In Shangping Village deep in the Qinling Mountains, Carpenter Li's family also ushered in the harvest season, but unlike Li Da and Li's family who had thousands of acres of land, their family only had a few acres of terraced fields. Carpenter Li took his wife and the remaining
Brothers Li San, Li Si, and Li Wusan finished harvesting in just one day.
Despite hard work throughout the year, the grain output from a few acres of terraced fields is still limited because the land is too barren. The yield per mu is only 500 kilograms, and a few acres of land only produces about 2,000 kilograms of grain.
This amount of food is simply not enough to feed the family for a year. You must know that this is only rice with husks. After the spring rice, there is even less rice. There are five people in the family, including brothers Li San, Li Si, and Li Wusan.
A half-grown man could eat me to death, and a thief can eat it. Even if I save this food, it is estimated that it will not be enough for half a year.
In the past, Carpenter Li would have been so worried that he would have lost all his hair. As soon as the busy farming season was over, he would go out to help others with carpentry work. While making some money, he could also reduce one's food consumption.
But now, Carpenter Li is not worried at all, because he has 20 taels of silver sent back by Li Da and Li Er at home. This amount of money is not enough for food and drink, and can also be given to the third, fourth and fourth sons below.
The fifth and third brothers married wives, built new houses and so on.
Of course, Carpenter Li is not planning to build a house for his three children now. He is planning to let all three brothers go out and immigrate to Black Earth Province.
When they grow up and get wives, they can all immigrate.
He is becoming more and more enlightened now. Although this mountain has been said to be a paradise for generations, only those who live in the mountain know and understand the hardships involved.
Li Da and Li Er moved out and lived a good life in just one year. Is this possible in the mountains?
It is simply impossible, it is impossible to live such a good life for the rest of your life.
So he thought about letting his children get married and start a business as soon as possible, and then they would all move out. He even wanted to move out with his wife. There was nothing to miss in the mountains.
"Dad, what are you thinking about? After harvesting the rice, why don't you go find work?"
Seeing that Carpenter Li was in a daze and didn't know what he was thinking, Carpenter Li's wife asked curiously.
"I'll go to town and see if there are any letters from the boss and the second brother."
Carpenter Li thought for a while and decided to go to the town for a visit. He went to the town more and more frequently now. In the past, he might not go out more than a few times a year.
Later I went once a month, and now I want to go once every half month.
"Going to town again?"
When his wife heard this, she immediately asked: "Didn't you just go there at the beginning of the month?"
"I'm going to see if there is any news about the boss and the second child. I don't know how much grain they have harvested and whether it is enough to eat. I heard that the winter there is very cold. How can I survive without food this winter?"
"The eldest grandson is just over a year old, and the second oldest's daughter-in-law is about to give birth. A letter has been sent to her about it."
Carpenter Li started to read while preparing to go to town.
Although Li Da and Li Er have immigrated to unknown distances, the parents are always concerned about their children.
"It's good to go and have a look."
Carpenter Li's wife also nodded after hearing this. She was also thinking about her son and grandson and wanted to hear news about them being far away.
Carpenter Li took a few benches he made and some mountain products and prepared to go to town.
"Is Carpenter Li going to town again?"
When the villagers saw Carpenter Li's appearance, they guessed that he might be going to town again, and asked quickly.
"Yeah, let's go see if my eldest and second son have sent me a letter."
Carpenter Li nodded and said.
"Carpenter Li, Carpenter Li~"
"Just check for me and see if my child has sent a letter. If so, let Boss Lin read it together and let me know when the time comes."
At this time, Old Man Zhao, the parents of the Zhao family who immigrated with Li Er from the village, also said quickly.
"Okay, if you have any, I'll bring them back with you."
Carpenter Li nodded and said.
After taking the mountain goods and walking on the mountain road for several hours, Carpenter Li arrived at the nearest town and immediately headed to the Lin Family Salt Shop.
"Carpenter Li, you came just in time. Both your eldest and second son have sent letters."
When Boss Lin saw Carpenter Li, he was also an acquaintance. Knowing his situation, he quickly said.
"Boss Lin, I went up the mountain to catch a rabbit a few days ago. I'll give it to you to try."
Carpenter Li took out a big fat rabbit and handed it to Boss Lin.
Boss Lin, who helped collect and write letters, had to express himself to some extent, whether he sent some mountain goods or something, it was not worth a lot of money.
"You are so kind!"
"This can't be done, it can't be done!"
Boss Lin quickly pushed his hands and said.
"Boss Lin, you must accept this. We don't have anything else to give you in the mountain, just this rabbit. I don't know how to thank you for how much you have helped my family."
Carpenter Li said seriously again.
"Okay, okay, then I'll accept it and don't bring it up again next time."
Boss Lin accepted Carpenter Li's hare with a smile, and then began to help Carpenter Li read the letter.
"This is a letter from your boss."
"The boss of your family said that his 2,000 acres of land had a great harvest, and he harvested millions of kilograms of wheat."
Boss Lin couldn't help but marveled after reading it quickly.
"Oh, this is amazing, 2,000 acres of land. It's impossible for the big landowners here to have that much land. Your family has become rich now. The boss harvests millions of kilograms of grain in a year.
Woolen cloth."
"One million catties of grain?"
When Carpenter Li heard this, he couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly.
"How much food is needed here?"
"I don't know how much food a million dollars would cost."
Boss Lin said with a smile: "He also said that there is too much grain in the Black Earth Province, which is very difficult to sell and the price is very cheap. He sold half of the grain for only five hundred taels of silver. By the way,
Then I sent you another 20 taels of silver, asking you to eat and drink well and buy more grain and meat. He said that his brother is growing and wants to eat enough and eat more meat."
"He also said that next year, he plans to learn from his neighbors and raise more cattle, sheep and pigs, and then build a farm or something, so that he can earn more money a year."
"At the back of the letter, it also said that your grandson has now started to learn to walk."
"Okay, okay~"
After Li Carpenter heard this, he immediately smiled from ear to ear. It was different now that his son had gone out. He harvested millions of kilograms of grain at one time and sold half of it for 500 taels of silver. He also didn't forget to give himself some money.
I sent 20 taels of silver back.
"Carpenter Li, this is a bank note. Count it and keep it."
Boss Lin solemnly handed 20 one-tael silver notes to Carpenter Li and said.
"Okay, okay~"
Carpenter Li quickly and solemnly put it away and kept it close to his body.
"This is a letter from your second son."
Boss Lin picked up the letter Li Er sent home again.
"Your second brother said that he is really grateful to his eldest brother. If Li Da hadn't asked him to buy a cultivator and a harvester, he wouldn't have been able to cultivate thousands of acres of land at once. This year we had a bumper harvest.
We have bought more than 600,000 catties of grain."
"I sold 500,000 catties of grain for more than 500 taels of silver. I also sent you 20 taels of silver."
"Here is the banknote, please keep it."
"Okay, okay~"
Li Carpenter suddenly smiled even more happily. The boss and the second brother are really good. They don't forget themselves when they make money. Now they have 40 more taels of silver in their hands. They will buy some flour and fan pork later.
Eat dumplings in the evening, make bacon from the excess pork, and eat slowly.
"Your second son also said that using machines to farm is very efficient. He harvested more than a thousand acres of land in just ten days. He also helped others harvest wheat and could earn 5 taels of silver a day. He
I have already earned dozens of taels of silver by harvesting wheat for others."
"Those who immigrated with him were reluctant to spend money to buy machinery, so they only cultivated dozens of acres of land. They worked so hard that they didn't earn as much as Li Er."
"He also said that you two elders and your younger brothers at home should eat with open stomachs. When your younger brothers are growing in body and height, if they don't eat enough, they won't grow taller."
"He said that people here in the Hezhong area eat meat every meal and in large chunks, so the children in the Hezhong area all grow very tall. Unlike us people in the mountains, those who don't have enough to eat and those who eat less meat grow taller.
It’s not high.”
"So don't save money. You still have to spend what you should spend. Buy more meat to eat. Only by eating more meat can you grow taller. If you don't have any money, tell him again and he will send it back. It's easy to make money outside."
"The letter also said at the end that Li Er's wife had given birth to a daughter, and she found a scholar to give her a nice name, Li Ling'er."
After Boss Lin finished speaking, he also sighed and said: "Your eldest and second eldest son are really promising. They have thousands of acres of fertile land and only have a few hundred taels of silver."
"You are also a blessed person. You have grandchildren."
"Congratulations, congratulations!"
"Haha~"
After listening to this, Carpenter Li suddenly smiled crookedly. The life of the eldest and the second eldest brother became more and more prosperous, and even he, who was thousands of miles away, was able to enjoy the benefits.
This real amount of silver was sent back. The two brothers sent a total of 40 taels of silver, which was a lot of money. You must know that even people who work in factories in the Beijing-Tianjin area only earn dozens of taels of silver a year.
Good Liaodong flour only costs a few cents per catty, beef and mutton only cost more than ten cents per catty, and various kinds of dried fish are even cheaper, costing only a few cents per catty, they are cheap and delicious.
For ordinary people, these 40 taels of silver are a large amount of money, enough to do many important things.