For several days in a row, Zhang Guoqing was busy taking care of the backyard vegetable garden and slaughtering wild animals during the day, and at night he took his children out for a stroll to several nearby production teams to buy some items.

Even Xiao Ping'an knew by then that grain coupons, sugar coupons, and cloth coupons were more valuable than cash. Some people wouldn't be willing to buy a single, century-old ginseng, no matter how much you offered. But if you mentioned you had the coupons, they'd happily pull you into the inner room.

In the village, even building materials like lumber required approval from the village team. Workers were usually employed during the off-season, with neighbors, relatives, and friends helping out, and the host family providing food. Cash, no matter how much, wasn't very useful, but bills were different. For major events like a daughter's wedding and a daughter-in-law's arrival, everyone needed to maintain their reputation.

For example, making two sets of wedding clothes, a bicycle ticket, a watch ticket. In addition, families who can save valuables such as ginseng and furs have not starved to death in the past few years, so they naturally have no shortage of family wealth.

As a result, as soon as Zhang Guoqing arrived at the door, many people would first mention which grandson or granddaughter in the family was having a wedding at the end of the year and what was missing now?

The father and son smiled at each other, knowing what the man meant. These were the things their family most needed. The two sides immediately agreed to the deal.

After three days, all the cloth coupons, sugar coupons and bicycle coupons collected from the black market were spent, and after adding the four watches provided by Zhou Jiao, there was nothing else to be gained within a radius of 100 miles.

At night, the family of three gathered around a pile of spoils on the kang, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Why?

It’s so cheap!

A few years ago, Zhang Guoqing paid 350 yuan for a ginseng root over 100 years old at the local friendly price. Now, in 1962, five or six years later, after the famine, the price has risen to 400 yuan. Wild ginseng aged 70 or 80 years is even cheaper, costing less than 150 yuan.

In this way, in addition to the five thousand yuan spent on the previous reservation, there were a total of twelve hundred-year-old ginsengs left. In addition to the receipts and the watch that had doubled in value, the cash compensation was less than a thousand yuan.

Ten bundles of 100 ten-yuan notes, four of which were now prominently displayed on a tiger skin, with a pile of sable fur and other precious furs piled next to it.

"Spend! You have to spend it!"

Without waiting for Zhang Guoqing's response, Ping An shook his head repeatedly, "No more. Ginseng is not a big radish. They all said that what could be sold in the past few years has been sold out."

Zhou Jiao nodded silently, frowning in thought.

Did she really have to go to Lin Province? If she didn't know anyone there, she wouldn't be able to spend her money. If she really wanted to find that nephew of Mr. Wang, she was worried that her husband would be abducted and taken to the mountains.

Zhang Guoqing knew she was worried about how to spend the 90,000 yuan she had planned. However, Shan Shang had a plan, so he wouldn't give an answer so quickly.

Who was it that always outsmarted her mother? As the head of the family, he felt a lot of pressure, didn't he? This time, he had to show his wife and son what he was capable of.

Zhang Guoqing lowered his eyelids, wondering how Master Wang's nephew had prepared after receiving the telegram. When would he leave? What else would he bring besides the three treasures and the frog oil?

Zhou Jiao clapped her hands, "Brother, it seems I need to trouble Grandpa Wang to send a telegram to his nephew, telling him to bring anything over and to name the price."

Ping An's eyes rolled around when he heard this, "Mom, I have money."

Zhou Jiao glanced at him speechlessly. He wanted to get involved in everything!

"Dad, my grandpa must have returned home. Please send him a telegram for me and ask him to send money. This will definitely work!" Ping An blinked his big eyes, smiled and shook Zhang Guoqing's arm.

Zhang Guoqing burst out laughing. This kid!

Zhou Jiao shook her head, "It would be too conspicuous if I sent the money."

"Is this enough for us to spend?" Ping An looked at the remaining cash hesitantly.

Zhou Jiao and Zhang Guoqing smiled at each other.

A loud voice came from outside the door: "Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu..."

Zhang Guoqing immediately stood up and said, "This is Uncle Wang. I'll go open the door. You guys hurry up and pack up."

Ping An saw him leave after he finished speaking, and immediately jumped off the kang and followed him. If he guessed correctly, this Grandpa Wang would come to inform them to go up the mountain.

Zhou Jiao put her things away and checked her watch. It was almost eight o'clock. She didn't know why the other party was in such a hurry to come. She straightened her clothes, stood up, and walked out.

Uncle Wang was holding a telegram outside the door. Seeing Zhang Guoqing open the door, he smiled and said, "The telegram came during the day. The old man at home asked you to make your own decision."

Zhang Guoqing took it without looking at it carefully and invited him to come in and sit for a while.

"No. Take a look first. The old man is still waiting for your reply."

Zhang Guoqing didn't hesitate to read the message in the dim light of the kerosene lamp: "We are preparing and urgently waiting for someone to come." He thought for a moment and realized that the other party probably didn't have much cash and was waiting for him to come and pick up the goods.

"How about it? Do you want to go?"

Zhang Guoqing smiled and nodded, "Let's go. Uncle, what are your plans? If we leave, we have to leave tomorrow."

Uncle Wang turned around and looked behind him, then whispered, "My dad said you would definitely go. Before coming to your place tonight, I had already asked the team for a week's vacation."

Zhang Guoqing nodded in understanding and whispered, "Then let's meet in the county town at seven o'clock tomorrow morning."

Uncle Wang nodded and said goodbye to him. This time, the father and son took all the family savings with them. Even if Zhang Guoqing was accompanying him, he had to go back and make good preparations.

Zhang Guoqing watched him leave, closed the gate again, picked up the child beside him, and walked into the inner room. Seeing Zhou Jiao in the living room, he handed her the telegram.

"We've already agreed to set off with Uncle Wang from the county town at 7 a.m. tomorrow. Do you have anything else to add?"

Zhou Jiao shook her head. "Dad, just find an excuse. The Wang family seems to have quite a bit of wealth."

Zhang Guoqing smiled and nodded, "Of course! He had a fortune when he returned from abroad when he was young. Otherwise, he wouldn't have refused Wang Baiwan's high salary. Over the past few decades, and with all his descendants skilled in hunting, his accumulated wealth is more than any other landlord's.

Fortunately, he's a shrewd man who doesn't flaunt his wealth. My grandfather told me he always converts his money into gold and silver. I imagine Mr. Wang has been incredibly worried these past few years, unable to convert it into gold and afraid to deposit it in the bank. He's also worried about too much cash getting moldy and potentially getting eaten by rats. What's he supposed to do?

Zhou Jiao thought of the Wang family's courtyard, which was half brick and half adobe, and smiled knowingly. Could someone who had experienced the martial arts world be such a simple character?

Now that the itinerary was confirmed, Zhang Guoqing went to the nursing home to visit his parents, while Zhou Jiao began to prepare her travel supplies and luggage. She glanced at her cheerful son and teased him, "Your grandparents will definitely let you stay in your hometown."

Ping An was stunned. How could this really be possible? He observed his mother's expression and saw that she was smiling. "Mom, how many days will you be gone this time?"

Zhou Jiao pinched his cheeks playfully; they were so soft and chubby, so playful. "About five days." Seeing the boy's relaxed expression, she smiled. As expected of her son, he could get the key point so quickly and understand the meaning of the words.