Winter in the north is particularly cold.
When the cold wind from the northwest blows, many people living in loess houses can feel the house shaking constantly. Those
who have no money to repair their houses can only watch the loess on their walls being blown off bit by bit by the wind.
At this time, they are all looking forward to this winter, it would be best if it would be over earlier.
Winter is hard to endure. Those who have no money to buy rice to cook have to stew grass roots every day to survive. It
is dozens of degrees below zero outside. If people walk a few more steps outside, their skin will turn blue and purple. Many strong men can't stay outside for an hour even if they have to wear clothes for the whole family.
It is so cold outside. Many people in this mountain village are most worried about falling asleep at night.
However, there is a group of people who feel that they have fallen into a blessed nest this winter.
Because this winter, they not only have a warm kang to sleep on, but they can also eat enough. They even have one or two more clothes.
These clothes are not particularly good. They are neither fur coats nor linen clothes. Instead, they are made of dried reed fluff. But wearing such clothes makes them feel much warmer.
"Brother, are you going to cut reeds again today?"
Gu Yanzhang saw his cousins looking at him eagerly. He thought for a moment, wrapped himself tightly in his big cotton coat, and nodded.
The cotton coat he was wearing belonged to his wife. It
looked particularly big for his wife. Although it was a little too big for him, after adding a few more clothes inside and tying a belt around his waist, the coat would not be leaky.
Under the envious eyes of those people, Gu Yanzhang also put on two very small earmuffs.
"Yes, I have to cut more reeds this year. By the way, the swamp is frozen, and I actually want to dig a few holes there and catch some fish."
Hearing Gu Yanzhang say that he wanted to catch fish, the four Yu brothers present said anxiously, "Brother, we will go with you."
"We are worried about you going out alone in this cold weather."
After living together for so long, they have already understood that Gu Yanzhang is more reliable in this family.
If Gu Yanzhang encounters an accident one day and accidentally falls down, it will be impossible for them to continue to stay in this family and live such a good life.
Besides, they have already had a plan in their minds.
They thought that if they put more effort into the land they reclaimed this year, then... in the second, third, fourth, or even fifth year, they could ask Gu Yanzhang to rent his land.
In other words, let Gu Yanzhang and his wife's family deal directly with the government.
And the Yu family would only have to deal with Gu Yanzhang. The
Yu family had rented land from some landlords before. The rent they paid was 40% to the government, 20% to the landlord, and 40% for themselves.
In this way, they could support a few more people in their family.
...
Gu Yanzhang took his cousins and their son to the swamp in the upper reaches of Xiaoyue River. They came back panting in the middle of the night.
And when they came back, their backs were full of reeds.
Each of them carried 100 to 200 kilograms of things. They
went out every two or three days, and the reeds in the frozen swamp were basically harvested.
The reeds were baked and dried bit by bit. Some were used to make shoes, and some were used to make mats several centimeters thick. Some were even processed into winter clothes.
The finished products were almost piled up into a mountain, and Gu Yanzhang began to take the Yu family to various towns to sell them.
In such a cold day, they can still make dozens of coins a day.
When business is slow, they can make about 10 coins a day.
Gu Yanzhang feels that it is too hard to make such money.
However, no matter how small a mosquito is, it is meat.
When mosquitoes accumulate to a large number, they can be made into mosquito meat cakes.
Seeing Gu Yanzhang going to Tongzhen and the county town to sell these things in such a cold winter, and seeing that these things have been sold for a price. The Yu brothers are all eager to make a move.
Gu Yanzhang is not stingy with them.
He teaches them little by little how to sell the things in his hands.
After selling them and making money, they keep them for themselves.
When the Yu brothers heard what he said, they immediately refused.
They couldn't take this money.
They stayed at their eldest cousin's house every day in the cold winter, eating, drinking and living in his house. He taught them how to make money.
They have already learned it and have also gotten to know many grocery store owners in various towns.
From now on, if they want to make this transaction, it will be easy.
So, why should they only care about the present and offend their eldest cousin for no reason?
"Brother, you should keep this money!"
"Although we have been helping you with some work these days, you have given us all the money you should have given us. In the final analysis, we have taken advantage of you a lot."
"..."
Gu Yanzhang heard them say this and said, "We are brothers connected by bones, why are you arguing with me over such a small amount of money?"
"You have many children in your family, and you are the burden of supporting the family. In the early spring of next year, your family will have a lot of things to do. While the children are still young, you should save this money. Otherwise, when the children reach the age of getting married, they will not be able to pay for the bride price..."
Hearing what Gu Yanzhang said, the brothers of the Yu family still did not dare to stretch out their hands and take the money.
They didn't help much in this matter. If they were to take over dozens of copper plates all day long, and if the news got out, what would people say about them?
In any case, they would do such a heartless thing.
Therefore, the brothers of the Yu family pushed even harder, "Brother, don't say that to me!"
"I know you want to feel sorry for us and take care of us. But the money from selling these things is not a small amount!"
"In the past few months, you have also taught us how to make winter mats and winter clothes. From now on, our family members don't have to spend extra money to buy these things. Brother, you have helped us a lot. If you continue to help, we will go home today..."
Seeing that they really didn't want to accept the money, Gu Yanzhang had to compromise.
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