Chapter 316 New Year's Eve, New Year's Day

The northwest yard has been cleaned and the foundation of the glazed greenhouse has been laid.

A fire dragon was also laid underground.

Now all we need to do is build the main body.

The area of ​​the yard is not large, so at most only more than 600 pieces of colored glaze are needed.

After Ye Chutang and Qi Yanzhou agreed to use poplar trees as support pillars, they immediately went to buy them.

After buying the wood, the two hired a carpenter to carve it and workers to build the house.

The glazed greenhouse was built in just three days.

Qi Yanzhou stood in the greenhouse, looking at the transparent square grids, feeling somewhat incredible.

“I never thought that a house with four sides open could be built.”

Ye Chutang corrected: "It's five sides."

Except for the ground, the remaining five sides are made of lattices made of wood and glazed tiles.

The wood is too thick, which affects the visual effect.

But it was not easy to build a sunroom like this in the backward ancient times.

Qi Yanzhou asked: "Atang, do you want to light the fire dragon and try the effect?"

"Of course we have to try. The higher the temperature, the better for growing vegetables. We have to find the right temperature."

The temperature is too low and the growth is slow.

If the temperature is too high, the food will be spoiled.

Qi Yanzhou lit the earth dragon himself.

After a while, the enclosed glazed greenhouse became warm.

The colored glaze was covered with steaming heat.

The hot vapor turns into water, forming water droplets that flow downwards.

The poplar tree has been treated with waterproof and fireproof treatment, so a little water vapor will not cause it to deform.

There are movable windows at the four corners of the greenhouse, which can dissipate heat and replace air.

If you work in a closed environment for a long time, it may cause damage to your body.

When Qi Yanzhou entered the glazed greenhouse again, he was sweating from the heat.

"Atang, is the temperature too high?"

Ye Chutang had studied greenhouse cultivation a long time ago and also had temperature and humidity meters.

She nodded. "The floor in the room hasn't heated up completely yet. Let's heat it up for a while first."

Two hours later, she determined the temperature for burning the earth dragon.

“In this way, we can grow vegetables.”

Of course, Ye Chutang couldn't squat down to grow vegetables with her big belly.

She handed the seeds that she had prepared long ago to Qi Yanzhou.

The quick vegetable seeds were wrapped in a piece of paper that felt very thick and was enough to fill the greenhouse.

"Azhou, have someone spread some fertilizer on the soil, irrigate it, and let it ferment for a day. Then plant the seeds tomorrow."

If the growth is good, we can buy vegetables before New Year's Eve.

Ten days is too short a time. Although the vegetables won’t grow very big, it will not affect their consumption.

And the vegetables are more delicious when they are fresh and tender.

Qi Yanzhou took the paper bag and nodded, "Okay, I'll arrange it right away."

***

Time flies.

In the blink of an eye, it’s the end of the year.

During this period, it snowed again, but fortunately it was not heavy.

But due to the low temperature, the snow did not melt at all.

Where no one walked, the snow was at least half a person deep.

But this does not affect people's enthusiasm for buying New Year goods.

The streets were decorated with lights and were bustling with activity, even the chill was somewhat dispelled.

Qi Mansion.

Ye Chutang was in a particularly good mood as he looked at the fast food with green leaves and yellow hearts in the greenhouse.

She said to Qingping and Qingan, "First, pull out this patch of weeds, tie them into bundles as thick as your wrist, and take them to the market to sell for fifty cents."

Fifty cents may not sound like much, but for ordinary people, it is almost a sky-high price.

After all, a pound of beef and mutton only costs twenty or thirty cents.

But fresh green vegetables are scarce in the northwest, so many people will buy a bunch as a dish for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

And a small piece of land can produce more than a hundred bundles.

There are at least two thousand in the entire greenhouse.

In other words, Ye Chutang earned one hundred taels in just ten days!

Ye Chutang prepared a lot of corn coatings in advance and tore them into long strips, which were very suitable for bundling quick dishes.

Soon, Qingping and Qingan were ready to go out with the bundled meals.

Sun Chu, who came hurriedly, stopped the two of them.

"Wait a moment."

"What's the matter, Mr. Sun?"

Sun Chu did not answer the two of them and entered the warm greenhouse.

He said to Ye Chutang, "Put these dishes in our unopened restaurant and sell them."

After saying that, his eyes fell on the familiar yet long-lost fast food.

"On the day the restaurant opens, I want to organize an event. If you spend two taels of silver or more, you'll get a handful of quick dishes for free. If you spend five taels, you'll get three handfuls for free, and so on."

Ye Chutang had no objection, "Okay, but there is no prior publicity for selling fast food. Are you sure it can be sold in your restaurant?"

Sun Chu patted his chest and promised, "Don't worry, it will definitely sell."

His business ability is no worse than his military strategy.

"I feel relieved with what Master Sun said. This vegetable field is yours. You have the final say on how to sell it."

Ye Chutang originally planned to sell all the vegetables in the next two days, make some money, and then plant more.

Since Sun Chu has other arrangements, let him go.

Sun Chu smiled and said, "Okay, I will definitely maximize the benefits of this vegetable."

After saying that, he left the greenhouse and took Qingping and Qingan away.

Ye Chutang asked Jinzhi to pick some vegetables and send them to the second wife.

No matter what the second wife thinks of the first wife, it is the first wife who has benefited this month, so it is only right for her to return the favor.

"Let's eat some too. We'll stir-fry some garlic greens later."

Jinzhi nodded, "Okay Miss."

After Ye Chutang returned to Tangzhou Courtyard, Old Madam Qi came.

She took out some festive new clothes and placed them on the table.

"Tang'er, tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and it is also the first year of your marriage to Zhou'er. You have to wear red clothes. Try them on quickly. If there is anything that doesn't fit, there is still time to alter it."

The clothing in the northwest is different from that in the capital.

The Qi family did not follow the local customs, but instead made their own gorgeous clothes.

Jinzhi has already made new clothes for Ye Chutang and Qi Yanzhou.

But she would not refuse the old lady's kindness.

"Okay, mother. Wait a moment. I'll go change my clothes."

"Tang'er, it's inconvenient for you to be pregnant. Let me help you."

"Okay, thank you, mom."

After Ye Chutang opened her dress, a hint of surprise flashed across her eyes.

"Mom, this dress is so exquisite, it looks like a wedding dress."

This made Madam Qi panic for a moment, and she quickly explained, "In the first year of marriage, you should naturally dress more formally."

Ye Chutang didn't understand these etiquettes, so he didn't think much about it.

"I see. This dress fits me well. No need to alter it."

Old Madam Qi looked at the beautiful Ye Chutang and nodded with satisfaction.

"It does look good. Red suits Tang'er very well."

Ye Chutang was not very picky about the color of clothes. He smiled and said, "Red can enhance one's complexion. It will look good on anyone."

After that, she asked, "Mom, the Chen family's mother and daughter are spending the New Year at our house. Have you prepared new clothes for them?"

"It's ready. I've had someone send the new clothes over. When General Chen left, he said he'd be back soon, but now it's almost the end of the year and he's nowhere to be seen."

"Maybe he was held up by something. After all, the border has always been unstable."

Hearing this, Madam Qi sighed.

"Alas, it's not easy for soldiers stationed at the border. They risk their lives, but the military pay, food wages and winter clothes are always insufficient."

After she married into the Qi family, she heard a lot about the Qi family’s army fighting.

Many soldiers did not die on the battlefield, but lost due to hunger and cold, and the lack of medicine for their injuries.

Ye Chutang looked towards the capital with cold eyes.

"The royal family is unkind and treacherous officials are in power. Not only the people are suffering, but also those officials and soldiers with conscience and passion."

"Yeah, I don't know when the world will change."

"The Imperial Observatory says five to ten years. Just wait and see."

After Ye Chutang finished speaking, he suddenly thought of Qin Muyun, who he had not heard from for a long time.

"I wonder if Master Qin and the Imperial Astronomical Observatory have found the Emperor Star?"

***

at this time.

The two people that Ye Chutang was worried about were trapped in a small village in Tacheng by the previous snowstorm.

There are only a few households in the village, and every household is poor.

Although the villagers stockpiled enough wood for heating before winter came, food was limited.

Every day I eat either sweet potatoes, potatoes or cabbage.

The staple food is pancakes.

The most important thing is that you don’t have enough to eat.

Qin Muyun had never experienced such a hard life. He collapsed on the warm earthen kang and looked at Jie Yi in despair.

"Master, we won't have to stay here until spring, will we?"

Just as Xie Yi was about to speak, his stomach started to growl.

He sighed while rubbing his stomach.

"Sister Niu said that it will snow heavily soon, and next year will be a cold spring. We may have to wait until summer to leave."

These words made Qin Muyun feel a little desperate, and his eyes were dull.

"Master, where exactly is this Emperor Star? We have searched all over the North, but we still can't find it."

The Emperor Star has appeared three times in total.

Once in the capital, once in Bingzhou City, and the most recent one was in Ningzhou City.

This made Qin Muyun suspect that Qi Yanzhou was the Emperor Star.

But Xie Yi calculated his fate and found that although he was destined to be very rich and powerful, he did not have the aura of an emperor.

It was also the first time that Xie Yi saw the Emperor Star, and he didn’t know why it was sometimes bright and sometimes not.

This situation has never occurred in the historical records left by the Imperial Observatory.

Normally, once a new emperor star appears, it will gradually develop from being dim to competing with the sun and the moon in brilliance.

Along with the changes in the stars, the old dynasty will fall and the new dynasty will be established.

But this time...

Strange.

It's so weird.

Xie Yi leaned weakly against the earth wall and counted with his fingers.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"Huaixuan, hurry up, there is a harvest in the northwest."

When Qin Muyun heard this, he suddenly became full of energy and immediately jumped off the high earthen kang.

"Go, go!"

After being a vegetarian for so many days, I can finally eat meat.

If there wasn't a single meat dish in the New Year's Eve dinner, he would definitely go crazy.

Xie Yi quickly put on his snow-proof leather boots, put on his fur coat, and went out with Qin Muyun.

As soon as the two came out of the room, they met Aunt Niu who was preparing to make lunch.

"Are you two going out?"

Qin Muyun took down the simple bow and arrow from the wall.

"Aunt Niu, Master and I are going out for a while and will be back soon."

Aunt Niu quickly stopped the two of them.

"Oh, there's snow half a person deep around here. I can't go out. There's no prey!"

The village was built around a spring.

Although the amount of water flowing out of the spring is not much, it is enough for the daily needs of a village.

Probably because of the spring, there is a pine forest near the village.

The forest is thick with bushes.

Places with dense bushes and some remaining green grass are rabbits' favorite.

Xie Yi smiled and said, "Sister Niu, let's go out and have a look, just in case we are lucky."

"You are not familiar with the terrain here, don't run too far."

"Okay, got it."

Not long after the two men went out, they brought back three rabbits that were struggling frantically.

All the rabbits are fat and strong, so there is meat for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

When Aunt Niu saw that the two had really caught prey, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh my goodness, you guys actually caught so many rabbits, you're really capable!"

Xie Yi smiled and said, "Lucky, we found the rabbit's nest."

After saying that, he locked the two rabbits in his hands into an abandoned chicken coop.

Qin Muyun handed the rabbit in his hand to Aunt Niu.

"Aunt Niu, can you do it?"

"Yes, of course. You guys hurry into the house and warm up. I'll take care of the rabbit. But we have to soak the blood out of the rabbit before we can eat it. Otherwise, it will smell very fishy. We can't do it until the afternoon."

"Aunt Niu, just do it as you see fit. Don't think about saving money and stew the whole thing."

"Okay!"

"The rabbit meat for tomorrow's New Year's Eve dinner must also be prepared early."

Aunt Niu felt that it was a bit of a waste to eat two rabbits in two days.

After all, this rabbit is quite fat.

"Gentlemen, this rabbit weighs six or seven pounds, enough for two meals."

Qin Muyun waved his hand, "The more the better. It doesn't matter if we can't finish it. The vegetables won't go bad in winter."

Aunt Niu thought this was the logic and nodded.

"Okay, listen to the master and the young master, you guys go inside and rest first, lunch will be ready soon."

Qin Muyun and Jie Yi stayed at this house for a fee.

Aunt Niu is responsible for all the work.

After the two entered the room, Qin Muyun teased, "Master, have you never thought that one day you would use divination to find food?"

Xie Yi smiled and nodded, "I really haven't thought about it, but it's worth it."

Eating sweet potatoes and potatoes every day and still not feeling full is such a torture!

Qin Muyun took off his heavy animal skin coat, sat on the warm kang, and asked about Emperor Star again.

"Master, why do you think the Emperor Star only shines three times in half a year? Has the Emperor already noticed it?"

Xie Yi was the director of the Imperial Observatory and the person with the deepest attainments in metaphysics.

But under him there were more than ten officials, including the deputy supervisor and the chief clerk, who were all well versed in metaphysics.

Perhaps someone has already discovered the new emperor star.

Xie Yi had no control over the affairs of the capital, and he was sure that no one could find the Emperor Star before him.

"Even if the emperor knows that the country is about to fall, he can't do anything. Don't worry about it. Our first priority is to find the Emperor Star."

After saying that, he wanted to try Tuibei Tu again.

After Qin Muyun found out, he quickly stopped it.

"Master, if you use Tui Bei Tu too much, it will damage your wisdom and turn you into a fool.

We still have time to look for it slowly, there is no need to rush.

The Emperor Star sometimes shines and sometimes fades, probably because that person has not yet made up his mind to become the emperor. ”

Therefore, only after certain things happened would he be triggered to overthrow the tyranny and establish a new dynasty.

Xie Yi thought so too.

But the more I thought about it this way, the more it resonated with Qi Yanzhou's experience.

First time in Beijing.

The emperor wanted to take advantage of Qi Yanzhou's wedding to confiscate the Qi family and exterminate the clan.

The Emperor's Star appears.

The second time, Bingzhou City.

In order to wipe out the Qi family, the emperor turned Dayang Town into a plague city.

The Emperor Star reappears.

The third time, Ningzhou City.

In order to seek revenge, the northern barbarians ordered the wolf rider to leave the lives of the Qi family in the Gobi Desert.

The Emperor Star appears again.

All three times were related to Qi Yanzhou.

And all three times were related to the country's destiny.

Xie Yi thought about this and said, "Huaixuan, when the snow melts in the spring next year, we will go to Tianshan County."

Even if Qi Yanzhou is not the Emperor Star, the Emperor Star must be related to him!

Qin Muyun had no objection, "Listen to Master."

He learned a lot during the six months he was away.

It’s time to meet old friends!

After a while, Aunt Niu came into the room with lunch.

As the master and disciple looked at the sweet potatoes and cornmeal, they immediately missed the days of luxury in the capital.

Oh God, please warm up quickly and let them go to Tianshan County.