Chapter 27 Paying Public Grain
The entire autumn harvest lasted for more than a month, and I earned enough work points. After harvesting the grain, I had to plant wheat. After planting the wheat, I had to pay the public grain tax. I had to pay the public grain tax tomorrow. The vegetables in the yard could only be harvested after the frost.
Tang Yue had dried all the food that needed to be dried during this period. She had also collected food twice in the space. The pigs, cattle and sheep were pregnant. The rabbits were even more rampant in the space. A few rabbits were considered few. The fish had grown up and weighed almost one pound. She should be able to eat her own fish during the New Year. She had also harvested the small fruits from the fruit trees last time and kept them for fresh eating. The bees were also divided into boxes for her. They contributed more than 30 bottles of honey to her in more than a month. She had collected even more chicken eggs, duck eggs and goose eggs. Tang Yue pickled hundreds of duck eggs and goose eggs, which were just right for eating with white porridge.
Tang Yue is also going to the commune tomorrow to pick up the custom-made boots and leather jackets, and to trade with Brother Hu. After the trade, she is going back to the valley to avoid wasting the herbs, as she will ask where to buy them tomorrow.
After having dinner early, Tang Yue sat on the kang and took out the good cloth she had bought, preparing to make a few sets of winter clothes. She picked out a set each in cyan, blue, and plaid red, took out the sewing machine, cut the cloth, and started sewing directly on the machine. It took her three hours to finish. She then picked out some matching buttons in the space and sewed them.
It’s getting late. I’ll knit a sweater and trousers next time. You can’t survive the winter without sweaters and trousers. I’ll make two sets of cotton-padded clothes and trousers then. The original owner’s cotton-padded clothes and trousers can be kept for working in the mountains.
In the past month, I went to the space to press oil when I had time at night, and I have pressed several kilograms. The soybeans I planted have not been pressed yet, and I have pressed 500 kilograms of sesame. The oil yield is relatively low, so Tang Yue is not going to sell too much. I don't know how to calculate the price. Last time, I planted hundreds of acres of cotton. It will be winter soon, and cotton should sell well. Tomorrow I will go to Heilongjiang to ask about the price. Fortunately, when the crops planted in the space are harvested, they are directly put into the storage cabinet, otherwise there will not be so many sacks to pack them. I will have to see if there are any sacks to sell tomorrow.
I thought too much and fell asleep in a daze.
The next morning when Tang Yue got up, it was already past 6 pm and she was going to be late. Those who had gone to the public food distribution office early were already at the front of the line, so she quickly got up, brushed her teeth and washed her face, took a handful of green vegetables from the space and threw them to the backyard to feed the chickens, then took a steamed bun and carried a kettle to the team headquarters. When she arrived, the car was almost loaded.
Tang Yue was very strong and pushed a cart as well, following the convoy in front of them towards the commune. The cart was fully loaded with stuff, and other carts needed help from others, but Tang Yue's cart was handled by herself.
The convoy was too long and moved too slowly. When we arrived at the commune, it was already past ten o'clock, and we hadn't entered the commune yet. There were two or three long queues ahead of us. We didn't know how long we would have to wait. We sat down and chatted with Aunt Guihua and the others. To pay the public grain tax, men, women, old and young went together. The men pushed the carts and the women carried it on their shoulders.
After waiting for more than an hour, it was finally the Red Flag Team's turn. After inspection, I was rated as "first class". After handing in the work, I said goodbye to Aunt Guihua and the others, and went to the master craftsman to pick up the ordered shoes. The master craftsman who had to go to the province quickly had gone back to eat. I came to the master craftsman's shop, took out the order and handed it to the master. The master craftsman could tell at a glance when it was made and what was made.
The old master took out the things he had made and showed them to Tang Yue for inspection. Tang Yue took the boots and looked at them carefully. The workmanship was indeed impeccable, and was similar to those sold in the supply and marketing cooperative. The cloak and coat were dyed white, and they were dyed very well without any other colors mixed in. After checking, there were no problems. Tang Yue gave the remaining money to the boss and asked the old master where he could buy the medicinal materials. The old master told her directly that the purchasing station would buy them. After thanking the boss, she took the things she had made and the remaining furs and went back to the house she had bought in the commune.
After walking for more than twenty minutes, he arrived at the house. He looked around and found no signs of having been there before, so he opened the door and walked in, to the bedroom, entered the space from the bedroom, took out sacks from the warehouse and began to pack. Tang Yue planned to sell more this time, and sell again during the Chinese New Year. She would not sell this year, so she took 50 catties of rice and flour each, 20 catties of soybean oil, 400 catties of sesame oil, 20 catties of cotton, and 50,000 catties of corn kernels as usual. She also took out 10 catties each of dried red dates and raisins, and 3 catties of fresh fruit, including apples, and nothing else.
Tang Yue took out her things and placed them in the room. She painted her face like last time, locked the doors of the bedroom and living room, locked the door to the yard, and went to the dark place.
This time, Tang Yue had just arrived in the dark. Brother Qiang saw him from afar and came to greet him with a smile, "Brother, you are here. The boss has been looking forward to your coming."
"Brother, I also want to come earlier. I'm going to pick up goods everywhere. I got some good stuff this time, and I'll look for your boss first."
When Brother Qiang heard about the good stuff, his eyes lit up. The boss made a lot of money last time, and it seems that he can make a big fortune again this time. The two of them walked towards Brother Hu while talking.
Tang Yue felt that every time she came, Brother Hu sat there. This time, Brother Hu was more enthusiastic and said, "Brother, you haven't been here for a long time. How about it? What goods do you have this time?"
Tang Yue knew that Brother Hu made a lot of money last time, otherwise she wouldn't be so enthusiastic, "Brother Hu, I brought some good things this time, you have to give me a good price."
"The price is negotiable, as long as the product is good."
Tang Yue reported the things she had prepared to Brother Hu. The prices of other items remained the same, but she charged eight yuan per catty for sesame oil. Cotton, which was in short supply everywhere, was charged ten yuan per catty, which made up a large bag. Raisins and dried red dates were charged three yuan per catty, and she charged two yuan for fresh apples. Tang Yue silently calculated how much the goods were worth, and was shocked by the amount. It was almost tens of thousands of yuan.
Brother Hu also did some calculations and said to Tang Yue, "Brother, I don't have that much cash. Can I use yellow croaker?"
Although Tang Yue said that she had more than 100 boxes of gold, she would not think it was too much, "But Brother Hu, big yellow croaker is more convenient. Brother Hu, I have prepared everything, you bring the sacks and oil barrels and come with me to get the goods."
When Brother Hu heard that the goods had arrived, he quickly asked his brothers to take up the things and went to the inner room. When he came out, he was carrying a box and a bag, and followed Tang Yue to the brick house.
As usual, Brother Hu's brothers went to count the goods and exchanged the oil barrels. Tang Yue and Brother Hu were counting the money on the side. "I don't have much cash. I'll give you 20,000 yuan and 200 yuan in cash. I'll exchange the remaining 50,000 yuan with yellow croakers. Here are 100 pieces. Each piece weighs about 100 grams. You can count them yourself."
Tang Yue didn't bother to be polite with him. She counted them carefully and put them away after making sure the quantity was correct.
There were too many things, so Brother Hu asked his brothers to drive a car to load them, and said, "Brother, when the next cargo arrives, please bring more cotton and food to me."
Tang Yue thought that it didn't matter who she was selling to, so she agreed and said, "Brother Hu, please come again before the New Year. I have collected some wild vegetables, and you have to help me collect them then."
When Brother Hu heard that there would be another batch of goods before the New Year, he was even happier and quickly told Tang Yue not to forget to send more. Tang Yue quickly agreed.
It took only half an hour to move all the food. Tang Yue said goodbye to Brother Hu and locked the door. She hadn't eaten lunch yet, so she planned to eat before leaving.
Brother Hu's brother in the car said to him, "Brother Hu, do you want to follow this guy and see where he got the goods from, and by the way, take back the box of yellow croaker."
When Brother Hu heard what he said, he hit him on the head and said, "I, Brother Hu, travel the world and value loyalty. You want me to be your lackey. Let me tell you, Brother Hu will not do such a thing. You guys remember this, if you want to hang out with Brother Hu, you have to value loyalty. Otherwise, if the news gets out, who will be willing to sell goods to me? Who will come to our black shop to buy things?"
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, Brother Hu. I won't dare to do it again. It was my fault for not being considerate enough." When the younger brother saw that his elder brother was angry, he hurriedly apologized.
Tang Yue didn't know the situation on Brother Hu's side, and she didn't expect that someone would rob her. But even if someone came to rob her, she wouldn't know who would rob whom, so Tang Yue was not afraid.
Tang Yue went straight into the space, washed her face first, then went to the kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles with two eggs in it. Today's meal was ready. It was too late to eat now. After finishing the noodles, she took out an empty backpack, put the boots and coat she had made in the backpack, fed the pigs with her mind, and instantly appeared in the bedroom. She carried the backpack out and locked the door, locked the courtyard gate, and walked towards the direction of the Red Flag Brigade.
Walking was really too slow. It took more than two hours to get to the brigade. When I was walking back, I saw some people queuing up at the brigade headquarters, so I hurried over to take a look. I happened to see Aunt Guihua there, so I hurriedly called out, "Aunt Guihua, what are you doing?" Aunt Guihua was chatting with someone else. When she heard the call, she hurriedly turned around and said, "It's Yue, girl. I just went to call you but you weren't at home. We are preparing to distribute food after paying the public grain. Go back and get the sacks." When Tang Yue heard this, she realized that the food was being distributed so soon, so she hurriedly responded, "I know. I'll go back and get it," and walked home.
Tang Yue returned home, opened the door, walked to the bedroom, put the clothes and shoes in the backpack into the kang cabinet, took a few sacks from the storage room, and prepared to go to the brigade headquarters. Remembering that the chickens had not been fed yet, she took a bunch of green vegetables from the space and walked to the backyard. After feeding the chickens, she came to the front yard, locked the door, and set off with the sacks.
When we arrived at the brigade headquarters, we saw a very long queue for food distribution. Tang Yue arrived not too late, and there were still many people waiting behind her. The educated youth had also arrived and were very active in distributing food, but they were not very active when they were working. We didn't know if the food they were given was enough for them to eat.
Everyone who got the food was smiling all the time. Not only did those who got more food and work points get more money, but there were also the best. The ones who got the food in front were the ones that the old lady liked the eldest and youngest sons, and the middle son was the hard worker of the family. After finally having the nerve to divide the family, the old lady was making a fuss about dividing the food again. Tang Yue said that she would definitely regret it afterwards. Her eldest and youngest son's families were both lazy and gluttonous. It was not known whether their work points in a year were more than what Tang Yue had earned in the past two months. Otherwise, the old lady would not have made a fuss about giving the son who had divided the family food. After all, in addition to her retirement food, she also wanted half of the food from her son's family. She definitely couldn't give that to him. If she did, the whole family would starve to death. Besides, her son was not a pushover. Finally, with the intervention of the team leader, this farce ended.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
