Traveling Through Farmhouses: Taking the Baby on a Famine Escape

Zhang Xixi's family of four and Zhou Fu and his wife finally moved all the sweet potatoes to the cellar before dinner.

Most importantly, Zhou Yujie was really capable. Zhou Fu and the others looked at him with admiration. The second boss's fighting power was truly outstanding!

Wang Daniu and his team worked very hard in the sweet potato field, digging up about 10,000 jin of sweet potatoes in just one afternoon.

In the evening, Sun Xiuxiu made a stir-fried sweet potato tip dish, which tasted pretty good, and Li Kuiqi ate it with relish.

"Young lady, your sweet potato vines taste great, can you sell me all of them?"

Zhang Xixi was stunned. How desperate was this Boss Li for food? He would take anything edible that he could find!

"Mr. Li, these sweet potato vines don't keep well; they'll wilt in three or four days."

Li Kuiqi said disappointedly, "Then forget it!"

He had originally planned to prepare some different food for the soldiers at the border, but since he couldn't take it back, he would just help them eat more these few days. He picked up another chopstick and put it in his bowl, then ate heartily.

Zhang Xixi thought that it would be a waste to use all the sweet potato tips in the field to cover the sweet potatoes during this lean season.

After dinner, Zhang Wenbo took Li Kuiqi home to rest, because Zhang Xixi's family didn't have any extra beds, and they were also afraid that Xiao Jin and the others would scare him.

The next day, Wang Daniu led everyone to dig sweet potatoes, while Zhang Xixi went to the kitchen downstairs.

When Zhang Xixi arrived, Cuihua had just finished tidying up the kitchen utensils and was about to go to the fields to help out, and also to pick some sweet potato tips.

"Cuihua, don't rush. Go and tell the women in the village that they can pick sweet potato tips from the field if they want them, just don't disturb the people who are working."

"Ok."

“If you want to cut some to take home and feed to your chickens, that’s fine too,” Zhang Xixi added.

Cuihua nodded, "Mm!"

My aunt continues to treat the villagers well, and I hope they will live up to her kindness.

That day, the cows, horses, and mules belonging to Zhang Xixi's family were led to graze by the village children, and they would only be paid when they returned at noon to harvest the meat.

Cutting grass directly in the field is much better than them searching for fodder. The children who usually have to find livestock for their families are all eager to trade with Zhou Jingyang and his group.

Finally, having no other choice, they had to take turns doing it in order of seniority, but the two little ones did a pretty good job.

In the sweet potato field, the village women also took advantage of their free time to pick some sweet potato tips. However, the women who came would cut off the sweet potato vines they picked and leave them aside to make it easier for the people digging the sweet potatoes. They were grateful people.

After lunch on the third day, Li Kuiqi went to the village entrance to wait. Based on his understanding of the head manager, they should have arrived by now.

Sure enough, a middle-aged man arrived in the village with a convoy of cars shortly afterward, and Li Kuiqi rushed to greet him.

"Manager, you've finally arrived!"

"Quickie, how did you know we'd arrive at this time!"

Li Kuiqi laughed and said, "Manager, I know you are also very anxious about the grain. I calculated the distance and that's all I need to know."

Shopkeeper Qian nodded and praised, "You have done a great job this time. I have already written to the border to inform the Duke of your merit. Of course, you can also tell me if you need anything."

Li Kuiqi cupped his hands and smiled, "Thank you very much, Manager. But my business isn't urgent. Let's take a look at the grain first!"

"Alright, alright, lead the way!"

Along the way, Li Kuiqi reported the situation here to Manager Qian.

When Manager Qian learned that there were approximately one million catties of sweet potatoes here, he was even more delighted. He patted Li Kuiqi on the shoulder and said, "I really have to thank you this time. If it weren't for..."

"Manager, we're all family, no need to be so polite!"

Zhang Xixi saw Li Kuiqi leading a group of people over from the pasture and quickly headed towards the sweet potato field.

Upon closer inspection, the person in charge looked so familiar!

Shopkeeper Qian was also taken aback when he saw Zhang Xixi, then greeted her with a smile, "Madam Zhang, it's been a long time. You also live in this village."

Zhang Xixi was delighted to see an old acquaintance and quickly said, "Thanks to Manager Qian's help, our entire village has settled down here."

Li Kuiqi looked around and realized that everyone knew each other. "Manager, this is the owner of the sweet potatoes."

Zhang Xixi exclaimed in surprise, "So you're here to buy food!"

It seems the Northwest Army is short of food, which is why they sent people here to purchase it.

Manager Qian laughed and said, "It is indeed this old man. It's truly a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple."

Zhang Xixi smiled and showed Manager Qian the sweet potato field before saying, "Manager Qian, there are a lot of sweet potatoes here. I wonder if your carriages and horses are ready?"

"Don't worry, Madam Zhang. Our manpower and vehicles are ready. As long as your people dig up the sweet potatoes, we can take them away at any time."

Zhang Xixi glanced at the sweet potatoes on the ground and said awkwardly, "Manager Qian, I'm sorry, I forgot to prepare sacks. I'll have to trouble you to wait a moment while I have someone go to town to buy some."

Manager Qian waved his hand and said, "No need to go. I brought plenty of sacks. Just take them and fill them up."

After Manager Qian finished speaking, he arranged for the convoy to take down the sacks.

"Zhang family girl, I'll have my men pack all the dug sweet potatoes into sacks and take them away in a bit. You can have someone come over later to weigh and record them, what do you think?"

Zhang Xixi was a little embarrassed, "How could I let your people help me pack the sweet potatoes? Wouldn't that be putting you at a disadvantage?"

Manager Qian arranged for the caravan to load the sweet potatoes before speaking earnestly to Zhang Xixi: "Sister Zhang, I know that the price of coarse grains has risen to more than ten coins, while you only sold your sweet potatoes to us for six coins a pound. In fact, you're the one who's losing out."

"But as you know, the border is in dire need of food, and it's really expensive for the master to support so many people. So this time, I have no choice but to shamelessly take advantage of you. Don't make a fuss about this little thing like packing sweet potatoes!"

"Alright, we'll do as you say, Manager Qian."

Seeing how earnestly Manager Qian spoke, Zhang Xixi felt embarrassed to bring it up again. Little did he know that by planting these sweet potatoes, she would reap far more than just piles of silver.

Forget it, that’s it!

Some secrets should not be known to outsiders.

Because she had things to do at home, Zhang Xixi said goodbye to Manager Qian and the others.

He asked Zhou Fu to help with the weighing and recording, and also asked him to invite Manager Qian and the others to his house for dinner later, before heading back home.

When distinguished guests arrive, it's time to prepare some good dishes to entertain them. As soon as Zhang Xixi got home, she asked Sun Xiuxiu to take down the dried pheasants and rabbits and process them.

She went to the vegetable garden and cut some garlic sprouts. Seeing that some tomatoes were ripe, she also picked them. She planned to make scrambled eggs with tomatoes later, which would be a fresh dish.