Chapter 71 Huaicheng

"Dong dong"

Shopkeeper Li lightly pressed his fingers on the square table in front of Lu Sheige. When he saw the boy who had lowered his head while chewing peanuts raised his head blankly, he couldn't help laughing.

"How about it? Do the peanuts in my store taste good?"

"tasty."

Lu Xiuge looked at the five or six peanut shells peeled off in front of him and asked curiously: "Are the new peanuts ready to be harvested now?"

Although she doesn't understand farming seasons, she also knows that peanuts don't mature until July or August.

"These are last year's peanuts, but they were boiled twice with more water. They are not this year's new peanuts."

Shopkeeper Li twisted a peanut in his hand and did not peel it off. He just held it in his hand and looked at it carefully.

There was a severe flood the year before last, and most of the peanuts were submerged, so there was almost no harvest. There was a severe drought last year, and most of the peanuts harvested were not very full.

However, the boiled peanuts sold in Laifushun store are all plump and the price is surprisingly expensive.

The small plate on the table costs twenty-six cents, which is more than the price of a large meat dish in other stores.

The price of a plate of boiled peanuts is enough for an ordinary poor family to buy two kilograms of brown rice and wild vegetables to eat for several days.

But in Laifushun, not to mention nine out of ten, but most of the merchants who come from north to south will order this dish of boiled peanuts that is not available in other stores.

The taste is on the one hand, and the other reason is that boiled peanuts are a cold dish, suitable for drinking, and also suitable for serving when chatting.

This matter between the rebels and the imperial court is still unknown to the villagers. However, most of the passing ship merchants have already paid attention to it.

Lu Sheige gathered up the few peanut shells in front of him and looked up at the store.

The previous customer had left at some unknown time, and the dishes had been cleared away. Now there were only her and shopkeeper Li in the store, and a boy standing at the door of the store, keeping an eye on the ships and merchants passing by.

"Uncle Li, you can't just add salt and tangerine peel to the boiled peanuts. You also need to add some star anise, grass fruit, cloves, nutmeg, bay leaves, and fennel to make it taste better."

"Oh, how much do you want to put in each one?"

After asking, shopkeeper Li hesitated again, "Although there is always no shortage of boiled peanuts in the store, if we want to share the profits..."

"Uncle Li, I don't want any profit sharing. I can also tell you the ingredients you want. I guarantee they will taste better than what you make in your store. It's just..."

Lu Sheige carefully approached Shopkeeper Li and asked in a low voice, "Can you tell me, will the Hongying Army really attack the capital?"

"You kid, why do you dare to ask anything?"

Shopkeeper Li glanced at the boy in front of him, with a faint smile on his face, "There will definitely be a fight. But it won't happen yet. At least it will be after the autumn harvest and there will be food."

Ordinary children would be frightened when they heard him talking about the Hongying Army to his guests, but he kept paying attention. While they were talking, Lu Xiaosi was eating and drinking, as if he didn't understand what they were saying at all.

If you really don't understand, it's normal.

But now?

It was obvious that he had been listening to what they were saying, but he acted as if he didn't care.

This kid is a bit interesting.

He is good-looking and smart, and he is nothing like the honest and friendly look of Lu Quan and his wife.

Lu Xiangge thought for a while: "After the autumn harvest, will it be too late? By then, the food will have been collected by the court, will they still have food?"

Shopkeeper Li had a mysterious smile on his face: "Do you know where the grain we harvest here every year goes?"

Where have you gone?

Food from various places should be concentrated in each county, leaving some in granaries and sending some to the capital.

Although Nanyang County is closer to the capital than Huaicheng, the grain from Nanyang County is transported all the way to Huaicheng.

Now that Huaicheng is occupied by the rebels, the food from Nanyang County should naturally be transported to the capital!

Lu Xiuge: "It used to be shipped to Huaicheng, but now it should be shipped to the capital."

Shopkeeper Li shook his head: "Logically, it should be transported to the capital, but no one can say clearly about the affairs of the imperial court. Maybe this year's grain will be transported to Huaicheng."

"ah?"

Lu Sheige seemed not to have expected such an answer. She opened her mouth slightly and looked at the slightly serious shopkeeper Li in front of her: "Send...send to Huaicheng? Why send it to Huaicheng?"

Unless these officials in the imperial court are out of their minds, they will give the new grain to the rebels!

Isn't this crazy?

"Why not."

Shopkeeper Li looked at the young man in front of him seriously, "Is there a possibility that both Dongyang County and Nanyang County have fallen under the control of the Hongying Army, and we outsiders don't know about it."

Lu Sheige straightened up suddenly: "Why did we fall into the hands of the Hongying Army without fighting?"

If the Hongying Army wanted to occupy a city, wouldn't they have to use knives and guns, spend countless lives, and even sacrifice many innocent people?

Facing Shopkeeper Li's calm face, Lu Sheige suddenly thought of a possibility, and his heart skipped a beat.

What if the Hongying Army and the government had colluded long ago?

Then, everything Shopkeeper Li said can be established. Dongyang County and Nanyang County appear to be in the hands of the imperial court, but in fact they have already fallen into the control of the Hongying Army.

Thinking of this possibility, Lu Xiang couldn't help but trembled in excitement: "Uncle Li, didn't you say that the Red Tassel Army only revolted in Huaicheng in March?"

How could they capture Yutai and Dongyang County officials so quickly?

Even if the court is corrupt and incompetent, these officials are not stupid. Why should they trust a team that has just revolted and abandon the court to which they should be loyal.

"It is said to be in March this year. In fact, the Hongying Army had already revolted in Dongyang County the year before. However, it was said to be banditry before and was not known to everyone. This time there happened to be a sky fire in Huaicheng, which also caused the Hongying Army to

It’s just a matter of fame.”

However, it is not clear whether it is caused by natural fire or man-made fire.

There was an uprising in Dongyang County the year before last?

Banditry?

Lu Sheige lowered his head and looked at the table in a daze. Isn't Lujiazhuang Dongyang County?

Could the death of Master Lu be related to the uprising of the Hongying Army?

Maybe her father was not hooking up with bandits, but with the rebels?

this……

Not allowing Lu Sheige to think too much, shopkeeper Li raised his hand and gently rubbed Lu Sheige's head: "Xiaosi, go back and tell your parents to buy more food. Don't panic if you have food in your hand."

This time, Lu Xiangge did not pretend not to understand. Instead, he bowed his hands to Shopkeeper Li with great respect: "Thank you, Uncle Li, for reminding me."

Even if shopkeeper Li didn't remind her, she knew she had to buy food at this moment.

But shopkeeper Li can remind her that she must remember this love.

Shopkeeper Li looked intently at the pier not far away. There were not many ships docked at the originally bustling pier.

The ships coming out of Huai City spread the news that the rebel army was about to go to the capital. People who still had rice to cook at home would not risk their lives and not walk outside at this time of crisis.

Who knows which one will come first, accident or wealth!
Chapter completed!