Siheyuan, don't mess with me

The further Chen Zhiguo drove, the heavier his mood became. The water shortage was beyond Chen Zhiguo's imagination. The drought had seriously affected grain production, which would cause a chain reaction, leading to famine among the farmers and a reduction in grain supply in the city!

When Chen Zhiguo drove the car to the village office of Chenjia Village, the village office was empty, with only three or two children playing under the big tree in front of the village office!

"uncle!"

"Uncle!"

Chen Zhiguo had a relatively high seniority in the village, so these children had to at least call him grandpa, and the younger ones had to call him great uncle. Chen Zhiguo took out some candies and distributed them to them, then picked up the backpack and climbed up the mountain!

The extra-large backpack on his back was woven by his grandfather. The original one was too small, so Chen Zhiguo asked his grandfather to weave a super-large one for him. It was big, but also very heavy. His grandfather did not use bamboo, but rattan from the mountain. It was very soft when picked, and after it was woven and dried, it would become very strong! At the same time, it was also very heavy, but a basket weighed about 30 to 40 kilograms, and the main feature was that it was strong and durable. Only Chen Zhiguo could use such a large backpack, and others would not choose such a large backpack!

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was very hot, and it was the hottest time. Chen Zhiguo was carrying more than 200 kilograms of food and two jars of wine in his hands, one of which was tiger bone wine and the other was Jidequan Lao Shaoguo! On the other hand, Chen Zhiguo will be very busy in the future, and I don't know if he will have the chance to come back!

"Grandma! Grandma!" As he approached the courtyard wall, Chen Zhiguo started shouting!

Through the half-person-high stone wall, grandma was sewing clothes under the shade of a tree. Hearing Chen Zhiguo's shouting, she quickly put down the needle and thread in her hand, stood up and walked out, just in time to meet Chen Zhiguo at the gate of the courtyard!

"Grandson, it's so hot, why did you come here at this time?" Grandma asked with concern.

Chen Zhiguo, with his hands full, followed his grandmother into the yard. Grandpa was still not at home. No doubt he had gone to the fields again. Chen Zhiguo first put down the two jars of wine, then took down the backpack.

"You're buying wine for the old man again. You should save money to marry a wife, don't spend money indiscriminately!" Grandma has been frugal all her life. Seeing Chen Zhiguo bringing so many things again, she felt distressed!

"Grandma, this is tiger bone wine, brought specially for you. Drink a little every day, it's good for your health, you should drink it too!"

"Okay! Don't buy it next time. I'm in good health!" It's a good thing that the grandson is filial, and of course the old man is happy!

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Chen Zhiguo took out the food from the backpack, including 50 kilograms of rice, 50 kilograms of flour, and 100 kilograms of cornmeal. Chen Zhiguo didn't let his grandmother do anything and directly put the food into the room!

"Grandson, bring some food. Grandma has enough to eat!"

"Grandma! Food is in short supply now. It won't hurt to stock up more while it's still easy to buy!" The grandmother, who had experienced many famines, naturally knew how precious food was. How could the old lady not be happy that her grandson thought of storing food for them and not letting them go hungry?

“Is there enough food at home?”

"Grandma, don't worry. There is enough food at home. Grandma, put these aside first. I will go and fetch some more. There are not many people around now!"

"Go slowly, don't get tired! Otherwise, ask your second uncle to come back and carry you!" The old lady didn't feel sorry at all when she ordered her son around, but she felt very sorry for her only grandson!

"It's okay, I'm not tired at all!" Chen Zhiguo put on the backpack and hurried to go on another trip to stock up on food for his grandma's house. The drought along the way had already shown that this year's harvest would definitely be poor!

Chen Zhiguo brought back another 200 kilograms of cornmeal, and now he was holding two large packages in his hands!

When the grandmother saw Chen Zhiguo carrying so many bags, she felt distressed and said, "Grandson, stop wasting money. We old couple still have so much to eat!"

"Grandma, you and grandpa must take care of your health. Your great-grandson is waiting for you to hold him!" The old lady loved to hear this and smiled happily!

I gave my grandparents, my second uncle and my second aunt each a wolfskin vest, and my grandpa and my second uncle an extra dog-skin hat, which will keep them absolutely warm in winter!

Of course, other things are also indispensable, such as shachima, pine nuts and other snacks. This time, two flying dragons were also brought over. There is no reason to give them all to Gu Cheng. His own grandparents couldn’t eat them!

""Is Grandpa in the field?""

"This old guy just can't sit still. He watches over the fields every day. I don't know if his soul is lost in the fields. He runs away before dawn!" Grandma complained all the time, but after so many years, she has become familiar with grandpa's habits and just let him go!

Finally, Chen Zhiguo took out a wooden box and handed it to his grandmother, "Grandma, you have to keep this well and tell grandpa!"

"What is this?" Grandma opened the box curiously. "Ginseng, grandson, where did you buy it from? Don't make any mistakes?" Grandma asked worriedly. She had seen this before. This was a good thing that could save her life!

Chen Zhiguo was also worried about this. His grandparents are old, and if anything happened, this might provide some protection, especially when he is not with his grandparents!

Chen Zhiguo smiled and explained, "Grandma, I bought this when I was on a business trip in Northeast China. They picked it from the mountains there, so it's very cheap!"

There are actually some in the mountains here, but they are less in number. They are all in steep places, and some are even under deep valleys and cliffs, so very few are collected, and the quality is not as good as that of Northeast ginseng!

"When you and grandpa are free, pinch some of these roots and soak them in water to drink. Cut the main trunk into slices and soak them in water or wine!" Chen Zhiguo reminded him, fearing that the old man would be reluctant to use them. This was the most troublesome thing. Chen Zhiguo's space was not without them. The seeds brought back from the Northeast had been planted in the space. When they grow up, I believe the quality will be much better than these years of ginseng. Since there is no shortage, it is necessary to cultivate the old man's habit of using them. They are about to go through the most difficult period. Chen Zhiguo does not want to let the old man's body collapse because of this! This is also the reason why he carried so much food. If a traverser actually let his family starve, he might as well find a stone to hit himself to death!

"I'm fine, why should I eat that stuff? It's so expensive!" Grandma felt distressed but happy at the same time!

"Grandma, you must eat it. I will come to see you next time. If you and grandpa don't eat it, I will never come back to see you again!" In order to nourish the bodies of his grandparents, Chen Zhiguo put a lot of effort and even used threats!

"Okay, okay! Grandma will eat it!" For the sake of her eldest grandson, the grandmother could only nod in agreement. She watched Chen Zhiguo pinch off a root, pick up the bowl and make water for himself to drink!

"Grandma, keep drinking! Take good care of yourself and wait for your great-grandson!" This is Chen Zhiguo's most powerful weapon against his grandparents. Watching Chen Zhiguo get married and have children, watching the Chen family grow and prosper!

"Bitter!" Grandma had seen it before but had never tried it. Good medicine tastes bitter. The slightly bitter taste made grandma frown, but she still insisted on taking small sips!

Chapter 137 Prepare for a rainy day!

Feilong didn't let his grandmother do it. Chen Zhiguo couldn't learn He Daqing's cooking method either, as it required a lot of experience and control of the heat. He chose the simplest method, which was to chop the food into small pieces and stew it into soup!

The evening breeze blew away the day's heat. Chen Zhiguo moved the table into the yard and placed the cooked dishes on the table. Grandpa was forced by grandma to drink the bowl of water soaked with ginseng roots, while the second uncle drank grandpa's tea!

Now that the two daughters are in the city, my second uncle and second aunt are free and relaxed, and my grandmother has asked them to come back for dinner, which makes things easier. In fact, there is already a shortage of food. Farmers like my second uncle and grandfather are the first to feel the crisis. The harvest is not good, and the wheat this year is not growing well. In addition to being shriveled, the wheat seedlings are also dying!

Therefore, everyone was worried about the days ahead! Chen Dalong was called by his grandfather through his second uncle. It was impossible to share all the good things brought by his grandson. He could only choose the one closest to him!

When the aroma of Feilong wafted over, the first one to get restless was the second uncle, who looked towards the kitchen anxiously. When grandpa saw him, he snorted coldly, saying that the second uncle was useless!

"Why don't you go help? Are you sitting here acting like a big shot?" Grandpa couldn't stand it anymore and chased him away.

"Fourth Uncle, this year's harvest is not good. The days to come are going to be difficult!" Chen Dalong said worriedly. It was almost time to harvest wheat, but the growth of the wheat in the field was very poor. A reduction in production and a poor harvest were certain, so the villagers' food supply would be a big problem!

My grandfather, who had experienced the old society, was also worried, but as an old farmer, what could he do?

The last dish of Feilong soup was served, and the Chen family dinner began. Grandpa and grandma drank tiger bone wine, grandpa drank one cup, grandma drank half a cup, and Chen Dalong and Chen Dahu drank Jidequan old pot!

"Good wine!" Chen Dalong took a sip and couldn't help but exclaimed, "Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt are so lucky!"

Grandma smiled happily and drank Feilong soup. The understanding and filial piety of her children and grandchildren are more precious than anything else!

"Uncle, I see you are in a bad mood, what's wrong?" Chen Zhiguo asked as he watched Chen Dalong drinking alone.

"Brother is worried that this year's wheat harvest will be bad, and this winter will be difficult!" Uncle Er answered quickly.

Chen Zhiguo was silent for a moment, "Uncle, this is not the worst. I have a friend in the Meteorological Bureau. This kind of drought may last for two to three years. Even greater difficulties are yet to come!" Chen Zhiguo could only reveal the news to Chen Dalong through his friend's mouth.

"Master, you can't tell anyone about this. It will cause panic. Just keep it to yourself!"

Chen Dalong took a sip of wine, "Even if I know, so what? The villagers will still go hungry!" Chen Dalong was also very distressed. As the village chief, how could he feel good watching the villagers go hungry? But food can't fall from the sky!

"Master, start storing more food now, more vegetables, and more food that can be stored!"

"Yes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkins and so on can all be planted. After the wheat is harvested, we will arrange for everyone to go up the mountain to reclaim wasteland. The more we can plant, the better!" What grandpa said makes sense and is feasible. First of all, the people of Chenjia Village are united and have the same surname. Secondly, Chenjia Village is in the mountainous area, and no one will check if they reclaim wasteland to plant these things. Their land is at the foot of the mountain, and people from the commune will not go up the mountain!

Besides, we are all farmers, and we all know how much grain we can harvest from the fields. In the face of a crisis, instead of giving up, it is better to give it a try. I believe no one wants to starve!

"Also, when the rabbits grow up, I will discuss whether we can exchange them all for food, or more than half for food!" No money, as long as there is food, you can survive, everyone knows this truth! With Chen Zhiguo's arrangement, it is estimated that no one would choose money instead of food. If there is such a person, he will be kicked out of the house!

“Now arrange for women to go up the mountain to dig wild vegetables. Even if they don’t eat them, they can dry them into dried vegetables and eat them during famine!” Grandma added that these are things they have experienced, and it is better to be prepared than to eat tree bark on an empty stomach. By the time everyone remembers them, you won’t even be able to dig wild vegetables!

"Since we live by the mountains, we must make use of the resources there. In addition to reclaiming wasteland for farming, digging wild vegetables and picking wild fruits, we should plant crops in all the places in front of and behind the houses. We can organize young and middle-aged people to go hunting in the mountains during the slack season. We cannot wait until a real famine comes before taking action, as it will be too late!" Chen Zhiguo concluded. He knows farm work. The current output of the land does not require so many people to work. Instead of sitting idle, it is better to take action now. By winter, the wild vegetables will be gone and the beasts in the mountains will have hidden themselves. It will be too late to do anything then!

Chen Dalong nodded, thinking that he had come to the right place today. After being worried for many days, he finally felt a little relieved!

"Uncle, I'm going to my grandma's house tomorrow, and I'll get some rabbits when I come back. We need to increase breeding now. The land has no output, so we have to find other ways. We can't wait, and we can't rely on others. If there is a large-scale drought, relying on relief will cause trouble to the country!"

"Okay, I'll gather everyone together tomorrow and divide them into several groups. Let's get started. We can't wait any longer!"

"Okay, stop drinking and eat some food," grandma said. Chen Dalong drank a lot at the beginning and drank several cups on an empty stomach. In the Chen family, grandma is the one who has the most influence. After Chen Dalong finished the wine in the glass, he started to eat steamed buns and vegetables. He was full of worries just now, but now he feels the deliciousness of the soup!

"What kind of chicken is this? It's so delicious?"

"This is a specialty of Northeast China. Its local name is flying dragon and its scientific name is hazel grouse. It used to be a tribute. I brought back a few from my business trip to Northeast China this time. If you want to eat it, you have to wait until next year!"

"It's so delicious, but there's not enough meat!" Uncle Er also praised.

Grandpa looked at the second uncle, chewing and swallowing even the bones, not wasting anything! I wanted to say something to him, but then I thought, forget it, let's save some face for him in front of Zhiguo!

The next day, Chen Zhiguo drove to Qinjia Village. Like Chenjia Village, everyone was busy in the fields. But as Chen Zhiguo looked along the way, the wheat in the fields was all the same, dry and sparse!

There were some children running after Chen Zhiguo's car, but when they saw Chen Zhiguo's jeep arriving at the gate of Lao Wang's yard, they stopped. The adults in the family had warned them not to mess with people from Lao Wang's house!

All my uncles and aunts are not at home, only my grandma and grandpa are at home. Only Haoyan from my third uncle's family and Haobo from my fourth uncle's family are at home, and are being taken care of by their grandma. The other children have all gone to school!

"Zhiguo, how come you have time to come here today?"

"I just came back from a business trip and took a few days off, so I came to see grandma and grandpa!" Chen Zhiguo opened the gate, drove the car directly into the yard, and then started moving things out!

"Zhiguo, what are you doing?" Grandpa was scared when he saw Chen Zhiguo carrying three sacks of grain in a row, with more on the car!

"What are you shouting for? Are you afraid that others can't hear you?" Grandma patted grandpa on the shoulder. It would have been fine if he didn't go over to help, but he was still shouting and yelling!

Chen Zhiguo carried the last bag of grain into the room. It couldn't be placed in the kitchen, so he could only pile it in his grandfather's room and wait for his uncle to come back!

Grandma fetched a basin of water and washed Chen Zhiguo, then sat down under the big tree in the yard.

"Grandpa, grandma, the crops in the fields are not doing well due to the drought this year. My friend at the Meteorological Bureau said that this situation will continue for another two to three years, so we must prepare in advance!"

Grandma and grandpa took a deep breath. They had all experienced hardships and had managed to survive by eating coarse food. They knew the pain of having nothing to eat!

"You guys take care of the food, but don't tell anyone outside, especially since these people with the surname Qin don't like us!"

"Don't worry! When your uncle comes back, I will arrange for them to hide the grain. When the fourth child comes back, send him away. Don't leave him at home!" Grandpa said the last thing to grandma. Grandma nodded. The fourth child was a little unreliable, so he should not be involved in the matter of hiding the grain!

Chen Zhiguo also took out a fifty-year-old ginseng and said, "Zhiguo, what are you doing with such a valuable thing?" Of course, my grandfather knew what ginseng was used for.

"Grandpa, grandma, you should take more supplements. The days ahead will be hard, so don't let your bodies get damaged. I have all these things. I brought back a lot from the Northeast this time. If you don't want them, I'll let my mother go home and watch you drink the water every day!"

“Okay! Your grandma and I will listen to you! Just don’t let her come back!” Grandpa and grandma don’t know what Wang Meihua is like. She is spoiled by the Chen family just because she gave birth to Chen Zhiguo, the eldest grandson! She doesn’t do anything at home. If she lived nearby, grandpa would have come to teach her a lesson long ago! Which family has men working in the kitchen every day and women doing nothing? Only the father and son of the Chen family do this. It is really rare in this era. It is said that when a man comes home, he will not help if the oil bottle falls. That is true! Although grandpa knows that his daughter is enjoying a good life, if it gets out, it will be a shame for him to not educate his daughter well. Others will not say that the father and son of the Chen family love their daughter, they will only say that their daughter is lazy and gluttonous!

Chen Zhiguo also brought Feilong, because the uncles would not be back at noon, Chen Zhiguo just cooked the Feilong and gave it to grandpa and grandma to taste first, and the rest would be for the uncles to drink when they came back in the evening. There were four uncles in grandpa's family, plus the children, and each of them could probably only drink a few sips. There was no other way, Chen Zhiguo could not take out ten or eight of them!

The environment at my grandpa's house is different. Chen Zhiguo didn't bring much rice and flour, mainly cornmeal. He brought a total of 400 kilograms. I don't know when he will have time to come again, but he can't transport too much food. With just this little bit of food, my grandpa is worried. If he really brings one or two thousand kilograms, my grandpa will be worried to death!

Chapter 138 It’s better to rely on yourself than on heaven or earth!

Grandpa thought about it and decided to go to the farm to call back his three uncles, using the excuse that his nephew was back and he had something to ask them! If he waited until night, with a large family and children, there would be too many people to talk about. And if there was really a famine, what would the four in-laws do? Should they provide relief or not? It would be better to keep it a secret for now and see how things go. But no matter what, he had to make sure his family was well fed!

The three uncles didn’t have time to drink the Feilong Soup. Several sacks of grain had already attracted their attention. In their eyes, grain is always the first priority!

"Dad, clean up our old cellar and put half of it in there. Hide the rest in Mom's closet!" said my uncle Wang Jiaguo, with a gleam in his eyes.

His opinion was recognized by everyone, so they started to work separately. My grandpa's house originally had an old cellar, which had not been used since the four sons separated. However, it was not damaged, except that the ladder to go up and down the cellar was a little rotten. The eldest uncle found a few sticks to tie it up again, so it could still be used for the time being. The second and third uncles went down to the cellar and cleaned it. They were very careful when they repaired it, and it was still very dry after not being used for several years! The eldest uncle was on top, and the second and third uncles were on the bottom. They quickly put the grain down, and the eldest uncle also found a few old wooden boards to cover it. If you just look from above, you will see a pile of old wood!

Grandma also emptied out a large wooden cabinet and put the remaining food in it!

"Uncle, when you have nothing to do in the future, go dig up wild vegetables and dry them. Anyway, bring home anything edible. This kind of grain production reduction situation will continue for a few years!" Chen Zhiguo said to his uncle with a serious expression.

My grandmother's house has a special geographical location. If Chen Zhiguo provides too much help, it will definitely arouse other people's suspicion. Others are pale and thin, and walk unsteadily, but your family has rosy faces. What does this mean? Are you hiding food?

So even if there is food at home, how to eat it is a big issue, especially the mouths of the children at home, and how the daughters-in-law coordinate the relationship with their parents' family. These family problems need to be suppressed by a strong person. There should be no internal strife or different opinions in extraordinary times!

Routine preparations must also be made in advance, before everyone realizes the seriousness of the problem and is still fantasizing about waiting for relief. You must take one step ahead and bring home as much edible food as possible!