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

Bowen was slightly startled, his expression slightly flustered, but he quickly composed himself. "Yes...yes, that's exactly what happened. My eyelids have been twitching constantly lately, and I've been feeling like something bad is going to happen. I was worried, so I hurried over here."

He couldn't just admit in front of so many people that he had come here specifically to win over Xiuying's brother for the sake of Futian Village, which was an extremely important granary.

Xiuying placed the last dish steadily on the table and said with a gentle smile on her face, "All the dishes are here. Everyone, please don't be shy and eat quickly."

At the dinner table, Bowen seized the opportunity and casually chatted with Yang Qingfeng. He knew full well that this time, he couldn't miss out on Futian Village's "granary." Now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had risen up, ready to restore order, food was paramount at this crucial moment.

Fusu leaned slightly to Xiuying, who was sitting next to him. "Aunt Xiuying, I wonder if you and the villagers are willing to provide food and fodder for the soldiers of Dayan who are restoring order this time?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the bustling dinner table fell silent, as if time had stood still. Everyone's eyes turned to Xiuying, their gazes filled with anticipation.

Xiuying looked calm, her eyes calmly looking around at everyone, and then she replied calmly: "Yes."

In fact, she knew in her heart that Futian Village, thanks to its grain and sweet potatoes, had become a piece of fat meat in the eyes of various forces.

Only by seeking the protection of the imperial court and maintaining close ties with it could other forces be deterred from taking action against Futian Village. Otherwise, the villagers of Futian Village would be plunged into endless wars and conflicts, leaving them with no time to peacefully cultivate their land.

Upon hearing Xiuying's reply, Fusu straightened his body and said, "Excellent! Aunt Xiuying is very understanding and righteous. I am deeply grateful. In this case, I will immediately issue an order to announce to the world that from today on, Futian Village will be the place where the imperial grain of Dayan is supplied.

From now on, if any ignorant and short-sighted force dares to covet or use the food here without authorization, they will be openly opposing the Great Yan royal family and committing an unforgivable crime punishable by the extermination of their entire clan! I will not show mercy!"

……

In the blink of an eye, three months passed quietly.

Futian Village has ushered in the cold winter, and the Chinese New Year is just one month away.

In Xiuying's home, there was a warm and cozy atmosphere. Father Yang, Mother Yang, and Xiuying sat around the table, where a charcoal fire was burning brightly, making the house warm and cozy.

Father Yang shook his head slightly. "Oh, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that Afan is actually the son of General Wu who was left behind among the common people."

Mother Yang patted Father Yang's arm gently and said with a smile, "What's the big deal? The father and son look exactly like each other. By the way, did you hear that Afan and Shiliu followed the Wu family's army all the way to battle? I heard they've already reached the vicinity of the capital."

Xiuying picked up the teacup, took a sip of the hot tea, and said slowly, "Yes, who could have imagined that this journey would be so smooth. When the people heard that it was His Royal Highness's army, they all took the initiative to open the city gates to welcome them. It was a spectacular scene."

The cold wind howled outside, but the house was warm and cozy. The two little meat balls, wearing thick cotton-padded jackets, ran into the house.

Little Laoliu opened her round eyes and said, "Mom, the New Year is coming soon. Will my sisters come back?" She missed her eldest and second sisters.

Little Seventh Sister also pouted and said, "I miss my elder and second sisters so much. My elder sister and Brother Awang are in the capital, and my second sister is with Brother Afan to fight in the Wu family army. I don't know when they will be back."

Xiuying smiled and gently touched the two children's heads. "Don't worry, wait until the New Year, and the eldest and second sisters will be back. Then, our family will be reunited."

Daya walked in from outside, feeling a little cold. She brushed the snow off her shoulders and said, "Madam, we've already notified Butcher Li. He said he'll come over early tomorrow morning to slaughter the pig. The villagers have also been notified. They should all come to our place tomorrow to eat the whole pig soup."

Xiuying nodded and made arrangements in an orderly manner: "Okay, let's kill the pig tomorrow and use the fattier meat to stew with cabbage. Then, we'll make bacon out of the leaner meat and ribs and save it for the New Year."

Most villagers like to eat fatty meat, but my daughters and I prefer leaner meat, so this arrangement is just right. When Taohua and Shiliuzhi return for the New Year, the bacon will be smoked to perfection, and the whole family can enjoy it deliciously.

When Xiao Laoliu and Xiao Laoqi heard that a big fat pig would be slaughtered tomorrow, they jumped up like two happy little rabbits.

"Wow, that's great! Another big fat pig is being killed!" Little Laoliu clapped his hands.

"It's finally our family's turn!" Little Laoqi also cheered.

Since the beginning of winter, the whole village has been immersed in a festive atmosphere.

Butcher Li in the village was incredibly busy, his butcher knife sharpened to a gleaming shine. In the first month of winter, he had already slaughtered pigs at five households, and tomorrow he would go to Xiuying's.

As the twelfth lunar month approaches, every household is busy slaughtering the New Year pig and meticulously preparing all sorts of New Year goods. Xiuying, on the other hand, had already purchased all the New Year goods from her space long beforehand and stored them neatly in her warehouse. Whenever she needed them, she could simply go to the warehouse and take them.

Just last year, the villagers of Futian Village often went hungry. But now, in just one year, the village has undergone tremendous changes. Every household has a brand new cotton-padded jacket. Ten households in the village now have ox carts.

Ma Ergun drove the ox cart steadily. On the cart was a jar full of sweet potato wine brewed by his wife. The rich aroma of the wine drifted faintly in the air.

Today, Ma Ergun's family has earned a lot of money by selling sweet potato noodles, and the sweet potato wine made by his wife can even be sold at the market. Their lives are getting better and better, just like the sesame flowers that keep rising.

"Uncle Ergun, are you going to the city?" Sangouzi's voice came from the roadside.

Ma Ergun heard the greeting and gently pulled the reins, causing the ox cart to slowly stop. He smiled and replied, "Yes, San Gouzi. I'm going to the city to buy some cloth to make some small clothes for my unborn grandson."

San Gouzi had lived alone in the village since Grandma Zhang passed away. With the income from making sweet potatoes, he lived a comfortable and happy life.

"Uncle Ergun, can I take your car to the city?" asked Sangouzi.

Ma Ergun was worried about being lonely and bored on the road when he heard this. Now he had someone to keep him company. "Come up, come up! We can chat together. Caifeng's belly is getting bigger and bigger, and it's not easy for her to move around. I'm really worried about leaving her alone at home, so I asked Fuping to take care of her at home."