The noon sky seemed to be even hotter. The wind that blew in from outside the car carried an unbearable temperature, causing people to sweat uncontrollably. The chirping birds gave people a feeling of irritation. The sky seemed to be gray and white, and the clouds seemed to be pressing down on people's hearts.
Occasionally, they would see chickens pecking on the sand outside, which was very annoying.
Sitting in the bumpy carriage, Li Cheng was in no mood to urge the carriage to hurry up. He regretted that he didn't bring more water and ice. He didn't bring more. He wanted to stop and ask for water, but he was afraid of wasting time.
When he opened the carriage curtain, the hot wind blew in from outside, as well as the omnipresent sunlight. When he put down the curtain, he sweated more and faster.
"Where are they? Where did they go? Did they grow wings and fly away? The carriage with four horses couldn't catch up with the two children's horses. Could it be that they couldn't find the way and ran elsewhere? "
Li Cheng muttered in a low voice while wiping the endless sweat. The sound of whips and shouts outside the carriage reached his ears from time to time, making him anxious and a little worried.
The noon sky did not seem to be too hot. The wind that blew in from outside the car brought about a decent temperature, making people feel warm. The birds that could not stop chirping gave people a warm feeling. The sky looked blue, and the clouds seemed to be more leisurely.
Occasionally, they would see chickens pecking on the sand outside, which was also interesting.
Wang Juan and the other three people sat in the carriage, wondering if the little master and the little lady had returned home. They believed that the little ancestor would never go the wrong way. Since the hunter said that the little ancestor could give the horses a rest, she must be familiar with these things.
"This is good. In the future, the two families don't have to worry about not having a good life. By then, there will be a lot of food left in Zhuangzi every year, and there will be so much land. Even if it's in the mountains, Cherries will have a place to raise more chickens."
As the carriage swayed, Pomegranate thought about the future and muttered happily. The three people next to her heard and nodded. They were from the inner courtyard, and the main family was not only good to the villagers, but also to them.
At night, there were people who took turns to keep watch. Their usual clothes were the same and were made by the master. When it came to meals, they were also allowed to choose a few dishes. After they had made their choice, the kitchen would make it for them. Occasionally, they would even be given a small amount of money to buy something they liked. This was something that would not even be possible in other farmsteads.
That was when the main family did not have an official position and did not have so much food. Now that they had so much, their life in the future could only be better.
At noon, the sky seemed to be very good. The wind from all directions made people feel relaxed and cool, making people feel very comfortable. The chirping birds brought people a kind of happy feeling. The sky looked so high, and the clouds seemed to be more charming.
Occasionally, when they saw chickens pecking on the sand outside, they felt that happiness was in front of them.
The villagers of Zhuangzi, Zhang Family and Wang Family were eating mutton soup today. They put cut sheep and mutton in bowls, poured a spoonful of soup boiled with mutton bones and mutton oil, sprinkled some coriander and scallion foam on top, and sprinkled some pepper to get rid of the bad smell. After drinking a mouthful, they felt comfortable and sweaty, which made people shiver, and all the heat was gone.
The big flatbread pasted in the earthen stove was crispy, soft, and fragrant. The children ran around excitedly, and occasionally, they would be caught by the adults and given a few slaps on the buttocks to make them drink the mutton soup, so that it would not be cold.
The person in charge of serving the soup did not care whether or not the soup would turn cold. He left the dry ingredients inside, poured the soup away, and then scooped another spoonful. It did not matter. He just added some water and put in some mutton oil.
On the tables of several older villagers, there were some chopped sheep's face. As for the sheep's tail, the sheep's kidney, and the sheep's eggs, they naturally could not be taken out. They were left in the young master's storeroom to freeze. The young master had already instructed that these things were to be left for his family to eat, as there was not enough for the villagers to share.
The men had eaten and sweated a lot. They took off their shirts, bared their arms, and shared a bowl of wine with others, loudly talking about Zhuangzi. The women, on the other hand, looked after the children for a while, and took care of the elders in the family.
At this moment, the leaves on the trees by the river seemed to stretch out. A gentle breeze blew past, and the fragrance of rice, lotus, and earth also entered people's nostrils. Occasionally, the sound of dogs barking also carried a trace of cheerfulness.
The naughty children, regardless of whether they were boys or girls, were running around in the surroundings. Occasionally, someone would jump into the small muddy river with little water. When they climbed out, they would be slapped a few times, crying and looking for other companions to play with. After a while, they would forget about the slap and jump back into the river again.
They did not think as much as the adults. They did not know what tomorrow would be like in Zhuangzi. With a sugar ball, they could be happy for a day. With so many people together, they felt safe. Every time the master asked them to eat together, they felt like it was a festival.
The farmers in Zhuangzi stayed at home or sat in front of the door. They talked to their neighbors about the Zhang Family and Wang Family. They were envious and helpless.
Their children unknowingly walked across the small bridge and watched the scene of eating and drinking from a distance. They licked their lips, squatted down, and looked for things on the ground that they could play with. Even if there were a few ants moving things, they could still stare at them for a long time.
If they felt that the ants were moving too slowly, they would pick up a small stick and help to send it to the ant hole. When the ants dragged the prey into the hole, the children felt happy again.
"Brother Shitou, what are you doing here? I brought you a biscuit. There are a lot of sesame seeds on it. "
A little boy in Zhuangzi had just caught a worm from a tree and put it on the ground for the ants to eat when a little girl's voice rang in his ears.
When the boy heard the voice, he looked up at the little girl and then at the biscuit in her hand. He swallowed his saliva and shook his head. "Sister Yezi, you eat it. This is from your master. I don't want it. I'll go home and eat it when I'm hungry."
"There's meat in it. Half of it is fat, and the other half is lean. Grandpa asked me to bring it to you. Last year, I accidentally fell into the river and you fished me out. Here."
The five or six-year-old girl handed the biscuit to Shitou with a sincere look on her face.
Shitou looked at the biscuit in a daze. He shook his head and said, "I really don't want it. I'm a farmer in Zhuangzi. If I want to eat it, the master will make it for us."
"Really? But there are no officials in your village. I heard from grandpa that the master in Zhuangzi is now a high-ranking official. He's not a village official anymore. He's just a little bit below the county magistrate. " The little girl squatted down and repeated the words of the adults while watching Brother Shitou use a wooden stick to suppress the worm for the ants to eat.
"Really. In order to congratulate the Zhangjia Zhuangzi and the Wang family, Zhuangzi of the Ge family will also kill sheep." A voice came from the side. The two children looked up and saw Shitou immediately stand up with a question mark.
"Master, I didn't ask for anything from Zhuangzi."
Ge Yingxi and Weiwei nodded. Originally, he came to congratulate the two families, but he didn't expect to hear the words of the two children. When the children said it, he didn't think much of it, but when he heard it, he felt as if a knife had stabbed into his heart.
He thought about how the restaurant Between the Clouds and the Water would get a lot of money this year. The autumn harvest was also good, and all taxes could be waived. If he was as stingy as before, the farmer's heart would run elsewhere. He decided to kill a few sheep for the farmer to eat. He also gave face to the Zhang Family and Wang Family. After all, he was celebrating with them.
"Master Ge, I'll treat you to a biscuit." When Miss Ye saw the master of the Ge family coming over, she obediently handed over the biscuit in her hand. She was not afraid of the people of Zhuangzi of the Ge family, even if it was the master. She was the farmer of the Wang family, and even if the county magistrate came here, she was not afraid.
Ge Yingxi was stunned for a moment, but he really did take the biscuit in his hand. He took a bite and said, "It's delicious, but you gave it to me. What are you going to eat?"
"Me? I still have some when I go back. The madam of the master family said that we have to repay kindness. If the farmer can't repay the kindness of the Wang family, the master will. I gave this to Brother Shitou. Without Brother Shitou, I would have drowned last year. When I grow up and can do things, I will work hard for the master family. "
Little Ye smiled sweetly and explained there. She waved her small fist to show her determination.
Ge Yingxi heard these words and really didn't know what to say. He just casually said something and took the biscuit he ate before walking to the main courtyard of Zhangjia Zhuangzi. Steward Zhang followed behind him.
*****
It was very lively outside. In the courtyard of the Zhang family, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were having the doctor apply ice tablets and other medicine to their wounds while discussing with their family about the 4,000 mu of land.
"Xiao Bao, Cuckoo, what happened to the two of you? You actually lost such a large piece of skin. Where did Pomegranate and the others go? "
When Zhang Wong Clan saw the wounds on her son and daughter-in-law, she was very distressed. She asked the doctor in Zhuangzi to treat them while frowning and asking.
After the ice tablets were applied, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan felt much better. There was no sign of discomfort on their faces, and they didn't cry like other children.
"Mother, it's nothing. It's just a small injury. I'll be fine in a few days. Little Juan and I came back because we were afraid that you would take the 5,000 mu of land and report it to the county government. Then our family would be in trouble. This time, we can only take the 4,000 mu of land granted by the imperial court. There are still people waiting for opportunities there."
Zhang Xiaobao nodded to the doctor who was treating him and explained to his mother.
"Ah? You can't take the 5,000 mu? That place is just right. Doctor Pang, be gentle. Xiao Bao is in pain. "Zhang Wong Clan was stunned for a moment. She replied to Zhang Xiaobao and then said to the doctor.
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