Chapter 403: The Legion Makes Pig Feed
Now we have raised a new batch of piglets to keep for important festivals or to slaughter during the Chinese New Year next year.
Lu Xingchen has a good relationship with Old Dengtou, and Old Dengtou doesn't hide anything and vents all his troubles.
"People can't even eat enough, let alone raise pigs."
"Improving the food for our team is our top priority. We are experts in raising pigs in the kitchen team, so we cannot fail at a critical moment."
Lu Xingchen nodded: "I'll look at some books on pig farming when I get back, maybe there's a way."
On the other side, Jiang Zhizhi went up the mountain to collect medicinal herbs and picked up a basket of wild duck eggs in the mountains. When he came down the mountain in the afternoon, he saw Lu Xingchen at the foot of the mountain.
Lu Xingchen took the basket from his wife's back, then took the duck eggs from her hand, and said with a smile, "I guessed you would come down at this time."
Jiang Zhizhi pointed at the duck eggs in the basket excitedly, "We'll keep some of these to eat, and pickle the rest into salted duck eggs. The salted duck eggs with oily texture are delicious. I love to eat them with porridge."
Lu Xingchen immediately agreed: "I'll pickle it."
When the young couple came back, one was busy sorting the herbs while the other helped to pickle the duck eggs.
After finishing, Jiang Zhizhi took the three little ones to take a bath. Lu Xingchen smiled and said, "When they are three years old, I will teach them to take a bath by themselves. Little men should be able to do their own things."
The two boys' arms and legs were very powerful, and they splashed around in the water. Jiang Zhizhi was caught off guard and got soaked all over. His little mouth was full of babbling, and he said a lot, but no one knew what they were saying, but no words fell to the ground.
Jiang Zhizhi quickly washed the two boys clean and fragrant, then handed them to Lu Xingchen, and then washed the young lady carefully.
The little rice ball was very happy. He smiled sweetly at his mother and nodded his furry head, "Mom~"
Jiang Zhizhi chuckled and kissed the little girl's soft face, "You are so well behaved today, little Rice Ball."
Put the three little ones on the bed, and put their favorite pig, rabbit and panda dolls on the bed. They play with them for a while every night.
Lu Xingchen found a book on pig farming from a pile of books, opened the book and started studying.
Jiang Zhizhi came over curiously, "Why are you suddenly interested in raising pigs?"
"Old Deng has encountered a problem. The pigs are not well fed and have become skinny." Lu Xingchen put his big hands on his wife's shoulders, pulled her into his arms, kissed her on the face, and explained.
Jiang Zhizhi smiled and said, "Pigs need feed, refined feed bran, corn, sweet potatoes, and sorghum, but these foods are not enough for humans to eat, so how can we get pigs' turn?"
"Make some roughage. The sweet potato vines, wheat bran, wheat straw, corn stalks, and rotten vegetable leaves in the fields can all be processed into feed. Use the feed to feed the pigs!"
"The wild vegetables and bitter herbs on the mountain grow every year and branch quickly. They grow again after being cut. Didn't the old squad leader take people to the mountain to dig these wild vegetables? Every day, we pick pig grass and cook it into ready-made food. The wild vegetables plus feed should be able to solve the problem."
Lu Xingchen's eyes lit up, and he hugged his wife and said, "Yes, we can call the soldiers to go to the nearby villages to collect wheat straw, corn stalks, rotten vegetable leaves, sweet potato vines, and wheat bran."
"The pigs in the army are a very important meat supply chain for us. Pigs are the treasures of the army. Every day, the old squad leader leads the soldiers in the kitchen squad to clean the pig pens, cook food, dig the soil to plant vegetables, water and fertilize, pick fresh vegetables, and then prepare lunch and dinner for everyone."
"We can eat tofu two or three times a week. It's all ground with a stone mill and is so delicious."
"It's not easy for us in the kitchen team. The old squad leader, Old Dengtou, has always taken good care of us. At least the food we eat is all fresh."
"Cooking meals for so many regiments of soldiers is a huge workload. Soldiers from our camp will take turns to help in the kitchen."
Lu Xingchen used to love running to the kitchen, helping out with anything from chopping wood to fetching water.
So much so that now he is very good at chopping wood.
It has to be said that Lu Xingchen and Jiang Zhizhi both love to go to the kitchen, and they are doing very well there.
After thinking of a solution, Lu Xingchen went to find the old squad leader, Old Dengtou, the next day. Before he could say anything, he saw Old Dengtou smiling and said, "Don't worry. It's impossible to come up with a solution in one or two days. Have you had breakfast? There are still a few coarse grain steamed buns in the pot. I'll give you a few."
"I've eaten it at home." Lu Xingchen picked up the axe skillfully and helped chop wood easily, saying, "How about our army make our own feed?"
Old Dent was so shocked that he could not even take care of his work. He trembled and asked, "Feed?"
Lu Xingchen told him the general plan, and Old Dengtou hesitated and said, "But the straw is what the villagers bring back to use as firewood. Will it work?"
Indeed, the national hegemony called for "developing pig farming to promote production and overall development with grain as the guideline."
"The troops use money to collect it." Lu Xingchen said, "And straw is not the only feed. After the straw is crushed and processed, some corn and wheat bran should be added to ensure the nutrition of the pigs. Or sweet potato vines should be collected and crushed into small pieces with a crusher. Pig grass and weeds are also needed."
"People get better when they sleep, and pigs get fat when they sleep. Are you still worried that you won't be able to raise fat pigs?"
Old Deng was very excited. Every day their cooks had to go to the mountains to dig pig grass, rain or shine. If they had feed, everyone's work would be much easier.
So Old Dengtou took Old Lu's proposal to see his superiors, who encouraged them to go ahead and approved a sum of money for the purchase of the grinder and fermentation materials.
The three little ones are very gluttonous now, and they like to trick people into eating in their mother's arms. Even though their little stomachs are full, they still like to nibble on biscuits with their little mouths. As long as they see something delicious, they will act coquettishly and ask for food.
Jiang Zhizhi rubbed the little fat boy's round belly and said, "That's enough for today."
The little chubby boy was laughing, showing his two little baby teeth, which was very cute.
Little Rice Ball can eat as much as his big brother, and he finishes the meal quickly without being squeamish at all.
At this moment, Xu Mingzhu accidentally twisted her waist while carrying two buckets and lay in bed in pain.
Jiang Zhizhi put the three kids on a stroller and called for their mother to come and look after them while she went to get some medicinal wine for her mother-in-law to rub.
Medicinal wine is made by soaking traditional Chinese medicine in a certain space, and its effect is better than ordinary wine.
But for people with back pain, it is simply suffering.
After applying the medicinal wine, Jiang Zhizhi went to the cabinet where Chinese medicinal materials were kept and took out several blood-activating herbs. He then began to prepare ointment specifically for treating back pain.
The sisters-in-law of the gossip team in the family compound couldn't wait for Xu Mingzhu, and they were all worried that she might be delayed, so they came to her house one by one to look for Xu Mingzhu.
When they learned that Xu Mingzhu had sprained her waist, they felt sorry for her and shared their ancestral prescription, saying that it would work if she just applied it.
Lu's mother Xu Mingzhu couldn't help laughing while lying on the bed. Her lumbar spine was strained and she grimaced in pain. "My Zhizhi made me some ointment and I just applied it."
The sisters-in-law nodded in agreement: "Your daughter-in-law loves you so much. You should take good care of your waist. We are looking forward to you getting better soon and coming out to chat with us."
"Without you, our fun has been reduced. Please get well soon."
"Sister Zhi knows medical skills, so her prescription must be good."
"That's right. The herb-collecting teams were all organized by Zhi Meizi. Those who study medicine are very talented. Zhi Meizi's hands are used to write prescriptions. They are extremely valuable."
Lu's mother Xu Mingzhu was delighted. When others praised her daughter-in-law, she, as a mother-in-law, was happier than anything else.
Sister Chunhua patted her chest and said, "I'm watching over Mingzhu's vegetable garden. I'll make sure it's well taken care of."
"How about I come over and help take care of the child?" Sister Yanzi said with a smile, "Now only Auntie Ting and Sister Zhi are taking care of the child, and I'm worried that they won't be able to handle it."
Instructor Fang Zhou's wife Mingyue quickly said, "I don't have to go to class on weekends, I can come over to help."
At this moment, Lu's mother Xu Mingzhu and Jiang's mother Lin Ting deeply felt that the vast majority of the military wives in the family compound were kind and friendly. They had come from thousands of miles away to follow the army, and those who could lend a hand would lend a hand.
No one knew who spread the news that Jiang Zhizhi had a good recipe for treating low back pain, but many men who were military officers heard about it.
The commanders of the troops smelled something and came to find Commander Lu one after another.
Husband and wife are one body, and when one prospers, all prosper.