To prevent it from getting wet, it was first wrapped in two layers of oil paper and tied up before being placed in the bundle.
The rendezvous point was still the same cave as last time.
Qin San Niang arrived half an hour early, tidied up the cave slightly, and then piled all the grain from her spatial storage into the cave. Fortunately, the cave was large enough, otherwise it really wouldn't have been able to hold so much.
When Mr. and Mrs. Zhou's convoy arrived, they saw Mrs. Qin waiting in the distance. Although they knew beforehand that Mrs. Qin was no ordinary person, the couple had been racking their brains the night before, unable to figure out how she had obtained such a large quantity of grain.
To alleviate the military's shortage of supplies, Boss Zhou had put a lot of effort into securing grain. In the past month, he had inquired through both legitimate and illegitimate channels, not only in He County but also in Jiang City, and only then did he barely manage to scrape together 50,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain. Although it wasn't much, it was his limit. It wasn't a matter of money; it was simply that he didn't have any.
Most of the taxes collected by the royal court were used for grain reserves. Due to the increased taxes, the people did not have much grain to circulate. Fortunately, in He County, because Magistrate Jia did not strictly enforce the government's orders, the tax revenue did not fluctuate much. However, he was about to be transferred, and it was hard to say what would happen in the future.
This situation doesn't mean that Magistrate Jia is particularly virtuous, but rather that he has made contributions to agriculture and sericulture this year, which the higher-ups are aware of and won't blame him for.
In short, Boss Zhou stroked his well-fed belly, completely baffled by the whole story.
Well then! They are ultimately more skilled. The young master is truly fortunate to have made such a trip to Jiangzhou, not only bringing Mr. He back to Yongzhou and discovering an iron mine, but also making the acquaintance of Lady Qin…
It seems even Heaven is helping Yongzhou!
"Boss Zhou, Sister, you've arrived!" Qin San Niang went up to greet them, and was equally surprised to see the convoy behind them.
I knew the Zhou family was powerful and wealthy, but I didn't expect this caravan to be so large. There were also some bodyguards carrying swords, presumably helping them escort the goods. These people must be seasoned caravan workers; they didn't have the air of bandits or soldiers, indicating they weren't military personnel. It's very likely the work of the Langya Wang family.
No wonder Boss Zhou was able to transport the iron ore out smoothly; this caravan alone is no joke, and ordinary bandits can't even get close.
"Good sister, you're really capable!" Madam Zhou was extremely excited as she looked at the grain supplies before her! She breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the soldiers' food supply was secured. Seeing her husband nearly bald from exhaustion over this matter had worried her greatly! It wasn't so much that she felt sorry for his hair, but rather for her comrades who were enduring hunger and hardship while guarding the border.
Unlike her husband, Madam Zhou's father and brothers were both generals in the Yongzhou army. From a young age, she understood the hardships of soldiers. If it weren't for her status as a woman, she would have also planned to go to the front lines to fight the enemy.
“Sister is the true hero of the army. I only prepared the provisions and am not in any danger. But sister and Brother Zhou will face countless dangers on their journey north. Please take care!” Qin San Niang looked at them intently, her worry evident in her eyes.
The Zhou couple were both moved and said they would definitely be careful. They also reassured her not to worry, as they had walked this road dozens of times, if not hundreds, and knew it very well.
After saying that, Boss Zhou arranged for the loading of the goods. So much grain filled more than a hundred horse-drawn carts, which were of course covered with other goods such as furs and cloth. In those days, grain was hard currency, and it was hard to guarantee that no one would be tempted to take the risk.
Even so, Qin San Niang knew that they would definitely encounter a lot of troubles along the way. Fortunately, she saw that the couple were confident and prepared, and since they were personally taking action this time, they must have made thorough preparations, which was much better than her, a complete novice.
Those bandits on the road don't dare to rob just anyone. A caravan like this is obviously not to be trifled with. If you mess with them and end up getting wiped out, it would be a huge loss.
Because of the large number of people, all the food and supplies were packed up in less than an hour and a half.
Qin San Niang handed the bundle to Madam Zhou, asking her to pass it on to Gu Qingshan and Qin Siyuan, and also to deliver a letter to the He family.
"Brother Zhou, Sister, have a safe journey!"
"Sister, let's go back. I look forward to seeing you again soon." Madam Zhou, dressed in a black outfit with red trim, holding a long sword, looked very heroic. She leaped onto her horse, cupped her hands to Tan San Niang, and laughed heartily.
As the rumbling of the carriages and horses filled the air, the group bid farewell once more. Qin San Niang watched them depart until the last carriage emerged from the woods.
A gust of cold wind blew, swirling up the withered yellow leaves on the ground. A few crows flew by, cawing loudly as they went, creating a desolate scene.
She wrapped her outer robe tighter around herself and strode back home.
Today is the Little New Year.
Every household in Shiligou is busy preparing for the Lunar New Year's Eve dinner. Since they're going to have a good meal at night, they don't need to eat lunch.
Liu and Song Po started preparations yesterday and have almost finished. Today, they cleaned the house inside and out, put up new window decorations, and hung up decorative ornaments.
Because she was from the north, Liu maintained the northern customs for celebrating the Little New Year, getting up early to chop the dumpling filling and prepare to wrap dumplings. Grandma Song, a native of the south, knew that the Little New Year wouldn't be complete without rice cakes and sugar melons. The sugar melons were made a few days ago, and she planned to make the rice cakes fresh, saying that's how they tasted best. They also started preparing early in the morning, the two of them working feverishly in the kitchen, leaving no room for anyone else to help.
School was closed today, so the children didn't have classes and went with their friends to the back hill to catch rabbits and pheasants. Of course, those animals were quite clever, and the adults didn't really expect them to succeed. At least without the kids causing trouble at home, they could concentrate on their chores.
Fortunately, with Da Wa and Lu Song accompanying them, Qin San Niang felt much more at ease. Even so, she still sent the three Diao brothers along. The three brothers were somewhat embarrassed, as they had only enjoyed themselves here, with easy work and plenty of food. The eldest brother, Diao Xi, declared that they must repay their employer well and take good care of the young master and young lady.
Now, they've also learned some martial arts, and although they can't compare to those with formal training, they're more than capable of dealing with a few thugs.
Actually, they were originally from the north, tall and strong in appearance. They had been thin and weak before because they didn't have enough to eat and suffered from malnutrition. Since coming to the Qin family, they have been able to eat their fill at every meal, and often have meat soup and eggs to eat. Their bodies have grown quickly and they have become visibly stronger.
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