Over the years, the old man has become very gloomy due to his frustration, and even his body is not as strong as before. He used to be very strong because of practicing martial arts and doing farm work, but five years ago, perhaps because all his hopes were shattered, the old man became increasingly thin.

I don't know how he exchanged the jade bracelet in his hand for silver, but he actually got more than 800 taels of silver. This meant that the Wang family lived a pretty good life on Qiong Island, but they were a little harsh on their two daughters-in-law.

Together with the copper coins earned from fishing every day, it was enough to maintain basic daily life. Although he could not eat big fish and meat, he could eat meat every few days. However, because the old man had too little money, he deducted some points from his family members and they rarely ate meat.

Zhang Xiuli, who is more than seven months pregnant, has not eaten meat for more than a month. Her already weak body has become even weaker due to lack of nutrition. When she was washing clothes, she felt dizzy.

Some crops were planted around the area, barely enough for the family to eat half full. It was impossible to have enough to eat. The current grain output per mu of land was only one or two stones, and land tax had to be paid. The only good thing about being here was that there was no need to perform labor service, and there was a shortage of people working and farming here.

After paying taxes, the remaining food has to be mixed with some bran to barely make it to the next year. However, the people here basically all rely on the resources in the sea. They will not starve to death, but it is impossible to have enough to eat.

Every morning after finishing their housework, Zhang Xiuli and Zhou Guichun would carry baskets to the coast to pick up shells, small fish and shrimps that came down after the tide receded. These were their main source of food. If they picked up too little, they would go hungry at night. If they wanted to have a full meal, they had to pick up more.

If they picked up some good quality ones, the old man would not let them eat them directly, because he would sell them for money, and the money would not improve their lives, but would be ruthlessly collected by the old man.

The old man had asked the people guarding the city. After knowing that Wang Shiyu had settled in Jizhou City, he still wandered around Jizhou City as usual, and wanted to find out where Wang Shiyu and the others lived. In the past five years, whenever he came here, he would ask people for news.

Even if he didn't find out, he would continue to inquire with perseverance. After all, Wang Shiyu is now the old man's only hope.