Dressed as a farmer's widow, she brought her daughter to stock up on food and reached the top

Ma Ergun also advised, "Xiao Xiong, I have the final say on this matter.

Look at my uncle's family. They used to be extremely poor, but after Xiuying and I started trading mushrooms, things started to get better. Later, we started growing drought-resistant, high-yield rice, and now our lives are getting better and better."

Ma Ergun said this with a smile of satisfaction and pride on his face.

He walked over to Zhou Xiaoxiong, squatted down, looked at the child gently, and continued, "Go back and tell your father that as long as you are willing to work hard and follow Xiuying's steps, you will be able to do it!

Stop messing around with those crooked ways and live a good life. Your family can also be like my uncle's, without worries about food and clothing."

Zhou Xiaoxiong listened attentively, his eyes full of hope, and nodded heavily, "Uncle Ergun, I'll remember it."

Zhou Xiaoxiong hugged the chick he had exchanged tightly, and said in a childish but firm voice: "I will definitely do it. Thank you everyone."

The days that followed were no easier for Xiuying. She would get up before dawn every day and work herself to the bone like a spinning top.

While arranging for Shi Liu and A Fan to go to the city to sell preserved eggs, Xiuying earnestly instructed them: "Shi Liu, A Fan, when you get to the city, you must find a good stall and don't sell at a low price."

Shi Liu and A Fan nodded solemnly and set off with a bag full of preserved eggs.

As soon as everything was arranged here, Taohua was asked to deliver eggs and the things needed to make preserved eggs to Yang's father and mother.

Xiuying carefully packed the things and put them on the donkey cart, saying, "Taohua, be careful on the road. Don't spill the things."

Taohua responded and left in a hurry.

Before I had time to catch my breath, I had to explain the details of raising broiler chickens to the villagers.

Xiuying stood among a group of villagers and said patiently, "These broiler chickens need to be fed on time and in the right amount, and the chicken coop needs to be cleaned regularly..."

The villagers gathered around her, listening attentively and asking questions from time to time, which Xiuying answered one by one.

At the end of the day, Xiuying was exhausted and her back ached, but seeing that things in the village were proceeding in an orderly manner, her heart was filled with relief and satisfaction.

Awang asked curiously, "Broiler chickens are so profitable, why doesn't Aunt Xiuying raise them herself? Why does she let the villagers raise them together?"

Awang blinked his big eyes, his face full of confusion.

Xiuying smiled and told her, "Awang, the thing that the farming industry fears most is its competitors.

If one family becomes the dominant force, it will inevitably attract the envy of those with ill intentions in the village. If they are poisoned, the loss will be huge."

Xiuying's eyes were full of seriousness and solemnity.

She patted Awang's shoulder gently and continued, "It's like doing business. You can't just think about making a lot of money yourself. You have to learn to find allies and become rich together. Only then can you go a long way.

If you only care about yourself and squeeze your peers out of their jobs, how can they not hate you? You never know when they will try to trip you up.

So, when you are a person and do things, you must leave room for maneuver. Only when everyone is well is it truly well. " Xiu Yingyu spoke seriously, and Awang nodded, seeming to understand.

After the autumn harvest, the villagers had some free time. Xiuying didn't know much about the climate in Futian Village, so she asked Lao Si to go to the mountains to see if there were any mushrooms.

Today, the fourth child went out to cut down cypress trees and finally brought back some good news. He trotted back to the village, his face filled with excitement, and shouted loudly: "Mom! Good news! There are chicken mushrooms in the mountains!"

Xiuying heard the shout and hurried out of the house, her eyes full of surprise: "Really? That's great! Everyone, get ready, we can start exchanging again!"

Xiuying quickly asked her daughters to inform the villagers. She looked anxious and expectant. "Taohua, Shiliu, go tell the villagers that they can trade their mountain Altissima for rice. Our exchange has begun again."

Peach Blossom and Pomegranate responded and hurried off to pass on the message.

Xiuying thought to herself that the villagers had stored away the millet they had harvested in the previous autumn, reluctant to eat it. If a chaotic world were to emerge, grain would be the first to rise in price, and no one would complain about having too much grain. She decided to take advantage of this opportunity to make more money.

As she thought about it, she began to prepare the rice she needed to exchange for it, her hands and feet busy. Now that she had a warehouse at home, she bought 200 kilograms of rice at 2 yuan per kilogram and put it directly into the warehouse.

Although it's the off-season, villagers are still working in the fields. This year's drought has forced many families to fetch water for irrigation. They're bent over, their clothes soaked with sweat, but they persevere.

Now that there was a job to exchange for chicken mushrooms, every household sent their children out to pick them. A group of children happily ran towards the forest, their faces filled with excited smiles. Picking chicken mushrooms was an easy job for the country kids.

They shuttled through the mountains and forests, their eyes as sharp as eagles, not missing any corner. Some children deftly parted the grass with their hands and feet, shouting in surprise.

“There are so many here!”

Some of them carefully put the chicken mushrooms they picked into the basket, humming little tunes.

The mountains and forests are filled with children's laughter, as if this is no longer hard work, but a joyful game. Their small figures appear particularly lively and cute in the green mountains and forests.

On the other side, Taohua went to Yangliu Town to deliver something to her grandparents, and brought back some bad news with a sad face.

She walked hurriedly, looking anxious.

"The Shang Kingdom has repeatedly caused trouble on the border. The old emperor advocated peace and repeatedly gave in. He even issued three imperial edicts, forcing the Wu family army guarding the border not to go to war." Taohua said breathlessly, his eyes full of worry and anger.

Everyone was shocked when they heard this.

"How can this be done?"

"Wouldn't seeking peace only make the enemy more arrogant?"

Everyone was talking angrily.

Taohua went on to say, "I heard that the people on the border are suffering terribly, and the soldiers of the Wu family army are also very angry, but they dare not disobey the imperial edict." She clenched her fists, indignant.

For a moment, the atmosphere became heavy and everyone was worried about the situation on the border.

"How can this old emperor be so confused!" Shi Liu couldn't help but curse.

Xiuying's expression was heavy when she heard the news. She had always been prepared for this, but when the day finally arrived, even after living in peacetime for so long, she was still a little flustered. She unconsciously twisted her hands together, her brow furrowed.

Inner uneasiness surged like a tide, and she silently wondered: Is this peaceful life about to be shattered? But years of life experience made her try to remain calm.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She knew she couldn't lose her composure at this moment, as her family was still counting on her to make decisions. But her panic was like a small animal hiding in the shadows, poking its head out from time to time to disrupt her thoughts.