom and despair, with sighs and lamentations filling the air.

However, there are exceptions. Ever since the Ding family moved in, Hu Wenhua has been full of energy, like he's been injected with chicken blood.

After finishing their work each day, they wish they could plow two more acres of land.

Shui Qing clicked her tongue in amazement, and Hu's mother became even more worried.

On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Li Wen led more than ten men to find them.

"We discussed it, and we'll have to go out again before the Lunar New Year to sell another batch of rabbit and dried kudzu root, and also bring back some New Year's goods," Li Wen said, rubbing his hands and looking down timidly.

The weather this year is noticeably less cold than last year, and they've put on new cotton-padded coats. The new coats are thickly lined with cotton and are very warm, but their hearts are still ice-cold.

Old Wu sighed, looking distressed: "Fortunately, we stockpiled quite a lot beforehand, but we only thought it would be enough to get through the floods. Who would have thought we'd have to fight another war! We don't know how long it will last. We still have some silver on hand, but we're afraid it will get more and more expensive later, so we can only buy it and store it for now."

"No matter what, we still have to celebrate the New Year. Even if we adults don't celebrate, we still have elderly and young people at home, so we have to buy some New Year's goods."

"So I came to see you guys, do you want us to go sell medicinal herbs together?" Xu Laosan asked.

Each of their family members works at the herbal medicine shop, earning a full six hundred coins a month! It even saves the family a meal, so how could they not care about the herbal medicine shop?

Whether the herbs sold at the herbal medicine shop can be sold, and how well they sell, is a matter of great importance to the entire village!

Upon hearing that he was going to the prefectural city, Hu Wenhua became energetic and eager to try.

Shopping for New Year's goods? He also wanted to go to the prefectural city to buy New Year's goods.

Ding Heli breathed a sigh of relief; he had been worrying about when to go to the prefectural city to sell medicinal herbs.

It's been more than a month since the last time. This batch of processed medicinal herbs is even more than last time. During the Lunar New Year and the first month of the lunar calendar, there used to be very few people working outside. Moreover, with the war going on, most people stayed at home as much as possible.