Walking on the familiar yet strange land, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan kept looking at the scenery around them.
The canals had been frozen, and the small trees had grown taller. There were also green plants growing in the winter, covered with a thin layer of snow.
The children of the past had also grown up. They were still wearing the same clothes, divided into two colors according to gender. They stood in the middle of the crowd, respectfully and curiously looking at the people of the Zhang Family and Wang Family.
In the fields in the distance, there was still a passage made of straw. A flock of sparrows landed beside it, their small heads looking for dried rice among the straw.
A few magpies on the branches with fallen leaves were probably alarmed by someone, standing there and calling from time to time.
The wooden corridor had been carved with various patterns and painted with new paint. The stove that had once been used by the children to barbeque food was still standing there, burning with red charcoal.
A pond was thought to have been heated with charcoal, so the water surface was not frozen. It was unknown which family's ducks were fearless. A dozen of them gathered together and swam on the surface of the water. Occasionally, they would stick their heads into the water to eat a few small fish. Then, they would be scared by a stray cat that jumped from the side and swam to the shore at the other end, running back home as if they were flying. They were not afraid of being frozen to death.
The mountains in the distance were pure white, occasionally showing a bit of green. The sun, which had not much heat, was hanging in the sky, making the snow on the ground even brighter.
Nothing seemed to have changed, but everything seemed to be different from before.
Someone came to answer. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan did not care so much. After looking at the surrounding scenery, they directly ran back home, followed by the three big dogs.
"Oh, it's so comfortable to be home." After Zhang Xiaobao entered the door and threw himself on the kang, feeling the warmth from the kang, he said with a happy face.
Wang Juan took off her thick outer clothes, sat on a chair with a thick cushion, and introduced various things to the three dogs with her fingers. She did not know if the dogs could understand.
*****
The return of the heads of the Zhang Family and Wang Family made Zhuangzi more lively than usual during the New Year. The villagers all came back from outside to celebrate the New Year, and their faces were brimming with joy.
Between the Clouds and the Water was a little more deserted, but there were still some people who didn't want to go back for the New Year. There were even some students in the Academy who couldn't go back home.
The four little ones from the Zhang and Wang families no longer went into their own room to play. They needed to solve the heating problem inside. One by one, they rolled around on the kang bed. From time to time, they would use their small hands to scratch at the embroidered quilt.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan didn't play with their younger brothers and sisters. The two of them asked the craftsmen to make a doghouse. They were afraid that it would be cold if it was directly next to the ground, so they set it up two inches high. In the middle of the three layers of boards, there was also a piece of cloth stuffed with dry straw and a mattress. The doghouse was very big, just like a small house.
Three dogs were enough. Perhaps they came from a warm place and had not fully adapted to the cold in the north. As soon as the doghouse was finished, they crawled into it and curled up. Only the big dog stuck its head out and looked at the winter scenery curiously.
Song Jinggong also came. Unfortunately, the two brothers who knew how to raise eagles and dogs were not here. They said that they were going to other places to look for better dogs and eagles, so Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan didn't have the chance to see them.
Since the New Year was coming, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan couldn't go out, so they walked around their house. At the same time, they went to visit the other two villagers on Zhuangzi and delivered the specialties they brought back from Lu Zhou to them.
There were still many vegetables planted in the fields this year, so there was no need to sell them elsewhere. Apart from providing food for Zhuangzi, the rest were sent to Between the Clouds and the Water.
Because the method had been spread out, people in the cold places of Tang were planting vegetables out of season. The cost of getting the materials was low, but the price could not be so high.
"This is what it means to be well-off, but it's still far from being well-off. We have to continue working hard in the future."
When Wang Juan and Zhang Xiaobao strolled along the river, they saw the clothes the people of Sanshui County wore and their faces were filled with joy. However, they were still not satisfied. They wanted to improve the lives of the people of Sanshui County.
The people were still wearing linen clothes, but they were much thicker than before. They were not as thin as before, and they shivered in the cold.
However, this was not their goal. The two of them wanted to let the people wear cotton-padded clothes in the winter. They were more comfortable and warm than linen clothes.
The people of Sanshui County did not know that there was something better, but they were already very satisfied. They had harvested more food this year than in previous years. Those who were idle at home raised chickens and pigs, and they were no longer against eating fish.
It was almost the New Year. Almost every family slaughtered pigs to make sausages, blood sausages, and powder sausages. They did not need to throw away the skin and bones. They sent them to the local workshop and could even exchange them for a sum of money.
Although they wore linen clothes on the outside, they wore silk shirts on the inside. They also wore leather shoes on their feet. Usually, they could eat meat whenever they wanted. There was no shortage of oil and salt. Who asked them to be in a traffic junction? They could always find something to do to earn money.
While Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were not very satisfied, the local people walking on the road were all jubilant. When they saw someone they knew, they would happily greet them.
"It would be good if there was a railway. It would be convenient to transport food from the south. Now, the people of Sanshui County are living better, but there are still no changes in the northwest. Those who should not be able to wear clothes are still unable to wear clothes. Those who should not be able to eat are also unable to solve the problem."
When Zhang Xiaobao thought of the differences in the lives of the various regions, he still felt that it was not enough. Only when everyone did not have to worry about food would they be able to eat and wear.
"There will still be contradictions. In society, people are always compared with each other. There will always be a group of quick-witted people who use various means to improve their lives and social status. Some are in line with moral and legal standards, while others are not.
But no matter which one it is, as long as you're not caught, your life will be better. After you have the original capital, you'll be able to widen the gap between you and others. Human desires are endless. Even if you let everyone eat their fill, the quality of the food will still be different with more money. "
Wang Juan thought of the contradictions in society. Weiwei sighed.
"I don't think about social contradictions. As long as it is where my father is, the people there must have a good life. Internal contradictions can be shifted through external national policies. Say, when everyone is literate and has mastered the basic knowledge, then will the imperial power be as stable as it is now?"
Zhang Xiaobao pulled Wang Juan towards a pavilion that was still guarded.
Wang Juan was stunned for a moment. "It shouldn't be. The more the people know, the harder it is to control them. Unless every generation of the emperor is so powerful. As long as there is a generation that is not good, then it will be over."
Zhang Xiaobao did not say anything more. He looked curiously at the two people in the pavilion, a man and a woman. To be precise, they were an old man and an old woman. The house behind the pavilion was also different from the other pavilions. The other pavilions only had one room behind them, which was specially used for heating and rest.
Unexpectedly, there were three rooms behind this one. From the traces, there was also a vegetable field next to it.
There was still a small stove in the pavilion. Hot water was being boiled on top of the stove. Tea eggs were also being boiled at the same time to provide convenience for the pedestrians.
However, there was also a place that sold pancakes. The old man and the old woman just sat there, not talking to each other. Their eyes were looking at the same place. If one stared at them carefully, they would feel like they had lost the sense of distance. It seemed like they were very far away, but also very close.
"Why is it like this? It gives people a unique feeling when they look at the two of them. "Wang Juan found it very interesting.
"Because this is a spiritual distance that has crossed over time. The old man and the old woman are a family. After going through so many things, their mentality is different. Sitting there, they seem to be quiet and distant. Another reason is that we have nothing to do, so we have the leisure to reminisce. Let's go, I'll treat you to some pancakes."
Zhang Xiaobao quickened his footsteps. Wang Juan nodded and suddenly said, "Won't we be disturbing their peace if we go over?"
"They are living together. Why would they care about your time? I don't know if the price of pancakes has increased. It used to be two copper coins for one pancake with vegetables. It should be more expensive in winter. "
Zhang Xiaobao had not eaten pancakes for a long time. He did not have time to make pancakes, so he added chopped green onions and sour sauce.
"Grandma, how much is one pancake?" After so many years, Zhang Xiaobao already had the awareness of being a child and addressed them according to their biological age.
"Two copper coins for one pancake. Oh, whose child is so good-looking? You two eat it, and I'll add a tea egg for free." The old woman turned her head and saw Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. She was moved by the two of them.
Wang Juan looked at the things placed there and knew that there were vegetables. There were not as many varieties as there were in summer. There were only stir-fried shredded radish and bean sprouts.
She sighed in her heart that the people here were simple and honest. They did not increase the price of things just because the local people had a better life and it was winter. She stretched out two fingers and said, "Grandma, I want two pancakes. Put two extra eggs for each one. One without dried coriander, and one with chopped green onions. The one with chopped green onions should be smeared with sauce.
Wang Juan took out six copper coins from her small satchel and handed it over. She meant that she could not take the tea egg for free.
"Yes, add two extra eggs for one copper coin. The local eggs are cheap. If you go to other places, one copper coin is not expensive. Which dish do you want to eat? Grandma will add more for you. "
The old woman said to Wang Juan with a kind smile.
"Don't add any dish. Just eat the noodles and fruits. Don't fry them until they become brittle. Grandma, why did you use bean sprouts? Bean sprouts are not cheap. Why don't you change them to pickled cabbage and stir-fry them with lard? Even if you charge one copper coin more, people will still buy them. They are very delicious. "
Wang Juan and Zhang Xiaobao could not eat the fruit pancake with vegetables. Once the vegetables were added, they would not be able to taste the original taste of the fruit pancake. The vegetables were added to fill the customers' stomachs, not the original taste. It would be better if there was some chili sauce mixed with chili.
"Well, we'll make pickled cabbage next year. You don't have to pay more. We can earn more. The house has just been built this year, so we don't have time to pickle it."
Seeing that the two of them did not want to add more dishes, the old woman put an extra youtiao into the pancake. She used a small spatula to make a long package and wrapped it with oil paper. Then she sent the warm package to the two of them.
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