For the people of Xining Town, even if no disaster occurred, it would not be easy to eat meat.
So after seeing Zhang Erzhuang making so much noise for so long that it was really frightening, some people who were used to cooking at home and knew how to make pig soup came out to help.
Making pig soup is not difficult. The blood is drained and coagulated into pig blood with salt, which is then cut into blood tofu-like pieces and soaked with cleaned pig liver, pig heart, pig lungs, etc. to make bloody water.
To make the soup, just smash the big bones and stew them with radish and the meat that has been soaked in blood. Just add a little salt, more green onions and ginger, and at most some coriander to enhance the flavor.
Drinking a bowl of warm soup with a hint of ginger and spiciness is a rare delicacy for ordinary people.
Even the soldiers who had just finished surveying the location of the city wall were drinking vigorously. They did not hear Zhang Erzhuang's screams and drank without any psychological burden.
"If we could drink a bowl of pork soup every day, our lives would be more comfortable than in the military camp." Someone muttered.
Although pork could be eaten occasionally in the military camp, what Miao Wan said about eating coarse grains and vegetables was not an exaggeration.
In the past, the Zhang family only slaughtered a dozen pigs for the military camp every month.
You have to know that there are nearly 3,000 people in the North Camp alone, and each person can't even get three taels of meat per month, not to mention the superiors.
Even if they could eat their fill, it was just the most common highland barley noodles, and occasionally they would have to eat sorghum noodles with bran or black steamed buns made from wheat flour.
It is difficult to eat vegetables in winter. Just like ordinary people, we have to live on pickled vegetables.
Jing Zhuzi also drank two large bowls. Looking at the elderly and children who were queuing nearby but didn't dare to come over, he put down his bowl, wiped his mouth, and stood aside. Hearing this, he snorted, "Stop talking nonsense. Let's finish this meal first."
It’s not certain whether there will be a next meal.
They had been rushing here on their way with only two cold steamed buns in the morning, and now they had some warm food. Team One and Team Two, in particular, had been walking for the entire morning and were so hungry that their stomachs were growling.
A lot of energy will be expended in the afternoon, and it’s hard to say whether there will be a filling meal in the evening given the number of people involved.
Even if we kill another pig, Liang An said that there are only dozens of livestock being sold today, and not all of them are pigs.
Two pigs a day would not last even ten days. Besides, just two pigs would not be enough to feed so many people.
So Jing Zhuzi thought that the garrison couple was just messing around. They could stay in the barracks and eat less, as long as they were full.
Not only did they cause so much trouble, they also robbed the common people of their food and made the soldiers panic.
The other soldiers who were drinking the soup and eating the meat heard this and were reluctant to swallow the broth. They gasped for breath due to the heat, but most of them looked resigned.
"You can't let us starve to death, right?" Someone took a big bite of a highland barley roll. "Even if it's just like in the military camp, that's fine."
They can do it, but Miao Wan can't.
The rich areas and the garrison had good food and drink, while the common people had to eat coarse food. She felt that her ancestors might really come into her dreams and beat her for being so heartless.
In the back house of the garrison, Ruan Qi and Sun Laohuo were squatting at the kitchen door, one smoking a pipe and the other holding his hat and looking worried.
The two men came back first because they felt ashamed, mainly because they had just discovered that there were so many people in Xining Town, including more than 400 soldiers, and they didn't know how to arrange food.
The food from Xiyong County has not been delivered yet, and even with the food that Miao Wan has just purchased at the garrison, it is not enough to feed so many people for a month.
When building houses and city walls, bricks and tiles are all fired on the spot, so we have to make an estimate of at least one month.
When Miao Wan carried Taotao into the house, she saw the two of them looking at each other in worry. Taotao didn't understand what the adults were worried about. He opened his dark eyes wide and looked up, but didn't see any smoke.
Her little mouth pouted as she was about to cry, "Susu, no!"
She had already agreed to be a vegetarian, but now if there's no smoke in the kitchen, it means there's no food. She can't even afford to eat vegetarian food. She's so miserable.
Miao Wan quickly stuffed a small piece of milk into her mouth and said, "You can't miss out on some delicious food."
Taotao had milk in his mouth and couldn't whimper, but he still didn't forget to bargain, "Sumei, please let me have some meat!"
"Here!" Miao Wan grabbed Taotao's little hand with her left hand and wanted to put it into her mouth.
Taotao laughed happily, "Eat Wan! Wan!"
Ruan Qi and Sun Laohuo were amused by the child and smiled more. It was worth it for Miao Wan to witness once again how filial her daughter was at home.
Aunt Geng heard the noise and knew that Miao Wan's arms were not functioning properly, so she hurried over to take the child.
"We have some meat at home. I asked your uncle Geng to chop it up and make some sauerkraut. Are you hungry? I'll make you some sauerkraut noodles."
Miao Wan was not hungry yet, so she just asked her uncle and Sun Ada what they were worried about, and the two of them told her what was going on.
Ruan Qi said, "There are quite a few people who have signed up to learn cooking, and many of them look quite clever. I'll ask a few apprentices to help them practice knife skills first. We'll have carrot and pork rib soup and whole grain steamed buns for dinner. With so many people, I'll have to cut a lot, just enough for them to cook."
Miao Wan was actually quite curious. "Don't they say that most villages only have a few dozen households? A village with over a hundred households is considered a large one. Why are there so many people in the town?"
Not to mention the rich area, there must be at least a hundred households there, and these people can easily feed themselves.
But the poor areas in the south and the scattered families like the Zhang and Qiao families that are not adjacent to each other, together there are nearly 600 households. Even if each family has only three people, there are nearly 2,000 people.
In the morning, Miao Wan heard from the clerk that the population of Xiyong County, including all the villages, was less than 10,000, and there were only more than 3,000 people in the county town at most.
It is because there are many villages below that the population seems large, so the grain tax can provide food for the military camp.
The area of Xining Town is only half the size of Xiyong County, and if the tile market street is included, the population exceeds that of the county seat.
Ruan Qi didn't know this, but Sun Laohuo did.
"Xining Town was originally called Laotou Village. It had a total of 30 to 40 households, shaped like a flame, right where the house is being built now. Later, when the Gubei Army arrived, many more military households needed a place to live, and the number of talented people gradually increased.
Then the Laotou Village gradually became a rectangle, with the military camp on the west side as the main part, so it was called Xining Village.
Later, our Dayue formed an alliance with Beimeng, and people from the Western Regions were also willing to come here to do business. The first and last sections of Beiying were built, sandwiching Xining Village, and the village became larger and larger.
The soldiers were all in the village, and having military households there made it safer, so merchants gradually came here, and a street was formed, Dingbei... Old thief Chen also organized a tile market, and brought the northern Mongols and the Western Regions people under his jurisdiction, and slowly it became a town."
Sun Laohuo thought for a moment and said, "There were more than 200 families in Xining Village who had left the military. Later, with the arrival of people from the Northern Mongolians and the Western Regions, more manpower was needed, so the number increased to more than 300 families.
As the streets and tile market get bustling further back, more people are needed, and many people move to the town, which is why so many people gather here."
There aren’t usually many people here because most people go to the streets and tile markets before dawn and come back after dark.
Moreover, most people were crowded in the earliest Laotou Village. Those who didn't want to squeeze in gritted their teeth and saved money to buy land and build houses in other places. The rich families moved directly to places closer to the military camp.
Miao Wan was stunned when she heard this, and her eyes gradually became a little hot. Her village was called Laotou Village because they grew cotton and were good at making candle wicks.
Is this a coincidence?
Or... is this really her hometown from who knows how many years ago?
She swallowed the excitement in her throat and grinned, "I'm not afraid of a large crowd. I still have a good recipe! Look at my... mouth. I told my uncle and Sun Ada to make it. I guarantee everyone will have enough to eat!"
Originally, she just felt guilty and a little nostalgic for her hometown, but now Miao Wan has a stronger sense of belonging here, and her enthusiasm has returned.
"Hurry up, hurry up! I've been craving buns for a while now, but I always forget because I'm busy. Let's start now so we can still make it in time for dinner. I won't make whole grain steamed buns anymore, so let's just have soup and buns!"
Ruan Qi and Sun Laohuo looked at each other. This young lady seemed to be full of energy and looked a bit like Zhang Erzhuang, the pig butcher.
It's just, it's scary.
When Miao Wan entered the kitchen, she saw several bags of grain in the corner, mostly barley flour and sorghum flour, with only a small portion being wheat flour.
In fact, after making the yeast powder, Miao Wan always wanted to eat buns, but later when bread and Baiji steamed buns became available, she kept putting it off. Now she finally has the time, but she doesn't have much wheat flour.
Fortunately, I didn’t forget to make yogurt these days, and the yeast powder was also made.
If there is not much wheat flour, then make compound noodles. However, Miao Wan has never eaten this kind of noodles, so she doesn’t know what it tastes like. You can try it first.
"Uncle, mix one bowl of highland barley flour and one bowl of sorghum flour, then mix two of each and make one bowl of each, then mix all three together and make one bowl. Let's see which one tastes better!"
While Ruan Qi was kneading the dough, Miao Wan asked Uncle Geng to bring the yeast powder. Miao Wan added one-fifth of yeast powder to the wheat flour according to the fermentation ratio.
While Ruan Qi was kneading the dough, Sun Laohuo and Uncle Geng followed Miao Wan's instructions, one chopping the meat filling and the other chopping the cabbage and radish.
Later, Taotao might have fallen asleep after eating. Qiao Rui was watching the child. Geng was worried about Miao Wan's arm, so she came over with Aunt Geng and found that Miao Wan was tossing and turning again.
The two women looked at each other and couldn't help laughing, especially Geng, who felt relieved.
Although Miao Wan never stopped making trouble, after the disaster, they all found that Miao Wan blamed the crime on themselves and put them under great pressure.
Even though everyone kept comforting her, it wasn't her fault.
In addition to being busy with his work, Qiao Ruichen also accompanied her without blinking an eye. Many people noticed Miao Wan's red eyes from time to time, and her dazed and frustrated look when she was hiding from others.
Geng was distressed and secretly discussed with Qiao Shengwen that she might as well not go back for the time being and wait until Miao Wan's arm recovered before going to the capital.
Otherwise, she really couldn't let go of the mother and daughter.
Although Qiao Shengwen was not happy about it, he had no choice but to agree. However, Geng did not tell Miao Wan because she was afraid that her daughter-in-law would not agree.
Seeing that Miao Wan's eyes were shining again, and her curved eyebrows and the dimples at the corners of her lips were revealed when she spoke, Geng finally felt relieved.
As long as Miao Wan can be open-minded, everything else will be easy.
Qiao Ruichen, who rushed over after finishing his previous errand, also noticed that his wife's slightly haggard face was glowing as if she had drunk magic water.
Even his voice became much clearer, like a lark that had perked up, even though one of its wings was broken, it was still jumping around and wanted to fly into the sky.
Qiao Ruichen didn't stop his wife from going to heaven, he only handed her a ladder.
"what I do?"
Miao Wan was even happier when she saw Qiao Ruichen coming over. "Husband, please help Sun Ada chop the meat. He's not as strong as you, so let Sun Ada mix the stuffing!"
This time, not only Qiao Bailao can be used, but she also doesn't want to let go of her mother-in-law and Aunt Geng.
Including the soldiers, there are more than 2,000 people in total. Even if each person wants two buns, that would require more than 4,000 buns. That would mean 12,000 buns for three meals the next day.
They all had to be done on the first day, so even if Ruan Qi and Sun Laohuo brought their apprentices with them, they probably wouldn't be able to handle it.
Both Mrs. Geng and Aunt Geng are good at making pasta. They can learn how to guide those who have just signed up for cooking lessons so that everyone can get started as soon as possible.
"Mom, you and Aunt Geng can help Uncle Geng chop the vegetables. Let him go to Yu's house and help me make something quickly. Later, you and Aunt Geng can help roll out the dough?"
Geng was a little confused, "You want to make slot machines? With so many people, it would take a lot of water, and it would break easily."
Jiaozi is the dumplings of later generations, which are not very different. They are more like large wontons. Aunt Geng made them, and the skin is thin and easy to break.
Miao Wan chuckled, "No, I'm not making slot machines, I'm making steamed buns!"
No one had ever eaten this before, so Mrs. Geng and Aunt Geng were happy to help.
Uncle Geng listened to Miao Wan's description for a long time, but he still didn't understand what a round grate with many holes poked on it meant. Can't you just use a grate to steam things?
There is no way. I need to steam a lot, and the grate is not breathable enough.
Miao Wan quickly ran to her father-in-law and asked him to draw a picture according to what she said.
"Uncle Geng, please measure the diameter of our iron cauldron. The grate should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the cauldron, just two fingers."
Because there is no ready-made steamer, it is definitely too late to make one with iron products, so we can only use an iron kettle. When there is no water, lift the steamer and add water into it.
The smaller the steamer, the easier it is to fit on the iron cauldron, and the easier it is to do the carpentry work. The Yu family asked the carpenters who had signed up to work quickly, and they could make at least a hundred in an afternoon. They could make about the same number tomorrow to make up to two hundred.
The steamer made from an iron cauldron of this size can steam twenty buns. Five baskets stacked at a time should be enough to cook them. Only ten iron cauldrons are needed, and four steamings are enough to make a meal.
This is the most time-saving and labor-saving way to make everyone eat well.
Qiao Ruichen was busy for a while, and when someone came to call him, he waited until all the minced meat was chopped before going to the front.
Director Qin of the Warehouse Department, who was waiting for his approval, smelled the fragrance on the new garrison commander as soon as he entered the door, and secretly wondered in his heart, could this be another Qin Mao?
Outside, everyone was busy and drinking porridge and eating coarse flour buns, while the garrison commander was eating delicious food and drinking spicy drinks in the back.
Thinking so, Director Qin, who was a veteran after all, did not show any expression.
But Qiao Ruichen is not only good at working, as long as he is not facing his family, he has sharp eyes and immediately saw the doubt in the director's eyes.
He wasn't one to explain too much, so he just said, "I'm helping my wife figure out what to prepare for dinner."
Director Qin's doubts turned into sudden enlightenment. Oh, it's either that he says one thing in public and does another behind the scenes, or that he is a henpecked man. It's the garrison's wife who is so powerful.
I understand. Director Qin took the note and left with a smile.
Qiao Ruichen always felt that this old man had no good intentions.
And the majestic garrison lady behind was busy (mouth), giving orders here and there. The people working there didn't seem to be doing well, but she was sweating all over her forehead from all the work.
It was only when Qiao Ruichen came over with the teapot that she calmed down a little. Everyone was almost done with their work.
By the time Uncle Geng brought back the five steamers, Old Sun had already mixed the stuffing and was waiting for Ruan Qihe's noodles.
Ruan Qi smelled the stuffing and it was very fragrant. Although there was not much meat in it, the oil from the pork could be used to stir-fry chopped green onions and add them to the stuffing to enhance the flavor, and the oil residue could be added as meat to mix with the stuffing.
One pound of meat and ten pounds of vegetables can make a large bowl of fragrant oil-residue vegetable filling.
But what Ruan Qi was worried about was that although less vegetables were used, they were actually not expensive. What was expensive was the food. To make so many buns, there was not enough food in the warehouse.
Who knew that after unwrapping the gauze on the basin, Ruan Qi's eyes almost popped out, "No, I didn't mix so much noodles!"
Since it was just a trial, he mixed six kinds of flour, single and mixed, and he only made a piece of each kind as big as an adult's face.
But now, in just half an hour, the amount in each basin has almost doubled.
Ruan Qi instantly broke out in sweat on the back of his neck. People in Jiangnan eat rice and are not familiar with noodles. He didn't think about the old noodle for a moment.
I immediately thought of ghosts. After all, Xining Town does seem like a place where ghosts breed.
First, Zhang Erzhuang slaughtered a pig and cried for it, then Miao Wan suddenly became excited, and now so much noodles appeared out of nowhere. Although more is a good thing, it also made Ruan Qi feel cold all over.
Why is it so weird today?
Miao Wan didn't know that her uncle believed in ghosts and gods, so she just smiled at everyone and said, "I was just saying there would definitely be enough noodles, right?"
Sun Laohuo didn't believe those nonsense either. He looked at it with a fiery look in his eyes, "Is it the old noodle maker? No, even the old noodle maker can't make the dough rise so well. Is it the flour from that yogurt?"
Miao Wan nodded. She vaguely remembered that yeast powder fermented quickly and contained more nutrients than old dough, but the noodles made with old dough tasted better and could be stored longer.
The others should be similar, but old dough cannot be used to make bread. If the taste is not good, it will be sour, while yeast powder will not.
Sun Laohuo was very happy, "I'll cut it!"
"Just cut it into the size of Taotao's fist." Miao Wan's hands were not convenient, so she used her daughter as the unit of measurement.
Aunt Geng was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. The daughter was thinking about eating her mother's hand, and the mother was thinking about eating her child. This woman didn't suffer any loss to anyone.
After the dough was cut, Mrs. Geng and Aunt Geng, who were both used to making pasta, quickly rolled out the dough as thick as Taotao's little hand according to Miao Wan's request.
If Miao Wan could move her right hand, she would like to wrap two by herself. This used to be her highlight moment, and it was the only technical skill she could do better than Lu Chenxi!
It’s a pity that I can’t show off my skills now. Eh, Miao Wan felt sorry in her heart while talking non-stop.
"Pinch out the folds one by one, in a smooth manner."
"Then turn it into a small swirl and press the top, and the bun is ready!"
"Put them on a steamer lined with gauze. Remember to place them sparsely, leaving enough space between them to fit Taotao's fist."
Everyone: “…” You just can’t get over the joke about eating your daughter, right?
Everyone did as Miao Wan said. They were a little uncomfortable at first, but soon they all got the hang of it.
Especially Sun Laohuo and Ruan Qi, their wrinkles were so beautiful that Miao Wan covered her heart and never moaned again. Fortunately, her hands were really broken, otherwise whoever went up would get hit.
The best she made was probably similar to what her Sun Ada made when she first started and was not very skilled. Even Qiao Bailao in their family made better-looking dumplings than hers.
Kneading the dough and mixing the filling takes time, but making dumplings is actually very quick.
When the water in the iron pot boiled, the four people, plus Qiao Ruichen who helped, had already made three large baskets of buns, and the fourth basket was half done.
The iron pot at home was not small, and the steamer was also big. Sun Laohuo and Ruan Qi held the steamer and put it on. The fourth and fifth steamers were put on by Qiao Ruichen.
Ruan Qi and Sun Laohuo smiled and sighed, "Young people have good physical strength and are capable!"
When Qiao Ruichen heard the compliment, he suddenly remembered the last time he returned to Xining Town from the county town. His wife praised him for being "good at both on and off the kang". Qiao Ruichen pursed his lips and smiled, and his ears turned red again.
Two middle-aged men: "..." No, we are praising you, why are you getting red in the face?
Fortunately, everyone was focused on the buns and didn't have time to figure out why his ears were red.
It is actually very quick to steam buns after the water boils. When Miao Wan made them in her later life, it usually only took her fifteen minutes to make one basket, but she had never opened a bun shop, so she didn't know how long it would take to make five baskets of buns.
She consulted the chefs at home, "How about... quarter of an hour?"
Sun Laohuo rolled his eyes at her and said, "Alright, just wait and eat it. We old guys know better than you when it's cooked."
Miao Wan: "...Hey! I'll go check on Taotao and bring her over."
Qiao Ruichen stood up and said, "I'll go." His wife wanted to hug Taotao with one arm, but she was dreaming.
Miao Wan smacked her lips. It seemed that she was only good at talking. She was of no use in other matters. The life of a landlord was as lonely as snow. Only buns could relieve the loneliness.
Taotao probably peed, so he changed his clothes and was carried over by Qiao Ruichen. As soon as he entered the door, he wanted to be held by Miao Wan.
Qiao Ruichen gently persuaded his daughter, "Mom's arm is injured, I can't hold you, Dad will hold you."
She didn’t know if it was Miao Wan’s illusion, but she felt like her daughter rolled her eyes, but her little hand still reached towards Miao Wan.
"Eat! Eat! Meat!"
Who wants her mother? What she wants is the delicious smelling food in front of her mother!
Geng covered her mouth with her hands and laughed. She brought Taotao over and sat with Miao Wan, nodding Taotao's little head. "You little greedy guy! You have a good nose!"
Sun Laohuo opened the lid and couldn't help but praise, "Don't say that, Taotao has the potential to be a chef. She is right when she says it's ready. It's cooked!"
Miao Wan thought, let alone cooked, even if it was raw, as long as she could smell the food, would Qiao Aqian dare to put it in her mouth?
After opening the lid and seeing the buns in the steamer, Sun Laohuo was fine, but Ruan Qi was surprised again, this time with more joy.
Noodles made with old dough can also expand after being steamed. Ruan Qi had never seen this before. But now, seeing the buns that originally had gaps between them now become round and stuck together, it was pleasing to the eye and he felt happy.
The child's fist is as big as his head. Even a man can be full after eating two. One is enough for a small appetite. There is also bone and radish soup. No matter how you eat, you can feel good.
Ruan Qi finally put his worries about the people to rest.
Miao Wan picked out two of the best-looking buns, made of barley flour, one for her and one for Taotao.
The big one and the small one both opened their eyes wide, looked at the slightly yellow big bun, took a deep breath, squinted their eyes and took a bite.
Taotao also wanted to do the same, but Geng didn't let her. She broke off a small piece, blew it cool and handed it to her. Taotao didn't bother to protest and swallowed it impatiently.
Taotao: "Wow... so delicious!"
Miao Wan: "Hmm... the meat scraps smell so good!"
The others also took buns to eat. Qiao Ruichen had been in the army for a long time, so he could finish a bun in just a few bites. It was indeed delicious, even better than dimes!
He was not in a hurry to take more. Miao Wan had not eaten breakfast and her lunch was late, so she could probably eat more. However, she could not finish two buns, and most of the remaining one went into Qiao Ruichen's stomach.
He took another one, finished it, drank some tea, and then spoke to Sun Laohuo, "Sun Ada, based on my appetite, one bun and a bowl of radish soup are enough for the elderly, women, and children. If it's women who do manual labor, I'll have them register and give them badges. They can get two buns and a bowl of radish soup. The same goes for men. If it's not enough, you can exchange it with work points. One work point gets one bun and a bowl of radish soup."
After all, there are too many people now. Even if it is not a disaster, there is no time when everyone in every household can eat their fill. It is good enough to be able to eat enough.
So Qiao Ruichen set a standard number. If you really feel that it is not enough to eat, you can usually eat more by working hard.
Sun Laohuo nodded. "That way, we don't have to make so many buns. Although there are many people in our town, less than half of them are able-bodied. Two thousand five hundred buns per meal will be enough."
Maybe there's some left over.
But it doesn’t matter, because there is always a fire burning in front of the stove. If I cook too much, I can just bake buns for everyone in the same way as I roasted lamb. Maybe they will taste even better.
Having solved a big problem, Sun Laohuo and others did not delay any longer. They quickly drove the mule cart with Uncle Geng and others to call everyone over.
Food is very important. If you want to cook food, you must prepare it at the garrison and then pull it over. You’re afraid that if so much food is left in the open air, someone might steal it.
I'm already busy and don't have the time to send someone to keep an eye on things.
So the backyard of the garrison soon became lively, and the commotion attracted the children. A group of little kids, big and small, were clinging to the door frame, taking the buns and eating them, and then they didn't leave, but just stared at the busy work in the kitchen.
There were many sick people in the Zhang family, so Miao Wan decided to ask Sun to bring all the children to the garrison to avoid having to take care of the children if the sick at home had to.
Donkey Egg and Dog Egg had done business with her before, so they were not shy at all. They looked at Miao Wan expectantly and asked, "Aunt, can we do the same?"
"Yes! Yes! Aunt, bag, bag, bag!"
"Auntie, play!"
Huh? Which traitor spoke their true feelings?
Donkey Egg and Dog Egg glared at him, but failed to catch the little traitor who was too upright.
Miao Wan was so amused that she laughed. She wanted to refuse, saying that food was so precious these days and she couldn't give it to children to play with.
But looking at Goudan, who looked chubby but nervous, Miao Wan suddenly paused, and her heart ached for a moment.
Yes, the fire burned down homes and the adults were exhausted, but the ones who were most frightened were actually the children.
Like Zhang Dazhuang's son Goudan, he used to be a naughty little guy, but now he knows that his son Ada is sick, so he dare not make trouble. He wants to play but is afraid of doing something wrong.
Miao Wan took a deep breath and touched Goudan's head... Her hand was covered in oil and she shuddered. Damn, how long had it been since these brats had showered?
You still want to be naughty? Play with your ass!
"If you want to help, go to the small kitchen and help Aunt Geng boil water. Then go to the bathroom. The older ones help the younger ones. Scrub them all clean!"
Miao Wan calmly wiped the hair oil off Goudan's body and said, "These are to be eaten by people working outside. If a dirty child makes them, it will make adults sick!"
Donkey Egg was anxious, "But there are so many of us. By the time we finish washing, they will definitely have finished cooking. How can we play... Help?"
Miao Wan smiled, "Don't worry about that. We'll be making dumplings every day for many days, so there will be plenty of time for you to help. But remember, food is expensive. You can play with the dough if you want, but don't throw it on the ground or throw it at others. Whoever has the dough in their hands gets to eat it. Even if it falls on the ground, you have to eat it yourself. Got it?"
The little ones just nodded vigorously. They knew that food was not easy to come by, they just thought it was fun and didn't want to be beaten. If they could play and help at the same time, they would definitely be happy to do so.
Miao Wan gave instructions and asked Aunt Geng and Madam Sun to help bathe the children. "Let them dry on the kang before coming down, so they don't get cold."
Sun had been very tired these past two days, and felt a little guilty when she heard this. "Look at me, I was so busy delivering food to my husband and mother that I asked Donkey Egg and Cui Ya to look after the children. I even forgot to give them a bath."
Miao Wan also knew that Yu and Sun were both tired. Yu had to take care of her mother-in-law and husband, and also help Yang take care of the children.
Mrs. Sun has to take care of the children and feed two families. Fortunately, as long as her food, clothing, housing and transportation are arranged, she will soon not be so busy anymore.
Miao Wan pulled Sun aside and told her, "Thank you for your hard work, sister-in-law. Don't work so hard. We have buns now. Just let brother and the others go get them every day. Be careful not to get sick from working yourself to death."
Having said that, Miao Wan herself had been busy since she opened her eyes in the morning. Taotao was carried to the main room by Geng. When she returned to the room, she took off her outer coat and lay on the kang. She couldn't help but moaning softly, and her whole body was in pain.
It wasn't severe pain, just soreness. She had been walking and riding in the car for most of the day, so the amount of exercise was too much.
Qiao Ruichen came in from outside, helped her up and gently pressed her, "You don't have to get up too early tomorrow. I'll be watching over you, and those soldiers won't cause any trouble."
He had spent two years in the northwest, and it wasn't in vain in the military camp. For those tough men, strength sometimes represented everything. If anyone didn't submit, they would just beat him into submission. He didn't care about reputation.
He would only get anxious and angry if his wife got hurt due to overwork.
Miao Wan hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice, "Husband, why don't you ask why I insist on using work points to receive my salary even though I don't want to work?"
Qiao Ruichen chuckled softly, "Dad and I both know what you mean. We're not worried about the lack of resources, but the inequality. If we deprive them of their right to earn work points, the morale of the army will be shaken when benefits and salaries are distributed."
People are like this. Although there is no medicine for regret in the world, people always want to leave a way out for themselves. Even though those soldiers are happy to curse in private, they will soon calm down.
As for work points, they must be counted by everyone in both battalions to be stable. For the officers and soldiers, I can choose not to do it, but the superiors must treat everyone equally, and I must have the freedom to do it whenever I want.
Miao Wan was stunned. Huh? Oh.
She didn't think so deeply. She also borrowed the work point system from the great man. Wasn't the work point system used during the Black Decade?
When she read novels, she saw so many excellent works that made her fully aware of the disadvantages of work points, which is that everyone cannot be treated equally, otherwise people will have no motivation at all.
So she forced everyone to use work points for statistics. Firstly, the special situation of Xining Town made work points feasible, and secondly, she relied on comparison to derive a sense of happiness and ambition.
If you don't work hard, you'll just get a fixed salary.
If you work hard, you will have a motorcycle and a villa.
So Miao Shiren's move was secretly sinister. He wanted to collect all the money for her. There was no upper limit to work points, and there was no upper limit to effort. In time, all the money would turn into silver and flow into her hands, hehe...
She smiled secretly in her heart, but her face remained dignified. Since her husband had found such a good explanation for her, then -
"My husband is worthy of being my husband. He understands me! I am a person who has such a broad perspective!"
Qiao Ruichen: “…” He really understood. It seemed that he and his father were overthinking it.
However, he understood how much his wife loved being praised, so he only smiled more beautifully. "That's why my parents have sighed more than once that marrying Awan is a blessing for our Qiao family and for me. Dad even said he would secretly send someone back to check on the Qiao family's ancestral grave to see if there was smoke coming out. I think so too."
Miao Wan was so flattered that her face lit up. She waved her little hand and gave Qiao Ruichen a very, very gentle punch. "Oh... I'm not as good as you say, hehehe..."
Qiao Ruichen held back his laughter and continued to think of ways to praise Miao Shiren. While the couple was enjoying each other's company, the buns were all wrapped and transported to the dining area in the south district by mule carts.
A shed has been built here in case it snows, which is unlikely, but it will be good to block the wind.
There were twenty stoves in a row, lined up in two rows, not taking up too much space. Half of them were used to cook bone soup. The rich aroma attracted many children to hang around outside the tent, and even the stern-faced soldiers could not scare them away.
As soon as the steamer sent to the garrison was placed on the iron cauldron, it began to steam. Even the soldiers standing on duty near the shed made faces.
"What is this?"
"Are you going to give us some food?"
In their impression, the only things that need to be steamed are steamed buns and wowo, and steamed buns are considered delicious food. They dare not imagine it and can only guess that it is a black wowo made of coarse flour.
After trying them in the afternoon, everyone found that the buns made with highland barley flour were delicious, while the ones made with sorghum flour were not so good, with a stronger sour taste and a rough texture.
The taste of barley flour and sorghum flour mixed together is also average, but when sorghum flour and wheat flour are mixed together, it is quite fragrant, the texture is not rough, and there is a sweet taste of wheat.
Therefore, buns are made in two styles: vegetarian buns made with barley flour, and meat residue buns made with sorghum flour and wheat flour, in case some people do not eat meat or are averse to pork.
As the steam from the steamed buns spread around, the people who were still walking slowly towards this side quickened their pace, and the ten soldiers in front of the shed were all staring in amazement.
Originally, everyone had a private discussion during the lunch break. Some people didn't want to come anymore and wanted to trick others into coming.
Some people were smart and wanted to go back and incite their brothers in the barracks. They firmly disagreed with the method of counting work points. As long as the number of people was large, the superiors would always consider it.
Regardless of their previous plans, they now had only one idea in mind:
It’s so damn delicious. If I eat like this every day... Brothers, let me suffer this for you!
The author has something to say:
Soldiers: Don’t stop me, we are half brothers, it’s no big deal for me to risk my life for you, I am willing to endure a little hardship for you!!!
Others: Bah!
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