"There was a severe drought in Wojiang County, and the river was dry. A while ago, the villagers were happy to pick fish from the river and go home to eat. Now that the river has completely run out of water, they are in a panic. Let alone irrigating crops, they just pick two fish for themselves. It’s hard to find a place to drink the water in the bucket.”

"Although it was hot in summer in previous years, where have you ever seen such a thing? Everyone didn't pay attention to it. I'm afraid the crops will not be good this year."

"Not to mention Wojiang County, the situation in the whole Ningjiang Prefecture is not optimistic. Even our Siyang is hotter than usual this summer, and the villagers have started to carry water from the river to irrigate their crops."

When Zhang Fangyuan entered the medicine hall, he saw a group of people chatting together. He tilted his head and listened to it, and he was fascinated by it.

"Lang Jun, there are other things besides woad root."

"Mr. Lang!"

The guy in front of the counter saw that Zhang Fangyuan heard people saying that the lively mind was not here, so he raised his voice again. Zhang Fangyuan came back to his senses and apologized: "That's all."

The clerk opened the drawer containing the woad root behind him, touched the herbs and found that there was no more, and told the medicine boy next to him to bring some from the warehouse to add some.

While waiting, he also chatted with Zhang Fangyuan: "It's hot this year, and it's dry elsewhere, and the hot woad root in the shop is also in demand. I'm afraid the price will increase after a while. Do you want to buy a few more, sir?" Pack it back and put it away?"

"to make."

The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was interested, Zhang Fangyuan smiled in agreement, the boy was very happy, and quickly **** the medicine bag.

When going out with the medicine, Zhang Fangyuan couldn't help looking up at the sky.

It was bright today and he went out to the city. Although the sun was not out yet, he could see the bright sun and the white clouds in the sky. There was no sign of rain, and it must be sunny again.

Zhang Fangyuan felt a little uneasy, so he went to a tea shop on the street to order a cup of tea. He saw a few merchants and inquired a few words, and they all asked about the drought, which has become a hot topic now. , It is no different from what the peddler and merchant at the other end of the tea shed at home said.

This could not help confirming Zhang Fangyuan's thoughts.

He sighed, feeling very complicated.

Pitiful to the people who are about to be affected by the disaster, but without any hesitation, he threw a few copper coins on the table, went straight to Linglong shop, put the medicine in the shop first, and then took the movable silver from the account, Went to the food store in the city.

"Don't worry, don't worry, come one by one. Line up first, there are all of them!"

"That one over there, come and line up, don't think about jumping in line."

"It's thirty cents, so it's still the original price! If you don't have the money ready, let the next one come first!"

Zhang Fangyuan was taken aback when he entered the food store. In the past, the place where there were not many customers came and went, but today it was as lively as a herbal tea shop on the street. He hesitated for a moment whether he had gone to the wrong place.

There were a lot of guests coming and going, six or seven guys didn't come over in a hurry, their voices were loud and noisy, and it took a while to see Zhang Fangyuan, who was tall and burly at the door.

Perhaps the clerk had seen him before, so he hurriedly came forward to say hello: "Boss Zhang is here too. I'm really busy, so I didn't notice you."

Zhang Fangyuan waved his hand: "It's okay. Business is so good today?"

"Where is it?" the man said with some complacency: "It's been a while, Boss Zhang is also here to stockpile food, right? What kind of rice do you want, the little one will take you to choose."

Zhang Fangyuan took a breath. Seeing this posture, the people in the city had already started hoarding grain. He also thought about buying a large amount of grain at a low price. When the drought strikes, many people will have no grain to eat. Rice grain is indispensable. price increase.

Unexpectedly, I came too late, and now even the common people have started to buy grain and hoard rice. Those well-informed merchants have already heard the news and hoarded grain, so it's his turn.

Song Yong should have been vigilant when he came to Siyang. If he had made careful calculations and hoarded food at that time, he would have made money. It's a pity that he was busy with silkworm cocoons and reclamation of wasteland at that time, and Xiao'e was getting married again. Thinking of this, the weather was already unbearably hot by the time I realized it.

"Boss Zhang, our polished rice here has increased by ten cents." The clerk chatted with Zhang Fangyuan in advance, thinking that he was a merchant, so he shouldn't buy rice again, so he didn't mention it.

Zhang Fangyuan originally planned to come here to stock up on rice and sell it. It is impossible to stock up on polished rice. Now that the price of polished rice has increased, he must have no choice but to give up the idea of ​​making money. How many?"

"Boiled rice is half that of polished rice."

Zhang Fangyuan responded, as expected, but this price is also a bolt from the blue for ordinary people.

The villagers are fine, they don’t need to worry if they grow their own food, but the ordinary people in the city who don’t have land to cultivate are unlucky, and they have to buy everything for food and drink.

The guy said: "This is the price right now, and it will go up later if it is not guaranteed."

Zhang Fangyuan nodded: "There are more people buying, that's true."

"Then what rice do you want?"

Although the family did not open a few mu of land to grow crops last year, they still have rice in the warehouse. His fourth uncle's family had a bumper harvest of grain last year, and now it is stored in their granary. It is no problem to survive the disaster, but the natural disaster will have a long-term impact, and it will not be fine after this year.

The price of grain soared in the year of the disaster, and the supply of grain on the land was insufficient in the following year, and the price of grain could not go down.

Zhang Fangyuan still spent 20,000 Wen to hoard a few carts of grain. The so-called precautionary measure means that he does not make money by reselling rice and grain. He hoards it when the price is not too expensive, so as to save anxiety when the disaster hits. Rice grain must also be placed at the other end of the tea shed guest house.

Before returning to the village with the grain, he went to the tea shed first. The price of rice in the city had risen, and the food in the tea shed had to rise accordingly, so he had to inform him in advance.

"Daddy, you'd better not come here in the future."

"You heartless little thing, it's not that I gave birth to you and raised you. How can you live like this now? Now that you're living a good life, you forget about daddy! You little white-eyed wolf!"

Zhang Fangyuan asked the staff to carry two large bags of rice into the guest house, passing by the other side of the warehouse, and heard the voices in the side room for groceries, he couldn't help asking Wuzi beside him: "Who is this?"

"It's Wenzi's little father who's here."

Zhang Fangyuan's eyebrows moved slightly.

"I'll ask them to come out." Wu Zi was about to knock on the door in a hurry: "The second aunt said that they were allowed to meet, so I didn't stop me."

Zhang Fangyuan raised his hand to block his movement, motioning him to keep quiet and go down first.

"If it hadn't been for my little father's unseemly ideas, how could I have been driven here after doing a good job in the house, and I have failed my husband and the master's trust."

The people in the room began to cry while talking.

Seeing this appearance, the middle-aged husband didn't think of comfort, but he hated iron for being weak: "That's not because you are incapable! It's clear that you have no plans, but you messed it up clumsily, and now you are blaming others."

Wen Zi was angry: "Little Daddy is so capable, how could he have nothing to do when the family was too poor to solve the problem? Why did you only think of selling me to my brother as a bride price!"

The middle-aged husband was speechless when he suddenly came and yelled at him, so he calmed down and eased his tone: "Speaking of which, your boss's husband is very jealous. After all, he is from a peasant family. You can't tolerate being small, no Blame you."

Wenzi didn't answer.

The middle-aged husband stroked Wenzi's hand: "Think about your hard work in their house, but in the end you are sent here to work. It is really heartless. If that is the case, why are you doing that to them? Only the family can be relied on. Now the life at home is better, your brother and sister-in-law know you are here, and they also miss you in their hearts, and the family feels guilty for you. "

"I discussed it with your elder father. When I save enough money, I will redeem you and go home. At that time, I can catch up with a good family, okay?"

Wenzi was only sobbing, but still didn't answer.

The middle-aged husband shook Wenzi's hand: "But you also know that the family is in arrears with so many bills. This is to take you back earlier, but I really can't afford that much money. Seeing this year's weather It’s not good, and it’s even harder to save enough money.”

Wenzi didn't say yes or no, just looked at the person in front of him: "What does Xiao Dae mean?"

"You silly boy, this family is so rich, and there is nothing on the other side of the guest house. If you only use subsidies to subsidize the family, you will not be able to save enough money soon." The middle-aged husband said plausibly: "This is also true Not only for the family, but also for you, you can't be a slave for the rest of your life."

Wenzi suddenly laughed, his eyes full of sadness: "Then what if the master finds out?"

"Be careful, it won't be so easy to find out!" The middle-aged husband didn't notice Wen Zi's expression changed, but thought he had let go, and the more he said, the more excited he became: "When the time comes, you will do it like this..."

Wen Zi stood up suddenly: "Wu Zi, Wu Zi!"

Hearing the yelling in the room, Wu Zi rushed up again, seeing Zhang Fangyuan who was still at the door, he dared not move.

Zhang Fangyuan put his hands behind his back and nodded slightly, Wuzi broke into the door at once: "What's wrong?"

Wen Zi yelled: "He wants to steal something, hurry up and get out! You can't let him come here again!"

The middle-aged husband was startled, and immediately jumped up: "You little bastard, you actually framed your little dad like this, and turned against you! Look at me... Ouch, it hurts!"

Before he could finish cursing, Wu Zi clasped his hand behind his back, and the middle-aged husband twitched in pain.

Zhang Fangyuan looked at the person who was dragged out from a distance, and gave a cold snort, thanks to that little brother who didn't continue to be confused.

"Don't let that person come here again, even if you come to buy something, don't sell it to him."

Zhang Fangyuan confessed to the clerk, and heard the people escorted out by Wu Zi yelling and cursing outside. He winked at the clerk, and he cleared up after a while.

Zhang Shiyue came in in a hurry: "Is there nothing serious?"

Zhang Fangyuan shook his head: "No problem."

Only then did Zhang Shiyue breathe a sigh of relief: "It's still Brother He who will come up with an idea. It's much better for us to take the initiative to stop him."

Zhang Fangyuan responded: "In troubled times, there is no room for outside thieves at home, but fortunately, it is still clear."

Zhang Fangyuan transported several carts of grain back to the village. When the villagers saw it, they couldn't help crowding around to inquire. Hearing that many people in the city were hoarding grain, the outer prefecture was dry, and the price of rice was rising. They couldn't help but sigh for a while.

"Is that a lot of increase?"

"Five Wen and ten Wen are rising, the city is noisy, and people are talking about the drought in other counties everywhere."

The villagers didn't realize the power of it when they heard the words, but their eyes were shining brightly: "The rise is so high this morning. Aren't many grain shops in the city are collecting grain. I'm afraid the grain is easy to sell now. I will change it tomorrow." Also pull two carts to the city. That’s not as much money as selling grain last year!”

Then he said to Zhang Fangyuan: "Let's talk about the difference between Landlord Zhang's main purchase of grain, so as to save the need to go to the city to buy it."

Zhang Fangyuan took a deep breath: "Seeing the drought, the price of food has risen, and everyone has to keep food for themselves. Wouldn't it be even worse to buy food after eating!"

"Last year was a bumper harvest, and there was a lot of food in the granary. Besides, it was just a year of drought. Although Siyang was hotter than in previous years, it did not destroy this year's crops. There was still a good harvest in autumn. I couldn't go hungry, but it was not as good as last year. harvest."

Zhang Fangyuan saw that they were all familiar faces in the same village, so he kindly advised: "It's better to be insured. Let's wait and see. Don't show this little money on the wind."

The villager promised a few words and didn't say anything else. He waited for Zhang Fangyuan to drive away in the carriage, but immediately muttered again: "As far as the Zhang family earns, we can't see us earning it. They want to suppress the villagers and say goodbye." Figure that little money! Their Zhang family is rich!"

"Qiu Liu, what Zhang Fangyuan said makes sense. It's better to hoard food first. If the natural disaster lasts for a long time, the food will be sold and not enough to eat, but the loss will not be worth the loss."

"Oh, do you have any brains? It's really what the Zhang family says. It hasn't been so hot for a few days in a year. I don't believe that it can cut off the river at the entrance of our village. of."

Two households also followed Qiu Liu and said, "Yeah, if you don't make money, that's fine. I'll go to the grain store in the city this afternoon to have a look."

The villagers at both ends insisted on their own opinions, and broke up after a quarrel.

Within two days, Zhang Fangyuan saw a few merchants and some strong men coming from the city. The villagers thought they were here to buy poultry, eggs and fresh fish, but it turned out that people came to collect food.

In previous good years, the villagers would obediently send their grain to the gate of the grain store in the city. The merchants would hang it high and accept the grain only after seeing you pleasing to the eye. But this time, they are very polite and come to the village by themselves Not to mention food in lira, the price is also very gratifying.

Hearing Zhang Fangyuan's words, he didn't plan to sell grain, but when he was encouraged by the merchants, he saw that the purchase price was high and he came to the door to collect it, which was really easy.

Zhang Fangyuan couldn't help being a little angry when he heard the news, but since he had already been reminded, if he went to stop him, he might make everyone unhappy and cause a commotion, and then he would say that he was no good.

Zhang Fangyuan only confessed to his relatives that he didn't care about a village, and he didn't want to sell the grain stored in the granary because of the high grain price in front of him.

Zhang Shixin originally called his daughter-in-law to invite the merchant, but after hearing Zhang Fangyuan's words, he muttered that he didn't want to agree, but after thinking about it for a while, he finally called his daughter-in-law back and regretted not selling it.

Zhang Fangyuan felt a little relieved.

Seeing her husband running back and forth to persuade relatives, and seeing her granary full of food, Xu He was also puzzled: "Do you think this drought is really so serious?"

Zhang Fangyuan placed a mousetrap in the granary, saying: "After a severe drought, there will be a catastrophe. It is best to be cautious."

He didn't know how to explain it to Xu He, but this sentence was omnipotent.

After a severe drought, the river bed dries up and cracks, and insect eggs are scattered, which is extremely easy to breed locust plagues and plagues. This is the experience over the years.

Although not every drought will be so unlucky and encounter so many things, but unfortunately this year's severe drought did follow this path.

He had a lot of memorable things in his previous life. He had encountered many natural disasters in his life, and he didn't pay much attention to the minor disasters, except for one year of severe drought, which started from Wojiang County.

Many places in those days obviously felt hotter than in previous years, but Wojiang County was the driest. The people in Siyang City didn't take it seriously at that time. After all, the sparks didn't fall on their insteps, and they didn't feel hot.

After the summer drought, there were not many crops left in Wojiang County, and then there was a locust plague, and the crops were lost. The merchants couldn't even do business, and the common people were in danger. For this reason, the imperial court sent officials to manage it many times, and allocated money for disaster relief several times.

Siyang is still far away from Ningjiang Mansion. Fortunately, the plague did not come over, but it did not escape the famine.

The drought in summer affected few harvests in autumn, but after winter came snowstorms, which lasted until February and March in spring. Successive famines affected many places, countless people died of starvation, sickness and freezing, and there were prostitutes everywhere. Man, can be described as a miserable.

When Zhang Fangyuan went to the city and learned that there was a drought in Wojiang County, his heart skipped a beat.

After inquiring several times, I had to sit down and solidify my thoughts.

He patted the back of Xu He's hand: "Anyway, you just have to believe in me, let the Xu family also store the food, and then there will only be good and no bad."

Seeing that Zhang Fangyuan was more determined, Xu He felt a little uneasy.

He complied, if his relatives didn't remind them, they would come to the door full of snot and tears when they were hit by a disaster. For this reason, reminding him earlier was not only for the good of his relatives, but also for his own good.

"Don't worry too much, let's prepare early, even if there is a natural disaster, we will not be afraid."

Xu He said: "If there is a natural disaster, the people's life will be difficult, and our business will be difficult."

"Even if there is a natural disaster, that person still has to eat. We are running a small business, not a big restaurant, so it won't be too troublesome." Zhang Fangyuan comforted: "Besides, there are ways to make money in the year of natural disasters."

Xu He laughed: "Hoarding food for sale? It's too late, or call the folks now to stop giving food to merchants in the city, let's buy it and store it."

Zhang Fangyuan snorted coldly: "Forget it, this group of people can't wake up, I don't do this business."

Instead, he said firmly: "Get up tomorrow, go up the mountain to gather firewood and burn charcoal."

"Huh?" Xu He stared wide-eyed: "This five-yellow and six-month-old, burning charcoal?!"

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