The Zhang Family, Wang Family, Old Man Pi and Old Man Yao's families, as well as a small portion of the soldiers who were transporting the provisions and weapons, were already quite a lot of people. If they were to work, it wouldn't be much faster to have a hundred or so unfamiliar people.
However, Zhang Zhong didn't refuse. It didn't matter how many people came to help. What was important was whether they came or not. He had never done anything good for the local people, and his subordinates were also busy, so it could only be done by his son and daughter-in-law.
This was called a breakthrough. Not to mention that the hundred or so people could do some work, even if they were a hindrance, Zhang Zhong didn't want to reward them. He saw this as an opportunity.
When the meal was almost finished, Zhang Zhong stopped and asked people to ask if the people had eaten. If they hadn't, he had to make some fast food for them to eat. They couldn't work on an empty stomach.
The result of the inquiry was that they had all eaten. They also found out why they came to help. It was because of the dozen or so kilograms of salt. Among the people who came to work, some of them directly benefited, while others were called over by them.
All the adults had the same idea, and that was to judge the adults based on the children. If a child wore clothes, the clothes weren't afraid of being old or patched. What they looked at was whether the clothes were clean. If the child was dirty, no one would criticize the child. They could only say that the family's adults were lazy.
When the people who received the salt found out that the salt was sent by the children of the new official, they thought that it was definitely because the family's adults were good at disciplining them. They told their neighbors and everyone came to take a look and help out.
In order to get closer to the people, Zhang Zhong personally met with the people. The people here were different from other places. If they met a provincial governor, they would be very afraid. The local people didn't care what rank the governor was. They just came to see how the new official was like.
The attitude of the people made Zhang Zhong put away his long-winded ideas. He casually found a job and let the people do it. At the same time, he asked people to prepare dinner.
Zhang Zhong understood that the so-called meal was two meals or one meal a day. Very few people could eat three meals a day, that was too extravagant. Not to mention this poor place, even the people of the capital couldn't find many people who could eat three meals a day.
Compared to his own family, who had at least three meals a day, and those who worked had four meals, the standard of living was far worse. Food was the most important thing to the people. Whether it was deliberately bribing or sincerely helping, dinner had to be prepared well.
*****
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan slept for three and a half hours before they woke up comfortably. The first thing they did was to ask if anyone was feeling unwell. The people working were not bad, but they were more tired than before.
Today's weather wasn't too good. It was gray and overcast, and the local area was humid. The temperature difference was relatively large, and the body's heat loss was correspondingly faster. It made people feel uneasy. The local people were used to it, so nothing much happened.
The adults were not energetic, and the little ones were more sleepy than usual. One by one, they drilled into the house and slept on the carpet in the hall of the house. Perhaps it would be warmer this way.
The two people looked at the window. Even if the seven little ones were covered with blankets, they were still squeezing together. This was not deliberately done by them. When it was cold in their sleep, they would automatically find a warm place. The little ones sleeping on the two sides frowned at the same time. They seemed to be very uncomfortable.
"It's cold. The temperature difference is too big. When we were eating at noon, we felt stuffy. These three hours have been cold." Wang Juan reached in and touched the forehead of the little ones. They didn't have a fever. She was relieved and said to Zhang Xiaobao.
"The sun is blocked by the mountain, and the humidity is heavy. The ventilation of the house can't be sealed. The body's heat is lost. It would be strange if it wasn't cold. Look, the temperature inside is only 16 degrees. Someone, put a few hot water bags in."
Zhang Xiaobao looked up at the sky and ordered very discontentedly. Didn't he emphasize that the temperature in the house should be kept between 23 and 27 degrees? What were these people doing?
The maidservant was wronged and explained in a low voice, "Little Master, it's very humid here. It will be even more humid if you put a hot water bag in. The blanket has been changed twice. Every time it is changed, it will become humid after a while."
"Still, let Xiaobei and the others warm first. We'll think of other ways." Zhang Xiaobao didn't need to touch the blanket. He could feel how humid his clothes were.
As a few hot water bags were put in, the temperature rose. The expressions of the little ones changed. The eyebrows of the little ones on both sides gradually relaxed. Perhaps it was because they had a happy dream, and there was a smile on their faces.
Wang Juan looked at the house, opened the compartment, and said, "In a while, send someone to take down the complete set of things from the ship. In order to reduce the weight, take out the lime inside. Add some good charcoal and use it as a drying agent. It's okay if it's bitter for the adults, but definitely not for the children. Xiao Bao, think about it. What can be recycled and dried?"
"Yes, there is a material that can absorb the moisture in the air. When it absorbs to saturation, the water inside will flow down to the groove below due to the influence of gravity. This cycle repeats, but I don't know what material it is. There's no other way. For a period of time here, we can only use charcoal and lime to dry it."
Zhang Xiaobao said helplessly. He knew little when it was time to use it. In the past, he really did come into contact with this thing. He estimated that it wouldn't be able to cheat a lot of money, so he didn't further study it. Otherwise, he could use it now.
While the two of them were worried about their younger brother and sister, Old Man Pi and the other two were also worried about the logistics. In a few days, they would send troops to Tubo to attack the Jinshui, but they still couldn't see the Zhang family's actions.
The food they brought this time was only enough to feed 3,000 people for half a month. However, they didn't send 1,000 soldiers, but 15,000. For a surprise attack, the transported food, together with a portion of the local warehouse, would be made into dry rations for 10 days and brought with them to the soldiers. After 10 days, it would depend on the Zhang family's ability.
In order to keep it a secret, they didn't announce it in advance. If they collected the food now, the local food price would definitely skyrocket. In a little more than a month, it would be the autumn harvest. This was the season when people had the least amount of food. Wouldn't grain merchants take the opportunity to find all kinds of reasons to increase the price?
Methods of forceful competition couldn't be used unless absolutely necessary. It would cause a huge impact on the economy.
While the three old men sat around the charcoal stove and worried about making tea, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan also rushed over to ask if they were feeling unwell. Children needed to be taken care of, and so did the elderly.
However, without waiting for Zhang Xiaobao to ask, Old Man Pi spoke first.
"Xiao Bao, is the food prepared? I estimate that we will send troops in three days. This time, not only will we attack a city, we will also destroy a large amount of Tubo's farmland. This will make it impossible for them to harvest the autumn harvest and delay their possible counterattack. "
"Grandpa Bi, don't worry. We will send troops in three days. The food will definitely not be a hindrance. Even if you say that the troops have already left, the food will still be able to keep up. If no one investigates, even the arrows will be in place. Grandpa Bi, who will be the general leading the troops this time?"
Zhang Xiaobao replied with certainty. He was also thinking about which famous general would be going. As for the food, that wasn't a problem. If they couldn't even do this, how could they be called logistics?
"Guo Tu. He will be leading the troops this time." Old Man Yao said a name.
"Guo Tu? Someone from the Three Kingdoms era? "In Zhang Xiaobao's memory, there didn't seem to be such a famous general in the Tang Dynasty.
"What Three Kingdoms era? To be able to live until now, wouldn't he be an immortal? We will send troops in three days. Whether it succeeds or not will depend on your family's performance. If it succeeds, not only will your father go to Luoyang, he can even go to Yaozhou to be a provincial governor."
Old Man Pi could only choose to believe in the experts of the Zhang family. Everything depended on the situation in three days.
Zhang Xiaobao also knew that matters of life and death were not child's play, so he said seriously, "Grandpa Bi, don't worry. Wherever the troops go, the logistics will be sent there. If one grain is missing, the conditions previously mentioned will no longer count. My father won't be an official anymore. If it succeeds …"
"If it succeeds, all the men in your family will have official positions, and the women will have noble titles. Your father can choose any place he wants the next time. Even if you want to be an official now, you will be given a noble title."
Old Man Pi also said his promise. In fact, it was the promise of the imperial court or the emperor. There was no other choice. If it were any other official, there wouldn't be so many things. Only the Zhang family was special.
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