The next day, it was a crisp autumn day. The people from the Zhang Family and Wang Family in Zhuangzi started to harvest the grain in the fields.
The adults tied the grain in bundles at the front and transported them to the grain-sunning field. The children held a basket and carefully picked up the ears of rice or wheat that were left behind.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan's families also went over to act as a demonstration. In fact, they didn't need to do it.
Everything seemed to be the same as usual. The only difference was that this year's harvesting method was different. In the past, each family collected their own grain and handed it over to Zhuangzi. This year, both Zhuangzi's families provided the meals together. Everyone started from the same field and collected the grain. They piled it up at the place where they received it and made a mark.
The advantage of this was that everyone had a competition when they were working, and no one was slacking off. Everyone was watching how much they did. If they really wanted to slack off, they would be too embarrassed to even open their mouths when they were eating.
At this time, Wang Juan and Zhang Xiaobao also watched from the side. Pieces of rice and wheat were harvested and transported away. Everyone was full of hope. Zhangjia Zhuangzi had a reward of 100 households, so they could pay 100 households less to the higher-ups.
Although it was said to be 100 households, it was actually 100 people. Otherwise, if everyone combined into one household, it would be possible to produce 10,000 people. Wang Juan's family didn't have this privilege. They still had to pay what they were supposed to.
"When the grain is collected, give some of yours to my family. My family has to pay a lot more." Wang Juan felt that it was unfair when she thought of this. Zhangjia Zhuangzi's 100 households were better off than the Wang Family's Zhuangzi because they didn't have to pay. It was said that the Zhang family received less every year and kept more.
"Why? The two Zhuangzi's don't have accounts together. I have my own accounts. If you want to give, take both of ours. You can't use my family's. " Zhang Xiaobao immediately objected. This kind of thing could not be confused. His family did not touch his money. It was all his own.
"Then I'll take two hundred bolts of silk from our storehouse and send them home," Wang Juan said in a fit of pique.
"Take it. How much is two hundred? One bolt for two hundred copper coins, two bolts for forty thousand copper coins, forty taels of silver. Here you go. "Zhang Xiaobao had an indifferent expression on his face.
"Stingy. What are we going to eat today? Do you want to eat Virgin Chicken?" Wang Juan said a few words. She didn't want to be entangled in this kind of thing.
"No, there's something even better today. Look at that field. What else is there besides food?"
"There are others," Wang Juan replied.
"Other than humans, look, they're still flying over there. One is chasing the other, and the other is jumping. Grasshoppers, we'll eat this today. Later, I'll get the children to help me catch them. I'll trade them with soybean oil. When we get back, I'll fry them in oil. It's fragrant and crispy."
Zhang Xiaobao pointed at the grasshoppers flying back and forth in the field. He swallowed his saliva and said.
"Well, when we're done cutting, let them catch them. We'll also release the chicks. Cherries hatched so many chicks, they'll be able to gain a lot of meat this time."
Wang Juan didn't reject this kind of thing. In the past, when she was training, she ate a lot of them. Not to mention cooked ones, even raw ones would be stuffed into her mouth. When she bit down, a stream of green water would come out of her mouth.
When it was time for lunch, there were even more people. It could be said that men and women, old and young all went to work together. The lunch was relatively simple. There were oil cakes, fried radish slices with meat, and egg and cucumber soup. There was enough to drink.
In this way, they were busy for three days in a row before they finished harvesting the grain on the two Zhuangzi fields. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan also continued to eat fried grasshoppers for three days. When the chicks were released, there weren't many grasshoppers left in the field before they could harvest the grains.
"Little Young Master, it's all thanks to the chicks on the Zhuangzi fields. Otherwise, these grasshoppers would have eaten a lot this year. Don't look down on them because they're small, they can't handle a lot of them. While harvesting the grains, they have to feed the grasshoppers at the same time."
Xiao Hong also ate two meals and felt that the taste was really good. Now, she picked up one and stuffed it into her mouth. She even sighed with emotion.
The speaker didn't mean it, but the listener did.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan looked at each other and smiled at the same time. Wang Juan opened her mouth.
"Xiao Hong, go and call Steward Zhang over."
Xiao Hong didn't know what the two little ancestors were going to do. She ran to the back and called Steward Zhang over. She began to eat again.
"Little Young Master, Little Miss, you two are looking for me?" The steward was also puzzled.
"Yes, after crossing the bridge over there, we'll reach Ge Jia Village, right? Their grain hasn't been finished yet, right? "Wang Juan pointed in that direction.
"Yes, they don't have Little Young Master and Little Miss like us. They don't arrange for people to harvest together. They harvest separately. They're more than a day behind us." Steward Zhang replied.
"Then I'll give you a task. You drive our chicks on the Zhuangzi fields over there to help. It's not easy for everyone. Let the chicks eat and help them eat some grasshoppers. It's considered good karma. We don't want any benefits and help for free. Go."
Zhang Xiaobao continued to speak and put on a compassionate expression. Those who didn't know would really think that he was very kind.
Of course, Steward Zhang didn't think so. What kind of people were Little Young Master and Little Miss? They wouldn't do things that didn't benefit them. As soon as he heard this, he understood. The chicks on the Zhuangzi fields had obviously grown in these two days because they ate the grasshoppers.
Without hesitation, he called a few people and got two old hens to lead the way. A group of chicks rushed over there. Sure enough, when they arrived, they wanted to thank him. They watched the chicks eat the grasshoppers in their fields and kept talking about the kindness and righteousness of the Zhang Family and Wang Family in Zhuangzi.
They weren't worried that the chicks would eat the grains. There were grasshoppers. Who would eat grain? It would be strenuous to use people to catch them. The chicks chased after them as if they didn't know tiredness. Their two little legs kept moving, eating and pooping at the same time. They even fattened the ground.
The ones who benefited the most were the farmers. The grasshoppers ate the grains, but their masters didn't care. They still had to pay the required amount. Each and every one of them took advantage of the break to thank Steward Zhang and let him have his fill.
When Ge Zhuang's grasshoppers were almost finished, he drove the chicks to other Zhuangzi fields. Even if the harvest was good, there were still grasshoppers in the fields. The chicks ate like this for half a month. One by one, they ate until they were fat. Their heads were almost shrunk into their necks. They walked there like small balls.
Just as the little chickens were feasting on the food, both the Zhang and Wang families began to move. They went everywhere to collect grain. It was the autumn harvest, and this year's weather was not bad. The price of grain was low. The two farms were divided into four groups of people. Some were far away, some were near. They bought with money, some with silk, and some with other items.
Because of the trust in Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, the two Zhuangzi put in their savings. In the end, even if they didn't make much money, they wouldn't lose money. This kind of trust made Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan sigh with emotion.
"Tell me, the grains are almost collected. There are warehouses everywhere in Zhuangzi. What are you going to do with the grains?" Wang Juan had been thinking about this for a long time.
"Okay, I'll tell you. I'm going to give some of them away for free. I'm going to sell some of them at a high price elsewhere. I think there will be some left in the end." Zhang Xiaobao finally said.
"Where are you going to sell them and where are you going to give them away?"
"East of Taihang Mountain and Henan area. There are still chickens. When the time comes, I'll send some over to raise them. I'll sell the eggs there. With the money from selling the eggs, I'll buy a large amount of dried sea goods from Linhai in Shandong. Then I'll ship them back. That's another sum of money." Zhang Xiaobao squeezed his way in.
"You give them something that they will want. You sell it at a high price and they will buy it? The chickens will be big next year. What are they going to eat? "Wang Juan also played along with Zhang Xiaobao and asked one question after another.
"According to the historical records, there was a drought in the third year of the Kaiyuan Era of the Tang Dynasty. There was a plague of locusts. This year's harvest should be relatively the same as before. But since there was a drought, there were more locusts. It will show up next year.
I'm going to use the grains to exchange for the official reward. Driving the chickens to eat the locusts is considered a merit, right? We have to sell the grains secretly. We can't just give them away for free. "
Zhang Xiaobao finally explained his plan. Wang Juan nodded.
"Good calculation. No wonder you're thinking of ways to make money like crazy. It's all for the sake of collecting grains. In the end, it's all for the sake of your family's hundred households reward. I'm impressed. But comrade Zhang Xiaobao, what's in it for my family?"
"This, this … Listen to me. This needs to be done. When the time comes, your family will benefit a lot. Come with me. I'll teach you what to say and what to do. Of course, this is not a lie. There should be a reward for doing good deeds.
What's the saying? It's not asking for anything in return for doing good deeds. If that's the case, there will be fewer people doing good deeds. If someone really does ask for something in return, others will criticize him. So, we have to leave a way out for others. "
Zhang Xiaobao spoke eloquently. Wang Juan curled her lips. "Isn't it the story of Confucius? I don't know if there's such a thing. It's just an excuse for yourself to get benefits. I'll believe you this time."
"En, don't tell anyone else, especially my father. If he knows that I'm selling grains at a high price, he might ask me to donate the grains. I don't want to lose money." Zhang Xiaobao looked around like a thief, even though he and Wang Juan were using lip language.
"Look at how scared you are. You really have a guilty conscience. You know that what you're doing is wrong? But I still support you. Why should we give our things to others for free? They're all obtained through hard work. "Wang Juan leaned on Zhang Xiaobao with a smile. Zhang Xiaobao's actions just now were too interesting.
The two of them discussed for a while and finally decided on this matter. Then, they found Song Jinggong and started to arrange other things, like selling the soybean oil.
"Little Young Master, how much should we sell the soybean oil? I'm afraid that others won't buy it." Song Jinggong was a little uncertain when he heard this, especially since he didn't want to be cheated.
"Of course, no one will buy it if we sell it directly. Go to Sanshui County and set up a stall. Mix the dough and then fry it and sell it to others. When others have eaten it, the taste will be different. They will ask you, or you can find someone to ask deliberately. Do you understand?"
Zhang Xiaobao guided him a little and Song Jinggong immediately understood. "Got it. I'll say it's the oil."
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