Chapter 87 Shen Lao Si is missing
The sun was still high in the west, and Mrs. Wan and her family were already gathered together for dinner.
While eating, Wan Laoda said, "Mom, I went to the village chief's house today and found out everything. The village chief said that the land in Shizi Village was reclaimed by themselves, but wasteland still needs to be bought with silver, which is much cheaper than cultivated land. Good farmland is five taels of silver per mu, poor quality farmland is three taels of silver per mu, and wasteland is five hundred coins per mu."
Old Lady Wan smacked her lips and said, "Is there anyone in the village selling good farmland now?"
Old Mrs. Wan hopes to be able to plant crops as soon as next spring comes, so that she can at least harvest some food in the autumn, enough for her family. There are many men in her family, and they are good at working. Farmers rely most on the land, so Old Mrs. Wan must get the land no matter what.
Boss Wan said with a sad face, "I asked about this as well. The village chief said that there is no good farmland for sale in the village now. Every time someone sells good farmland, it is quickly bought by others. I heard that it is very difficult to open up wasteland here, especially in Shizi Village. There are rocks under many places. Sparks fly when you dig with a hoe."
After Boss Wan finished speaking, he sighed and felt a little worried about the land reclamation next year.
When Old Mrs. Wan heard this, her heart skipped a beat. There were stones everywhere. No wonder the village was called Shizi Village. So this was what it meant.
"No wonder the women who came to visit today said that the harvest was so bad. This is the reason. It seems that we have to think about other ways to make a living. With so many people in the family, even if we eat two meals a day, the food will not last long."
After Mrs. Wan finished speaking, she glanced at the food on the table and said to Wan San's wife, "Old Third Wife, now it's time for everyone to rest. We don't do much work this winter, so let your body rest. From tomorrow on, put less rice in the porridge, and give each person half a piece of pancake every morning. Keep enough eggs for little Fubao, and prepare the rest for the chicks, so they can be laid out in the spring."
Mrs. Wan San quickly agreed. Even if they ate according to what Old Lady Wan said, it was still much better than what they had eaten in Yangliu Village before. They only had one meal a day before, and the porridge was so thin that you couldn't pick out a few grains of rice. They added a lot of wild vegetables to the porridge, which was just enough to make them half full. But because there was no oil or water, they got hungry quickly.
Now at least we have two meals a day and half a pancake in the morning, so everyone is very content.
Little Fubao could already understand what Grandma Wan said. She burrowed into Grandma Wan's arms. Grandma Wan was still holding the bowl. She was so scared that she screamed and quickly put the bowl down.
"My dear, what's wrong?"
Little Fubao sat in Grandma Wan's arms and pointed at the cakes on the table. "Mother - steamed bun - Fubao - seven -"
How could Grandma Wan dare to give the pancake to little Fubao? It was a pancake made of coarse grains. Even adults would get sore throats if they ate it, not to mention little Fubao's delicate throat. Grandma Wan quickly grabbed little Fubao's hand and coaxed him, "My dear, can we eat eggs? If you've had enough, can you let Auntie Three make you some meat tomorrow?"
Little Fubao's head shook like a rattle, his face showing a rare seriousness, like a little adult, and he said in a baby voice: "No - milk - cold - daddy - auntie - seven steamed buns -"
Everyone looked at Xiao Fubao in shock, especially Wan Ersao, who quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks and grinned, "Oh, our Xiao Fubao can call Auntie now?"
Mrs. Wan San and Mrs. Liu also looked at little Fubao lovingly.
Aunt Wan San smiled and said, "My dear, come and call Aunt San again."
Little Fubao called out very obediently: "Third Auntie——"
Liu also hurriedly said, "My dear, call me Fourth Aunt."
Xiao Fubao really gave face and said, "It's Auntie——"
Mrs. Liu laughed happily, "Little Fubao is really not an ordinary child. He speaks so clearly at such a young age. Mother, our little Fubao will have great abilities in the future."
Old Mrs. Wan couldn't hide the smile on her face. That kind of smile that radiates from the inside out is the most contagious, and everyone started laughing too.
Old Mrs. Wan already knew what little Fubao meant. She wanted everyone to continue to have dry food to eat. Her little Fubao was so heart-warming that it made her heart melt.
But judging from the current situation, if they don't prepare for austerity and famine in the spring of next year, wouldn't their family of so many people have to live in fear? Old Lady Wan could only comfort Little Fubao and said, "Okay, listen to our Little Fubao, eat some steamed buns, okay?"
Little Fubao immediately grinned, stood up shakily, put his arms around Old Lady Wan's neck and gave her a kiss on the face.
"Nanny - good - Fubao - Xifan -"
Old Mrs. Wan was so amused by little Fubao's cuteness that she was at a loss what to do.
She hugged little Fubao and kissed him, then let go and fed him the egg custard herself.
After dinner and cleaning up, everyone sat in Grandma Wan's room and chatted. Mrs. Liu was making small clothes for the baby in her belly, Second Sister-in-law Wan was watching little Fubao having fun playing with his brothers, and Third Sister-in-law Wan was sewing shoe soles.
Several men from the Wan family sat on the ground around the brazier, and Old Lady Wan continued the conversation before dinner: "When the ice and snow melt in spring, you can talk to the village chief about buying wasteland. The village chief's family has lived here for several generations, so he must have more experience than us. Boss, you can ask the village chief to take a look and see where to buy. Don't buy too much at first, just buy eight acres of wasteland first, and then see if anyone offers mature land and we can buy some back quickly."
Boss Wan nodded and said, "What mother said makes sense. I will go to the village chief after the New Year. When the land becomes softer, we will slowly open up the wasteland."
Wan Laoer had no objection. After all, farming was his strong point. Even if it was sandy soil, he would grow crops.
As they were talking, they talked about Shen.
At this time, the fourth son of the Shen family was heading to the town. Under the pretext of asking for a doctor for Feng, he was going to Feng's parents' home to find help to deal with the Wan family and let everyone in the Wan family, including the village chief, know who is the boss.
When Shen Laosi thought of Feng's younger brother Feng Qing, excitement appeared in his eyes.
Guangyaomen, where Feng Qing is located, is located in Liuding Village, more than 30 miles away from Shizi Village. If Shen Laosi wants to go to Liuding Village, he must hire a horse carriage or a mule cart. There is not even a cow in the village, let alone a horse carriage or a mule cart.
When Shen Laosi passed by the Wan family's door, he looked at the Wan family with a sinister face, and strode towards Liuding Village.
Five or six days have passed in a flash, and it is already the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. Today is the Little New Year.
However, the Shen family was shrouded in a cloud of gloom, because Shen Lao Si went to the town to ask for a doctor for some unknown reason and never returned. The Shen family searched for him for five or six days but could not find any trace of him.
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