Chapter 216 A string of small tails
It is a time of turmoil, and no one knows when the dust will settle, or how long the current stability in the Northwest can last.
The wealthy families in the city secretly stockpiled food.
Although the prefectures and counties have stepped in to maintain the price of grain, there has not been much increase in the price for the time being.
But those who understand know that once the Northwest Army and the imperial court officially go to war, it will be fine if the Northwest is stable. But if the Northwest Army is defeated, the war will spread.
By that time, even the great immortals would be unable to control the rising grain prices in the northwest.
Recently, wheat has been harvested near Huachidu Village.
I heard that a village in the east that had harvested wheat two days earlier was robbed. Most of the wheat that had just been harvested was taken away before it could be dried and threshed.
The local summer wheat harvest is the most important source of food for farmers.
Especially those families with few fields, no surplus food and large population.
The family’s main hope for food is this season. The wheat harvested is stored in the warehouse to last through the long winter and the lean period of the following year.
Most of it was stolen by bandits, which means that some people may starve to death this winter.
The villagers cried and screamed, but it was of no avail.
After all, even if the case is brought to the government, the government still has troops guarding the city, and if they send troops to pursue and suppress the criminals, it will still take time.
If the bandits eat the food, sell it, or hide it in the mountains, it will be extremely difficult to recover the food.
This incident aroused the vigilance of other villages.
Those who originally disagreed with Huachidu Village's practices now learned from them and took turns patrolling the village.
Gu Xixi went out on patrol before dawn today.
She took the soft pancake wrapped with pickles and fried bacon given by Aunt Zhang, took a bite, and looked helpless when she turned her head.
"I'm just on routine patrol and I'm not leaving the village. Why are you following me?"
As far as Gu Xixi could see, there was a row of people lined up: He Jinglan, An Qinghe, Shitou, and Qing'er.
Two adults and two children, each holding the same kind of wrap, ate it with relish while staring at Gu Xixi.
He Jinglan swallowed and said, "It's not even daybreak yet, they are all worried about your safety and insisted on following you."
An Qinghe said seriously, "Didn't the village chief say that something has happened in another village? I have to patrol with you."
Gu Xixi was speechless. "Didn't you say that you would stay at home these few days and keep an eye on those tea bricks?"
An Qinghe said seriously, "I just went to check it out early this morning. Anyway, I just need to accompany you until dawn and then go home, so as not to delay our tea-making."
The day before yesterday, the tea leaves had completed twelve processes. They were manually shaped by Anqinghe and pressed into different shapes such as tea bricks and tea cakes, and then bundled, sealed and punched.
During this period, Gu Xixi personally used the remaining wood from the stable at home to nail a shelf and placed it in the pharmacy in the backyard, waiting for the tea to ferment and dry.
This final process requires paying close attention to the temperature, air flow, and humidity in the house.
Gu Xixi only has theoretical experience in this regard. She has summarized the conditions suitable for the formation of golden flowers, but it is still up to An Qinghe to carry out the specific operations.
For example, if the temperature is not high enough, you should close the doors and windows to increase the temperature appropriately. If the humidity is too high, you should open the doors and windows for ventilation and light a small air furnace to make the air dry, etc.
Although this job is not too tiring, it requires someone to worry about it all the time and pay attention to everything. Whether the Golden Flower Fu Tea can be made depends on this one move.
An Qinghe did not find it troublesome at all, and was even happy to be busy every day, just like an old father who was looking forward to the birth of his child.
At this moment, seeing that she could not persuade An Qinghe, Gu Xixi turned to He Jinglan and said, "They don't know how safe I am in this village. Don't you know it?"
"And as a teacher, how can you have the energy to teach when you are in school if you are running around with two children?"
He Jinglan chewed a burrito to indicate that it was none of her business, and raised her chin towards Shitou, letting him speak.
Shitou raised his head and said, "Sister Xixi forgot that the village school is closed for five days due to wheat harvest."
Qing'er's cheeks were puffed up. She chewed hard and blinked at everyone.
In the stalemate, Shitou kindly reminded again, "Sister Xixi, if you don't leave, it will be late for the shift change."
So, when Gu Xixi rushed to the guard change point in the east of the village, she was followed by a trail of tails.
The two people from the previous shift couldn't help laughing when they looked at Gu Xixi and her group.
"Xixi, you're here early. It's so lively so early in the morning."
Gu Xixi responded awkwardly, looked around, and saw that her partner, Mrs. Qin, had not arrived yet, so she said, "It just so happens that there are a lot of people here, so you two can go back and rest first."
The two of them had been staying up late into the night and were just waiting for this sound.
"Okay, then we won't be polite. You've worked hard."
"Thank you so much. Other families have already started harvesting wheat. I'll go back and have a good sleep before I go back to the fields to work with my family!"
After Mrs. Qin arrived, the group began to patrol. This area had the most fields, and they saw people getting up early to work not far away.
Gu Xixi glanced at the others and said, "Did you see that? There are so many people outside, are you still worried that I'm not safe?"
Wheat harvesting is different from doing farm work at other times, you have to race against time.
Seize the best time when the wheat ears are ripe and seize the good weather days.
Farmers are most afraid of rain at this time of year. Once it rains, not only will the fields be filled with mud and difficult to walk on, but the wheat ears will also easily sprout and become moldy after being exposed to the rain.
And everyone gets up before dawn to work, which is cooler than during the day.
However, An Qinghe still insisted on following, "Anyway, I've already gotten up so early and eaten. I have nothing to do when I get home, and I can't sleep. I might as well walk with you for a while, just as a stroll."
He Jinglan nodded, "Sure enough, when a man really wants to do something, he always has a reason, and when he doesn't want to do something, he also always has a reason."
She looked at Gu Xixi meaningfully and smiled, "Xixi, don't you think so?"
Gu Xixi glared at He Jinglan secretly.
He Jinglan turned her eyes away leisurely, "Occasionally getting up early and taking a walk makes me feel refreshed."
Not to mention Shitou and Qing'er, they ran and jumped, caught insects and picked wild flowers, having endless fun.
Gu Xixi's wheat fields were also in this area. Seeing Chen Dafu and other hired workers working hard to harvest in their respective contracted fields, Gu Xixi did not disturb them. She continued to patrol forward and said, "Jinglan, tell Aunt Zhang later to cook a big pot of mung bean soup with plenty of rock sugar. There is no need to chill it with well water. Send it over after it cools down."
Although we had agreed on a contract system before, with no food involved, we would just have to share the money in proportion after the harvest.
But Gu Xixi has been through thick and thin with these workers many times, and they have already developed a kind of friendship with them. Physical work in hot weather is doubly hard, so they still need to replenish their strength and prevent heatstroke.
He Jinglan understood and responded, "Okay, I'll help pick the beans when I get back. When you're done, I'll bring a stone back with me."
As the east grew bright, the sound of roosters crowing could be heard in the distance.
Gu Xixi immediately frowned and told her family members to go back quickly.
Unexpectedly, just as he finished speaking, a bronze bell rang, not very clear or strong.
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