Aside from the two instances of refugees and Xu Dong's previous "interrogation," the guests received on the mountain this time were the most normal of all.
The only ridiculous thing is that this happened after the refugees looted.
Grandma Xiaoman looked at the wounded soldiers, touching their injuries, her face filled with disbelief: "They're all good kids, how could they be like this? Does it hurt? How heartbroken their families will be if they know!"
Xiang Dejin and others may not have been cared for like this for a long time, especially the old man in front of them who had just been beaten by refugees and whose scab on his forehead had not yet fallen off.
Under the old man's kind gaze, the group became obedient and said they were not in pain.
Xiang Dejin used his healthy hand to hold Xiaoman's grandmother's hand: "Grandma, my injury will heal, it doesn't hurt."
"Hey! If you don't mind, please come visit us more often," said Grandpa Xiaoman.
He had already heard from Xiaoman that they had encountered several wounded soldiers on their way down the mountain, and that the food, salt, oil, and seasonings they had brought were from the medical shed. They had even helped him a part of the way out of the village.
Moreover, despite their injuries, the group brought rice and flour to visit them.
Since it was a rare occasion for guests to arrive, and they were also friends who had shown kindness to Xiaoman, Xiaoman's grandfather did his best to prepare a meal to entertain them.
Over the past few months, the two families have developed special eating habits under Jiang Zhi's guidance.
Since there's no need to worry about exchanging goods for money, everyone can eat and drink whatever they want, and everyone's health is well maintained.
The meal included chicken soup, various dried vegetables with herbs, braised rabbit meat, sorghum rice, and steamed sweet potatoes.
The wounded soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment.
This meal would be incredibly lavish even under normal circumstances, let alone in these chaotic times.
Xiaoman said politely, "You are all injured. Eat some meat to replenish your strength and you will recover faster."
Xiang Dejin looked at the table full of food, somewhat embarrassed: "Grandpa, if we eat like this, will you have anything left?"
It's hard to save up some food these days. Several of the chickens I raised with great difficulty died, so I'm cooking them now.
Xiaoman's family is old, weak, sick, and disabled, unlike his own family who eat military rations and don't know where their next meal will come from.
Xiaoman said, "Although there is little food on this mountain, as long as we are diligent and no outsiders come to rob us, we can always find something to fill our stomachs."
They weren't worried about going hungry; their only worry was being targeted by others.
Xiang Dejin and the others scratched their heads. They finally understood where Xiaoman's generosity in giving away rabbits and pheasants at the clinic came from. It was all because she was spoiled at home.
Eat up! You should appreciate their kindness and trust.
Being treated with such hospitality under these circumstances is the highest honor in the world, and the wounded soldiers felt extremely excited and conflicted.
This meal was naturally a gathering of the two families, filling the room to capacity, with a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
Xiaoman was very grateful that these wounded soldiers came to visit her, and insisted on recognizing them as her godbrothers.
Xiang Dejin and the others naturally agreed, and felt a strong affinity with this family.
The elderly are kind, Xiaoman is lively, the family is harmonious, and even though the older brother is paralyzed in bed, his wife takes good care of him. Such a family makes people feel close to each other.
When Xu Dazhu heard that Xiaoman had recognized him as her godbrother, his anxiety subsided.
He envied Xiaoman for being able to make friends everywhere, while he was stuck at home.
He was also happy that Xiaoman would have more older brothers to take care of her in the future, which was better than being a burden to his useless eldest brother.
Facing Xu Dazhu, Xiang Dejin said, "Brother Dazhu, I'm a few years older than you, so I'll reluctantly be your elder brother."
From now on, every bite of food I eat will be eaten by you. As long as I'm in this family, I will never let anyone bully you.
Xu Dazhu laughed: "Brother Xiang, I'll have to trouble you to take care of Xiaoman from now on!"
While a heartwarming family reunion was taking place on one side, someone on the other was busy herding pigs.
When the refugees came up the mountain this time, Xu Errui tied the little wild boar with a rope and brought it into the forest.
Although it is wild, it is still young, only three or four months old, and its teeth have not yet fully grown. Weighing just fifty pounds, it could be killed with a single blow.
If the refugees saw this, probably no one would catch the chicken; they would want to eat the pork first.
When the little wild boar heard the crowing of chickens and shouts outside, it became very anxious and tried desperately to break free of the rope to protect its territory.
We waited until everything was over before releasing it. The depressed little wild boar went on a hunger strike, and it took us two days to coax it back into a good mood.
Now that strangers have come to the house, the little wild boar is circling around, trying to bite them.
Xu Errui was so anxious that he didn't dare to look away while eating, and kept kicking it away with his feet.
It took a lot of effort to lure them away with a sweet potato before the area finally quieted down.
At the dinner table, Xiang Dejin and the others ate the herbs in the pot, knowing that they were picked by Aunt Jiang.
Moreover, Xiaoman also told me that the two families on the mountain were able to live like this, and that the eldest brother, Xu Dazhu, was able to recover and sit up again, all thanks to Aunt Jiang.
They were deeply impressed by his ability to survive the famine and help his neighbors survive as well.
Xiang Dejin couldn't help but sigh: "Although we talked about having medicine to drink every day in the medical tent, none of us actually drank it. We just secretly passed out."
That bitter medicinal soup was really hard to drink. If only I could have a nourishing diet like Aunt Jiang's.
What was said in jest was taken seriously by Jiang Zhi. She had an idea: since these wounded soldiers were going to stay in Xujia Village for a while anyway, why not let them stay on the mountain?
If the medical shed is willing to subsidize food rations, it can produce its own herbs. Although it will consume some dried meat, having more people can prevent those refugees from coming again.
Thinking of this, Jiang Zhi said, "Why don't you stay on the mountain to recover? I have some herbs here. You can eat whatever we eat. You can still fill your stomach with coarse grain porridge."
Xiaoman immediately agreed: "Great idea! There aren't many idle people on this mountain, so you can hunt birds and move around."
He also thought of the refugees. Although Commander Zhang said he would take care of them, who would want to live in such fear?
Besides, so many people have died in these mountains, making it impossible for anyone to go out these past few nights. It would be better if there were more people around.
Xiaoman tried her best to persuade them to stay: "Brother Xiang, Brother Wu, please stay! It's so stuffy in the medical shed, you can't eat or sleep well, it's better to stay on the mountain."
Xiang Dejin and the others were also tempted. It didn't matter where they lived. The medical shed was crowded and complicated, and the refugees had been crying and wailing every day for the past few days, which was quite annoying. It would be better to live alone for a while.
"Alright, sir, we'll go back and tell the clinic that we'll come back tomorrow!"
After the agreement was reached, everyone was even happier, and the gloom of the past few days vanished.
Jiang Zhi then asked about the plan to build a post station in Xujia Village and how the "bandits" had been dealt with these past few days.
Xiaoman previously mentioned that Xujia Village might become a post station.
However, with refugees arriving in the mountains, no one knew what the future held, and some might not even live to see the establishment of a post station. No one was in the mood to talk much, let alone mention "bandits."
Xiang Dejin then recounted what happened after Zhang Juntou went down the mountain: "The heads of those bandits were sent to the county government, and their families were also escorted there. The county magistrate will handle it."
"The villagers who were displaced are also being forcibly returned to their hometowns!"
"It's certain that a rest stop will be built."
The wounded soldiers are still staying in the medical shed. Once they have mostly recovered, those who can return to camp will return, and those who can go home will go home. Some will remain as couriers, but this will take at least a year.
Jiang Zhi nodded secretly as she listened. Although this was the usual practice for all wounded and disabled soldiers, few actually did it.
If the post station is indeed located in Xujia Village, it would be a good thing for us.
Where there is a post station, merchants and officials can rest, and even opening a herbal tea stall can earn them a few coins for pocket money.
Inside the house, people were chatting and laughing, but outside, it was a completely different scene.
Li Laoshi, who was leading the way, didn't dare to go inside and eat with the wounded soldiers, so he squatted under the eaves and wolfed down his food.
At this moment, he looked at Chunfeng, who was serving tea and water to everyone inside, and was shocked: This woman was on the mountain, not with Boss Hu. So where did Boss Hu go?
He was one of the first migrants to arrive in Xujia Village. He knew Chunfeng and Hu Laoda, and also knew that Hu Laoda had harassed the woman several times before the two of them disappeared together.
How come this woman is here, and she's even the wife of a paralyzed man, and that little girl is calling her "Mother"!
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