Zhou did not go up the mountain. Zhao Guoliang asked her to watch at the foot of the mountain. The Pueraria root that was brought back had to wait until everyone arrived before it could be distributed.
Baskets of kudzu roots were carried down the mountain. The eyes of the old people and children at the foot of the mountain lit up when they saw so much edible food.
He had completely recovered by the afternoon, but she was still a little weak.
She also came to the open space in the village and looked at the piles of kudzu roots. She said, "This time, thanks to Hu Lan, there is so much food that we can last for a long time. It was also her idea to find the water. We all owe Hu Lan a huge favor."
Zhou nodded, "Yes, this time it's all thanks to Hu Lan."
An old woman interrupted, "I heard that Hu Lan and her husband divorced? Is this true?"
Zhou nodded and said, "It's true. Hu Lan will live in the village from now on."
The old woman sighed, "What will she do in the future? Will she live with Lao Zhang and the others?"
"She has three children with her, so it will be difficult for her to get married again in the future."
"Everyone owes her a favor this time. Everyone should help her find a suitable family. It's not right for a woman to always live in her parents' home. She still needs to get married. It'll make her feel more at ease if she has a man to rely on."
These old people are helping Zhang Hulan to get married.
If Zhang Hulan knew, she would definitely say "Thank you..." to them.
The old people and children were chatting here, and outside the village, a carriage was parked on the side of the road. A middle-aged man in official uniform stood on the side of the road, looking at the wet soil in the rice fields outside the road with some surprise.
There were several yamen runners nearby searching everywhere. They shouted, "Sir, the water is coming from over there."
The middle-aged man was named Wu Deyong, and he was the newly appointed county magistrate of Changning County.
Wu Deyong walked towards the yamen runners and saw a small ditch with water flowing in it.
He squatted down, scooped up a handful of water and put it on his face. It felt cool and comfortable.
"There is such a huge amount of water here. It seems that the food in Daping Village can be saved."
Then he frowned again and looked at the rice field again.
"That's not right. Isn't there water? Why are the rice so dry and yellow?"
The attendant Tian Wu pointed to the cracks in the rice fields and said, "Look, sir, the fields are full of cracks, that's where the water should be."
Wu Deyong nodded in agreement, "Yes, that should be the case."
Liu Yongquan and several villagers came down the mountain carrying baskets full of kudzu roots. When they saw Wu Deyong in official uniform on the side of the road, they were afraid to approach him.
Wu Deyong waved at them, "Fellow villagers, come here, I have something to ask you."
The yamen runner shouted, "Come here quickly, this is the new county magistrate, Lord Wu."
Liu Yongquan and several villagers hurried forward. They were ready to put down their backpacks, kneel down and kowtow, but Wu Deyong waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Forget your ceremony."
Wu Deyong saw what was in their backpacks and asked, "What are you carrying?"
Liu Yongquan replied: "Your Excellency, this is kudzu root, it is edible, we can dig it up and eat it as food."
"Pueraria lobata? What is Pueraria lobata? Have you heard of it?" Wu Deyong asked the yamen runner beside him.
The yamen runners all shook their heads and said, "I've never heard of it."
The appearances of Pueraria roots vary. Some look like sweet potatoes or yacon, but some of the older ones look like tree roots.
Liu Yongquan and the villagers put the small ones at the bottom of their backpacks, and put the old ones that look like tree roots on the top of the backpacks, so that they can fit more.
Wu Deyong sighed in his heart, "Alas... the people are suffering... they have already started eating tree roots..."
Then Wu Deyong pointed at the water in the ditch and asked, "Where did you get this water from? When did you get it down?"
Liu Yongquan answered honestly: "It was just brought down this morning. It was brought out from a cave halfway up the mountain. We worked all day and all night yesterday to bring it down."
Wu Deyong asked again: "There is water on this mountain, why didn't you bring it down earlier?"
Liu Yongquan talked about the water shortage in the village and how to find water.
Liu Yongquan finally said: "The girl from the Zhang family also told us about the kudzu root. The girl from the Zhang family is kind-hearted and doesn't want to see the villagers starve to death, so she told everyone that the kudzu root is edible and asked everyone to dig it up as life-saving food."
Wu Deyong nodded and said, "Well, that's great! Your village can find water sources on its own and can also find food to save its life. That's great."
"Let's go and take a look at your village."
Wu Deyong followed Liu Yongquan and the others into the village. Liu Yongquan quickly said to the villagers around him, "This is the county magistrate. The county magistrate is here to see us."
Zhou, some elderly people and children quickly knelt down and kowtowed, "Greetings, Master County Magistrate!"
"Everyone, get up quickly." Wu Deyong looked at the old people and children in the village and asked, "Where are the others?"
Liu Yongquan replied: "The young ones have all gone to the mountains, and there are only old people and children in the village."
Wu Deyong pointed to the kudzu roots that had been dug up and asked, "Some of you have worked, and some have not. How will you divide the food when the time comes?"
Liu Yongquan still answered honestly: "Equally divided per person, everyone gets a share."
Wu Deyong pointed at the old people and children and asked, "Do they have it too?"
"Yes, but I will give you less."
Wu Deyong nodded repeatedly, "Very good, you didn't give up on anyone, your village is great."
"Where is your village head? Is he also on the mountain?"
“It’s all on the mountain.”
"Is it far? If not, I will go up the mountain with you to take a look."
Liu Yongquan said, "Not far, just past your previous position. It won't take more than 25 minutes to get there."
"Then let's go. I will go up the mountain too."
Liu Yongquan quickly led the way.
On the way, Wu Deyong inquired in detail about the situation in the village, and Liu Yongquan answered all his questions one by one.
Liu Yongquan said it was not far, but it normally took about fifteen minutes to get from the village to the place where kudzu roots were dug.
But Wu Deyong was pregnant with a big belly and had not arrived even after walking for quarter of an hour.
He gasped and asked, "Didn't they say it would take less than 25 minutes? Why hasn't it arrived yet?"
Liu Yongquan scratched his head. "Sir, if I leave, it will take less than 25 minutes..."
Wu Deyong sat on the ground and gasped for breath, "How far is it?"
"It's not far, it's not far. It should take less than a quarter of an hour."
Liu Yongquan asked hesitantly, "Sir, how about I carry you up there?"
Wu Deyong waved his hand, "No, no, I just need to rest for a while. I am here to understand the people's sentiments, not to cause trouble for them. I don't need you to carry me on my back, I can do it."
Liu Yongquan immediately showed great respect. He felt that the county magistrate must be a good official.
The villagers who went down the mountain with Liu Yongquan had already gone ahead, leaving only Liu Yongquan behind to accompany Wu Deyong.
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