Zhang Xiue had done farm work before, so she was quite adept at digging potatoes. In no time, she had dug out half a basketful.
Qin Xiaoniang weighed the weight and felt it was about right. After crossing the snow mountain, they would reach Xinzhou in a few days. To avoid arousing suspicion from the officials, they would have to abandon the carriage. If there were too many things, people simply wouldn't be able to carry them.
"I think...is that enough?"
Zhang Xiue shook her head. "If the road on the snow mountain is difficult to travel, it will inevitably take a few days. Buy more supplies in case of emergency. By the way, has He'er returned?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiaoniang turned around and looked back, just in time to see Song He'er walking towards them step by step...
"Mother! The quilts have all been loaded onto the carriage!"
Qin Xiaoniang looked at her incredulously, "Really? How did you carry it upstairs? It seems those farmers are kinder than we thought. By the way, how much did it cost in total?"
Song He'er smiled and said, "Well... not many, they're all old quilts. They gave me a discount since we've suffered a lot too."
"These people are truly more simple and kind than we imagined. Hopefully, things will be just as pleasant in the wilderness..."
Zhang Xiue was covered in sweat. She put the potatoes in the basket and continued digging, completely ignoring what the mother and daughter were saying.
"Third Aunt, this is a whole basketful, that should be enough. Let's go over there. Fourth Aunt and Fifth Aunt are picking radishes and cabbages over there, I think that'll be enough for us. Besides, there's more in the car..."
After listening to Song He'er's advice, Zhang Xiu'e stopped digging and, together with Qin Xiaoniang, carried the basket and walked towards the tent where the farmer was staying.
The farmer was a straightforward person; he didn't ask for an exorbitant price but carefully weighed the item.
"A total of twenty-five catties, three catties for two coins, plus the radishes and cabbages, add them all together and give me thirty coins!"
Zhang Xiue nodded, took the money out of her purse, and handed it to the farmer.
After buying quilts and preparing vegetables, everyone got ready to go up the mountain.
Although we are still far from the snow-capped mountains, we can still clearly see the mountaintops with their white peaks when we look up.
As Li Qiang's wife drove the carriage, she said, "We're not far from the foot of the mountain, are we? This place seems quite spacious, let's rest here tonight!"
Zhang Xiue looked around and felt that the place was too desolate. She thought it would be better to sleep at the foot of the mountain, where the mountain walls would provide shelter and the wind would be less.
"I can't see anything here. There isn't even a tree around. If we light a fire at night, people miles away can see it. Let's go to the foot of the snow mountain instead!"
Qin Xiaoniang agreed with Zhang Xiue's suggestion. Since they had already traveled all day, they might as well walk a little further and rest at the foot of the mountain so they could go up the mountain first thing tomorrow morning.
"Then let's keep going!" With that, he cracked his whip, and the horse began to gallop again.
Knowing that the children were hungry after a long day of walking, Song He'er gave each of them a piece of crab roe pastry that she had taken out of her spatial storage beforehand.
When Nianjie saw there was food, she immediately took it happily. "Fifth Sister, it's so delicious! Did you buy this in Luancheng too?"
"Yes...!"
Qin Xiaoniang stared thoughtfully at the crab roe pastry in her hand, "I think I've had this before at the General's Mansion..."
"Fine fruits and pastries aren't just for the General's Mansion. Does that mean ordinary people aren't allowed to eat them in Xizhou? Mother, don't be so bookish and pedantic."
"Hmm...you have a point, but this fruit is still too expensive. You eat it!"
Song He'er breathed a sigh of relief and stuffed the crab roe pastry into Qin Xiaoniang's hand again. "Mother, I've said it many times. I'm not a child anymore. I don't need to share your food. We should all have some. No one should leave any for anyone else!"
Qin Xiaoniang shook her head helplessly and slowly ate the crab roe pastry.
Hua Hua was very sensible. Knowing that her mother was driving outside, she quietly put away the crab roe pastry, planning to give it to Li Qiang's wife later.
As darkness fell, the carriage finally reached the foot of the snow-capped mountain.
The temperature here has dropped sharply, and although the birch forest provides some shelter, the wind blowing in is still bone-chillingly cold.
Qin Xiaoniang and Zhang Xiue got out of the carriage first to start a fire and set up the tent. Only then did Song He'er get out of the carriage with the children.
"Fourth Aunt, hurry up and bring the quilt down and spread it out!"
"Yes, yes, I'm getting it now. How come it's already so cold after only walking a few dozen miles?"
While carrying firewood, Zhang Xiue replied, "This is nothing. Once we get up the mountain, you'll know what extreme cold weather is like."
"Do you think it will be windy and cold so much that people can't even take their hands out of the cold when we get to Xinzhou?" Chunrao suddenly asked.
Zhang Xiu'e thought for a while, then shook her head. "How good can a desolate place be? In short, don't have too high hopes!"
Qin Xiaoniang took out more than a dozen potatoes, washed them with water, and put them in a pot to steam.
To make the potatoes more flavorful, Qin Xiaoniang added a little salt to the water at the bottom of the pot, so that everyone would find them easier to swallow.
"And the radishes, let's steam some too!" Zhang Xiu'e reminded from the side.
"good!"
Song He'er suddenly remembered that there were still a few chicken legs left to eat, so she rushed onto the carriage and took the chicken legs out of the small basin under the seat.
"This meat needs to be eaten as soon as possible, otherwise it will freeze and become inedible. Look, it's all cold now..."
Qin Xiaoniang looked at them, took the chicken legs from Song He'er's hands, and then used a clean tree branch to skewer the chicken legs together and put them on the fire to roast.
"Eating raw or cold food can easily cause diarrhea, let's grill it again..."
The fire was quite strong, and after a short while, one of the chicken legs burned. The remaining chickens were no longer roasted, and everyone shared them and ate them as is.
After the potatoes were steamed, the children, having eaten their fill of meat, went into their tents to sleep.
Qin Xiaoniang handed a steaming hot potato to Song He'er, and then took out the others and delivered them to Zhang Xiu'e and Li Qiang's wife.
"Everyone, eat quickly, and then get some rest so we can go up the mountain early tomorrow."
While eating, Chunrao replied, "We can't sleep yet. Didn't we say we should steam more potatoes before going up the mountain? Tian Niangzi has been driving all day, she must be tired too. Why don't you rest, and let Chundi and I do the rest of the work together!"
Qin Xiaoniang couldn't drive a carriage and spent the whole day sitting in the carriage watching the children, so she felt a little guilty at this moment.
"No... I'll cook it..."
Clang—
No sooner had he finished speaking than a loud bang came from outside the tent.
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