The next day at noon, the scenery on both sides of the official road remained the same, except that the autumn wind was rising and the flying yellow sand made people look dusty and disheveled!
The green plants along the roadside seemed to have disappeared, and the ground was covered with a layer of yellow leaves. The leaves fell earlier this year. Liu said that the tree had been stripped of its bark and would not survive, let alone the leaves on it.
The rustling of the paulownia leaves carries the chill of winter.
Winter seems to be just around the corner, but there are still at least a thousand miles to go south. If we don't hurry, we'll have to brave the wind and snow to make our way, and the thought of that doesn't sound pleasant at all!
Thinking of this, Qin Sanniang suddenly slapped her thigh, startling Liu Shi and Wu Chunhua, who were doing needlework. They had a few pieces of cloth left, and they weren't going to waste them. They'd make them into socks, stuff them with silk floss, and secure them with small squares—that would be perfectly fitting cotton socks. Although these were small, the workmanship was more meticulous, so they weren't quick to make!
"When did you develop this tendency to jump around like this?" Liu asked, touching her heart.
Qin San Niang touched her nose, not minding her mother's lecture, and said seriously, "Mother, if we don't reach the south by winter, won't we freeze to death in this carriage?"
Wu Chunhua and Liu were both startled by her, but then they realized that everyone traveled this way, and besides, they were already much better off with their mule carts! Those who measured the land on foot were truly miserable! Especially those without cotton socks and shoes, they really suffered a lot!
However, Wu Chunhua obviously didn't want to spoil Qin Sanniang's mood, so she quickly nodded in agreement, saying that it would definitely be cold. Even if there was a carriage, it could only block the wind in winter, and the temperature would still be low.
Receiving a response and affirmation, Qin San Niang spoke with even more enthusiasm.
"So, Mother, we need to buy some heating supplies. Like hand warmers or small stoves, preferably the kind that can be used in the car."
Thinking about how you can light a stove in the train carriage to cook and keep warm in winter, would it catch fire? It should be fine! Many large train carriages now have fire-starting devices, and if all else fails, buying a heater is better than freezing!
The Liu family had heard of hand warmers before; landlords used them, so they weren't exactly rare items. However, they must have been very expensive! The eldest daughter wasn't short of money, and considering the biting winter winds and her children and grandchildren suffering from the cold, buying one would be useful.
Seeing this, Qin San Niang assumed that her mother had agreed. She didn't say anything more, went outside to chat with Pang Ya, and headed towards Guocheng.
The children had already heard that they were going to the city, and they were naturally overjoyed. The prosperity of Luzhou had already dazzled them, and they wondered if Guocheng would be even more prosperous. At the very least, it would be much better than their town. Even the eldest child, who was usually quite steady, began to look forward to it.
Children fleeing from disaster are greeted with desolation from the moment they open their eyes each day. They inevitably suffer from lack of food and clothing, and even water must be consumed sparingly. They have a natural longing for prosperity and stability.
Around noon, Qin San Niang and the others heard a commotion coming from Lujia Village. They guessed that the village head was telling the villagers about the decision to go to the city.
Ms. Wu was also vaguely worried. Some villagers seemed very agitated, and she was afraid that they would be implicated, which would be a truly undeserved disaster!
Turning around, I saw Qin San Niang leisurely cooking porridge, so I suppressed my worries and continued chopping vegetables. These were wild vegetables that I had dug up in the mountains earlier, and now there weren't many left by the roadside, so I had to be careful with them.
Faced with the doubts, secret joy, or worries of the crowd, Lu Dingtian did not show any strong emotions. He had expected this reaction long ago. Hmph, try to play this game with this old man. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!
Some cunning villagers, upon hearing that there was a town ahead, naturally wanted to go in, but they didn't want to pay the entrance fee. So they started to plead poverty, implying that the clan chief should help them solve the head fee for entering the town.
Just as Old Mrs. Chen was about to unleash a torrent of abuse on these men, her eldest daughter-in-law stopped her. The eldest son of the Lu family must have already told her about their plan.
Sure enough, those troublemakers, seeing the village head staring at them expressionlessly, became a little guilty and timidly insisted that their families simply didn't have that much money! You are both the village head and the clan leader, you can't just ignore us!
The eldest son of the Lu family silently remembered these people, thinking to himself that he would deal with them later! He was a ruthless man.
He had seen everything about everyone; they were all so cunning!
Lu Dingtian sighed, then said in a strong voice, "Ahead lies Guocheng. Everyone's food supplies are probably running low, and winter is approaching; we all need to prepare warm clothing. The city entrance fee is quite expensive. We're all Lu clan members, from the same root! I've come up with an idea to share. If you think it's feasible, then we'll proceed; if some of you disagree, then you'll have to figure it out yourselves. As for those who are still thinking of extorting money and taking advantage, I advise you to give up that idea. Although I, Lu Dingtian, am the village head, I'm only the village head of Lu Family Village. Now that the village is gone, what need is there for a village head?! As for the clan leader, those who are willing to follow me are my clansmen; those with ulterior motives, you can do as you please!"
These were very harsh words! The eldest son of the Lu family was startled. His father meant he no longer wanted to be the village head of Lu Family Village. He had served this position diligently for decades; others might not know the effort he had put in, but he did. Thinking of those with ulterior motives, he felt exhausted. If that was the case, it would be better to part ways now. They could all establish their own households. Once they reached the south, the government would redistribute villages, perhaps even assigning them to other villages. Where would Lu Family Village be then?
Thinking of this, Boss Lu became even more furious and said,
“My father has devoted himself to everyone for decades, even on the road of fleeing famine. In terms of both sentiment and reason, our family has done more than enough for you! Those who are willing to come with us, we will still be our clansmen and relatives. Those who are not willing, then goodbye!”
The eldest son of the Lu family landed with a resounding thud, and his two younger brothers, who were even taller than him, stood behind him, adding to his imposing presence.
The villagers who had been chattering earlier panicked when they heard what the village head and his family said. They knew they had no way of escaping on their own. The older ones had no choice but to come out quickly and apologize.
"Brother Lu, please don't be angry. The kids are just being silly. We old men have seen all the effort you've put in along the way. Please don't hold it against the younger generation!"
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