MTL - After Emptying the Enemy’s Warehouse, He Carried Supplies To Survive the Disaster Years

Chapter 13 Collecting Silt

Within the time of a stick of incense, all the people in the village who could move were mobilized, and a long queue formed outside the courtyard.

 The unique smell of silt is flying all over the yard.

“I didn’t expect the people in Shili Village to be so active and hard-working!” Ziyu said with admiration.

If in future generations, if a dollar falls on the ground, no one will be willing to bend down to pick it up.

Not to mention ten baskets of dirty and smelly sludge in exchange for a penny. In another era, no one would have done this kind of work.

 But here, there are a lot of people working hard for just a penny.

Ziyu, who was once penniless and hungry and had stomach cramps, liked these hard-working women, old and young in Shili Village very much.

 In the long queue that stretched as far as the eye could see, there were very few mature men, mostly women and half-grown boys.

“It’s thanks to the kindness of the young master, otherwise our village would never have such a good thing.”

The old village chief smiled and stroked his beard. Thinking of the two taels of silver he had just put into his wallet, his smile became more sincere.

 “Haha, it’s mutually beneficial!

 Perhaps there will be opportunities for us to cooperate in the future. "Ziyu laughed and passed by.

 “Haha, I have been waiting for this sentence from the young master.”

 The old village chief took one look at the noisy crowd, stood up and shouted.

 “Quiet, quiet!

 Come over one by one and count them. Ten baskets each have a copper plate. No cheating or cheating is allowed.

 If I get caught, I will be disqualified. "

With the help of the old village chief, things were proceeding in an orderly manner. Ziyu only had to count the copper coins.

 At the end of the day, half a basket of copper coins had not been taken out, and Ziyu, who had nothing to do, was sitting a little bored.

 But those families who can earn twenty or thirty copper coins a day are very happy.

 For them, they can earn money without leaving home, and it is a job that costs nothing.

Every household in Shili Village is discussing this matter, and those who are quick-thinking have already run to inform their relatives nearby.

 …

“Old village chief, I leave it to you to collect the silt. I want all the silt cleared from the river.

 Collect it and store it temporarily in the courtyard. I will send someone to pull it out every once in a while.

I will give you one tael of silver a month for your hard work, and I will send you a copper plate every five days. "

It’s not that Ziyu is big-hearted. When she first arrives in a place and wants to purchase a large amount of grain next year, she must have a trustworthy village.

A few baskets of copper plates can test a person's depth, which is very worth it to her.

“Don’t worry, young master, I will definitely take care of this matter!”

 The old village chief who was entrusted with the important task agreed immediately. One tael of silver was a considerable income.

Even though he is the village chief, his family does not have much income.

 …

 Because Shili Village is close to Qingyang Mansion, it is relatively richer than other villages, but that is only superficial.

 Because the land close to the city, nine levels of fertile land were in the hands of wealthy families.

He has been the village chief for many years, and his family only has ten acres of thin farmland. The rest of the land is rented to support the family's livelihood.

During the slack season, the family’s children and grandchildren can still go to the city to do some part-time work. This year, we have to clean up rivers, which means there will be no income all winter.

The old village chief was sitting at home worrying. Unexpectedly, good luck would come from the sky, and he met Ziyu who came to his door to collect silt.

The old village chief must give his full support, not to mention that he also paid the remuneration.

 …

Ziyu handed over the matter of collecting silt to the old village chief, and kept all the four baskets of copper coins she had brought. She left the village on a mule cart, but did not return to the city.

Those who walked upstream had identified the place a few days ago in order to collect water from the river at night. The fertile fields in the space have turned into the Gobi Desert. The most lacking thing is water, which is also the second purpose of her coming out.

Ziyu, who was slowly driving a mule cart on the road, disappeared into the growing darkness.

The boy in black clothes was hiding in a low-lying area by the river, shivering in the river breeze.

Due to the cleaning of the river channel, the water upstream was intercepted and the water level increased accordingly, but Ziyu was taking advantage of it.

With a thought in Ziyu's mind, a black cotton cloak appeared under the hood in her hand, and a small square stool appeared under her butt.

The person who stole the water sat on a small square stool, stretched one hand into the cold river water, and gnawed a warm steamed bun in the other hand.

At noon, she only ate a bowl of plain noodles sent by the old village chief's family, and Ziyu's stomach was already growling with hunger.

 …

The river water in the darkness slowly formed a small vortex due to suction, and the gurgling water flowed through that incredible hand and into a Gobi desert.

The thirsty Gobi Desert swallowed impatiently, making a comfortable bubbling sound.

Following the water flow are also large and small fish, shrimps, and crabs. These new lives seem to be controlled by a force.

　　A stream of water was separated and flowed towards the dry fish pond...

  Watering five hundred acres of Gobi Desert is just a piece of cake for a river with abundant water resources.

Even so, it took Ziyu half of the night to complete this arduous task.

 Finally solved a serious problem for a man, his whole body was frozen, and he walked away from the river in a weird posture.

Ziyu, who asked her to sit in one position for too long, her legs and feet were numb. She no longer wanted to stay by the river, and her ears were filled with the sound of the wind blowing.

　　If someone else stayed by the river in the middle of the night, he would be so frightened that he would fall into the river.

Illuminating Ziyu with a fire stick, I finally found my way back to the road. The surroundings were so quiet that there was not even a shadow of a ghost. In the winter, it was so quiet that not a single insect could be heard chirping.

 “A…piao…piao…”

The long and terrifying sound floated in the dark night, and the flames danced brightly and dimly, like will-o'-the-wisps flying.

 …

"Da da da…"

The sound of rapid horse hooves came from a distance, and the people having fun suddenly disappeared on the road.

The mischievous Ziyu set up a small stove and a charcoal grill in front of the space villa, and cooked the cooked mutton soup pot that had been prepared. The roasted mutton was sizzling with oil on the copper charcoal grill.

Those who enjoy a bite of mutton-boiled meat or a bite of roasted mutton do not forget to listen to what is going on outside.

“Sir, there is something strange ahead of you. Could it be an ambush? Let my subordinates break in first!”

 The man's voice was hoarse, as if he had been thirsty for a long time without drinking water.

 “No need, whether it’s a human being or a ghost, you’ll see the truth under the sword.” The cold male voice said with a hint of urgency.

Ziyu, who heard it clearly, threw a piece of mutton bone with meat in a bad way.

 “Choke…rang…pop!”

　　The cool man who struck the lamb bone with his knife smelled the unique smell of mutton and made an empty sound in his stomach.

 “Thank you, senior, for your noble hand. I will definitely thank you generously if I have the opportunity one day!”

The sound of neat horse hooves left quickly. Ziyu curled her lips when she heard it, and every word she spoke was so unreliable.

　　I would like to express my gratitude to him for my good fortune in the future. What a man's mouth, what a liar!

Ziyu, who had eaten and drank enough in the space, resignedly heated up a large pot of hot water to wash away the smell, and put on a plain silk robe.

 Getting into the luxurious carriage that was used as a makeshift bed, he lay down flat on his legs and let his hair hang out of the car.

 (End of this chapter)