Chen Kai asked in confusion, "Then how can you create spiritual objects and also probe the sea of consciousness?"
Xiao Tian said smugly, "Don't worry about that. Some time ago, I used special methods to get some spiritual energy, but my mortal body can't absorb it. It can be used to make a spiritual object though."
Chen Kai asked, "Then why did you suddenly want to create spiritual objects?"
Xiao Tian frowned and replied, "I originally intended to save it for a crucial moment, but that's no longer possible. I need to create a spiritual object."
Chen Kai asked, "Why?"
Xiao Tian sighed and said, "I can't let you know now, but you'll find out soon enough."
Chen Kai said helplessly, "Then I won't ask anymore, just don't forget to give me one."
Xiao Tian nodded and said, "I will try my best to make it according to your requirements."
Before you know it, it's soybean harvest season, and Anping Village is busy again.
After harvesting soybeans, the Chen family started making fried tofu, using their own soybean oil.
Making soybean oil is not difficult, a fact Chen Kai learned during a trip.
First, the soybeans are ground into a fine powder using a stone mill. After grinding, they are ground into powder in a mill, and the soybeans are ground into a sticky paste like glutinous rice cakes.
Then, put the ground soybeans into a basin and steam them like rice for two to three hours.
Finally, place straw on the round iron hoop, pour the roasted soybean powder into the bottomless wooden basin placed on the hoop. Spread it evenly and press it down by hand, then cover it with straw and press it down firmly. The process of forming the cake must be done quickly, otherwise the steamed soybeans will cool down and no oil can be extracted.
The Chen family made their soybean oil extraction process public and built an oil workshop. The oil they produced was not sold outside the village, but was sold internally within Chishan Village.
Of course, once courses are offered, those who want to learn a skill will be taught.
Even though soybeans have a low oil yield, people still like them; they're happy to have another option.
In the Chen family courtyard, baskets of fried tofu filled the entire yard with their aroma.
The girls were so tempted that they would eat a few pieces after playing for a while.
The fried tofu was a large, square piece, fried until golden brown. It smelled good but didn't have much flavor, but Er Ya and the others still liked to eat it.
Fried tofu is not only delicious, but it also makes dishes more fragrant.
Previously, there was no such food as fried tofu in the Great Jin Kingdom. Anping Village took the lead, and soon a craze for fried tofu became popular.
This year's harvest was good. With a bumper harvest of various crops, prices in the county town have come down again, back to the same level as before.
With prices returning to normal, the people of Anping Village naturally went on a buying spree, stocking up on goods. They're not stupid; if the drought continued, they wouldn't have any food to eat.
There have been many happy events in the village lately, such as someone getting married or marrying off their daughter, or someone buying a donkey or a pig.
However, the festive atmosphere didn't last long before a bombshell announcement caught everyone off guard.
The imperial court is going to conscript men. For each household, men aged 14 to 45 will be conscripted: 1 out of 2, 2 out of 4, 3 out of 6, and so on.
If the conditions are met, one person is drawn from two people. If there are three people, one person is drawn. If there are four people, two people are drawn.
Besides Chen Lao Er, the Chen family has two other qualified laborers, Chen Lao Da and Chen Lao Si, and one of them needs to be transferred.
Chen Lao Er had been to the battlefield, and his leg injury was a military wound. The yamen had filed a record with the authorities, so it didn't need to be included in the count.
If other eligible people develop leg ailments that weren't caused by conscription or going to the battlefield, and if they're not serious, they can be taken away. Even if they're so serious that they have to stay, they'll still have to pay a fee.
Although Chen Laoqi recognized the two elders of the Chen family as his godfather and godmother, he was not registered in the household registration, so he was not counted as a member of the Chen family's labor force.
He had already obtained a local household registration a long time ago, so he didn't need to join the army, since he was the only one with the household registration.
This conscription is quite strict; they only want people, not money.
In the Chen family courtyard, everyone gathered together, at a loss for what to do.
Chen the eldest spoke first, "Father, Mother, I'll go this time."
Chen Laosi said, "Let me go. I'm already 15. My brothers are all married and have kids. The fewer people who go, the less burden I'll have. It's just that I won't be able to take care of our parents anymore."
Chen Laoda and the others immediately retorted, "Sixth brother, shut up. It's none of your business."
Both sides are his flesh and blood, and it's hard for Old Man Chen to choose between them. He's really torn.
At this moment, Chen Laoqi spoke up: "Godfather, Godmother, let me go. Anyway, the higher-ups just need people. We can just spend some money to replace one of the slots."
Old Man Chen and Mrs. Zhou were surprised that their seventh son could do such a thing, after all, he wasn't their biological son.
Old Man Chen said bitterly, "Seventh Brother..."
After hesitating for a moment, it took a lot of effort for him to say, "Never mind, I can't let this get you involved."
Chen Laoqi said firmly, "Let me go. Don't worry, I will come back alive."
Old Man Zhou couldn't help but shed tears and said, "Alright then!"
Zhou looked at Chen Laoqi with a guilty expression, her mouth dry and unable to utter a word.
Suddenly, a gong sounded, and everyone immediately gathered at the village entrance.
When the villagers saw the village chief, they all asked him if he could negotiate the conscription issue, meaning they wanted to know if it could be resolved with money.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, the village chief struck the gong a few more times to signal everyone to be quiet, and then said, "The matter of conscripting men has been decided by the higher-ups, and there is no room for negotiation. But there is some good news: the soldiers we are conscripting will be cooks and logistics personnel, and they will hardly ever go to the battlefield. Their chances of coming back alive are very high."
I heard that he could be back in one or two years if things go smoothly, but it could take four or five years if things go slowly.
Soldiers will come to register you in three days, and you'll report to the village entrance in five days to prepare for departure. Everyone should make good arrangements.
Upon hearing this news, the Chen family breathed a sigh of relief.
The village chief told each household to quickly submit the list of those who were to be enlisted in the army, and then organized a training session for those who had previously fought in battle and returned alive, sharing their experiences with them.
Chen Lao Er also went, and he didn't hold back at all. He told them all the experience he had gained during his time in the army, and he also repeatedly reminded them that logistics soldiers also face certain dangers.
In war, supplies are paramount, so both sides will try every means to burn the other's supplies. If supplies are lost, the punishment is lenient, and the worst punishment is beheading, so one must be extremely careful.
I also want to tell everyone that if you are assigned to the same battalion, you must unite.
Three days later, the officers and soldiers had registered all the families, and Chen Laoqi's substitution went smoothly.
The Chen family originally wanted to spend money to find someone to take their place, but these days, everyone values their life, and no one would risk their life for money, let alone for military service.
These past few days, the Chen family has been serving chicken, duck, fish, meat, and white rice at every meal, all to help the seventh son get more nourishment.
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